By MariaMaria #629 CM 3430 4/02

"Lord of the Rings"—good or evil?2

Woe?5

Personal prophecies published for all6

Got the faith?9

Keeping the spice of life in your
   daily bread12

Battles—an attack of the Enemy?13

Bored?15

"Lord of the Rings"—Good or Evil?

(Excerpts of a letter to Mama from an SGA woman:)

1. I felt led to write you about a question I've faced concerning the movie "The Lord of the Rings." I, along with others of our Home‚ went to watch this film shortly after it was released. As I sat waiting for it to begin, I called on the power of the keys to help me discern any evil or deception in it.

2. I strongly disliked the movie and felt a very dark spirit from it. I thought it gave too much power to the dark side and that good‚ by comparison‚ was very weak. I also found the fact that they weren't fighting to preserve something good but rather protecting a powerful force of darkness from falling into the wrong hands to be strange.

3. That night I asked the Lord about it, and I remember one of the things He told me was that the reason evil is portrayed so strongly was because its author, Tolkien, had a fascination for evil and the dark side. However, a few weeks later it appeared on the movie list for junior teens (Grapevine 126), along with a message from the Lord. In the message the Lord said, "Tolkien's goal was to represent the virtues and spirit of Christianity to a skeptical world, and because he sought Me, I anointed him in his task." The overall message is quite positive.

4. Initially I went through a big trial, feeling I must be really out of it to have received such a conflicting prophecy. So I prayed again and the Lord told me to keep trusting Him and leave it in His hands. So until just yesterday I hadn't thought about it much, then as I was reading a book by a Christian author, I came to a paragraph which read: "British writer J.R.R. Tolkien, a blatant occultist who, nevertheless, is exalted in some misguided Christian Evangelical and Catholic communities, gave us his 'Lord of the Rings.’"

5. I was again puzzled by the seeming contradiction. I by no means want to be exalting the words of man over the Lord's; however, since this man is a Christian and gives a very strong witness, much like ours, in his book, I thought I would ask you about this. Whatever the Lord shows you‚ I'll accept. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

Mama:

6. As you know, Peter and I are not involved in movie rating or receiving the messages from the Lord about the movies. Neither have we seen "Lord of the Rings." But I asked one of my channels, who had read the books some time ago and who has seen the movie, to ask the Lord about it. She prayed:

7. Lord, please explain what the truth is here, and give us answers for these seeming contradictions between the messages that were published about this movie and what this girl got out of it and how it affected her. Also, between what this Christian writer and other Christian writers have said about Tolkien and where he was coming from—some say he was a strong Christian witness, others that he was part of the occult. We know there are often many sides to an issue and many ways of looking at something‚ and only You know what is really the truth, so please show us. Please clear my own emotions and thoughts here and help me to hear from You clearly.

Jesus:

8. Were Tolkien and his writings good or evil? Inspired by light or inspired by darkness? Guided by Me or guided by Satan? Converting others to Christianity or leading people into the darkness of the occult? Those who like and enjoy these stories, along with those who dislike them or fear them, have all pondered these questions. From reading the books, and now viewing the movie, it really isn't clear-cut in many people's minds. Good wins, there are good morals brought out‚ and yet there is this underlying fascination for darkness that you feel when reading these books.

9. The truth is that Tolkien was very spiritually sensitive, and these books and movies contain the effects of spirits of good as well as spirits of darkness. His aim and mindset was coming from a belief in Me and a desire to promote good things, yet he was also attempting to attract interest from a world of skeptics, unbelievers, and those interested in the darkness, and felt he had to appeal to them too. He had a strong faith in Me, but that doesn't mean he was strong in all the gifts of the Spirit, or was always completely discerning of every spirit or voice that came into his life or mind. Also, remember that in a story of such drama and adventure, it would not have been possible to dwell only on the good. The battle between good and evil provides the drama; the darkness helps viewers to appreciate the beautiful light.

Text box:

10. (Question:) Lord, You said Tolkien had a strong faith in You. Ordinarily we think of someone strong in faith as being strong in the Word, but Tolkien seems to have emphasized the power of the evil more than that of the good, at least at times, and that's not according to Your Word. Can You please explain a little more about his faith?

11. (Jesus speaking:) Tolkien did have a strong faith and great love for Me, and still does. I characterize it as strong because it was a faith out of the ordinary, a faith which was open about love for Me, filled with a desire to tell others about Me, and one which sought Me fervently in prayer. He did not have the faith that many of you of the children of David have, but you have an extraordinary faith, a faith that is beyond strong. You have exceptional faith. But as a man of the world, he had strong faith‚ and I honor him for that. (End of message from Jesus)

End of text box.

12. There could have been less darkness in the original books, and especially in the recent movie, and the message could have still been strong and clear—at least for you, My children. But the world at large is interested in darkness. They seek adventure. They seek fear and death. There is no way to make a movie or story appeal to a wide audience nowadays without these elements. It's a sad statement about society today that in order to entertain them, you can't provide entertainment that is completely wholesome and light.

13. There is more light than darkness in the original books, but in the creation of these films‚ some of that power and preponderance of light was lost. The director is interested in the dark side‚ and he knows that the viewers will be too, so he played this up—often a bit more than was actually needed. The good does win in the end, but even this is not completely brought out in the first film or book, for they are parts of a series. The feeling you have after reading one book or watching one movie is very different than the feeling you have after all three.

14. What I have said about this movie and its overall message and theme is true—there is much good that My children can gain from it, if they let Me speak to them through it and show them spiritual principles. Yet the fact is that different people are affected differently, depending on your spiritual sensitivity, on your mood at the time, and on what your spirit and attitude is when viewing.

15. Some people are more susceptible to the influences of fear and darkness and depression. Other people are less spiritually sensitive. Often those who are very sensitive to My Spirit are also more sensitive to evil spirits than those who are overall duller spiritually. Being spiritually sensitive is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing and a curse that this one who created these stories faced.

16. In any movie or book created by someone in the world, you will always find some darkness, some evil, or some wrong attitude. That's why I've emphasized over and over again that you must be prayerful when taking in System input, and that you must ask Me to help you choose the good and eschew the evil. There is no completely "safe" form of relaxation or entertainment from the world. The only thing that you can take in without having to have your guard up against wrong influences is My Word. You can drink that in with no fears, no reservations, no hesitations, and you can rest assured that it will bring strength to your spirit and will not bring any traces of the Enemy's darkness. But you cannot have that kind of assurance or security when taking in any worldly input.

17. There are movies and books that I do allow you to view or to read, and there are often good things to be gained—but these are not the pure waters of My truth, and should never be seen as such. No matter how much good or light there may be in a film, or how inspiring or strengthening it might be to some people, it is not completely pure waters, and it should not be drunk into your spirit without being filtered.

18. Sometimes the particles of darkness are very big, very obvious, and it's easy to see them for what they are. Other times they are very small particles, and very few, and these tend to be more deceiving and harder to filter. They have more of a chance of getting through the sieve and affecting your spirit. These subliminal or underlying lies and wrong messages found in System entertainment are the most important as well as the most difficult to be on guard against.

19. Back to Tolkien and "The Lord of the Rings": Some Christians in the world have touted him and his works as being a strong influence for good on many lives. Others have called him an occultist working for the dark side. So who is right? It's important to understand that many Christians, though sincere in their belief in Me‚ are deluded regarding their beliefs in the spirit world and things that are spiritual. Many fear the spiritual and supernatural‚ and have been brainwashed by misguided church leaders to think that anything that addresses or delves into the spiritual realm is wrong and evil. Many have called you and your beliefs and doctrines evil for this very reason.

20. I've called you out of the church system, and I've given you freedom to delve into the spiritual realm, to gain knowledge and understanding of the things of the spirit, and to partake of the gifts of My Spirit. There are many Christians who believe in many things that are right and godly, but who are off in their perception of and understanding of the spirit world. They avoid it. They feel it's all too risky and evil. Those who say that Tolkien was part of the occult are part of this group. They're not lying or being deceitful; they just don't understand how such spiritual things could possibly be good.

21. The truth is that some people who have read and absorbed Tolkien's writings have gone to the dark side and fallen into the occult and worshiping Satan. But this was because of their own fascination for evil, which they allowed the evil characters in these books to fuel within them. It was not because these books actually promoted that. There is good and evil portrayed in these novels, and those who seek the light, who choose the light, who follow the light, can be inspired and uplifted. Those who choose the darkness and follow the darkness can be affected by the dark spirits that also have influence in these writings.

22. Tolkien did not fully realize how spiritually sensitive he was, or what types of spiritual elements came through. Those who read his books or view the movies don't always understand how they're being affected either. Then you have those who are children of light, who do seek the light, but who are adversely affected through reading or viewing scenes of these creatures of darkness. This is not because they're dark in spirit, but just because they're spiritually sensitive and need extra defending and shielding of My Spirit to protect them from such influences. Their sensitivity to evil is a weakness that accompanies a strength. It's like all things I have created within nature. I must create a balance. Each gift comes with its handicap. Each strength comes with its weakness.

23. This dear girl need not fear that she got it wrong or was misled. It's true that there was darkness in the movie, and it's true that the writer of these stories had a link with the dark side—because he was spiritually sensitive overall. It's not a clear-cut case of, "This movie is completely good and pure," or "This movie is completely dark and evil." It is spiritual, and it has a mixture of various elements of the spiritual represented. Good wins, but evil is very present.

24. That's why I cannot stress sufficiently the importance of getting My mind and thoughts, My counsel, and My spiritual protection when you're partaking of any form of entertainment created by the world. There is no other fount to drink from safely, of whose purity you can rest assured, than the fountain of My Word. (End of message from Jesus.)

Woe?

Q:

25. I would like to ask for the Lord's explanation and clarification of Matthew 24:19, "And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days." I have been wondering exactly what the word "woe" means here. For example, whether it means that it's just going to be a little bit harder for pregnant and nursing mommies, or whether it's actually going to cause some of them to fall into the hands of the enemy because they'll be slowed down by their little ones and won't be able to be as mobile as others.

26. Also, how does it go along with "the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits"? (Dan.11:32). The two verses seem to contradict each other—unless of course the "woe" verse talks about mommies who do not know their God. Could the Lord give us some more details explaining what He means in this verse? I've heard of some mommies who are fretting and others who are practically praying that the Endtime is not yet upon us so that they'll have more time for their kids to grow up before the Tribulation.

Jesus:

27. Having children and bringing up babies is, has always been‚ and will always be a tough job. When you're caring for another small life, even the regular day–to-day chores and jobs become harder. You don't always sleep as well, and even just getting through a mealtime can be a big job.

28. I wasn't kidding when I was talking to My disciples about how difficult and tough the Endtime would be. It's going to be a time of greater difficulty than any of you have ever known, and it stands to reason that, like regular life, it'll also be a little bit tougher for those who are pregnant, have small children, and so on. As life gets tougher for all My children, as usual, things will also be tougher on parents.

29. But to look at this scripture properly, you have to balance that verse against all the others in which I have promised protection and grace for every trial. Take a look at just these few in the context of children and pregnant moms in the Endtime:

 *Where sin doth abound, there doth grace much more abound.

 *If I do not care for My Own‚ then I am worse than an infidel.

 *The people who know their God shall be strong and do exploits.

 *He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs in His arms and carry in His bosom those that are with young.

 *Not one sparrow falls to the ground except that your Father knows it. Are you not then worth more than many sparrows?

 *In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

 *We are troubled on every side‚ yet not in despair.

30. As these and many other verses show, I will give more grace when the burdens grow greater. Yes‚ it's going to be a difficult time, but if I've chosen to give you a child at the time of the End, know that I have a special purpose and a plan.

31. When you think about this verse and the rest of Matthew 24, please realize that I was having to paint a very black picture‚ a very clear picture in terms which My disciples and Christians through the ages would have no problem understanding. And yes, one of the most logical conclusions about a time of difficulty is that it will be even harder for women and children. But that doesn't mean that you, My victors of the End, are going to be suffering, slowed down, and held back because of your kids.

32. You will rise above with My anointing and power! Whether you're pregnant, or have a small baby, or a huge family, or whatever, I can use it all for My glory, and can even help it be a bigger blessing for you in that time of trial. I will use each of your little ones that you have reared in the knowledge and admonition of Me to be a part of the witness, a part of the victory over the Antichrist and all his forces. Each of your children will shine for Me or be used of Me in some way. When you look at it that way, the more you have, the better!

33. Yes, caring for children is a big job, and will continue to be so. World conditions are going to get worse, and things won't be easy. But because you're My Own, My Bride, My beloved ones, you will be cared for. You will be under the shadow of My wings, and you have no need of fear, for you will not want for any of your needs. Whether it be protection, power in the spirit, healing‚ or supernatural supply, I will be there for you, caring for you as you care for My little ones.

34. So don't worry, and don't fear. It's going to be tough‚ but no more so than I know you can handle. Where the difficulties are, that's where I will be, to bestow an extra special helping of My power and My grace. Hold on, and never fear, because I am with you always. (End of message from Jesus.) (See also ML #2961:438-444, Lifelines 22.)

Personal Prophecies Published for All

Mama:

35. I want to address a question that has come up concerning the prophecies we publish in the GNs. First of all, let me explain what types of prophecies are printed in the GNs. Many of the prophecies printed in the GNs are fresh, new messages which the Lord gives for that particular GN or topic we're covering, at the time Peter or I are working on the GN itself. However, other GNs are made up of jewels or numerous prophecy excerpts, such as the "Comfort in Affliction" series or "Issues" series. Many of these prophecies were originally received by members of our Home, which they shared with me. Over many months, I went through these prophecies and selected the portions that were most applicable and would be of greatest benefit to all of you‚ compiling that series of GNs.

36. On a daily basis we receive many personal letters from you, our wonderful Family‚ and we're thankful to be able to pull down our Lover's answers and comfort for you, as much as we're able. These messages from the Lord, though specifically given for one person, often contain tremendous keys to victory, or answers to specific questions or problems that many people have. The Lord often lays it on my heart to share portions of these personalized messages with all of you.

37. This is where the question has come up. Some of you have asked how we can publish a personal message, given in prophecy for one person in answer to their particular need or situation or troubles, for the entire Family. A few of you have also voiced concern over a prophecy received for and sent to you being printed and shared with the Family‚ because you feel that the message could highlight you in some way, and that makes you feel bad.

38. I'd like to first apologize if any prophecies we've printed—of a personal nature that were received for you specifically—have made you feel singled out or highlighted in some way. That's not at all our intention! Whenever we print a message given for an individual for everyone's benefit, we try to be very careful to edit out any revealing information. What we're trying to share with everyone is the lessons, the principles, the word pictures, the answer and comfort that the Lord gives, which others need also. But if you have felt uncomfortable because of this, I'm very sorry.

39. I want to explain why it is that we've printed some prophecies received for specific individuals‚ and how the Lord looks at it. I hope that in reading this you can understand and accept the blessing that it truly is to have the messages the Lord gives you shared with others also. The Lord's Words are precious, and I know you're all thankful for the priceless channel of communicating with our Husband directly that He's blessed us with. We're learning more and more about it all the time, praise the Lord!

*"But the message was for me!"

40. This is a common feeling to have when you see a message the Lord gave specifically for you printed for all. All of a sudden, what was very special and tailor-made counsel for you has now been put out to everyone equally. Does that change the specialness of the Lord's message to you? How can it be printed for others when it wasn't given for them? You feel that must be wrong.

41. Well, the Lord doesn't look at it that way. It's true that the message was given directly from the Lord's heart to yours, and that will always remain the case. And it doesn't make the Lord's message to you less special if it's printed and shared with others; in fact, it multiplies the benefit, and you should be happy about that.

42. When the Lord gives a message for you specifically, it is tailor-made, but you have to remember that we're all men and women of like passions. In other words, what fits you will most likely fit someone else too. There may be certain portions of the prophecy that are made to fit you snug, but they'll still be a blessing to others. And you never know‚ what you might think is an isolated battle that you're going through could be quite common or something that someone else has been struggling with too, and the counsel the Lord gave you could be their lifesaver also.

*The Lord means for His Words
to be shared!

43. It's a nice feeling to receive a message from the Lord and tuck it away in your notebook or on your computer‚ knowing that it's just between you and Him. That is a special feeling. But throughout history, the Lord has never meant for His Words or message to be hid, kept safely in a little treasure box, or held so sacred that nobody else gets to benefit. The Lord loves His Words to be shared and to be spread abroad!

44. That's why our greatest commission is to preach the Gospel to every creature—to spread the good tidings, to let the whole world know! It's similar in our personal walk with the Lord. The Words the Lord gives are His Words, first and foremost, whether He gave them to you specifically or not. Just because He gave them to you doesn't mean that they now belong to you; they're still His Words, and He loves to share His Words with others. He wants as many people as possible to benefit from the flood of jewels that He's pouring out.

45. No one of us can spend enough time every day hearing from the Lord and pulling down His seeds to ever get all that He has to say. It's a collective effort! If you had to get all your direction from the Lord personally, you'd be getting a lot less than you are right now‚ wouldn't you? In fact‚ many of the prophecies in the GNs were originally received by those in our Home as personal prophecies. They were willing to share them with you. Or if they weren't received as personal prophecies, they were willing to pull them down for you.

46. I would be surprised if several of the messages that have helped you the most over the years, and really pulled you out of deep, dark times, weren't originally given to someone else as a personal message. But they helped you nonetheless! Maybe they saved your service for the Lord. The From Jesus With Love books—some of our Family's favorite devotional material—are entirely made up of people's personal prophecies. Don't they speak to you? Don't they help you?

47. So please think about that when you're tempted to battle with a personal prophecy being published for all. The way you should look at it is that you're happy that others can benefit. You should be encouraged if a personal prophecy received for you is printed for all, because that means that you're not the only one facing that problem or needing counsel in that area. Others do too!

*Broadening the prophecy to apply
to all

48. In some cases, a personal prophecy contains excellent lessons or counsel, and the Lord confirms that it should be shared with the whole Family. However, there may be portions that are of a very personal nature or that need clarifying in order for the Family at large to understand what it's talking about. When the Lord gives a message to an individual, that individual is well aware of what the Lord is talking about, so the Lord may say things which He knows that person will understand, but which, when read by others not aware of the situation or without so much background, might bring up questions or confusion. In some cases, it's sufficient to delete the very personal or specific parts. But in other cases, deleting all the specifics would make the overall point unclear.

49. In such cases‚ the Lord has given me permission to clarify or make small edits on such personal prophecies. He's given the green light for me to ask Him to give rewordings in prophecy that will broaden very specific aspects of a prophecy in order to help it apply to the Family at large. I'll give you an example. If the Lord gave a message to a wife about her need to let go of the past and not hold on to any bitternesses or grudges, in reference to her husband, the Lord might suggest that the specific mention of her husband be replaced with a more general term‚ such as "other Family members, mates, co-workers," etc. Such a change would make the prophecy more relatable and applicable to everyone in the Family.

50. It doesn't change the fact that the Lord gave the specific message for the woman in question. And His counsel to her about her husband still stands. However, the lesson and points brought out in the prophecy could apply to all and help many people to get victories in their lives. For this reason, the Lord has authorized minor wording changes and clarifications, which we ask the Lord to give in prophecy‚ in order to make such personal prophecies available to all.

51. Please know that any edits‚ clarifications or questions concerning a prophecy are taken very seriously, and I go back to the Lord time and again about them. There's nothing more precious to me than the Lord's Words, and I treasure them and don't take the job the Lord has given me of preparing His Words for you lightly.

52. As I mentioned earlier, as a rule we try to take out any revealing parts of personal prophecies before publishing them. If the Lord leads us to leave in specifics that would highlight you, or if we ever would want to use your name, we will check with you before publishing it, as we realize this is a sensitive issue and could cause you trials. However‚ we're not able to check with every single person whose prophecy or portions of a prophecy we publish‚ if we aren't using their name. We'll do our best to edit out anything of a personal nature or any clues that would point to you being the one the prophecy was originally received for. However, beyond that, we hope you understand and will be happy to have the beautiful messages the Lord has given for you shared with others.

53. Sometimes it's a little humbling to have your lessons printed for all, even if nobody knows the message was originally given for you. But that's also good for us. It keeps us humble, dependent on the Lord, and is a good reminder of our lessons, which never hurts. So thank you, dear Family, for being willing to let the rest of us benefit from the words the Lord pours out for you. They are special and unique—given precisely for you‚ and even more amazingly, they can still help, comfort, speak to‚ and give others the victory too!

Got the Faith?

Q:

54. Some people say, when they're doing something wrong, like listening to System music all the time, or watching non-recommended movies, etc., "I have the faith for this; it won't do me harm!" or "I'm strong; I can take it!" Many people say this—both young people and FGAs. But from what I understand from the Word, if it's something that goes against what the Word says, then even if you say you have all the faith in the world for it‚ it's still wrong. And you'll only be saying you have the faith for it‚ but you actually don't have the faith; you're just using those words as an excuse to do what you want. The Word says that faith is a gift of God. He won't give you this gift to use on something bad for you or others. It's impossible to have faith if you don't obey the Lord. Did I get it right?

Dad:

55. The Lord has given you in the Family great faith for things that very few other Christians—people who are otherwise wonderfully saved and really love the Lord, and who even believe in living for the Lord and witnessing for Him—could ever possibly have the faith for. You've been given many wonderful freedoms, which the majority of the churches would consider heretical, blasphemous, or at the very least, dirty and sinful. Nevertheless, you have these freedoms‚ by faith‚ with very few restrictions and guidelines. Many of you younger ones probably don't even realize how special those freedoms are, because you didn't have to fight for them; you grew up thinking of them as being completely normal and natural.

56. What is it that gives you the faith for these things that so many other good Christians do not have the faith for? What is it that makes the Family so different?! It's your faith in the Word, and specifically your faith in the now famous Law of Love that sets you apart from the rest of the church. Your freedom along these lines is what separates you from almost every other Christian or person of faith in the whole world.

57. Faith comes by hearing the Word and believing it—believing it to mean exactly what it says—and the Family is really strong on that point. But do you want to know something very important? This is the crux of the whole matter. The important thing you must remember is that you can have all the freedom in the world and all the faith in the world‚ but without love, it's nothing. As the Apostle Paul explained time and time again‚ real faith must be based on love, and put into action with love—otherwise it's nothing. Read it again in 1Corinthians 13: "Now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity (love), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (love)."

58. As Paul told the Galatians, "In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" (Galatians 5:6). In other words, are your actions based on your faith in Jesus, and on your love for Him and for others? Are you doing what you're doing because you love Him, and because you want to please Him and glorify Him in your body, mind, and spirit? If so, then there's no Scriptural law against what you're doing.

59. But if what you're doing isn't edifying or loving, if it's selfish and carnal and based upon your own selfish desires and the lusts of the flesh, if it doesn't draw you closer to the Lord or to others, and if it doesn't fill your heart with good things—with love and the desire to reach out to those around you—then what you're doing isn't of the Lord, it isn't built on the Rock, and therefore it isn't an act of faith but an act of sin.

60. That's right—it's a sin. Does it surprise you to hear me say that? You who have grown up in the Family haven't heard that word much, have you? We've kind of shied away from using that expression and talking about things as being "sinful," because it smacked so much of the churchianity system.

61. Many of the first generation had been so put down and put off by the churches' constant sermonizing about sin and hellfire, they were just fed up with it! They'd heard so many warnings about all the things they weren't supposed to do, and yet they'd been given no idea of what the Bible and Jesus' love are really all about. "Don't do this and don't do that. Don't dance or drink or enjoy life. Don't have sex. Don't masturbate. And for God's sake, don't ever be tempted to become some sort of religious fanatic!" And if by any chance someone happened to miraculously be moved by the Lord's Spirit to actually do something for Jesus, they were looked on as a complete freak‚ a weirdo.

62. So when the Lord, in His love and mercy, broke us free from the chains of churchianity and from the System's religion of don'ts, He turned us on to a whole new religion and a whole new way of life. Jesus didn't say to us, "Don't do this and don't do that." He told us‚ "Go to it! Go into all the world, and do whatever it takes to win the lost and make disciples of all nations." He said, "Brother and sister, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom! I've come to set you free, and whom the Son has set free is free indeed!"

63. Many of the first generation were so jazzed to have finally found the truth and be set free from the hypocrisy and lies of the System, they latched on to that freedom with everything they had and ran with it!—And the world criticized and condemned them for it.

64. But unfortunately, some of your parents lacked the experience, maturity, and the spiritual depth to know how to use the freedoms they were given wisely, and as a result, some of the things that were done in the name of freedom were not necessarily done in love; therefore they were wrong, or they bore the wrong fruit. They didn't fulfill all the conditions that were laid out in the Lord's Law of Love, and sadly, some were hurt by their actions.

65. And, of course‚ as I've said before, I should have put more conditions on the Law of Love myself, more restrictions and rules, so people wouldn't be hurt. So I'm responsible too, because I didn't anticipate the problems that could have come up, and did come up. I warned people to be ruled by love rather than lust‚ but that just wasn't enough.

66. Let's learn from the past, beloved. Please don't ever use the liberties the Lord has given you as an excuse to do your own thing, or as Peter put it in 1Peter 2:16, "Not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God."

67. Jesus' love and grace and forgiveness have set you free from the law of sin and the flesh. But He didn't give you those freedoms just so that you would drift along, gratifying your own selfish desires and weaknesses. He gave them to you so that you could be a happy and loving bride‚ able to show the world a loving and understanding God.

68. "Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word‚ even in this; thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Gal.5:13–14).

69. Love—that's the standard. If it's not loving, if it's not full of love and full of the Lord's Spirit‚ you're not at liberty to do it. Part of your love for the Lord is manifested in your obedience to Him. So even if something doesn't look harmful to you, if it's something that the Lord has told you not to do, or that the rules of the Family do not permit, it's just love to be obedient—plain and simple. There is so much written in the epistles to the Early Church that makes this point very clear, and it's still just as true and as important today. Some of it might be a little hard to understand, but if you pray and read it with an open heart, the Lord's Spirit will help you get the gist of it.

70. Read through it and listen to what the Lord has to say to you. Just because you want to do something badly enough doesn't mean it's faith that's driving you, and it certainly doesn't make it right. In fact, the things that some people are doing and saying they have the faith for are dead wrong. Some of these things are not only bad for you and for your spirit, but they're bad for your testimony, for your work‚ and for your high calling of winning the world.

71. I'm talking about listening to the wrong kinds of music, and watching the wrong kinds of movies—music and movies and other worldly input that is slowly poisoning you and contaminating your spirit. You might deny—even to yourself—that these things are affecting you. You might say you have the faith for them, and you might even think you have the faith and the freedom to do them. But the truth is‚ you're not free at all, because you're trading away your God-given freedoms for a measly mess of pottage, allowing yourself to be overcome by the temptations and the pull of the Enemy.

72. You're giving up the waters of life in exchange for broken cisterns, wells without water, clouds that will be carried away by the storm. Read 2Peter 2:19-22: "For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome … it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."

73. "You are a chosen generation," folks‚ "a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you might show forth the praises of Him Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. … Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against your soul" (1Peter 2:9,11).

74. "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead‚ and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you" (Romans 6:13-17).

75. Does that sound old-fashioned and out of date to you? It's not. It's more important today, more real, more true today than it has ever been before! It's a war of the spirit, and if instead of putting on the armor and the new weapons which the Lord is making available to you, if instead of yielding yourself to Him completely as His obedient servants, you're filling your mind and spirit with the pollutants of the Enemy‚ then it won't be long before you'll be completely defeated and useless as one of the Lord's emissaries.

76. I could go on and on with scripture after scripture, confirming that it's impossible to have the faith for something that's wrong, regardless of how much you want to do it. But I think I'll leave it up to you to dig into your Bible and read the rest for yourselves.

77. How could something not be wrong if it's not right? If it's not something good, if the spirit of it isn't good, if its message isn't good, if its purpose isn't good, then it's not good‚ and its fruit will not be good, and it will not be good for you.

78. So come on! "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called" (1Tim.6:12). "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life‚ that he may please Him Who hath chosen him to be a soldier" (2Tim.2:4). "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Eph. 5:11). "Be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (2Cor.6:17).

79. And if you feel yourself weakening in your convictions, or if you've already allowed yourself to become contaminated by the Enemy's poison‚ it's not too late. Let God's Word strengthen and help you. "Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you" (John 15:3). "Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11). "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the Words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63).

80. There is no excuse for disobedience, beloved. It's inexcusable. It will weaken you and sap you of your faith and your light. Don't let that happen to you. Stay on the wall! You'll be much happier and stronger, enjoying the freedoms of the Spirit which will last forever, than merely enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season. (End of message from Dad)

Keeping the Spice of Life
 In Your Daily Bread

Jesus:

81. Variety is very important when reading My Words. That's one reason I've given so many wonderful messages on so many different topics that you can read on. I know that at times you get stuck on one topic, and while it may be very interesting for a while‚ because of your human frame and mindsets you need a change.

82. So if you feel you need a little more variety in your Word diet, instead of spending the whole time slot you have allotted for your Word time reading just one GN, try balancing it out with My Words from other publications. Read portions from a couple of different GNs, some chapters from the Bible, an Xn, or one of the feeding Heaven's Library books. Whatever it takes, do get that variety. Because if you don't, the Word you're reading may speak to you in the beginning, but as you get more and more restless it begins to speak to you less, because your carnal mind is distracting you. You begin to want something else, something different. Keep a good balance and some variety in your life. You need to read on different topics so that the Word on each of those topics can speak to you afresh.

83. It's sometimes hard to read for hours on end, so you could break up the Word time. Try different schedules and combinations to see what works the best for you and what bears the most fruit. The most important thing is not to get bored. Keep your spirit and mind stirred up with constant changes and variety, thereby making it much more difficult for the Enemy to attack you with boredom. (End of message from Jesus.)

Battles—Purging & Strengthening?
—Or an Attack of the Enemy?

Q:

84. If I'm unhappy and things are going wrong, how do I tell if it's an attack of the Devil, or if it's because I'm out of the Lord's will and off track in some way? Well, one obvious answer to that is to ask the Lord, and probably that's the best and most accurate answer. But is there any other answer? If you feel like you don't have a good enough channel or won't hear clearly, is there any other way to tell?

Jesus:

85. Battles, tests and trials are a way of life—a way of spiritual growth and progress. Without the testing and trying of your spirit, I cannot prove your mettle and help you to become stronger in spirit. Every battle, every trial is strengthening your spirit, strengthening your connection with Me‚ and teaching you the lessons of the spirit that you need so that I can use you even more and make you into what I want you to be.

86. Battles are difficult to go through, but know that the results are worth it; the good fruit that will be born in your life is priceless and worth it all. The most difficult thing is to just hang on and trust that the battles are doing you some good, that you're becoming better in some way, stronger, and not just getting worse or weaker. This is part of the test‚ part of the trusting, and as you continue to hang on and trust and let Me prove you, you will come out stronger, better.

87. The Enemy is My sheep dog or hatchet man. That's his job. He does the bad stuff. But for you, My children, nothing happens that I don't directly allow, or which I'm sometimes forced to allow because you've stepped outside the boundaries of My protection. Sometimes I engineer the circumstances because there's a certain result I want to bring about in your life—but it's the Enemy that creates the actual test or difficulty.

88. For example, take a situation where your mate falls in love with someone else and you experience horrendous feelings of jealousy. Well, there are probably some very special things I want to bring out of that in your life, and I'm the One who allowed your mate to fall in love; but still‚ it's the Enemy who brings the feelings of jealousy and makes you feel attacked in that way. I know that through the jealousy battles you will cry out to Me and become strengthened and more compassionate and humble and useful‚ and so I allow it.

89. Or say an accident occurs. Maybe it's a special time in your life when I knew you needed to slow down and take more time with Me. I lifted My hand of protection for a moment and allowed the Enemy to cause the accident—but I allowed it for your good.

90. There are times when the Enemy begs permission to attack or test you, as he did Job. There are other times when he just tries his hardest to get in in any way he can‚ and I allow that too‚ to help you keep your guard up and to strengthen you in the spirit. There are times when he tries to distract you from the important mission I've given you, and I allow that too, to test your determination, to see if you're worthy of the miracle or victory that I'm going to bring about if you keep hanging on and are not dissuaded.

91. The easy answer is that it's the Enemy's job to cause trials or battles or accidents or afflictions. There are many different reasons why I allow it, but in all cases I will show you and help you overcome, if you ask Me.

92. Sometimes when My children experience battles, they know it's an outright attack of the Enemy, but sometimes they're not sure if I'm allowing it because they're out of My will and somehow off track. It's a natural concern for My children, a natural question, because they want to stay in the center of My will. You do not want to stray from the circle of My highest will and lose My blessings, My protection‚ so it's natural to want to be sure if the battles you're experiencing are a result of direct attacks of the Enemy on your life‚ or if I'm allowing it because you're off track and I want to bring you back into the center of My highest will for you.

93. A key is to remember that because you're My child and you love Me, anything and everything that comes into your life can be used by Me to bring about a great victory. I plan to bring good out of it if you let Me. The key is to look for the good—to let Me speak to you and show you what I want to bring out of it. Then you'll get the blessings and the benefits. If it's something that I'm allowing to teach you something specific, it's important to find out what it is that I want to teach you, so that you can progress in that area and move on. But even when it's just the Enemy fighting and trying to distract and discourage you, I'll still use it to bring about beautiful fruit in your life, if you'll let Me.

94. Here are a few things you can do when you're going through a battle or facing a rough time. These apply whether it's something specific I'm trying to do in your life or whether you're facing a heavy attack of the Enemy.

1) Pray and ask Me. I will speak to you and show you what is the truth and the right way to look at your situation. I will speak to you in prophecy and clarify the reasons for the battles you're experiencing. Seek Me as many times as it takes until you feel you have sufficient answers, sufficient understanding of the situation and the reasons behind the things happening in your life. Even then, come back to Me regularly so that I can keep you updated, and most of all so that I can keep you full of My comfort and My promises and My direction, to make it as easy on you as possible.

It's very important that you have the answers you need, that you have the peace of knowing why I've allowed the tests and trials to happen. Once you have My answers, My counsel, then you'll be free of condemnation, doubt, and uncertainty, and you can receive My further counsel as to how to fight the battles and how to make progress.

2) Ask others to pray and hear from Me. If you don't have confidence in your gift of prophecy and don't feel that you'll receive the answers you need through your own channel, then ask someone else to pray and seek Me for the answers to your questions. I will speak and give the answers you need.

3) Counsel with your shepherds about your battles. Be honest with them about the things you're going through, and I will also speak through them as you counsel and pray together. Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees, but as you speak with your shepherds who are not battling the same things as you are, who are removed from the situation, they can help you to see things in perspective and give you good insight and answers to your situation.

4) Read My Word on the subjects of faith and trust, positive thinking and patience. Ask Me for other subjects to read, and make a reading list for yourself. I will show you specifically what things to read for your encouragement and strengthening.

5) Ask for prayer from your shepherds.

6) Ask for united prayer from the Home. Take advantage of the prayer power of your mates of your greater marriage. Whether it's an attack of the Enemy or a time of lesson learning, doing the humble thing by sharing your heart and asking for prayer never hurt anyone! In fact, it's guaranteed to help! If what you're going through is very personal or not appropriate to share with the Home, ask Me how to explain your prayer request, and counsel with your shepherds, and I'll show you how to wisely present it so as to still get the help and prayer you need, yet not hurt or stumble anyone.

7) Trust Me that all things will work together for your good, that I will show you why I'm allowing these battles in your life.

8) Believe that these tests will bear good fruit in the long run.

9) Hang on! When all is said and done, sometimes I'm just teaching you to hang on and persevere. Don't quit! The victory will come, I promise, and when it does, you'll be the stronger and better for it if you've stayed close to Me and allowed Me to use it for your good. I love you! (End of message from Jesus)

Bored?

Jesus:

95. With patience and faith you claim your reward, because then you'll hang on and wait for the blessing. It takes faith to hang on and trust Me for the blessing‚ even the hidden blessings that you don't know I'm blessing you with. It takes patience to keep going when you're tired of the same routine. It takes faith to keep doing the same jobs day after day—little jobs, jobs that become boring and routine, but must be done. This all takes the love of My Spirit, the love of God, because in the flesh you don't feel inspired to do these things.

96. But don't worry if you don't feel inspired to do these things, or even if at times you don't feel inspired to read My Word. Don't worry that you're losing your faith, or that you're losing the power of My Spirit in your life, or that you're not spiritual enough. You're human. Part of your humanness is that you are bound to have feelings of boredom from time to time and sense the need for change. On the other hand, some routine in life fulfills your need for stability and security.

97. So when you feel bored with something, trust that I know this is the right time and the best time for you to experience this cycle in your life. Even if you don't understand it or agree with Me, I know what's best and I know that this cycle of sameness will bring about good fruit in your life too—fruits of patience‚ trust, and looking to Me for the inspiration and longsuffering that you need.

98. It won't be forever, because it's part of a cycle that will pass, just like many of your other feelings. You have ups and downs and good days and not so good days, but none of them remain forever. They pass‚ and things change; your feelings change‚ your outlook changes. Just trust that with these routine jobs that you have to do, even when you feel uninspired about something and unenthusiastic, that it won't always be that way. I will provide your need for change and excitement.

99. But at this time, I know this is what you need, so concentrate on learning the things you can from this situation. I will lift the feelings eventually. I will change the cycle and you'll move on to another part of the cycle. Just think to yourself‚ "I'm going to do this anyway, even if I don't feel like it, and trust the Lord to help me."

100. All the little jobs you do every day, the same routine jobs, are very pleasing to Me. I see your faithfulness, and it makes Me very happy. I know it's hard for you sometimes and you wish things would change, and they will eventually. Just trust Me that I will help you and change your feelings and attitude so that you can continue doing the same jobs with fresh inspiration. And remember that you're not only making Me very happy, but you're helping to make the world a better place. You're helping to reach the lost and spread My Word to the hungry sheep by your faithfulness and patience in the little jobs. When you feel that boredom strike, remind yourself, "Even if I don't feel inspired, I'm making Jesus happy by my faithfulness."

101. This is a great thing in My eyes. This is a manifestation of your great love for Me and for My sheep. Those who carry on in the routine jobs with little change and variety in their day, but who carry on faithfully and responsibly, are great in My eyes and will receive a great reward. It's much easier for the person in the limelight to receive inspiration from what they do, the person who experiences much variety and change, and they have received a part of their reward already. But those who are faithful behind the scenes, faithful in the Home caring for the kids, shopping, cooking, doing the laundry and housework, writing letters and doing secretarial work, taking care of repairs and maintenance, and doing all the other work that must be done‚ are great in My Kingdom.

102. So don't fear the routines of life; these things have to be done whether you're in the Family or some other place. All of mankind has routines and sameness in some form or other. But know that the children of David are specially blessed even in the routines of life, because you have the wonderful blessing of knowing that you're doing it for a worthy cause.

103. Those of the world who don't know Me and who must do some similar things, just ordinary things of life, feel a much greater sense of hopelessness and futility. They really suffer with feeling like nobodies and that nobody even knows they exist‚ that they don't make any difference. They're really the ones who need help with boredom. Some have almost no contact with anyone, and no lasting goals to strive for, and yet they have to continue on day after day wondering if they'll make it.

104. Most of all, you, My brides, know that your labors of love are not in vain, but what you are accomplishing is worthy of many blessings, is worth a great reward, for you are helping someone in another land, or in another Home, to have a touch of My love in their life. You're helping to make it possible for My precious Words to get out, for My Family to preach the Gospel and reach the lost. This is a great thing, which is worth enduring a little boredom for from time to time. (End of message from Jesus.)

Copyright © 2002 by The Family

End of File