April 14, 2006
FD/MM/FM February 2006
[ ] "Looking Unto Jesus," ML #126:25–27, Vol.1
[ ] "Serfs, Supers Or Super–Dupers?—Which Will You Be?" ML #1036:37-39,42,44-45,59-62, Vol.9
[ ] "God's Financial Blessings," ML #2813:1‚25-40, Vol.20
[ ] "More On George Mueller," ML #2814:1-3,7-11,18,23–29, Vol.20
[ ] "Be a Missionary," ML #3135:105–110, Vol.24
[ ] "Be Ye Separate," ML #3363:55-69,146-147,151-165, GN 959
[ ] "Potent Prayers," ML #3566:105-116, GN 1154
[ ] FJWL 1, #82, 415
[ ] "Practical How-to Aid for the CS Board Criteria," GN 1108
[ ] "Supply," #1-2,4-6, Word Basics
25. (Dad: ) GOD USUALLY USES PEOPLE TO HELP US, but if you start getting your eyes on man, the gift and the giver instead of the One who inspires him to give—the Lord, your givers may soon lose their inspiration, and you'll be doomed to disappointment! God wants you to look to him‚ and ask Him, and follow Him, and obey Him! Then He'll bless your means of supply! But if you lean mostly on the means and the men instead of the Maker, you'll soon be in a mess!
26. GOD SAYS, "I THE LORD THY GOD AM A JEALOUS GOD, AND WILL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME!" He doesn't want you getting your eyes on anything else more than Him, looking more to man than his Maker! And God doesn't have to have anything to begin on! … Don't look at the waves! Keep your eyes on Jesus! Obey Him!
27. BUT TO DO THIS‚ YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH HIM, KEEP YOUR SPIRITUAL RADIO ON, and follow His directions! He's not limited by many or by few! He doesn't have to have anything to begin on! He made the world out of nothing—Pretty good old world, isn't it? He hung it on nothing—Hangs pretty good, doesn't it? And he can make something out of nothing—even you, if you'll listen, trust, and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey! Are you doing both? The one cannot go without the other! You can't obey without trusting, and you can't trust without obeying! It's a two way street!
37. (Dad:) UNDER THE ANTICHRIST KINGDOM, IT'LL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO HOLD ANY KIND OF JOB or to buy or sell or trade or anything without the Mark of the Beast. So you and me as Christians will find it impossible to hold any kind of System jobs in that day because it will require the system number, 666, the Mark of the Beast.
38. SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL GET READY RIGHT NOW, and the best training you could possibly have right now for surviving that kind of situation is to train and do it right now!—And that is to live by faith trusting God for your needs, your food, your clothing, your housing, your transportation and the opportunities of witnessing and litnessing and spreading the Gospel and winning friends and influencing people and FFing and all the rest.
39. OUR CHILDREN ARE GETTING THE VERY BEST POSSIBLE KIND OF TRAINING THEY COULD POSSIBLY GET RIGHT NOW to survive that kind of a survival situation in which they're going to have to know how to survive without the System and without its approval and without its Mark and without trading, buying or selling, without its jobs, just trusting God and obeying God and living by faith and living off the land or in the woods or mobile or in a survival situation of some kind and witnessing the best they can, secretly, Selah and all the rest.
42. THAT WILL BE THE END OF ANY KIND OF ASSOCIATION WITH THE SYSTEM WHATSOEVER, any connection or any survival with its approval. It will be impossible to survive except by miracles of God and faith and living by faith and in a survival situation, totally independent from the System entirely‚ without its Mark and without its approval and without its benefits and unable to buy or sell.
44. LEARN NOW TO LIVE BY FAITH, LEARN NOW TO SURVIVE UNDER DIFFICULT CONDITIONS, and learn now how to live in a survival situation. Learn now how to live and travel and work for the Lord by faith and know His Word and preach the Gospel by whatever means are available under whatever circumstances exist, whether it be open, free, in public, or more and more repressed and oppressed and suppressed and limited and restricted and even forbidden to where you cannot openly witness or litness anymore, but have to do it secretly and underground.
45. I THINK OUR CHILDREN ARE GETTING THE BEST POSSIBLE TRAINING they can possibly get for that kind of a coming survival situation—totally living by faith, totally living for the Lord full time—because there won't be anything else to live for and there won't be anybody else to live for. There won't be any jobs available for people who don't take the Mark of the Beast—except witnessing!
59. THE ONLY CHRISTIANS WHO ARE GOING TO SURVIVE ARE THOSE WHO KNOW ALREADY HOW TO LIVE BY FAITH in a survival situation and be mobile and continue to obey the Lord so that He'll protect us and provide for us supernaturally and even miraculously under those very severe difficult trying times when the Lord says that "there shall be a time of trouble such as was not since the beginning of the World, no nor ever shall be!" (Mt.24:21.)
60. IT'S GOING TO BE THE WORST DAYS THE WORLD HAS EVER SUFFERED and the worst time the people of faith have ever suffered of horrible persecution and suppression and even slaughter. But some of us will survive! The Lord has promised supernatural protection.
61. WE SHALL EVEN BE ABLE TO CALL DOWN FIRE OUT OF HEAVEN from God to destroy our enemies, and He will supply us food supernaturally like He did the Children of Israel in the desert, manna, and He can clothe us and house us and transport us and do all kinds of miraculous things with us, supernaturally, because that's what it's going to take.
62. THAT LAST DAY IS GOING TO BE A DAY OF MIRACLES, and the supernatural to protect His children and to keep them and to keep them functioning and active and continuing to witness to the very end until Jesus comes! Hallelujah!
1. (Mama:) Since Dad has already published so many tremendous Letters on God's financial plan, this will be just a little checklist to remind you of the Lord's requirements for receiving His financial blessing.
25. Have more Word-based faith. I'm concerned about the Family's general lack of faith for the Lord to supply their needs. I believe that many of our Homes may be leaning too much on the arm of the flesh, depending on the video, tape and poster distribution to bring in funds, rather than praying it in. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."—Heb.11:6.
26. Of course, the Lord wants us to do our part, to do what we can do. He doesn't want us to just sit around and not do anything and just say, "Lord‚ drop it from the sky!" But it seems to me that the Lord's not allowing our tape distribution, our support from kings, our provisioning etc. to be enough. Most of our Homes can manage to get by, yes, but not quite enough to really give us the edge that we need so we don't have to live hand-to-mouth, so we can do more follow-up and more ministering to people‚ so we can really do the right kind of ministering‚ and even have a chance to relax sometimes‚ and sit back and pray about things and think about things and not just be rushing out the door every day from dawn to dusk trying to get out the videos and the tools just to get enough money to survive that night and the next day! So I'm concerned that we need more faith for the Lord to do what we can't do‚ and for Him to do it supernaturally. "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for Me?"—Jer.32:27. (See also Mat.6:30-33.)
27. I feel convinced that the Lord wants us to expect miracles—and in order to do this we need to fight what many people refer to as the "it-can't-be-done" spirit, the lethargic spirit of lack of faith and leaning on the arm of the flesh. So let's fight that spirit, and get stirred up and really pray and look to God for outright miracles!
28. Desperately pray and rely upon the Lord. When it comes to our physical needs‚ in many ways the Family in general has gotten away from real utter dependence on the Lord, and the Lord alone! They've gotten more dependent on the funds generated through the distribution of our tools and on our needs being supplied through provisioning.
29. Now I want to hasten to say that we do need the videos, we do need our distribution tools.—And the Lord almost forces us to get them out because we need support. If we didn't, we probably wouldn't be as faithful to get them out. So I'm not demeaning those or belittling that or saying we're not doing the right thing in bringing in support through distribution. The same goes for provisioning; we need to provision. I don't think the Lord will bless us if we don't provision, or if we don't get out the tools. "I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread."—Psa.132:15.
30. But I feel we're lacking in real full-of-faith desperate prayer for the Lord's supernatural supply through whatever means! Our Homes need to pray for the Lord's miraculous‚ supernatural supply in a very supernatural way, not just through the videos—which‚ in some ways, comparatively speaking, can almost become like the "arm of the flesh." It's important to ask the Lord to bring in support through our tools, but that's usually not enough! We definitely need to have desperate prayer for the Lord's supernatural supply to not just be able to survive‚ but to have all that the Lord wants us to have in the way of comfort and convenience and efficiency. "Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips."—Psa.21:2.
31. The Lord supplies our basic survival needs through our fund raising by means of supporters, newsletters, distribution of our witnessing tools, etc., but He could give us much more if we would desperately pray for those "extras," those things that aren't exactly luxuries, but neither are they desperate needs—they are, however‚ things which will help us to be more comfortable and to serve the Lord more easily. The Lord wants to give us above all that we can ask or think, and He wants to supply all our needs according to His great riches. "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing."—Psa.37:4; 34:10.
32. If you read the story of George Mueller, the man of God who helped thousands of British orphans in the last century, you'll see how he raised thousands and thousands and thousands of Dollars during his lifetime, which back then was a huge amount‚ for his orphanages. He had a policy that he would never ask anyone for anything. He only asked the Lord! He lived totally by faith. He simply prayed it in. Of course‚ the Lord used people to give him the money, but it was completely the Lord's doing, because he never asked anyone but God. (See Good Thots 2, Pg. 1814, for more on George Mueller.)
33. Many Christians of the old school seem to have used the same practice. They simply believed that, "Our Father Who seeth in secret will reward us openly." They didn't think they should ask anyone except the Lord. Now, of course, we know better, and we know it's not only all right to ask others, but the Lord wants us to. His Word plainly says, "Charge them that are rich in this World, that they be rich in good works and ready to distribute" and share their wealth!—1Tim.6:17-18. The Lord wants us to give a blessing to those who‚ when asked, respond to the need. But in Mueller's case, the Lord honored his faith tremendously! He prayed in thousands upon thousands of Dollars!—God moved people to answer this dear man's prayers. I've heard of many other stories of miraculous provision when people prayed and just gave their needs to the Lord. And we may find ourselves forced in the future to raise our support by relying on the Lord's miraculous supply alone, but we can be assured He will never fail. "The Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging [lacking] bread."—Psa.84:11; 37:25. (See also Rev.12:14.)
34. But now, although we can in full confidence employ the Scriptural principle that "they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel" and "if we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things," we need to make sure we have the right balance and not get to relying so much on the help from these supporters that we forget that the Lord wants us to also ask Him for His direct, miraculous, supernatural intervention and help. The problem is often that we mainly ask others but we don't ask the Lord enough. The point I'm trying to emphasize is that we need to have more desperate prayer for our needs, that the Lord will directly move others, through our prayers, when we have done what we can with our limited personnel and time.
35. If you're doing all you can and being obedient to the best of your ability but you're still lacking, what you need is desperate prayer. When you pray with your whole heart‚ God will move and work in your behalf. "Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him."—Jer.29:13; Psa. 91:15. (See also Jer.33:3.)
36. As I've said, of course the Lord does supply through provisioning, and through our distribution of our videos, tapes and posters. But I believe that the Lord wants to also supply supernaturally!—Like "The Dime from the Sky," just to show that it's completely Him, that He's done it all, that it didn't have anything to do with something we did! If we go provisioning and we ask for something, well, then we can pat ourselves on the back and take a little of the credit. If we go out videoing and postering, we can do the same. Of course, we know the Lord opened the doors, but we did a lot of the work.
37. That's usually why the Lord allows us to get in desperate situations, so we'll have to depend on Him and Him alone‚ and look to Him for miracles. When you just pray it in, you haven't asked anybody but the Lord, and then when He supplies it, you know it's a total miracle!—It gives you a tremendous boost in the Spirit to know that you didn't do anything about it except call on the Lord desperately to do the miracle! It's wonderful! It increases your faith so much to see real miracles that you know are miracles! There is no doubt that nobody but the Lord had anything to do with them! He doesn't have to share the glory with anybody! (See Judges 7:2, as well as "The Two-Way Supply Street," in FSM 225.)
38. Marianne, for example, has reported repeated instances when they were desperate for finances. Even though they had kings and supporters available who would have been happy to help them, because their kings were already doing so much for them, they felt hesitant to approach them for anything more. So they desperately asked the Lord to do miracles in supplying the large amounts of funds they needed, and the Lord never failed to come through for them every time.
39. The Lord wants us to pray‚ to call out to Him to supply our needs, and He's promised that He will!—"My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus!"—Phil.4:19. So whether He supplies via distribution or provisioning, kings or any other method, it's still His supply. If He brings in enough through videos and provisioning and kings and all the rest, well, praise God, it doesn't really matter how the Lord decides to work!
40. But what does matter is that we need to take more of our needs to the Lord in desperate prayer. It's not enough just to pray a little routine prayer, "Lord, please help us to get enough videos out to pay the rent." That attitude is somewhat a reliance on ourselves and how much work we do, how many times we go out. The Lord will honor our depending on Him rather than on people or tools, or anything else. He'll be pleased by our faith and trust in Him, our confidence in His Love and care, and He'll bless it! We need to make our support a matter of real desperate prayer, even maybe praying that the Lord will miraculously supply it, if for nothing else than to increase our faith! "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."—James 5:16b; Heb.4:16.
1. (Mama:) George Mueller made a vow to not tell anyone else, not look to man, but to look to God alone for his needs. (See Hope #31.) We've been saying somewhat the same thing lately, that we need to look less to man and more to the Lord, to trust the Lord for our needs, and to have more faith to ask the Lord to supply.—Not to the exclusion of asking others, but in addition to asking others. It's pretty obvious to me that looking to the Lord and seeking Him for miraculous supply of our needs is what's lacking in our Homes‚ because they do ask man a lot. They ask a lot and they receive a lot. But our Homes' needs are so great and so tremendous that they can't be supplied just through asking man. They just don't have enough people to do enough provisioning and ask for enough donations to be able to supply all their needs!
2. We have such big needs that it doesn't seem that just "asking man" is fulfilling them. I don't think that it's impossible to have all our needs supplied through distributing tools and provisioning; I think we could get enough that way if it were the Lord's will, but the Lord obviously is not allowing those means to supply all our needs, because in a way, it is leaning on the arm of the flesh. On the other hand, it is the Lord's will that we do ask others and let our needs be known, but there is a fine balance there; and when we go overboard in looking to man and asking man too much, that's when I think the Lord is displeased.
3. So on the subject of how to go about getting our needs supplied, we agree with Mueller in part, but only in part. We agree with his point about asking God to supply our needs—we should definitely ask God much more than we do, and have faith that He hears our requests and is going to answer. Then we will expect supernatural miracles of supply. But we don't agree with Mueller's point of view that we should never ask people and never let our needs be known to those who can help us.
7. If we just stayed secluded in our little Homes, just desperately on our knees praying all the time, well, the Lord could certainly supply our needs that way, but that would cut off our communication with so many people who need the Message, people with whom we come in contact when we're compelled to get out and seek support. The Lord puts us in a position of having to get out and ask for donations because what do we give them in return for their donations?—We give them the Word! We need food, support and other material goods, so He forces us to go out there and ask for it‚ so in the process we will give them spiritual food and spiritual support. The Lord blesses us as we pour out spiritually, and He blesses them as they pour out materially. So there are a lot of reasons why our distribution of tools and our provisioning is the right way to do things!
8. We've been doing the right things, but we've gone overboard in them until we put too much trust in man, and leaning too much on the arm of the flesh with the tools. The Lord even said that in prophecy at the Summit '92 meetings, that we've been leaning too much on the videos and the tapes and even the provisioning, so that it's become the arm of the flesh. We've gotten to the point where we think we have to get out there and get out the tools or else we're not going to survive.—We're not trusting the Lord like we should! So we're a bit lacking in the thing that Mueller was the strongest in.
9. The Lord is a God of balance. The Bible says, "A false balance is abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight."—Pro. 11:1. He is a God of balance and of temperance, moderation. His ways are not usually either black or white‚ like either we do this thing or we do that thing. The Lord wants to teach us all to grow up and mature. He teaches us wisdom through knowing where the right balance is in things.
10. So I'm not saying that the way we raise our support is wrong, like the provisioning and receiving donations for our tools. The problem is that we've gone overboard. We've become so used to leaning on those means of supply that that's all we have the faith for now. We're afraid to do anything else and we're not trusting the Lord as much as we should.
11. Real trust in the Lord means believing that He'll do it no matter what you have or don't have. Real trust in the Lord isn't believing, "If we have these videos the Lord is going to save us!" Or, "If we can provision down at the local market, then we know the Lord is going to take care of us." Real trust in the Lord is trusting and believing Him even if you don't have anything!
18. There's a definite difference in our callings and our ministries, and those of George Mueller. So in printing this story of this very dear, precious man who has been an inspiration to millions in the last almost 200 years, we are not suggesting that in any way it is the Lord's will for us to stop our provisioning and our distribution of the tools and getting donations for them. That is not at all what we're suggesting. What we're trying to show in this story is that when we need God's supply and we turn to Him, God is able! When we've done all we can and gotten all we can get from man and we still have further needs, we're not to doubt and refrain from asking the Lord, but we're to go to Him and expect that He is going to do the miracle that we ask. Instead of looking around and thinking, "Now who else haven't we asked for help in the last few months," we should pray! Pray and ask the Lord to bring it in, ask the Lord to give it to us!—Or who to go to for help.
23. It's a real good exercise in faith to pray in the Lord's supernatural help. Now we know that the supply we receive through donations and through provisioning is the Lord supplying. The Lord is doing it. But there is a big difference in the Lord supplying it for us through these means when we depend so much on them‚ in fact almost exclusively on them, and the Lord just supplying in a supernatural and miraculous way when nobody really knows our need and we've just taken it to the Lord alone. It's a real exercise in faith!
24. You might ask, "Well, why should we do that? Why do we need this exercise in faith, praying in miracles of supply? We're surviving okay." Yes, you may be surviving, but most of our Homes come up pretty short. They can survive, but they could be living abundantly. They could be rich in the Lord, but instead they're very impoverished because they don't have enough faith to really pray and trust the Lord for His supernatural miraculous answers. They have some faith, yes. They have enough faith to pray and go out there and get out the videos, or go to the markets and do provisioning, and that's great! That's faith! That's good! That's more faith than a lot of people have!
25. But if you're putting your total faith in those things, the Lord isn't pleased with it. He wants you to extend your faith. He wants us to strengthen our faith and launch out into the deep and put our nets down and catch a whole draught of fishes! He doesn't want us to just be living with scarcity and with want and to just be able to survive. You might ask, "Why do we have to increase our faith now? After all, Dad says when we're dying, then we'll get dying grace. And by the same token, when we're in the Tribulation and when we're in conditions where we don't have anything, then we'll have to trust the Lord. So can't we just wait until then?"
26. Well, this is a little different situation than needing dying grace for some time in the future when you're dying‚ because this is a need right now! You are surviving, but you could be surviving so much better! You could be living abundantly, if you would step out and have more faith. We're not talking about living luxuriously, but we're talking about having the little extras that would make life more convenient and comfortable to enable you to do a better job for the Lord. "Delight thyself also in the Lord and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart!"—Psa.37:4.
27. The Lord doesn't want you just to wait until you have nothing in the Tribulation for you to have faith for Him to miraculously supply your needs. Even right now you really don't have enough, because many of you are just living hand-to-mouth. You're expending so much time and energy on bringing in support, and your thoughts and efforts are so concentrated on raising support that, even though you're witnessing to people, you don't really have your mind on their needs and feeding them. You're not giving it your all. You're not really totally ministering to them as you should be.
28. If this is the case with your Home, then you'd better revise your thinking. It looks to me like you really need to get down to business with the Lord and trust Him for some miraculous supernatural answers to prayer for your support, while you concentrate on really winning these souls and following up on people spiritually, and not worrying so much about your support.
29. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might."—Ecc.9:10. And, "Do all to the glory of God."—1Cor.10:31. When we're trying to get support for ourselves, we're not really seeking first the Kingdom of God, we're not really doing it to the glory of God, we're doing it selfishly. Of course, our support is a need‚ but the thing is we should be supplying others' needs and allowing the Lord to supply ours. (See Mat.6:31-33.) We shouldn't be trying to supply our physical needs to the neglect of others' spiritual needs. If we try to supply others' spiritual needs‚ then the Lord will supply our physical needs. "The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself."—Pro.11:25.
105. (Jesus:) My missionaries learn to live by faith. They learn to lean upon Me and to expect Me to supply their every need, and I do. This tests their faith. This causes them to use their muscles of faith, which strengthens them. Living by faith strengthens their faith and causes them to grow. Living by faith keeps them uncompromising and pure. In living by faith they stay true to My precepts and true to their convictions, for they know this will bring down My blessings. Living by faith keeps My missionaries unspotted from the world, for they are dependent upon Me and My supply, and not upon the world.
106. Through living by faith, My missionaries learn to be thankful, to be appreciative of the little things, and to give Me thanks and praise for all that I do in their lives. They learn the value of little things, of diligence and carefulness. They develop the gift of praise and thankfulness which helps them to shun murmuring and complaining, which would darken their soul and countenance. They learn to love Me and to praise Me and to thank Me for the smallest answers to prayer, for the smallest provision and gifts at My hand. And so they shine with such beautiful and radiant spirits of love and thankfulness. They learn to praise Me when things are good, and praise Me when things are not so good. This gives stamina to their spirits and endurance to their faith as they learn to praise Me through all seasons.
107. Living by faith polishes My missionaries and makes them shine! It gives them a special depth, a special worth that can only be found through prayer and praise and thanksgiving, through living a life of thankfulness. Through their hardships and difficulties I stretch out their spirits. I broaden them and deepen them so their spirituality grows and they are not shallow. How can this be learned within the safety and security of the System?
108. My missionaries learn to love like no others on Earth, for they see the power of God working in their lives and in other people's lives. Their hearts are broken for the poor and the destitute and the hungry in spirit of this world, and through their brokenness, through the tenderness of their heart, I pour forth My love. Their tenderness opens the channels of My love, and they receive My love in greater measure than those of the world. My love flows through in mighty waves‚ through mighty channels to fill them and to overflow onto others.
109. My missionaries are the salt of the Earth, and I sprinkle them freely across the nations that they may bring out the flavor of My love in all places where they go. I love My missionaries, for they are most blessed upon the face of the Earth. They are My children, and I love them for their obedience and yieldedness. They are learning to forsake the ways of the world. They are learning to lay aside the traditions of man and his wisdom, his values and his goals‚ that they may embrace the true riches‚ the true values, the values of Heaven and the richness of My Spirit.
110. This life is but a preparation for the world to come. It is but a school where the entrance exams are given to see who will make it into the next grade. This time on Earth is but a test to see who will choose the ways of the world and who will choose My ways. And these, My missionaries, who choose My ways, will find great reward in the next world and for all eternity to come! (End of message.)
55. (Mama: ) Dad taught us from the beginning that if we're faithful to the Lord and His work, He will supply! Here are a few of the many quotes available in Dad's Letters:
56. Praise God for His faithfulness! All He needs is laborers, and He will do all the rest! As Luther used to say when his wife complained that he had too many people living at their house (about 25‚ not many compared to us, but a tidy little Colony!)—"Don't worry, Dear! For every additional mouth, God will provide!" And of course‚ He always does, praise His Name! He will supply all our need according to His riches in glory, no matter what we need, or how many of us there are, or where we are, or who we are, as long as we're serving Him faithfully! Praise the Lord! (ML #112:1).
57. Why should we fiddle around with slaving for material things when the System's got plenty of it, and to spare! Let them be our slaves—not us theirs! Why should we let the seed be choked out by the cares of earning a living, when we can let the System do it for us? 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). (ML #27:19‚20).
58. Watch out about compromise. Watch out about any compromise or pulling your punches for advantage, for finances, for protection, for safety‚ for anything. Be faithful to the message; be faithful to the method; be faithful to the Word; be faithful to the voice of God; be faithful to His Revolution, the particular ministry He's called you to—be loyal! (ML #T:78).
59. He has promised that, if you'll prove Him by trusting and obeying Him, He'll pour out such a blessing that there will not be room enough to hold it! He says, "Give and it shall be given unto you, pressed down, shaken together and running over!" "Seek ye first the Kingdom, and all these things shall be added!" If He has to drop the money out of Heaven to feed you, He'll do it‚ if you'll obey Him and get out the message, the Word!
60. Where God guides, He provides! With every need, God will supply! God will feed you, protect you, clothe you, and take care of you no matter what happens! God cannot only do it, He wants to do it! He's more willing to give than we are to receive! There's no limit to what God can supply. It's better than a salary, and God knows exactly what you need! (ML #692:28).
61. (Mama:) We understand that some of you feel, even subconsciously, that times have changed since the early days of the Family when we ... lived completely by faith. We acknowledge the strong anti-sect propaganda in some countries and recognize that in many countries the general population has become increasingly hard of heart, which in the natural would seem to make living by faith more difficult. So I asked our Husband if the Family can be expected to fully live by faith today. Here is what He had to say about this:
62. (Jesus:) My Word held true yesterday, it holds true today, and it will hold true forever—they that preach the Gospel shall live of the Gospel. Satan is always on the job, trying to persuade My children that it can't be done today, that surely in these times when men's hearts grow cold, and evil men and seducers wax worse and worse, living by faith is not to be expected; that surely in this new age, there is another way. I tell you, My children, it is even more imperative to live by faith in these times than in years past.
63. I have given you this plan—the plan of trusting totally in Me, the plan of living by faith in Me and Me alone—for I know that this is the only way you will survive in these troublous times when men's hearts become hardened. The dynamics of My supply work the opposite of what you perceive with natural and carnal thinking. Just as I supplied for the children of Israel as they wandered in the desert, so I am able to supply for you in today's modern world‚ and in great abundance!
64. Yes, the hearts of men grow cold and callous‚ yet I ask you to not be afraid, nor to look to circumstances. Did not the heart of Pharaoh also grow callous toward My children? Yet I did not fail to supply their every need, both their needs for food and clothing, as well as their need for protection and deliverance from the hand of Pharaoh.
65. My promises hold true! They that preach the Gospel shall live of the Gospel. Living by faith is just as possible today as ever, and if you will step out and obey, if you will put Me to the test, you will reap the fruit of abundant supply. I am not limited by many or by few.
66. You must remember that while men's hearts grow cold, the hearts of those who hunger and thirst after righteousness grow more desperate. As evil men grow more evil, the need to preach My Words is ever greater. My sheep will hear My voice and a stranger they will not follow, and these I will use to supply your needs, My brides.
67. This is the day of miracles‚ and so will My miraculous supply be known. If you will obey, you will reap the good of the land. If you will seek Me‚ if you will apply the "ask Me everything" mode of operation in your lives, if you will live by faith and look to Me alone, I will lead you in each case and show you a plan to follow that is tailor-made for your unique situation. I will show you what will work in your particular set of circumstances, in your location and country. Some of you I may be leading to move on to more receptive fields; others I will show new methods of outreach‚ new approaches you can take, new areas you can branch out into. Some I will lead to key men and women of standing who will be your sponsors, your protectors—kings and queens, men and women who have the means to provide for you, both supply and protection.
68. My promises are just as true today as they ever were. If you will seek Me for your particular situation‚ if you will unite and do the things I tell you to do, if you will ask Me everything each step of the way, I will give you the key to every situation‚ the solution to every problem. Living by faith in Me is the only thing that will keep you in the times to come. Dependence on the System will only be the beginning of sorrows. I will never fail to supply all your needs if you preach the Gospel, do My work, and place your trust and faith in Me.
69. All My riches are at your disposal. All that is Mine is yours for the asking, yours for the taking, yours for the reaching out to receive. Reach out your hands in faith, believing, and I will never fail! (End of message.)
146. (Mama:) It boils down to a choice. Are you going to believe God or not? Are you going to obey the vision or not? Are you going to put God on the spot or not? Are you going to make the sacrifices necessary or not?
147. One CO commented: Finances is a major issue. We bump into it when we talk about the Activated vision and how it's going to take a change in the Family's modus operandi, mindset, etc. People have told me that we can't expect the Homes to get more into follow-up because of their financial difficulties. The main argument is that pushing Activated doesn't bring in funds, not right away anyway‚ which is pretty factual. But we remind each other of the "God factor" when we feel a bit overburdened and want to remind ourselves that it's all by faith. (End of CO comment.)
151. (Mama:) Think about this "God factor" and see how much it's been a part of your life lately.
152. (Jesus:) The God factor means standing on My promises. It means trusting in Me, believing that nothing is impossible with Me. It means that I am able to supply all your needs. It means that faith in Me overrides all impossibilities.
153. The God factor means that I have opened to you the riches of the universe, I have put before you a great reservoir of supply, and it's yours for the asking, yours for the taking. The God factor means that if you will put your trust fully in Me, you will lack nothing. It means that if you preach the Gospel‚ you will live of the Gospel. It means that all things are possible to you. It means if you are trusting Me and doing what I tell you to do, I will never fail to support you, even if I have to drop the support out of the sky. It means good witnessing always pays. It means if you are obeying Me, I will take care of your needs. It means if I promise bread‚ I will not give you a stone.
154. Practically speaking, it means if the Family will put their trust in Me, if they will claim My promises, if they will obey what I tell them to do, I will supply all their needs according to My riches in glory. It means if they will get out and do the "wenting," I will supply.
155. The God factor means trusting Me more than trusting in the arm of the flesh, more than trusting in the worldly system of man. The God factor is standing on My Word and My promises.
156. My ways are not your ways. I do things contrary to man. I can and will supply for My Family in the interim period [when pioneering Activated and follow-up]. I am only limited by lack of faith. My supply is only blocked by disobedience, by lack of faith, by lack of appropriating the promises I give you.
157. It is a gross misunderstanding to think that I cannot supply for My children while they are doing My will. … Do you think that I am not able to supply each step of the way for My Family? I have told you there are no impossibilities. It is not true that I cannot or will not supply for My children in the interim. Am I not able?
158. I promise to supply for My Own. Do you not think I am able to supply every need while My brides are working for Me? To think that I cannot supply in the interim is absurd! Am I God or not? Do not the winds and the waves obey My command? Do I not give the command and whole kingdoms are subdued in My Name?
159. O children of little faith, how long will you doubt? How long will you fail to take the leap? Who will try? Who will go? Who is willing to take the plunge? Who is willing to launch out into the deep of where I am leading you? Who is willing to put their hand in Mine, trusting that I will be more than a light and better than a known way? Who is willing to command Me? Who is willing to prove Me? Who is willing to receive My promise? Who is willing to call on the keys of the Kingdom to open the Heavenly windows of miracles of supply?
160. It takes faith, yes. It takes courage; it takes daring to trust Me. It takes the "God factor"—putting your trust wholly and completely in Me, claiming My Word, and expecting Me to do miracles, to do what you cannot do. It takes ignoring possible consequences when the doubters say‚ "No‚ no, no, it can't be done." It takes taking a stand.
161. Am I not able to supply all along the way? Are My Own to be wanting and begging for bread? Do I forsake My Own?
162. If it couldn't be done, I would not have asked it of you. I am not limited. Do you think I cannot supply in the interim? That is as ridiculous as saying I cannot stop the rain. Why, why, why, O brides, do you limit Me? How long will you doubt? How long will you delay in putting Me on the spot, in claiming My promises, in reaping the harvest that lies waiting before you?
163. It takes faith, I know, yet I have likewise given you this faith. It takes keeping your eyes focused on Me and Me alone. It takes coming out from among them and touching not the unclean thing. And it takes doing what I have told you to do. It takes following where I am leading. It takes childlike faith. It takes quiet trust. It takes the simple assurance of knowing that what I have promised, I will do. It takes trusting Me to see you through, because you know you are obeying and doing My will, and because of your obedience, I will not let you down.
164. The "God factor" will make all the difference in the world. It means the difference between your success or your failure, your premature end or your hope of survival. It means the difference between life and death for the souls waiting to hear My message. It means the difference between you receiving the blessings and promises I have reserved for you, or going through life as beggars, destitute of your needs. (End of message.)
165. (Mama:) That message is packed with promises, but they are conditional. To receive that supply and blessing, you must obey! Are you obeying?
Prayer for supply
105. Precious Jesus, we're so thankful and grateful for this opportunity to come into Your presence and ask for the things that we need. It makes us so happy to know that we have a King and Husband Who delights to answer each prayer and to fulfill each request. Thank You for not being a stingy giver, or for only begrudgingly giving us our basic necessities, but for continually filling our cups to overflowing with Your bountiful blessings and answers to prayer.
106. We acknowledge the countless times You have come through for us in the area of supplying our needs and giving us what we need to get Your work done. We thank You for continually and faithfully standing by Your promise of supplying all our needs according to Your riches in glory. We know You have a lot of riches, and You've sure done a lot of supplying over the years‚ and we acknowledge those many, many miracles and thank You for each of them.
107. You've come through for us countless times, and we know for sure that the only reason we're still here—with not just our basic needs, but such abundance and plenty—is because of Your faithfulness in caring for us. We praise You wholeheartedly for that. No one else is like You‚ Jesus; no one else is such a faithful, caring Husband to His brides. We adore You, sweetest Love, and we are so happy to have a strong, caring Husband like You looking out for our needs.
108. And now we need to come before You again to ask You to open the windows of Your heavenly supply to us and pour down the things that we're asking for. We're coming before You boldly because we know You delight in giving, and because You've given us the keys of the Kingdom, which You have promised can open any door of supply and provision to us. So we've come to Your presence carrying the keys of supply, provision, and crazy faith, and we trust that these keys will loose the locks and open the floodgates of Your heavenly provision.
109. For the good of Your work and the glory of Your Kingdom, we're asking specifically for (list your specific requests here).
110. We're standing on Your promises, new and old, that have promised full and complete provision of anything that we have need of. Specifically we're claiming this promise from Your Word (claim a verse) and this key promise that says (claim a key promise) and we're going to hold You to Your word, this unbreakable contract that we have full and complete trust in.
111. We know You're going to come through for us, and we thank You for it! We can thank You already for the supply of (state again your specific requests)‚ because we've brought them before You and we know that Your promises are better than all the money in all the banks in the world. We know You're going to do it. Thank You, precious Husband‚ for Your bountiful supply and the tender, loving care that You continually lavish upon us. We're of all people most richly blessed.
112. So now, while we are waiting for the fulfillment of Your promises and the delivery of our requests, we want to pray for spirit helpers of faith that will help us not to lose the vision and doubt Your supply. We want to call on that great man of faith, George Mueller, to help inspire us with the crazy faith to believe that You're going to come through for us no matter what situations look like. We pray that You'll send him to us to help us to have the kind of faith and desperation in prayer that will get results.
113. We also want to rebuke the evil spirit Apotheon and any of his underlings. We resist him in the power of the keys and in the name of Jesus. We cast him out of our Home and far away from our minds. We refuse to give him any place in our hearts or lives to sit on us, push us down, cover our eyes, or make us doubt and settle for less than Your best. We don't want his counterfeits. We want You and Your real thing, so we're closing our minds to him and raising a guard through the power of Your Spirit. We also rebuke Aknon, who tries to make us fear to ask for donations. Give us boldness and faith in our asking, knowing that You love to supply for us, and You love to do it through precious people whom we can then minister to and really help!
114. We thank You for giving us Arcothon, who can help us in our battles against Apotheon. Please give Arcothon more of Your white-hot power that he can channel into our lives. Help him make each of us fighters. Fill us with Your Spirit that will repel and blast away any doubts or lack of faith. We know that Your spirit help is so much stronger, and as we do our part‚ we are counting the battle won.
115. Also, Jesus‚ we want You to punch through with any counsel or guidance that You want to give us about anything else we need to work on in our lives, anything to do or anything to make right so that we can be pleasing to You, obedient, and fully open to Your hand of blessing. Please show us anything You want to show us so that we can receive all that You have to give.
116. Thank You for being our doting Husband Who is so much more willing to give than we are to receive. We know we could never earn the great care, love, and protection that You give us so unconditionally. It's such a marvel, such a gift, and we receive it humbly and praise You loudly and sincerely for it. (End of prayer.)
I know your heart. I know your secret desires. I know your fears. I know the discouragement and condemnation of the Enemy that plagues you, as he seeks to get you to doubt My love. He tries to make you think that I'm a distant God, One Who does not understand, One Who does not hear your prayers and come to your aid in your time of need. But I say unto you that these are lies of the Evil One. Cast not away your confidence, for you shall have great reward if you reach out with the hand of faith and believe, knowing that I am able to supply every need, and that if you put Me first, I will give you the desires of your heart.
See with the eyes of expectancy and anticipation, and I promise you that your desires will not go unrewarded. For I am your Husband and you are My bride, and it is My desire to shower upon you blessing upon blessing. It is My pleasure to give you the desires of your heart.
My willingness and ability to give to you is only limited by your faith. Draw nigh to Me, My darling, precious one, and I will draw nigh to you. Seek Me, put Me first, love Me, desire Me, and I will reveal Myself to you in ways that will be such a consolation‚ such a miracle, such a revelation, that it will chase away the doubts of the Evil One.
If you set your affections on things above‚ My precious one, you will be amazed at the way I am able to work in your life, supply your needs and show you My love.
Cast all your cares upon Me, for I care for you. This is My promise to you, My precious children. But the reverse is also true. For if you have not the faith and the trust to commit all things unto Me, and to cast your cares into My loving hands, then I am not able to care for you fully and completely as I would like to.
When those who are strong in the Word and rich in faith step out on My promises, trusting Me completely to provide and supply their every need‚ I am able to meet them, fulfill My Word, and to work wondrous miracles! But these who have not had sufficient Word, who are weakened and lacking faith and trust, are not able to step out in full faith, for they lack the faith to believe that I am able to meet them. And because of this lack of faith, I am not able to meet them.
How I long for My children to be strengthened in faith through their feasting on My Word! Oh, what a simple answer—almost too simple, it would seem to some. Yet what a mighty door this little key is able to unlock! For it is the passageway into the world of My abundant supply, of My blessings, and of My answers to their prayers (ML #3073).
Live by faith and the Lord's supply; depend on the "God factor." Manifest faith in the Lord's ability to provide your needs abundantly.
1. God can supply all our needs:
A. He has promised to supply our needs:
Phi.4:19God shall supply all your need according to His riches
Mat.6:33Seek ye first the Kingdom of God...and all these things shall be added unto you
Psa.23:1The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (lack)
Psa.34:10They that seek Lord shall not (lack) any good thing
Psa.37:25I (have) not seen righteous forsaken...begging bread
Mat.7:7-11Every one that asketh receiveth...your Father (shall) give good things to them that ask Him
Rom.8:32He that spared not His Own Son...shall He not also freely give us all things?
(See also Deut.2:7; Psa.68:19; 81:10; Mal.3:10; Mat. 6:8,25-34.)
B. God is the source of all supply:
Psa.145:15,16Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing
1Chr.29:14All things come of Thee, and of Thine Own have we given Thee
Psa.104:13-15He causeth...herb (to grow) for man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth
Jam.1:17Every good gift...is from above, and cometh from (God)
(See also Psa.65:9-13; Gen.1:29; 9:3.)
C. He owns the entire world:
Exo.19:5All the earth is Mine
Psa.24:1The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof
Psa.50:10,11Every beast is Mine...and the cattle upon a thousand hills
Psa.89:11The earth is Thine: the world and the fulness thereof
2. God can do miracles to supply:
Num.11:21-23[God promised meat for a month, Moses doubted it, so] the Lord said‚ `Is the Lord's hand waxed short?'
2Ki.4:1–6[The prophet's widow borrowed vessels and they miraculously filled with enough oil to pay her debts]
A. Food:
Exo.16:12–15[God miraculously supplied quail and manna in desert]
Num.11:18-20[God sent a month's supply of quail ] (See vs.31,32)
Psa.78:23-29He opened the doors of Heaven, and rained down manna ...corn of Heaven...angel's food...meat to the full (See also Psa.105:40)
Psa.132:15I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread
1Ki.17:4I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there
1Ki.17:16The barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail [during the 3-1/2 year famine]
1Ki.19:5-8An angel said unto (Elijah), "Arise and eat"...and behold, a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water
2Ki.4:42,43[Elisha fed 100, multiplying 20 loaves and some corn]
Mk.6:34-44[Jesus fed 5,000, multiplying 5 loaves and 2 fishes. 5,000 men, besides women and children—Mat.14:21]
Mk.8:1-9[Jesus fed 4,000, multiplying 7 loaves]
Rev.12:6,14[Church "fed, nourished" 3-1/2 years in wilderness]
(See also Psa.23:5; Lk.5:4-7; Jn.21:5,6,11.)
B. Water:
Gen.21:14-19[Hagar dying of thirst, God showed her a well]
Exo.17:1-6[At Horeb, the Lord brought water out of a rock]
Num.20:2,7-11[At Meribah, God again brought water from a rock]
Judg.15:15-19[God supplied water from a jawbone for Samson]
2Ki.3:9,17‚20[God miraculously supplied water for an army]
(See also Psa.78:15,16; 105:41; Isa.41:17,18.)
C. God can even purify impure food and water:
Exo.15:23-25[Bitter waters of Marah miraculously made sweet]
2Ki.2:19-22[Undrinkable waters of Jericho healed]
2Ki.4:38-41[Poisonous gourd in the pottage rendered harmless]
(See also Mk.16:18a)
D. Clothing and other necessities:
Deut.29:5I have led you 40 years...your clothes are not waxen old...thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot
Mat.6:25‚26‚ 30If God clothe the grass...shall He not...clothe you?
(See also Gen.3:21)
4. Conditions to God's supply:
A. We must please God and be obedient:
Mat.6:33Seek first...and all things shall be added unto you
2Chr.1:7-12[God gave King Solomon fabulous riches and wealth when he sought the good of the kingdom first]
Psa.34:9There is no want (lack) to them that fear Him
Psa.34:10They that seek Lord shall not (lack) any good thing
Psa.37:3Do good...and verily thou shalt be fed
Psa.37:18,19The Lord knoweth...the upright...in the days of famine they shall be satisfied
Psa.37:25I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken...begging bread
Psa.84:11No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly
Pro.13:25Righteous eateth to satisfying... wicked shall (lack)
Isa.1:19If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land
1Jn.3:22Whatsoever we ask, we receive...because we keep His commandments‚ and do...things...pleasing in His sight
(See also Deut.11:10-15; 29:9; Psa.111:5.)
B. Examples of obeying and doing our part first:
1Ki.17:2-5Get thee hence...and hide by the brook Cherith...ravens feed thee there. So he went
1Ki.17:9,10Arise, get thee to Zarephath. So he arose and went
2Ki.4:1-6Go borrow...of all thy neighbors empty vessels, borrow not a few. So she went and (did)
Mat.17:27Go cast an hook, and take up the fish...thou shalt find a piece of money (in his mouth)
Lk.5:4-6Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets
Jn.2:1-10Fill the water pots with water. And they filled them
Jn.11:39Take (roll) ye away the stone
Jn.21:5,6Cast the net on right side of the ship...They cast
C. Pray, believe God's Word and depend on Him to supply:
Mat.7:7Ask‚ and it shall be given; knock, and it shall be opened
Mat.21:22All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive
Heb.11:6He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him
(See also 2Chr.26:5; Isa.45:11; Mat.9:29.)
D. Remember to thank Him for supplying:
Psa.68:19Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loadeth us with benefits
Psa.116:12-14,17‚18What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits? I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving
5. Reasons why we sometimes lack:
A. Because of sin or disobedience:
Jer.5:25Your sins have withholden good things from you
(See also Psa.81:15,16; Jam.4:3.)
B. Lack of faith or failure to ask the Lord:
Jam.4:2Ye have not, because ye ask not
Jam.1:6,7[Wavering and not asking in faith]
C. Laziness:
2Thes.3:10If any would not work, neither should he eat
Pro.13:4The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing
Pro.20:4Sluggard will not plow...therefore shall have nothing
Pro.21:25The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labor (See also Pro.23:21)
D. To keep us dependent upon God and His supply:
Deut.31:20When they...have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn to other gods
Pro.30:8,9Give me (not) riches...lest I be full and deny Thee
(See also 1Tim.6:10,17; Rev.3:17-19.)
E. To show us that it's time to move:
1Ki.17:7-9[When the brook dried, it was time for Elijah to move]
(See also Gen.26:1-3; 45:6-11; Ruth 1:1-6,16–18; 2Ki.8:1,2.)
6. God loves you and wants to supply:
A. He knows what you need and is looking after you:
Mat.6:8Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him
Mat.6:25‚31, 32Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or drink ...(God) knoweth that ye need all these things
B. If God provides for the unbelieving World...
(See Mat.5:45; Acts 14:15b-17.)
C. If He even provides the needs of animals...
(See Gen.1:30; 6:14–22; Psa.104:21,26-28; 147:8,9.)
D. ...Won't He much more care for you?
(See Mat.6:26,30; Psa.34:10; 145:15,16; 2Cor.9:8.)
Copyright © 2006 by The Family International