October 4, 2004
(ML #3506, GN 1095)
FD/MM/FM August 2004
ML #1377:6-8, 43–45, 67-78, GN Book 3
6. PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT OF GOD'S WILL ARE DANGEROUS TO HAVE AROUND, people who are out of fellowship with the Lord ' disobedient ' unspiritual ' making mistakes. The trouble with people like that is, they're always living just in the flesh ’ not led by the Spirit. They're shallow ' it's just shallow flesh, so they're bound to make a lot of mistakes, if they're not led by the Lord ' really living in the Spirit. They're not really trusting the Lord ' not looking to Him for guidance.
7. THEY'RE LIKE SAUL, THEY'RE JUST STRONG IN THEIR OWN FLESH ' so confident of their own intelligence that they make all their own decisions, which are usually the wrong ones because you just can't be led of the flesh when God's Spirit may know differently ’ often does! So people like that are really dangerous to have around, they just live shallowly in the flesh ' are guided by their own smartness.
8. THEY THINK THEY'RE PRETTY SMART ' SOMETIMES THEY'RE PRETTY SMART–ALECKY ' think they know it all!
43. IT'S DANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE … TO BE SHALLOW, not deep in the Lord, deep in the Spirit, but merely shallow in the flesh, carnal ' carnally-minded. That was Saul's problem. He began to trust his own wisdom ' his own arm instead of the Lord ' the prophet‚ ' look where it got him! He lost the kingdom ' his place in it, ' the whole thing had to be given to somebody more spiritual who was led of the Spirit ' the Lord ' not just his own mind ’ wisdom. We are not smart enough‚ any of us, ’ we need to cling to the Lord ' seek His guidance constantly, continually.
44. SOME OF THE BIGGEST MISTAKES I EVER MADE WERE FOLLOWING MY NATURAL REASONING ' COMMON SENSE, you might say, when the Lord had something entirely different in mind‚ which was contrary to natural expectation ' you could only get by the Spirit. Many's the time, for example, in the Bible, where men made decisions on their own by their own natural reasoning in the mind of the flesh, ' it turned out to be exactly the wrong decision because they hadn't sought the Lord ' asked the prophet ’ they hadn't been led of the Spirit.
45. AS JESUS SAID, WITHOUT HIM WE ARE NOTHING ' we will arrive at nothing too if we don't stay close to the Lord!
67. THIS WAS SAUL'S MAIN PROBLEM, HE WAS A MAN-PLEASER. To make the people happy, to please the people, he disobeyed the Lord. Now that's a dangerous thing. He kept blaming his own weakness along that line on the people: "Well, the people persuaded me, the people pled with me, the people wanted me to spare the oxen ’ the sheep ' the king."
68. DEAR SAMUEL CONFRONTED HIM WHEN HE CAME BACK FROM THIS ASSIGNMENT: "Hast thou performed the word of the Lord? And Saul said, "Behold, I have performed the word of the Lord"—big liar! And Samuel said, "Hmm, that's funny‚ then what meaneth this bleating of the sheep ' the lowing of the oxen in mine ears?" (1Sam.15:13,14.) "Oh, that! Oh well, the people persuaded me. They thought that we should at least spare the oxen ' the sheep—after all, what had they done?"
69. WHO KNOWS? MAYBE THE ANIMALS HAD SOME OF THE SAME DISEASES THE PEOPLE HAD, if nothing else, or the same evil spirits! Animals can get evil spirits. Have you ever seen a demon-possessed dog or a demon–possessed cat? Look at the two thousand pigs that jumped off a cliff into the sea, they got demon-possessed! (Mk.5:13.) Demons love to possess animals. They even sometimes possess trees—Druidism; rocks—animism, anything to get people to worship something besides God!
70. SO GOD APPARENTLY KNEW THOSE ANIMALS WOULD BE DANGEROUS, they'd carry diseases ' evil spirits ' whatnot, ' He wanted to wipe the slate clean ’ get rid of the whole damn evil filthy disease-ridden demon-possessed bunch! But here comes Saul back with his army bringing the whole caboodle! Yeah, he'd wiped out all the people, but "Oh, that? We thought maybe we ought to spare the animals."
71. IN OTHER WORDS HE WAS SAYING, "WE KNOW BETTER THAN GOD‚ WE'RE SMARTER THAN GOD. God wanted us to kill them all but we don't think that's a good idea." They disobeyed. Well, you just read the little lecture Samuel then gave them. They didn't think it was very important, they thought it was a small thing to disobey the Lord in this one thing.
72. "LORD, PARDON THY SERVANT IN THIS ONE THING," Naaman said to the Lord. (2kg.5:18.) "I believe you ’ you healed me ' I know it, everybody knows it, but I have to keep my position ' I have to let the king lean on my arm ' I have to go into the Temple of Rimmon. The Lord pardon thy servant in this one little thing."—And you never hear of Naaman again‚ except when Jesus mentioned him in the New Testament. (Lk.4:27.)
73. JUST THINK WHAT AN INFLUENCE HE COULD HAVE BEEN! He might have turned the whole Syrian nation to the Lord! Instead of that, the Syrians soon turned on God's people ' nearly wiped'm out!—Because he was such a poor testimony ' such a compromiser! He went right into the Temple of Rimmon‚ a Worldly pagan place with the rest of the World ' the king, just to try to keep his job!
74. Samuel socked it to Saul ' said, "To obey is better than sacrifice, to hearken than the fat of rams!" (1Sam.15:22.) He told him this the first time he made the mistake, then he reminded him of it the next time.
75. WHAT WAS SAUL DOING THE FIRST TIME? All he was doing was sacrificing to the Lord, supposedly praying ' asking God to bless his army ' his effort to defeat the enemy, because the prophet hadn't showed up to do it. So he said‚ "I guess I'll have to do it." Well, the reason the prophet hadn't showed up is because it wasn't God's will, it wasn't God's time ' God was testing Saul to see if he was going to obey or not, see if he was going to follow His orders.
76. SAMUEL SAID, "WAIT TILL I GET THERE." But he just couldn't wait‚ he had to do it on his own to prove that, after all, wasn't that a good thing to do to sacrifice to the Lord ' to give offerings ' to go out ' defeat the Enemy? No, it was a very bad thing to do if it wasn't according to God's will! That's why we have to be led of the Spirit.
77. WE CAN'T EVEN DO THINGS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY'RE GOOD ’ REASONABLE ' COMMON SENSE things we think we ought to do unless we're sure it's God's will! I mean, we're in a dangerous business ' we have got to stay close to the Lord ' follow the Lord ' make sure it's God's will, not just rest on the arm of flesh ' natural reasoning like Saul did.
78. THE LORD JUST KEPT SAMUEL AWAY LONG ENOUGH TO TEST SAUL ' to show Samuel that this guy just wasn't the right guy to lead the people‚ he kept disobeying! And then Samuel came ' told him, "Well, because you did this you lost the kingdom! I'm going to give it to somebody else that's more spiritual ' led of the Lord!" But dear Saul‚ he still never got the point. He was so carnally-minded ’ so unspiritual he just kept right on doing things himself ' got worse instead of better.
ML #1957:22-31, DB 8
22. ALTHOUGH WE SHOULD SPEND SOME QUIET TIME WITH THE LORD EVERY DAY—time in prayer ' reading His Word—Jesus also told us that we should always pray‚ that we should continually pray all the time, all day long, that in everything we do we ought to be "looking unto Jesus." (Heb.12:2)
23. "MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY ' NOT TO FAINT!" (Luke 18:1) He also says‚ "Pray without ceasing!" (1Th.5:17) ' "Watch ' pray!" (Mat.26:41) He knows that we need to ’ it's one way the Lord has of keeping us close to Him ' in His presence continually‚ constantly dependent upon Him ' His protection.
24. PRAYER IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD BE DOING ALL THE TIME, NO MATTER WHAT ELSE YOU'RE DOING! You can't wait until you're through doing this or that, ' then pray. It's like thinking on your feet!—Or like breathing!—Just breathing the Holy Spirit all the time, being in constant communication with the Lord.
25. HE SAYS, "TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL THINE HEART ’ LEAN NOT TO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING. In all thy ways acknowledge Him ' He shall direct thy paths!" (Pro.3:5,6)—One of the most wonderful verses in the Bible to really hang on to, especially when making decisions. We don't have to know all the answers, we don't have to lean on our own ideas or wisdom, we just have to lean on the Lord ’ His leadings!
26. THE LORD CAN SAVE YOU A LOT OF WORK, A LOT OF TROUBLE ’ A LOT OF TIME IF YOU'LL JUST REMEMBER TO PRAY FIRST before you start a job! Whatever it is that you have to do, pray about it! The Lord is always right there with you.—He says, "I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee." (Heb.13:5) He's always there! So it's never God Who's not there, it's we who are sometimes not always there, when we run off someplace else ' leave Him behind when we forget to pray.
27. AND WHEN WE DON'T PRAY FOR HIS HELP, it's usually either because we just plain forget—' that's very negligent to forget to pray—or we're not willing to admit that we don't know the answer ' that we have to ask Him for it. And one or the other, either way, it's a mistake! Forgetting to pray is almost as bad as not wanting to pray! And when you don't really pray ’ you don't really get in tune ' really ask the Lord to lead you ' help you to do the right things, you can sure pull some boners ' blow–its ' really make a mess of things ' can sure get off the track.
28. SOME OF THE BIGGEST MISTAKES THAT CHRISTIANS EVER MAKE ARE THROUGH FOLLOWING THEIR NATURAL REASONING ' COMMON SENSE‚ when the Lord has something entirely different in mind which is contrary to natural expectation ' can only be revealed by His Spirit! Many's the time in the Bible where men made decisions on their own by their own natural reasoning ' it turned out to be exactly the wrong decision because they hadn't sought the Lord or been led of the Spirit.
29. SO YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THAT YOU CANNOT POSSIBLY SOLVE THE MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS THAT YOU WILL ENCOUNTER IN YOUR OWN WISDOM, your own strength, your own mind, your own understanding, your own trying to put two ' two together.—Jesus said, "Without Me, ye can do nothing!" (John 15:5)
30. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN OUR LIVES IS JESUS ' TO STAY CLOSE TO HIM, to let Him lead ' guide us. He's the One Who has got to lead us because only He can! Without Him we don't know where we are going or how to get there or anything! But He knows exactly where ' how, ' all we have to do is just sit in the back seat ' let Him drive! He knows where to go ' the best way to get there!
31. HE'S PROMISED THAT IF YOU ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, HE WILL DIRECT YOUR PATHS! He says, "You shall hear a voice behind you saying, This is the way, walk ye in it!" (Isa.30:21) So ask the Lord about everything before you do it.—Make sure it's what He wants you to do. Seek Him about everything—every problem, every decision—’ He will never fail you or let you down!
ML #2140:39-52, DB 8
39. Pride is a HORRIBLE THING, it can DAMN you to Hell! It's the biggest thing that causes Christians trouble!—PRIDE! And as you can see by Saul's example, the biggest failures in the Word of God were the big shot boys who thought they knew it all ' went out ' fell flat on their faces. They thought they could operate in their own natural wisdom ’ went out ' fell flat on their swords! (1Sam.31:3-6)
40. Of course, in the WORLD, pride is normally quite a virtue, so people are brainwashed ’ brought up to believe that. But in the LORD'S service ' in the spiritual, it's very BAD ' something you have to really try to FIGHT against ’ overcome.
41. Being bound by pride ’ self–righteousness can greatly HINDER your spiritual progress ' "growing up" in the Lord. It is only when you get to the point where you really YIELD to the Lord ' get desperate ' are willing to FORSAKE it ' be DELIVERED that you will be in a position to really grow ’ mature. For spiritual maturity is not just a matter of years or time, although that often helps, but it's a matter of your connection with the Lord ' His Word, your obedience ' your humility.
42. But pride is a problem we all have really, it's one of our main temptations, ALL of us! What was it that caused the fall of Satan?—PRIDE! Since pride caused the fall of Satan, it's apparently the root of all evil! It was the BEGINNING of all evil!—PRIDE!
43. In fact, the BASIS of virtually ALL SIN is PRIDE! And pride will really get in your way ’ hinder ' keep you from growing ' learning what God wants to teach you, ' from becoming what He wants you to be.
44. The Lord says that the FULL, those who think they know better ' think themselves so righteous ’ are full of their own ideas, He sends empty away. (Luk.1:53) One reason that the proud ' self-satisfied never seem to grow spiritually is because even if they read the WORD a little, it just rolls like water off a duck's back! They're insulated‚ they're waterproofed to it, ' the Water of the Word can no longer sink in!
45. They are already soaked in the VENEER of SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS ' waterproofing against the Word!—A thin paint of self-goodness ' self-obedience ’ pretended service ' sacrifice!—So insulated, so waterproofed that the Word doesn't even soak in anymore! And they're usually so INSULATED against the electric shocks of the Holy Spirit that they don't even FEEL them anymore!—And so blind that they can't even see ' realize their horrible spiritual condition! And if they don't humble themselves ' really surrender to the Lord, they soon become so hardened in their hearts that they're completely darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, past feeling! (Eph.4:18,19)
46. We've said before that discouragement is the Devil's favorite weapon, but it's usually our PRIDE which is really BEHIND the discouragement‚ he uses that pride to get us discouraged. So PRIDE is really his favorite weapon! He's always trying to tempt us with that sort of thing, to make us get high ' lifted up.
47. But it is not our fault that we get TEMPTED, that's the ENEMY doing that ' he does it to all of us. But it's OUR fault when we listen to him ' go ahead ' take the CREDIT ' glory for things ’ don't attack ’ hit him back every time he tries that tactic on us! So whatever we may do that he tempts us to get proud about ' to take the credit for, we've got to really FIGHT!—Fight HARD for as long as it takes ' really tell him off ' say, "Get thee BEHIND me, Satan!—It's NOT me, it's just the LORD! I'm NOT going to take the credit for this, I'm just going to give the glory to JESUS! It's not anything I'M doing‚ somebody else could do it just as well! It's all the LORD'S Work!" Just hit him back ' quote Scriptures ' really ATTACK!
48. But the minute you start patting yourself on the back, watch out, God will see to it that you're humbled to bring you out of it! So don't for one moment give yourself the credit for one little thing that you've done. That's one of the biggest dangers you have‚ to begin thinking it's YOU.—It's GOD'S ANOINTING, ' if He withdraws it, you're as flat as ever!
49. GOD ALONE is the One Who wants to get the credit! GOD is the One Who wants to get the glory, ' GOD is the ONLY One Who can do it! Then He wants you to praise ' thank Him ' glorify HIM because HE did it. 'Cause if YOU could do it‚ you could pat YOURSELF on the back for it, ' say,
50. "Well, look what I'VE done! Look how great I am! Look how WONDERFUL I'm doing!" Watch out when you talk like that: You're headed for trouble! "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall!" (1Cor.10:12) You'd better keep saying, "Wow, look what GOD has done! Look what the LORD'S doing! Look how great HE'S working!"
51. When you just want to show off your own big talents or looks or whatever you think you're so great at‚ that's a very WRONG attitude or motivation for any of us to have!—It's part of that self-righteous "works-trip," wanting to do something wonderful or be somebody attractive ' appealing to earn love ' attention.—Wanting to have the glory YOURSELF instead of just giving it to the LORD!
52. So for God's sake, confess to yourself ' others continually how hopeless you are without God! Give HIM all the GLORY for anything GOOD about you ’ YOURSELF all the BLAME for anything BAD! That's usually a pretty good rule, because it's usually right!—"What hast thou that thou didst not receive?" (1Cor.4:7) "Every good gift ' every perfect gift cometh down from Above." (Jam.1:17) So give God ALL the glory!
ML #2557:14-22, Lifelines 19
14. (Dad:) The biggest temptation for people who have a lot of natural talent‚ drive‚ dynamism ’ abilities is to just boom, boom, boom, push things through in their own strength! Such natural human force has its limits. "Men of force are men of faults," ' their biggest fault is when they keep on going in their own strength, their own force‚ instead of letting the Lord work through them!
15. Having so much natural ability, strength ' drive is often the very thing that stands in the way of the Lord showing His strength. It's more difficult for such people to just depend on the Lord because they've got so much natural strength that they're used to leaning on.
16. My own Mother had a lot going for her in the natural, a lot of God-given natural talents, abilities‚ drive, personality, looks, etc. But look what the Lord had to do to her before He could really use it all! He practically had to almost kill her—put her in bed ' in a wheelchair for five years! God had to break her back in order to break her will ' finally get her down to where she had to just trust the Lord. She didn't have anything else left!—That's when God was able to really use her. Of course, she still had the natural talents ’ strengths ' abilities He'd originally given her, but she learned to lean on Him ' let Him use them, ' to then give Him all the glory for whatever got accomplished.
17. Of course, all of us lean on the arm of flesh to some extent at different times.—And this is a very big part of our Christian life: To learn to lean on the Lord ' to not do things in our own strength or depend on our own natural abilities ' talents. The Lord wants us to rely on Him ' His strength.—The kind of strength that is strictly from the Lord. You get it mostly when you're just down ' out or almost dead! It's times like that when you realize how much you need it ' you turn utterly to the Lord.
18. This is something you must learn before He can ever fully use you: That you're never going to be able to do what the Lord wants you to do by yourself or by your own will ' own strength ’ self-control ' determination or merely making up your mind that you're going to do thus ’ so. It's going to take prayer ' faith ' trust ' utter reliance ' dependence on the Lord!
19. I don't think I personally ever felt like I had very much natural strength, ’ I think that's why it's easy for me to depend on the Lord.—I had to! I've always known I had to because I felt like I was nothing ' that I had nothing. All I had was Jesus!—And I knew I could never do anything without Him ' His help. Because the Lord was all I ever had to lean on, I think it was really easy for me to depend utterly on Him ’ His strength.
20. It's been said that‚ "Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees." Well, that certainly is the truth because when you're weak in yourself, that's when you can be "strong in the Lord ' in the power of His might!"—Eph.6:10. However, the Devil might not tremble so much if you're one of those who thinks that you're such a "strong" saint.—If you think you can make it on your own ' you feel self-confident, that you're so strong, that in itself is a major spiritual weakness! (See 1Cor.10:12.)
21. But if you'll just give up on yourself ’ completely throw yourself on the mercy of God ' just depend on the Lord, ’ realize you have nothing left but God, that's when He will mightily empower you ' give you strength that you know not of! As Martin Luther wrote,
"Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing!
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's Own choosing.
—Dost ask Who that may be?
Christ Jesus it is He!
Lord Sabbaoth His Name,
From Age to Age the same,
And He must win the battle!" PTL!
22. We cannot strive ' wrest in our own strength—we must look to the Lord, ' He must win the battle! You don't have to try to win victories by your own striving, struggling ' working in the flesh! Just do your part by putting your will on God's side‚ ' God will do the rest, which is virtually everything!—PTL!
ML #2559:8-23, Lifelines 19
8. (Dad:) If you don't stay close to the Lord, God can't use your gifts, your genius. If you don't dedicate it all to God ’ have it absolutely bathed in prayer ' the Holy Spirit, God can't even use your talents!
9. "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom‚ neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord! He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord!"—Jer.9:23, 24; 1Cor.1:31.
10. This was the main difference between David ' Saul: David relied on the Lord ' gave Him all the glory. He knew he was nothing, ' that if it weren't for God he'd just be a shepherd boy out in the fields somewhere. It was God Who made him what he was, ' he knew it.
11. In the beginning, Saul knew that too, that he was nothing. He was very shy. When Samuel came to anoint him, the Bible says he was so shy that he went ' "hid himself amongst the stuff," even though he was head ' shoulders above his brethren. (See 1Sam.10:21-23)
12. The trouble was that he soon forgot that it was only the Lord, ' it went to his head ' he thought it was Saul who put him where he was. He got to thinking it was his own arm that had saved him, that it was his own brilliance that had made him king. So God said to him, "When thou wast little in thine own eyes I did highly exalt thee."—1Sam.15:17. But when he became exalted ’ lifted up in his own eyes‚ God had to greatly abase him.
13. Saul is a good example of someone with a lot of "natural" strength ’ ability: He was a big man, head ' shoulders above his brethren‚ a man of talents, a man of ability, a great leader, a good organizer‚ a tremendous king.—And God was with him ' God blessed him as long as he was yielded ' obedient to the Lord. But when the day came that Saul thought he could get along without obeying the Lord, without heeding God's Word or obeying His Prophet, that he could do things his own way, that was the beginning of his end!
14. Saul got so smart‚ he became a smart-aleck. He thought he knew better than God, that he knew better than the Prophet!—And he became rebellious ' disobedient ' went his own way ’ wrecked everything!—Including smashing his own career ' destroying his own family.
15. Saul's problem was that he began to trust in his own strength ' his own wisdom ' his own arm instead of the Lord. Look where it got him!—He lost the kingdom ' his place in it, ' the whole thing had to be given to somebody else who was led of the Spirit ' the Lord ' not just his own mind ' own wisdom. What a sad, sad story!—But what a good reminder to all of us that none of us are smart enough or strong enough in ourselves. We need to constantly cling to the Lord ' continually seek His guidance.
16. Although he was called‚ ordained, designed ' gifted by the Lord, because of his unyieldedness ' disobedience, God was through with Saul, ' had to toss him on the scrapheap of history!—A brittle, unbending, unyielded, unusable tool who kept going his own way ' kept going further ' further astray till God had to choose a little shepherd boy out of the field, a little nobody, to take his place.
17. To be truly "strong in the Lord‚" you've got to be strong in faith—which Saul obviously wasn't. It was his lack of faith in God ’ God's Word that caused him to disobey ' go ahead in his own strength. He lacked faith because he didn't heed the Word of God, ’ as a result he completely came to nought! (See 1Sam.13:8-14.)
18. No matter how talented you are, how great you are, how terrific you are, what great ideas you have‚ if they're not God's ideas, you'll fail, ' fall flat on your face like Saul did!—You'll go the way of all flesh instead of the way of the Spirit!—The way of Saul instead of the way of David. Saul tried to do things in his own strength‚ ' he found he wasn't strong enough. David learned you have to let God do everything!
19. "It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing!"—Jn.6:63. Regardless of all of your gifts, talents ' strengths, without the Lord's anointing ' inspiration, you'll never be as greatly used by God as He wants you to be!—What makes you ' your accomplishments really great is the greatness God gives—His Spirit‚ His inspiration.
20. Like Saul, the churches today are another example of seeming strength ' might.—They appear to have everything. But they're one Hell of a failure because they've lost the Spirit!—They have no anointing or power, no real emotion.—The fire's gone!
21. What good is a furnace when its fire goes out? It's cold ’ dark ' useless! It's still all there—just no fire. Regardless of all of its intricate parts ' wonderful abilities ' marvelous design, without the fire, it's dead, cold ' dark!
22. So all that to say, whether your talents ' strengths are many or few, to truly be used of the Lord to bring His life‚ light ' warmth to others, you must be yielded ' obedient to Him!—That's the key!
23. So what is strength?—True strength, Godly strength, strength that God can use for His glory?—It's the result of believing God's Word, yielding to God's Will ' obeying His plan ' humbly fulfilling the role He has for you! GBY as you yield to Him ' let Him have His way in your life! PTL!
ML #3149:15-40, 67-70, Lifelines 24
Leaning on the Lord's Directions Today, Not Past Experiences
15. (Peter:) I haven't utilized this new type of prayerfulness‚ of listening, nearly enough in my life. I've had a tendency to lean on my anointing and on my past experiences with Dad. But I'm seeing that even the good ways that Dad taught me in business or in financial management aren't always the way the Lord wants it done today. I was recently faced with some major questions about some needed changes in our financial giving. My mindset was to base this decision on the way I had always done it when Dad was here. He taught me well, and the way he showed me to handle these financial matters has always worked, so I naturally felt led to continue on in this manner. However‚ when praying about it and taking time to hear from the Lord, He showed me a different way to do it. After that, Dad added a message, part of which I'll include here for your interest.
16. (Dad speaking: ) Well, folks, you know me—I was never afraid to make changes. I was never afraid to do new things in new ways, because I knew the Lord was leading me to do them in that way. That's how it is with you too; you've gotta be willing to change and do things the way the Lord shows you today. You can't just do them the way I did them‚ because it's now a new day, and if I were there I'd be doing them differently too. I've always told you that you have to seek the Lord every day and do what the Lord shows you to do today. Don't go by yesterday's battle plans, because if you do‚ all you can fight is yesterday's battles, and that means you'll lose today's battles.
17. So don't be afraid to move and change. Don't be afraid to do new things, even things that seem contrary to the way I did them. And even if they are contrary to the way I did them in the past, don't think that I would've stuck to my guns and done'm the past way today and in the future, because I was willing to change and to do new things in new situations and new times according to the direction of the Lord.
18. So don't get too hung up on the way I did things, especially if the Lord's showing you a new way to do something today. If I were there and He was showing me a new way to do it, then I'd do it the new way and I wouldn't give a hoot about the way I did it before. You've just got to follow the Lord, step by step, day by day.
19. Don't be hung up on things of the past, because you're moving on to the future, and you're heading there at a fairly rapid pace. There's lots in store for you up ahead; there's lots comin' and you've got to be ready and prepared for it. So don't look back—look forward. That doesn't mean to throw away all the past and forget it completely, because there's a lot there that's good for you—good principles, good guidance, the strength of the Word, and all the rest.
20. But you've gotta move forward with the Spirit of God. You've gotta move forward listening to His voice and following His plan, because He's the One Who knows where He's going. He's the One Who knows what needs to be done. So as you follow along faithfully, as you listen, as you cry out to Him, as you do what He says to do, you will be accomplishing His will and you will be swept along in His wake and you'll move faster and faster toward the goal that He has for you—the goal of His will, of reaching the world, of preparing all things so that He can return one day to rescue you all and rapture you into His arms!
21. So don't be afraid to move ahead. Don't be afraid to make changes. Don't be afraid to do new and radical things.—And you are! You are moving ahead, far beyond where I was willing to go when I was with you. You're willing to do it because the Lord is showing you to do it and He gives you the faith. He gives you the message and the vision‚ and it gives you the faith and the courage to do the job, to consider things like the GPU and going legal in that arena. Boy, I don't think I would've gone for that when I was there! But see, when I was there, it wasn't the time. But now it is the time.
22. Now's the time for other changes and other ways to move forward, and the Lord will reveal these to you step by step. You do your part, like He said, and He will do His part. And don't worry about it; go forth in faith. You can do that now because you came to the Lord and He gave you the message, which gives you the vision, which gives you the faith and the courage to do it. So do it! Just do it and you know the Lord will bless. As you do one thing He shows you to do, then He'll show you the next thing‚ and the next and the next, and on and on as you just keep moving forward, keep progressing, keep marching forward—forward into the future‚ forward into the Millennium, forward into His arms, forward to forever! (End of message from Dad.)
23. (Peter:) Now, what Dad said in this message doesn't mean we should throw away everything that Dad ever taught us, which he confirmed above. It's just that we have to do like Dad has always said to do: Follow the Spirit of God today, in the same manner that Dad always followed the Spirit of God, no matter where God led. If the Lord showed Dad to change the way he had been doing something before‚ even if he had been doing it that way for years, he didn't hesitate to go the new direction the Lord was leading him. If Dad had been in the same situation that I was in when faced with these particular financial questions, I believe that Dad probably would have done the same thing that we're going to do in regards to them, because the Lord would have showed him to do something different than the norm.
24. That's the whole point the Lord is trying to make: Sometimes He wants to do things different than the way we've always done them. And the way He can let us know that He wants us to do something different is if we include Him more in our decision-making.
25. I don't know about you, but for me it's quite different when I pray about something and sort of get a leading from the Lord or a word or a verse or a feeling, versus when I do it "officially"—coming before the Lord in prayer‚ with tape recorder in hand, waiting for the Lord to speak and recording it. When I take the time to pray and ask the Lord to "officially" speak in prophecy, there's a lot more to the answer—more explanation‚ more lessons, more teaching, and much more spiritual insight that I wouldn't get if I just prayed in my heart and asked the Lord, "Am I going the right way‚ am I doing the right thing?" and getting a "Yes, this is the right way," or something along that line.
26. There's a big difference. It seems that the Lord is trying to teach us to go to Him more fully on some of these matters in order to get fuller answers, even though we are capable, in many cases, of just getting a simple answer. Even if our feelings or our leadings are right because of the anointing the Lord has given us‚ He may have more to say.
Leaning on the Lord's Leadings, Not Just Our Anointing
27. We all have our talents and past experience, along with the gifts of the Spirit, which help us to do our particular jobs. We also have our anointing for the work the Lord has given us, which gives us the right leadings in matters. But we can't lean only on that anointing, nor on our gifts and talents. The Lord is making it clear that He wants us to hear from Him directly and personally so that we can be more certain of things, so that He can give us an even fuller anointing. The following is a very significant prophecy about our anointing:
28. (Jesus speaking: ) I give each person gifts and talents—gifts of My Spirit, gifts of My anointing, talents in the natural. It all comes from Me‚ for these are the gifts and talents which I have poured upon each one.
29. With each position that people are in, I pour forth My anointing‚ and this allows them to do the job, helps them and gives them the necessary gifts. For without My anointing—the gifts of My Spirit and the spirit helpers that I give to each one—they could not do the job, for they would not have the wisdom nor the understanding nor the depth in spirit that they need. It is My anointing that gives them these things so that they may accomplish the task, so that they may do the job, and so that they may have confidence in doing it, knowing that I have gifted them by My anointing.
30. Though this gift of My anointing and the talents that I have given are from Me, still‚ you must not depend solely upon them‚ but you must also look unto My face to receive My direct guidance, so that you know for sure that the ways which you naturally feel about things—natural through My gifts and My anointing—are right. For you cannot depend solely upon these gifts, these anointings, these feelings, these natural leadings‚ because there are some things that are much greater than these, which require more than just leaning upon your anointing, gifts and talents. In those times, you must come before Me and seek My wisdom and voice directly.
31. I want you to use the gifts, the talents, the anointing that I have poured forth upon you. But you must also come to Me in prayer, listening to My voice and hearing My answers, so that I can confirm that which you feel, or show you new directions in which you may go, or give you answers that you could not have known otherwise.
32. For the anointings that I pour forth are not full and complete in themselves. If I poured full anointings on people, if I gave them all the wisdom that they needed, and all the understanding and all the answers, would they need to look to Me any longer? No. They would lean upon this anointing.
33. For many, their anointing is not that clearly seen in their own hearts and in their own minds because they have become so used to their anointing. They have become used to hearing answers through the anointing, through having the correct feelings and leadings. The anointing becomes one with them, becomes part of them, and it is part of them. So I do not pour the anointing forth in full measure, lest the one who is anointed forget Me.
34. The anointing that I give you is through those spirit helpers who have wisdom and intelligence‚ and they are there with you constantly, helping you to see things properly. But these spirit helpers are not Me. They are not all-knowing‚ and thus you must look unto My face and hear My voice. I give you these helpers—this anointing—to make the job easier for you. I have given you these helpers to commune with you, to put thoughts in your mind and in your heart, to give you the leanings and the leadings of the Spirit. That's My anointing.
35. But I do not give you full measure because these that help you are not God, and thus they cannot know everything. They are there to make your job easier—to make it more efficient, and to keep you moving in the right direction, but this does not negate the need to cry out to Me and to hear My voice for those things that you need to know.
36. I give each person gifts and talents, and they can use these‚ for it makes their work, their life and all that they do easier. But they cannot solely depend upon this anointing. They must look up to Me and receive My Words, My direction and My guidance, so that they may know that what they do is right. Thus they may go forth in full faith, for they have sought Me and have heard My voice.
37. They must come before Me in humility, in openness and receptivity, so that if I do have something to say to them, or guidance to give them‚ or a new direction for them to move in, they will be ready and open to receive it. For if they go only by their anointing, they cannot clearly get the new directions that I am leading in, and neither can they have full faith for the new directions unless it is confirmed by Me.
38. So you must use it all. You must use the anointing‚ the gifts and the talents. You must also use your direct link with Me and hearing My voice. And you must use your past experience as well—all of this put together.
39. But do not forget that I am the Lord your God. I am the only One Who knows all things. Therefore you must come to Me in faith and in openness, with a receptive heart, to hear what I have to say, so that you are not leaning only upon the gifts and the talents and the anointing, because these are not enough. It requires Me. I round it out and make it full, complete and whole.
40. So if you wish to be full and complete and whole in the work that I have given you to do, then you must use all of it—your gifts, your talents, your anointing, and My voice. Then will you have great success, then will you operate in the full anointing of God‚ and then will you accomplish My will in greater ways with greater ease. For you will be operating in the full power and anointing of God. (End of message from Jesus)
Being More Dependent on the Lord
67. It seems that for us men this point is a bit more difficult to grasp than it is for our women. Women seem to be more naturally inclined to want to ask the Lord and get answers from Him. They are naturally more dependent. It's more natural for them to feel like they don't have the answers‚ or that they have to search for the answers. Whereas we men aren't that way so much. When something needs to be done, we usually want to do it ourselves rather than lean on others or confess we might need help. We're used to making decisions, to leaning on our past experience, and God help us, sometimes leaning to our own understanding. It's just natural for us to be that way. But the Lord is trying to teach us to move out of that and to get more dependent, to get more in the spirit of prayer and "officially" asking Him what to do. The Lord makes this quite clear in the following prophecy:
68. (Jesus speaking: ) It is difficult for My great men of valor, My mighty men of David, to learn to depend on Me and lean on Me‚ for they are strong. They are men of faith and strength. They are men of power, men of action. They are used to being strong and steady and courageous. They are used to being the ones who lift up the weaker vessels and provide for them, encouraging and comforting them. They are used to being the father, the shepherd, the husband. It is difficult for these, My strong men of faith, to lean wholly and heavily upon Me.
69. It is much easier for the women, the weaker vessels, for they are already weak in the flesh. It is easier for them to feel their need. But My mighty men can more easily learn to depend on Me if they come to Me frequently as My bride and love Me intimately. If they regularly humble themselves by loving Me intimately, showing their passion for Me as My bride, this yieldedness and this lovemaking will create in them humility, brokenness and dependence upon Me.
70. This will help their spirits to be more sensitive to Me and it will make it easier for them to humble themselves before Me in their day-to-day lives‚ in their work, in their relations with others and their decisions. This is especially important for those who are strong in themselves, who have many talents, gifts and strengths. If they will come to Me frequently and love Me passionately as My bride, if they will see Me as their husband, as their provider and protector, the intimacy that will develop between us, the womanly qualities of tenderness and weakness‚ will create a greater dependence on Me. The womanly qualities of the bride, those of submission, humility, weakness and dependence, will be more easily manifested in their lives. (End of message from Jesus.)
ML #3183:26-41‚ GN 788
The Arm of the Flesh vs. The Strength of the Spirit!—Fly on Autopilot!
26. (Jesus speaking:) Operating in the arm of the flesh is when you are driven by your own spirit rather than allowing Me to take command. You are Mine. You belong to Me. And though operating by your own arm is not the best nor the most efficient way to operate, I'm still able to use you in this capacity.
27. I created your flesh. I gifted and talented each of you with various abilities to get a job done, and I am able to use you to a certain degree even when you're operating in your natural strength and arm. However, this is not the best, and if you operate in this way, you'll only reap limited results. Thus it is by no means preferred to operating in My Spirit and allowing Me to accomplish a more accurate and fruitful work through you!
28. The difference between operating in the arm of the flesh and operating in My Spirit is the difference between floating along in My strength, allowing Me to carry you, and tediously struggling on your own to reach your goal, oftentimes in a frantic hurry or flurry. Operating in My Spirit lightens your load, as I am doing the work through you, and it brings lasting results. Whereas operating in your own arm of the flesh you're apt to tire more quickly, and oftentimes suffer stress, strain, worry, and run the high risk of making mistakes. Operating in your own arm of the flesh leads only to errors. As you sow to the flesh, of the flesh you reap corruption [make mistakes].
29. Tending to a heavy workload does not have to be synonymous with operating in the arm of the flesh. At times when it is necessary to press in and get a job done, when you must meet deadlines and adjust your normal workload and do more‚ this does not necessarily mean you have to default to leaning on the arm of the flesh‚ for I am able to carry your load and help you to accomplish all that I ask you to do. Therefore one who is fully occupied and pressing in is not necessarily operating in the arm of the flesh; just as operating in My Spirit and being in tune with Me is not always synonymous with spending hours in your room with the "Do Not Disturb" sign up, reading and praying and praising Me.
30. Both of these concepts can be misconstrued if you look at them in the eyes of the flesh. For you can appear to be in the Word and prayer, and as I have said, not really be sucking or absorbing. Your mind may be off wandering to distant lands, therefore the time is but a vain show and bears little fruit.
31. Likewise, you may have more active times when you really press in and step up your pace in order to attend to the affairs of My Kingdom. You're fully occupied, yet because you're allowing Me to carry you and guide you, you're not operating in the arm of the flesh‚ for you're allowing Me to do the work through you. Operating in your own arm of the flesh and operating according to My Spirit is not measured in the amount of work that you're accomplishing or not accomplishing, but it is only measured by your dependence on Me.
32. When the work increases, there are many factors that need to be balanced and weighed in the equation. For a time, you may have to adjust your schedule. You may need to adjust your time with Me, the time when we're able to enjoy the privacy of our secret chambers and lying in our comfy-cozy bed of love. But during these times, if you don't leave Me alone in the bedroom, but rather take Me along with you, so that even in these busy times we're able to kiss and cuddle and sneak in a quickie here and there‚ if you continue to grab on to the rod of My strength, so that you can pump My power and I can fill you with My seeds—then My strength and power and inspiration is there to inspire and encourage you along! I am there to whisper in your ear, to influence your thoughts and actions, and to help you make the important decisions you will need to make in order to get the job done.
33. This is the difference between running out of the room and leaving Me high and dry—forgotten for a time, until you are able to return, while you operate in your own arm of the flesh—and continuing, though busy, to draw on Me and My strength and My seeds to fill you and carry you through.
34. You're busy, but because you have Me along, you're much more inspired! You're trusting and at ease, knowing I'm right there by your side, and that I'm able to bring instant relief should you need a pick-me-up, counsel or advice. You're at rest and at ease because you know that no matter how difficult the situation, no matter how high the mountain or how impossible the climb may seem, I am there to carry you through, and I will not fail‚ because I've never failed you before!
35. The fine line in determining if one is operating in the arm of the flesh or in My Spirit can also be determined by the fruit your actions bear. If the fruit of your labor is that you are hurried and flurried, frantic and rushed, or if your actions cause others to slip into a fretful mode of operation, to move in haste, or to make rushed‚ unprayerful decisions, this is a result of operating in the arm of the flesh.
36. The fruit of operating in My Spirit and trusting Me to do what you cannot do is as follows: You're pressing in to do a job by allowing Me to guide you and carry you along each step of the way. You are shooting up prayers to Me along the way, although there is much to be done and many details to attend to. You're slipping away for pick-me-ups, getting filled with My seeds, and being empowered by My Spirit. Though your body is busy and your mind is occupied with much business and affairs of the Kingdom, you are constantly looking to Me‚ giving it all to Me, and remembering Me along the way, seeking Me, and asking Me while you are praying on your feet. You are allowing Me to carry you through, and thus you're reflecting a trustful spirit; though you are very active, you're calm and trusting, praising Me and thanking Me for doing the work through you. You're doing all you can do and trusting Me to do the rest. Your body is busy, yet your spirit is calm and trusting. All this is the fruit of the Spirit and allowing Me to do the work through you.
37. I liken the difference between operating in the arm of the flesh and operating in My Spirit to the difference between turning on automatic pilot or flying the plane yourself, on manual. On manual pilot, you may make your destination just the same, but you might not be able to make it through the turbulence as steadily; you may have a choppy ride‚ and your landing may be less accurate and a bit bumpy; your flight will require more fuel, and as you reach your destination you'll be more worn out and tired from the strain of the flight, having piloted all on your own.
38. Whereas if you switch on to My automatic pilot, I am able to guide you on a more accurate course. I am able to guide you by adjusting your protection flaps in order to steady you through the turbulence so you fly at a more even balance, and at far less expense than if you go it on your own. Your personal workload will be greatly reduced if you switch to autopilot and let Me do the work for you, for I will carry your load.
39. I'm your automatic pilot! You have only to flip the switch and allow Me to man the controls, and this is the difference between flesh and spirit. For I am able to calculate more accurately and keep your controls perfectly balanced, which is imperative for smooth flying and a safe landing. Therefore know that this is the difference between operating in the arm of the flesh and operating in the strength of My Spirit. The secret is in flipping that switch to automatic pilot! Which will you choose?
40. On automatic pilot, I'm able to take the brunt of the stress you may feel in flight. I'm able to guide you to more accurate navigation of your vessel and to keep all your controls functioning in proper balance and sequence, as I steer you on a straight course in the right direction at all times. As you use the instruments that I place in your hands‚ I'm able to correct your signals when you veer off course.
41. The flights will still be the same distance, over the same terrain and on the same course, just as your workload, responsibilities and deadlines will still be there. But the flying will be much smoother as you rely on your radar, as you tune in to your traffic control tower, and as you switch to automatic pilot to guide you safely through! This is the difference between operating in the arm of the flesh and operating by the autopilot of My Spirit. The power is always there—all you have to do is flip the switch! (End of message from Jesus.)
ML #3219:88-95, GN 821
The Very Gifted in the Physical Need Strong Spiritual Shepherding
88. (Jesus speaking: ) I have changed the direction of the battle, and I'm attacking the Enemy from a different direction. I'm using My children in a vastly different way than I used to, to accomplish My purpose. As I have said many times and will continue to admonish My children: It is the day of the weak—those that are weak in themselves and strong only in Me, those that are yielded and submitted to My guidance, My leading in the Spirit‚ and are willing to follow whithersoever I lead, those who are willing to forsake and give up the past and their old ways, and move forward into the new day.
89. One reason some go back is because they are very carnal in their thinking and very lazy in the spirit. Because of this, they need strong shepherding. But because of their own intelligence and experience, they begin to drift away from this shepherding and become proud. This makes it very difficult for their shepherds to continue to help them and show them the spiritual interpretation of things that happen in theirs and others' lives.
90. This is a grave danger for those who I have gifted with special intelligence and gifts in the physical. For unless they are willing to stay humble and admit that they need spiritual leaders and shepherds over them, they will surely fall. Some may ask, "Why then, Lord, do You give them these gifts?" The reason is simply that these gifts are needed in My Kingdom. Those I've gifted with greater intelligence or talents can be used greatly to help My children if they will only admit that they need spiritual guidance and submit to shepherding in the areas where I have made them weak. These I make weaker spiritually to help them resist the pride that comes from these other gifts that I give them.
91. It's rare that I can gift My children with greater intelligence and talents and still make them stronger spiritually, for the tendency then is spiritual pride and lifting themselves above others, and leading people in the wrong direction. But if they will examine their hearts and their strengths and weaknesses and humbly yield to the way I have made them, then they can be very‚ very fruitful in My Kingdom and a great help to My children.
92. I have admonished My children many, many times about the importance of getting in the Word and spending more time in spiritual matters. But some do not resist the temptation of their mind, and want more and more worldly knowledge and the intelligence that comes as a result of this knowledge. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with having knowledge and being intelligent, the danger comes when you seek after these worldly attributes more fervently than you desire the things of the spirit. This incessant desire for worldly knowledge and intelligence then becomes a detriment to your spiritual life, as you'll become weaker day by day, month by month, year by year‚ until it will be too late and you'll be too weak and no longer able to climb back up the steep mountains of the spirit.
93. Some, because of their spiritual laziness, turn to other things that they like more in the physical, and stop fighting in the spirit. Therefore, the Enemy is able to come in and attack them on a carnal plane and get them to doubt the importance of staying spiritually minded, and they leave themselves open to the attacks of the Enemy on their spirit.
94. All My children have weaknesses which I have given them to help keep them close to Me. Some have obvious weaknesses, and for them it is very important to keep Me as the center focal point of their lives and remember that the physical talents and abilities are not the most important things, but rather their closeness to Me, their love for Me and for others. These are spiritual qualities which, even though they be weaker physically or less gifted in the natural, they can possess in great abundance.
95. There are others who seem to be much stronger in the physical or much more naturally talented, but these have the handicap of natural ability and must stay very desperate with Me so that they are not tempted to run in their own strength, according to their own pride or their own understanding. They also have weaknesses, and these weaknesses and natural tendencies of thinking they know what to do should also keep them very close to Me and remembering that it is the spirit which is most important and which will bear the most fruit—not what they accomplish in the flesh. (End of message from Jesus)
Copyright © 2004 by The Family International
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