January 2, 2005
(ML #3517)
FD/MM/FM November 2004
ML #27:7-9, DB 4
7. GOD'S CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS NEEDING THE SYSTEM FOR SOMETHING—even though neither He nor they like it. And why not?
8. GOD ALWAYS MAKES THE SYSTEM SERVE HIS SERVANTS, whenever it suits His purpose—if they have what He needs. "As using this World (or System) but not abusing it."—1Cor.7:31. … Watch out—don't let it own & use you!
9. Don't let the System get you! You're IN it, but not OF it! You're surrounded by it—but not part of it! You're dropouts from it, but you can still use it! Just don't let it use YOU, like it was before you became God's Ecclesia, the "Called-out ones," His dropouts‚ like Jesus & His disciples!
ML #148:1-14, 18, 20-22, DB 4
1. (Dad: ) We are not just THINKING about revolution! We HAVE a revolution & we ARE a revolution & this IS a revolution & we are already LIVING a revolution!
2. WE HAVE DROPPED OUT OF THE SYSTEM! We only USE IT for the glory of God! We have ALREADY HAD OUR REVOLUTION & WE ARE HAVING IT & WE ARE LIVING IT & WE ARE GENUINE revolutionaries!
3. WE HAVE A VIOLENT REVOLUTION OF THE SPIRIT! … Christ has already revoluted your whole life & soul & your spirit! God has done it already! You are a revolution! You are the Revolution of God! You are the Kingdom of God!
4. YOU ARE THE ONE & ONLY REAL JESUS PEOPLE, WHO ARE LIVING LIKE JESUS & HIS DISCIPLES, instead of just going around namby-pamby PREACHING it!
5. WE, LIKE JESUS CHRIST & HIS DISCIPLES‚ ARE LIVING OUR REVOLUTION‚ HIS REVOLUTION, God's Revolution, God's Word's Revolution & the revolution that God's Word talks about from start to finish! That's the kind of revolution we have! This is the real one & only, GENUINE REVOLUTION that'll ever survive, because this is the revolutionary Kingdom of God & Jesus Christ! That's the difference! We're not looking for revolution, we ARE a revolution & we're HAVING a revolution & we're LIVING a revolution every day & every single one of you is a revolution of Jesus Christ!!!
6. YOU ARE THE ONLY REAL REVOLUTIONARIES! COMPARED TO YOU‚ THE COMMUNISTS ARE PHONIES—compromisers, because they have simply revamped the damnable hellish, fiendish, devilish, commercial, whorish, idolatrous System itself to their own advantage! They're not revolutionaries—not at all! They're just a new bunch of guys running the same system!
7. WE ARE MORE REVOLUTIONARY THAN THE COMMUNISTS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T CHANGE ONE DAMNED HEART! In fact, every damned one of them is LOST if he doesn't find Jesus! They haven't changed a single heart & there's no revolution on God's Earth that's going to last, not even last out this life‚ much less last out Eternity‚ unless the HEART is changed! God's got to revolute the HEART! He's got to change your LIFE! Don't tell me your heart is changed & you don't change your life—& you don't drop out of the damned, cursed System or the damned abominable churchy system!
8. DON'T TELL ME THAT YOU'RE CHANGED! YOU'RE NOT A DAMNED BIT CHANGED, WHEN YOU GO BACK TO THE SAME DAMNED ACCURSED JOB & SLAVE FOR THE SAME DAMNED MASTER, the same damned system! Jesus Christ Himself said, "Ye CANNOT serve GOD & MAMMON!" You can't do it—it's IMPOSSIBLE for you to serve them both! And yet those CHURCHIANITY JESUS PEOPLE GO RIGHT BACK & SERVE MAMMON FIVE OR SIX DAYS A WEEK.
9. DON'T TELL ME YOUR HEART IS CHANGED, DON'T TELL ME YOUR LIFE IS CHANGED‚ DON'T TELL ME YOU'VE HAD A GENUINE REPENTANCE—a real metanoia—a real complete change of mind & heart!... Do you know what "metanoia" means, the Greek word which is translated in our New Testament as "repentance"? It means a complete turning around & going the other way!
10. DO YOU KNOW WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING WHEN HE SAID THAT? He was saying, REVOLUTE!—REVOLT!—FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND! He said, TURN AROUND & START GOING THE OTHER DIRECTION! You CANNOT keep on living the same way! You CANNOT go the same way anymore! You CANNOT go back & be a slave of Mammon five to six days a week & then tell us that you're serving GOD!! YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD & MAMMON! It's impossible! Jesus Himself said it! You'll either "love the one & hate the other or hold to the one & despise the other!" Which are YOU serving?
11. LET ME TELL YOU, WE HAVE A CHANGE OF DIRECTION! We have gone down that damned street & we didn't like it & WE HAVE TURNED COMPLETELY AROUND, WE HAVE REVOLVED, REVOLUTED‚ WE HAVE A REVOLUTION & ARE GOING THE EXACT OPPOSITE DIRECTION! That's what we've done & that's what we're doing! THIS IS A REVOLUTION! We are not compromising & conforming to the damnable System church! We are not conforming to the damnable commercial System! WE HAVE DROPPED OUT economically! We have dropped out religiously, spiritually! ... We have dropped out educationally from the Devil's own Satanic propaganda educational System!
12. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT A REVOLUTION LIKE THE COMMUNISTS, PROMISING WORLD UTOPIA SOMEDAY! WE HAVE GOT IT RIGHT NOW!
13. YOU ARE GOD'S REVOLUTION FOR THIS HOUR & THIS DAY! You're it! You're the only ones I know in the World who are living like Jesus & His Disciples, who are not just talking about it, not just preaching it, but LIVING it, living together in peace & in love & in joy & in witnessing & in Bible study & in prayer & in praise & in sharing a GENUINE, ABSOLUTE & TOTAL CHANGE!
14. YOU ARE A REVOLUTION because you are the Revolution of Jesus Christ in the hearts of men, & that's the only total Revolution there is! That is the only absolutely dead-sure, Eternal-life-sure Revolution in the World today! It's the kind that not just so-called changes your hearts just because you say "I take Jesus" & then you go on living, working at the same job, living like you did before!—There's no difference—that's not Revolution! This is CHANGE‚ this is DIFFERENT! THIS IS TOTAL, COMPLETE‚ ABSOLUTE REVOLUTION!—CHANGE OF DIRECTION! Absolutely going the opposite way!
18. WE HAVE THE REVOLUTION THAT CHANGES HEARTS, that grips men's hearts so that they can't get away & turns them completely around & changes their direction! That's the difference! YOU'RE ALREADY ENJOYING YOUR REVOLUTION, YOUR NEW LIFE, YOUR NEW NATION & YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE IT FOREVER!
20. YOU ARE ALREADY ENJOYING A FORETASTE OF HEAVEN ON EARTH! You are living the way people are GOING to live in love & sharing & sweetness & light & joy & praise & song & worship as they're going to live in the Millennium! YOU'VE GOT THE KINGDOM OF GOD on Earth! You've got the Kingdom of God within you, as Jesus said!
21. YOU'VE GOT YOUR REVOLUTION, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE REVOLUTION! YOUR HEART IS CHANGED—everything's changed! You're no longer the same, you no longer belong to the same System, you no longer are a part of that damnable‚ fiendish, Satanic, whorish, World System of idolatry, including churchianity & education, their damned propaganda set-up or their damned commercial System! WE ARE DIFFERENT—TOTAL REVOLUTIONISTS—MORE TOTAL THAN THE COMMUNISTS—more total than the Marxists, more total than the Maoists, more fanatical than Che Guevara, less compromising than Castro!
22. WE ARE THE ONE & ONLY ABSOLUTE & TOTAL REAL, GENUINE REVOLUTION IN THE WHOLE WORLD! We are IT! We are God's CHILDREN! We are CHANGED!—We are DROPPED OUT & no longer are in the damnable System! This is IT & you're IN it & you're PART of it & you ARE it, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST IN PERSON—GOD'S OWN Children!
ML #996:1, 3–5, 7‚ 9, 11, 20, 21‚ DB 7
1. (Dad:) I can't remember my Mother ever teaching me one painter or composer! I know little or nothing about composers or artists. They're dead! It's the worship of Man.
3. My Mother brought me up on the Bible! I'd rather see the kids familiar with Psalms & the Bible writers & characters. There is enough there to fill their heads without all that worldly knowledge & information.
4. Thank God for my Mother! She'd had all that & been through it all & knew all of it, but she just threw it away as chaff. I can never remember her teaching me anything but the Bible & about the Lord & spiritual values & Bible characters & truths, & my Father the same. They never wasted any time teaching me about masterpieces of literature, art & music—nothing!
5. The rule of thumb was, if it didn't have anything to do with the Lord, just forget it! There are a few things that our children should have just a passing interest in or a smattering of familiarity with.
7. It's good to know a little. At least you've heard the name & you know the difference between Beethoven & Rembrandt, who was the musician & who was the artist. But otherwise it's a worship of Man to study & exalt these people, because some of them were not of the Lord.
9. Modern education is the worship of Man & his accomplishments. You spend half of your time studying the great accomplishments of Man‚ the great masters‚ whether they are masters of art, music or literature—the worship of Man.
11. Man's education is made up of all that kind of dead works & worship of dead workers, dead masterpieces & the worship of dead masters. I prefer to study the living, like Bible characters & the Word, more than the study of men & the masters & their masterpieces.
20. I wouldn't give a damn for all that knowledge of all that art & artists & music & musicians & masters & masterpieces & writers & literature & all the rest! To hell with it all, as far as I'm concerned! Even as a young Christian I could see the fruitlessness & futility of all that worship of Man & his works, the dead & their dead works. People need to see the difference between the works of the flesh & the works of the Spirit, Hallelujah!
21. If you can't see JESUS in it somehow, forget it!
ML #1533:7, 10, 16-18, 27-30, GN Book 12
7. (Dad sings:)
"I am a stranger here, within a foreign land,
My home is far away, upon that golden strand!
Ambassador to be, of realms beyond the sea,
I'm here on business for my King!
This is the message that I bring‚
A message angels fain would sing!
O be ye reconciled‚ thus saith my Lord & King,
O be ye reconciled today!"
10. THAT'S SUCH A GOOD SONG FOR US! … "I am a stranger here within a foreign land"—but it doesn't just mean this particular country, it means this whole World is a foreign land to us! We don't really belong here.
16. "AMBASSADOR TO BE OF REALMS BEYOND THE SEA!" … What does it mean "of realms beyond the sea"? An ambassador represents a country or a leader or a king or a kingdom to another country, so we are ambassadors of what country?—Heaven! To what country? (David: Earth!)
17. WE ARE LITERALLY FROM HEAVEN & WE ARE AMBASSADORS TO THIS EARTH! Heaven is our country, it's our City‚ our Kingdom, & Jesus is our King! We are His ambassadors to this foreign country of this World.
18. THIS WHOLE WORLD IS A FOREIGN COUNTRY TO US! We don't really belong here, this is not our home. (Sings: )
"This World is not my home,
I'm just a–passing through
My treasures are laid up
Somewhere beyond the blue!
The Angels beckon me
From Heaven's golden shore‚
And I don't feel at home
In this World any more!
27. SO WE ARE AMBASSADORS TO BE, OF REALMS BEYOND THE SEA! We are, in other words, supposed to be Ambassadors of Heaven! We're God's Ambassadors of Heaven! That's our country & we're ambassadors of Heaven in this strange country of this World amongst all these strangers who don't know Jesus.
28. I ALWAYS THINK OF THAT STORY ABOUT THE OLD LADY WHOSE SON WAS APPOINTED THE AMBASSADOR TO THE COURT OF ST. JAMES, MEANING HE WAS APPOINTED TO BE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR TO ENGLAND. And that was always considered the greatest ambassadorship in the World. Of all the countries that anybody was sent to, England was the most important, especially in those days, the days of the British Empire. So when they came with the great news that her son had been appointed Ambassador to England she nearly wept. She bowed her head & shook her head. She said, "To think he might have become an ambassador of the Gospel!" In other words, she'd wanted him to be a preacher & a missionary. She just shook her head sadly & said, "To think he might have become an ambassador of the Gospel, & he dwindled down to nothing but an ambassador to England!"
29. HE COULD HAVE BEEN AN AMBASSADOR, NOT OF THE UNITED STATES, BUT OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN!—OF THE GREATEST KING OF ALL, THE KING OF KINGS, JESUS! Instead he just became an Ambassador of the United States.
30. HE BECAME NOTHING BUT AN AMBASSADOR OF THE UNITED STATES TO JUST A LITTLE COUNTRY LIKE ENGLAND.—Nothing but a little old palace on Earth, when he could have been an Ambassador of the King of Kings from the greatest Kingdom there will ever be, to the whole World, & had a Palace forever on High!
ML #1963:1-4‚ 7–13, 17-21, 43-46, 51, 53, DB 8
1. (Dad:) JESUS CHRIST WAS A REVOLUTIONARY! He was not a reformist! He attacked the System of His day!—Not the Roman government, that was ordained of God, but He attacked tooth & tong in no uncertain terms the false religious system & its advocates & participants & leaders.
2. LIKEWISE, WE TODAY ARE NOT MERE REFORMISTS trying to improve or patch up the old decrepit, false Systems of man! We are a Revolution!—For Jesus! And a real, red-hot, genuine Revolution is not merely for something, but against something also!
3. IT'S NOT A REVOLUTION IF YOU'RE NOT AGAINST ANYTHING! Because if you're not against anything, it means you like things the way they are & you don't want things to change!—And that's no Revolution! But because we really love Jesus Christ, we therefore hate the God-damned, anti–Christ Systems of this World with everything in us! The Bible says, "Ye that love the Lord, hate evil!" & King David prayed, "Through Thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way!" (Psa.97:10; 119:104)
4. THEREFORE‚ WE IN OUR WORLDWIDE REVOLUTION FOR JESUS HAVE DECLARED WAR OF THE SPIRIT against the System's Godless schools, Christless churches & heartless Mammon! Like Jesus, "Who was manifested that He might destroy the works of the Devil" (1John 3:8), we are rebels against these anti-Christ institutions of man & the Devil & are rebels for the Truth, rebels for the true naked Word of God!
7. NOW‚ WHEN WE SAY WE'RE AT WAR WITH THE SYSTEM, WHAT DO WE MEAN? A lot of people automatically assume that the System means the government. Well, we are not against the government.
8. BUT THE BIBLE SPEAKS A LOT ABOUT THE REST OF THE SYSTEM—AGAINST THE SYSTEM! It just doesn't happen to use that word‚ but instead it calls it "the World": "Love not the World‚ neither the things that are in the World. If any man love the World‚ the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the World, the lust of the flesh, & the lust of the eyes, & the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the World!" (1John 2:15,16)
9. HE EVEN ADMONISHES HIS CHILDREN, "KNOW YE NOT THAT THE FRIENDSHIP OF THE WORLD IS ENMITY WITH GOD? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the World is the enemy of God!" (James 4:4) Why is God so against this World & its Systems?—Because they are against Him! In fact, not only are they against Him, but they are of the Devil! Satan himself, the rebellious, defiant, fallen archangel & arch-enemy of God & of all that is true & good, is the lord & the father & the god of this World!
10. THE BIBLE'S ACCOUNT OF THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS MAKES THIS EVIDENT. The final & crowning temptation that the Devil offered Jesus was what?—"And the Devil, taking Him up into an high mountain, shewed unto Him all the kingdoms of the World in a moment of time. And the Devil said unto Him, All this power will I give Thee, & the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me: & to whomsoever I will I give it! If Thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be Thine!" (Luke 4:5-7)
11. THAT WAS MORE RICHES & POWER THAN ANYBODY HAD EVER BEEN OFFERED—the whole World! But what did Jesus answer?—"Get thee hence, Satan: For it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord Thy God, & Him only shalt thou serve!" (Luke 4:8) This passage shows that the worship of riches, wealth & the power of this World is really the worship of what?—It is the worship of the Devil!—It is Devil worship! Imagine! A lot of people are worshipping the Devil & don't even know it!
12. AFTER ALL, THE DEVIL'S PLAN IS TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM LOVING, WORSHIPPING & SERVING GOD‚ THE TRUE GOD, & to get them to worship & serve himself, the counterfeit god, the impostor god instead. He wants to distract & keep people's minds & eyes off of Heaven & turned away from God, so he keeps their minds & their eyes & their ears filled with the noise & sights & sounds of his confusion, the Hell-on-Earth of today's money-mad "rat race" society!
13. HE JUST LOVES TO GET PEOPLE IN A RUT with their nose to the grindstone so that they can't see anything else, never learn anything else, never love anything else, never do anything else & never live anything else!—What a bore, what a chore!
17. THE ENEMY'S MEANS OF GETTING PEOPLE AWAY FROM GOD & HIS WAY is to get them to "walk according to the course of this World‚ according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." (Eph.2:2)—Which, of course, is the opposite of the course, or way, that God wants us to go!
18. JESUS COMMANDED, "LAY NOT UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES UPON EARTH, where moth & rust doth corrupt, & where thieves break through & steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, & where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Mat.6:19-21) Jesus also warned, "Take heed, & beware of covetousness. For a man's life is not made up of the abundance of the things which he possesses!" (Luke 12:15)
19. SO THE DEVIL'S ENTIRE MESSAGE & APPROACH IS JUST THE OPPOSITE: "STORE UP FOR YOURSELF RICHES ON EARTH! Forget about an afterlife! Strive to make money & get rich!—For without "things" you'll never be happy!"—An idea which is all glossed up & portrayed as something very good & commendable & essential if you ever hope to be "a success" in this World!
20. AS IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN WITH ADAM & EVE, THE FIRST THING THAT SATAN HAS TO CONVINCE YOU OF IS THAT GOD'S PLAN IS THE WRONG PLAN & THAT HIS, SATAN'S PLAN, IS THE RIGHT PLAN: "And the serpent said unto the woman‚ Ye shall not surely die if ye eat of the tree of knowledge: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, & ye shall be as gods, knowing good & evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, & that it was pleasant to the eyes, & a tree to be desired to make one wise‚ she took of the fruit thereof, & did eat." (Gen.3:4-6)
21. JOHN OUTLINED THESE SAME THREE TEMPTATIONS WHEN HE TOLD US TO "LOVE NOT THE WORLD: For all that is in the World, the lust of the flesh, & the lust of the eyes, & the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the World!" (1John 2:15,16) And so it is with the Devil's materialistic, anti-Christ System! Materialism looks good, tastes good & is to be desired to make one wise—the pride of life! And just as Eve fell for the bait, bit into it & died spiritually, so partaking of the Devil's delusions of this World will kill you!
43. THE GOD OF MOST OF THE WORLD IS MONEY, THINGS, MATERIALISM!—Home, car, television, or even a thatched hut & canoe!—The things which they possess! God's Word says that you are the servant of whoever or whatever you work for & obey. (Rom.6:16)—If you're working for money‚ you're money's servant! So modern materialism & commercialism is the major worship & religion of the World! It is the religion to which most people today belong, the church of the great god Mammon, or material things‚ which they attend daily & worship at least 8, 10, 12, 14 or 16 hours a day!
44. MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT SLAVES TO THEIR CHURCHES OR TO THEIR FALSE ESTABLISHED RECOGNIZED RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS—their greatest slavery is to the god that the Bible calls "Mammon‚" the god of money, wealth & material things. They are slaves to the god of materialism! There's a popular song that says, "Money‚ money, money, makes the World go 'round, the World go 'round!"—And it's true! Money makes it go 'round all right, 'til it's so dizzy & hypnotized & stupid & crazy that they will do almost anything, even kill, to get money!
45. MATERIALISM IS THE MAJOR RELIGION OF THE WORLD, & although most people worship the things they can see‚ there are actually wicked spiritual forces behind this idolatry! God's Word says that there are "principalities, powers & rulers of the darkness of this World, spiritual wickedness in high places," that men are either warring against or being deceived by. (Eph.6:12)
46. SO WHAT IS THE MAIN FALSE RELIGION THAT THE DEVIL HAS USED TO DISTRACT MANKIND & to turn him from worshipping & knowing the true God?—He has caused them to make a god of themselves & of their wealth & power & possessions.—Anything but worship God!—Anything but worship Jesus Christ! "Worship yourself! Worship your possessions! Worship your things! Because once I've got you hooked on yourself & on your things & possessions—whether it's a mansion with a Cadillac in the U.S.A. or a thatched hut on the beach with nothing but a little outrigger canoe—then I've got you hooked!‚" Satan says.
51. JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF SAID, "NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS, for either he will hate the one & love the other; or else he will hold to the one & despise the other. YE CANNOT SERVE GOD & MAMMON!" (Mat.6:24) According to the dictionary, "Mammon" literally means "material wealth," money & material things.
53. HAVE YOU "COME OUT OF HER"?—Or are you a slave to the false gods of this World? "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also!" (Mat.6:21) Where's your treasure? Do you love this World & the things of this World? If so, the love of God is not in you! (1John 2:15)
God bless & help you to live for Jesus & His Eternal Kingdom!
ML #1966:21-27, DB 8
21. (Dad:) WE ARE LIKE GOD'S ELITE TROOPS‚ HIS AVANT-GARDE, fewer in number than the regular army, but stronger in Spirit! We are a Family of dedicated Christian soldiers who have spread into many countries throughout the World, bound together only by Love. We are required to give more, to love more, to share more, but our lives overflow with joy & our satisfaction knows no bounds & our happiness knows no equal.
22. MOST CHRISTIANS TODAY ARE LIKE THE REGULAR ARMY, who don't really work very hard or serve very much. They don't leave their families or give up much or share. In fact, most of them live pretty selfishly! But they're still Christians, they still believe in Jesus & they do love Him a little bit.
23. BUT BESIDES THE REGULAR ARMY THERE ARE ALSO THE SPECIAL TROOPS, those who are completely‚ 100% dedicated, fulltime soldiers. These are very loyal, very faithful men & women who are willing to forsake everything else to serve their country, to be in the Special Forces—very select & very special. The rest of the Army don't give up nearly as much as these Special Troops. They only spend a little time in the Army & then they go back home.
24. OF COURSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING TO BE SAVED OR TO BE A CHRISTIAN OR TO GO TO HEAVEN. All Christians are in the Army of the Lord & most of them love Jesus a little bit & believe in Jesus a little bit, & that's all they need to go to Heaven.—They're saved, if they believe in Jesus Christ, & for them that's enough.
25. BUT FOR US‚ THAT IS NOT ENOUGH! We want to forsake everything, we want to give everything‚ we want to give our whole lives to the Lord! Jesus didn't say you have to forsake all & preach the Gospel.—He only said that if you do forsake all for Him, you could be His disciple & He would bless you very very much & you'd receive a great special reward for such special service!
26. A DISCIPLE IS BETTER THAN A MERE BELIEVER. A believer is just in the regular Army, but a disciple is in the Special Troops!—He forsakes everything & walks with Jesus, follows Jesus & lives with Jesus!—This is the difference! But you don't have to be in the Special Troops, you can just be in the regular Army if that's what you want. You can be a 5% Christian or a 10% Christian like most of the Army, the Church people.—Or you can be a 100% Christian & belong completely to Jesus Christ!
27. OUR FAMILY IS A SPECIAL‚ DEDICATED BRANCH OF THE LORD'S ARMY, & TO BE A PART OF IT YOU HAVE TO SACRIFICE & GIVE UP EVERYTHING—100%—YOUR LIFE & EVERYTHING FOR THE LORD! People don't join us unless they really mean it & want to! From the very beginning we've insisted on complete forsaking, 100% dedication‚ absolute loyalty & fulltime service—& that's why we've got the dedicated disciples that we have today!—100%, all the way, forsake-all, dyed-in-the-wool soldiers who will give everything for Jesus Christ & will witness & win souls for the rest of their lives!
ML #3233:3-4, 15-38, 42–47, 50-62‚ GN 836
3. (Mama:) Worldliness comes in many different forms—not just the obvious manifestations of being preoccupied with dress, hair, or makeup styles, etc. Even more dangerous are the more hidden forms—hungering after worldly knowledge or looking more to that than to the Word of God, losing your conviction because of being more concerned with what men think than what the Lord thinks, or preferring the acceptable, established ways to the radical, free, humble ways of the Lord's Spirit.
4. So when you read this‚ keep in mind that the Lord is asking all of us to be on guard against this device of the Enemy with which he's ever trying to find a way to get in. The Lord is directing this particular message primarily to the Family in the U.S., but I believe we all can benefit from it.
15. (Dad speaking:) Everybody is somebody's fool—whose fool are you? Honey, right now some of our folks can't see the forest for the trees—especially in the U.S.! Lord help them! Some of our folks there are so embroiled and getting pulled under by the cares of this life and its subtleness. It's pulling on them. It's not only pulling on them and tugging on them, but it's pulling some of our folks down—and they need to wake up before it's too late!
16. You need to ask those guys whose fool they are. Everybody is somebody's fool, and in this case our folks need to watch out! Who're they tryin' to kid? Ask them what they want to be—fools for the System or fools for Christ?
17. Talk about the land of the flesh and the flesh pots of Egypt—the Americans live in the flesh and for the flesh! They're strong in the flesh and confident in their own intelligence and their own arm. On top of it, it's the land of indulgence! It's the land of "do your own thing," "to each his own," "eat‚ drink and be merry," "do it your own way, go your own way, think your own way." It's the "I did it my way" society. You just can't live in that kind of environment without getting dirty unless you stay mighty close to the Lord, and to do that you've got to get sanctified on a daily basis.
18. Our folks who are in these countries like the U.S. need to realize this and do all they can to press in to the Spirit of God, lest they too fall by the wayside. Unless they're sanctified on a daily basis, it creeps in. You begin to notice it here and there by the fruit. People's attitudes show it, and selfishness and hardness begins to creep in.
19. Some of these problems folks are having in the U.S. right now are symptoms. Murmuring and doubting‚ envy and jealousy‚ every man for himself—isn't that the very spirit of the U.S. System? It's a strong pull and the anti-Christ spirit is rampant there‚ so our folks who are called to stay there need to be on guard. They need to do all they can to go on an all–out attack against the anti-Christ spirit that prevails there.
20. Up until now the masses in the world have been going along their own way, happy to be in the gray zone. But it's coming down to where the gray zone—that in-between state of being on the fence—is fading out in the world. The gray zone used to be pretty wide, but now it's narrowing down as things are becoming more and more black or white by the day. Things are getting more defined every day and people are having to make choices. It's coming. The day of sitting on the fence is almost over. Everybody's going to have to decide between the way of the world and the way of God.
21. As you know, the Devil is fighting hard right now in every way, but the reality of this is not sinking through some of our folks' thick skulls. They're forgetting what they joined the army for and the urgency of the battle we're in. Their eyes are blinded—some through the deceitfulness of riches, others through the lust of the eyes and through pride. It's almost impossible not to be affected by it in the U.S., where the pull is so strong. Unless our folks there stay mighty close to the Lord and His Spirit, always acknowledging Him and asking Him to lead every moment of the day, they're going to be pulled down.
22. The Devil's trying hard to hinder our people and slow them down, or even bring them to a deadlock. He knows he can't have them—they're saved—but he's slipping them a Mickey (an alcoholic beverage that is secretly altered to stupefy, render unconscious, or otherwise incapacitate the person who drinks it). He's trying to get in with compromise, carnal-mindedness, and the ways of the world. Of course he has to make it look acceptable and believable, even fun and exciting.
23. He'll try any way he can to hinder our folks, to stop them‚ and to get them to give up. Or even worse, to make it seem like they're not really giving up or failing the Lord‚ but only "broadening their horizons," just "being a little flexible," "getting a balance," "lightening up," and "enjoying life a little." All the while they don't even notice that the walls of their spiritual strength are in danger and crumbling all around them!
24. It's very subtle for those who are in the forest. It creeps up on'm and they don't even realize it's happening. There's nothing wrong with enjoying life in itself, but which life do you want to enjoy—the life of Christ and all His joy and love and ecstasies, or the life of the world with all its confusion, woes, and pain? All that glitters is not gold!
25. This temptation with worldliness is a plot orchestrated by Satan and his ilk to slow our folks down, if not bring them to a final halt and render them useless. It's a clever way to fight our folks, to get in with a hankering for the world. The Devil tries to get in and knock them for a loop with ways of shallowness, foolishness, carnal-mindedness and compromise with the System.
26. Fellowship with the world, and worldliness, is enmity with God! What fellowship has Christ with Belial? It's dangerous for our folks to be shallow and foolish and to hobnob with the world. Anybody who still has a hunger for fellowship with the world and worldly ways had better watch out! I used to say if you want to go down to the bar or out to a club to have fellowship with the world, watch out!
27. But nowadays you especially had better watch out, because you don't have to go to a bar or a club anymore to have fellowship with the world. The Devil is making it easier and easier to fellowship with the world all the time, so you'd better watch out! You can fellowship with the world anywhere, any time, because the various means of communication are so advanced these days.
28. That's why our folks have got to stay close to the Lord and on His channel‚ because fellowship with the world is all around. You can fellowship with the world while surfing the Internet if you don't pray. You can fellowship with the world while watching the evening news or flipping those TV channels‚ or while doing your weekly shopping right there in the supermarket with all those sights and sounds and trinkets of Egypt, and all that propaganda around you. Of course, shopping is necessary, but the Enemy will try to use it to get to you if you're not on guard—to make you dissatisfied with our frugal and simple lifestyle as you look around at all the goodies of Egypt, or slant your thinking into feeling that you need more of it to be happy. That's what advertising is designed to do—by the Devil himself!
29. All that can give you plenty of fellowship with the world, depending on how you receive it or how you balance it all out with the Word. You can fellowship with the world day after day in your witnessing and outreach and work for the Lord if you don't stay close to the Lord and keep your heart right.
30. It's a spiritual thing, and the only way our folks are going to be able to stay on track and stay dropped out is to stay mighty close to the Lord, pumped full of the Word, and in tune with the Lord and the whispers that all their helpers are sending down. They can be in the world but not of the world. Of course, I don't expect our folks to lock themselves up behind closed doors and high walls to protect themselves from the world. The Lord expects them to go out there and win the lost.
31. It's one thing to go out and be among the people, but it's another thing to go out and convert to their worldly ways. The Lord expects our folks to go out and pull them up out of the pit; He doesn't mean for us to go out and wallow in the mire right along with them. To be in the world, but not of the world‚ that is the question!
32. Worldliness is manifested in many different ways. Some of our people are tripping over minor things, self-righteously pointing the finger when others want to dress a certain way, style their hair a certain way, or talk a certain way. These outward appearances can be a manifestation of worldliness‚ but not always; it all depends on the individual.
33. We've put out quite a bit about dress codes and some of these more physical aspects of worldliness*, but far more important is what worldliness does to your heart and your soul and mind. People should search their hearts and ask themselves if they're starting to think like the System, or are desiring to be like the System. *(See ML# 2864:1–18, Lifelines 21; ML #3124-3125, GNs 735–736; ML #3160:176-184, GN 765; ML #3197:52-68, GN 803.)
34. Our people must arm themselves with the Word and the Spirit! They've got to stay so full of the Word and the Spirit that there won't be much chance to get tripped off. That's the only way; they've got to stay filled up. The thing is, they have to see the problem first. Be not ignorant of the Devil's devices! I'm here to tell you, he's trying to pull the wool over some of these guys' eyes!
35. Our folks who are questioning how far they can go need to ask themselves a few questions: How far do you want to go, and for whom? What kind of balance do you want? Are you looking just to do the least you can for the Lord—just to make it by the skin of your teeth, so you can go out and wallow in the muck and the mire of the swine pit the rest of the time? How far do you want to go, and with whom? That is the question! A lot depends on people's motives. What kind of liberties and freedoms do they want? Do they even know what liberty or freedom is?
36. Worldliness is to be full of the world and worldly ways. Who in Heaven's name wants that? We are dropped out of the world! For God's sake, who wants to go back to the world? It has nothing to offer but death! As the apostle said, "to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Who wants death?
37. I'm for liberty, for freedom! I think you know that. I'm for all the liberty and freedom I can get, and I want the same for every one of our folks! I worked my whole life to help bring our folks into more liberty and freedom—true liberty and freedom, not the false, hypocritical‚ fake‚ short-lived liberty of the world. So what kind of liberties do people want? If it's worldly liberties, forget it!
38. You know what worldliness is? Worldliness is being bound—it's not liberty! Worldliness is not freedom! It's very clear up Here. Worldliness is being all bound up within the boundaries of man. Worldliness is being limited within the narrow confines of man's own puny little finite mind. And freedom? What is free in man's world? Nothing! Poor, pitiful, fleshly man is not free. They're only bound slaves, chained by the conformity they've wrought with their own hands.
42. You want to know how far our folks can go in being worldly? Not one iota! If it means thinking like the world and wallowing in the filth of the world and getting their minds and hearts away from the Lord and His truth and His ways, forget it! For goodness sake, for Heaven's sake, and for the sake of lost souls, why would we want our folks to go the way of the rest of the world? Why do we want to give them leeway? We are to be in the world but not of the world! The Family is different!
43. I want to know where the fighters are! Who has the faith and the conviction and the guts to stand up and fight for their faith? I'm a fighter, and I always fought for the truth and for the right. You folks there in the U.S., and anywhere else, for that matter—I'm talking to the whole Family now—anyone who has questions and is being tempted with the ways of the world needs to get down and desperately pray for the Lord to renew your convictions. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to the crafty‚ subtle attacks of the Devil who is trying to get in and render you useless!
44. Are you feeling inferior? If so, you need to strengthen your foundation and your faith through the Word. When you preach the Word and live the Word you know you're right, and you have something that others don't, that they desperately need and want! Where are the people who are willing to stand up with some conviction and guts and deliver the message of God? You're not going to do this by compromising with the System. Who wants to hobnob with the world? Who wants to have a potential crack in your armor like that? Who wants to risk it?
45. Now remember what I said‚ there are lots of ways you can hobnob with the world. Our folks have got to be more prayerful and careful about all the propaganda of Satan that's flying around them today through movies, TV, material they read in books or on the Internet—all the sights and sounds and advertisements surrounding them.
46. The Devil has infiltrated everything; he owns the world, in a way. Not really, because the Lord is the Owner of the Universe, but Satan has free rein on Earth right now. He's promoting his lies, his thoughts, and his attitudes through every means available. Brainwashing is his business. They accuse us of brainwashing—ha! Choose who you would rather be brainwashed by—the Devil or God!
47. Do our folks want liberty to gain worldly knowledge? For what? Why would they want to get all confused and tangled up and misled by the false, phony theories of man‚ when they have the knowledge and wisdom of God and the secrets of the universe at their fingertips? The wisdom of man is just a decoy, but it holds an evil fascination for some. Lord, deliver our folks from these lying‚ cunningly devised fables of man! Deliver us from worldly ways and a hankering for the world!
50. The only way to be in the world and not of the world is to stay pumped up with the Word—to be inoculated with the Word and the truth. To hear fresh from Heaven on a daily basis, so that you will be able to stand up with conviction and give an answer to every man that asks. The way to be in the world and not of the world is to not go out and play their game along with them. If you want freedom to go out and be just like them, you're going to find out that fifth column in your heart will poison your soul! It's the Devil's own tool when our folks are being tempted with worldly ways and a hankering for the world.
51. We have everything right here in the Family‚ and more freedom and more liberty than our folks can possibly handle; in fact, some are not even able to handle it all right now! Why would our folks want to fellowship with the world? If people are feeling bored, tired, or not excited and challenged, it's because they're holding back on the Lord. The Lord is giving plenty of freedom and liberty to those who will take it.
52. We're not bound but free! Freedom to do God's will is the greatest freedom you can have! It's time to shed the shackles of the flesh and abandon the boundaries of man to enter into the boundless abundance of God! He has far more than the world can ever offer‚ only His freedom is forever! He has lots more to come!
53. He's pouring it on, and I venture to say that those who are dissatisfied or unfulfilled are those who are holding back. They're not letting go and letting God do a work in their hearts. They're not fully entering in to what the Lord is trying to give them—either through their own lack of belief, or through disobedience, or any other sins they have in their hearts—any Huddersfields that have a hold there. Or they're being duped, misled, and deceived by the subtle tricks of the Devil. All this propaganda all around them, if not washed out on a daily basis, will take hold in their hearts and minds as it has with some.
54. It's a day to shed the weights—to lay aside the things hindering them from grasping this new day and the New Wine and the thrills of Spirit He has for them! And this will not be possible for those who want to hold on to the world.
55. Worldliness is a state of mind and heart and spirit. It's carnal-mindedness and thinking like the world. It's very subtle, and our folks need to be on guard. God help us for meat not to destroy the work of God; not to compromise for some carnal idea or fleshly desire. Who needs it? We've got so much more! Our folks need to get their minds on Heaven! You folks need to enter into the Heavenlies by receiving all the New Wine that we're trying our best to pour out to you and help you understand. The Lord is pouring it on to prepare people.
56. The world is moving fast now. The day of serfs, supers, and super-dupers is here. Which will you be? If you folks can't learn to live in the spirit and not the flesh right now, you're not going to be able to make it in the End. The Last Day is going to be a day of miracles! It's a day of the supernatural—supernatural power and protection and miracles in order to survive. It's coming, and He's leading us into it right now. Our folks who want to waste time and strength and brains and brawn now on worldly ways and wallowing in worldly wisdom or hobnobbing with the world are going to be sorry!
57. You cannot serve God and mammon—and the day of forced choice is upon the entire world now. It's going to be forced because there will be no sitting on the fence then. Those who are setting their affection on the things above right now are going to be the ones who will stand strong in that day, because they will already have that connection. They're going to be the super-dupers of the End!
58. The ones who are giving their all right now to serving the Lord with all their hearts and minds and souls are going to be strong and do exploits! They're going to have the power and the wisdom and the strength to instruct many‚ because they'll have their minds and hearts in Heaven. They're going to live right through things that those who have fallen to worldliness and worldly ways will not be able to stand.
59. It's coming; there's no way out! Will you be a super-duper? Don't submerse yourselves in fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness—reprove them‚ beloved! Come out from among them, dear Family! If sinners entice you, don't consent. Stand up and fight and give them the truth! Hate the sin, but love the sinner. Love them and pull them up to your level, and only stoop down long enough to pick the sinner up. Pull them up on to the Rock that is higher than all the world has to offer.
60. Come out from among them and touch not the unclean thing! You guys need to remember who you are and what you are, and how important your job is—and jealously guard it from the attacks and onslaughts of Satan when he tries to tempt you with worldliness and worldly ways and a hankering for the world. You've got to remember it's a constant battle and keep your armor on all the time.
61. You need to remember you're strangers in a strange land, that this world is not your home. My goodness, to think of all the Lord gives you and has for you and has in store for you—you ought to be laughing and almost sneering at worldly ways and practices! If it wasn't so pitiful and sad, it would almost be funny. Where are the people with guts? Some of our folks have been half-hearted or double-minded and have left us. Will you also go away? Where are your convictions to stand up for the truth?
62. We're going on to a brighter day and we're free, free‚ free! Phooey on the false lies of Satan! Where the Spirit of the Lord is‚ there is liberty—and we have it! Are you with me? We have total and complete liberty—total freedom from the bondage of the world and its worldly ways into complete liberty and freedom of life through love. That's the only freedom there is! You cannot serve God and mammon. Which will you serve? (End of message from Dad.)
ML #3376:5, 8, 36-52, GN 973
5. (Jesus:) When I put the keys to the Kingdom into your hands‚ My brides, I said I desired to possess you. I love to possess you! As a man loves a woman and desires to fill her with his seeds‚ so I desire to have you—fully and completely! I want you to be Mine!
8. I need to take full possession of you—not in scattered moments here and there, but I want to possess you fully and completely all the time. I want and need to have full control in your lives—full possession. This is what is necessary for you to be able to open up and use the new gift I will put in your hands—you must let Me possess you. I want to give you this gift, yet for you to be able to open it and put it to use, I must possess you.
36. If you are going to work greater miracles‚ if you are going to fulfill your destiny, you must be Mine. You must be wholly‚ totally, completely possessed by Me, and in order to do this, you must put on My mind. You must more fully think My thoughts. You must allow the spirit of My mind to become one with the spirit of your mind. Your brain must be My brain. You must put on the totality of the mind of God.
37. How do you do this, you ask? To put on My mind, you must put off the mind of man, the mind of the world, the thoughts of Satan, the propaganda of Satan, the knowledge of the world, the wisdom of the world, the mind of vanity, the mind of flesh. You must put off a reprobate mind, a doubtful mind. Put off the carnal.
38. The carnal mind is enmity against Me—this is the crux of the matter. The carnal mind is the opponent of My Spirit, for it is not subject to My Law of Love, nor is it subject to the miracle-working power of My Spirit. Therefore, if you are going to be miracle workers‚ if you are going to call on the power of the keys and access them to the full‚ you must put off the carnal mind.
39. Throughout My Word I have chided My children to put on the mind of God, to be renewed in your mind, to mind not the things of the Earth, to set your minds on Heaven, to gird up the loins of your mind. That means putting up barricades to shield yourselves from the carnal. It means rejecting the wisdom of the world and not allowing this wisdom to enter and take root. It's rejecting worldly knowledge and ways, rejecting the enticements of that which is carnal.
40. I see you ponder: "This sounds nice in theory, but how do I put this into practice when I, being in the world, am surrounded by the things of the world?"
41. You do this by first calling on the power of the keys, and through the power of the keys, being doers of My Word—rejecting that which is carnal. The keys rule! My power rules! I am able to help you reject the carnal-mindedness of man and to put on My mind, but you must do your part. You must take action to clear your mind of all that is not of Me, of that which is carnal, that which is earthly.
42. If each of you will stop right now and carefully review what you spend your time doing, I will show you the areas where you need to improve. I will show you the areas in your life that need adjusting if you are going to fully put on My mind.
43. I want to fully possess you—but you must be of a ready mind, a willing mind. This is the step you must take if you are to use this new gift I place in your hands. You must desire the things of the spirit over the things of the flesh. You must put off the mind of man and put on the mind of God.
44. Many of you hold on to carnal-mindedness in some areas of your lives. These are hindrances that prevent Me from possessing you as I need to if you are going to hone the gift I wish to give you.
45. What you spend your time doing tells the tale. How much do you delve into the knowledge of the world over the knowledge of God—through movies, books, magazines, music, the Internet, the news media, through study of worldly knowledge and man's wisdom, through listening to the philosophies of men of the world that are not in accordance with My Word?
46. I am not asking you to put away all forms of recreation that involve the world, or always forgo or shun movies, books‚ magazines, the Internet, etc. But what you need to ask yourself‚ and ask Me above all, is how much these things influence your thoughts. How much time do you spend relaxing with those things, and how much time do you spend relaxing with Me? Do you take time in My Word to cleanse yourself after partaking of the things of the world, even when it's for simple relaxation? There probably is no more important time to seek to be cleansed than after delving into the world for relaxation and entertainment, because if you're on the job and doing research, you're more likely to be on guard and prayerful, and thus the Enemy cannot come in as much. But when you're relaxing, this is a time when the Enemy can often get in wholesale with his ideas and thought patterns and mindsets, because you're "just relaxing," so you take it all in without filtering it or measuring it against the yardstick of My Word, and without taking time to be cleansed afterwards through prayer, communion with Me, and even seeking Me about specifics that stick in your mind from those things.
47. There are also times when it's necessary for the sake of the work, and I give you the go-ahead to immerse yourselves in some of these things‚ when it's necessary to pass through the waters of worldly wisdom and knowledge. But I want you to ask yourselves, what care do you take to filter this input through the sieve of My Words during those times, both written and My Word in prophecy for you personally? Do you delve into the knowledge of the world and the ways of the world without following through with the cleansing process of My Spirit afterwards? Do you delve into worldly wisdom without proper inoculation and detoxification? Do you delve into worldly knowledge and let it linger? Or do you shun that which is carnal and put on My mind? Do you ask Me what I think about the conclusions you come to after talking with people of the world or reading their material? When you look something up on the Internet, do you stop to ask Me what I think of it‚ or if I agree with their conclusions, or if their information is even accurate by My standards and the way I know things to truly be? These are habits you must build if you are to be able to receive this gift I want to give you.
48. Or is your reaction when you read a GN or message from Me to weigh it against other so-called "facts" that you've learned from worldly sources, to see if My Words really "hold water" or are accurate? Do you judge the worldly knowledge or information or thoughts that you take in against My Words, or do you judge My Words against your own thoughts and other sources of information? If other sources of information are your yardstick‚ you need some serious adjustment in your mindset if you are to take on My mind and be ready to receive this gift I am waiting to give you.
49. What care do you take to filter carnal thoughts and wisdom through My Spirit, without fail? You must filter what contact you have with the world through Me, without fail, if you are to stay pure and undefiled‚ ready and able to be conductors of My full power. I have spoken to you of this need to filter all things through My Words and Spirit; now it must be put into continual practice.
50. In order for Me to have full possession, you must not only give Me your mind, but you must clear your mind and thoughts of all that is not of Me, of all that is worldly or carnal. You must be willing to relinquish those ideologies you hold so dear if they don't match up with what My Word says. You must be willing to believe Me above all, even when all your research and everything the world says seems to contradict it. These are sacrifices you must be willing to make if you are to truly put on My mind. When I gave you the greatest commandment, I said you are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This means you are to give all your mind to Me. Giving Me all your mind means you are not to give place to carnal-mindedness through retaining worldly wisdom and letting it become part of you.
51. The natural mind of man does not receive the things of My Spirit. Those who would be vessels of My great and awesome miracle-working power must retain My knowledge in all their thoughts. Worldly knowledge and carnal-mindedness surround you, it is true; you cannot escape being aware of it. However, there is a definite difference between awareness and allowing it to become part of you.
52. I have put you in the world, My loves, yet you are not to be of the world. To activate the new gift I will give you, you must come out of the world, be separate in all your ways, and touch not the unclean thing—that is, in your mind, in your thoughts, in your spirit. You can be in the world, but not of the world‚ only by putting on My mind. You may need to be aware of the worldly wisdom, yet you are not to let it become part of you, nor let it use you and guide you.
Maria #44, DB 3
1. (Maria:) MOST OF US WHO JOINED IN THE BEGINNING OF THE FAMILY HAD FEW IF ANY OF THE BENEFITS & EXTRAS THAT WE HAVE NOW! We didn't have any videos, any TVs, hardly any tape recorders, no wine & no sex! Most of us slept together communally on the floor in sleeping bags, boys in one room, girls in another. All we had was the Word! But that was enough, because it was satisfying & fulfilling! We didn't need anything else, we didn't even think about it or want it! We gave it all up!
2. NOBODY HAD ANY MONEY BACK THEN FOR ANYTHING! Sometimes the food wasn't so good! We hardly even had any clothes‚ just somebody's old castoffs. Nobody worried about those things & I think most everyone turned out pretty well. It didn't damage us permanently for life just because we ate donated left-over donuts & white bread sandwiches day after day. Nobody got hurt from it & the Lord kept us. TTL!
3. IT WAS A HARD LIFE, IT WAS RIGOROUS, IT WAS AN ARMY! Our mornings were spent in Bible classes & then we went out witnessing for 4-6 hours, then we brought visitors home & continued to witness into the night! It was hard! It was rough! It was a sacrifice! But today, most of our Family is not required to sacrifice in this way, and, in fact, have not even experienced this kind of sacrifice. You sacrifice in a way‚ by working hard out in the field witnessing, but in most ways you have all you need & even much of what you want.
4. AS DAD SAID ONCE‚ "IT IS ONLY THE FIRST GENERATION WHO FOUGHT & BLED & DIED FOR FREEDOM WHO REALLY APPRECIATE IT! The next generation didn't have to pay anything for it! They got it free, so they weren't interested in fighting & bleeding & dying for it! All they wanted to do was enjoy it! The second generation didn't have to pay as much for it, so they couldn't possibly appreciate its value." (ML #42:11)
5. WE DON'T WANT TO BE GUILTY OF THIS ATTITUDE. WE ALL NEED TO REALIZE THAT IT STILL COSTS EACH OF US SOMETHING TO BE IN THIS FAMILY! How revolutionary are you? Do you even know what it means to be "revolutionary"? Have you ever even read the "Revolutionary Rules", much less lived them? Or are you just here in the Family living for Jesus because your parents are, or because you have nowhere else to go, or maybe because it's a pretty good way of life with a lot of blessings & benefits.
6. THE WAY WE LIVE IN MANY WAYS IS MUCH LIKE THE SYSTEM. We have all the System conveniences & money & we even look like the System because we've had to shape up & clean up for PR. Sometimes we look so similar to the System that you kids are probably tempted to think, "What's the difference?" You really do start to feel unrevolutionary after awhile if you can't sing or praise the Lord out loud or if you can't practice some of our more radical doctrines openly‚ & if you have to dress & live like the System & in many ways act like the System. Outwardly you've got to be like everybody else. The days for being weirdy beardy Jesus freaks are over, & as Dad says‚ a real revolutionary must be revolutionary enough to pretend not to be a revolutionary when dealing with the System. We do need to look somewhat System on the outside in order to make it possible to continue to witness underground in the days to come—and even now.
7. SO IT'S NOT THAT WE WANT TO TAKE EVERYTHING AWAY FROM YOU NOW & MAKE YOU START SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR WITH 50 OTHERS IN A COLD UNHEATED WAREHOUSE‚ but you young people & more recent arrivals need to be conscious that our Family did sacrifice & that if the time comes for you to do the same‚ you shouldn't murmur & complain about sacrificing! We won't suggest that everybody throw away everything & go back to the way things were 17 years ago, but we should remember that that's a distinct possibility & that we probably will need to do it again someday!
8. AN ARMY OF SOLDIERS ON THE MOVE IN THE MIDST OF A BATTLE HAS TO FORGO LUXURIES & EVEN MANY OF WHAT ARE USUALLY CONSIDERED NECESSITIES. They have to lay aside all the weights that would hinder them from gaining the victory. Sacrificial, revolutionary living shouldn't be something that's completely foreign to our people. Our attitude shouldn't be, "Why should we have to give all this up? We deserve these things, we're Christians & the Lord should be good to us & provide for us!"
9. PHYSICALLY & MATERIALLY THE LORD HAS MADE THINGS EASIER FOR OUR FAMILY IN THE PAST FEW YEARS FOR SEVERAL REASONS. One, so we could multiply rapidly & have many children & better conditions under which to raise them. Another reason He's allowed us to benefit of more comfort & convenience is His Love & mercy upon us parents who are now reaching middle age & are not teens any longer, even though we may still feel young in Spirit. Maybe you can think of some other reasons, like so we'd have money for special tools for a greater outreach like videos, TVs, tape recorders etc.
10. WITH WORSENING WORLD ECONOMIC CONDITIONS & PERSECUTION‚ WE MAY BE REQUIRED TO GO BACK TO OUR EARLY LIFE OF SACRIFICE! You young people have never even had a taste of it, but you need to see that there are some sacrifices that will have to be made & you need to be prepared for it! You need to learn a bit about sacrifice & about having to do without things if necessary.
11. TO REFLECT ON OUR BASICS & THE BEGINNING DAYS OF OUR REVOLUTION FOR JESUS IS REALLY A HELP IN GIVING US BACK A VISION, even if we can't exactly live in the same style now as before. We can't go back to those days, but if we'll just reflect on the dedication & sacrifice of our first teens we'll be challenged to be willing to do the same if we're called upon to do it. It keeps the vision before us & the goal a little bit closer‚ otherwise we may tend to drift away from the real reasons that we are in this Family.
12. WE WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THAT SAME VISION OF 100% FORSAKE ALL & SACRIFICE. Are you willing to do the same? Even though we're not asking you to sleep on the floor & to live such an austere life, are you willing to live that way without murmuring & complaining? Are you willing to fight & die & suffer & do whatever it takes to carry on this war of the Spirit against the System & its evil? Are you willing to be totally married to Jesus, forsaking all other people & things that would keep you apart from Him? In spirit are you living that way now?—With the same willingness, the same dedication, the same desire to serve Jesus with all your heart & soul & mind & spirit no matter what?
13. (SARA: IT'S LIKE ASKING YOU, ARE YOU WILLING TO DROP OUT? Even in the Family right now you have to drop out of wanting to do things your own way & wanting things that may not be good or edifying. You may be hung up in a lot of things like girl/boy talk & dieting & free time.—When you have to learn to live Luke 14:33!)
14. NOBODY HAD ANY FREE TIME BACK THEN, we didn't have any coffee, we didn't have any wine, & we loved it! Those early teens had many more System hang-ups to forsake than you present teens do! Most had been in the System for 14, 16, 19 years! But they had to stop all those Worldly habits immediately, no questions asked, no complaints, no nothing! They had to drop out from doing their own thing into a completely different life!
15. YOU YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE TO DO THE SAME. You have to drop in to wanting Jesus & the Word & souls above all else. "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, & the things of this World will become very dim in the Light of His glory & grace." So if we ask you young people to give up a few of your old habits & hang-ups (it's really the Lord that asks you), that's nothing to what the early teens did!
16. (PETER: ONE BIG DIFFERENCE IS THAT WE HAD TO MAKE A DEFINITE DECISION TO LEAVE OUR OLD LIVES & OUR OLD WAYS OF DOING THINGS & OUR OLD THINGS TO FOLLOW GOD & FOLLOW THE FAMILY, whereas you kids were born into it. But you have to make a decision also: "This is it, I'm going to follow, not just because my parents are in the Family, but because I want to follow the Lord! I want to be a disciple of Jesus! I want to forsake whatever I need to, whether my things or my ideas or my bad habits or my time or my loved ones! I want to fight & die for the Truth!") That's right!
17. I THINK WE ALL NEED TO RENEW OUR VISION FOR SACRIFICIAL & REVOLUTIONARY LIVING, BECAUSE WE HAVE IT PRETTY GOOD! These days, for new disciples to drop out of their System home & into a Family Home does not make such a drastic difference. This is especially true on poor fields! In fact, in many cases it's a real step upward for babes who join. When they join, they no longer have to slave away anymore at a daily job for hours & hours with very little pay. Many are from poor countries & they are actually getting up in the World to join one of our Family Homes‚ & therefore not really required to make much of a sacrifice. But if the time comes when they have to give it all up, it may be hard for a lot of them because they've advanced their social status in some ways. They are living with "rich foreigners!"
18. IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG SHOCK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO EVENTUALLY HAVE TO MAKE SOME SACRIFICES & TO LIVE WITH A LOT LESS. Of course it's not only going to be the Family that has to suffer deprivation & sacrifice material things!—The whole World is going to be in that condition! There's going to come a time when it's going to get worse & when the Lord's people are going to have to flee, & conditions are going to be a lot rougher for the Family than other people, especially in the End. So we're all going to have to somehow be prepared for some sacrifices!
19. WE'RE PRETTY RICH & INCREASED IN GOODS COMPARED TO WHAT WE USED TO BE & I'M NOT SO SURE IT'S SO GOOD FOR US SPIRITUALLY! Of course, in some ways it's necessary for the reasons we brought out before, & also because we're winning a different class of people than we did in the Early Days. The hippies were glad to join an "any old pad" type of life. But there are some advantages to having a little more "respectability" for PR & FFing & for reaching the top & their children. The Lord seems to be blessing us materially so we can appeal more to System people who look so much on the outward appearance.
20. OF COURSE THERE'S A DANGER IN LOOKING TOO GOOD, because here you're supposed to have forsaken everything to live for the Lord, & your friends & fish & kings & queens may wonder how you could have done that & still have so much. There has to be some kind of balance. If you can take them into your house & say‚ "Look, we provisioned this & the Lord sent us this & we also provisioned that & our other king gave us this, & the Lord supplied this by a miracle," that's different. You should show them that the Lord really did provide it, that you gave up everything in order to live for Jesus & He blessed you & provided for you & gave you back much more in return. But if you look too rich & you have even more than they do, they're not going to feel much like helping you! The balance is to not be greedy or overly mindful of material things to where you try to collect them just for themselves or for your own carnal desires.
21. YOUR MOTIVE SHOULDN'T BE TO GET THESE THINGS JUST FOR THE COMFORT OR THE LUXURY OF MATERIAL THINGS OR FOR WHAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT THINK OF YOU! If your motive is really for the ministry's sake & the sake of the Lord's work & accomplishing your job, then the Lord will bless & give you just what you need, & not too much & not too little. PTL!
22. JUST DON'T LET THE MATERIAL BLESSINGS THE LORD BESTOWS ON YOU BECOME SO IMPORTANT to you that you can't give them up if He asks you to. Don't let the "cares of this World & the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word" (Mat.13:22) so that you become unfruitful! Make sure that you have the right attitude about those blessings & that you instill that attitude into others by your good example! The Word & Jesus must always have first place in your heart & your thoughts & your time.
23. SACRIFICE IN OUR LIVES SHOULD NOT BE MERELY AN EXERCISE TO PROVE TO OURSELVES, OTHERS OR THE LORD HOW SELF-DENYING WE ARE & how righteous we are. We don't want to sacrifice merely for the sake of sacrifice or try to earn merit with the Lord. For us sacrifice & forsaking all & denying ourselves & taking up our cross are just part of the requirements for being a dedicated revolutionary for Jesus, something we do when called upon & necessary in the line of duty in our life as a Christian soldier in the Lord's Army.
24. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN OUR LIFE FOR JESUS IS NOT SACRIFICE, ALTHOUGH WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SACRIFICE IF NECESSARY. THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ARE LOVE FOR HIM & OTHERS, resulting in our obedience, submission, yieldedness & a willing spirit. If we have these, we will be a true revolutionary for Jesus. We won't have to worry about sacrificing, because sacrifice will just come as a matter of course in our life for Him, & when we are called upon to sacrifice we'll do it because we love Him. If we're willing, yielded & obedient we'll be good soldiers who aren't going to be entangled with the things of this World or dragged down by them, neither with material wealth nor the personal weights of our own selfish desires & attitudes. (Gal.5:1; 1Jn.2:15)
25. OUR GOAL IS TO BE TRUE REVOLUTIONARIES FOR JESUS, 100% DEDICATED TO HIS CAUSE of exposing & destroying evil & bringing in God's Kingdom right here & now. If we're willing & yielded, submitted to Him & obedient‚ all the other qualities & qualifications of a revolutionary will follow: We'll be looking for a City Whose Builder & Maker is God. We won't be tied down to this World. We'll be willing to fight & die for Him because this World & what it has here, even the attractions & the comfort of the physical flesh & its comfortable selfish attitudes, will no longer appeal to us. Our hearts will be 100% dedicated to the Lord & our treasure will be in Heaven. (Heb.11:10)
26. WE'LL BE WILLING TO CHANGE WHEN THE LORD SAYS CHANGE—change our direction‚ our home, our loved ones, our lifestyle, our habits, our attitudes, our clothes, or our hair, because it won't matter to us anymore. Our only purpose for living will be to live & die for Jesus. We'll be willing to sacrifice anything for Jesus & we'll be happy to get rid of the Worldly weights that so easily beset us, in order that we may get the job done. We'll be able to run the race & win.
27. WE'LL BE READY TO MOVE, TO CHANGE‚ TO GO OR TO STAY AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE. We won't resist change because we know that only with change can come progress in getting rid of the old & overcoming evil, & bringing in the new & implanting the good in men's hearts & minds.
28. SO‚ OUR GOAL IS NOT SACRIFICE.—OUR GOAL IS TO BE A TRUE DEDICATED REVOLUTIONARY FOR JESUS. Our goal is to be yielded, obedient clay in the Potter's hands, so moldable & pliable that He can make us into whatever He wants & then break us again & make us into something else if the need arises.—A Christian revolutionary so obedient to Christ's call that when He says, "Go!", we go, "Stay!", we stay‚ "Fight!", we fight, "Abound!", we abound‚ "Be abased" & we are abased. When He says "Go ye into all the World & preach the Gospel to every creature", we go. And when He says, "Come unto Me all ye that labor & are heavy laden & I will give you rest," we rest in His arms. When He says, "Fight the good fight of faith", we fight with everything that is within us. When He says, "Stand back & see Me fight!", we stand back & see Him win the victory. When He says, "Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price‚" then we act like it. (Phil.4:12; Isa.30:21; Mk.16:15; Mat.11:28; 1Tim.6:12; 2Chr.20:17; 1Cor.6:20.)
29. WHEN HE GETS DONE MOLDING US INTO THE VESSEL HE WANTS; WE DON'T QUESTION "WHY HAST THOU MADE ME THUS?" When He says, "Lovest thou Me? Feed My sheep," we don't make excuses but we go & feed His sheep. When He says‚ "He that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be My disciple", we say, "Yes, Lord, all that I have is Thine. And here it is." (Rom.9:20; Jn.21:16,17; Luk.14:33)
30. IF WE'RE 100% YIELDED & OBEDIENT REVOLUTIONARIES FOR JESUS, WE CAN'T BE OLD BOTTLES, because we are so busy changing, moving, fighting, serving & exploding, that we don't have time to get settled down & become brittle & unbendable & stuck in our rut. We're new bottles no matter how old we are, because it is our spirit that counts. If we're 40 years old, we can be just as much a new bottle as if we're 12 years old. But if we're 12 years old & not obedient & yielded, we can be just as old bottlish as some 40 & 50-year-olds.
31. THERE IS NO AGE LIMIT IN THE LORD'S NEW BOTTLE ARMY, ALTHOUGH THE OLDER ONES OFTEN HAVE TO FIGHT A LITTLE HARDER to overcome years of getting settled down & weighted down with the cares of this life. But that should make them even better fighters as they know they have to fight all the harder, even get more stirred up & more angry at evil & more enthusiastic for the good. True revolutionaries for Jesus dream the dreams that the World says are impossible, but they see them come to pass & materialize before their very eyes, because "With God, all things are possible!" (Mat.19:26)
If two line up to run a race, and one has prepared and practiced and built up his muscles‚ and the other has done nothing‚ and they are at the starting line and the gun is fired, the one that is prepared will run the race with speed‚ with strength‚ and with energy! But the one who did not prepare will run the race in pain, gasping for breath, slowly dragging behind, yet still running.
You must choose which runner you will be by making those choices today in the days of preparation. Are you taking seriously those things which I am saying to you? Are you learning to tune in to My Spirit and to work together with your helpers—those of the spirit world who can show you things that you don't know and lead you and guide you?
Are you shedding the things of this Earth and becoming more Heavenly minded? Are you setting your affections on things above and not on things of this Earth? Are you living My Words? Are you loving your brothers and your sisters? These are the things that strengthen the spiritual muscles that you will need in the days ahead.
If you want to know when these things will be, I say to you, they are coming. They are coming! They are coming! Hearken unto the Herald! For the Herald says, "The days are ahead! The days are coming! The days are almost upon you! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Look not to the right hand. Look not to the left. Look straight ahead. Get ready, for the day is at hand!" (ML #3027).
I pray not that you would be taken out of the world, but that you would be kept from the evil. For you must be in the world, yet you are not of the world. Therefore be separate and touch not the unclean thing, and sanctify yourselves through the truth of My Word.
Know that it is one thing to be splashed by the waves, and yet another to dive into the sea. You may walk along the shore and dip your feet into the sea. As you walk along the water's edge, although there be moments as the waves come in and go out that your feet get wet‚ yet are they still firmly planted, safe and sound, on the shore. But should you dive into the water, there is always the danger of the strong undercurrents that will pull you and carry you out to sea. For the waves come and crash and beat upon the shore‚ seeking that which may be carried out to the sea.
And so it is that as you go out into the world, ministering to those in need—into people's homes, into their offices and public places to witness—you are exposed to ungodly sights and sounds. Your feet are exposed little by little to the water at the shore's edge. You are exposed, yet not carried out to sea. For in these times I do protect you and keep you as you look to Me. The need is there, and I do pour out My protection.
This small amount of exposure helps you to become more aware, so that you may know what you are talking about should you be asked if you've heard this song or that; that you may answer a matter in full knowledge and with conviction.
Although you are exposed to the garbage, and though you are aware and not ignorant of the filth without, I would that you not swim in these polluted waters. For Satan's sights and sounds are all around; they surround you on every side. And this I pray, not that My Father will take you out of the world as yet‚ but that He will keep you from the evil. For you are in the world, yet you are not of the world. Therefore be separate and touch not the unclean thing.
Watch your children's hearts and minds. Guard them as you would the greatest treasure that you have ever had, for indeed they are. So guard your children well‚ guard your sheep well, and guard your own mind and heart well. A true shepherd will heed this warning and watch over his flock by day and by night.
You cannot stop the evil that is in the world, but as I prayed, "Father, keep them from the evil," so should you pray for your children and your flocks and for your own self. For as times wax worse and worse, and the evil and the darkness fall heavily upon the Earth‚ you must fall heavily upon Me and upon your knees in prayer.
Keep yourself pure. Keep yourself simple and full of the truth. Avoid the glitter and the hype of the System, for it will drag you down. No matter how strong you may feel or think you are mentally, physically or even emotionally, your spirit will be affected badly if you do not prayerfully walk this road.
Just as a soldier walks cautiously down a lane full of snipers‚ you must do the same. You must discipline yourself, your children and your flocks and keep them from the evil, for this is your job as a shepherd. I speak to all of you shepherds and all of you parents. These children I have given you are a gift. They are My children and I wish them to be pure and full of love, simplicity and truth—not to be filled with the evil, the lust, the greed, and the vanity of the System. (ML #3053)
There are those who say‚ "I am so unhappy! I am so unfulfilled! I feel the need for so much more. I look out at the System and it does not seem so bad. Can't we learn from the things others have experienced? Can't we partake of the good which is out there—of that which seems to be so good?" They question in their hearts. They feel the need to fill this vacuum that they have.
And there is indeed an empty space in their hearts. It is a real need. When men's hearts are empty, they are unhappy and unfulfilled. They desire to be happy. They desire to satisfy this hunger that they have. They look around and they see that which is appealing in the System and they try to fill this vacuum.
But what they do not see or understand is that in order to receive the full benefit of My promises, they must fulfill their part. This is not easy for some, for they think they will find no happiness in laying down their lives in sacrifice or in surrendering their all to Me. They do not see how that could make them any happier or fill the vacuum that they have in their heart.
But those who do‚ who give their all in love for Me and yieldedness to My Spirit in laying down their lives in unselfishness, experience the true joys and ecstasies of My Spirit which are beyond comparison with anything else in this world! They satisfy the heart like nothing else can. They fill the need and they fulfill and satisfy that hunger.
There is only one way that this comes, and that is through full surrender and yieldedness to Me, and loving Me. Many can work and can love Me to a certain extent by physically doing that which I ask them, and that is not wrong in itself. But as I have said before, I desire your love more than your service, more than your words, more than any other outward show. I desire your heart.
When you give your heart to Me fully‚ then I am able to satisfy your heart. Then that longing for the world, that emptiness‚ that wanting to fill your life with new or exciting things is no longer the same. You still desire to go forward in your life, to experience and to live and to love, but the emptiness is not there.
1-3, 5, 11, Word Basics
Jn.15:19Ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world
A. We are citizens of Heaven:
Heb.11:14They...declare plainly that they seek a country
Heb.11:15,16Now they desire a better country...an Heavenly
Heb.13:14Here have we no continuing city...we seek one to come
Jn.14:2,3I go to prepare a place for you...that where I am, there ye may be also
(See also Jn.18:36)
B. We're sojourners in this world, pilgrims passing through:
Heb.11:13Confessed they were strangers & pilgrims on the earth
Psa.39:12bI am a stranger with Thee, & a sojourner
Psa.119:19aI am a stranger in the earth
C. Earthly lands & homes are only temporary:
Lev.25:23bThe land is Mine (God's); for ye are strangers & sojourners with Me
D. Our life on earth is brief, so we do not settle here:
1Chr.29:15We are strangers before Thee, & sojourners...our days on the earth are as a shadow
1Pet.1:17Pass time of your sojourning here in fear (of God)
(See also Psa.39:4‚5)
E. Guard against thinking this world is your permanent home:
Psa.49:11,12Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, & their dwelling places
A. Christians are not part of this present worldly society:
Jn.17:14-16They are not of the world‚ even as I (Jesus) am not
Rom.12:2aBe not conformed to this world
Eph.2:2,3In time past ye walked according to the course of this world
Gal.6:14The cross of...Christ, by whom the world is crucified (dead) unto me, & I unto the world
Phi.2:15The sons of God...in the midst of a crooked & perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world
1Jn.4:4–6They are of the world...we are of God
1Jn.5:19We are of God, & the whole world lieth in wickedness (malignant evil)
(See also 1Pet.2:9)
B. We are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers:
2Cor.6:14Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
2Cor.6:15What part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
C. We are not to have close friendship with the Christ–rejecting worldly:
Pro.1:15My son, walk not thou...with them; refrain thy foot
Pro.24:1Be not envious against (of) evil men‚ neither desire to be with them
1Cor.10:20,21I would not that ye should fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, &...of devils
Eph.5:11Have no fellowship with the...works of darkness
(See also Pro.4:14–17; 13:20.)
D. We are to be separate from the worldly:
Isa.52:11Go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of [them]; be ye clean
2Cor.6:17Come out from among them, & be separate...touch not
Rev.18:4Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers
E. Do not become entirely separate; we must witness:
Jn.17:15Not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but ...keep them from the evil
Jn.17:18As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world [to witness]
Mk.16:15Go ye into all the world, & preach the gospel
A. Caution not to love this present world:
Jam.4:4The friendship of the world is enmity with God
1Jn.2:15,16Love not the world, neither the things that are in world
B. The pilgrim's attitude:
1Pet.2:11As strangers & pilgrims, abstain from fleshly [worldly] lusts, which war against the soul
Tit.2:12,13Denying ungodliness & worldly lusts...live soberly...in this present world; looking for that blessed hope
Heb.11:24-27Moses...choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God...forsook Egypt
Jam.1:27Pure religion...to keep unspotted from the world
1Pet.1:17(God) judgeth...every man's work, [so] pass the time of your sojourning here in fear
2Pet.3:11,14Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be
1Jn.2:16,17The lust of the flesh, & the lust of the eyes...is of the world. And the world passeth away
C. We should resist being influenced by trends‚ fads & media:
Exo.23:2aThou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil
Psa.1:1Blessed is man that walketh not in counsel of ungodly
Pro.1:10My son‚ if sinners entice thee, consent thou not
Rom.12:2aBe not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
1Cor.7:31bThe fashion of this world passeth away
Col.2:8Beware lest any man spoil you through...vain deceit (See 1Pet.3:2-4 re: fashions.)
D. Warning against indiscriminate worldly entertainment:
Psa.101:3I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes
Psa.119:37Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity
Isa.33:15He that walketh righteously...shutteth his eyes from seeing evil
2Ki.17:15bThey followed vanity, & became vain, & went after the heathen that were round about them
E. The detrimental effect of this wicked world on believers:
2Pet.2:7,8Lot...in seeing & hearing [filthy Sodomites], vexed (tormented) his righteous soul...with their unlawful deeds
2Pet.3:17Beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your steadfastness
F. Peer pressure & influence:
1Ki.12:3-16[King Rehoboam foolishly followed the counsel of] the young men that were grown up with him
G. Don't compromise or tolerate worldly ways:
Exo.23:32Make no covenant with them, nor with their gods
Exo.23:33They shall not dwell in thy land...for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee
1Tim.5:22Neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep...pure
Gal.1:10Do I seek to please men? If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ
A. Caution against pleasing to the point of compromising:
Lk.6:26Woe unto you, when all men speak well of you
2Ki.5:17,18In this thing the Lord pardon Thy servant, that...I bow myself in the house of Rimmon (a heathen god)
B. We should stand up for, & not be ashamed of, our faith:
Mk.8:38Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me & of My Words in this ...sinful generation; of him shall (I) be ashamed
Rom.1:16I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ
2Tim.1:8aBe not thou ashamed of the testimony of our Lord
1Pet.4:16If any suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed
C. We are not of this world, & it hates us for that:
Lk.6:22Men...shall separate you from their company, & reproach
Jn.15:18,19Because ye are not of the world...world hateth you
1Pet.4:4They think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you
A. Much modern secular education is godless or anti-God:
Job 21:14They say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways
Jer.4:22They have none understanding: they are wise to do evil
Rom.1:28They did not like to retain God in their knowledge
2Cor.11:3I fear, lest...as the serpent beguiled Eve...so your minds ...be corrupted from...Christ
Col.2:6-8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy... after tradition of men, not [according to] Christ
B. The wisdom of this world:
Jer.8:9They have rejected the Word of the Lord; & what wisdom is in them?
Zech.7:11,12They stopped their ears, that they should not hear...lest they hear the Words which the Lord sent
Rom.1:21‚22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools
1Cor.3:19The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God
2Tim.3:7Ever learning, & never able to come to the knowledge of the truth
(See also 1Cor.1:17–29; 2:1-16; 3:18-20.)
C. Most worldly knowledge is not profitable:
1Cor.8:1,2Knowledge puffeth up, but (love) edifieth
2Tim.4:3Heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears
D. Jesus & His disciples were not highly educated:
Lk.1:80The child (John) grew...& was in the deserts
Jn.7:15How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
Acts 4:13When they...perceived that they were unlearned & ignorant men, they marveled
1Cor.1:26,27Not many wise men after the flesh...are called
(See also Psa.8:2; Lk.10:21.)
END 57
By Rick Warren, Baptist Press
You'll either be a worldly Christian or a world-class Christian.
Worldly Christians look to God primarily for personal fulfillment. They're saved, but self-centered. They want to use God for their purposes instead of being used for His purposes. In contrast‚ world-class Christians know they were saved to serve and were made for a mission. They're eager to receive a personal assignment and excited about the privilege of being used by God. They wake up each morning expecting God to work through them in fresh ways.
Which type of Christian do you want to be? God invites you to participate in the greatest and most significant cause in history—His kingdom. He's building His family for eternity. Nothing matters more and nothing will last as long. Getting involved as a world-class Christian will allow you to experience a little of what Heaven will be like in advance.
Here's how to think like a world-class Christian:
* Shift from self–centered to other-centered thinking. The Bible says, "Be not children; ... in understanding be men" (1Corinthians 14:20). Children only think of themselves; grown-ups think of others. God commands, "Look not every man on his own things, but … also on the things of others" (Philippians 2:4).
* Shift from local to global thinking. God is a global God. He has always cared about the entire world. "God so loved the world...." From the beginning He has wanted family members from every nation He created.
The best way to switch to global thinking is to just get up and go on a mission project to another country! Quit studying and discussing your mission and just do it!
World-class Christians also pray for the world. People may refuse our love or reject our message, but they are defenseless against our prayers. Like intercontinental missiles, you can aim a prayer at a person's heart whether you're 10 feet or 10,000 miles away.
* Shift from temporal to eternal thinking. To make the most of your time on Earth you must maintain an eternal perspective. This will keep you from majoring on minor issues and help you distinguish between what's urgent and what's ultimate. The apostle Paul said, "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).
So much of what we waste our energy on will not matter even a year from now, much less for eternity. Don't trade your life for temporary things. Jesus said, "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62), and Paul warned, "And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away" (1 Corinthians 7:31).
What are you allowing to stand in the way of your mission? What's keeping you from being a world-class Christian? Whatever it is‚ let it go. "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us‚ and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). Shift from thinking of excuses to thinking of creative ways to fulfill your commission. God doesn't want to use just some of His people; He wants to use all of His people. He wants His whole church to take the whole Gospel to the whole world.
If you want to be like Jesus, you must care about what He cares about most; you must have a heart for the whole world! You can't be satisfied with just your family and friends coming to Christ. There are over 6 billion people on Earth, and Jesus wants all His lost children found. The Great Commission is your commission, and doing your part is the secret to living a life of significance. Jesus said, "Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the Gospel's, the same shall save it!" (Mark 8:35).
(Dad:) Amen! Be willing to even be considered a "fool for Christ," as Paul and the early disciples were. It sure beats being a fool for the world, a slave to the System and its mind-numbing conformity, materialistic madness and Mammon worship!
Making the decision to be a world-class Christian is a daily one, and it's also a daily battle against worldliness, especially in many Western countries. You really have to fight to remain clean in heart and mind by going to the Lord and His Word, striving to love Him, not the world and the things in it (1John 2:15–17).
As you lay down your life for the Lord and others in His service—even "dying daily‚" as Paul put it—you'll know true freedom, genuine fulfillment, real meaning and purpose, and you'll receive a hundredfold for everything you've given up in the world! That's the Lord's promise (Matthew 19:29-30), and one you can claim in full faith!
Copyright © 2004 by The Family International
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