Maria
December 7, 2005
By Maria ML #3548 7/05
Dear Family,
1. I pray that you enjoyed the first batch of messages from "Jesus' Life on Earth, Part 1," and the deeper insights He gave us into the life He led when He was "made flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). And if you were inspired and encouraged by them‚ then you're likely anticipating more, and will be eager to read the following messages (and those to come in Part 3).
2. For me, these messages are like taking a trip back in time and finding out a little more about what it would have been like if I had been one of Jesus' disciples in His day, and hearing some of the things He might have told me. They make me feel trusted, loved, and taken into His confidence. They make me appreciate all the more the sacrifices that He made to come to Earth to teach us His ways and bring us into His Kingdom.
3. These messages also make me appreciate being Jesus' disciple in this day and age, and that He's still speaking to me—and all of us—today! They make me so thankful for the gift of prophecy, which enables us to not only find out about the present, but also the past and the future. They make me want to be more like Jesus, and live like He did, and I pray that they will do the same for you.
With love and prayers, as you read and apply these principles from our wise and understanding Lord,
Mama
4. P.S.: As you'll probably notice when you read these messages, they're short and they jump from one topic to the next. But if you realize that each message is just an excerpt of a longer message and that they're not meant to thread together like a flowing story, it will make for easier reading. This is simply a potpourri of messages—some shorter, some longer—on a number of different topics, which I pray will be interesting and a benefit to you. God bless you!
(Note: All of the text from this point on, unless otherwise noted, was given by Jesus in prophecy.)
5. When I was on Earth, I was a great teacher and My disciples reverenced My Words. They respected Me and loved Me. However, My Words and My shepherding were not the only things I provided for them. I gave them My heart, I gave them My time‚ I gave them My friendship. The Bible doesn't record all the times we just enjoyed each other's company.
6. We had such great times—times of relaxation, times when we would tell stories; times when we would laugh; times when we would talk about their families; the things we liked; the things we wanted to do; our dreams, our aspirations. It was during those times spent together that we grew closer. They saw that I had not come to Earth only to speak My truth and message, but I had come to get to know them, to find out about their hearts, what they thought, how they felt, and to show them that I, too, was a man of similar passions.
7. My disciples saw that I was someone who could understand their own lacks, failings, and weaknesses. I saw them, understood them, and they were My friends‚ those I had entrusted with continuing the mission that I had come to Earth to fulfill.
8. A policy that you should take as your own is one that I personally practiced when I said, "I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends" (John 15:15). If you become more communicative‚ friendlier, and more approachable, you will be more like Me. While I needed time alone with My Father, My disciples knew they could seek out My assistance, counsel, support and prayer as often as they needed it. I was Shepherd and Friend, Savior and Brother.
9. During the 40 days I spent in the wilderness (Mark 1:13), I fought one battle that was not recorded. One of the things I had to fight the hardest during that time was the realization that as I stepped out to serve the Father and fulfill My destiny, I would be placing My earthly family in an awkward position. I knew My mother would stand by Me in the end, but I also knew that she would be torn. I knew My brothers would have to turn away from Me in order to save face in their community. And I knew My mother would be torn between what they complained about concerning Me and what she knew was God's will in My life.
10. It is not unusual for only one or maybe two members of a family to rise above the norm and be different and unique. I often have allowed this type of situation to sift My children. I was sifted in the same manner, so I understand how difficult and trying it is. I know how to overcome, because I fought this discouragement in the desert, and with My Father's help I won. And now I wish to give you that strength of vision as well.
11. In the wilderness I cried out to My Father to renew My vision and bolster My faith. I asked Him to show Me what would happen if I yielded to My brothers and the way they were pulling Me. He did. He showed Me clearly. One was a path that led to eternal life for My brothers and all of My loved ones, including you. The other was a life of clay, being one of the ants in the anthill, not making enough difference to be remembered for more than a generation after I died.
12. When I was on Earth and I was full swing into My ministry, I had to seek My Father for the right attitude on how to interact and communicate with My earthly mother and father, and My brothers and sisters. I found that a prophet has no honor in his own land and among his own kinsmen (Mark 6:4). The familiarity was strong with those who watched Me grow up‚ and when the Holy Spirit descended upon Me and I received the anointing for My ministry, it was still difficult for those who had known Me all my life to look beyond the flesh. They had always thought of Me in a certain way, as a lowly carpenter and nothing more. Their unbelief was great, and because of this I couldn't do mighty works among them (Matthew 13:53-58).
13. I tried to deliver the message to My Own kin, but when it became apparent they were not going to change, I had to seek My Father for the right perspective regarding My flesh–and-blood relations. He helped Me see that "My mother and brethren are those who hear the Word and do it" (Luke 8:21). When I came to this realization, I was then able to establish My priorities. There were times when I simply had to tell My relatives that I had to be about My Heavenly Father's business.
14. As My Father told Me, I tell you today: If you don't love Me far more than your own father‚ mother, wife, children, brothers, or sisters—even more than your own life—you cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:26). And to love Me far more than all these others is to put Me first in every area of your life. It's to do My will—to preach My Gospel and be about My work, rather than spending too much of your time socializing with those who have no intention of doing My will, or who want to pull you away from doing it.
15. With few exceptions, those of your flesh and blood will be a pull in the wrong direction. Mine were, and in getting My priorities straight, I had to often put off seeing them‚ as you can see in My Word. My mother and brethren came to Me one day while I was preaching to a large crowd, and My disciples told Me that they wanted to speak with Me. I responded that My mother and My brethren were those who hear the Word of God and do it, and I went about My more important work of preaching the message I was sent to preach (Mark 3:31-35).
16. It's not that I didn't love My mother and My brethren. I loved them dearly. But I knew that what was most important, even more important than My fleshly ties, was obeying My Father in Heaven, doing His will‚ proclaiming His truth, and fulfilling the mission I came to Earth for.
17. Even though I had difficulties with some of My family, others of them came through and supported Me. At times My mother did not understand why I did not give her more honor, the kind of honor that other sons bestowed on their mothers. My mother did not understand why I did not honor her by being more of a support to her in the natural, as other sons were.
18. The care that sons gave to their -mothers was a sign of their honor. So because I had to be about My Father's business, and was called to travel around in service to Him, I wasn't able to serve her and be there for her as she would have liked Me to. But because of the sacrifices she made in allowing Me to serve My Father in Heaven, she received greater honor from Him.
19. Honor your parents for their sacrifice in giving you to Me, even though they might not understand or totally agree with you on some things.
20. My Own flesh family had to go through persecution with Me. They had to hear the accusations of My accusers. They witnessed the progression of My ministry, heard My words of truth, saw the miracles and healings and deliverances at the hand of My Father, all the way up to My persecution, betrayal, and execution. They suffered when I suffered because of their love for Me, but it was necessary so that they could be firmly convinced in their own mind that I was the Son of God. They were given the privilege of witnessing My persecution for their own sake, for their faith's sake, because no one else would have been crucified for the sins of the world, except He Who was destined to as the Son of God.
21. Persecution was a testimony to My flesh family that I was Who I said I was. It hurt them, it caused many troubles in their life, but in the end it strengthened their faith more than ever.
22. Mary sat at My feet, hearing My Words and loving Me. Martha meanwhile was rushing about. I said to her, "Thou art troubled with many things" (Luke 10:38-42). What did I mean? The many things were all the jobs and busy things she had her eyes on—so much to do‚ and the work never -ended! Why was she troubled by them? Because she thought in her own carnal reasoning that if she didn't do it, who would? No one. Thus she needed to do it.
23. She left Me out of her reasoning. She gave her work top priority, so she had to trust in her own logic about the situation. She left out the fact that through the workings of the spirit‚ I and My heavenly helpers could intercede and come to her aid and work out what I call those "other things," and what she called "priorities."
24. She had her eyes on the flesh and her mind in the carnal realm, and she forgot about the spirit. How could she forget about My marvelous Spirit after all the wonders of the Spirit she had already seen? Because she got her eyes and mind off Me. She was looking at everything else around her, and getting herself in a tizzy about things—caught up in a whirl of her own righteousness, of how she thought things should be, and even how she thought I wanted things to be—but she wasn't attuned to what I really wanted: her time and attention.
25. Martha did have the right idea about caring for others and loving them, and wanted to show Me that love through her works—except that I had something very new and special that day to add to the depth of her faith and spiritual experience.
26. As I shared with Mary about how important it was that we not get entangled with the things of this world so we can keep our eyes on Heaven and rise above, Martha was running around being the dandy bad example of everything I was teaching Mary that day. As Mary gazed into My eyes in wonder and understanding, swimming deeply in the cool waters of My Spirit, never wanting to leave that place in time or space—that's when Martha could stand it no longer and interrupted—"Jesus, ask Mary to help me! She's just sitting there. Don't You care about me?"
27. Our dear sweet original Martha has learned so much since that famous example that has gone down in history—both on Earth and since coming to Heaven. She is now one of My many "Marys" in Heaven. She doesn't feel bad when people quote the example of her mistake from the Bible‚ because she wants to do anything possible to help others not to make the same serious mistake of putting the Master's service before the Master. You'll be so amazed when you meet her Here—you'll wonder indeed, "Is that you, Martha?" for she has overcome. She puts loving Me and spending time with Me in first place. She's a wonderful example to many.
28. What gave Me the compassion‚ the understanding‚ the desire to be your High Priest? How could I have ever totally understood what you go through each day? How could I have understood the pain of loss, of defeat, of the frustrations you feel over your own weaknesses and failings? How could I have understood the depths of sorrow and loss over losing one you care deeply for? I loved you from the foundation of the world, but I never fully grasped the depths of what you went through until I came to Earth and I lived that life and felt those agonizing lacks.
29. It was not until My heart was shattered at feeling cut off from the One I loved above all—My Father—that I fully understood your need and the battles you face. This is something that you cannot gain through observation. Such total comprehension of this comes only in the depths of your heart‚ and you can only gain this by personal experience. When you weep in anguish at what you see as the loss of the things most dear and precious to you, you then understand the full meaning of loss.
30. But there's a bright side to this. I went through the experience of being separated from My Father, yet in the end I became closer to Him than ever before‚ just as you will grow closer to Me as a result of the difficulties you face in life, or your failures. Through these times, I give you the privilege to gain the most priceless gifts: true depth of compassion, the full understanding of the heart, and the ability to relate in a way that can only come from the deepest reaches of your spirit.
31. Don't you think that if He could have, the Father would have come down and taken My place on the cross? The agony He felt at seeing what I had to suffer was every bit as painful for Him as it was for Me. But had He done so, He would have robbed Me of My bride—you! He would have taken away My crown, because it was in going through what I went through that I am now able to rule and reign and love you in a way that I could not have otherwise.
32. Did I not take some of My greatest disciples down some of the darkest roads in preparing them to do mighty things? Did I not take Peter down the road of the ultimate shame in denying he even knew Me, before turning him into a fearless witness and worker of miracles in My Name? Were not Mary Magdalene, Matthew, Zacchaeus, and others, at the extremes of being far off in sin and failure in the eyes of man? Yet I turned them into great testimonies of faith and transformation in My time.
33. I can do the same today. Those who are sinners and failures in the eyes of the world are not beyond hope and My transforming power. And even when you're in the depths of despair, going through dark and difficult experiences‚ I can bring you through and make you an even better follower of Me, closer to Me than you have ever been before.
34. As I launched out in My ministry, as I went around everywhere trying to do good‚ as I was faced with the need, My faith was tested. I continually had to look to My Heavenly Father for answers, for solutions, for leading and guidance, and this is what kept Me strong.
35. In the midst of battle was when My faith flourished and I grew in stature and in wisdom. I grew to love the battle‚ because I knew I was fighting for you—for your heart, for your soul, and for your life, and no price was too high to pay. I knew it was a battle worth fighting. I knew it was a battle for all eternity, a battle for keeps, and I knew the rewards were worth it all.
36. It was a battle for love, a battle for the right, a battle of the worlds. I was in the war of the worlds and I knew I was on the winning side. It was a battle between good and evil‚ a battle to defeat Satan and his horde of demons, and this drove Me to victory. I liked to fight the Enemy when I walked on the Earth, because I knew I was fighting for the right, the side that cannot lose. Each time I looked to My Father, with each victory won‚ I grew to love the fight. I liked defeating the Enemy.
37. When Satan would try his tricks of twisting My Father's Own words on Me, I loved to wield My spiritual weapons right back at him. I delighted in watching him turn tail and slither away in shame and disgrace, for he had to flee. It was a thrill to My heart every time the angels came and ministered unto Me, and this encouraged My faith.
38. As I kept My eyes on Heaven, I knew all of Heaven was on My side, and I could not fail as long as I did not give up. As long as I kept fighting, I knew I couldn't lose. It didn't matter what I was feeling‚ for I learned that feelings were not a proper gauge. My faith was fixed on Heaven‚ and this is what brought Me through.
39. As I looked on the multitudes, I knew it was worth it all—every test, every temptation, every battle, every trial. Just thinking about others, just thinking about you, made it worth it all, and I knew that My sufferings were not worthy to be compared to the payoff—the glory that would be revealed in Me.
40. The thought of suffering in vain, of having to come to Earth and take on human flesh and give up all the glories of Heaven's reward if I did not run the race and win, was more than I could bear, and this realization helped Me to press on. Would I suffer so much in vain? Having come all that way, to give up would have been defeat—to quit just before final victory.
41. The mere thought of this gave Me courage to cry out to My Father, "Nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done!" (Luke 22:42). At that point, in My flesh, I felt like giving up, but I knew I could not trust in My feelings. I knew in My heart what I had to do, and by calling on My Father for help, I received the strength to carry on, and His Spirit in Me carried Me through.
42. Yes‚ this was the secret to My victory, as it will be the secret to your victory—call on Me and ask Me to help you keep the vision. Keep your eyes on Heaven. Keep the heavenly vision. Live in the vision of Heaven and be strengthened. For as I knew My sufferings were not worthy to be compared to the rewards ahead, so you, My children, can know the same (Romans 8:18). All that I have promised unto you I will perform, just as My Father has done for Me. As I am glorified in My Father, so you will be glorified in Me.
43. Therefore, be encouraged as I was encouraged when I walked on Earth. Walk on, knowing that there is a plan and that you have a purpose, a reason to live and a reason to fight. Let this thrill your hearts and cause you to hold on to Me, to stand up and be counted in spite of setbacks, to not let seeming failures get you down, but rather let them spur you to action as you glory in the battle, wielding the most powerful weapons this world has ever known as you defend the faith and answer Heaven's call!
44. When I asked My disciples who they thought I was, dear Peter responded, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." I then told Peter that on this rock, this fact, I would establish My church—the body of those who believe in Me—and that the gates of Hell would not be able to prevail against it. The gates and all the forces of Hell, all the demons, all the archdemons, and even Satan himself would not be able to stand against the mighty power of the church that I unleashed when I was on Earth!
45. And then I gave My disciples the keys of the Kingdom (Matthew 16:18-19). These were spiritual keys that enabled Peter (and those like him who were living in faith, expressing their faith, and obeying Me by faith) to bind whatsoever they needed to, on Earth, in Heaven, or in Hell, in order to advance the church.
46. The power of the keys is what I gave them, and what I have given you now as the Endtime approaches, in a new, enhanced sense. You can lock up the demons of Hell and all the bad influences and work of Satan. And you can unlock all the wonderful, mighty, invincible and incredible power of Heaven with the keys that you hold in your hand.
47. Peter received the infilling of the Spirit, he experienced My forgiveness for his denial of Me, he found his calling, and he let it rip in great power and anointing!
48. When I walked the Earth and saw the frailty of man, and experienced men's suffering and pain and afflictions, as I was touched with the feelings of their infirmities‚ I was moved with compassion upon them (Matthew 9:36). I was moved to help them and to reach out to them, to touch them and to heal them. But in order to accomplish My mission on Earth, I learned that I needed to spend time with My Father, time in prayer and in earnestness of spirit to make the connection and to receive from Him in order to be able to give to those in need.
49. Likewise, when I sent My disciples‚ My followers, out into the highways and the byways—not only to seek and to save that which was lost, not only to preach the Gospel, but to heal the sick—they learned that they needed to partake of the Father's Spirit in order to have the power to release many from the plagues which bound them. There was a time when they tried to cast out the demons, but learned that their own anointing and gifts were not enough. I explained to them that that kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:14–21).
50. They found that it wasn't enough to preach in My Name, but they also needed to spend time in prayer and in desperation in order to make the connection and to keep the connection with the spirit strong. For My gifts are given in different degrees according to the need and the urgency of the situation, and the strength of the battle in the spirit, as well as My disciples' desperation and faith.
51. Healing is spiritual energy. For instance, when I was touched by the woman who reached out with faith to stop her bleeding, she drew from Me virtue, the power and energy of the Spirit (Mark 5:25-30). For this reason, I had to spend time in prayer‚ drawing from the power of My Heavenly Father before I was able to minister to the people. It was as if during those times alone with My Father I was being recharged with the virtue of the Spirit that I needed in order to go out and minister to the multitudes.
52. I drew from My Father's source of energy, and the people in turn drew from Me what I had received from the Father. My physical body had no power of itself to heal, neither did My physical mind. But My Spirit was the relay station for power from on High, which was converted to healing energy in those who reached out with faith and desperation.
53. Because of My divine nature, I was blessed with all that the Father had to give—what you call the gifts of the Spirit. I had the gifts of wisdom, healing, miracles, and prophecy. However‚ of My Own self—that is, of My human nature—I had nothing. It all came from the Father and His hosts of ministering spirits who were at My disposal. That is why I said that there was none good except the Father, and that the works that I did were not My works, but the Father's, and the Words that I spoke were not Mine, but from the Father (Mark 10:18). Because I was in the flesh of man, all that was of the divine nature had to be given to Me from the Father‚ and to get it I had to spend time with Him.
54. I would have you follow My lead while I was upon Earth.
55. You know that I was touched with the feeling of your infirmities, and was in all points tempted as you are (Hebrews 4:15). Let Me tell you about My experience with a near mental collapse when I was a young man on Earth. I experienced the torment of the Enemy's voice. I understand the feeling of being overwhelmed and not in control of yourself. The Enemy tried to kill Me, not only mentally, but he tried to kill My body by tempting Me to jump off a mountain.
56. I suffered mental exhaustion almost to the point of collapse. I not only wanted to please My Father in Heaven, but I wanted to be a good son to My earthly parents, a good brother, a good friend, a good example, a good everything. I was driven in My fleshly mind by a sense of responsibility. I knew the power wasn't in Me‚ that it had to come from God‚ My Father, but I struggled with My human mind at times and with the attacks of the Enemy. I had to learn to fight him and fight the temptation to lean to My Own understanding. I was the Enemy's main target and he tried everything he could think of to get Me to give up My crown and yield to him.
57. When people today read about how the Devil tempted Me in the Bible, they assume because I was the Son of God and I had all power, I could just lift My little finger and destroy the attacks of the Enemy, but they don't stop to remember that I was also a man. I had to learn to fight the Enemy as a man, like you‚ using the weapons of the spirit that I had—prayer, the keys‚ calling on the help of My Father and spirit helpers, rebuking the Enemy and his demons and quoting the Word. I learned that when I fought in the spirit I would win.
58. Sometimes the Enemy's attacks would frighten Me so much that I thought I was going insane. Here I was, the Son of God, so why was I having such a spiritual battle? What was wrong with Me? Where was My power? Those were the times I experienced fear in My human mind, fear that I was sinking, fear that rescue wouldn't come, fear that My Father would not save Me. I had to learn to overcome human fear‚ to depend on the Spirit and the Word of My Father. I had to learn‚ like all men of faith, to stand on the Word and not allow the Devil to steal away My faith in My Father's promises. The Word and the weapons of the spirit were My source of strength and overcoming, and they will be yours, too.
59. As long as I looked at Myself in the flesh, as long as I tried to fight My way out of the attacks of the Enemy with My Own two hands, I felt I was only sinking deeper. But as soon as I started fighting in the spirit with My spiritual weapons—calling on the keys, asking My spirit helpers to come to My rescue, and fighting in prayer and praise, the Enemy had to leave Me alone. Then My angels would come and minister to Me. They'd come to encourage Me on behalf of My Father. They'd bring Me His message of encouragement, they'd tell Me He was proud of Me for fighting. They'd lift up My face and kiss My tears away and encourage Me to keep going.
60. I understand the weakness of the flesh. There were so many times when I felt like it was all too much and that I just didn't have the strength needed to go on. It was in times like these that I had to cry out even more desperately for My Father to give Me the supernatural strength that I needed to accomplish My tasks, to fulfill the job He had for Me.
61. At times I was tempted to wonder why it seemed so difficult. Couldn't He have made things a bit easier for Me? It was hard enough being in a physical body, enduring pain and hunger and tiredness through lack of sleep, but to have to endure the difficult spiritual battles as well—to have to rebuke demons, to have to fight for others and their healing‚ and to have to endure the temptations and difficulties the Enemy kept throwing My way—were real tests.
62. I'm so thankful I was able to cry out to My Father for help, and that He always came through for Me in the end! Sometimes it was a test; I couldn't see how things were going to work out in the flesh‚ so I had to trust that My Father knew best and that He had everything under control.
63. At times it was difficult to hang on‚ knowing that further battles and tests and difficulties awaited Me. However, for each moment of time, My Father would always come through for Me, until I was able to say, at the end, "It is finished!"
64. I never received much thanks or appreciation while on Earth, but when I rejoined My Father, I was more than repaid for every sacrifice, every difficulty‚ and I would gladly do it all again if I needed to. It was worth it—every trial, every difficulty, and every temptation. It was worth it all. So My message to you is to hold on. Keep on keeping on day by day!
(To be continued.)