FIND FERTILE FIELDS! 1/95
--The Wave Continues!--By Maria
Maria #256 DO 2973
1. DAD AND THE LORD have taught us that there come times in our lives and ministries when it's necessary to assess the effectiveness of our methods and to take stock of how fruitful our service and lives for the Lord really are. Dad has even said that it's good to take time to do this daily, to reflect at the end of the day on what we've accomplished for the Lord and to make it a daily goal to do something that we won't have to do again tomorrow, something which will bear lasting fruit for the Lord in some way.
2. It would be a wonderful habit for each of us, just before going to sleep at night, to bring before the Lord the activities of our busy day for His commentary and assessment, and then look to Him for His instructions for an even more fruitful and more loving day tomorrow. If you miss it the night before because you're so tired and you fall asleep on your prayer time, if you've also made a habit of morning prayer time, then you'll have another chance at reassessing the previous day and praying for guidance for the day ahead. I could go on for quite a while on that topic, but since the purpose of this Letter is to explain a very major direction which the Lord has shown us during recent weeks, I'd better stick to my subject.
3. With the advent of 1995, most of you have no doubt taken time to reflect on the past year. Past events often come into focus more clearly in the new year, as they seem more in perspective with the Lord's overall plan. Battles and trials are balanced against the victories, and we can often see the Romans 8:28 in things which may have seemed very difficult to understand at the time they were happening.
4. As I touched on earlier, there are times in our ministry and service for the Lord as His anointed and called and chosen witnesses, when He asks us to gauge the fruitfulness of the fields in which we're laboring. Considering the commission that the Lord has given us to "preach the Gospel in all the world for a witness to all nations," and considering the very few laborers we actually have in comparison to the very big job which is still ahead of us, time is just too short to spend years and years in any fields which "don't want the books."
5. What I'm saying about assessing the fruitfulness of our fields is nothing new. Messages to this effect are scattered all through the Letters as the Lord, through Dad, directed the movement of our troops from one country to another, one continent to another, and even one hemisphere to another, as the Lord's Spirit moved according to the receptivity and heartcry of different peoples and nations.--Letters such as "The Great Escape," "802 South," "Go East," "Call of India," "The Goddesses," "God Loves China," "The Philippines Has Had It," "Why We Must Reach the Japanese Youth," "Latin America Is It," "Our Re-invasion of Europe," "In Tune with the Times," "Consider the Poor," etc.
6. The Lord never lets us get too settled down, thank the Lord, or we probably wouldn't be where we are today! When Dad saw that our job was finished in one place and that a harvest was waiting in another, he was quick to point the way and send out the call.--And because you responded, we have a Family today that embraces 99 nationalities, we have Homes and disciples in 54 countries, and to date our witness has gone out in over 165 nations.--And equally as important, because of our obedience to what the Lord has shown, we have continued to be recipients of the Lord's blessings and voice speaking to us as His true Bride and Church. As He said, "For if they had been satisfied with the country from whence they came, then they would have had the opportunity to have returned. But because they were not satisfied, but they sought a better country, therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city!" (Heb.11:15,16). Hallelujah!
7. Well, that glorious city and the time of our reward are not yet here, and so until that day, we'll continue to be the Lord's pilgrims and strangers, ready to go or ready to stay as He leads. In fact, Dad told us that our "wave" of movement from one land to another will continue until there will be no more lands to go to and the Lord has to rescue us and take us up to be with Him! Listen to what Dad said just over a year ago:
8. "I saw a wave of Family refugees sweeping across the world, from one side of the world to the other! At first it looked like a wave of water, except that the wave was made up of people. What would we call what was happening? It wasn't so much a retreat as a withdrawal, or maybe a recall wave. In other words, it was like the Lord was recalling us from the fields where we had finished our jobs. It was not a retreat, it was a recall! It was not a defeat, it meant that people didn't want us any more and we had finished the job. We had reaped as much as we could reap, so the Lord was allowing persecution in difficult areas to the point where it was impossible to stay in those places" ("The Wave," ML #2881:1, GN 564).
9. Now on to some specifics: The Lord has laid the work in Europe--Western Europe in particular--on my heart for quite a while now. The Family there has responded beautifully to the Letters of correction I wrote to them just about a year ago, the "Getting Back on Track for Jesus" series, God bless them. I've been so encouraged to hear testimonies from our young people and adults alike and to see how they have rallied 'round the call to put the Lord and the basic true values of our lives for Him and others in first place again, and to forsake the things of the past which hindered and confused and weakened them. From the reports I've heard, it seems like it has been a year of struggle for much of you Family there, but also a year of personal victories in many lives, a year of greater closeness to your children and a year of striking out again by faith through your SWIFT (Summer Witnessing Inspired Family Teams) experience.
10. The Lord has strengthened you, the European branch of our Family, to where you can again stand strong beside your brethren worldwide in this ongoing battle for the minds and hearts of men--including our own! Of course, I knew the Lord wouldn't fail as you did your part to fight for the victories you needed, and He's proven again His wonderful ability to turn ashes into beauty and seeming defeat into glorious victory! Thank the Lord!
11. However, over the past year as I've seen you gain these victories and become stronger in spirit and rededicate your lives to the Lord's cause, I've also become increasingly concerned over the frequent reports you've shared of rejection from the people you've been witnessing to, particularly in many of the Western European countries. I know there have been fruitful witnessing excursions, souls saved, and people who have been happy to hear your precious children sing, who have received our posters and tapes and videos. As well, I'm sure some of you have hungry sheep you're following up on who are growing in the knowledge and ways of the Lord.
12. But looking at the European work as a whole, where we have such a large percentage of our worldwide Family laborers, I've been burdened about whether it's really the best and wisest investment of our manpower to have so many of you in Western Europe. This is the question I've been asking myself and the Lord over the past few months, and which the European shepherds have likewise been burdened and counseling and seeking the Lord about.
13. Assessing Western Europe, in general terms, field after field has either persecuted the Family, hindered our activities, or attempted to keep us out through laws seemingly aimed right at us. And on top of this, there has been a lack of spiritual and financial response from the people. We've had major persecution and raids on our Homes in Spain and France, resulting in the evacuation of most of our members from those countries. Thank the Lord for our recent vindication in Spain, after four long years, but it's yet to be seen how they will respond to our witness now that our Family members are free to return there. And the possibility of being able to home school our precious children still remains a question in Spain, as it does in countries like Germany, Holland and Greece, where there is no legal allowance whatsoever for it.
14. Active, vocal and militant anti-cult groups are rampant throughout Europe, as the Antichrist "is even now marshaling his forces for the Great Confusion." The anti-cult movement (ACM) is all part of his diabolical plan, which Europe is destined to play a big part in. (See Rev.17:12-14.) The evil tentacles of groups like ADFI, Dialogue Center, Cult Information Center, and their Devil-inspired leaders are taking hold in country after country, spreading their message and doctrine so thoroughly that our simple witnessing missionaries are having a very difficult time overcoming the demonic inoculation which a great majority of the population has received.
15. The AC media has also done its job well of spreading the most damaging lies possible about us, with England being a prime source of much of the muck and dirt that has been spread about us throughout the rest of Europe, and even the world, through the different media outlets. Horrendous newspaper articles from the British Daily Mail and TV shows such as the Channel 4 "documentary" on us, featuring some of our bitterest and most vengeful enemies, have spread far and wide. This has resulted in many of our European media teams needing to battle almost day and night to stand up for the truth against this flood of lies, in order to do what they can to preserve our rights of freedom of religious belief in those countries.
16. And if these thrusts of the Enemy to nullify our witness weren't enough, Western Europe's mounting acceptance of sodomy, abortion, and self-satisfaction with the comforts and "away-from-thinking" entertainments have apparently dulled people's senses so thoroughly that it takes a lot of knocking and asking and singing and witnessing to break through the hardness of people's hearts, or to find those few who are still seeking for something more in their empty lives. And the results of these various influences on us in Western Europe, from what we've heard, have been very discouraged Family members, very disheartened witnessers and very disillusioned young people, and this is what concerns me the most.
17. Of course the rather difficult conditions that you, our European Family, have been facing have been a wonderfully motivating factor to get you to find solutions to the problems. I've been so glad that you have brought these problems to the Lord in prayer, and as a result, He has blessed your desperation with more fruitful witnessing, especially over the summer months.
18. However, after hearing some of your reports, I have almost felt like telling you all to get out of a place that is so hard and unreceptive, and where your teams have to labor so long on people and things that bear so little fruit! I tended to agree with some of the reports and suggestions from the European shepherds that you should go further afield, even to go through some of the open doors you've received in African countries!--That almost anywhere would be better than where you are!
19. If the Family is not being received, then we need to shake off the dust of our feet and go to some place where we will be. We have such a valuable message that some people are desperate to hear, but we are not giving it to them; instead we are wasting time in these hardened fields that have turned completely against the Lord and are in almost every way AC-signed, sealed and delivered, and already controlled by his henchmen.
20. However, the question which I have considered has been, "Do we need to stay in some of these places just to have a voice, so the ACM forces won't take things over completely without our putting up a fight?" It's a very valid question, and standing up for the truth is part of our calling, but I don't know how much longer we can do this if it is affecting our children and young people so much, and everyone is getting so discouraged because of the hardness of people's hearts. And with the recent Solar Temple incident in Switzerland and the latest wave of lies which the Daily Mail has spread from England, people's attitudes have continued to grow worse and worse.
21. Our Homes in Europe have also been struggling quite a bit financially, as have many of our Homes worldwide. We've now addressed this financial crisis and gotten many directions and guidelines for it, as well as many beautiful promises from the Lord that He has the solution to all these needs. Nevertheless, because Europe is so hard and unreceptive and the Lord is trying to get you out of there, He may continue to withhold His financial blessings until you go.
22. I had been praying about all this for some time, and had come to the conclusion that we need to pull out of Western Europe. And the Lord seems to have clearly put His stamp of approval on it through prophecy. But before sharing with you the Lord's viewpoint on Western Europe, first here is a collection of various reports and testimonies. These have come in from our dear witnessers in Western Europe during the last couple of months, describing the lack of receptivity they've encountered, as well as updates on the anti-cult movement's activities, pending legislation, related media news, and so forth.
TESTIMONIES AND HEARTCRIES FROM WITNESSERS
(From R. and E., London, England:) "We applied for a busking permit in Covent Garden a couple of weeks back and got it, but when our team went down to book for the following week, they asked for the permit back and said that we wouldn't be allowed to busk there anymore because we are `too religious.' They have all sorts of shows there from all sorts of weirdos and occultists, but because ours is about Jesus, they won't allow it! Apparently the order came from Westminster Abbey!
"We were also invited to attend a weeklong meeting dubbed `Evangelistic Week,' organized by the Christian Union (CU) of a university. They told us that they wanted us to come on campus and witness to all the students, as well as participate in the evening activities that they had planned.
"We parked our bus on campus, had a number of visitors on the bus, and we split up into small teams and went witnessing most of the day. By that evening we had brought quite a number of people to the tent, but most of them said they weren't interested in the other Christian programs. `We're only staying to see you guys perform, and then we're leaving.' The first evening we did a performance, including a Dr. Chainbuster skit as well as Family songs.
"There were several local pastors involved, and one in particular was very impressed and really liked what we were doing. After the show, the teens had a terrific time personal witnessing.
"We pulled out of the campus at about 11:30 that night, and at 12:00 three of the students, including the president of the CU, showed up at our door asking if we were in fact `The Family.' Some of the team spent a couple of hours with them till about 2:00 in the morning, sitting in their car going over their questions. We hadn't tried at all to hide the fact that we were the Family, and had given our statements to the pastor organizing the event, but it seems they didn't really put two and two together. Despite our explanation and sample, they still leaned heavily on the negative information they've received from CAN and FAIR.
"The last visit we got from one of the members of the CU is when they came to the bus and said that they had notified the student body, the board of directors and the police about us, and that if we set foot on the campus we would be arrested for trespassing."
* * *
(From Mary Mom, England:) "For the past four months I have been pioneering a witnessing Home with our team, and I feel I have been able to experience firsthand what we are up against in involving our kids more in witnessing. Among other things, the children get turned away quite a lot and their witness isn't received like it was in previous years, but it is more questioned and scrutinized. It's not the usual response any more: `Oh, what darling little children, so sweet. How wonderful that you are teaching them to witness. Yes, please sing for me.' In fact, in many situations it is quite the opposite, and the children have to hear things like, `I worship Satan; he's my god, not Jesus, so leave me alone'; or `I'm a Jew and I don't want to hear what you and your children have to say.' `Don't you know what time of day it is? I'm busy!'
"Or the adults get questioned and the children have to hear things like, `Why aren't these kids in school? I can't stand it when people take their children around and use them to push religion.' Or `So, you are with the Family! Sorry, I could help anyone else, but not the Family.' Such people will start talking about the latest trash about the Family on television or in the papers, and then the kids get wind of lies and slander they didn't know anything about.
"Another thing is the disgusting and evil pictures everywhere. There are posters and billboards plastered on practically every wall and tree all over Europe, and they are vile, frightening, ugly and horrible. The captions are so weird, and the kids will read them and then wonder what in the world it means.
"Well, maybe my limited experiences these past few months aren't much to base these feelings on for the Family in general, but I wonder if the tide is changing a bit with all the bad publicity about the Family and if our children will be rejected more. I wonder if we should be more selective as far as what experiences we expose them to--to guard them from seeing the worst of the system, and to try to guard them from people who don't like them."
* * *
(From a DF Home in England:) "We have been having financial difficulties, and we've tried a few new ideas and approaches but we still have not made any breakthroughs to speak of. During the last two weeks, two or three times we've seen our yearly rent money pass before our eyes in promises, but none of these wealthy people we've tried to minister to have come through with as much as a small donation!
"God knows that we've tried to set up our DF Home based on the Word and witnessing. We've committed ourselves to sticking as close as we could in every area of discipleship, and we've had a number of pep talks to make sure that we're all redeeming the time and being loving, united, etc. We've had numerous meetings on outreach to draw any lessons we could from the different experiences that the witnessers have had. We have encouraged everyone to go on outreach, including the kids, who have gone DTD, etc. We've also tried to share the need for everyone to take a personal responsibility, and we even adopted a quota system for a while, but thus far nothing has worked.
"It's been a bit discouraging, and we are now at the bottom of the barrel. Many times we have felt like we should just shake off the dust of our feet and move on to where we will be more needed and appreciated."
* * *
(From a Home in Sweden:) "Upon receiving a message from Dad and Mama about trying to contact the relatives of the people from the Pentecostal church whose students died in the Estonia ferry disaster accident, we drove to the town mentioned on CNN to see what we could do. We got to see the school director, who was very cold and formal. We explained that we were from `The Family' and that we were Christians, that we had just arrived in a nearby city and were setting up a work there among young people. He was very suspicious and insisted on knowing where in the religious spectrum we stood, so we just told him plainly that we were formerly called the COG.
"This was pretty much the end of the conversation, as he was very upset and afraid that we were coming to rip off some of their sheep, saying that they didn't want us to come and spread false doctrine and false teachings to their flock. We were shocked at his hardness of heart. We left him, explaining that the whole Family was praying for them and for their bereaved ones, and that Moses David himself had asked us to contact their church to see if there was any way we could be of help.
"We prayed that the Lord would somehow make a real testimony out of this seeming defeat, and He led us to go to the main newspaper in town. YA Kerenina (oldest daughter of Valour and Trust) had written a very sweet and touching open letter to the survivors' relatives, which ended up getting published, reaching a total of about 100,000 people. Our address and phone number were also published, in order for people to get in touch. PTL! Jesus never fails!"
* * *
(From a new Home in Austria:) "This part of Austria proves to be challenging to live in. Especially now, due to the recent negative media campaign, one often meets the challenge to have to defend our faith in-depth when on outreach. Several times we have been ordered to leave immediately, even by people who used to help before.
"After seeing the SAT1 TV broadcasts against us, even some old friends and supporters needed several phone calls of persuasion just to agree to meet us and discuss things with us, as they were totally taken aback and didn't want to see us any more. (Note: German TV, SAT1, broadcast the documentary from England, including comments that we are the next group likely to commit suicide.)
"Financially there is a change too, as all our outreach income, which is the only income we have in our pioneer situation, is definitely way down. It seems the drop is due to more people considering us `a dangerous sect.'"
* * *
(From a Home in Belgium:) "We had a performance at an old folks home, and after the show we passed out `Somebody Loves You' tracts. The director read the tract and called us at our Home. He was very upset about the tract. He said that he didn't agree with our message, especially the part that we are all `sinners.' He said that he had nothing against the show, but he didn't like it that we passed out these tracts to the people."
ANTI-CULT MOVEMENTS (ACMs) UNITING AND WORKING TOGETHER
(From a Home in France:) "Some of our friends in France told us that on October 15, 1994, ADFI went European under the presidency of Jacques Richard (the head of French ADFI, who was instrumental in stirring up the anti-Family media campaign in Japan a couple of years ago). They held their first European congress in Paris, which was attended by ACM people from all over Europe. It seems the idea of this conference was started in June 1994 by Jacques Richard, and associations from England, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, Italy and France were invited."
* * *
(From a Home in Russia:) "There was an international anti-cult conference held in Moscow entitled `The Totalitarian Sects in Russia.' It is very possible that the Danish Dialogue Center is closely involved in financing or organizing this conference."
* * *
(From another Home in Russia, some months later:) "A team attended an ACM conference in St. Petersburg called `Totalitarian Sects and Human Rights.' The main direction of the conference was that `members of all sects need to be rescued and rehabilitated.' An army psychologist gave a lecture on brainwashing and army rehabilitation programs, where they can handle 600 `victims' a year. The Committee of Parents in St. Petersburg has signed a contract with the St. Petersburg military academy, who originated a rehabilitation center where they meet every Monday with former sect members as part of a program to help them get back to mainstream society.
"The second part of the meeting was dedicated to writing the concluding statement from the conference. One of our main enemies there suggested adding `The Family' to the list of groups the Parents Committee was to ask the government officials to ban."
* * *
(From a Home in Sweden:) "The recent government-sponsored `Destructive Cults' conference was very bad, and the ACM spokesman had the Swedish social services practically eating out of his hand. A member of parliament wants to establish a special parliamentary group to `look at the problem.'"
NEGATIVE MEDIA GENERATED BY THE ACM AFFECTING OTHER COUNTRIES
(From a Home in Denmark:) "The Dialogue Center has written another long smear article in the Danish Christian Daily, especially trying to warn the churches against us. They're saying that our transformation from COG to the Family is purely cosmetic, comparing us to Jim Jones' suicidal tendencies, etc. We have submitted a rebuttal."
* * *
(Compiled from various European Homes:) "After being produced and aired in England, and not having much effect there, the documentary featuring the Padillas was then translated and aired in October in a German version in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. It was later aired in Belgium and Holland in early December. In the TV guide it was advertised as a documentary about the Children of God, `a sect that is obsessed with sex.'"
* * *
(Compiled from various European Homes:) "The slanderous articles from the British Daily Mail, including an interview with Deb, were reprinted almost word for word in a Belgian newspaper. Since then there have been more articles repeating allegations from Kristine Jones. In Italy, they came across four articles that originated from the Daily Mail, all of them simply stating what the Daily Mail had reported and listing the main and most sensational points in a condensed form. The newspaper La Sicilia from Sicily combined the news about us with the news about some witchcraft group in the U.S., saying that we might also be a satanic group!"
"FALLOUT" FROM THE SOLAR TEMPLE INCIDENT
(France:) "On French Channel 3 TV there was a fairly large section in the news covering the events that happened in Switzerland, and then going into a debate where a person from ADFI was present, as well as Alain Vivien, former government minister who has given us trouble in the past and has also been pushing for more legislation and cooperation in Europe against NRMs. There were clips of us and different NRMs, starting with us as `Les Enfants de Dieu' show troupe, and a picture of Dad and the girls in Tenerife."
* * *
(Benelux:) "There was extensive media coverage in Belgium and Holland of the Swiss incident, and it was used as a springboard to spread their anti-NRM propaganda. When the Solar Temple incident first happened, Alain Lallemand from Le Soir was interviewed on Flemish TV. He called us one of the most dangerous sects because we believe in the Apocalypse, which was stressed in the program as being a dangerous belief. He also broadcast the location of two of our Homes. The producers of a Dutch program were apparently pushing for a law to be passed that believers could not live together.
* * *
(Denmark:) "The Solar Temple incident made front-page news. One paper published an article based on an interview with Helde Meldegaard, from the Dialogue Center. The article said the people of Denmark could very well expect to see a similar suicidal occurrence from the members of the Family, `who follow their 73-year-old leader Moses David, who teaches blind obedience and has similar teachings about death and suicide.'"
* * *
(Italy:) "There was a wave of anti-cult propaganda in the media following the Swiss tragedy. One outstanding feature of the publicity surrounding the Swiss incident was the main recurring argument that it is groups who believe in the Endtime who are the most dangerous and the most prone to commit mass suicide. It seems as if the AC's goal in this is to eventually make the preaching of the Endtime message illegal."
* * *
(Germanic area:) "According to a lawyer who is a friend of the Family, the `procuriste general' has given permission to the authorities to tap the phone of anyone suspected of being connected with the Solar Temple. This lady is apparently also pushing the government to take action and keep a tight rein on the sects and their members by having them get registered. A couple of teams have been stopped while distributing tools. Though these incidents aren't directly connected, they do seem to indicate increased caution towards `sects.'"
COMMENTS FROM OUR FRIENDS
(From a Home in Switzerland:) "Our professor friend mentioned that he had received several phone calls from people who warned him that indications were that the Family might be next in line to commit suicide! He basically defended us to these callers, but they said they had information that our Home in Switzerland was in danger, due to its remote location, which they said could constitute a suicide scenario."
* * *
(From a Home in England:) "One of our close friends who works for a main newspaper here has given us some background on what is happening behind the scenes in our enemies' camp, mentioning that as soon as the `other side' discovers that a reporter is working on a story on the Family, the reporter is bombarded with negative information from the Cult Information Center and other sources.
"Marie Christine Haworth from CIC had encouraged one reporter to interview (backslidden) teen Maresha, but Maresha refused to do an interview without payment, exclaiming that `everyone gets paid' and that she even got paid to go to court to give evidence against the Family."
ACM ATTACKS ON OTHER GROUPS
(From a Home in the Germanic area:) "I came across some interesting news from Austria. Two doctors are facing charges of manslaughter because they agreed to a Jehovah's Witness' demand to not give their very sick baby a blood transfusion. The baby died, the parent got excused on what they called something like the Jehovah's Witness law clause, but the doctors are now being charged with a crime. The ACM right away used it to try to get some laws pushed through, though we haven't heard the final outcome."
* * *
(From a Home in Belgium:) "There were two other big stories concerning NRMs. A local NRM was raided by police, and secondly, 500 people from a door-to-door sale business (GEPM) were demonstrating against ADFI, which has accused them of being a sect and has been fighting them! They invaded ADFI headquarters with large pickets, and this was all over the press and the TV channels.
"A big issue in France that has been all over the media recently has been a new law that forbids students to display any evident signs of religious affiliation. Muslim girls have been kept out of school for wearing veils!"
TIGHTENING LEGISLATION
(From a report from the U.S.:) "A friend who is a religious rights advocate sent us a document which he had received from the National Advisory Commission of Human Rights in France, which is a proposal to the French government to pass legislation to `stamp out' the cults. From the wording of the document, as well as ADFI's obvious presence throughout, it's obvious that we are the target for which the new legislation is designed."
* * *
(From a Home in Belgium:) "An article was published in Le Vif Express magazine for French-speaking Belgium and France, which gives interesting insights into the ACM's plans to unify around Europe and use existing laws to stop the sects. One point they bring out is that the European Convention of Human Rights and other conventions protect private life and freedom of religion, so it is hard to make laws to stop the different sects. However, they said sects violate tax laws, penal laws and school laws, and if the lawyers and judges and even members of parliament would be more aware of how to trap the sects, they could use the laws as they exist now.
"Another article appeared in La Libre Belgique, a French-speaking Belgian newspaper, this time regarding a proposed commission to form legislation to control sects. Somebody tried to get the same commission started about a year ago, but there was no interest at the time. It looks like it now stands a chance to get passed with all the hype they are creating."
* * *
(From a Home in Switzerland:) "In the autumn of 1993, a member of the Swiss National Council (NC) put forth a motion to create a Ministry for Religious Affairs which would monitor and observe `religions, sects and religious minorities and judge their influence on the development of society.' In February 1994, the conservative Swiss NC moved to reject this motion. However, when the Solar Temple drama happened, this same man set forth his motion again, and it is due to come up for a vote soon."
* * *
(Greece:) "Since 1975, the Greek constitution has forbidden proselytizing. 20,000 people have been arrested since this law was enacted, and the total time of incarceration of these was close to 600 years!" (Info from an article from 1st of Sept. 1993, Watch Tower, Vol.114, No.7.--Jehovah's Witnesses' magazine).
[EDITED: "End of excerpts of European reports"]
Confirmation from the Lord!
23. (Mama:) Of course there is another side to the work in Western Europe, because if we witness we always win. And you dear Family members in Europe have brought forth fruit both through your personal witnessing as well as your witness to the public at large. In fact, we have received some very positive and beautiful testimonies from some of the same countries where the preceding reports originated, thank the Lord!
24. In addition to these wonderful witnessing testimonies from Europe, there have also been friends of influence won in various countries who are standing up for us and helping to fight for our right to live our religious beliefs. There has been positive media coverage as a result of our spokespersons' faithfulness and perseverance in delivering the truth. The Family has also participated in religious and inter-faith conferences which have provided a forum for explaining our Family beliefs and lifestyle, and have helped many to have a new understanding of what we are and what we stand for. In fact, the Family's fight in the political arenas of some of the European countries has even halted, or at least delayed, the passing of some of the bills before their parliaments to attack "dangerous cults." So there have been many victories, thank the Lord, and much to rejoice and be thankful for, and we can't completely paint black every little corner of this big picture that we're looking at.
25. However, as I said earlier, reports similar to the ones you've just read have been disturbing enough that I have felt quite heartbroken because of the very discouraging and disheartening effect it has had on our dear Family members, adults and young people alike. This has been the main reason why I got so desperate to find the answer. I was already thinking, along with the European shepherds, that we had to do something and that the Lord must have some kind of solution, and we were considering the possibility of pulling out of these hardened fields. Circumstance after circumstance seemed to indicate this, but we wanted to be sure we were right.
26. So when the CROs were gathered together at the recent Summit '95 meetings, I asked them to pray and ask the Lord to speak in prophecy on this matter, as I wanted a confirmation from the Lord that the burden in my heart was really from Him. As you'll read in the following prophecies and visions, the Lord was very clear in His directions regarding the overall battlefield of Western Europe, and the urgency to move much of our Family out of Western Europe!
27. The Lord was nevertheless very balanced in presenting His view, and in being so understanding of each aspect of the work. That shouldn't surprise us, but still it never ceases to amaze me how the Lord sees every heart and individual situation, and fits each within the tunnel of His perfect will, according to our choices and burdens and desires. The Lord covered it all: teens, parents and children who He will give the burden to leave Europe; those who will remain in Western Europe for one reason or another; our support and supply; and the warnings of the Lord's judgments.--And it's a wonderful confirmation of all that He'd already placed on our hearts regarding His will for our European laborers.
28. So, dear Family in Europe, after you read the following prophecies, you will each need to seek the Lord as to where you fit in. What is to be your role in the tremendous Endtime battles which the Lord is preparing us for? The Lord has a very special place for each of you, and just as clearly as He spoke to my heart and the hearts of the CROs regarding the work there, He can speak to your heart regarding the field and ministry in which you'll be happiest and most fruitful in the times to come.
29. The European shepherds have counseled with the CROs of other areas, and will be supplying you with an info pack outlining the need in Asia, South America, and other needy mission fields. When considering these options, you will need to ask the Lord for His confirmations and His living Word to speak to your heart, as we did, and He'll use that, along with the other ways to know His will, such as His written Word, godly counsel, burdens, etc., to make His path clear for you.
30. Pray desperately, individually, and with your mate or children or parents, and with your fellow Home members, for the Lord's will and direction for you in accordance with His call to "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." It was very significant in the prophecies that the Lord Himself would put His will and burden within each of your hearts, and we believe that if He hasn't already done so, He will, as you open yourself to His loving and still small voice in prayer and desperation.
Following is what the Lord said:
Prophecies:
31. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever. My plan, the same yesterday, today and forever. My Word, the same yesterday, today and forever. I have already instructed you in the ways of the battle through My servant David and the pattern he set before you. Said he not unto you that there is a time of sowing, of pioneering and of the great burgeoning of fruit, followed by the reaping and the gathering into barns?--And that this is followed by the storms of winter when the farmer flees into shelter and the judgments of winter fall upon the hardened ground? Then the laborers come forth again in spring, safe and secure to sow yet another crop and reap another harvest.
32. Said I not unto you long ago in the Letter "Arrivederci Roma" that God's will is like a river that seeks the lowly and broken hearts? There would be some that would cling to the rocks and cling to the sides and cling to their own pet doctrines, but the river would flow around the obstacles and around the hardnesses and seek the lowest places. This pattern has not changed.
33. I have created the seasons and the times, and I have even created the hardness of people's hearts. They have had their chance over and over again. Would you stand between them and My rod of judgment?--Or would you be willing to launch out into the deep where ye know not and where it is not comfortable, but where you could be safe?
34. I have not called you to win every field, only to witness to every field. The decision remains in the hearts of those who have heard My message. There shall be those who welcome the Antichrist with open arms because of the hardness of their heart and their love for the perversions of this world and for knowledge, for their hatred of Me and rejection of Me. But I have supplied more than enough lands for the people who are anti-Antichrist.--Those who are rejected, despised, belittled and scorned by the proud.
35. There are many lands where you will be received with open arms as conquerors and kings and rulers. Seek out these lands. I would not waste My leadership on those who would spit upon My kings and queens and priests and priestesses, or upon My young princes and princesses; but I send them where they can be received with open arms, to see that the words that I have given them all these years are true and are powerful, that there are people who will receive them with open arms, that My Word will not return void, but that it will prosper in the place whereunto I send it. But ye must be where I have sent you.
36. I have already sent thee into lands where thou art not yet. The vacuum is there waiting for you. Why would you beat your hoe against the hard rock when there is fertile soil already turned, and broken hearts to sow My seeds into? There are millions, tens of millions, hundreds of millions who have not yet heard My words of David of this day, nor seen your youth--hundreds of millions!
37. Therefore be not downcast or discouraged, but be excited and rejoice, for I would not take something from you unless I were to give you a much greater reward! So seek out the river of My will and where it is flowing, and ye shall find yet another harvest. The harvest is plenteous, but ye must find it.
38. (I had a vision during this prophecy of this very ugly, dry, horribly scorched earth, and people were trying to hoe it and harvest it. Later the Lord said, "Why are you beating your hoe against this hard ground?" It was very dry and also burned out, vast acres and acres and acres as far as you could see. And the people were very frustrated, but worst of all, underground was this horrible network of ugly worms and this very ugly devilish spirit eating away. Everything the people in the vision tried to do was just eaten away by the Enemy.
39. (At the edge of the field, you could see a beautiful green, plush area. Then there was a call from some of the European shepherds, who were calling the laborers to come out of that dry, barren field, and it seemed like an urgent sort of measure, sort of like an emergency measure where it was a wake-up call and a call to arms. Some people just dropped their hoes and ran to them, and they loaded up into big covered wagons pulled by big strong horses. The youth, many of them, ran for it with all their might! They piled into the wagons, they didn't take any suitcases or look behind, and they were changed as they ran! It was so beautiful as they got liberated, and they were so unshackled and thrilled to heed the call!
40. (Everyone leaving had to be pioneers and forsake all as they did so, and everybody was rejoicing and taking off in their wagons, loads of wagons, and some were left behind who didn't choose to go. There was such a liberation of beautiful, glorious sailing away, just getting away from it all and going on to greener fields. Along with that I got the verse, as the wagonloads were driving off, "He openeth His hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing" [EDITED: "Psa.145:16"].)
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41. The gentle Holy Spirit of My love does not land where She is not wanted, but She flees, as She must have a place of receptivity. The conviction, power and might of My message must be delivered, but it does not bear fruit where it is not wanted. Ye shall look for these signs. Ye shall look for this fruit. You must expect it. For have I not said in My Word that My Word does not return void unto Me?
42. Lift up your eyes and look on the fields that are white already to harvest, for there are many indeed where the gentle love of My Spirit can land and have an effect, and where the powerful conviction of My message might bear fruit that should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He will give it to you and do it for you.
43. For the Enemy goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Watch ye, therefore, for these inroads of the Enemy which are sowing dissatisfaction in the youth, when I have promised that they shall thrill with the ecstasies of My Spirit as they serve Me. Lift up a standard against these inroads, that your youth might find the satisfaction and challenge and thrills and ecstasies of My Spirit which I have promised I will give unto them.
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44. Behold, the people shall see a great light, for even now My Holy Spirit doth hover over other countries and fields that are so hungry and waiting for My Words! She weeps for these nations that have not seen the light of My Words.--She weeps for them even now!
45. You reap and toil and sow in fields that are so hardened to the Gospel and hardened to Her message and to Her Spirit. She weeps, for there are so many that are waiting for the Words. She waits to pour down the blessing of Her Spirit upon these hungry people. Yet there is no one there to do it for Her. She is waiting for you to join Her. She is waiting for messengers to come who can give Her message, Her Spirit, Her love, Her words to these hungry people.
46. You must move now with the Spirit of God. You must move now when it is God's time. You must move to where the people are receptive and hungry. For even now it is the time to set our soldiers in place for the great Endtime battle that is ahead. It is time for our children to pour forth as never before and reach every nation, for when this Gospel of the Kingdom is preached in every nation and every country, then shall the End come. And yet there are some who have not heard, while you give the Gospel over and over again to those who have heard many, many times and do not wish to hear it any more. You must move now with the Spirit of God.
47. (I saw a vision of the Holy Spirit like a mist, moving over different fields. She was over one country for a while, and then She moved to another and another, and then She was moving towards different fields--over the Arab countries and then towards Africa and moving in different directions. She was at first over Europe, but then She was separating and moving in different directions. She wasn't just heading to one country, but in several different directions.)
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48. Say not ye there are yet four months and then cometh harvest; for I say unto you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields! Look into the distant fields, for behold, there awaits a great and mighty harvest, a harvest that is yet to be reaped. For there are multitudes, yea, multitudes who are waiting for the words of David, whose hearts are breaking, those who are starving for the words of David! Therefore, I say go, run to these fields, run to these broken hearts. Pour forth the water of life that ye may slake their thirst, for there are multitudes who are dying of thirst and who have yet to hear of the love of Jesus, who have yet to hear the words of David, who have yet to feel the sweetness and warmth of My Spirit. Therefore, run, that ye may embrace these hungry ones and feed their souls and their hungry hearts!
49. For behold, your young people are rich, full to overflowing with the truth! They are blessed beyond measure, and they have heard all their lives that to be a missionary and to preach the gospel is the most blessed vocation there is upon earth. Yet they look around and they say, "If it's so blessed and so wonderful, then why does it seem everybody hates us? Why does everybody slam the door in our face? Why is there no receptivity and no respect? Why are there no open arms and open hearts? If this is so wonderful, then why does nobody see it as wonderful? Why do they see it as something horrible and despicable, to be trampled upon and to be hated?"
50. And for this reason your young people are very discouraged and downcast. Their hearts are broken, and their faith is wavering. For they long to pour out the words of David, but there is nowhere to pour them. They long to pour out the love of My Spirit, and there are no receptive vessels to receive it. Therefore they stagnate and grow discouraged, and for this reason I say run, yea, run to these open arms and open fields, that your young people may pour forth the love and the truth that is within them, which ye have so faithfully poured into them all these years. Why did you pour into them except that they might in turn pour out?
51. Therefore lift up your eyes and look on the fields that are now white unto harvest, that are more than white! This fruit is dying on the vines because there is no one there to reap it! Therefore go and rescue these lost ones! Reach out your hearts to these hungry ones! Feel their need and see their tears and let your hearts break for those who are truly needy!
52. Reject these who have rejected you! Turn once again and shake the dust from your feet, for they are not worthy of you. They are not worthy of your message and your presence. Flee these lands, that My judgments may fall upon them. For yea, I am weary with their hardness of heart. I am weary with their rejection of Me, and I long to judge them and deal with them, that they may turn back once again unto Me.
53. Therefore, take these precious ones and any that will follow and go! Run into these open arms and open fields, and there you will be well received and blessed, and I will supply your needs abundantly! I shall pour down My blessing upon you, and ye shall know that I am with you. Ye shall feel in your hearts that you are in My perfect will. Ye shall have no doubt, for ye shall see about you abundant blessing, abundant fruitfulness, great satisfaction, and great fulfillment, for there is much to be done, and all will be greatly challenged. Yea, I say, I will supply your needs! Whatever you lack, I will supply! Therefore fear not, but only go. Yea, run as ye lift up your eyes and look on these fields that are white now to harvest!
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54. Take heed unto these things which I have said and take them not lightly. For a plague shall come upon these lands [EDITED: "Europe"], much darker and more evil and more complete than the great plagues of old. As I chastened Europe before with a great plague in the time of her filth and wickedness, there is yet coming a greater plague than ever before. While these lands may look beautiful and polished, they are even darker and blacker than the days of black plague, and there is a plague coming!
55. Flee from this wave which shall come upon this land! Already there have been floods and storms, but these are but precursors of a great plague, a spiritual plague of darkness and blackness which shall come upon these lands. Therefore come ye out from among them, that ye be not partakers of her plagues, and I will receive you, saith the Lord.
56. (I was also praying and wondering if, when we leave Europe, there will be some kind of judgment. I kept getting the words "fire, dearth, wind and storm.")
57. (I saw the prophet Jeremiah with tears streaming down his face, and I heard the song, "The message of Jeremiah, I have committed unto thy hand, the judgments of God are soon to be poured out upon this wicked land. You'd better get right with God; don't be a hypocrite! Quit doing your own thing, for the Lord is tired of it!" Then I saw a map of Europe and a prayer chain of Family members on their knees, all the way from up north, through Western Europe, going all the way down south to Italy, and they were all facing eastward. They were on their knees saying their final prayers for Western Europe, saying, "Lord, we commit them unto Your hand, and we go on.") (Feb. 1995: We recently saw some of these first judgements on the television news--massive floods throughout Western Europe, while Spain and Bulgaria--two countries the Family pulled out of after strong persecution--are experiencing some of the worst droughts in their history!--Mama.)
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58. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, nor against kings and princes of this earth, but against principalities, against the rulers of the darkness of this world. Great principalities have fought a great battle to destroy and hinder and harm and hurt. But out of these ashes of seeming defeat shall grow the beautiful lilies of victory and overcoming. For there shall be a great rejoicing in the land, and many shall run to conquer, and many shall grow from the ashes of defeat!
59. For this is the victory ye have been seeking! This is a victory for My people, for they have suffered much at the hands of the principalities of darkness that rule over this land. There have been many that have fallen by the wayside, and some that have died and even come before My presence, their life being cut off.
60. But arise, I say now, arise! For the grip of the Enemy has been released through your belief! For ye shall not suffer defeat anymore! Rise up and fight! Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may stand against the wiles of the Devil! For ye have seen the Devil face to face, and ye have seen him in full force against you and against your children and against your work. Hate him with a perfect hatred! Count him your enemy and fight with all that is within you to bring souls unto My Kingdom, for lo, I give you now another chance! Stand up! Give no place to the Devil, and do not listen to him! For he is a great principality, and many forces gather round him and appear before Satan daily. But greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
61. Ye shall rejoice, and I shall give you a greater victory than the defeats that ye have seen! And many shall even come again unto you, saying, "Lo, is this a new battle? Is this the battle cry that we faintly heard?" And ye shall say, "Yes, come and join us!" And they shall once again put on their armor and fight the battles of David!
62. Fight, My children, fight! Go into the battle with a whole heart, willing to be martyred and willing to die, for this could be the last battle that you will fight for Me in this world.--For many of you, it will be. Fight, I say, fight! Look straight on, and turn not to the right hand nor to the left. Let not the Enemy enter again through any of the breaches that he caused before. You do not even have to build up the walls--all you have to do is disperse and fight the battles! For I will be with you, and I will strengthen you, and I will give you great victories. Ye shall bring unto Me many, many people, but ye must set aside the weights and the sins and the worldliness and the ungodly influences, and give no place to the Devil.
63. (The impression I got was that the Enemy was holding down many of our people in Europe, but through their belief and decision to follow what the Lord had shown, the Enemy's grip would be loosed and our people would be freed!)
More Visions and Verses:
64. I saw a picture of a very large round table in the days of old, with knights all around it. These knights were the kind that were commissioned. Like it says in "The Spiritual Warfare Depends on Us" (ML #2327), "The heavenly forces will only fight for you as you get in the arena and fight and pray. Then the forces are released to help you."
65. I saw all these knights around this huge round table that had a big map of Europe on it. As the prophecies were coming and as our hearts were receiving and understanding what the Lord was saying, it was like power was released, and the knights kept saying, "Thank God, thank God!" They were getting their armor on and looking at each other and grabbing each other by the shoulder like men would do. They were really happy and saying, "Thank God, thank God!" As they were leaving the room, one of them took a huge ax and hit this table, and it split all the way down the middle.
66. Also, during one of the prophecies I started getting a strong pain in my heart. Then I saw these different Family members in Europe who have been there for a long time. Some of them had gone back to Europe from other mission fields and kind of given up, or some had gone back because they had rejected something or had been disciplined, and their lives had sort of come to an end, it seems.
67. I felt their pain and their desire to be real missionaries again, and that the Lord was giving them the desire of their heart. They had been purged, and they had seen the error of their ways. They didn't know if there was a way out, a way to get back on the wall again. Then I saw them going off to all kinds of mission fields, not just to Eastern Europe, but going all over the place and carrying their broken hearts with them.
68. I got the words, "He that goeth forth weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come before the Lord rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him!"
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69. I saw a sea of water, very still, and then a strong flow of water. I was asking, "What is this body of water?" And then the prophecy was given about how the water would seek the lowest level.
70. Then the picture changed to an aquarium with goldfish in it. The analogy was that this type of fish would only grow according to the size of their aquarium. I remember one time some people were showing me some large fish and they said they were goldfish. But I said, "They can't be, they're so big! They're so beautiful, they're so strong!" They said, "If you put them in a big place, they grow bigger." I got this as representing our young people--that it was our responsibility to put them in a place where they can grow.
71. Then the vision went back to the scene of the water, and as the water went through the rocks it was purified. I felt that our young people are these fish which will grow and from the water be so much purer in their faith and in their outlook.
72. As the water poured forth, I saw scenes of "consider the poor" ministries in Asia, with receptive audiences clapping for our young people's singing, and admiring how free and pure and simple they were. It seemed like those are the ones we are searching for. They're hungry and they're thirsty. In going, our people in Western countries would get back to that simplicity, that freedom of the Spirit that many are so lacking right now.
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73. I got Mark 16:15, and also the verse, "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet" (Mat. 10:14). (Someone else got the same verse.)
74. I also got the same quote that someone else got about how water seeks the lowest place.
75. Also, I had the feeling that witnessing is the key for our young people's growth, and that the teens in Western Europe going to a different mission field and starting to witness and reach the hungry souls would really strengthen their relationship with the Lord.
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76. The Lord gave me the verse, "By their fruits ye shall know them" (Mat.7:20) in relation to the country in which you're ministering. The Family is trying to witness to people in Europe who are not receiving them, so they don't have the fruit to show.
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77. In the prophecy about other lands waiting for us, and being very ripe, I saw this very dark, rich color, like coffee color, very dark brown and almost black. We probably think first of all of Eastern Europe being ripe fields, and Eastern Europe is of course near Western Europe. But I'm also wondering if there is a literal interpretation of these dark brown and black lands--Africa? One out of every three refugees in the world is African. I saw a picture of how well received the Family was in Thailand and places where there are those big refugee camps. There are probably even bigger camps waiting in other lands like that, where there are broken hearts and broken soil already prepared for us.
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78. I had also been thinking and praying, "Lord, is there anything You have for us about this possibility of going to Africa, at least pioneering?" Then I saw a map of Europe, and I saw people going to Africa from Europe.
79. I also saw a picture of the Vatican in Italy, and had the impression that it might be good to have a good team to minister to the Catholics.
80. I also saw a picture of the Letter "Open Doors" and the title of "Golden Opportunities," both of which seemed to indicate to go where the harvest is greater. It seemed like a real encouragement and I had an impression that Dad might be trying to encourage us towards new things and a new emphasis on reaching the Blacks.
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81. I saw the cover of the Letter "The Conakry Rip-Off," where Dad ripped off the corner of the map of the west coast of Africa. (See ML #392.) When he pulled this strip off the map, all these road teams went out everywhere!
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82. When an army redeploys or retreats in a certain battle, usually there are some that stay as a rearguard to protect the rear and flanks of the army that's leaving so that the army can make their exit safely without losing forces. I wonder if that would be our TRF Supporters and any DO members who would choose to remain back in Europe, that they would take up that role of being the rearguard that would allow the other forces to go and move safely (and who could continue to witness and minister to our friends and contacts in Western Europe).
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83. Maybe that's why the Lord has given fruitful works to some of our DO Homes, as well as TSers, but not to others. Maybe the Lord wants them to continue on with their fruitful ministries even if many others head off to other mission fields.
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84. I was marveling and thinking how wonderful it is how the Lord takes everyone in every situation into account and answers their heartcries--not only the hearts of our youth, but the parents too. So I was praying, "Lord, is there anything else You want to say to anyone?" Then I got a flash of TRF Supporters and some DO members who couldn't go for one reason or another, and I was reminded of the Lord's promise to Rahab on the wall, that the Lord would protect His own! (Josh.6:17).
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85. I was getting the message of, "If you can't be a missionary, support one." I guess that was one of the roles of Rahab, she helped take care of others. So maybe that will be another ministry of those who stay back in Western Europe, to help support those who are able to be missionaries elsewhere.
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86. When David of old first gathered his army, they were the outcasts and the rejected and the downtrodden and all of that.--But afterwards it described them and said they were mighty men of valor and could do wonderful feats. (1Sam.22:2; 1Chr.12) It's kind of like the Family in Europe now, as they get back in battle and pass through the borders, go through this tunnel, their "cave of Adullam," they're going to get back their anointing!
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87. When we were praying and the first prophecy came, I got the words, "Break the box and let it roll!"--And "The future is as bright as the promises of God!" With this I had a vision of the European shepherds standing in front of a treasure box, and there were young people sitting in front of the box. The European shepherds said, "We have something very special for you!" Then they opened up the treasure box and it was all new fields. It was written inside, all shiny and gold! Then one of the shepherds said, "You can go wherever you want to, just choose your field!" All the young people were happy and looking at each other and said, "Wow, we can choose to go wherever we want to go!"
88. I was thinking about this phrase, "The future is as bright as the promises of God" in relationship to where the Lord said, "The teens are the future of your father, and he's given many very special promises about them." So maybe what the Lord is saying is that the future of our teens is as bright as the promises that the Lord has given for them! When I got that, I also got the words: "Not one thing shall fail of all the good things the Lord your God said concerning them. All shall come to pass unto them, and not one thing shall fail thereof!"
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89. During one of the prophecies, I was reminded of the time years ago when we adults were YAs in the U.S. We all just decided where we wanted to go into all the world. Some stayed in the U.S., some went to Europe, some went to Australia, and so forth. I guess it was according to our faith or burden or gift of languages or whatever.
90. Our young people are at the same point where they need us to say, "Okay, the world is yours. Where do you want to go?" Some might say, "I'm happy here teaching a JETT group," but others might say, "Since you mentioned it, I always did want to go to New Zealand."--Or, "If the whole world is open, I really would like to go to Zimbabwe and check it out." Maybe it's time for them to go into all the world too!
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91. Some of my kids are teenagers, and I was thinking, "What if they want to go?" And the Lord just spoke to me, "Let My people go!" After all, they're not ours, they're His. Maybe this is a message for a lot of parents, that we have got to let our young people go. The Lord spoke to me, "Isn't that what made you strong? Isn't that what kept you, the pioneering and the witnessing? Let My people go!"
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92. I got a verse for the teens in Western Europe: "Lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees. Make straight paths for their feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but rather let it be healed" (Heb.12:12-13).
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93. Yesterday we saw a video of Thailand's "consider the poor" ministry, and there was one YA girl singing a song to some former prostitutes. She was crying because she was so touched by all these girls loving her so much for giving them the Lord! She was so moved! That picture stuck in my mind, how the Lord wants all our young people to find that joy and fulfillment in being able to have real contact with hungry people like that.
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94. In Europe, it's often people like the Pakistanis or Indians who have been receptive and have been supporting the Family--people from different Third World nationalities or communities--and maybe some of these people would like to support our folks as missionaries to go to their home countries. Maybe they would like to sponsor a family or two to go to India. Maybe the Lord has already had our Family meet people who would be willing to support them as missionaries! [EDITED: "End of prophecies."]
God's Guarantees!
95. (More from Mama:) Aren't those beautiful and very specific prophecies, Family?--And even some good ideas on raising fares and support! Praise the Lord! We've heard that Family members have found it easier to raise support when they explain that they are raising support to go to a foreign field--rather than simply trying to raise funds for their local Home or work. And on the subject of home support, in addition to keeping contacts fed through the mail, some have found it very fruitful to return for occasional visits with their contacts and supporters on the home field, while also using it as an opportunity to gain new friends and support. In any case, we know that the Lord provides where He guides, and that seems to be out of Europe for many of our folks.
96. Although we can't go solely by the circumstances that these various reports from Europe highlight, they were nevertheless the catalyst that the Lord used to get us thinking and praying about all this, and the Lord seems to have confirmed the feelings I had through these prophecies, that it's indeed time to go.
97. While we don't necessarily need to go out of our way to publicly shake off the dust of our feet in pulling out of Western Europe, when God's judgements do start falling in those countries we need to faithfully point out that God is dealing with them because they've fallen away from Him. However, at this time, the Family probably doesn't need to announce our evacuation of Europe to the media or government in a high-profile manner, lest it be misinterpreted that the ACM succeeded in driving the Family out. We've done our job and have given people a chance to hear the Word, which many have rejected. So the Lord is using their persecution and harassment to prod the Family to move on to more receptive fields. You could just go about your business of raising your fares for the mission field, and leave Europe to its fate.
98. We'll be praying for you, dear European Family, as you seek the Lord for His will in your lives. In closing, I want to leave you with this faith-inspiring passage from "God's Guarantees," a testimony from Dad, who has always been such a sample of a pioneer:
99. "We have in our Family a number of times done things contrary to natural expectation because we knew it was the will of God and good for us and good for His work and good for lost souls and good for the Gospel to be preached throughout the whole world, even though it seemed it was going to cost us a great deal in effort and time and money and even manpower.
100. "[EDITED: "With my first family"] we had settled down to a comfortable home and comfortable living and comfortable lives, feeling and seeming secure ... when suddenly God told me: `Go! Sell all that thou hast and give to the poor, and come follow Me!' It was a startling call and a dumbfounding surprise, and I was amazed and shocked at God's lack of common sense. But once again the Lord said it was time to go and to obey Him, contrary to natural expectations. And He led me then into another much larger ministry than I had ever dreamed of....
101. "I chose rather to obey God than man and I chose rather, like Moses, to `suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season' (Heb.11:25) ... [EDITED: "as we"] ... heard the call of the Lord and the very voice of God in the Spirit directing us daily where to go and what to do, purely by faith, trusting God alone for our needs. Since then, God has led us from land to land, time and again forsaking all and following Him to do His will, to lead you and guide you to become the greatest fishers of men on this earth today! All because we were time and again willing to drop everything, forsake all, leaving everything behind that we worked so hard for, and once again strike out into a totally new field by faith.
102. "So once again we're making another great forsaking-all! Once again we're dropping everything and going to the ends of the earth ... in obedience to God's warnings, that we might survive. Again He's guaranteeing you that He is going to make you fishers of men in a greater way than you have ever known Him before! Hallelujah! Thank You Jesus! Praise You Lord! And one of the most important things He's going to do is keep you fishers of men and witnesses and soul-winners, and save you and spare you so that you can continue to minister and not be wiped out along with the rest of the ungodly, worldly, Gospel-hardened, ready-for-judgment North!
103. "I know one thing for sure, by His Word, His guarantees and His swearing by Himself, He is going to keep us going and He is going to take care of us, no matter what! He is going to continue to supply our needs and your needs and your spiritual food in whatever form it may take or come in days to come. All we have to do is obey, all we have to do is what Jesus said, to forsake all and follow Him, and He will continue to make us fishers of men!
104. "Are you willing? Are you obeying Jesus? Are you heeding His warning to forsake all and leave those dangerous lands where not only can you lose your life, but your ministry and your disciples with you, and end it all? Or are you willing to follow Jesus and drop everything that you have now to receive something greater and more beautiful and more wonderful, a greater ministry than you ever had before in more supernatural, miraculous ways than you ever dreamed of, with God supplying your needs just as much as ever, as much as you need wherever you need it?
105. "Do you believe God? `Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh unto Him must believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of them which diligently seek Him' and His will and His way and His service and His souls. (Heb.11:6) Do you believe His Word and His promises and His guarantees?
106. "Are you willing to forsake a good thing for a better and a greater thing? Are you willing to forsake a good thing for something even better and greater, such as more lost souls, souls that need Jesus in those neglected lands of the Third World and the southern hemisphere?
107. "Because you trust Him and you obey Him and you believe His guarantees, God's guarantees in His Word, He will supply all your need according to His riches in glory, regardless of man or the Devil or our enemies or our place of ministry or our mode of ministry or whatever!--God will not fail, Jesus never fails!
108. "Thank You, Jesus, for Thy good guarantees that never fail! You have never failed us, and You'll not fail us now! You'll see us through to the very ends of the earth and the end of the world and never fail us! Thank You Lord! We believe You, Jesus, and we know You'll carry us through! Hallelujah!--Through a new door, into a new and wider field of ministry, a whole new world, a glorious new harvest, a wonderful wonderful fulfillment of Thy guarantees, the precious promises of Thy Word and Thy love, in Jesus' name. Amen." (ML #1027:6, 18-21, 27, 49, 53, 55, 62, 71, 73-76, 78, 82, written 7/81)
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family