(This file contains all four parts of the original Letter, spanning GNs 1047–1050)

Ten Pillars to Financial Success

Conviction versus Compromise, Part 9

By MariaMaria #656 CM/FM 3462 8/03

Dear Family‚

1. Peter and I love you and appreciate you very much! We've said it many times before, but it can't be said too much—thank you for your faith, vision, loyalty‚ determination, and love for the Lord. Thank you for keeping on keeping on, even when it's tough, and we know it has been tough in many ways. We know some of you are facing daily struggles on various fronts‚ and that makes us admire you even more, because you're sticking with the Lord and the Family, you're holding on for dear life, and you're not buckling under the load of a full-time missionary that can be so heavy at times.

2. One thing that makes your lives a lot more stressful and even worrisome at times is the lack of money. There are many Homes that still struggle and have to fight monthly to make ends meet. That's difficult, and we're sorry that it's been like that for so long for many of you.

3. Throughout the years there have been some important Letters on ways to improve your finances, yet we find that there are still many Homes in which meeting your budget is a daily struggle. When you hear me and Peter talk about how to raise finances‚ you might think we present a poor argument, as you feel we're not really experts, and in fact, hardly have any firsthand experience at raising money as missionaries on the field. Yes, we and those in WS do receive the money we need from your tithes, and we can't tell you how much we appreciate it! We're very thankful for your continued giving‚ and it makes it possible for us to do the job the Lord's given us to do.

4. As we've communicated with you in earlier GNs, we have worked diligently to improve the services that WS offers you; we have tried to make sure the output of those in WS is productive enough and the work ethic of each individual is what it should be. We're doing the best we can to use our time wisely and efficiently, to keep our priorities right, to stay close to the Lord and obedient, and to give you the very best service we possibly can.

5. But I'll be the first to admit that even though we often put in long hours, work hard at our computers, hold long meetings to discuss and pray about the needs of the field, etc., one thing we do not do is go out daily to raise money. It's true that we can devote ourselves full-time to our work, while knowing that we'll have food to eat at each meal, and we'll be able to pay our rent and utilities on time.

6. I have heard it said many times that we in WS and the area officers on the field "don't understand" the financial difficulties you face. If you mean we aren't in the same circumstances, yes, that's true. But I wouldn't go so far as to say that we and your area officers don't understand what it's like to live by faith or that we can't help you to seek the Lord on how to better raise finances, how to improve your financial base‚ and how to have a better cash flow. In fact‚ a pretty good case could be made that we might be in the very best position to counsel you on those things, because our faith for the Lord's supply has not been dampened or in many cases nearly extinguished through months or even years of struggling to make ends meet.

7. Instead of being weighed down with the lies and doubts of the Enemy, which are reinforced by uninspiring personal experiences and stories from others about their struggles and lack of finances, we are in a position to seek the Lord about how things should be, what's wrong, what's missing, and what He wants to tell us, without the Lord's answers being watered down or influenced through lack of faith and months or years of bad experiences. I know the Lord wants to supply abundantly, I know He has the answers, and I'm here to give you those answers.

8. You might not like hearing that I'm in a perfect position to pass on the Lord's counsel to you about how to improve your finances‚ and you may or may not think this is a very good argument, but it's something you need to hear, and not only hear but receive and believe. I've invested a lot of my time‚ energy, prayer, thought, and concern in preparing this counsel. Then many people in WS as well as your COs read this Letter and gave their input. Then we considered all their opinions, ideas, suggestions, and counsel and prayed about each suggestion and worked on it some more. It took weeks of work, and many‚ many people's attention and time. But you know what? All that won't change your financial situation one tiny bit‚ your income won't grow, and you won't find the solutions you need to raise more money if you don't believe that what I'm telling you now will actually work for you.

9. If you let the Enemy tell you that I don't understand‚ that I can't possibly help you because I live in a "supported situation," then you might as well stop reading right now. You can only benefit from this Letter and see your income grow if you believe that this is of the Lord. I know it is. I have no doubts, and I know the Lord wants to bring about huge victories and change. He doesn't want things to stay the same, He wants you to have more money! He doesn't want you to have to struggle so or worry so much! I know and am 100% positive that our Lover is a faithful Husband, and He wants to pour on the money. Do you believe that?!

10. The point of this Letter and this series on finances isn't merely to get out more GNs. This isn't just another GN in the stack, for your information or devotional reading. This is meant to bring change. The Lord wants to give you answers. So‚ with the Lord's help, I and my helpers have done the hard work of analyzing, studying, getting answers from Him and new information, reviewing the counsel already provided, and then preparing a plan for you.

11. Of course, this is more than a series on finances or putting another fundraising plan into effect. When we were asking the Lord a question about this Letter, He said: "This is not simply a course on finances. This is also a course on discipleship, with many principles on commitment‚ yieldedness, obedience, unity, and love. Those who read it and obey it will be greatly blessed, as will those they minister to. Those who do not fully obey will not be as fully blessed." This affects your entire life for the Lord, dear Family, so please do read and study it carefully, and most of all, obey it prayerfully!

12. I realize how busy you are‚ and it would take hours and hours of your Word and prayer and prophecy time to really study the Word and get new information on what's wrong with your finances. You're smart people who can hear from the Lord, and if you had the time, you could probably come up with a lot of good direction on your own. You're innovative missionaries‚ creative visionaries, and hard-working folks who know what you're doing. But you're also very busy, and in some cases, your faith is at a low ebb‚ which makes it hard for you to seek the Lord, receive His counsel, and believe it.

13. So I and my helpers and counselors have done that hard work for you. That's my job, or at least one of my jobs. I am very burdened when I hear that some Homes and families are so short of money that making a little money each day becomes the primary focus. I'm concerned about that and I feel sorry for you, but I also know that it doesn't have to be that way! I believe that with all my heart! I know our wonderful, caring, generous Husband wants to take care of you better than that!

14. There are times when all missionaries suffer from low finances. We all go through times when we have to cut back, economize, sacrifice recreation and luxuries, etc. It's not that I expect that we will constantly, at every moment, live the "abundant life." The Lord has made it so that we have times when we abound and abase; it's scriptural‚ and we can't hold it against the Lord if we're not always rolling in the dough. But neither should we always be so short of money that it's a constant, never-ending struggle just to put food on the table and pay the basic bills. That's a poor testimony, and if that's the situation you've been in for a while‚ then something is wrong.

Success Doesn't Just Happen

15. I don't want this counsel to get personal to where you feel offended, hurt, or misunderstood. I don't mean to imply that something is wrong with you personally or that you're not a good missionary. I definitely don't mean to imply that any of you are insincere. I know you're trying very hard. But raising money and making your situation such that the Lord can supply as abundantly as He wants to is also a very practical matter.

16. You're in business, God's business, and there are certain principles that need to be adhered to and responsibilities that need to be met if you expect to be in the black [having or making money, as opposed to being "in the red"—in debt]. All good, successful businesspeople have established good‚ reliable businesses because they've done things right, faithfully, consistently, and usually for a significant period of time. It's not an accident when a business does well. Success doesn't just "happen," with no rhyme or reason. For a business to thrive, things have to be done right. There is a method and a plan, and some principles are pretty universal.

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17. A recent survey of business failures found on the Web said:

18. Entrepreneurs need to be aware that it takes more than a good idea for a small business to succeed. Small business entrepreneurs must plan for success. … The old adage, "People don't plan to fail, they fail to plan" certainly holds true when it comes to small business success. The failure rate for new businesses seems to be around 70% to 80% in the first year, and only about half of those who survive the first year will remain in business the next five years.

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19. All that to say, a successful, thriving business doesn't just happen. Just as it takes planning and hard work in the System, the same can apply to your work as missionaries. You're in God's business‚ and you are businessmen who have to do certain things if you expect your business to thrive. No matter how sincere, loving, kind, honest and trustworthy you might be‚ if you're missing it on some of the main pillars of good business, you will fail. It won't be because you aren't a good person or a sincere Christian, but because you just failed to do what's necessary to make things happen. It's very much a practical matter‚ as well as spiritual. Yes, there is the side of faith and calling on the keys, etc., but that's not enough. You also need to put feet to those prayers and act on that faith‚ and that's where the knowledge, skill, and wisdom in business come in.

20. That is what we'll be discussing in this GN. I want to review what the Lord has already said about how to have a successful "business" for God, as well as give you some new information that the Lord knows is relevant and crucial for today. Some of this counsel will be a reminder, but bear with me; you need it‚ and you might find that one of these pillars of good business is the very thing you've forgotten or let slide.

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21. (Mama:) Some of you may wonder, "What about George Mueller and others like him who didn't rely on business or practical sense, but depended on downright miracles through prayer? And how do testimonies of 'dimes from the sky' and 'living by faith and faith alone' fit in with this?" Here's what the Lord had to say when we asked Him this.

22. (Jesus speaking:) This Letter is to remind the Family of the basic principles for financial success. Many have forgotten all of the important ingredients that are needed to receive My blessings—such as being good stewards, living Acts 2:44 and 45, budgeting, and the list goes on and on. It's not that I can't and won't do supernatural miracles of supply, as you've read testimony after testimony of. But many in the Family have gotten lazy, to the point of thinking that if they just "have faith," even if they don't put feet to their prayers, all of their prayers will be answered. It's not usually as simple as that. I help those who can help themselves‚ as well as those who can't help themselves. But I don't feel like investing in people or Homes who can help themselves but won't.

23. George Mueller was doing My will. His witnessing and service to Me was in caring for the children I placed in his care. He didn't have the means to go out and "reach the rich" as you do, or to build a bigger or more diversified missionary work. So, yes, I did great and wonderful miracles for him, and I brought the supply to his doorstep, because he was doing My work‚ he was living by faith, and he depended on Me.

24. For those who are doing all they can and are trusting Me to supply, I can and I will supply. But the problem with many Homes around the world is that they're not doing all that they can. They're overlooking important spiritual and practical principles. Maybe they're being lazy or slothful in their witnessing‚ or disobedient, or not caring for what I've already given them, so I can't bless them.

25. But even when you do have all of the pillars for financial success active in a Home or situation, there will still always be room for Me to do supernatural, miraculous, jaw–dropping miracles; in fact, My Family will see them even more! I will see to it that My Family is continually reminded that it's not their own works of the flesh that save them, but that it's all a work of My Spirit. Yes, they need to take the proper steps and they need to be obedient, but then the rest is up to Me.

26. "Dime from the Sky" stories will be much more plenteous when My Family is following Me closely in every area of their lives, because I'll want to spoil them and treat them to miracles, and I'll want to always ensure that they know that I am the One in control, the One pulling the strings, touching the hearts of others, and bringing in the abundant supply. (End of message from Jesus.)

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A Brief Review

27. To begin with, as a review, here is a list of points of what we need to do if we expect to obtain the Lord's financial blessings. This is from "God's Financial Blessings," from April 1992.

 1. Obey God and His Word.

 2. Follow God's Word for today.

 3. Tithe faithfully.

 4. Live by Acts 2:44 and 45.

 5. Be faithful to give to others.

 6. Be faithful to witness and win souls.

 7. Win and take care of kings and supporters.

 8. Ask for referrals.

 9. Pray in forsake-alls.

10. Give others the vision to tithe.

11. Pray for the sick.

12. Diversify your channels of support.

13. Praise, thank the Lord for what you've got.

14. Stay in unity and share the know.

15. Be a good steward.

16. Austerity.

17. Budgeting.

18. Have more Word-based faith.

19. Desperately pray and rely upon the Lord.

28. You can find out more about each of these points in that Letter (ML #2813‚ Lifelines 20)‚ and I suggest you read it carefully and ask yourselves if you're really living each of those points, as each one will add to your financial success in the Lord's business. In addition, I want to discuss in more detail some of the main pillars to good finances that are a little more specific to where you're at today, taking into consideration the state of the Family at this time and the recent direction and emphasis from the Lord.

29. But before I do, I'm going to include a message Dad gave when I was preparing this Letter, reminding us that all of these pillars—together—are vital to financial success. It's not enough to do just one or two things and then expect perfect results. Each pillar is important, and each point is a key to financial stability and receiving God's full blessings.

30. (Dad speaking: ) Being healthy financially is a little bit like being healthy physically. There's no one magic solution that will solve all of your financial problems‚ but there are a lot of key principles that, when enacted in your lives and Homes, bring the Lord's full financial blessings.

31. When you're working toward being physically healthy, there are a lot of different things you must do in order to stay in tiptop physical shape—you've got to eat well, sleep well, exercise regularly, and drink adequate amounts of water every day, to name just a few factors that contribute to a healthy body. You can't expect to just drink water and then be healthy‚ if you're not eating right, sleeping right, or exercising. And you can't expect to just eat right and be healthy, if you're not sleeping, exercising‚ or drinking water. You have to do all of the right things and obey all of the health rules in order to have good health; it all works together, right?

32. It's the same with being healthy financially. You have to obey all of the Lord's rules for financial stability, which are the pillars in this GN. You need to build a well-rounded missionary work‚ obey God's Word, ask for help when you need it, act like a professional, reach the rich, work hard, live Acts 2:44 and 45, be thankful for and take care of what you already have‚ be faithful with your tithes and generous with your offerings, and pray desperately. You can't expect to do only one or two of these things and then receive the Lord's full blessings. They all work together to keep you in the right position to be able to receive all that the Lord has to give you.

33. You can't just say, "Oh, well, I tithe faithfully and I live Acts 2:44 and 45, so I should be receiving financial blessings." If you're not going out witnessing, if you're not working hard‚ if you're not asking for help and reaching the rich, etc.‚ you're missing some vital pillars. Similarly, you can't expect to be successful with just witnessing and praying, but not living Acts 2:44 and 45 or tithing. Each of these things work hand in hand. All of these pillars are vital to financial success and to your receiving the Lord's blessings—personally and as a Home.

34. I'm a little concerned that you might be confused when reading some of my writings from the older Letters that are included in this Letter—some of which are very specific, and I usually didn't expound on all of the conditions. For example, sometimes I just talked about the tithe, and told you that if you didn't tithe you wouldn't be blessed and God would withhold from you. But at the time I was expecting you would be doing all of the other things the Lord had asked of you—such as obeying His Word and all of the rest.

35. So when reading through these financial pillars, remember that they all fit together. Even if the older quotes are specific to a certain pillar and seem very strong on one side of the coin, remember that there is no one thing that is more important than another when it comes to the pillars of financial success. If you want God's blessings‚ you have to obey in each of these areas. If you're obeying God in one thing but throwing all of His other rules out the window, then you're going to be sorry.

36. If you want good physical health but you're only obeying one physical health rule and disregarding all of the others, you're going to be weak and sickly and unhealthy. It's the same with your financial health. You've got to incorporate each financial rule into your life and obey all of the Lord's instructions‚ or else you'll find yourself financially unhealthy, lacking His supply, and wasting away spiritually and materially. So don't neglect any one of the pillars, beloved, because each is equally important, and obedience to all of them is how you receive the Lord's bountiful financial blessings. (End of message from Dad.)

Pillar 1: A Well-Rounded Missionary Work

37. (Mama:) You're supposed to be missionaries. That's your pitch for raising money. Are you? Can you honestly say that your profession is that of a missionary? Is that what you spend most of your time doing? This point is absolutely fundamental to your success: Having a well-rounded missionary work means you have an actual missionary work. You're not just hanging around the house most of the time and then doing some fundraising on the side to raise the immediate money you need.

38. I can't emphasize this point enough. If you're going to win supporters, kings, and outside members who are willing to give and tithe to you, they'll need to see that you're missionaries. Missionaries have works. They do things that promote the Gospel which people can see, such as host Bible studies and Word classes, witness to unsaved people, help the needy, work with youth who don't know the Lord, etc. It's all about witnessing.

39. This is one of the first places you should look if you're consistently low on money. How is your missionary work? Are you witnessing faithfully, regularly? Are you ministering spiritually to the needy with the Words of David? Are you following up on the hungry sheep you meet? Are you having Word studies? Are you promoting Activated? Do you have a consistent, organized follow-up program? Are you hosting seminars? Do you have a Church of Love? Are you ministering to the children of your friends and Active members‚ or opening the door for the children in your neighborhood? Do you have a prayer list for those you minister to‚ so you can seek the Lord for their needs in intercessory prayer?

40. Do you live like missionaries? Do you spend your time like missionaries? Or do you hang around, investing your time in other interests or even just wasting time, and then put in a couple of long days each week doing such things as ballooning, teaching English, clowning, etc., while you give out a few tracts‚ if that?

41. Ask yourselves: If you were a person with a full-time job in the System and you met someone like you, would you give to you? Would you take 10% of your hard-earned cash and give it to a Home and missionary work like yours? Would you feel you were giving to God's work if you gave to your Home?

42. Remember Paul's words that have ministered faith to many a diligent missionary for centuries: "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? … Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? And they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel" (1Cor.9:11,13, 14).

43. Another part of a well-rounded missionary work is promoting Activated. The Lord has attached very strong promises of supply to the Activated program, but those promises are useless if you're not doing all you can to make Activated a reality in your Home.

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44. (Mama:) Having sufficient income is one sign of the Lord's blessings, but not the only one. After all, many people who don't work for the Lord at all work hard at secular jobs and bring in plenty of money to support themselves. So you can't judge your success as a missionary solely by your income. Missionaries, as I said, have works.

45. As I mentioned earlier, many of the COs read advance copies of this Letter while we were working on it. One CO who read this commented on this point:

46. This Letter stresses the point that having a well-rounded missionary work is fundamental to our success, and I wanted to "amen" this point.

47. Establishing a fruitful or successful missionary work seems to be somewhat relative to each person or Home's perspective. It really shouldn't be a matter of personal opinion, though, because we've had so much Word poured out to us that we are without excuse.

48. The spiritual aspect of our missionary work, that of preaching the Gospel, has been somewhat lost in personal interpretation. I believe this part of the Letter will help our Homes to change their perspective from what they think their missionary work should be to what the Lord expects it to be.

49. As you said, "Missionaries have works. They do things that promote the Gospel which people can see, such as host Bible studies and Word classes, witness to unsaved people, help the needy, work with youth who don't know the Lord, etc. It's all about witnessing."

50. I don't have anything against Homes that balloon, as long as there is a balance in other areas of fundraising or outreach. But there are still Homes who major on ballooning a couple of days a week as a means to raise funds‚ and do very little actual witnessing during the other days that they have free. They sometimes have a few people over each week and do a few CTP trips a year to distribute clothes and other items, but other than that, they really aren't witnessing during the week, winning souls, getting out Activated or other Family tools, or teaching their friends the meat of the Word.

51. When the stats come in each month‚ such Homes usually have little or no lit out and no souls won, so it would seem that they would be having a difficult time financially. But on the contrary, some of these same Homes are not doing all that bad financially. I imagine it's because they work hard to raise funds and the Lord is blessing their efforts because they are working at their support.

52. However, I should also say that although some of these Homes have what would seem to be financial blessings, most of the time they're not doing all that well spiritually. Their standard of discipleship is usually lacking, which is manifested in uninspired teens, a poor childcare standard, and other areas.

53. How do we show these Homes that just because they have good financial support‚ that's not always an indication they're on the right track and not in need of help? Someone recently told me that when they tried talking to a Home shepherd about some problems in his Home, his comment was, "We must be doing okay, because God is blessing our finances." In actuality, though, this particular Home was having some significant problems and really did need to have some changes.

54. You can be losing God's blessings in your life because of not obeying in some area other than finances.

55. (Mama:) Having a good income isn't necessarily a sign of the Lord's blessings. You can be doing well financially and still be lacking spiritually, dear Family. But if you have a well–rounded missionary work and are following the ten pillars to financial success mentioned in this Letter, then you'll be blessed both financially and spiritually‚ and you'll be a blessing to your mate, your children, the Lord's work and the lost of the world!

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Pillar 2: Obedience to God's Word

56. Are you being obedient to the Lord's Word in all areas, personally and as a Home? Are you following the general direction in the new GNs? Sometimes the Lord has to dry up His financial blessings because you're disobedient. He loves you and is trying to get through to you, He wants you to wake up, and He's hoping that if He puts the squeeze on you financially, you'll finally get so desperate that you'll be willing to ask Him what's wrong and hear His instruction.

57. If your Home has been consistently broke, He's probably already been trying to alert you to some sin or disobedience in your life or Home. He's probably already tried gentler methods, as He prefers to supply abundantly rather than to have you just scraping by. He'd rather be loading on the benefits and opening the windows of Heaven and sweeping out that gold dust by the bucketfuls to fill your needs to overflowing. But sometimes He has to let the supply lines dry up in order to get your attention, to make you desperate.

58. So think about it. Are you disobeying the New Wine and the general direction the Lord is leading for today? Is there sin in your life or Home in the form of compromise‚ murmuring, division, withholding tithes and offerings, etc.?

59. It's important that you get this sorted out, because until you do, things won't change regarding your finances. People blame the Family for lack of supply‚ as if there's something fundamentally wrong with the Family. But the problem is not the Family and it's certainly not God, but it could very well be you! If you're sinning‚ disobeying, lying or being dishonest in any way, living in division, etc.‚ then God cannot bless you.

60. A lack of money doesn't necessarily mean that the sin is directly associated with finances. Well, it could be, if you're not tithing fully or you're wasting the Lord's money through extravagance or bad stewardship. But it could also be the result of such things as not being honest with your contacts, maintaining an ongoing unfruitful relationship that is hurting others, engaging in ungodly activities or pastimes, failing to diligently care for the goods and equipment the Lord supplies, wasting time and not having the right priorities in your life and Home, etc.

61. Lack of financial supply could be the result of any number of disobediences, whether personally or as a Home, whether secret sins or more open ones. There are no secret sins or disobediences with the Lord, and He sometimes takes them pretty seriously (see Joshua 7). If you're not obeying the overall direction in the Word in all areas to the best of your ability‚ by God's grace and through the power of the keys‚ then you certainly can't expect the Lord's full supply.

62. It's up to you to find out what's wrong, if anything, and to correct it. Peter and I can't tell you exactly what the problem is in your life and Home, but the Lord can.

63. Maybe there's nothing wrong as far as actual sin in your heart or Home; maybe the Lord is testing you or there's some simple oversight or practical adjustment needed. But before you casually conclude that all is well in your Home and your walk with the Lord, I want you to really examine your life, attitudes, priorities, actions, and habits, to make sure the Lord is pleased with you in these areas. If you know you're obedient to the Lord to the best of your ability, if there are no "cigars" in your life, then you'll have a lot more faith for the Lord to do the miracles to bring in the money you need and help you to establish a flourishing missionary work.

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(Dad: ) I remember a story about the famous singing evangelist Mordecai Ham, who worked with Dwight L. Moody for a while and later won Billy Graham to the Lord. He smoked big fat cigars, but he said that every time he got down to pray, "That big cigar would come up between me and God as big as a telephone pole! It condemned me and was coming between me and the Lord because I felt guilty about smoking." So he quit smoking! "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom.14:23). (From ML #604:1-2‚ Vol.5.)

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Pillar 3: Ask!

64. You have to be willing to ask for the money and provisions you need. Ask and you will receive! This is a biggie. I talked about this extensively in "From Poverty to Plenty," ML #2929, published July 1994. But there's a lot more to it than just basic counsel to "ask for what you need." How do you ask? When do you ask? What makes someone want to give? I'm not going to cover all these details of this financial pillar, but I do suggest you ask the Lord about the questions I just posed, and also consider having some workshops, Home council meetings, and even citywide brainstorming sessions to seek the Lord's answers to those and other practical questions related to presenting your work and asking for support.

65. I don't want to simplify this asking principle with the idea that you just ask, and presto change-o, the money or provisions flood in! Of course, there are disappointments when you do ask, and sometimes people are offended—maybe their pride is offended, or they act defensively because of selfishness, or asking in an unwise manner could trigger an offensive reaction—or they make promises that they don't keep. But still, the fact remains that if you don't ask, most people will not give. Even very dedicated friends and outside members, those who love you dearly and consider you their church, will often not give if you don't ask.

66. It's the nature of man to be selfish, to want to hold on to his money and things. Most people like money, they like to buy things, so the Lord has to convict their heart and really prick their conscience before they'll turn loose any of their hard-earned cash or goods. You need to make a pitch‚ and it pretty much needs to be one that they can't refuse. That takes faith‚ skill, wisdom, and a good missionary work to back up your request. (Note: There is more on this later in this Letter.)

Pillar 4: You Are a Professional!

67. It's very important that you realize that you are doing professional work and there's nothing wrong with expecting people to pay you for it. Many of you missionaries feel it's your duty to be poor. You have somehow accepted the idea that not having money or plenty or a high standard of living equals being a real missionary. That's not true, at least not for us in the Family. Perhaps missionaries in other groups‚ denominations or Catholic orders can be content to live in need and suffer with the poor. That might be their way of serving the Lord. But that's not our calling.

68. We're not like some religious orders that have taken a vow of poverty. I don't see the advantage of that when it comes to reaching the world. Others feel led differently, and that's fine for them. But poverty is not going to help us accomplish what only we can do. We in the Family should live in convenience, with a standard of living that is high enough that we can minister to the most spiritually needy—the rich and educated.

69. We've heard reports that many Family members have the idea that part of their testimony is to give almost without limit of their time‚ effort, resources, manpower and even tools to those who request their help, without expecting financial remuneration. To serve without expecting anything in return seems to be the motto of many Family members. That is unnecessary and in some cases actually foolish. Even the System is often surprised at the lengths to which we're willing to go, the sacrifices we're willing to make, without even so much as expecting our expenses to be covered, much less an additional payment of hard cash for our services, time, expertise, and efforts.

70. In the System almost no one does anything for free. Those in the System realize that, and therefore they're usually willing to pay for services rendered. But if you've gotten the idea that you're only being real missionaries when you give everything you've got and don't get paid, then of course they'll be happy to let you do that. They're not going to say, "Oh really, you should let me give you this money. You should let me pay you. I insist. It's only right‚ only fair‚ after all you've given!" No, they're going to think, "Fine, if you're willing to do this for free, all the better. More money for me!"

71. This mindset ties in with not being willing to ask, and it's a mindset that you'll need to ask the Lord to help you get over. You don't have to feel guilty when you say, "Yes, we'll be very happy to help you host your seminar. But we'd need to have our travel and lodging expenses covered for our team‚ and also, since we won't be doing our regular missionary fundraising, we'll need to charge a fee of X dollars." Your hosts will expect that, and if they want you there bad enough‚ they'll be willing to pay or to help raise the money that you need. They're used to paying for every speaker and all the musical entertainment they've ever booked, and they'll not think it's strange if you charge for your participation in their project. That's the way of the world, and there's nothing wrong with you making some money for your time, help, and whatever you'll contribute to the event.

72. Remember, almost everything in the System is about making money. So it will not seem strange at all to the people you're working with and helping if you want to receive some compensation for your part in the event or project. They know you need it, and it's not unusual or unethical, even for missionaries, to expect to get paid.

73. When working on the Letter "Reach the Rich‚" I had various people on the field proofread the rough draft so they could offer suggestions on the presentation or bring up questions or other sides. One FGA woman who is talented in presentation and provisioning shared a point of view that was very interesting. Maybe you've had the same experience. She said:

74. The System often uses our dedication and concern for the poor, and I might say our craving for acceptance at times‚ for their own ends, taking advantage of us, soliciting our help for their own CTP projects, at great expense of our time, and sometimes even our finances, while our System friends pocket the donations and the recognition themselves. These friends are not necessarily ill-intentioned, but the impression that we give them—that we are wholehearted volunteers, full-timers, eager to help and participate in humanitarian-type projects—influences them to use us that way.

75. I know someone in the Family who heads a high-profile CTP work and who has been working with a System man who has a big project with orphanages. This man has used our time, warehouse and contacts for years now, while pocketing most of the credit and all the donations for himself. I have seen this in other situations too.

76. We in the Family are so dedicated, hard-working and eager to participate in something that has immediate‚ physical, visible results, that we are easily taken advantage of. System people know how to give cosmetic [superficial] credit, which doesn't amount to much, while they receive the big money for their projects and the real recognition from their peers. (End of FGA's comments.)

77. (Mama:) I'm sure there's a balance in this, and there might be times when you will provide your services for your friends and contacts free of charge. This doesn't mean you can't ever help people or be there for your sheep without getting paid. But the point is that if you've developed an attitude that is similar to that "excuse me for living" mentality, where you think people are doing you a giant favor by allowing you to participate in some event as singers, counselors‚ helpers, staff, entertainment, etc., then you probably need to ask the Lord about that and adjust your attitude somewhat.

78. The Family brings a very unique and valuable contribution to any and all events, whether through performances of our meaningful and beautiful music, or through faithful, competent‚ willing help as staff and organizers. Rather than thinking someone is doing you a favor by allowing you to be involved in whatever they're doing, you need to see it as a give-and-take situation. While you're using your contact's situation or project as an open door to witness and get out the message‚ they're also using you to provide something that they obviously can't get anywhere else.

79. It's not wrong for you to expect to also receive something in return, and I'm not just talking about good PR and getting to know people. When you do something for those who can afford to do something for you, then you should at least be able to sell your tools, or ask that participants buy an Activated subscription, or pass the hat, or request a cover charge for the entertainment, etc. There has to be some way that you can cash in on something more practical than just "making friends." Or, if nothing else‚ you can follow up on some of the attendees later and explain your work and needs to them in more detail, and ask for help then.

80. Time is short and you need to value the time, effort‚ and expense that you put toward all the projects that you're involved in. There is absolutely nothing wrong with your being aware of and letting others know what it's costing you. You, just like everyone else in the world, have to make a living, and it's perfectly natural to be thinking about what you'll receive in return. Believe me, everyone in the world is thinking about that; in fact, that's about all they're thinking about!

81. If you need to be paid for your services‚ that's not being selfish—that's just being realistic! If you have a hard time with this concept, then I suggest you ask the Lord about it, as it might be that you're a bit too concerned about the opinions of man, and you're trying to work your way into positions and opportunities that make you feel more "accepted" by the System, even at the expense of letting them take advantage of you. I'm sorry, but that's too high a price, if you ask me!

Pillar 5: Reach the Rich!

82. It is imperative that you follow the Lord's counsel to reach the rich and educated, those who can afford to support you. This has been covered in detail in "Conviction vs. Compromise‚ Part 7," but this list of main pillars would not be complete without this point. It is absolutely crucial to your financial stability that you're ministering to those who can afford to help you. You might be doing very well in all the other points on this list, but if your main ministry and association and work are with poor people, you'll not have what you need‚ because they'll not be able to help you. They can't give you what they don't have.

83. No matter how much the poor love you, they'll never be able to be regular cash supporters. They can possibly help you with some of their time, and they can pray for you, which is good, but right now we're talking about raising the cash that you need to pay your bills. That can only come from those who have it to give.

84. It is possible that the Lord will not allow your financial situation to improve and become more stable until you're giving proper attention to ministering to the spiritually needy—the rich and educated. In order to do that, you'll need to get over the pride that holds you back and the fear that they'll think you want their money. Of course you want their money. That's not the only thing you want, but that's part of what you want. And there's nothing wrong with that.

85. Do you get critical of the salespeople who wait on you in the stores? When they're selling you on the benefits of their product, do you think, "Oh, that's terrible, this person wants my money!" Of course you don't! When the waitress is very sweet and accommodating to you‚ do you think, "How rude, she just wants my money in the tip!" Of course not! When you watch commercials on television or read ads in magazines or newspapers, do you get up in arms thinking, "This is so wrong! They're after my money!" No, you don't. This bizarre reasoning doesn't come to mind because you've accepted the fact that this is the way things work.

86. Well, it wouldn't hurt for you to apply that same reasoning to your work for the Lord. You are a professional too, and you have a very specialized trade or skill or service to offer. Just like everyone else, you are trained; you are educated. You know more about your field of expertise than they do. You are unique, and the people you're helping should be willing to pay for what you have to offer. That might sound rather cut and dried, but it's the truth (1Cor.9:11). People expect to have to pay their doctors, lawyers, teachers‚ psychiatric counselors (or shrinks, as they're often called)‚ maids, mechanics, nannies, and everyone who does them a service! They know they're receiving something they need from those people, and they pay for it. It's simple, straightforward, and expected.

87. If you can see how this applies to what you offer the folks you minister to spiritually, then you'll realize that it's crazy for you to be expected to do everything for free. The people you minister to don't start out expecting to get whatever you offer for free, but you can quickly change their mindset and expectations if you never ask and are content to always be there for them without making your needs known. If that's the case, then pretty soon—very quickly, I'd say—a new pattern is established and they're very happy to be getting something for nothing‚ and it is much more difficult to ask later, because then they think‚ "Hey, what's the deal?! You've never charged me before!" And instead of their being happy to give, then they feel they're getting ripped off or cheated. That's no good! You see, it's much better to teach people to give from the beginning‚ to set the stage and build a good foundation of giving, sharing, and mutual cooperation right from the start.

88. But again‚ the faith to do this comes from your own perception of your work and yourself. It's a matter of faith and confidence. If you're convinced that what you have to offer is worth more money than they could possibly give, then it will be very natural for you to expect to get paid for your services. But that attitude comes from within. It's a matter of your personal faith, how you see yourself‚ how much you honestly feel your work and the spiritual riches you're providing are worth. You have something no one else in the world has. You have the corner on the market. You have a guaranteed-to-succeed business! But it will never come to fruition unless you have the faith to promote it and sell it. No one ever succeeded in business by giving their product away indefinitely.

Text box:

89. (Jesus speaking:) When it comes to actual services—like hosting shows or seminars, for example—the Family should expect to be paid something (at the very least their expenses), or else ask to be allowed to get out their tools. Many Homes continually offer to do things such as shows and seminars, which are very definitely "services," for free‚ when they could be at least covering their expenses—and oftentimes receiving over and above that.

90. Of course, when you're first witnessing to someone or feeding them spiritually, it can take a while for them to realize that what you're giving them is worthwhile, that it's something they need, and that it's worth more than money can buy. It can take some time before they realize that they really want and need what you're offering them—spiritual counseling, support, prayer, the Word, and more. You wouldn't usually, upon your first interactions with someone, ask that they "pay you for your services." This wouldn't go over well, to say the least!

91. When it comes to spiritually feeding the sheep, you must wait until they're sure they want what you have to offer‚ and then once they know that what you're giving them is worth more than money, they will be happy to help you in some way if you make your needs known. Once they've experienced the riches of the spirit you're giving them, they will want to help you because they'll know you're "servicing" them.

92. What you ask for and how you ask depends on what type of outreach you're doing. If you're doing a show for a hospital and you're going ward to ward cheering up the patients‚ for example, this is an immediate service, and the Family should be able to upfront ask for some sort of donation or at least something to cover their expenses. Or if you're hosting a party for a king, this is a service and you shouldn't be afraid to ask for financial help. But when it comes to personal witnessing, the one you're witnessing to won't immediately think you're doing them a "service" until they reach the point where it starts to make a difference in their life—they start to feel happier, more at peace, their problems grow lighter, etc. So in that case you wouldn't be able to say immediately‚ "This is the service I'm offering you. Can you help with a donation to support me?" You must be spirit-led and judge each situation on its own merits. (End of message from Jesus.)

End of text box.

Pillar 6: Work Hard! Put in the Hours!

93. To have a successful work, you must also have a willingness to work hard and put in the hours. Some Homes and Family missionaries aren't successful financially simply because they don't work hard enough at it. Any businessman or salesman realizes that success comes with putting in the hours. It doesn't matter how gifted‚ smart, educated, talented, or skilled the person might be, if they don't work, they won't make any money. If they just casually sort of play at their job, showing up to work whenever they feel like it, not concentrating or focusing on their production, not requiring themselves to work at least the minimum of 40 or 50 hours a week, then they'll not get rich. If fact, they'll make very little money and probably get fired or their business will go belly up.

94. I don't know how so many people in the Family got the idea that their workday should be so short. Many Family missionaries get out witnessing late in the morning or even in the afternoon, and they hardly devote any hours to the actual job of witnessing‚ and then they wonder why they're broke. In fact, we've had plenty of people leave the Family—well, mostly young people—who complained about living "hand to mouth" in the Family. But then they go out to the System and are willing to put in many more times the hours of actual work‚ so of course they make a better living.

95. In the System they sacrifice, wake up early, work late, and hardly have any time at all for recreation‚ sleep, exercise, hanging out with friends, chatting on e-mail, etc. There's hardly time for anything at all but work, as they're tied to a very rigorous and stressful schedule for their new System boss. Now what I can't figure out is why people are willing to put so much more into their work in the System than our Family members are for the Lord.

96. Sometimes a lack of money is a simple mathematical equation. It goes like this: Very few hours working equals very little money. Just as that's true in the System, it's also true in your service for the Lord. If you expect God to support you, you have to work for Him, and hard.

97. I suggest you take a look at your schedule. How much time are you actually on the field‚ ministering to others, witnessing, pouring out, giving classes, praying with people, selling tools, doing follow-up—being a professional missionary? I'm not talking about your travel time. I'm not talking about the time it takes to maintain your Home, like JJTs, required meetings, cooking, etc. I'm not talking about the time it takes to maintain your own spiritual life—Word, prayer‚ prophecy, etc. No one in the System gets credit with his employer for driving to work or for anything involved with taking care of himself as a person. You get paid for working. Well, the same can be said for your missionary work. You get paid by the Lord for the time you're pouring out to others, witnessing, and being a professional missionary. Everything else is your personal life or your communal life‚ but it's not your missionary work!

98. This is a principle we have worked very hard the last year in WS to help our workers to understand. Explained simply, it goes like this: Because we live communally and our schedule is fluid, and because we work at home, there is the tendency for our personal life and our work life to become intertwined. The result can be wasted time, unfocused work, and an overestimation of the time someone is actually working. Say you work at a computer, and in between your various work to-dos, you also chat with a few friends, write some personal e–mails, etc. Well, you've been sitting at your computer, but you haven't been working, at least not full-time‚ and it hasn't been focused, uninterrupted work. Obviously that's not efficient, and if that keeps up, you can begin to get a rather inflated idea of how much you're working. That's extremely inefficient.

99. The same could be said of your missionary work. If you go out witnessing, but then you stop for a coffee, and then you have to do some banking, and then since you're in the area you return the pair of jeans you bought that don't fit, and you run into your girlfriend so you go for another coffee, and you make a few phone calls…. Well, you get the point, I'm sure. You're out of the house, but you're not doing focused, uninterrupted, quality missionary work.

100. If this happens to you, and I'm pretty sure it happens to many of you, then you might want to consider adopting some kind of policy like we did in our WS Homes. Peter met with the shepherds and heads of all the WS units and departments for a series of meetings. They discussed every detail of WS work. They came to the conclusion that our lives consist of four arenas: Spiritual life, personal life, communal life, and work. Then there was much prayer put toward defining what was expected of each person per week, taking into consideration the non-work time that would be allotted for maintaining their spiritual lives and keeping a good balance in their communal and personal lives.

101. It was determined what would be considered a productive work week‚ meaning quality work—not work where you stop to do your laundry, take a shower or make your bed; not work where you stop to chat your friend on computer or write personal notes or letters. We instituted detailed work reports to be done daily, and strict oversight of work hours and priorities.

102. Each person in your Home should also be accountable for his time‚ and should be working hard. People can't just lounge around, waste time, shoot the breeze, sleep in, hang out, and then complain because the finances are low. Your schedule should be reasonable and workable, but also enforced, efficient, and productive. Being diligent with your time and working hard are part of being faithful missionaries, good stewards. (When I talk about working hard‚ I mean each person should be working hard within the limits of their abilities, as I hope you understand I'm not necessarily including those who are sick or infirm, pregnant or nursing mothers, and others whose age or health don't permit it.)

103. Of course, some people in your Home probably have the ministry of teaching the children, in which case they couldn't be expected to put in so many hours on the field witnessing. They're professional teachers, so their required work hours would be fulfilled as they teach the children, prepare the materials, and keep the homeschooling records. The same principle of diligence could be applied to those Home members who work mainly in the Home. For example, the teachers shouldn't think they're teaching the children if they're really just plopping them in front of the TV while they goof around or do some personal project.

104. This is all about quality work and it's about working hard, putting in the hours, no matter what your ministry. I talked about witnessing hours specifically because we're talking about being professional missionaries. Your Home needs to have a balanced enough ministry and schedule, and each member needs to be putting in enough quality work hours so that you do have a good, solid, well-rounded missionary work! Having professional teachers, professional handymen, professional shepherds, etc., is not enough. You must also, together as a body, put in enough hours so that you have a missionary work with people outside your Home! And if your Home is one which provides services to other missionary Homes and you can't devote as much time to witnessing as you'd like, then you should be working hard to help those other missionaries help others.

105. One second–generation CO who read an advance copy brought up the very important point of involving your kids in the witnessing. That multiplies your witness, teaches the kids to witness, helps to overcome any boredom they might be feeling, and might multiply your income as well. She commented:

106. Witnessing, and especially witnessing with our children, seems to be a lost art in the Homes that I've seen. I think this GN series will be a call to return to our commission of being instant witnesses, in season and out of season. I don't know if the problem of witnessing with our children is due to a lack of faith to get the kids out or maybe a lack, especially on the part of our SGA parents, in knowing where to start or how to incorporate their kids into witnessing.

107. When we were growing up as kids, our parents put the Word to the test and put us kids out there on the front lines as the witnesses, and it bore fruit. Nowadays you don't see much of that in our Homes. Many don't witness at all with their kids, and it seems that the fundraising that the adults do on weekends is what is counted as witnessing.

108. If these GNs can inspire more emphasis in getting back to our main job of witnessing, which in turn is putting God on the spot, and being out there for the sheep, which is giving God a chance to do miracles and to open unexpected doors, we'd be getting back to looking more like the Family we used to be.

109. Granted, paying the bills is a very real thing and not to be ignored, but I think in many cases we've put God in a box. We've limited Him by what amounts to working jobs through either weekend ballooning or canning rather than making the goal of each day to get out witnessing and see what the Lord does.

110. I'm especially concerned for our kids who don't know how to witness or who don't know that witnessing is one of our primary reasons for being in the Family. Instead, our kids are home with one or two adults getting their minimum of Word and school and then getting a megadose of videos to keep them occupied. (Obviously this isn't true in every case, but I'd venture to say it's fairly normal.)

111. I'd like to see more of an emphasis put on making our kids the witness, the proof of the pudding, the shining lights and assets that the Lord promised they would be and which proved to be true with the first generations in the Family—of course, not to the neglect of their schooling and spiritual feeding, but in conjunction with that. That would give them a sense of purpose for what it means to be in the Family and to be a witness.

112. (Mama: ) Witnessing with children not only helps them but has the additional blessing of helping you, dear Family. As Dad said, "Children are one of the biggest assets you've got! My children practically put me in business‚ and yours can do the same for you if you train them right and if you get them out witnessing and litnessing. My kids finally were supporting me!" (ML #688:51, Vol.5).

113. I'm sure many of you have had practice in witnessing with your kids in the earlier days, or live near someone who has—or, if nothing else, can read up on it in the many pubs we've sent you on that topic over the years. Here are just a few you might want to check out if your memory's rusty:

*"How to Have a Happy Home!" ML #2956:124-136, Lifelines 21.

*"Finances and Fundraising, Part 2," the sections majoring on children and witnessing, FSM 262.

*"Educating Our Children," FSM 263.

*"Growing Up Witnessing," FSM 303.

Pillar 7: Living Acts 2:44-45/Communal Living

114. One of the greatest testimonies of our Family lifestyle has almost disappeared. We are no longer living communally as we once did. In our earlier days this was one of our most powerful witnesses. The hippies of the late '60s and '70s had tried, to no avail, to have successful communes, but they just couldn't get it together. Other Jesus People groups had tried to live together, but their efforts crumbled. And even practical–minded people who were just trying to make ends meet by sharing expenses in a communal situation couldn't pull it off. And yet in the Family we managed to live in huge colonies or Homes where we shared everything.

115. It was beautiful Christian socialism, and it worked! Not only did it work, but it was a tremendous testimony of the reality of a living God of love‚ because we not only managed to share what we had and pay the bills, but we loved one another and were happy together.

116. That's why we so often would tell someone who was resistant to the witness, "Come and see!" We knew that if sheep were turned off to the Bible or they'd had bad experiences with the churches that made them not like Jesus, if we could just get them to come visit, their whole perception of Jesus would change. That's one of the things that made our sample so powerful—our communal lifestyle, unity, and having all things in common like Jesus' disciples did. That really proved we meant business; and we would often feel such satisfaction and pride in the truth when we could honestly say, "We live like Jesus and His disciples lived."

117. Not only was this an extremely powerful testimony of love and brotherhood, but it was also very effective financially. It doesn't take much skill in math to realize that it's much more economical to live together in a bigger house where you can share the rent, utilities‚ other bills and expenses. If you live together and co–op your time and talents, if you teach your children together, if you watch movies on the same video player and drive the same couple of cars, if you share the same Internet connection and swim in the same pool or your children play in the same yard, it just makes sense that you'll be saving money.

118. But the pattern in the Family today is that so many people now only want to live in either single-family Homes or very small Homes with just a couple of other people, preferably singles. They want their own things, their own car, their own equipment‚ their own house—which translates to their own bills!

119. Whatever happened to communal living? Whatever happened to Acts 2:44 and 45? Whatever happened to disciples forsaking all to live together? These are questions you need to seriously ponder and seek the Lord about.

120. Living together, sharing all things, bearing one another's financial burdens, forsaking all to live together, and trusting the Lord to supply, are foundation stones for the Family's economic System. Have you let them go in favor of a lifestyle that looks just like everyone else? That is so boring! That is so ineffective! And that is nothing even remotely similar to the way Jesus' disciples lived. But I suppose that's the true question—are you a disciple? If you are, then you'll take advantage of the marvelous and workable financial plan that Jesus gave His disciples. It still works today; it's just that so few people are willing to truly live it.

121. When I talk about communal living I mean you share all things, you have all things in common, no one has so much while others have too little. Are you still living in the land of not too much, the land where everyone has enough? Or have you moved to the land of selfishness, where you're hoarding and guarding your things, not willing to share?

122. Granted, as Peter brought out in the videos to the Family in Brazil, there might be those of you who have gotten "burned" because you gave of your finances or things, and then you got ripped off by other Family members that you trusted. That is very sad, and if that's the case‚ I'm so sorry! These things ought not so to be! I only pray that you'll have the faith to once again step forward to give, share, and trust the Lord. I pray you'll find brethren to work with who also have a heart to give and share, who aren't just looking for what they can get, but who are also seeking to lift another's load, to take from their own closet, fridge, or purse‚ and give to someone in need.

123. Please try to make it work. Successful communal living requires a large measure of unselfishness and trust from all parties involved‚ as one CO mentioned when he read the advance copy of this Letter:

124. One reason people hesitate to live Acts 2:44 and 45 is, sadly, because they don't really trust others. They are afraid that if they do live communally with others, they would need to share their contacts, share their finances‚ maybe even move into a bit bigger, nicer house where there's actually room to live comfortably with another family at a good standard, and that this will eventually end up meaning that this other family will take their contacts and thus their support and income, leave the Home and leave them holding the bag with a big house and a big rent to pay while living on their own. In the end, they feel they will lose too much and the chance is too great to take. So they hesitate to take the step to venture out and live with others and get set up in a nice housing situation‚ sharing all things, including friends, contacts and supporters. Quite sad.

125. (Mama:) Communal living is built on giving by everyone involved. It's not possible if your hearts are selfish and greedy. It must be a work of God's Spirit. While it's complicated to live together and share all things, if you're truly seeking to improve not only your financial base but also your sample to those you witness to‚ I sincerely ask that you pray desperately for a team that you can work and live with communally, following Acts 2:44 and 45. It's good business, it will save you tons of money‚ and it will improve your witness by giving you a supernatural, fascinating sample to offer to those you minister to. Then you'll be able to say, "Come and see!" and your communal Home will be a picture of Heaven on Earth to unbelievers.

Pillar 8: Appreciate and Preserve God's Blessings

126. The Lord is a wise Investor! He gives the most to those who are thankful for the blessings He's already given them, and who show their appreciation by praising Him regularly, being good stewards of His material blessings, practicing austerity with the funds He gives, and not becoming familiar with His generosity. No benefactor would continue giving aid to someone who isn't faithful‚ who doesn't take care of what he already has, and who lets things deteriorate or go to waste. So what makes you think the Lord is going to give you His blessings of supply and provisions if you're an unwise steward and/or aren't thankful for what you have? He won't bless unfaithfulness, wastefulness, murmuring, or familiarity.

127. This is a real problem in many Family Homes around the world. You aren't thankful for what our Provider has given you, and you aren't praising Him for His bountiful supply. You aren't taking care of your Homes, your vehicles, and your equipment like you should, so of course the Lord doesn't feel like giving you upgrades if He knows you're just going to let them go to pot like the rest of your possessions. You aren't thankful for the provisioning you do get‚ and you even murmur and complain and become familiar and wasteful, so of course the Lord isn't going to increase the supply lines.

128. When our Husband sees that you're taking good care of what He supplies, that you're being good stewards, and are thankful and praiseful for His blessings, that moves Him to want to supply even more—over and above even your basic needs. He wants to spoil you. He wants to give you His financial and material blessings in abundance. But He's not going to let His riches and blessings go down the drain or land in ungrateful laps. His Word says, "It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful" (1Cor.4:2)—faithful to appreciate and care for all the Lord's blessings, and to invest them in His service wisely. As the parable of the talents and the wise and unwise stewards in Matthew 25 shows, you who care for what He gives wisely, prayerfully and faithfully, will receive more and be blessed.

129. While we're on the subject of being good stewards of the things the Lord blesses us with, let's also remember to be good stewards of our brethren's belongings and the Home's goods. This is something that's often sadly lacking in our Homes, and it's not only a sad reflection on our faithfulness and diligence, our love and consideration for others, and our sample to outsiders‚ but it tears down Home unity and tends to encourage selfishness. One CO who read an advance copy of this Letter commented:

130. One reason for people not wanting to share things is bad stewardship. People tend to be careless with communal items. And some people are careless with personal belongings as well‚ so it's difficult to trust them with expensive equipment such as computers, cameras, etc. It's not a distrust of their motives‚ but of their ability to handle the equipment with care. I'm sure many people have this concern‚ having seen many communal items or loaned items damaged by mishandling, or even totally misplaced and lost. So then you wonder why you should let them use the equipment when the Lord doesn't bless bad stewards.

131. (Mama:) When you're poor stewards, it also discourages others from giving to you. Outsiders notice such things, as another CO commented:

132. Rich people observe a lot more than we think they do, and if they come to our Homes and see us be wasteful, careless, reckless and negligent with what we already have‚ you can be sure they will know right away that we are not a good investment. Not only will we miss out on the financial help that they would be to us if they saw a sample of diligence and faithfulness with what we already have, but the greatest loss will be in their lives. The Lord won't be able to bless them for their giving, and we won't be able to give them the riches of the spirit that they so desperately need.

133. (Mama:) Please‚ dear Family, be good stewards of each other's belongings and treat them as you would your own! That's part of loving others as yourself, the Law of Love. "Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful" (1Cor.4:2).

Pillar 9: Tithe and Give Offerings

134. Over the years, Family members have periodically sent in questions about various aspects of the tithe. Usually the questions revolved around what needs to be tithed and what doesn't need to be tithed. It's not bad to ask these questions‚ of course, and we always pray about the answers and check with our Husband, keeping in mind the financial situation of the Home as much as we can. The basics of the tithe principle for today can be found in the Word and the Charter.

135. However, a different type of question has surfaced recently regarding the tithe. Some complaints about WS expecting Family members to tithe have appeared on ex-member sites, and some of you in the Family are echoing the same things, wondering if maybe there isn't a better way for the Family to finance our publications and other administrational costs. Some think the tithe is just an Old Testament practice, that it's unfair for WS to require it of Family members.

136. Peter and I addressed the question of tithes in more detail earlier in this series. To sum it up, you must remember that tithing is absolutely crucial to your having the Lord's blessing on your finances. You can't rob God of the tithe due Him and then expect Him to pour on the money and blessings. It just doesn't work that way. Giving your tithe is the minimum, it's your duty to God as disciples, and it's not unique to the Family. There are many church members who tithe to their church, and believe me, they get a whole lot less for their money than you do. In fact, you really shouldn't expect anything in return for your tithe, but Dad organized the Family in such a way that the tithe‚ in large part, goes directly back to the Family, back to you on the field. But even if it didn't, giving your 10% is your responsibility to the Lord as a Christian.

137. Though in many of the year-end GNs Peter has touched on how important your tithes and offerings are, and how you benefit directly through the many services WS provides as a result‚ since Dad's passing we haven't written much about the spiritual principles behind tithing and how crucial it is to receiving the Lord's blessings. But during Dad's days on Earth, if you'll search the HomeARC, you'll see that he was often teaching us the importance of tithing and supporting our work—the Family. Without the tithe, the Family wouldn't exist. Why is that? Because the tithe supports WS‚ and WS supports the Family, not only through its missionary giving and its administration of the Family, but more importantly through the spiritual food and products that keep the Family growing spiritually and moving ahead in the spirit, as well as supplying the spiritual food and the message from the Lord for the Family to distribute to the sheep everywhere.

Pillar 10: Beseech the Lord in Prayer

138. I have mentioned a number of practical financial principles, and each one is crucial to your financial success. All of these factors dovetail; they all support one another. You can't disregard any one of these points or you'll suffer loss and things won't go so well. I want you to seriously consider each of the points brought out thus far, and what I'm going to say now doesn't minimize these practical pillars. We must, however, also remind ourselves that ours is a spiritual work. We live in the spirit, we serve a living God, and we can't only depend on the practical. Our organization‚ hard work, communal living, and active missionary efforts are not enough. We must also have the full blessing of the Lord, and we must walk in humility before Him.

139. The foundation of our financial base is the Lord's blessing‚ His giving, His miracles. While we must give regular, consistent attention to the points listed thus far, we will never find the abundance we are looking for without humbly asking the Lord to supply. We must pray. Our Husband is eager to spoil us with good things, He loves to see us happy and He wants to dote on us as a devoted Provider, but His hands are tied until we ask. We must ask! We must show ourselves in need of Him. We are not sufficient in ourselves, and even if you did every single thing perfectly that you've read thus far, it wouldn't be enough unless you pray and ask the Lord.

140. Jesus wants to give, but He also wants the glory as your Husband, Shepherd, King and Savior. That's where desperate prayer, seeking the Lord, claiming the keys‚ and giving Him praise for every bit of supply comes in.

141. This might sound unbelievably basic‚ but from all we've heard and the reports we've received from those who have traveled to field Homes, it's pretty surprising how little some Homes pray, and how distracted and haphazard your prayer vigils are. Prayer should be your first line of defense. Prayer is step one. Asking the Lord and claiming the keys of miracles and supply should be your first reaction whenever you have a need.

142. Now ask yourself honestly‚ how much are you in the habit of praying? How much is it your nature to pray, to commit your needs immediately and regularly to prayer? If your prayer habit is so weak that prayer isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you have financial needs, then please, please work on that.

The Era of Accountability

143. Now that I've touched on the ten pillars, I would like to go back to each one and share more Word on it. Before I do that‚ however, there is something you need to understand, because otherwise the rest of this Letter will seem very repetitive to you. You'll probably get bored and tune out. Please don't do that. You need this review, because if there are aspects of these pillars that you've been ignoring, you absolutely must see that and remedy it!

144. We are entering the era of accountability. What that means is that the Lord is holding you responsible for what you've received in all areas of your life, including the training, opportunities and instruction related to building a financial base for your Home and future. It's not that He is cranking up His expectations to a much higher level. He's not expecting you to do a whole lot of new things that you've never heard of, but He is expecting you to do what He's already asked you. That's important to understand‚ because otherwise you may feel that it's just too much, that it's not fair, that you can't possibly do it. Instead, you should accept the fact that a lot of your troubles today are rooted in disobedience, in not holding yourself accountable for the truth you've been given.

145. Your overall situation today is the result of the millions of choices you've made over the years. Those who've read the Word and have taken it as meaning exactly what it said and have obeyed accordingly are in a much more blessed position today. But those of you who have ignored the many pleas from the Lord to promote Activated, to build a missionary work‚ to work hard at living as missionaries, to follow up and minister to long-term supporters, to win new disciples and Active members, etc., are now suffering the consequences.

146. Bad things don't just happen out of the blue. It's not that you're broke and struggling for no reason. Those difficult circumstances are the result of the sum total of your decisions, the many, many decisions you've made each day. But because there isn't usually immediate loss or consequences that make it obvious that something was a wrong choice or a bad decision‚ it's very easy to regularly make wrong choices until they become habits. And then later, usually much later down the road‚ your life, Home, relationships, kids, or ministry are not doing well, and you wonder, "Wow, what's wrong?"

147. What's wrong is that you're reaping the fruit of many wrong decisions and habits, which were rooted in disobedience, lethargy, laziness, lack of the fear of the Lord, and not heeding the Lord's warnings and instruction. This is the concept of accountability. The Lord has been faithful to give you the truth‚ you have the tools, you have the means. But if you don't hold yourself accountable, if you don't require a high standard of obedience from yourself and others in your Home, then you suffer loss. This is an enduring spiritual principle.

148. Because this concept is rather foreign to the Family‚ as was brought out in the Brazil GNs and videos, to the point that many of you feel there will never be punishment, now when you're told you're accountable, you feel overwhelmed or as if you can't do it.

149. Holding yourself and others accountable to obey and do what's right is a day-by-day process. It's all about those millions of little decisions that all add up eventually. You can turn things around in your lives and Homes, but it will take a very desperate effort to abandon that lackadaisical approach to life that tells you that you can pretty much do whatever you want and everything will continue as it is without things going haywire or getting bad. That's not true.

150. If you day by day, week by week, month by month ignore the Lord's counsel on any subject—and we're talking specifically about finances here—then your choices to disobey, compromise, or just not care about the Lord's Word on the subject will eventually all add up to disaster. Being accountable means that you are educated, you know some truth, and you will either be blessed or suffer loss according to your choices to obey or disobey that truth.

151. You hold your own future in your hands. You literally "control" the Lord's hand of blessing by your choices. It's not that things are going to happen to you and your Home while you're a mere innocent bystander who can't do anything about it. You decide if you'll fail or succeed!

152. To expound on this concept of accountability, of how you will reap the results of your actions, here are some excerpts of an interesting news article called "The Formula for Failure and Success":

Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. We do not fail overnight. Failure is the inevitable result of an accumulation of poor thinking and poor choices. To put it more simply, failure is nothing more than a few errors in judgment repeated every day.

Now why would someone make an error in judgment and then be so foolish as to repeat it every day? The answer is because he or she does not think that it matters.

On their own‚ our daily acts do not seem that important. A minor oversight, a poor decision, or a wasted hour generally doesn't result in an instant and measurable impact. More often than not, we escape from any immediate consequences of our deeds.

If we have not bothered to read a single book in the past ninety days [in the Family's case, of course, it'd be more appropriate to substitute "Letter" for "book" in this example], this lack of discipline does not seem to have any immediate impact on our lives. And since nothing drastic happened to us after the first ninety days, we repeat this error in judgment for another ninety days, and on and on it goes. Why? Because it doesn't seem to matter. And herein lies the great danger. Far worse than not reading the books is not even realizing that it matters!

Those who eat too many of the wrong foods are contributing to a future health problem, but the joy of the moment overshadows the consequence of the future. It does not seem to matter. Those who smoke too much or drink too much go on making these poor choices year after year after year ... because it doesn't seem to matter. But the pain and regret of these errors in judgment have only been delayed for a future time. Consequences are seldom instant; instead, they accumulate until the inevitable day of reckoning finally arrives and the price must be paid for our poor choices—choices that didn't seem to matter.

Failure's most dangerous attribute is its subtlety. In the short term those little errors don't seem to make any difference. We do not seem to be failing. … Since nothing terrible happens to us, since there are no instant consequences to capture our attention, we simply drift from one day to the next‚ repeating the errors, thinking the wrong thoughts, listening to the wrong voices and making the wrong choices. The sky did not fall in on us yesterday; therefore the act was probably harmless. Since it seemed to have no measurable consequence, it is probably safe to repeat.

But we must become better educated than that!…

Just like the formula for failure, the formula for success is easy to follow: It's by making the future an important part of our current philosophy.

Both success and failure involve future consequences, namely the inevitable rewards or unavoidable regrets resulting from past activities. If this is true, why don't more people take time to ponder the future? The answer is simple: They are so caught up in the current moment that it doesn't seem to matter. The problems and the rewards of today are so absorbing to some human beings that they never pause long enough to think about tomorrow.

But what if we did develop a new discipline to take just a few minutes every day to look a little further down the road? We would then be able to foresee the impending consequences of our current conduct. Armed with that valuable information, we would be able to take the necessary action to change our errors into new success-oriented disciplines. In other words, by disciplining ourselves to see the future in advance, we would be able to change our thinking, amend our errors and develop new habits to replace the old.

The real magic of new disciplines is that they will cause us to amend our thinking. If we were to start today to try harder, and in every way make a conscious and consistent effort to change subtle and deadly errors into constructive and rewarding disciplines, we would never again settle for a life of existence—not once we have tasted the fruits of a life of substance! (End of news article.)

153. (Mama:) I'm not usually so keen on including System material in the GNs‚ as I prefer to go with the Lord's Words. I feel He says it the best, and when He says it, we know it's 100% right. But in this case‚ this author sheds some light on the concept of accountability from the perspective that you are building your future today. If you make the right choices—which in our Family means if you obey the Lord and the Word—then you'll be blessed. From the perspective of finances, that means your financial base will improve and the Lord will be able to do miracles of supply. But if you become deceived‚ thinking that wrong choices‚ bad decisions and disobedience don't matter, then eventually you'll find yourself in a mess. And the reason you'll find yourself in a mess is because the Lord won't simply let it pass, He won't let it "not matter," because you know better. That's the crux of accountability.

154. Here is something from our Lover on this subject:

155. (Jesus speaking:) My dear ones‚ I am your Husband. I am your Lover. I am a faithful Provider and will never fail you. What is more, I love to supply for you. It thrills My heart to do those miracles that provide your specific needs. It really makes Me happy when you fulfill the conditions attached to My promises and then claim them in faith. There's nothing I love more than to see you have your needs met, to be able to manifest My love for you in physical‚ practical ways—ways that make you consciously think, "Wow, the Lord really loves me!"

156. By the same token, it makes My heart ache when I see you have very big, real‚ important needs, yet My hands are tied and I'm not able to pour out My blessings upon you because something is blocking the way. The channels that I would use to pour out on you are blocked, either through your lack of obedience, lack of faithfulness to witness and get out the meat of the Word, lack of sharing and sacrifice, lack of willingness to work hard for Me, or whatever the case may be.

157. Especially now, when time is so short and there is so much to do, there are so many who must be reached before even greater darkness falls upon the world, I long more than ever to give you all that you need to do the job! I long to shower you with abundant supply—not just the bare necessities, but whatever you need to make your work easier and more fruitful.

158. When I have to withhold My blessings for some reason, I do it with great sorrow and heaviness of heart, because I know that it not only causes difficulty and greater pressure for you as you struggle to make ends meet, but the end result is often loss to My work because you're so busy trying to survive that you're not as effective in reaping the harvest.

159. You could be working much more effectively to reap your fields‚ to cultivate lasting works, to train disciples, but you're so busy trying to keep your heads above water financially that you let golden opportunities slip right by you, because you just don't have time to take them. Souls are not saved, hearts are not reached with My love. Some are, yes. You do what you can. But you could be doing so much more if I was able to open the windows of Heaven to bless you fully!

160. My loves, you need to realize that you are accountable. You are accountable because of all the Word I have poured out to you over the years. You are accountable because of the wealth of training—including practical, down-to-earth application of spiritual principles that David, Maria and Peter have patiently imparted through Letter after Letter after Letter: Letters on how to have a fruitful work. Letters on how to have a well–balanced Home. Letters on how to live in unity‚ give, and open yourself up for My blessings. Letters on how to have the faith to ask for your support. Letters on how to train your children so that they are an asset, a testimony, a part of your witness. Letters on stewardship, balancing your budget‚ keeping your tithe to Me sacred. Letters on how to use the keys. Letters on putting Me first. Letters on the spiritual principles behind My supply.

161. My loves‚ you are so accountable. For years I have been training you, pouring into you, repeating things over and over. But when it comes down to it, can I bless disobedience? Can I bless it if you put other things before Me? Can I bless it if you're not a good sample of the children of David? Can I support that kind of work or lifestyle? No, I can't.

162. Just as I am speaking to you about your accountability in living the life of a disciple, and I am meting out punishment and chastisement for those who have not been obeying, even so have I begun to withdraw My blessings in the area of supply and finances, and you will feel the effects more and more as the days pass. If you want to continue to receive My blessings, if you want to be able to "live by faith‚" if you want to have what you need to continue doing your missionary work‚ you're going to have to live by the Word I've been giving all these years. You're going to have to dig it out, read it, study it, see where you need to improve, and then do it, or you will feel the effects drastically.

163. This is all part of My love for you, My children. I'm going to make it easy for you to work on these areas that many of you have felt were lacking for years, but you weren't strong enough in yourselves to improve. That's nothing to be ashamed of—it's just human nature. But now I'm helping you. I'm putting some bite to the bark, and you'll find that it's impossible to coast along any longer. If you want My blessings, My financial supply, you must fulfill the requirements.

164. If you're not able to make ends meet, if you don't have what you need for the job I've asked you to do, there's a reason. There's something I want to teach you, something I want to get through to you about. Yes, there are always difficult times in the life of a missionary. There are times you don't have every single thing you want. But you should always have what you need. And so, if you don't have what you need, there's a reason.

165. Take stock of your Home. Take stock of your personal life. Own up to the disobediences‚ the lacks, the compromises, and do something about it! Make a decision! And then prove My promises; see if I will not open the windows of Heaven and pour out such a blessing that there will not be room enough to hold it! (End of message from Jesus)

166. (Mama:) I want to draw particular attention to the last two paragraphs of that message. The lesson here is that if you don't have enough money to do the job, if you're really struggling (especially on a long-term basis), something is wrong! There is a reason, because normally the Lord will supply well. You might not have every single desire of your heart, but you will have what you and your families need to be comfortable, healthy, and good testimonies of the generous God you serve.

167. If your Home is not doing well financially‚ which many are not, then it's time to take stock. I'm going to help you do that as you go into the next section of this series. I'll review the pillars of financial success again, and will include some assignments for you as individuals and as a Home.

168. Please take time in your next four required Home council and outreach meetings to discuss these points. This is an official request from me, your queen. Please do not neglect to do this. Remember‚ the Lord will hold you accountable.

WORD BASIS FOR FINANCIAL PILLARS

1. Have a Well-Rounded Missionary Work

Verses

If I do this thing [preach the Gospel] willingly, I have a reward. He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully (1Cor. 9:17a; 2Cor.9:6).

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself (Pro.11:24-25).

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together‚ and running over‚ shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again (Luk.6:38).

Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? And they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel! (1Cor.9:13,14,16).

Thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways‚ and according to the fruit of his doings (Jer.32:19b).

And He said unto them, Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house‚ or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the Kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come, life everlasting (Luk.18:29-30).

God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward His Name (Heb.6:10a).

Quotes

169. (Dad:) Good witnessing always pays! Good witnessing will never be wasted‚ and it pays off in many, many, many ways. It will pay now‚ while you are still there on Earth, and it will also pay later when you get Here. All around, you just can never lose if you witness!

170. … When [the Enemy] tempts you to think, "Is it really worth it? Can we really afford to make all this sacrifice to win souls?" Let me tell you, you should be asking yourself, "Can I afford not to?" Good witnessing always pays! (ML #3132:29,76, Lifelines 24).

171. (Jesus:) I wish for all of you, My children, to understand that your faithfulness in witnessing is a great key to My blessings in many areas. ... If you give generously‚ faithfully, day by day, then I will in some way, through some avenue, give to you, and you will not lack. But if you withhold, if you are selfish, apathetic and dull in spirit‚ so that you cannot even see the needs of those around you or the opportunities that I give you to be My messenger and to give My light and love to the little lambs, then you stop the flow of My blessings into your life. When I say give and it shall be given unto you, I am bound by My promises. As you pour out, I will pour in.

172. Being My messengers, My witnesses, My voice of salvation and warning in this wicked world is your primary duty in life. And your faithfulness or lack of faithfulness in this is a key to how I am able to shower you with My blessings. It determines whether I am able to give you the bare minimum of that which you need just to scrape by, or whether I am able to send forth an abundant downpour of blessings from Heaven! (ML #3137:118,128-129, Lifelines 24).

173. (Mama: ) His blessings are contingent on our obedience to His commission to reach the lost and the hungry with the Gospel. He wants to give us more, to bless us more‚ but He has limited Himself by our obedience and our willingness to give our all to Him by giving our all to others. (ML #3137:142, Lifelines 24).

174. (Dad:) Stay true to the Lord's message, folks! Stay true to our beliefs! God blesses your giving out, not your withholding. Those who withhold, it tends to poverty, both spiritual and physical. (ML #3245:76, GN 847).

175. (Jesus:) The God factor means that I have opened to you the riches of the universe‚ I have put before you a great reservoir of supply, and it's yours for the asking, yours for the taking. The God factor means that if you will put your trust fully in Me‚ you will lack nothing. It means that if you preach the Gospel, you will live of the Gospel. It means that all things are possible to you. It means if you are trusting Me and doing what I tell you to do, I will never fail to support you, even if I have to drop the support out of the sky. It means good witnessing always pays. It means if you are obeying Me‚ I will take care of your needs. It means if I promise bread, I will not give you a stone.

176. Practically speaking, it means if the Family will put their trust in Me, if they will claim My promises, if they will obey what I tell them to do‚ I will supply all their needs according to My riches in glory. It means if they will get out and do the "wenting," I will supply.

177. The God factor will make all the difference in the world. It means the difference between your success or your failure, your premature end or your hope of survival. It means the difference between life and death for the souls waiting to hear My message. It means the difference between you receiving the blessings and promises I have reserved for you, or going through life as beggars, destitute of your needs. (ML #3363:153-154,164, GN 959).

178. (Mama:) All of the following things must be present if you are to be successful. You must:

1. Use outreach methods that promote the Word and Family tools and that build a church rather than just raise money.
2. Promote Activated if available in your area; if not‚ use other Family pubs and Letters to feed your sheep deeply.
3. Cultivate a missionary work with a vision that is attractive for labor leaders to get involved with.
4. Have a good balance in reaching the labor leaders and ministering to the poor.
5. Have a standard that is presentable to the middle/upper class.
6. Teach your converts to be actively involved in your work through such things as witnessing to their friends and colleagues‚ selling Activated subscriptions and products, being the samples and witnesses they should to their family and others, helping plan and prepare classes and seminars, etc.

179. Please take some time to evaluate your missionary work. How do you fare with the six points mentioned above? … Stand back and look at your Home, your ministries, how you raise your money. Do you look like dedicated missionaries with a purpose, with vision, who know how to build a successful, well-rounded, admirable work for the Lord? (ML #3400:71-72, GN 992).

180. (Jesus:) No matter how effective your CTPs appear to be, they are not the main way that you will change the world. They are not the primary outreach method of the children of David. They are a part, a small part, of your overall service to man. But the Devil has come in and deceived many of the Family, causing them to place a higher priority on the physical than the spiritual. He has made them feel obligated to reach the poor, feed the poor‚ and comfort the poor at the cost of neglecting their ministry of preaching the Gospel to all the world and making disciples of all nations. But merely caring for the poor is not the goal or the calling of the children of David. (ML #3400:13, GN 992).

Activated

181. (Mama: ) A very important part of building a well-rounded missionary work is feeding the sheep via Activated. This topic is one the Lord, and Peter and I, have talked about almost more than anything else over the last few years. Since 1999, there have been at least 65 GNs published that have touched on the topic of Activated. At least 30 of those 65 gave in-depth counsel about Activated—and quite a few of those 30 GNs were dedicated entirely to the subject of Activated! (See MLs #3238, 3280, 3291, 3298, 3308, 3309‚ 3313‚ 3315, 3321, 3348, 3349‚ 3354, 3358, 3359, 3361, 3362, 3363, 3364, 3366, 3370, 3371‚ 3382A, 3382B, 3382C, 3382D, 3395, 3400, 3405, 3427, 3436, 3438‚ 3460.)

182. Just that stat alone shows how vital Activated is! I even considered putting Activated in a pillar on its own in this GN, because the Lord has emphasized it repeatedly and it's obviously an important key to receiving His financial blessings. You can't expect to have a steady flow of monetary blessings if you're not building a solid missionary work through following up on the sheep and obeying the Lord's commission to get out Activated.

183. I don't know what more the Lord can say to show you its importance. But following are a few quotes to refresh your memory on the connection between getting out Activated and receiving the Lord's financial blessings.

184. (Peter:) The Activated program is not a financial venture. It's not a means of raising quick money to pay your bills this month. It's obedience to the Lord's commission to feed the sheep. If we're faithful to do that, we know that He'll take care of us and provide for us like He always has when we've obeyed Him. And one of the ways in which He has promised to bless us financially for pushing Activated is by raising up more long-term supporters and friends—fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord who will support your Homes so that you can devote more time to witnessing instead of fundraising. (ML #3308:64, GN 908).

185. (Jesus:) … Even if I were to say that it would be past your furthest estimation, you would still not come close to grasping at this time the potential that will be reached with the Activated program!

186. This will be one of the keys to your financial needs. You will have abundance. You will have more than you need for the many urgent and expensive projects you dream of. (ML #3298:107-108, GN 895).

187. (Jesus:) Why are some areas and Homes that should be shiners in Activated not living up to their full potential? There are many reasons, and each situation is unique, but the main reason is that some folks just don't have a vision for tomorrow, for what the future holds and for what things could be like if they worked toward it. They have their nose so close to the trees, they can't see the forest for the life of them! This is very sad, because it keeps people living and struggling simply for today‚ when if they would just break out, I would lead them in a path that would totally change their future for the good.

188. I understand that life is a daily struggle, but don't you believe that I am the great God of the universe Who can supply all your needs and more than bountifully reward you for following Me? Some people have lost the sure faith that if they step out, I will be there to meet them. They want security and something to be "sure" of.

189. Where is your radical faith in My Word? Where is the spirit of the first disciples, all of you who pioneered the world and went into cities and countries without anything, and yet I supplied? I haven't failed you yet‚ and I never will! So if you're struggling and barely making it financially and that's what's holding you back from getting Activated subscriptions and following up on your sheep, why not step out and see Me meet you and catapult you into realms you never knew before! Do you believe that I can? Why not live it!

190. Activated is fairly new, and many people have their ministries or ways of doing things and don't feel they can get into it as an additional ministry. That's where they've got it wrong! Activated isn't a new ministry, it's a lifestyle—My Endtime missionary lifestyle! To get on board with Activated you don't have to drop everything you're doing to go out and only sell subscriptions every day. Getting activated is making Activated a part of your life—feeding the sheep‚ cultivating a church, winning Active members and disciples, and of course getting subscriptions to the Activated magazine. (ML #3460:17-20, GN 1045).

New Message

191. (Jesus speaking:) The children of David are primarily missionaries, preachers of the Gospel, shepherds of the lost. This is what I've called you, My dropped-out disciples, to be. This should be the profession of each of My brides of the Endtime.

192. Being a missionary is a complex occupation. It's not just a matter of giving out a few tracts in your free time. The life of a missionary is a tremendous constant challenge; it's thrilling and awesome‚ but it takes work, vision, study, and a plan.

193. Those who are the most successful are those who incorporate all aspects of witnessing into their missionary program. Reaching the lost, winning disciples, finding and cultivating regular supporters, promoting Activated, being an influence for good in your community, training outside members, raising your children in My nurture and ways, feeding and caring for the poor‚ and teaching the meat of the Word are all part of being a successful missionary.

194. You can't just concentrate on one aspect of this outreach. You can't have a narrow vision and decide you only want to do this or that, whatever your particular burden is‚ or whatever you feel most comfortable with, or whatever seems to be immediately fruitful, less humbling, or not as "risky."

195. To have a good, well-rounded missionary work, you must live the life of a missionary. Missionaries are always giving out, witnessing, and taking advantage of every single open door and opportunity to make progress and get out the message. As a fruitful, faithful missionary, you would be using all of the lit and tools available; you would be using as many methods of outreach as possible—such as following up through the mail, e-mail, phone and in person, going door to door, hosting seminars, having Bible studies, personal witnessing, and doing Holy Ghost samples.

196. When you have a "successful" missionary work, I don't mean you are accepted by the System and you do things just as they do. I mean that when people look at you, your works are obvious, your efforts have translated into fruit that remains. When people know you, talk with you, interact with you, and they don't even know that you're a missionary, then clearly you are not what I would call a "successful missionary."

197. I do not define "success" in the same terms as those in the world. I don't mean acclaim, acceptance‚ and a place of compromised coexistence with those in the System. I'm talking about having a work that is visible, something that people can look at when they're getting to know you and see that you're doing something, you're serving Me, you're investing your time in a spiritual goal and you're getting somewhere.

198. If you just do a little here and there on the weekends to raise funds, while you casually pass out some kind of little message at times, that is not what I am looking for. The type of ministries that the children of David disciples should cultivate are not the casual, the occasional, the comfortable and laid-back ones. They're not part-time or "on the side." I expect you to be passionate and to burn out in service to others. I want to see fruit! I want your sheep to be able to visit your Home and observe your life and priorities, and come away saying, "Wow, those people are serious about their service for Jesus! They're really going somewhere. They're really doing something. They're serious-minded, on the ball, professional in their application of the Word, practical in their goals and organization‚ and not satisfied with anything but the best!"

199. It's that kind of testimony and lifestyle and personal convictions that bring fruit, win disciples, and change the world. So look at your life, your ministry, your Home. Are you using every possible means at your disposal to build a missionary work? Are you taking advantage of all the tremendous witnessing tools that are provided for you? Are you organized and is your work well planned, so that you're not missing golden opportunities to witness and open doors to walk through that can lead you to new sheep and the top? Are you promoting Activated and follow-up? Is each person in your Home using their gifts and talents to the full for your outreach? Is everyone devoting time‚ attention and study to learning the local language? Are you becoming one and relating to the national people and culture? Is each person in your Home actively involved in the outreach, witnessing and follow-up in some way according to their talents and the time they have available? If you had to leave your field unexpectedly, would there be a national church of trained believers to continue your missionary work?

200. These are questions to ask yourselves. These are the things that help to build a well-rounded missionary work. It's a way of life, it's a passion, it's being driven with a vision, it's letting My love compel you to do more‚ go further, and stop at nothing less than success and lasting fruit!

201. So many of the children of David have lost the fire. Your Homes are dry and compromised, and so much time is lost on foolish endeavors that have nothing to do with winning the lost. You can't play at being a missionary any more than you can play at opening a new business, being a soldier‚ graduating from university or building a lasting marriage. These recognized and respected goals require hard work and planning, fight and fearlessness, study and sacrifice, and great love and patience. People in the world are willing to pay this price to achieve their goals. Are you willing to give this much to succeed as a missionary?

202. If you're not already living the missionary lifestyle, you can change. You can forsake the compromised, lazy‚ unappealing way you've been living for so long. You can stop using the ordinary "humanitarian aid/social work" request line that you've been hiding behind. You can quit being lazy, lethargic‚ and bored. You can determine here and now to stop eking out a living through your meager, pitiful, do-the-minimum approach to working for Me to save others. You can break out of all that immediately, now! All you have to do is determine that you want to become a full-time missionary‚ a dropped-out disciple.

203. Now is the time to forsake all, to let go of the past, your reputation, all your other interests, for only those who are truly soldiers for the cross can build a well-rounded missionary work that will make Me and your sheep and supporters proud to be called by your name. (End of message from Jesus)

New Keys Promises

204. Receive the full power, initiative and determination to reach for higher goals in your witnessing and outreach methods by appropriating the keys, and you will achieve results that will move others to give to you of their material and financial abundance.

205. Call on the power of the keys as you obey My commission to build a well-rounded missionary work and win the world for Me, and great and awesome will be the blessings I will shower on you in return.

206. Ask for My keys to empower you as you give your all to Me and the lost, and you will receive My financial blessings faster than you can give out My Words and truth.

207. As you live your life giving Me to others full-time, I will pay your bills‚ fill your coffers, and provide all of your needs through My keys of supply that open the windows of Heaven to you.

208. When you're giving Me 110%, investing your blood, sweat, tears, time and efforts in reaching the world‚ My hand is automatically moved to turn the keys of supply and open to you the vaults of Heaven that are filled with My good gold.

ASSIGNMENT

209. Meet together and do the following:

* Review your witnessing methods. Make a list of which of the missionary activities listed earlier in paragraphs 193-195 are missing from your regular outreach program.

* Note all the people that you should be following up on as a Home. This would be a comprehensive list of everyone's contacts, supporters and friends.

* Discuss how you can use the available witnessing tools more effectively.

* Tally your Activated stats for the last six months. Discuss what's holding you back from promoting Activated more.

210. In the following week:

* Allow time for each person in your Home to pray about how you can personally help the Home to be more obedient to the "build a well-rounded missionary work" pillar, and which of the missing avenues of witnessing you'd personally like to head up or be involved in.

* Assign each of the following P&Ps to someone(s) in your Home to pray about:

• Does our Home have a good balance in our witnessing, meaning not too much attention on CTP or fundraising to the neglect of quality witnessing?

• What can we do in a practical way to promote Activated?

• How can we make time and opportunity for our children and teens to go witnessing more?

• Has our Home compromised for gain? If so‚ how?

211. Then meet again as a Home, review the prophecies received, and discuss concrete ways to put the Lord's counsel and each person's burdens into practice. Set goals and deadlines.

Make a concrete plan‚ with deadlines and goals, to improve in promoting Activated.

2. Obedience to God's Word

Verses

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land (Isa.1:19).

Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (Psa.37:3).

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying‚ What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? … For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Mat. 6:30-33).

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous‚ and then thou shalt have good success (Jos.1:8).

If ye abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you (John 15:7).

And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God (Deut.28:2).

If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity‚ and their years in pleasures (Job 36:11).

Quotes

212. (Dad:) If we are obeying the Lord and are faithful and trusting and believing, then God's got to bless and answer. He can and wants to give you what you need in every area. But if He's not, it's not His fault. Something's wrong somewhere.

213. If you're not fully obeying the Lord, then you can't have faith for God to bless you when you're not obeying Him. How can God bless disobedience? (ML #731:60-61, Vol.6).

214. (Dad:) When we obeyed He kept His promises, He fulfilled His guarantees, and He supplied all of our needs according to His riches in glory! Hallelujah! We don't have to depend on your riches, thank God, nor the world's riches‚ nor our own riches; we only have to depend on God and His riches, and He is a big God and has great riches and will never fail! TYJ!

215. … God is our greatest source and He has the greatest income, and the best place in the world to be is in the center of His will to make sure that you're well taken care of! (ML #1027:54, 66, Vol.9).

216. (Dad:) All of your blessings in this life depend on your obedience to God! ... God is always the same and Jesus is always with you … but the blessings of God are not necessarily permanent if you don't please and obey the Lord! ... God will never fail you, but when you fail‚ you fail to reap the benefits of the blessings that He would have given you if you'd obeyed! (Gal.6:7). God doesn't have to bless you, especially if you're disobedient.

217. When you obey and please the Lord, being the kind and loving Father that He is‚ He gives you gifts and blessings. But if you don't please Him and you don't love Him enough and you don't obey Him and you willfully go the wrong way and do wrong things, how can He bless disobedience? He can't! He's certainly not going to give you more gifts and blessings if you're disobeying Him! In fact, He may even withdraw and take back some of those He already gave you! (ML #2416:8-11, Lifelines 18).

218. (Mama:) The main thing that God's blessings are contingent upon is our obedience—our obedience to the Lord and to the Word. … It's especially important that you follow closely and stay tuned in to where the Lord is leading today, according to the direction and guidance given in the most recent Letters. If you strive to obey, seek first, and wholeheartedly put into practice whatever vision is presented in the new Letters‚ the Lord will pour out His blessings upon you. … Staying fluid and letting the Lord change your priorities and/or witnessing methods etc., through the guidance in His Word is vital to obtaining His financial blessing. (ML #2813:2–3, Lifelines 20).

219. (Mama:) Here's an example of what the Lord can do for you when you take time to hear from Him and then do what He says to do. This is a testimony sent in by Juan in South America.

220. (Juan says:) "In a Home that we recently visited, which was going through some financial difficulties, we all witnessed a real miracle of His supply due to our obedience to the Word. This shows how it does pay to pray and obey.

221. "We had just finished reading the Letter about the beautiful tract the Lord had given in prophecy, 'To You with Love,' and Mama's challenge to tithe our time to help mass distribute this beautiful message. When we asked the Home if they had been doing that, they said 'no.' After some discussion and prayer, the Home decided to obey Mama's suggestion, and instead of sending an 'attack team' to raise funds that were desperately needed, all available members of the Home went out that day distributing the tracts. By the way‚ that included the VS and COs.

222. "That same day a friend of the Home offered to pay for the weekly food shopping, which came to $720. Actually‚ we were able to buy the food needed for two weeks. TYJ! So all this to say that the Lord's economic plan still works, and all those Homes who are reading the Word, seeking the Lord's instruction and obeying are not only having their needs met, but are happier and more fulfilled."

223. (Mama:) There are many people who are obeying and are finding that the Lord is supplying. What you hear most about, of course, is all the negative and all the problems‚ which go from mouth to mouth and Home to Home much faster and get much more blown up than the good positive testimonies. But nonetheless, the Lord does supply, and He has example after example of the blessings that He gives when people obey and go to the Word and go to Him, and ask for His guidance. (ML #3071:170-173,178, Lifelines 23).

224. (Dad:) Folks, I've always taught you that if you're faithful to the Lord, He'll be faithful to you. If you're faithful to look to Him, if you're faithful to read His Word, if you're faithful to get out and preach the Gospel, if you're faithful to love, if you're faithful to witness, the Lord will be faithful to you. He's never let you down all these years, and He's not about to do so now.

225. But you have to do your part. Are you reading the Word? Are you obeying the Word? Are you taking time with the Lord? Are you taking time to pour out the Word on others? To preach the Gospel? To fulfill your mission? If you're doing these things, I know the Lord won't fail you. He can't, because He's promised it in His Word. He's promised and He can't break His Word.

226. He's purposely limited Himself to your faith and to your obedience—your obedience in taking time with the Lord, your obedience in doing what the Word says, your obedience in preaching the Gospel. So it's not all up to the Lord; it's also up to you and your faith and your willingness to obey. But that's the easy part! That's all the Lord expects you to do, and then He'll take it from there. (ML #3073:45-46,48, Lifelines 23).

227. (Jesus: ) How I long for My children to be strengthened in faith through their feasting on My Word! Oh, what a simple answer—almost too simple, it would seem to some. Yet what a mighty door this little key is able to unlock! For it is the passageway into the world of My abundant supply, of My blessings, and of My answers to their prayers. (ML #3073:114, Lifelines 23).

228. (Jesus:) It is your faith that pleases Me. It is your faith, the fact that you believe, that you stand upon My Word, that draws down the blessings that I have for you. The blessings come no other way, for you must believe in order to receive.

229. How can I reward you if you're not obeying? When I said‚ "He which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully," was I lying? Have you not found out throughout the years that as you pour out and feed My sheep, I reward you? If you cast your bread upon the water, it will come back many fold. What has changed? My power is still the same today.

230. My capacity to give is only limited by your capacity to receive. So fulfill all the commandments that I have given unto you and I will pour forth such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. (ML #3073:61,66‚69, Lifelines 23).

231. (Dad:) If you choose God's best, He has promised to give you all that you need to do a job for Him. … You want to never have to worry about support and security again? Follow God! (ML #3135:62,70, Lifelines 24).

232. (Mama: ) His blessings and anointing on us are directly linked to how much faith we have in His Words and how much we obey them. ... The Lord's good guarantees of supply, fulfillment and satisfaction never fail! They only sometimes seem to fail when we've failed and haven't followed Him or obeyed like we should have. But if we're faithful to do our best for Him‚ He never fails us. (ML #3135:42,75, Lifelines 24).

233. (Mama:) If you're not obeying God by living for Him, then how can He bless you? As that famous quote from Dad goes, "Obedience comes before the blessing." (ML #3172:38, GN 777).

234. (Jesus: ) Unconfessed sin is like a concrete wall that blocks the flow of the water of My Word and hinders your faith in My ability to answer your prayers‚ supply your needs, and do miracles for you. Unconfessed sin makes you feel unworthy of My blessing, therefore it saps your initiative and greatly hinders your progress. (ML #3218:352‚ GN 820).

235. (Jesus:) My supply is only blocked by disobedience, by lack of faith, by lack of appropriating the promises I give you. (ML #3363:156, GN 959).

236. (Jesus: ) If you do your best for Me, I will do My best for you. The crux of the matter is simple: My supply is dependent on your obedience to what I tell you to do. (ML #3363:273, GN 959).

237. (Jesus:) Many of you cast aside My instruction and choose to do your own thing, feeling that you know the priorities better because you are there in the flesh. You feel I'm out of touch with reality since I don't have children to raise, meals to prepare, money to bring in, etc. But I'm not. I'm caring for and watching out for your souls, and when you disobey, I withdraw the blessings of happy and contented children, abundant supply and provision, and streams of finances. I step back and let you work all the harder for it, since you weren't willing to do it My way. That is the price that many of you pay. Blessings do not precede obedience, but very few have the faith to trust Me for those unseen blessings. (ML #3448:114, GN 1036).

New Message

238. (Jesus speaking:) Obedience brings My blessings and supply. Be not deceived, thinking you can harbor sin in your life and I won't see it or it won't make a difference in your supply, protection, happiness, unity, etc. When you disobey My Word, I have to withdraw some of My blessings of some kind. And if that disobedience continues‚ then you eventually suffer some kind of serious loss.

239. I don't enjoy hurting you in this way. I would much rather spoil you with My goodness and generosity. I am a wealthy Husband, and I draw great pleasure from giving you the gifts, surprises‚ luxuries and treats that I know you want and appreciate. This is one of My greatest joys. It makes Me very sad when I have to hold back and put the beautiful things I have for you away in the closet until another day.

240. Just think how it makes Me feel when I'm on My way to bring you a very treasured gift that I know you want and have prayed for. I'm so excited, eagerly awaiting your expression of joy and thankfulness. But alas, then I see that you have done some things that make it inappropriate for Me to bless you in this way. If I were to pour on My wealth, healing, supply, miracles, open doors‚ and supporters, when I and others know you have been disobedient, then it would cause confusion and stumble others. They would wonder why you are so blessed by Me when you are unloving, bitter, compromising, angry, wasteful, indulgent, addicted to the things of this world, dishonest‚ or lazy. They would wonder if I don't see these things, or if I do, does it not matter?

241. You see, My loves, I am bound by My Word. I bless you according to your obedience, and not just in matters related to finances, but in all areas of your life. If you're not faithful with putting Me and the Word revolution first, this will eventually cause Me to have to dry up your sources of blessing and supply. If you're not living the Law of Love and are not a sample of Christian love and kindness, then this will eventually cause Me to pull back My hand of generosity. If you allow sin in your life in the form of bitterness, unkind words, strife, arguments, disinterest, coldness to your neighbor, or hardness of heart, then I cannot give to you as I would, for you are not representing My love to those you meet and live with.

242. If you are not fulfilling your end of the bargain in the spiritual principles of how to secure financial success; if you're not praying for supply; if you're not witnessing faithfully; if you're not tithing; if you're wasting goods, time or personnel; if you're compromising in the requirements for discipleship, then these things disqualify you for My full blessings and supply.

243. As much as you obey, I am able to open My hands of plenty. As much as you follow closely, I am able to touch others' hearts to give. As much as you keep your life balanced and are a good‚ loving, faithful reflection of My Word, I am able to do miracles for you.

244. You see‚ My darlings, no matter how much I want to go to the closet and pull down those beautiful presents and surprises that I have to give to you, no matter how much I want to show My generosity and wealth on your behalf, I cannot if you have not fulfilled your end of the marriage, if you have been an unfaithful wife, following after other loves, neglecting our children, leaving your duties undone and attending to other interests.

245. I wait, My brides. I wait patiently, but sadly. I want to give you so much, but you must rid your lives of the sin if you wish to enter into the full wealth of our marriage. It is there for you, but I can only give according to your obedience and your love for Me. If you truly love Me more than anything else‚ you will do what I ask of you, and then you will see the full abundance of My giving. (End of message from Jesus.)

New Keys Promises

246. If you are serving Me in obedience‚ when you call on the keys of supply you won't have to wonder if I'll answer you—the miracle will be there for you.

247. Call on the keys of obedience, because through obeying you create suction in the spirit that draws My blessings of finances, miracles and provisions into your lives and Homes.

248. If you've been disobedient, ask Me for forgiveness, call on the keys of obedience, take the steps I ask of you, and then I will blast away the barrier that was holding back My supply and the rewards will once again flow freely.

249. When you know there is something holding back My blessings of supply, call on the keys of revelation and I will show you how to get your heart right with Me and will lead you back to the pathway of obedience so that I can lavish My riches on you.

250. You can call on the keys of supply in full faith when you're obedient before Me, knowing that nothing is holding back the floodgates of My blessings. I will match your petitions with miracles.

ASSIGNMENT

251. Home teamworks, please make time for each person in your Home to hear from the Lord regarding the following questions:

Dear Lover, am I harboring sin in my life? How do I need to get right with You? In what ways am I causing You to have to pull back Your hand of blessing and supply?

252. Home teamworks, in addition to the previous question, please pray about the following:

Darling Jesus, please show us how we as a Home have strayed from You. Is there anything in the way our Home operates‚ follows the New Wine, or the spirit of our Home that is not of You and that is causing You to not be able to supply our needs abundantly?

Then, if necessary, you Home teamworks should talk personally to whoever needs to be counseled as per the Lord's instruction about any changes needed in the Home.

253. Within a week of each of you having prayed about your walk with the Lord, plan an evening in which you have some Loving Jesus time (songs and words of love and praise to the Lord) to prime the pump‚ and then each of you can confess and ask for prayer, as needed, to get right with the Lord.

(Depending on the size of your Home, each of you could share a small portion of the prophecy you received. If your Home is large, then you would need to keep your explanation and prayer requests short; probably having it written out so you could just read it would be most efficient.)

3. Ask

Verses

Ask‚ and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock‚ and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened (Mat.7:7-8).

Ye have not because ye ask not (Jam.4:2b).

Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My Name, He may give it you (John 15:16).

Verily there is a reward for the righteous (Psa.58:11a).

I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread (Psa.37:25).

Quotes:

254. (Dad: ) If there's any poor little colony that's starving to death, there's something wrong! God usually supplies for His children abundantly! If they had it‚ they wasted it, or didn't share it as they should have when they had it; or they weren't diligent in their provisioning, they didn't seek and find, ask and receive or obey the Lord. Most of all, they probably didn't honor and cultivate their kings and queens and minister to them spiritually, share their spiritual riches with their System friends, so the friends could share their material riches with them! (ML #211:29, Vol.2).

255. (Dad: ) Ask the Lord, ask your family, your friends … ask anybody you can to help you get it, and if it's God's will and a genuine need that He knows will be good for you, He'll see that you get it and He'll supply it! (ML #866:17, Vol.7).

256. (Dad: ) I'll tell you, there's one thing you've got to learn if you're living by faith; you've got to learn how to be humble enough to ask, seek, knock, or "ye have not because ye ask not" (Mat.7:7; Jam.4:2). You've got to let them know you need it and ask'm for it. (ML #1087:37, Vol.9).

257. (Dad: ) Don't be afraid to ask for money! … Don't be afraid to beg'm for funds and tell'm you need it! "…How about a donation for our support? We're preaching you this Gospel, we're giving you the Gospel free of charge‚ now you help support us! We're saving your immortal soul for eternity, the least you can give us is a little bit of your life!" … A few dollars is nothing to what you've done for them! (ML #1885:52, Vol.15).

258. (Mama:) When Dad wrote the above, he was making a point, but he didn't mean for us to use his exact words when asking for support, as expressing ourselves in such a way could be a little offensive and counterproductive, to say the least. Ha! But this is how you should feel—proud of what you do‚ proud that you're giving the world the most priceless gift obtainable, free of charge! People want to give to those who know what they're doing, have a product that they truly believe in‚ and are proud of it!

259. (Mama:) The Lord will not supply all of our needs by prayer alone, when He knows there is a world out there for us to reach. He expects us to get out there and do what we can, to put feet to our prayers! The only way that a lot of us are going to get out there is if we also have a need that they can supply. The Lord is very, very smart! He's put us in a position where we have to go out and ask for help; and at the same time, the people who help us in a material way can be helped by us spiritually. (ML #2814:22, Lifelines 20.)

260. (Mama:) In not obeying and not asking, not only are you not receiving your needs, but worse than that‚ you are hurting the faith of your little ones. You are stumbling them and making them think that God is failing!—That it's His fault that they don't have what they need; that here they are giving their lives in full–time service for Jesus as His dedicated children, but He isn't interested enough or loving enough to give them what they need and what they want. What a terrible, terrible reflection upon the Lord!—Because of your failure!

261. The people we are ministering to see we have the answer and they want it. They love us, and they know they need us, and they welcome us with open arms. Don't you suppose they would help to support us if they knew we had a need? People are desperate for what you have to offer. People will pay for it!—But not if you don't ask! Few people will give unless they know there is a need. Why do you refuse to tell them? The folks funding the organizations we're helping have millions that they are prepared to spend; and if we need their help financially in order to help them spiritually and help them in their projects, don't you think they would give it? Why don't you ask?

262. We are not the only ones who have to ask for funds; practically every organization in the world has to be funded by someone—church organizations‚ political organizations, social service organizations, colleges and universities—and they all have to scramble for finances and go "pounding the pavements" and knocking on doors. Fundraising is a major job in the world. … So we certainly are not alone in needing to ask for funds. That's perfectly acceptable and perfectly normal.

263. In fact, in the world people don't hesitate to ask for donations for everything under the sun!—And they get results! There are endless ridiculous causes that people raise millions of dollars for, like save the wolves, save the rats‚ save the alligators, etc.

264. We have the greatest cause in the universe, and we shouldn't be ashamed to ask for support for it! Remember, the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just (Pro.13:22). The Lord said it, and He has promised that if we will ask, He will give it. And He usually uses people to do so. So not only do we have to ask the Lord, but we have to ask people, no matter how much it hurts our pride. No matter how many of them say no, if you keep on asking, you know you are going to eventually receive. (ML #2929:7,12,28-29,31, Lifelines 21).

New Message

265. (Jesus speaking:) Just like any business or organization, you have to run your work for Me like you want it to succeed, and you have to be willing to do everything you can to ensure that. Because My children are in the business of giving and doing volunteer work as opposed to working for money, they have the impression that to actively dig out the money from those they minister to is anathema. But there is a great deception here, an illusion and a cloud of smoke that must be blown away.

266. Yes, the Gospel is free, but it costs something to get it to you! Your attitude shouldn't be one of shame in asking for what is duly yours, but rather one of, "If you want this service, it costs X amount!" Not that you have to put a price on it‚ though at times that would help too. But the recipient of your product or service must know that he needs to pay what he can for that product or service!

267. What if a doctor was treating people coming to his office, and after each treatment he didn't ask for payment‚ but let each patient walk out the door without paying? Well, pretty soon that doctor is going to be out of medicine‚ he's going to be out of the instruments he needs to perform his services, and he's going to be scrounging to keep his practice open and continue treating people! It's easy to see how unwise that would be—ridiculous, in fact. But many of My sincere missionaries do just that.

268. My children‚ you have sold yourselves short! Yes, you don't work for money, but you need money in order to work. That is the difference, and you can and should tell that to all you minister to. You're the doctor, you're attending to their spiritual needs, you're treating them with spiritual medicine, and they must be willing to give to you if they want to see your service continue and prosper!

269. Asking is not a little thing. It's not something you should just consider doing. It's something you have to do, and any man or woman in their right mind wouldn't even think of not asking for a fee for their services! It's just common sense. But because of the delusion of saying you don't work for money, you have gotten the impression that you shouldn't charge. You should charge! And your charge should either be a fixed price or a request of everyone, "What can you give?! We need it! We won't survive if you don't give whatever you can!"

270. My loves, you have the most precious product in the entire world. It's true‚ and you shouldn't doubt it. Yes, I supply the finances, but I don't usually do it unless you ask. And that means not only asking Me‚ but asking your clients. That's how I usually supply, through your clients! That's just the way it works, and if you're not asking for what they have, then you're missing out on the blessing I have for you right there in their pockets.

271. Asking is not a bad thing to do. It's become a fixation in your minds that asking is bad and that "we don't do that." Well, it isn't bad, and the thing that you have to see is that you have the goods! You have the products! You have the "real deal," and if they don't want to pay for it, then maybe they should go somewhere else where they'll be willing to pay for what they get.

272. This is a serious matter‚ because by not having the boldness to ask and by not killing your pride to do that which is necessary, you're becoming a reproach and a bad testimony--not only to those you minister to and those who see you ministering on the streets, but also to your own children and your own Family. If you're living hand-to-mouth, then you need to ask yourself what you're doing wrong. Are you not asking? Are you ashamed of your product or service? Are you simply ashamed to ask?

273. If you are ashamed, you need to rebuke that shame and become not only a fisher of men, but a reaper of the support of those you reel in! You can do it! It's just your pride that hinders you, and a wrong attitude about the so-called "proper way" to obtain your support.

274. If you're ashamed of Me and My Words, if you're ashamed to ask for a fair price for them, then you simply need to break down those walls of pride for your own sake, for the sake of your work, and for the sake of the many more sheep that you could reach if you would operate without shame according to simple godly business principles. It's natural for you to ask for a price for your products or services‚ at least a suggested donation. If someone doesn't like you asking, they don't have to shop with you, but they won't find a better product for the price anywhere! Of course, you don't want to turn the sheep away if they can't pay, so you also give discounts and even have pro-bono cases for those who truly can't afford it. But it is your duty and it is your job to ask.

275. Ask and you will receive! That's the principle, and it works. And in those few cases where they can't give, well, show mercy. But otherwise expect your fair share for the product and service you're giving them. That's the principle, that's the way it works‚ and you need to work those works or you will simply be dirt–poor. So start asking. Today! Have prayer and come before Me, and I will anoint you with keys of boldness and supply. The righteous are as bold as a lion! Claim it! (End of message from Jesus.)

New Keys Promises

276. The keys will enhance your faith, and with greater faith you will be able to ask for and claim greater miracles, increased supply, abundant provision, and income exceedingly above all that you are able to ask or think.

277. Through the keys I can tell you exactly who to ask, when to ask, how to ask, and what to ask‚ to find My perfect source of supply for you.

278. The power of the keys can open doors that Satan would seek to keep shut.

279. My Spirit will shine through you as you call on the keys of boldness‚ confidence and faith while you are fundraising, cultivating supporters, or provisioning, and those who give to you will be honored to know that they are giving to Me.

280. Call on the keys of faith to ask for whatever you need to do your job for Me, and no matter how many "nos" you hear, I will come through for you and supply your needs not one second too late.

ASSIGNMENT

281. Make time for each person in your Home to ask the Lord the following:

What keeps me from having faith for and asking for support, specifically finances? How can I improve in presenting to my sheep the need for them to support our missionary work?

282. When all of you have finished your P&Ps, have a brainstorming meeting, possibly inviting other successful Family missionaries in your city, to discuss new ways to ask for help. Discuss your approach, your pitch, what other "support tools" you need to solicit help, such as photo albums, PR brochures, recommendation letters, etc.

Each of you can also share lessons from the things the Lord has shown you in prophecy.

4. Realize That You Are Professionals

Verses

I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth … For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith (Rom.1:16-17).

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage! (Psa.16:6).

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things (1Tim.6:17-19; Rom.15:27).

For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, the laborer is worthy of his reward (1Tim.5:18).

The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just (Pro.13:22).

Quotes

283. (Dad: ) We are not in the business of making people poor! We are in the business of making people rich—spiritually! And God doesn't mind them being rich materially at the same time, if they keep giving it away as fast as they can, so He can keep giving them more! I'm willing to live in a shack, but I don't have to, and if living in shacks and shanties takes too much of my time, so I can't devote it to giving God's message, then I'm wasting my time. If I spend all my time trying to barely exist stuck out in some shack where I spend all my time carrying water and trying to scrape a few scraps of food together, I am wasting the most precious thing in the world—God's time—and my time and talent and my spiritual riches! (ML #211:35, Vol.2).

284. (Mama:) You're giving them the best thing in the world‚ and what they can get from no others, and they should be willing to give financially to gain what is much more valuable—your spiritual help and ministry.

285. Let's make it pay! Why should you be hampered and hindered and inconvenienced in your ministry to others when the Lord's coffers are full and the "wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just" (Pro.13:22). The Lord said, "Ask and ye shall receive" (Mat.7:7). We deserve it! We're living our lives unselfishly for others and the Lord, and anyone who wants our spiritual help for their people and their country should be willing to give us their financial help. (ML #2930:10,12, Lifelines 21).

286. (Dad: ) How can you sell others on your message unless you're sold on it yourself? If you're not convinced of your beliefs and enthusiastic about them, how can you expect anyone else to be? In such a case, you'll wind up a poor witness and salesman for the Lord, and you'd do well to examine your own heart, mind and motives to see where you stand with the Lord.

287. You have spiritual riches beyond compare in the Words the Lord has given you, truth that is so explosive that it can blow the Devil's lies to shreds, and love that is so wonderful that it can change hearts and save lives for eternity! (ML #3245:75,77, GN 847).

288. (Peter:) Discipleship isn't easy. It never has been. Jesus made that clear from the beginning when He said: "If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple. Jesus saith unto His disciples‚ if any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it. If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another." (Luk.14:26,33; Mat.16:24,25; John 8:31, 13:35.) None of that is easy, but that's discipleship as Jesus described it.

289. Discipleship is like playing sports professionally. Lots of people, for example, play basketball. Some just shoot hoops once in a while, others play with their friends or in pickup games‚ others are in amateur leagues‚ and a few—very few—are professionals. They're all basketball players, but they aren't all professionals. What's the difference? For the vast majority of people who play basketball, it's just play and exercise, something they do in their spare or free time. For the professional athlete, their sport of choice is what they live for.

290. To be a pro you have to give your sport everything. Your full workday is taken up with training, practicing, playing, or traveling to games. In the off–season you continue to train, body-build, run, and keep in shape. You don't smoke, over-drink‚ or abuse your body, because if you do, it affects your ability to play. You have to be away from your loved ones when you travel to other places to play. You virtually live with your teammates and you watch out for each other. You have coaches who make you practice, who give you orders that you have to obey. You play for a team. You wear a uniform. There are functions you're required to attend. You're expected to keep yourself in shape and work hard to improve your skill, and if you don't‚ then the coaches get on your case and make you work out. If you constantly cause trouble on the team or your performance is consistently poor, you're usually dropped or traded to another team. If you break the rules, you're fined, suspended‚ or fired.

291. So why do the professional athletes do it? Only for the fame and/or the money? I don't think so. I believe they do it because they love the game. There are other rewards and benefits—such as the fame and money—but I believe most of them play because they love to. They're willing to put up with a regimented lifestyle, the rigors of training, and the sacrifice of not being able to do some things that others can do, because they love the game.

292. Why would anyone choose to be a disciple in the Family? Why put up with all that's expected of a disciple? Why live the sacrificial lifestyle?—Because we love the Lord. Our love for Him causes us to live the discipleship life, and that's not easy. We're not just Christians, we're professional Christians. Christian service is our profession. It's our full-time job. It's what we do. It's what we live for. As a pro, we have to keep ourselves in shape, work with our team, grow in skill, and submit to our coaches, just like a professional athlete. If you're a disciple, you're a professional, and with that comes the requirement of being and remaining a professional. (ML #3399:26-31, GN 993).

New Message

293. (Jesus speaking: ) In order for you to have the faith to ask for financial and physical remuneration for your services, you have to know you're living a quality life and truly investing your time, skill, and talent as a professional. Some of you, My children, have fallen prey to low self-esteem, because you know in your hearts that you're not doing all that you could. You're not applying yourselves fully to the training that is at your fingertips. You're not devoting attention, counsel‚ and teamworking to developing a quality work. You have slacked off in your personal quest for excellence in all that you do. Your Home has become disorganized, loose, unfocused, scattered, and weak. The training of your children and young people is not consistent. And especially your work outside the Home in ministering to others and bringing forth lasting fruit as missionaries is very lacking.

294. All these aspects of poor performance have affected your feelings about yourself and your ministry. You don't feel successful‚ and therefore you feel you don't deserve the support or payment. When you give and give without being willing to receive in return‚ without asking, it's because you have taken on an "excuse me for living" attitude. Rather than conducting yourself with confidence and pride in Me, you're a little ashamed or embarrassed about your works and sample. You know in your hearts you're not doing what you should be doing‚ therefore you lack faith to ask and receive. You feel it's okay if people take advantage of you because you're not really important or all that great anyway.

295. That attitude is wrong. While I would not have you lifted up in pride, I would have you know, with boldness and faith, that what you have to offer the world is of such great value that people could never pay you enough. There are New Age movements, psychic readers and fortune-tellers, lackluster teachers, exercise trainers‚ and even telemarketers who have more pride in what they do and have to offer than you do.

296. Haven't you heard of people paying big bucks for a weekend at the feet of some odd guru who teaches a self-help doctrine with a lot of hype and temporary camaraderie? And some fortune-tellers are paid enormous amounts of money as counselors and personal psychics to those in need. And many private teachers and tutors are paid hefty salaries by the hour for anything from academics to weight loss to fashion coordination or a million other services!

297. Now how do you think these people manage to have their talents catch the attention and interests of needy people who are then willing to pay for their services? Sometimes it's motivated by an actual need, but many times it's very much a result of the salesperson's drive, conviction, and ability to simply "sell" the person on their need for whatever it is they're peddling. If these people can become successful and have a thriving business and growing clientele with some "product" that's so inferior to yours, or even defective‚ what's the problem?

298. I'll tell you what the problem is: As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he! You have let the Enemy kill your enthusiasm, drown your fire‚ and blind your vision. You have accepted his lies and taken on the deadly mindset that you're a failure, that you're ordinary, that you aren't anything special, so you don't really deserve recognition or attention. You feel that what you have to offer isn't really so special or great. "Yeah, it's the Word, it's the truth, it's the key to eternal life … is that all? Ho hum."

299. Don't you see, My darlings? You should be walking in great pride in your profession. You should be eager to proclaim it to all you meet. Just as a new graduate is thrilled to be able to tell people he's finally a lawyer or doctor or teacher after years of study, you should be overjoyed to announce that you've forsaken all, you've become a disciple of Jesus‚ you're changing the world!

300. This notion that you "don't work" is ridiculous. Of course you work! Yes, you're a volunteer; yes, you live by faith; yes, you don't receive a set salary, but you do work! Many people are self-employed, they are salesmen or writers or entrepreneurs. But just because they're their own boss and they make their own schedules and don't punch the company clock each day, certainly doesn't mean they don't work. So get rid of that "I don't work" mentality right now. It's not true, and you're doing yourself an injustice when you think of yourself or your profession in that way.

301. You do work. You'd better work, and work hard! You are a specialist, you are trained, you are a professional missionary. You plan to work at that for your whole life, so you shouldn't minimize it or downplay it as if it's nothing or no big deal. It is a big deal; it's the biggest deal happening, so be proud of your profession, and be a professional for Me! (End of message from Jesus.)

New Keys Promises

302. Call on the keys of godly pride to be confident in the spiritual products you have to offer to the customers of this world‚ and they will be willing to pay for My riches that money could never buy.

303. You're a professional, and you can act like it by calling on the keys of conviction and tapping in to My unlimited supply that is available to those who give their all to Me.

304. Those in the world don't hold a candle to you, My professional missionaries and disciples, who can go anywhere, do anything, fill any need, and be proud of what you do, as you call on the keys and let Me possess you fully!

305. Rebuke the Devil with key power when he tempts you to feel inferior, and I will open your eyes to the riches I've given you that are worth more than all of the money in the world.

ASSIGNMENT

306. Each of you should write down your "résumé" that explains your life experiences. This should include where you've lived, what languages you speak, what ministries you've had, and what training you've had (including "real life" training from various opportunities you've had in missionary work). (Note: You may find it helpful to read through FSM 150 beforehand, "Writing Personal Résumés," to glean helpful tips and a better knowledge of the best way to express your talents.)

307. Then each of you should ask the Lord the following question:

Darling Love, how should I look at my life's work and experiences? How should I translate this wealth of training into terms the people of the world can understand and appreciate? How should I present myself so it will be clear that I'm a professional missionary, someone who is worthy of respect, admiration‚ and support?

308. After each of you has had a chance to write your résumé and pray about it, then have a time of fellowship‚ including snacks and drinks. One by one, each of you can take a turn giving a little five-minute introduction of yourself. Afterwards the others in the Home can help tweak each person's presentation, just in case someone isn't giving themselves enough credit for all that the Lord has taught them.

5. Reach the Rich

Verses

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? (1Cor. 9:11).

[Jesus witnessed to the rich. One of them was Joseph of Arimathaea‚ who supplied the burial place for Jesus.] When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea‚ named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple (Mat.27:57).

And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. When His disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them and said unto them, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" (Mat.19:24-26).

[Phillip witnessed to a man who was, as the Bible says in Acts 8:27, "a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace‚ Queen of the Ethiopians‚ who had the charge of all her treasure…"] (Acts.8:26-38).

[Story of Paul and Barnabas witnessing to the governor] (Acts 13:1-12).

Quotes

309. (Dad:) If they're witnessing, maybe they're not witnessing to the right people! They're being selfish and too proud to go to the most poor of all spiritually, the ones that need us the most‚ and are the hardest to reach—the rich—and share their spiritual wealth, so the rich could in turn share their material blessings with them. They're pretending to be humble living in poverty, but they're too proud if they're not sharing their spiritual riches with the spiritually impoverished, materially rich! Therefore they themselves are starving materially because they are selfish spiritually, and they're not sharing their spiritual wealth with the poor, spiritually impoverished rich!

310. When Paul landed on the island of Cyprus, he would have been there yet if he'd just associated himself with the fishermen only. Of course he preached to the fishermen! He preached to the poor all the way across the island, but he was on his way to see the governor! He won him to the Lord, and as a result, Cyprus became the world's first Christian nation‚ because he won the one with the power and authority to permit it and finance his preaching to help the poor!

311. When Paul just went to the poor only, he got knocked out and the officials ran him out of town when they heard about the stir he was making and they didn't know what he was up to. But when he went to the powerful first, they got the point and got Jesus, and they had the power and wealth to permit him and finance him. They needed the knowledge of why and what he was preaching, and that it was something everybody needed, including them! (ML #211:30,36-37, Vol.2).

312. (Dad:) Those people need to go back to work and quit fiddling around on the streets accomplishing so little, barely eking out an existence! The Lord's not blessing it because they're not doing what God wants them to do; they're not really reaching enough people‚ the people who can really count and make decisions, the decision–makers, the movers‚ the shakers and the ones who can change world history! (ML #2413:29, Lifelines 18).

313. (Jesus:) You look about you and you say, "Oh, these are rich‚ and these are poor." But I say to you that you are they that hold the true riches, the riches of the spirit! You are as the ultra-wealthy in the spirit. You have so much!—An abundance of the wealth of My Word, of My truth, of My peace, of My love, of My understanding, and of My depth of spirit. And they of the world, whether they are rich or poor, if they know Me not, they are all poor and destitute.

314. Give, I say‚ give unto them that are needy and that are destitute. All those that know Me not are needy and destitute, for they have not the true riches of the Spirit of God, the true wealth, the coinage of the realm of faith—love, hope‚ salvation—the true riches of the Spirit. (ML #3042:43,45, Lifelines 23).

315. (Mama: ) The best way to reach the world is to reach the rich and the educated, because through them you can reach the world a lot quicker and better. (ML #3400:36, GN 992).

316. (Jesus:) I called you to "preach the Gospel to every creature." I said of Myself that I was sent to bring good tidings to the poor—but not only to the poor. I want, and in fact expect you to be witnesses to all men everywhere. I don't want you to become so embroiled in one level of society that you cannot relate to or reach those of other levels. I want you to minister to the poor, for their need is great. Yet it is also essential that you minister to and reach the rich, the upper and middle class, because they have the resources—the finances, the education, the connections, and the drive—to help you reach others. (ML #3400:50‚ GN 992).

New Message

317. (Jesus speaking:) All of the counsel I'm giving in this Letter fits together. All of the points are crucial to your financial success. And they're all pivotal to your having the faith to reach the rich and educated, those who can change the world. Only when you're obeying, when you have a good missionary work, when you're faithful and united and working hard, when you're good stewards and living in a clean, comfortable standard will you have the faith to reach the top.

318. It's very understandable that if your kids are untrained and uneducated, if your house is a wreck, if you're barely eking out a living with a little dead-end fundraising on the weekends, then you're not going to have the faith to reach the rich. You'll be embarrassed. You'll know you don't have the kind of situation to offer that will make that type of educated person feel comfortable and at home. Therefore, you save yourself the trouble and humbling, and you just keep going on that treadmill of day-by-day existence.

319. That is not My will. That is very far from what I expect of My professional‚ exceptional missionaries and disciples. I want you to be able to mix and mingle with all levels of society‚ and there's absolutely no reason why you can't. You have all the training you need right at your fingertips in the Word. You have tremendous high-quality tools to market and promote. You have spiritual riches that are worth much more than millionaires' fancy houses and cars. You know the truth about so many aspects of life and death and the hereafter that people are desperate to know. You have tremendous insight into the interpersonal problems that people face on a daily basis with their marriages, kids, in-laws‚ employees, employer‚ or whatever. In short, you have so much to give! But you sell yourselves short. You miss it and hoard these precious riches because you lack faith.

320. To grow in faith, you must get over the things that make you feel embarrassed and lower than the rich and educated. Ask Me about what those things are. Is it your insecurities about the way you look, your lack of social skills, your weak witness due to not having any works to back up your sermon, your Home standard, or the bad sample of your kids? Whatever it is—and it could be any number of things—find out, ask Me about it, and do whatever is necessary to overcome those fears and insecurities.

321. Unless you go on the attack, things will never change for you. You'll be stuck on that treadmill of mediocrity until you determine in your heart that you're going to have a revolution in your life. Find out what's holding you back and then change it. Maybe you'll need to make some adjustments or even radical changes in the physical. But it's also possible that everything is fine in the physical; perhaps you've just swallowed the lies of the Enemy and believed his belittling accusations for so long that you've given him the power to steal your confidence and faith for no good reason. In that case, you need to find out from Me what the blockage is, and go to it!

322. Root out the compromise, disobedience, failures, or lies of the Enemy that are hindering your faith to reach the top and the educated. You need their help, you need them as disciples, and they need you! You must change; you must get to the bottom of whatever is holding you back. You can do it! All of My children of David can reach the top and educated, because it's My will. You too are educated. You're special, and you have a lot to offer.

323. So if you find that even though the "Reach the Rich" GN has been published, and you believed it and know it's the truth, but you still haven't been able to change and progress in this area of your work for Me, it's time to find out why. Ask Me, I know. I can tell you what the problem is and how to overcome it. I can renew your faith and open the doors. It's important. It's necessary to your personal success and the success of your missionary work now and in the future. Just do it! There is no excuse! (End of message from Jesus)

New Keys Promises

324. Call on the keys of faith to be able to reach the rich as effectively and faithfully as you minister to the poor, and I will give you the love, power‚ witness and anointing of My Spirit that knows no limits and is not bound to any stratum of society.

325. The keys of prophecy will guide you to My answers, the keys of change will help you to make any improvements needed in order to reach those who are rich in this world but poor in spirit, and the keys of faith will thrust you forward to new levels of fruitfulness.

326. The keys will empower you with as much drive, enthusiasm, love and dedication in reaching the top as when reaching those in lower levels of society.

327. The keys of adaptability will help you to be all things to all men, and the keys of love will fill you with My anointing to reach the rich and poor alike.

328. The keys of confidence and boldness will help you to overlook the fleshly and carnal realm and see the sheep in the spirit—as needy souls who need My love and salvation, no matter what their background, job‚ education or position.

ASSIGNMENT

329. Each of you should pray about the paragraph from the preceding prophecy that says: "To grow in faith, you must get over the things that make you feel embarrassed and lower than the rich and educated. Ask Me about what those things are. Is it your insecurities about the way you look, your lack of social skills, your weak witness due to not having any works to back up your sermon, your Home standard, or the bad sample of your kids? Whatever it is—and it could be any number of things—find out, ask Me about it, and do whatever is necessary to overcome those fears and insecurities."

330. After you each know what the obstacles are in your life, have a time of prayer against the embarrassment and lies of the Enemy. But also discuss the practical side. Discuss how you might need to improve your living standard, your social skills‚ your manner of dress, your children's manners, the presentation of your missionary work, etc.

331. Also, make a list of the people you already know who are in the "rich and educated" category. Discuss what you can do to minister to each one, and assign the follow-up of those ideas to a specific person in your Home. Pray for each sheep.

332. Talk about new outreach methods that you can try that will bring you more into contact with labor leaders. Make a schedule for such witnessing ventures, and set deadlines.

6. Work Hard! Put in the Hours!

Verses

If any would not work, neither should he eat (2Th.3:10).

Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house (Pro.24:27).

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich (Pro.10:4).

The soul of the sluggard desireth‚ and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat (Pro.13:4).

Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger (Pro.19:15).

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest‚ and have nothing (Pro.20:4).

The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labor (Pro.21:25).

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it‚ and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man (Pro.24:30-34).

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord (Rom.12:11).

He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread; but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough (Pro.28:19).

Quotes

333. (Dad:) Our main motive should be to obey God and get the message out‚ the wonder working words to the waiting world!—Millions for the billions! But maybe some of you need a little added incentive to make you keep moving and not waste so much time, and really try to reach as many as possible. God gives rewards and … extra blessings to those who do more than their duty and who are extra diligent. (ML #241:31, Vol.2).

334. (Dad:) I know God and I know His financial policies, and there are two things definitely that will cut down your financial blessings:

335. (1) If you don't work. You've got to get out and hump and do your share‚ whatever it is, litnessing … provisioning‚ writing letters, or whatever.

336. (2) If you don't obey. …

337. A lot of would-be missionaries have the idea that living by faith means not working! You just quit your job and sit around expecting God to support you instead of going out and putting feet to your prayers and helping to earn it.

338. You have to really work at it and do God's work and then God will drop it out of the sky, if He has to! But He's not going to drop it out of the sky with you sitting around doing nothing. I know if you do your part in the will of God in the place God wants you, God will never fail to do His part, whatever you can't do. (ML #683:31‚70,71, Vol.5).

339. (Dad:) God takes care of His Own‚ especially the faithful ones, the diligent and the hard-working and the deserving and the good stewards who work hard at developing and investing their talents where they'll do the most good and get the best returns. I never had much faith in people who were always poor and poor-mouthing and always in need, never seeming to be able to make it. …

340. I knew some very poor, pitiful, poverty-stricken families who were that way just because they were too damn lazy to really get to work, and work for it, and merit it, and earn it, and deserve it! God isn't going to help the lazy, the indolent, the indigent, and the slothful and slovenly! God helps those who help themselves and those who can't help themselves, but He doesn't help those who can help themselves but won't, that's for sure!

341. Living by faith means putting faith into action, putting feet to your prayers, and doing everything you can possibly do, as though everything depended on doing, and praying like everything depended on prayer! That's the way God looks at it. But the people who sit around and expect God to drop it into their laps while they're doing nothing are never going to get anything! God is not going to invest His money or His gifts or His help in people whom He knows it's going to be wasted on and will do nothing with it—just like they did nothing before. God's a pretty tough taskmaster along that line, Jesus Himself told the story‚ a firm Boss! (ML #1028:7, 9‚31, Vol.9).

342. (Dad:) Salvation is a gift, but healing, finances‚ and other extra blessings are special rewards, which must be earned by diligent obedience‚ faith, and service—hard work! (ML #1321:5, Vol.14).

343. (Dad:) The Lord never seems to do anything for anybody that they can do for themselves. He expects them to work at it!—And work for it. (ML #1392:4, DB1).

344. (Dad: ) If things are a little short and income is a little down, that shows we've got to get up and start fighting and get busier and do more!—Not less! (ML #1589:49, GN Book 13).

345. (Dad: ) There is no excuse for your having insufficient support if you will work at it! Only those that shall not work shall not eat! I promise you, as God bears me witness I would swear on it on a stack of Bibles, that if you will work hard in some way, God will see to it that you are supported in some way, in whatever way you work or by whatever means you solicit or raise or supply your support. If you will work hard at it you will get support, and if you are not being sufficiently supported it's because you're not working!

346. … God has promised if you'll obey Him and work, He'll feed you! He'll "supply all your need according to His riches in glory!" (Phil.4:19). There is no excuse for your not having enough money! There's no excuse for your not having enough to eat! There's no excuse for your having no place to lay your head! There's no excuse for you being unable to minister for lack of funds. Because if you would quit playing around and just funning around and foolishness and get out there and get busy and get to work in some way‚ somehow, on some of these supporters or even one of them, God has promised that He will support you! He will see that you're supported and He will make sure that your needs are supplied! He will feed you! He will take care of you! In fact, if you delight yourself in the Lord, He'll even give you the desires of your heart, anything you want! (Psa.37:4).—Not only whatever you need, but your wants and luxuries as well!

347. If you were out there working like you ought to work, or in there working on your prayer letters like you ought to work‚ and your mailing list and mailing ministry and friends at home, or out there in the field provisioning and having meetings, busking and taking offerings, soliciting help, litnessing … whatever it is, if you were really working you would be eating and you would be supported! (ML #1677:71‚76,80‚ GN Book 18).

348. (Mama:) What are you willing to do to have the Lord supply for you through full-time witnessing and follow-up? How much are you willing to sacrifice to prove it can be done? Are you willing to work hard to pioneer an Activated and follow-up ministry? To what lengths are you willing to go? Are you willing to give up some of your free time? Are you willing to go without some recreational activities if you don't have the time or money? Are you willing to cut back on expenses to save money? What is it worth to you?

349. Most people in the System work eight hours a day, some much more—and that does not include the time they spend driving to and from their jobs! I can't help but believe that some of you aren't making ends meet financially because you're just not working at it. You're not investing the time needed. Like one of the COs said earlier‚ people are willing to put in long hours and make sacrifices for their System jobs that they're not willing to make for witnessing. Well, you can't expect God to pay your bills if you're not working, and working hard for Him!

350. I think many of you have unrealistic expectations of what God should supply for you and what you're willing to do to "earn" that supply. Do you think you can get away with only a few hours of witnessing a week and then expect that God's going to supply your needs abundantly? How are you spending your time? Is God, as your Employer, pleased with your performance? Or are you a lazy slacker who's trying to take the "company" for a ride? (Read "More on Faith," ML #T.) (ML #3363:178,180–181, GN 959).

New Message

351. (Jesus speaking:) Sad to say, many of the children of David have become deceived into thinking that the joy and satisfaction they crave will come via entertainment, fun, relaxation, partying, chilling with their friends, pleasures of the flesh, and pursuing their own interests and desires. That is so wrong. That is a trick of the Enemy, but one that's so effective that he's sucked billions of people into that trap—the trap of self-satisfaction, the "me first" stance that has pulled so many people away from service to Me, or at least effective service to Me. Unless you get at the root of this lie of the Devil you'll never be set free‚ and unless you're set free, you'll never discover true happiness, which is found only in giving yourself, your time‚ your energy, your all to others.

352. The reason many of My would-be, could-be Endtime disciples have become so backslidden in spirit, so lazy and lethargic, is because they've turned their eyes away from a life of service, and they have begun to seek their own things or their own pleasure and satisfaction. The really pitiful part is that these who are so deluded are no longer happy; they no longer shine with the joy of My Spirit. Instead they have become like Lord Byron, who eventually said‚ "I have drunk of every cup of pleasure and every goblet of excess; I have indulged myself in all the charms and delicacies of the world, and yet I die of hunger." This is a sad state of man—man without a vision, man who has lost his heart of self-sacrifice.

353. Is that how you feel, My darling one? Are you wandering in a desert of the flesh, thirsting for something real? Do you wonder why each day is so dull, and why even those things you look forward to with eager anticipation leave you empty and aching deep inside? Sweet brides of Mine, you are experiencing the justice of the Enemy. He has tempted you to seek the fleshpots of the System, he has promised such joy and satisfaction‚ and yet these rewards continually escape you, they're constantly just out of reach.

354. The only true and lasting happiness will come with giving your life to Me and others. And that giving is translated into day-by-day, hour-by-hour sacrifice. How else do you think you give your life? It's not just in vows and verbal commitments or some kind of show or ceremony. You give your life by giving your time. You give your life by giving your heart and mind and strength. You give your life by making many little choices that put others, the lost, and your sheep‚ before yourself.

355. As you give of yourself, I give unto you‚ or inspire others to give unto you. You pour out, and I pour in, and I fill all the empties to overflowing. As you work long and hard, you are rewarded and blessed, both physically and spiritually. It is a law of My Spirit that you reap as you sow. If you sow long and hard in My service, then I make sure you are paid well. If you sow to the flesh‚ then you only reap corruption, My loves.

356. I challenge you who have so much potential but who are lost and disillusioned, to give full-time service, total discipleship, a chance. I beg you to take a good, honest look at your life. What do you see? Then throw out the time–sucking hobbies that detract from your service for Me, the System pursuits, the worldly pleasures, the shallow joys, and give everything you've got to Me and others. Be as those professional athletes, soldiers, or businessmen who have such vision‚ such passion‚ that their every waking hour is poured forth gladly if it will bring them just a bit closer to their goals.

357. Think deeply and honestly about how you spend your time. How many of your hours spent will be rewarded for all eternity, and how many has the Devil spirited away? As the sands of time pass through the hourglass of your life, what do you have to show for it? Are you truly giving your life, forsaking all, taking up your cross daily, and working hard?—Or are you just pretending to be something you're not?

358. Now you have an opportunity to change. You can make a personal commitment to excellence. You can fight for your personal best each day. Forget what others are doing! Forget the status quo! Trash your normal schedule and routine, your lazy, self–serving habits, and get on with doing something real, something that will last. You can do it; there's nothing at all stopping you. Your success has nothing to do with anyone else, and everything to do with your personal commitment to Me. It's between you and Me. So what will you do? Will you give Me your all, work hard and prosper? Or will you give Me less than your best and receive less in return‚ and therefore lack? The choice is yours. (End of message from Jesus.)

New Keys Promises

359. As you work for Me, while calling on the power of the keys of supply, I will work for you by unlocking the treasure chest of Heaven and sending down the cash.

360. Serving Me is just plain hard work at times, but with the power of the keys, everything you invest time in will be easier and more fruitful, and you'll reap tremendous results in souls and finances.

361. Work hard, invest your time wisely, and call on the keys, and I won't fail to make every minute you spend serving Me pay.

362. I'm a loving and generous God‚ and if you call on the keys of obedience, faithfulness and diligence as you serve Me, the fruit of your efforts will be undeniable, and money will abound as blossoms in spring.

363. Prayer, witnessing, hard work, calling on the keys, and living all of My counsel will pay off‚ and I will not fail to supply all of your needs and even your wants.

ASSIGNMENT

364. I'd like to ask each of you to pray about the following questions:

Have I been duped by the Enemy into seeking personal satisfaction over a life of service to others? What changes do I need to make in my schedule and attitudes in order to have a commitment to excellence in my life?

365. Meet as a Home to discuss your schedule and how you can be more effective, work harder, and have more time out witnessing and ministering to others. Evaluate what the time-wasters are in your Home, and discuss how to minimize or get rid of them. Discuss and agree upon what is an acceptable minimum number of hours of work each week for those in your Home, taking into consideration the four aspects of your life—work, spiritual life (being careful to keep up your Word time), community life‚ and personal life. Decide on a means that is agreeable to all (effective but not too intrusive) to check on each other's commitment to your agreed-upon work ethic. (Of course, work doesn't just mean witnessing; it also means childcare, community service [tasks such as cooking‚ cleaning, repairs, business], etc. Also, some people might need lower minimums if they're weaker in health or there are other circumstances unique to their situation.)

366. Close this meeting by hearing from the Lord in prophecy.

7. Living Acts 2:44 and 45 / Communal Living / Unity

Verses

For I mean not that other men be eased‚ and ye burdened: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality (2Cor.8:13-14).

And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods‚ and parted them to all men, as every man had need (Acts 2:44-45).

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need (Acts 4:32-35).

Quotes

367. (Mama: ) God is continuing to promote His message—that people can live the way Jesus and the disciples did—the way Jesus taught that we all should live—in happiness and unity and fellowship with each other, and that He would supply all our needs, and in the process, help us to further His message and way of living. (ML #G:2, Vol.1).

368. (Dad:) We are doing what the Lord wanted the church to do in the first place, and which the church did in the first place, in the days of the Early Church where they lived communally and "no man called anything his own" (Acts 4:32) and "owe no man anything save to love him" (Rom.13:8) and shared all things, just as it says in Acts 2. They really lived communally and it worked, like it's working with us, because of the Lord and our love and sacrificial service and wanting to help others and help each other. It works! (ML #2342:25, Vol.17).

369. (Dad:) Let me tell you, folks: If you are having problems in your Homes, if God isn't supplying, … one of the first things you'd better get down to prayer about is your unity. Are you living in love and peace and harmony with your brethren? (ML #3072:9‚ Lifelines 23).

370. (Jesus:) Unity is the power of God! Unity is not just a manifestation of God or a reward of God or a blessing of God, but unity is the power of God! The greater the unity, the greater the power. If you would be powerful, My people—a powerful witness, a powerful testimony, a financial power—then you must have unity. For these other blessings of God—provision, protection, supply, fruitfulness—will be given from My hand in direct proportion to your unity.

371. … Unity pulls down the riches of God! Unity opens the windows of Heaven so that you can ask what you will, and it shall be given unto you.

372. Unity is one of the secrets to the blessings of God. To be unified in love and obedience to Me and My Word is one of the greatest drawing powers on the Spirit of God. (ML #3158:62,64-65, Lifelines 24).

373. (Jesus:) In order for My blessings of support and supply to be poured out on My children, there must be total unity and complete open communication between everyone involved. It is truly the day of Acts 2:44-45—the day for each member to be fitly joined in one body, with one Head—Me. (ML #3232:212‚ GN 834).

374. (Jesus: ) A greater increase in love will increase the witness you give, and the fruit of your witness. It will increase your supply, the finances that come in. It will increase your unity, which strengthens you, your Home, your children, your prayer power. (ML #3251:8, GN 853).

375. (Dad:) God was the original pioneer of communal living‚ with His early church and disciples whom He encouraged to live together and help each other. This lifestyle is not for everyone, and there will always be scoffers who say it can't be done, or people who prefer a private lifestyle‚ but the benefits remain unparalleled!

376. … Having many people share the financial responsibility makes for a very light load, and the pressure and strain is taken off of the shoulders of the traditional single breadwinner having to bring home the paycheck and pay all the bills. (ML #3172:157-158, GN 777).

377. (Mama:) Another vital part of our obeying the Lord and the principles of His Word is making sure that we're strictly adhering to Acts 2:44 and 45, sharing and wisely using what He's already given us. We know from the Book of Acts that God blesses sharing and "common-potting" as we call it, and doesn't bless withholding, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. (See Acts 2-5.) (ML #2813:5, Lifelines 20).

378. (Jesus: ) Instead of living communally and sacrificing to be more efficient and more economical and a testimony of the principle of "all that believed were together and had all things common‚" a growing number have now chosen to live on their own. They feel it's easier, simpler, less complicated, and in their eyes it certainly requires less sacrifice and less yielding. But what these have forgotten is that living together and having all things in common and truly sharing not only your material possessions, but your time and talent and skills and love, is one of the most important testimonies setting the Family apart from other churches.

379. The lack of living Acts 2:44 and 45 is obviously a very big hindrance to unity. It's taking the easy way out and not being willing to make the sacrifices necessary to keep yielding and growing in love and preferring your brethren. Therefore‚ not only does it hinder the flow of My Spirit and the giving of My blessings and provision and protection, but it also hinders the personal growth of those who choose to remove themselves from the body and to live separately, on their own….

380. Lack of living communally and sharing all things may look to some to be just a small deviance from My plan, part of their "personal choice" in this new day—something that doesn't make much difference and isn't really that important. But they don't understand the great blessings that they're sacrificing and the powerful testimony that they're losing in not being willing to make the sacrifices necessary to live together in love and have all things in common, as My early disciples did, and as the children of David have from the beginning and through the years. (ML #3160:134,135,139, Lifelines 24).

381. (Peter:) This question of living the "One Wife" vision and Acts 2:44 and 45 is broader than just whether you live in a single-family Home or not. Unfortunately, you can be living together with others and still be operating independently—keeping your finances separate, setting different standards for your children, not sharing the load in educating and caring for your children, and not reading the Word, praying or hearing from the Lord together. Even though you live communally, you might have a hard time saying you have many things in common‚ much less "all things" (Acts 2:44-45).

382. It's this selfishness, this watching out for yourself and your own, that the Lord is unhappy about. This is not only a terrible testimony to outsiders but it greatly disheartens and even stumbles some of the brethren. God help us!

383. Are you still striving to live the Letters, to give your brethren as much as possible of your time, talents, and material goods? Are you willing to share what you have with those who have need‚ so all will have enough? (ML #3160:141,144,147‚ Lifelines 24).

384. (Mama:) The Lord's financial plan for the Family has always been Acts 2:44 and 45. If you're not living that, I strongly suggest you pray about what changes you need in your lives and Home. And certainly if you're a single-family Home you can't possibly be living Acts 2:44 and 45, and you will undoubtedly run into more financial pressure. It's only logical that if you live communally and share your expenses and possessions such as your cars, appliances, computers‚ etc.‚ not only is it more economical but it's obedience to the Lord's plan, so He can bless you more. But it all boils down to how much you want to share, how much you want to live unselfishly. (ML #3363:175‚ GN 959).

385. (Mama:) That is the whole point: The Lord wants the Family to look a whole lot more like it used to as far as dedication‚ full-time service, unity, communal living, having all things in common, witnessing full time, living by faith, homeschooling our children‚ etc. We're the only ones doing it, and the Lord is determined to preserve that sample. In fact, the need to preserve that sample is the main reason the Lord will allow suffering, persecution, and more detractors to test and try you, so that all of you who need to will make some decisions—either to get right with Him and live as you should, or to find a life that is more suited to you, either in a different circle of the Family or in the System. (ML #3364:34‚ GN 960).

New Message

386. (Jesus speaking:) The drastic departure from living communally and Acts 2:44 and 45 is one of the greatest signs of compromise and a cooling down of the children of David. This is a picture of the increased selfishness and worldliness that have crept into your midst—and not just crept in, but moved in and staked out the territory. This is a fruit of being closer to the System, not closer to Me. You have forsaken one of the original beauties of the Children of God, the Family of Love. Something that was once one of the greatest testimonies, if not the greatest, of your devotion to Me and your true discipleship, has now faded into the background, a victim of selfishness, division, and a severe lack of love.

387. It takes the pure supernatural love of God to live communally, to have all things in common, and to give to others in need. That's why I will bring this lifestyle back to the Family, as that illustration in living flesh will be more and more necessary to your witness as the days get darker and the hearts of men grow colder.

388. As you go into the Last Days, you will be surrounded with those who hate love, who fight God, and who will do anything in their power to stop My message. But as you're strong in unity, love‚ and communal happiness, they will never be able to destroy that testimony. It's the "come and see" testimony, it's the "not a sermon but a sample" testimony, it's the "we are the living proof that it works" testimony.

389. More and more people will have to see it with their own eyes; they will have to behold some kind of "proof" before they will believe. So it's not just for your own convenience and financial stability that I'm asking you to return to your roots, but for the sake of those whose minds are clouded, who want to believe, but who say, "I believe, help my unbelief." You will help them past their unbelief by your sample, by your love and unity.

390. Communal living and sharing all things, forsaking all to live together, is the foundation of the economic system of My Early Church‚ and it will work for you. I will use that lifestyle to lighten your financial burdens considerably. It makes sense, and it's a wise endeavor, certainly worth the sacrifices. As you return to your happy communes where you have all things common, where no one has too little or too much, you will find that your finances are miraculously multiplied and your coins will turn to God's good gold that never tarnishes. You will not lack for anything.

391. But that's not the only side of the story. I not only want to use your communal living to help My children have their needs supplied in every way‚ but I want to restore this illustration of the way that I and My early disciples lived. I want the world to be reminded of how I lived with those I loved and of the brotherly love that we shared. I want you to again be able to say, "We live like Jesus and His disciples‚" because that is one of the most interesting and miraculous testimonies to those who are slow to believe. When you are able to say that, they think of those who travel constantly, preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, helping the downtrodden, sharing all things, living by faith, being samples of love, and dedicating themselves fully to God. This is the way I showed your David the Family should live in the very beginning‚ the way you did live, and the way many of you still live—and the way I wish all of you would live. With this testimony I become more than a name‚ more than a prophet, and My disciples become more than characters in a well-read book.

392. With your living illustration of My truth in this miraculous way, I will draw all men unto Me. And because of this, I promise you that I will more than bless your sacrifices; I will make your living communally even more blessed, more prosperous and happier than it was before in your earlier days. If you'll reach out and take the steps needed, if you'll believe and hold Me to My word on this, you will not regret it, and this will be one of the biggest keys to your financial success and expansion that you have yet to lay hold on.

393. Yes, there are many obstacles to living communally, but I can and will supply if you put Me on the spot and hold Me to My promises. I have told you that it is My highest will for you to live communally‚ so you can have full faith and trust that I will supply the accommodations that you need. In some countries large housing is expensive or nearly impossible to find—or both—but I am not limited by circumstances or physical limitations. Where I guide, I provide. When I ask you to do something, I always supply what you need—whether it's a large enough house for a cheap price, or the money for an expensive one. No matter what obstacle you face that hinders you from living communally—financial or otherwise—know that I will open doors as you take the steps of obedience to do My will.

394. Even if you were just to move toward communal living on the strength of the logical argument that it's more economical, that you can co-op your talents and supplies, I will still bless you beyond your expectations, because I'm desperate for this sample to be brought back to the world. It is absolutely necessary to your future and the success of your missionary work. It is crucial to your survival, so I will stop at nothing in My blessings to you as you return to these beautiful ways of "the land of not too much," where everyone has enough, and you are My face to the world. (End of message from Jesus.)

New Keys Promises

395. Seek Me together, call on the keys of love and unity to help your Home be a true sample of discipleship, and I will give you the finances you need to not just survive, but thrive.

396. When you're living together, having all things in common, and activating the keys of unity, I will open doors for you and supply all of your needs.

397. By living Acts 2:44 and 45 you activate the keys of unity that tap into the power of Heaven, and make a way for Me to shower you with the bountiful riches of My Kingdom.

398. Call on the keys of obedience to live the way I have instructed you to‚ and watch Me stretch your money, bring in extra finances, and supply through avenues and people you never would have believed possible.

399. The keys can help transfer My heavenly riches in glory to earthly pockets that can be used to fulfill My will on Earth as it is in Heaven.

ASSIGNMENT

400. I'd like to ask each of you to pray about the following question:

What possessions do I have that have become "idols" in my life? Should I forsake those things‚ or do You want to speak to me about them? In what other ways are You bringing me personally back to being an example of Acts 2:44 and 45?

401. Plan an in–Home or inter-Home (citywide) free store. What this means is that each person takes a look at their personal possessions and hears from the Lord about what they are willing to give to those in need. Then you can plan a time when everyone brings their forsake-all to a pre-set meeting place where the excess that the Lord has provided is displayed in a "from each according to his ability unto each according to his need" manner. The point is that people take what they need‚ give what they have, or swap as they feel led. Whatever is left over (that which no one needs) can be boxed up and given to other Homes in other cities, or if that's not feasible‚ given to the needy.

402. Discuss ways to "advertise" when you individually or as a Home have excess that can be given to others in need—either via a bulletin board, newsletter, or whatever.

403. Have a Home meeting in which you discuss your financial plan and your approach to Acts 2:44 and 45, so you can determine if you're all "on the same page" regarding this principle. If not, then you should seek out a team that will be more in keeping with your faith along these lines. (The intent of this is for those Family members who want to truly live communally and have all things in common to find those who are of like mind‚ so we will eventually have more Homes that are the sample of how Jesus and His disciples lived.)

8. Appreciate and Preserve God's Blessings

Verses

Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful (1Cor.4:2).

A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast … He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread (Pro.12:10–11).

He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster (Pro.18:9).

Who giveth food to all flesh … O give thanks unto the God of Heaven (Psa.136:25-26).

[The story of the loaves and the fishes. After Jesus "gave thanks," the food was multiplied and fed "four thousand men, besides women and children."] (Mat.15:32–38).

[Parable of the talents] Mat.25:13-30.

And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? (Luk.12:42).

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's‚ who shall give you that which is your own? (Luk.16:10,12).

Quotes

404. (Dad:) Let's be good stewards of God's gifts. When God finds He can trust you with tiny little things like a few pennies' postage, He'll give you more! (ML #60:16, Vol.1).

405. (Dad: ) If we are willfully or woefully ignorant, careless, negligent and slothful stewards, then He will sometimes allow us to suffer for it by learning a bitter lesson as a result of it! (ML #110:8, Vol.1).

406. (Dad: ) There are a lot of things God could give us if we could be trusted with them! But if you can't be trusted as a good steward with a ministry, a responsibility, a message, a method, money, health‚ popularity, power‚ or freedom, etc., God's apt to take these things away from you entirely until you learn your lesson! … The special privileges of His service and these other things are a privilege, a blessing, and a reward, and can be withdrawn from you at any time by the Lord if you are abusing it‚ instead of using it for His glory! So beware! (ML #143:32‚ Vol.1).

407. (Dad:) You're supposed to take care of … those things God has given you to use for His glory, and be good stewards of them, as they belong to the Lord! (ML #155:24, Vol.2).

408. (Dad:) Let's also be more faithful stewards and diligent caretakers of the materials, resources, properties, provisions‚ vehicles, etc., which the Lord gives or loans to us for His use! Let's have no more of the slothfulness, neglect, wastefulness, carelessness, negligence and downright foolish extravagance of which some of you have been terribly guilty! Let's take much better care of what God has already given us so He will be able to trust us with more so we can do a better and bigger job in the future! He that is faithful in a few things He will make ruler over many things, but he that is faithless in that which is least will also be faithless in that which is much, and cannot be trusted with more! (ML #197:23, Vol.2).

409. (Dad:) Financial problems are often due to the fact, besides many other things, that when you had it you didn't use it wisely, but were wasteful and extravagant.

410. When you find yourself in a financial bind, and you haven't got the money … you're either: (1) not desperate, (2) wasteful, or (3) disobedient!

411. God is sick and tired of giving you things you don't take care of! Your attitude often seems to be: It doesn't matter! I can wreck it and tear it up‚ and God will just give me another one! Nothing will turn off your donors more than to see what poor care you take of what they give you! But nothing encourages your donors to give more than to see how meticulous you are—to see what excellent care you take of things!

412. The attitude some of you have is: The more you spend extravagantly, the more God will give! Some people have the attitude: That's what it's for! Spend it! God's got lots of it! But saving money is a part of good stewardship.

413. If you have to buy food, you should look for bargains. Never get out of the habit of pinching the pennies. … Keeping things clean is [also] a part of your stewardship. (ML #212:16–17,21‚ 23, 27‚ Vol.2).

414. (Dad: ) [God] works largely on rewards, on a merit system as to whether people can be trusted with it or not. If they're faithful in a few things, He gives them many things. But if they are not even faithful in a few things, He's not going to give them any more! He's apt to take away the few things they've got if they're not faithful with them.

415. God goes by who deserves it the most, even if they may have more than the other fellow who has less! Because often the fellow who has less, has less because he hasn't been faithful with what he had, like the fellow who buried his talent. Or he hasn't worked as hard as the other fellow.

416. God just doesn't believe in giving to people who are just a waste to give it to them, who won't get as much accomplished with what you give them, even the little you give them or even the much you give them, as the guy who no matter how little you give him or how much, he'll invest it wisely and make it pay commensurately. (ML #1028:3,4,28, Vol.9).

417. (Dad: ) No more wastefulness! If you're not saving enough and trustworthy enough, a good steward of God's material blessings and thankful enough, grateful enough and not murmuring and complaining and bellyaching about it‚ then you don't deserve it! (ML #2460:54, DB 7).

418. (Mama:) It's especially important to keep an attitude of praise and thanksgiving flowing through your Home and not allow murmuring and discontent to go unchecked. Murmuring can cause the Lord to dry up His fountains of supply real quickly‚ so keep praising!

419. Be a good steward. Remember God's principle, if you're faithful over few things, He will make you ruler over many! Besides your praise and thanksgiving, how do you show the Lord that you're appreciative and thankful for what He's already given you?—By taking good care of it, by being a faithful steward.

420. Another way of being a good steward is to be saving‚ to practice the principles of frugality that Dad has taught us in so many Letters.—To avoid waste, to always look for the best deals, to try to get the most for your (the Lord's) money. (ML #2813:20,22-23, Lifelines 20).

421. (Jesus: ) Be My priests, faithful with My blessings‚ for these provisions that I bring to My house are to grow and prosper My work. They belong to Me, and you as My servant should be faithful with the things of My house, for it is the house of God and you are as servants in the household of God. (ML #3245:92, GN 847).

New Message

422. (Jesus speaking:) Many of you, My brides, have become so familiar with My blessings. For many‚ many years now you've been used to Me supplying finances, provisions, equipment‚ housing, and so much more, but you forget to thank Me. You overlook many of My little blessings and gifts that I bestow upon you every day. You take My miracles for granted and don't praise and thank Me nearly enough. How do you think this makes Me feel? Unappreciated, unnoticed, and like you just don't care! It doesn't make Me want to give you more when you're not even grateful for what you have.

423. You brush aside My blessings, always wanting more, demanding bigger and better blessings and more money for your needs. But what you're forgetting is that praising Me pleases Me—even when you're abasing. Praising Me for every blessing, no matter how small, compels Me to give more to you. When I know you're thankful and giving Me the glory and honor for everything, I want to give you more, I delight to give you more, and I can't help but pamper you with My care, for I love to give of My wealth to you.

424. I also look to see how you care for the material blessings I've given you. Do you trash your vehicles and overlook their upkeep and maintenance? Are they a reproach to your Home and My Name? Are your Homes dirty and unkempt? When things are broken and a bad sample, do you fix them or let things deteriorate to total ruin?

425. What about the provisions I supply for you? Do you murmur and complain because it's not your favorite food, or because you have an abundance of one thing and not as much variety as you'd like? Or do you waste what I give you—whether food, money, or time? Are you extravagant with the money I supply, thinking that because I own the cattle on a thousand hills and the wealth in every mine that I will always have more to give you? Have you forgotten what it means to be thrifty?

426. Yes, it's true that I am a rich and blessing-laden Husband, but I don't give into purses or pockets full of holes. I give the most where I know it will be used and invested in My work to the maximum—where I know every cent will count and be used wisely. I give to those who I know will be good stewards and caretakers of the things you need in your service to Me.

427. How are you taking care of what I've given you? How much are you praising Me and thanking Me for My miracles of supply? Have you become familiar with receiving from Me, to where you no longer appreciate or acknowledge My generosity? Have you become like a spoiled child who wants to take, hoard, and receive, and hardly ever says, "Thank You"? Take a good look at your life and your Home. Are you going to appreciate and care for what I give you, or will it waste away, rot, deteriorate, be destroyed, and end up in ruin?

428. I'm not in the business of pouring money down the drain, or dropping gifts of supply into a bottomless pit. I'm interested in building works that will last‚ investing in Homes that are really doing the job of winning the world‚ and raining blessings down upon those who appreciate every drop. (End of message from Jesus.)

New Keys Promises

429. Call on the keys of good stewardship, to be faithful custodians of the gifts and blessings I have given you‚ and then I will see fit to bless you with more.

430. When you praise Me, thank Me, and actively show your gratitude and thanks, I am compelled out of love to turn the keys of My supply and open to you the vaults of heavenly riches.

431. When you prove to Me that you're a worthy investment and that you treasure and care for what I give, I will grant you your needs and wants through My powerful keys of supply and provision.

432. I am in control of the riches of this world, and My keys of supply will unleash as much of that cash into your hands as you need, if you are faithful, diligent, and wise with what I have already given you.

433. Call on the keys to be faithful, diligent and praiseful, and I will bless you financially, materially, and spiritually.

ASSIGNMENT

434. Get together as a Home and discuss how you fare in appreciating God's blessings. Ask yourselves the following questions, answer them honestly, and then hear from the Lord about how you can do better in your weak areas:

* Do you have praises on your lips and in your hearts? Or have you become familiar with the Lord's blessings to where you no longer even thank Him for them?

* Are you being good stewards of your material goods—your vehicles, your Home, your equipment, etc.?

* Are you being austere with the funds and goods and food the Lord has supplied, or are you extravagant and wasteful?

* Are you a Home that your sheep and kings and friends would be honored to support, because they would know that every cent would be well spent and invested wisely?

* Do you provision as much as you can‚ and when you have to spend money do you search for good bargains and strive to save the Lord's money? Are you thrifty?

* Do you have a Home budget that is workable and helps you to live within your means?

9. Tithe and Give Offerings!

Verses

Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine (Pro.3:9,10).

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work (2Cor. 9:7-8).

Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings. … Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts‚ if I will not open you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing‚ that there shall not be room enough to receive it (Mal.3:8,10).

[Story of the widow's mite.] (Mark 12:41-44).

Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and all these [other] things shall be added unto you (Mat.6:33).

[Example of giving to God's anointed; story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath.] (1Ki.17:8-16).

Quotes

435. (Dad:) The minute you start borrowing God's share, His 10%‚ when He's already let you keep 90%, He will not tolerate it! That is probably one reason some areas are sinking. (ML #683:1‚ Vol.5).

436. (Dad:) If you put Him first and you pay His tithe, "He will pour out a blessing there will not be room enough to hold it!" He's promised it! It's His Word, it's a contract, and He cannot and will not violate it. He will do it just as sure as the law of gravity! It's His law of economics—if you put Him first and you pay your full tithe, God will bless you for it and He'll see to it that you have more than enough to pay the rest of the bills.

437. … If you put Him first, as He asks, and you lay aside that tithe and put it first, then He's promised to put you first with abundant blessings!

438. You don't belong in this Family if you put anything else first besides God Himself! He will not take any other place but first place—either in your life, heart, mind, family, strength, time or economics.

439. Don't tell me you can't, because if you couldn't, God wouldn't have asked it of you! God would not be demanding at least 10% of your income if He didn't think you could give it.—Especially not when you ought to be giving 100% of it! 10% is the least little beggarly miserly percentage of your income that you could possibly get away with giving to God, and absolutely no less! (ML #934:10,25,34,36‚ Vol.8).

440. (Dad:) Our labors of love were not in vain! TYJ!—And that's the way it is with tithing, too!—You may not always see immediate results‚ as God tests us to see if we'll obey anyhow! But then He always bountifully blesses in the end. You can't lose by tithing! Try it! You'll love it! It'll solve all your money problems and prosper you bountifully. (ML #1081, Vol.9).

441. (Dad:) There's no such thing as a poor giver! That might shock you maybe! According to the laws of God and His finances and His blessings and the laws of the way He works, there is nobody who gives generously and abundantly, even if it's only the widow's mite, all they've got, who is poor! Because if they have given everything, God will give them everything, so they can't be poor! He'll bless them somehow.

442. … Once that little widow gave her mite‚ all she had, "even all her living" (Mk.12:44), do you think for a minute God let her continue in that poverty-stricken condition after that? Do you think she really went and starved to death? I have an idea He just heaped the blessings on her after He'd made her an example to all history, to all the liars and the hypocritical self-righteous scribes and Pharisees who pretended to be giving so much and probably weren't even giving their tithe!

443. Your tithe is the minimum God expects, the absolute minimum! Under the New Testament you're supposed to give everything you can! (ML #1320:13,48,52, Vol.14).

444. (Mama:) God always blesses His people when they tithe, setting aside the 10% that is His and refusing to touch it for any other purpose. We can then be confident that He will "pour out a blessing that there will not be room enough to hold!" (Mal.3:10). (ML #2813:4, Lifelines 20).

445. (Mama: ) Be faithful to give to others. What I'm talking about here, of course, is over and above our tithes. "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver" (Pro.3:27; 2Cor.9:7). (See also 2Cor. 8:14.)

446. … Giving to others outside your own Home—offerings‚ gifts, etc.—is very important and is something the Lord really blesses. If you give, you receive! "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself" (Luk.6:38; Pro.11:25). (ML #2813:6-7‚ Lifelines 20).

447. (Dad:) The picture the Lord gave me was that we could become financially powerful, and if we would give enough, we'd receive more. So somewhere we must not be giving enough. … There may be some Homes who are lacking in offerings—maybe because they haven't worked at it and aren't asking for it. (ML #2937:17, Lifelines 21).

New Message

448. (Dad speaking:) My oh my, aren't finances a touchy subject! As I always said, the pocketbook nerve is the most sensitive one. And it's become even more so these days! The reason tithing has become such an issue in recent times is because some of you have lost sight of the fact that you're giving to God! I'm pretty surprised to hear the number of unjustifiable complaints and murmurs about the tithe, and why you have to tithe‚ and who gets the tithe‚ and where it goes, and what you get in return, and on and on it goes!

449. For Heaven's sake, did you forget that you're giving to God, that it's your duty as His disciples!? God lets you keep 90% of your income, only asking for 10% to keep the Family going, and yet some of you complain. It's really pitiful, if you ask me!

450. We've never been an organization that talks a lot about money and asks for money all the time. We've trusted the Lord and He's never failed; He's kept the Family going because of you, dear ones, and your generous support over the years. That's what has made Family operations possible. The Family administration, pub centers, and missionary support would never be possible without your faithful tithing and giving. You have given‚ you are giving, and I know you'll continue to give. But it makes the Lord sad when He hears a lot of complaints about it from some of you, or arguments about why you shouldn't have to tithe.

451. Tithing is the minimum. After all, today, according to the New Testament, you're to give all. (See Mat.13:44–46; Mark 10:17-21; Luke 14:33; Acts 2:44-45, 4:34-35.) Jesus doesn't just want your 10% or your 14%‚ He wants it all—all your life, your money, your time, your strength, your family, everything!

452. I always appreciated your giving to WS, and I know Mama and Peter do too. The Lord will reward you for your giving. But it makes Him sad if you give begrudgingly. He loves a cheerful giver. Are you giving cheerfully? Are you thankful for all that you receive in return? Are you faithfully setting aside that full tithe, not skimping or robbing God?

453. I'll tell you, I have warned the Family time and again that one of the surest ways to wreck your financial base in this business is to rob God! Believe me‚ folks, He sees it, and it's one of His surest laws that if you withhold in that way, it will bring you poverty and ruin. If you've been shortchanging the Lord, if you've been trying to pull a fast one on God, then you'd better get right with Him and each other today. Get the fear of the Lord, if not for your own sake, then for your Home, your children, and your work‚ because there is almost nothing that will cause God to lift His blessings of finances, protection, and even health quicker than your skipping out on your tithes.

454. This is serious business, and if you obey in all these other pillars that Mama's talking about but still don't get right regarding your tithe, you will not prosper. God will not be able to bless you! That's how important the tithe is. It's your duty to God, it's your love gift to God‚ it's your show of appreciation to God. No matter what else you might have to cut back on if you're short of cash, don't touch the tithe or you'll be sorry. God will not turn a blind eye to that, as your tithe is your declaration of thanksgiving for His blessings, His provision, and His protection. You absolutely must be faithful in your tithing or you're sunk, it's as simple as that.

455. The other 4% that you Charter members give over and above the 10% tithe is also very needed for your local operations. You see a lot of benefits and perks from that giving. It helps to keep your local situation progressing. It makes possible a lot of important initiatives. So please remain faithful with that too. And if things get tight and you're tempted to cut back or to complain in your heart about having to send that money off each month, just remind yourselves that God blesses giving, it makes Him happy, and then He can give you more in return. But He doesn't bless withholding; it makes Him sad, as then He has to dry up some of the streams of provision and plenty that would otherwise water your fields and Homes.

456. Please, dear Family, don't complain about the tithe. Don't murmur in your hearts. Don't even wish you didn't have to give it. Be thankful, be cheerful givers, and you'll see the Lord repay many times over. Just picture an old-fashioned scale, and as you put your little tiny 10% or 14% on one side, God immediately reaches down with His abundant returns‚ which cause the scales to tip way to His side. You can never outgive God. No matter how much you pile your tithes and offerings on your side of the scale, it can never begin to balance the scale, much less outdo God's giving! Be wise and tithe!

457. In fact‚ if you really want to be wise, not only tithe but give offerings as well. Offerings are over and above; offerings are when you give until it hurts. You'll be surprised at how good it feels when you get those giving muscles limbered up. That's a sure-fire way to get the money rolling in! Give until it hurts, and God will make sure you have more than you need! Test God's faithfulness with offerings—you'll never regret it! (End of message from Dad.)

Text box:

458. (Mama: ) In the preceding message‚ Dad talked about the importance of setting aside the full tithe, not skimping or robbing God. To do so, you must keep track of your income and know the state of your finances, which seems to be a problem for some Homes nowadays. One of the COs who read an advance copy of "Are You Robbing God?" commented:

459. It seems that some Homes, especially since the break-up of the larger, Combo Homes, have quite a difficult time knowing how to balance their books and keep a stable financial base. We feel that much of it is due to lack of training in financial matters and knowing how to manage figures and accounting; some of it is due to lack of faithfulness or the awareness of the importance of being diligent in this. This, added to lack of faith for finances or not following the Lord's guidelines for receiving His blessings, make for quite a poor financial standard.

460. We have heard from the VSs that some Homes don't even know their full financial state from month to month, and therefore don't even know what the accurate figure for their monthly tithe would be‚ but just "guess" or average it out, taking from special gifts or other funds at the end of the month to send in. Obviously this is a very poor way to manage your finances, but it seems that this is something that is more common now with some smaller Homes.

461. (Mama:) Please try to be diligent in these business matters, dear Family! There's a lot in the pubs on how to keep books and manage your finances if you'll study them. (See "Finances and Fundraising, Part 5," FSM 271, for classes on the subject. There are also some very good courses in the CVC under the "Business Management" section—Beginning Accounting, Budgeting‚ and Banking, and more.) If nothing else, ask your area officers for help or advice on getting set up. It's important to your fruitfulness that you're faithful in these matters. If you're faithful with the funds the Lord supplies, then He knows He can trust you with more (Luke 16:10).

End of text box.

New Keys Promises

462. The keys of faith will give you the peace and trust to give Me your 10% no matter how desperately you feel you need it, and in return I will bless you in ways that will more than repay your sacrifice.

463. When you give Me your 10% even when it's a financial crunch, claim the keys of supply and you will see miracles and abounding blessings of every kind.

464. Call on the keys of faith to help you to give even above what seems possible in the natural, and your generosity to Me and My Kingdom will move Me to give back to you a hundredfold.

465. When you feel boxed in by financial difficulties‚ ask Me to give you faith through the power of the keys to give your tithe and offerings regardless, and instead of the confines that once held you back, you will be filled to overflowing with My blessings of supply.

466. I will give you the conviction to be faithful with your tithes to Me, and the keys will empower you with love enough to sacrificially give to those in need, and as you do both‚ miracles of supply will materialize before your eyes in wondrous ways, making every sacrifice worth it all.

ASSIGNMENT

467. Home teamworks, please discuss whether you have been diligent with your tithes. Check your hearts and financial records to see if there are ways that you've been skimping and not tithing fully. If so, have prayer together and ask the Lord to forgive you.

468. Then have a meeting with your Home‚ confess to your Home members, and ask their forgiveness. During this meeting, all you Home members should check your hearts as to whether you've been holding back from the Lord's work in your tithes or offerings. If so, you should also confess and ask for prayer. Then pray desperately as a Home for a spiritual cleansing and a renewed determination to tithe fully.

469. Discuss the concept of offerings as a Home and see if there are ways you could give over and above the required 10% or 14%. Take some small step of making an offering. Confirm this offering with the Lord in prophecy, and then commit it to Him in prayer.

470. Keep written record in a Home prayer book of the miracles the Lord does as a result of the offerings you give.

10. Pray!

Verses

Whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee (John 11:22).

My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).

And this is the confidence that we have in Him‚ that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us. And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him (1John 5:14-15).

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God (Phil. 4:6).

Quotes

471. (Mama:) Just because something is the Lord's will for you does not automatically mean that everything is going to go your way. Why are we told repeatedly to pray, if everything is all settled and everything is going to automatically be fine? What are we doing spending all of this time praying desperately if it's automatically all okay? We would just be wasting our time if that were the case. He says, "Ye have not because ye ask not." What a sad thing to realize that sometimes the Lord can't give protection, supply, healing, or souls because we have failed to pray. As Dad said: "God said to Israel one time that bad things were happening because, 'No man stirreth himself to call upon Me'! (Isa.64:7). So the Lord really does leave a lot up to us: If we stir ourselves, then God will stir Himself. An awful lot depends on us, our faith and our prayers and what we want done" (ML #1957:34). (ML #2783:8, Lifelines 20).

472. (Mama:) I feel we're lacking in real full-of-faith desperate prayer for the Lord's supernatural supply through whatever means! Our Homes need to pray for the Lord's miraculous, supernatural supply in a very supernatural way. … We definitely need to have desperate prayer for the Lord's supernatural supply to not just be able to survive‚ but to have all that the Lord wants us to have in the way of comfort and convenience and efficiency. "Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips" (Psa.21:2).

473. … He could give us much more if we would desperately pray for those "extras," those things that aren't exactly luxuries, but neither are they desperate needs—they are‚ however, things which will help us to be more comfortable and to serve the Lord more easily. The Lord wants to give us above all that we can ask or think, and He wants to supply all our needs according to His great riches.

474. That's usually why the Lord allows us to get in desperate situations, so we'll have to depend on Him and Him alone, and look to Him for miracles. (ML #2813:30-31,37, Lifelines 20).

475. (Mama:) You might ask, "Why do we need this exercise in faith, praying in miracles of supply? We're surviving okay." Yes‚ you may be surviving, but most of our Homes come up pretty short. They can survive, but they could be living abundantly. They could be rich in the Lord, but instead they're very impoverished because they don't have enough faith to really pray and trust the Lord for His supernatural miraculous answers.

476. He wants you to extend your faith. He wants us to strengthen our faith and launch out into the deep and put our nets down and catch a whole draught of fish! He doesn't want us to just be living with scarcity and with want and to just be able to survive.

477. This is a need right now! You are surviving, but you could be surviving so much better! You could be living abundantly, if you would step out and have more faith. We're not talking about living luxuriously‚ but we're talking about having the little extras that would make life more convenient and comfortable to enable you to do a better job for the Lord. (ML #2814:24-26, Lifelines 20).

478. (Mama:) There is money out there, folks, and lots of it! And we have every right to demand that the Lord open up some of that wealth to us for His work! After all, we who are doing a mighty work for the Lord in this Endtime have a right to claim the finances to properly carry it out. …

479. If He has said that we only have to ask of Him and He will give us the heathen for our inheritance and the uttermost parts of the world for our possessions, can He not give us what is far less valuable, the "filthy lucre" of the world that we need for His work? [The Lord] has not let us come this far to abandon us now. We are some of the only ones He's got who are doing this special ministry, therefore we can expect Him to supply our great needs, and we need to start asking Him (and others) with this in mind.—And not just asking for "any old car" or "any old donation." We need to expand our horizons and ask Him for what we really need, that He will supply every bit of it and make us "every whit whole!"—Not just put a band–aid on‚ but solve the whole problem and give us "exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to His power which worketh in us" (Eph.3:20). (ML #2893:14-15‚ Lifelines 21).

480. (Mama: ) Beloved, start crying out to the Lord for this great need, and expect Him to supply in ways that we never dreamed, and above all that we can ask or think.—That He will fill our coffers full to overflowing and thus make it possible for us to do the great job that He has laid out for us to do. This is one burden which I'm sure all of us share and all of us feel‚ so let's take it to the Lord together, earnestly beseeching Him to open the windows of Heaven and pour out the great blessings that we need. And let's ask Him to speak to us‚ confirming His power and might and His wish to supply, for our own encouragement, strength and faith to hold on until the answer comes. (ML #2893:16, Lifelines 21).

481. (Jesus:) Prayers … feed, they clothe, and bring abundant supply. (ML #3319:54, GN 923).

482. (Jesus: ) Your desperate, full-of-faith prayers can radically alter any situation or heart and supply any need. (ML #3339:5, GN 933).

New Message

483. (Jesus speaking:) I am your Husband, your Lover, your Savior. I am eager to give you the things you need—even more than you need. Ask Me, My darlings, and I will pour forth abundantly, more than you could hope or desire!

484. Your lack of faith has limited My giving because it has limited your asking. When you lack faith, when you doubt My ability to supply—not that you think I don't have it to give or I'm a poor God—but you feel unworthy or you're so accustomed to just barely getting by, with time you lose the faith to ask. You feel you're being presumptuous or extravagant. But I want to make it clear that your asking has not come close to My willingness and desire to give.

485. The rules of the game are that as you ask, I give. I can't change those rules, for they've been set since the beginning of time. You show yourself humble‚ needy, and obedient to ask, and then I have the great pleasure of giving you everything I've been wanting to give.

486. Do you want to make Me happy? Do you want to give Me satisfaction and joy? Then ask Me for what you need! Only as you ask can I perform miracles of supply. If it could be different, I would tell you. But believe Me, you limit My giving by not asking in prayer. And you don't ask for many reasons.

487. • Some of you have very bad habits of not even thinking about asking Me for what you need. You just putter along under your own steam, trying to scrape together just barely enough to survive. And imagine, all the while I'm there with My checkbook, ready to write you out a check for cash in the amount you need, if you'd only ask. But you're dull in the spirit and actually don't even think of asking Me, or you don't stir yourself up or put forth the effort to pray.

488. • Some of you have sin in your life. You're disobedient, bitter, murmuring, or covering up some unconfessed sin. Because of that, you don't have the faith to come to Me and ask, as you know you'll have to look into My eyes and you'll be exposed. So you choose instead to hide and try to get by on your own.

489. • Some of you have gotten used to a very poor physical standard in your lives and you don't even realize that you should have much more, so you don't ask in prayer. You should live in a better home, eat healthier food, drive safer, newer cars, benefit from the equipment that you and your children need, and have plenty of witnessing tools on hand. You deserve all these things‚ but you don't even realize it. You've become accustomed to living in substandard conditions‚ so you just put up with it. You just survive. And it's not necessary. But according to your faith it's done unto you, and because you lack faith, you don't ask.

490. • Some of you are too proud to ask Me in prayer. In your pride you don't want to appear in need‚ you don't want to "beg," you don't even want to be desperate before Me, your Husband and Lover. You try to hide your needs and act like you're doing okay. I know you're not; in fact, many people can see you're not doing okay and that you should be doing much better, but your pride holds you back.

491. • Many of you of the younger generation lack faith in My ability to supply. You have not exercised your prayer muscles‚ and you have for a long while looked to the System to provide for you. You don't even believe it's possible to live by faith, so of course you don't bother to ask Me to supply. This leads you into a very debilitating cycle of leaning to your own strength and works, which weakens your faith more and more.

492. These are just a few of the reasons why you don't ask Me in prayer for what you need. Prayer is step one, as your queen said. That should be the first thing you do, your main offensive weapon. And now you not only have all the Word and training in prayer, but you have the keys of the Kingdom at your command. There are keys of supply, miracles, open doors, windfalls, inheritances, gifts‚ dimes from the sky, and hundreds more that you can command for your specific needs.

493. There really is no excuse for you to live in need and want. That is not the testimony I wish for the children of David to display to the world and to each other. It's My reputation that is at stake‚ and I promise you I'll make good My promises. I'm a diligent, trustworthy Boss Who is happy to pay your bills, give you bonuses, up your pay‚ and provide insurance of all kinds. I want things to change from this day forth! Take heed to these words of counsel and direction. Live them, obey them fully, and be blessed.

494. I will hold you accountable, My loves. Things will be different from now on, for now your financial situation will either improve greatly or it will get even worse, depending on your reaction to this counsel. If you snap to and change, if you take the assignments from your queen seriously and follow through with them, if you do all that you can to let these ten financial pillars support your Home and work, then your financial situation will get stronger and stronger. But if you unwisely disregard this counsel, if you lose the vision and don't walk in the fear of Me, and if you continue to be lethargic, blind, lazy and apathetic, you'll see your bad situation get worse. You will be held accountable‚ and you will see change whether you want it or not—change for the better or change for the worse. But all things will not continue as they are.

495. Please, My darlings, I long to spoil you with good things. Let Me give as I wish to give! (End of message from Jesus.)

New Keys Promises

496. There is no need too great, no price too high, for the keys to supply.

497. Claim your needs through the power of the keys and you will have them.

498. Hear from Me about what you need and what would be best, and claim the power of the keys and see Me make it so.

499. The power of the keys can remove any obstacles that stand in the way of My will and the supply of all your needs.

500. Every need, no matter how great, will be supplied as you call on the power of the keys.

ASSIGNMENT

501. I'd like to ask each of you to hear from the Lord in prophecy about the following question:

What holds me back from praying in faith for my needs and the needs of our Home? Am I guilty of one of the weaknesses the Lord lists in the preceding prophecy? If so, what should I do to be strengthened?

502. As a Home‚ write up a complete needs list. Commit all those needs to the Lord in desperate prayer‚ claiming keys promises. Keep the list updated regularly and note when the needs are supplied.

503. Establish a Home schedule for daily prayer for your needs, which will assure that you have desperate prayer every day, either one person in private intercessory prayer vigil or all Home members together.

504. Memorize keys promises of supply unitedly as a Home.

Problems and Questions from the Field,

And the Lord's Solutions

505. While I was working on this GN series‚ one of the COs wrote some interesting observations regarding the financial conditions of some Homes. I had a couple of my channels pray about the questions this report raised. I'll include excerpts of the report and the Lord's counsel, as it serves as a good review and confirmation of the lessons and goals He's brought out so far in "Show Me the Money." There are also some practical suggestions in this report that are worth praying about to see if you could apply them to your situation. Please give these messages your full attention and pray about them equally as diligently as the earlier counsel. Thank you very much.

(Excerpt of report from a CO:)

506. One thing that has always been sort of a "mystery" to me concerning some of our Family ministries is how thriving a work can be in regards to winning souls, Active members, and having several miracle ministries going, but at the same time the Homes are often hardly making it financially.

507. During a recent visitation‚ I fervently came before the Lord to ask for His guidance, as in every Home that I visited the testimonies were almost like a carbon copy: great ministries, but great lack of finances to help them get out of the merry-go-round that lack of finances brings about.

508. With such wonderful testimonies of healing miracles, Active members won, musical groups thriving and playing in exclusive clubs and areas‚ etc., there is no reason why our Homes should not be enjoying a more comfortable economic condition.

509. Amongst one of the things the Lord gave me‚ and that I shared with some of our Homes, was that we needed to change our approach toward those to whom we are ministering.

510. We've always been known as the "good guys" that everyone can count on and who ask nothing in return. And when we finally approach people for help, it's when we need to pay our rent and don't have a penny toward it. Then we go asking like beggars rather than claiming the land by the power of the keys and presenting ourselves for what we are—which is a special elite force and emissaries that are coming to them to give them the special blessing of helping us.

511. In other words, we should approach them saying that we would like to give them a special blessing, that the Lord has told us to go to them to honor them with the blessing of investing in His work—an honor not given to many, as the dividends are so high—100% here and life eternal.

512. I think our approach in asking needs to change if we are to reach the influential and the rich‚ as per the instructions in "Reach the Rich." We need to approach people with an attitude of what we really are—the most successful people on the face of the Earth—as we have found what everyone is looking for, the fountain of happiness and eternal life!

513. The Lord showed me that it was all in the asking and how we're approaching people. We shared this in the Homes we visited, and we'll have to wait and see what the results are. One thing for sure, it can't make things worse, as all the Homes are in dire straits for finances.

514. I found the same situation in another Home which has a thriving ministry to outsiders, but they were totally broke with no funds to even pay their rent, which was less than US$500. However‚ many of the people they minister to aren't necessarily poor, but come from the middle and upper class—in other words, people who could easily give.

515. In this particular case, we also touched on the subject of not being so "proud" that we are afraid to ask for fear that people would think we're after their money. This same Home boasts of having at least 200 people that they are ministering to and that come regularly to visit their Home. I mentioned that if each one of those people gave a minimum of only US$5 per month, that would be US$1,000. And of course they should expect more than US$5 per month, as that is what people will spend in a McDonald's.

516. It seems it would be real helpful to have some FSMs or GNs on the subject of learning how to ask. For example, I was thinking that with our Active members alone we already have a tremendous sales force for our tools. If each of those 200 people of the above-mentioned Home were encouraged to sell a CD, a video, and some of the Activated booklets a month, that Home would have a profit in sales of tools of about US$3,000 per month. Not only would they benefit, but our PCs would benefit‚ the entire field would benefit, WS would benefit, and most of all, the people that receive the tools would benefit by receiving such precious jewels in their hands!

517. It seems it would be good to encourage our Family to use their Active members more to preach the Gospel, and not just feed them and feed them and feed them. The name itself, Active members, should indicate that these people are supposed to be actively involved in the preaching of the Gospel. Truly‚ I can't do the subject justice, as with such wonderful ministries there is no reason why this field I'm talking about should not be one of the main supporters of the work in our region and the world. (End of excerpts of report from CO.)

Overcoming Pride and the Wrong Mindset

518. (Question:) Dear Lord, what is the crux of the problem here? Is it mostly or all a matter of not asking? Or is it other things as well? And why would our brethren not ask? What holds them back? How do our Homes develop this mindset?

519. (Jesus speaking:) This is a mindset that has developed over many years. It's not a mindset that has developed overnight, but rather crept in slowly over time. It is pride to the extreme in being too humble, too meek, too lowly, too ashamed‚ and too afraid to ask for help. It's too little faith to walk in and claim the land. It's a lack of godly pride‚ a failure to realize that My children are rich in spirit, and the riches they give to others through their ministering and ministries are worth more than the riches of this world.

520. It's the Enemy who makes My children feel inferior, less reputable than those in the world, less honorable, and that they should look down on themselves or be content to live with the bare necessities. In some cases they're not even living with the bare necessities, but are hardly scraping by and making ends meet. I have said in My Word that My children should be happy and content whether they abase or abound, but many of My brides have been content to abase and haven't fought to abound. They figure that the life of a poor missionary is what I have called them to, and thus they don't have faith for more.

521. While in some cases I do require My children to be content to abase, it's not a long-term condition I would have My brides live with, especially not in this day and age—the age of mighty miracles, the age of My power being manifested more fully‚ the age when I am expanding the borders of the tents of My flock, the day when I have called My children to reach the rich!

522. It is pride that holds them back from asking. It is pride that causes My children to be excessively meek and lowly to the point of hindering My ability to supply. And not only does it hinder My ability to supply, but it also holds back the blessings I would give to those who would be their supporters, kings‚ and queens.

523. As I have said, it is but a little thing for those of the world to give unto My children of their possessions and finances, in return for the great riches of spirit that My children feed them. There is no comparing the two. There is no price that could be paid for My truth, My Words.

524. The Family's mindset must change. Their faith must grow. Their godly pride must flourish. Their faith to reach the rich must be honed, and they must be educated about the tactics for doing so. If they truly believed that they were as rich in faith, rich in spirit, rich in truth, as they are, then they wouldn't hesitate to call on others to support them and allow them to receive blessings as a result. If they truly believed that they are ambassadors in spirit‚ kings and queens in My realm, then they would not be content to remain as beggars in the eyes of the world.

525. There is a time to abase and a time to abound. My children must always be ready for either. But when they abase, it should be because it is My will and part of a training process, a time for them to learn and grow, and because I am working in their lives—to keep them humble or desperate, or to touch them with the feelings of others. But when My children are abasing because of a lack of faith, because of pride, or because of not appropriating and reaching out to receive the blessings I would give them, then this is not My will or purpose.

526. They are kings and queens, teachers‚ prophets, princes and princesses, oracles of God, bearers of truth, leaders and shepherds, feeders of the flock, healers, disseminators of My Gospel, soul doctors, children of David, citizens of Heaven, and as such I would bestow My blessings upon them—blessings of supply, finances, peace‚ and many rewards. But they have not because they ask not. They have not because they lack faith, because pride hinders and holds them back, and because they have allowed wrong habits to build and have grown accustomed to living meagerly and haven't appropriated My promises.

527. My children should not live as paupers, but should live comfortably and should have all their needs met. This is not only because I love My children and wish for them to have these benefits and rewards‚ but also for the sake of their sample to others, for the purpose of drawing the lost to My bosom in order to feed them My truth, and so that My Gospel will reach the far corners of the globe. This is My will—that My children have the means to get the job done, that they are able to invest their time in endeavors to benefit and save others, rather than living on the treadmill of survival. (End of message from Jesus.)

The Cycle of Blessings in Giving

528. (Question:) If the problem is other things as well, even things not represented in this report, what are those things? Surely‚ Lord‚ You don't expect our Family to live like this. We heard from another source that some of the Homes this CO talks about have very little food, and they almost had their utilities cut off due to not paying the bill. It's a reproach to the cause, especially when You have said that the miracles we do in Your Name should cause people to want to give us everything they have in gratitude for what we've given them.

529. (Jesus speaking:) Many of My children are afraid of the opinions of men. Many are afraid of what others will think of them if they ask for money or support with the confidence that they are deserving of such support and help because of the spiritual gifts and blessings they give to the needy. My children fear that those in the world, or even their Active members, will feel slighted because they have to "pay" for the services the Family gives to them. The Family wants to give, give, and give, and in their hearts they would never want to be paid for their services, as they feel it's their duty to Me, their service to Me, and they give of themselves freely.

530. But there are basic needs—needs they must ask others for—and they must trust Me for this. They must realize the cycle of My blessings, the cycle of giving, and how it works in the spirit world. My children must ask for support and help from those I bring across their path, those they minister to, so that I can bless abundantly. I bless the receiver abundantly because their physical needs are cared for as a result of the giver. I bless the giver abundantly because they have activated the wheels of spiritual rewards that they will directly benefit from. I choose to work through mortal men and women, and all who are a part of the giving and receiving cycle are blessed.

531. The one who asks for help is blessed for their faith‚ for their humility, and for claiming My promises. The one who gives to help the need of another is blessed for their sacrifice, for their giving, for their love, concern, and their faith to trust that I will bless them. But so often this cycle is at a standstill—this cycle of My Spirit—because of My children's lack of faith, lack of asking, and fear of man. And so they must trust Me, and know that if they do not ask, My hand of blessings is held back from not just them‚ but also from the ones who would give and be a part of the cycle to receive My benefits in spirit.

532. My children must realize that the sheep, the Active members, and the supporters, will sense things in the spirit. If things are presented in the right way—with love, godly pride, humility, and according to My plan—then those who give to My Family will not feel that they are "paying" for services rendered. They will know that My brides are not in My business for the money, for luxury, or for the pleasures of this world, but that they are asking for only that which they need to do the job, to rise above the earthly confines of day-to-day life, so that they can do My business. Many will feel called to give to you, and will know that what you give them in return is worth much, much more than anything they could ever give you.

533. The cycle of giving and receiving is beautiful in My sight. The rewards for giving and receiving are beyond compare! If My children would only see the acts of asking, receiving‚ and giving as I do, they would not be afraid to activate the cycle, to use it. They would know of the benefits. They would know that this cycle is a spiritual phenomenon that brings forth tremendous blessings, fruit, and miracles.

534. But this cycle must be activated by faith; it isn't automatic or preprogrammed. Steps must be taken to start the wheels turning, but once it's going, all involved—givers and receivers—benefit equally. All benefit in different ways, but I promise that all benefit equally. There are no losers in the giving and receiving cycle. Everyone is a winner, everyone is blessed, and everyone is rewarded according to the part they play. (End of message from Jesus.)

Is It Enough to Claim the Keys?

535. (Question:) Apparently when one of the Homes prayed about their financial situation, the Lord told them to "claim the keys." But we know there has to be more to it than that. We had works in that country before we even had MLs to distribute. The Family was pioneering, and yet they never lacked for finances, and certainly the Homes never had any of their utilities nearly cut off. So what is wrong with this picture?

536. (Jesus speaking: ) They must put feet to their prayers. Praying and claiming the keys are the first steps, but there must be subsequent steps of obedience, of faith, of stepping out on the water with My wisdom and counsel at their side, of putting Me to the test. If only the first step is taken, the miracles of supply cannot become reality. (End of message from Jesus.)

How to Do Your Part!

537. (Question:) What needs to change in the way we present ourselves? As this CO said: "I think our approach in asking needs to change if we are to reach the influential and the rich as per the instructions in 'Reach the Rich.' We need to approach people with an attitude of what we really are—the most successful people on the face of the Earth—as we have found what everyone is looking for, the fountain of happiness and eternal life! The Lord showed me that it was all in the asking and how we're approaching people."

538. What is the problem with our presentation or expectations, and is the problem widespread? How do You expect the Family to have a balanced approach to finances—incorporating such principles as tithing, offerings, asking, good stewardship‚ living Acts 2:44-45, having a well–balanced missionary work, reaching the rich, etc.?

539. (Jesus speaking:) The problems are somewhat different in every case. Each Home has people with different backgrounds, different levels of faith, different experiences, and even different levels of progress in calling on the keys and claiming miracles. There are many variables. Some people have great faith for provisioning, but lack in faith to ask for money. Others have great faith for selling tools, but lack in faith to teach their friends to tithe. Others have great faith to minister to their friends and contacts, but haven't been able to bring themselves to explain the very great need for funds and finances to continue their ministry.

540. Some Homes are strong on the sample and presentation of their communal life‚ but are less active when it comes to recruiting new contacts. Others are great at recruiting new contacts, but less faithful in their follow-up. Others concentrate on their children's training and ministries, and don't recognize the other opportunities I place in front of them which would help to support them. Each Home has its own set of difficulties and struggles, and those struggles are all a part of life. They're not going to go away. You can't concentrate on everything at once‚ so I patiently teach and train you, one step at a time.

541. I allow difficulties and struggles for many reasons: To keep you desperate and close to Me; to keep you separate from the world; to keep you working hard so that the Gospel will be preached; as an example to the world of your faith and dedication as disciples, even though it's not easy; to test and try you and make you worthy of the rewards and gifts I give to those who give everything to Me; to keep you soft and humble and broken so that I can use you to comfort My children in the world who have no comfort, and need someone to sympathize with them—to name just a few. There are many reasons that I allow your lives to be a struggle. The life of a missionary and a disciple—especially one honored with living in these Last Days on Earth—will never be easy. I'll save you the suspense. It's not going to get cushy, relaxed, and slow-paced.

542. Having said that, however, things have reached a state in many Homes‚ on many very fruitful fields, which are a testimony against Me and My supply for you. It's not My will for you to be living so hand-to–mouth that you don't have the finances needed to engage in the fruitful opportunities I put before you. It's not My will for you to be too poor to buy the needed foods, fruits, and vegetables that your growing children, pregnant mothers, and hard-working missionaries need. It's not My will for you to be a bad example to your contacts, utility suppliers, friends and landlords by being late on your rent or payments, or living in rundown, substandard living quarters. That is not My will. If that is the case in your Home, then I'm talking to you.

543. I have promised great miracles and that you will become known as the people of the keys. I have revealed My plan to you to expand the Family, your labor force, your base of support, your church. I have given you this plan not only to bring more laborers in because the harvest is plenteous, but also because through this plan I wish to lighten your loads financially. I want to supply more abundantly.

544. I revealed this to you in "What the Future Holds, Part 1" (ML #3349:51), when I told you that the miracle ministry was a key factor in your becoming a financial power, because people would be willing to give their all in exchange for such priceless gifts as deliverance and healing. This is still My will. I want to bring it to pass. I told you in the Action Series of how the Activated plan would revitalize your Homes, inspire your young people, and bring the Family to life again. This is still My plan.

545. But the factor missing is that you must do your part. You must ask. That is My promise to you, "Ask, and it shall be given you." If you're not asking‚ then you're not doing your part. If you are asking, but you still don't have what you need, then you need to find out why. Are you obeying Me? Are you living the New Wine? Are you witnessing the meat of the Word and promoting Activated? Are you living in unity with your brethren? Are you living Acts 2:44 and 45? Are you being good stewards of what I have already given you? Are you feeding your flock the Words of David? Are you giving—not just your tithe, but offerings of love too? Are you being specific with Me in your prayers, and using the spiritual arsenal at your disposal to break through the obstacles of the Enemy?

546. If the answer to all those questions is yes‚ yet you still don't have what you need, then the problem might be with your presentation to your contacts or even the mentality you have, which limits your faith or causes you to feel embarrassed for asking.

547. Kings don't like to support failures. They might give once or twice to bail you out, sort of a "mercy gift," but they won't continue to consider you a good investment of their resources if in their eyes you look like a failure. Of course, I know that you're not failures. Even if you look that way in the eyes of the world, if you're doing your best to obey Me, if you're faithful with what I've given you, then you're successful. But some of you need to learn how to better present yourselves to your contacts, friends, kings, and potential supporters.

548. Part of it has been covered in "Reach the Rich." Part of it comes down to being convinced yourself of what you're here for. Are you here primarily to feed the multitudes physically? Or are you here to minister the Word of God and salvation, and give people the peace that only comes from Me‚ the satisfaction that comes from giving unselfishly‚ and the lasting happiness that comes from living a life of love? That, My loves, is what you are here for. That is your primary responsibility. Along with that, I sometimes lead you to minister to people physically as part of your testimony.

549. But you must never forget what you're here for to begin with, because if you get your eyes off of that goal‚ of course it's impossible to present it to your potential supporters in a convincing manner. You can try to sell them on your CTP projects‚ and that's all good and well. But you need more faith to sell them on the idea that you're here to help people find meaning in life. You're not just giving them a fish for a day, but you're teaching them to fish! And by that, I mean you're teaching them how to live a life of love, you're teaching them to know Me, Who can guide them in every decision they have to make from now on. What greater service to the world could you give than that?

550. Some of you are ashamed of your primary mission as missionaries—ministers of the Gospel. You feel that doesn't sell, you can't present that as your appeal for help, because no one will want to support it. Well, that is where your mindset and attitude need to be adjusted. I want to raise up supporters who will pay you to go and give Bible classes, who will tithe to you because they know that you use that tithe to witness, to win souls, to change their part of the world for the better!

551. In order to be able to present it like that, you have to really witness to them on a deep and personal level and let them experience the good fruits of drawing close to Jesus. Let them see how their life changes through the personal love, time, attention, and prayer you give them—and then explain that you want to go and give that to the rest of the country you're living in, but you need their help to do it!

552. Another angle you can approach things from is that you're getting out there and doing their job for them. Each of us is responsible to change the part of the world we live in. Well, you're doing it full time; the least they can do is support you in it! That's their contribution to society, the least they can do! You can't do it without people like them—don't be afraid to let them know that!

553. Be proud of the work you do! Don't beg and grovel and act like they're doing you a big favor to throw you a few coins when you're desperate and late on your rent! Be up-front and honest about your ministries, tell them you need their help to be able to continue‚ and stand tall and proud of the life of service that you lead! You're doing the same thing as doctors‚ who are some of the highest-paid professionals in society, except you're providing the service for people's spirits, their hearts. Don't be afraid to ask for the help of those who are responsible to give to society. They know it and you know it, and they just need to be approached in a way that they can understand. They're business people.

554. Another approach is the one this CO brought out in his report, which is one of the most beneficial, because it helps people to be able to receive the full benefit of their giving and grow spiritually at the same time: "We are honoring you with an opportunity to receive all the blessings that the Lord gives to those who give. We need your help and support‚ and the Lord made it that way because He wants to be able to bless those who give to His work. In the Bible it promises, 'One hundredfold in this life, and in the world to come, life eternal!' You can't beat those dividends."

555. That opens the door for a full witness about My blessings—happiness, fulfillment, miracles, supply of specific needs‚ and best of all, they play a part in each soul that is saved, each person healed, each life changed for the better. And in Heaven, when the rewards are handed out, they're going to benefit from all that you have done with their giving. It's sort of like being a stockbroker and giving your clients an inside tip about the market. They have the opportunity to buy big just before the price soars. Except in your case, there's never a false tip or a market crash, because they're investing in an eternally precious commodity—the hearts and souls of men.

556. The truth, My loves, is that you need to see things from a different angle. It's not new; it's all in the Word. But I understand that when you're caught up in the daily cares of Home life and the struggles that present themselves, it's difficult to pull back and see the big picture. It's easy to feel indebted beyond reason to your givers and take on the "you're doing us such a big favor" mentality, which can start to come across as "excuse me for living," which then turns your contacts or potential contacts off!

557. You're not begging! You're not taking their money for nothing! In return, you're giving them the opportunity to reap eternal rewards. You're giving them a part of the great and eternal work you're doing. You're helping them to grow spiritually. You're giving them an opportunity to pull down My full blessings on their lives for their sacrifice and giving. It's a priceless opportunity.

Text box:

558. (Mama: ) As you put this counsel into effect, dear Family, please remember to be loving in your approach, and especially to be thankful for the gifts and donations you receive. One of the COs in Japan commented:

559. This part about our own attitude is really right on, that we shouldn't come across as "excuse me for living" or "feel we are indebted beyond reason to our givers." In Japan this mentality is very strong both in the Family and in the System, and we definitely need to have more godly pride in our work when approaching others to help us financially. We also need to ask more.

560. And when we do receive, Japanese people expect us to thank them for their gift over and over. For example, if they gave you a gift or donation‚ then you are expected to thank them again when you meet again, and if we don't do that, they would think we are not thankful‚ and it can be quite offensive sometimes.

561. (Mama: ) Another CO in Japan, writing separately, mentioned the same thing:

562. I've had many interactions with local Active members and supporters while visiting Homes, and one of the things they are bothered by about Charter members is that they don't show enough appreciation for their financial help. They do say "thank you" when they receive gifts, but then afterwards they act as if nothing happened.

563. It's good to have faith to receive and faith that the Lord will bless our friends for giving to the Lord's work, but we also need to remember that it's a sacrifice for them. They have to work hard to earn the money. Even though they know that they are giving to God, they want to know that we are really thankful for it.

564. I don't know if other areas have the same problem, but at least in Japan people expect us to show appreciation. This would help them continue to give, and to give more. Besides that‚ this is one way to show them love.

565. (Mama:) Being thankful for the gifts you receive and expressing it to your donors is a very important part of showing the Lord's love to them, no matter what field you're on. If you're not letting them know how much you appreciate their help, how thankful you are for it, what it's being used for and what a blessing it is to the work of the Lord, then it's no wonder they don't feel like giving more and no wonder that your income suffers. Dad brought out this principle years ago in the Letter "Priorities":

566. That's probably the first thing God will ask you [when you're suffering financially]: "Did you get out your prayer letter this month? Did you thank all of your donors faithfully and lovingly with a real personal note or letter? Did you let'm know how much you appreciate it and how much you needed it and what you spent it for? … Are you keeping in good relationship with your kings and queens and people on the field?" Are you doing all you possibly can to raise your support and asking God, "What else can I do? What more can I do?" Because I think if the Family were, income would not be down! So that's not God's fault, that's your fault! (ML #1316:64, Vol.13).

End of text box.

567. My loves, Apotheon fights you hard. He tries to blind your eyes to the vision I would lay before you. He tries to pull you down‚ discourage you, and drain your faith.

568. There is also another demon who deceives you. His name is Aknon, and he is the demon of fear of asking. And by fear, I don't mean only fear as you usually think of it, but also the feelings of condemnation, embarrassment, begging in an "excuse me for living" manner‚ and all the feelings which you can be hit with when you're not really full of My Word on the subject. Even when you are, sometimes he will fight you. But when you are full of My Word and prayed up, when you have sought Me as to your presentation and how to best approach a contact to help you, then Aknon has no power over you. Instead, My mighty angels of faith and courage rush to your side and you'll find a great thrill in presenting your need.

569. Whether or not the contact responds as you've hoped, it's a victory for Me, because you went wisely and you gave them an opportunity to come closer, to partake of your work in a very personal way, and when it's My timing, that is always good. Even if they say no, you haven't lost anything. In fact‚ you gain in any case, because I am able to use that witness in their lives.

570. So, My loves, as a recap, here is what you must do if you find yourselves in the vicious cycle of not having what you need in your fruitful mission field:

1. Start with the spiritual principles. Reread "God's Financial Blessings" (ML #2813, Lifelines 20), and see if you are obeying. Look back over the New Wine and see if you are implementing it. Ask yourself the questions I gave you earlier: Are you obeying Me? Are you living the New Wine? Are you witnessing the meat of the Word and promoting Activated? Are you living in unity with your brethren? Are you living Acts 2:44 and 45? Are you being good stewards of what I have already given you? Are you feeding your flock the Words of David? Are you giving—not just your tithe, but offerings of love too? Are you being specific with Me in your prayers, and using the spiritual arsenal at your disposal to break through the obstacles of the Enemy?
2. Ask Me if there's anything else I want to tell you—something that you've overlooked.
3. Once you have remedied anything lacking in points one and two, claim the keys of supply with fervor and full faith.
4. Examine your presentation to your contacts, and ask Me if you've really done all you could in giving them an accurate picture of your work, your needs‚ and the benefits and rewards that are in it for them. If not, pray about each one specifically and ask Me how you can explain things better. Call them up, make appointments, lay it on the line, and watch Me bring in the finances that are needed!
5. Expect miracles, My loves! And from this point on, seek Me about how to improve your presentation—not just to your long–standing contacts and friends, but to those you meet new every day. Ask Me how you can give an accurate picture of what you do from the very beginning, how you can help them, and how they can help you to change their part of the world. I will lead you very specifically according to the needs and customs and mentality of your particular field.

571. The important thing is that you have the right mentality—full faith that I can supply, I want to supply‚ I will supply; full faith to present your work to your contacts and expect them to do their part to change their part of the world; full faith to explain your work in a way that they will understand, but not backwatering on the most important job you're there for—to change people's lives‚ to give them lasting peace, happiness, and purpose through salvation and a life of love.

572. That is the solution, My loves. Much of the victory lies in changing your mindset. (End of message from Jesus.)

In Conclusion

573. (Mama:) Dear Family, Peter and I love you very much and we pray this counsel will be a great blessing to you. Please know that we and your loved ones in WS will be praying for miracles of supply and progress for you. We will call on the keys of obedience, and will beseech our Lover regularly and hold Him to His promises on your behalf.

574. Remember what was shared earlier, that you are held accountable. You're molding your future today‚ and all those little decisions you make each day do make a difference. How you live your life, how you spend your time‚ your relationship with the Lord and your attitudes do matter! Remember, your financial success depends in a very large part on your building on the right foundation. Are you? It works for those who do!

575. Please take this seriously, ponder this instruction, follow through on the assignments, and give the Lord a chance to give you the desires of your hearts! He is able, dear loves, and He wants to. How much He can or cannot do depends on you! Prove Him, and then listen for the sound of those windows of Heaven flinging open!

Much love in our generous Husband,

Mama

Text box:

For more on finances, fundraising, and presenting your need, as well as testimonies of supply, please see the following Letters and pubs:

*"God's Financial Blessings!" ML #2813, Lifelines 20.

*"More on George Mueller" ML #2814‚ Lifelines 20.

*"Ask and It Shall Be Given!" ML #2893, Lifelines 21.

*"From Poverty to Plenty!" ML #2929, Lifelines 21.

*"Finances and Fund Raising!—Part 1," FSM 261.

*"Finances and Fund Raising!—Part 2," FSM 262.

*"Finances and Fund Raising!—Part 3," FSM 264.

*"Finances and Fund Raising!—Part 4," FSM 265.

*"Finances and Fund Raising!—Part 5‚" FSM 271.

*"My God Shall Supply All Your Needs," FSM 269-270.

*"Large Petitions Bring—Thrilling Accounts of God's Miraculous Supply," FSM 321.

*"Crazy Faith Pays the Bills," FSM 370.

*"Supply—On God's Payroll," FSM 383-384.

*"Benefits of Feeding Your Sheep," FSM 396.

Also check out the CVC section on "Christian Outreach Experience," especially the course on "Outreach Ministry Fundraising."

If you have any tips and testimonies of your own that might help‚ encourage or inspire others, please send them in or include them with your TRF. Thanks!

Copyright © 2003 by The Family

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