PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS!--Pt. 2! Maria #347 DO 3070 9/96
--What to Do About the Problems of the Family!
--By Maria
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Battles with Believing and Receiving Prophecy 3
Pillars of God in the Last Days! 5
Testimony of Victory Over Doubts! 7
Deliverance from Doubts--How It Works! 9
Personal Message to Solly from Dad! 11
Excerpts from "The Crystal Pyramid!" 13
Seven Guiding Spirits Prophecy 15
Is WS "Out of Touch"? 16
Keep in Touch with God! 18
Reactions 21
(Please read Part 1 of this Letter [EDITED: "GN "] before reading this GN. Thanks!)
Dear Ones,
1. God bless you! In the first part of this series (GN 697), I identified some of the main causes of the ongoing problems of the Family, which are: Life is a struggle; we're still getting adjusted to the Charter; it's a time of spiritual testing and purging; the Devil's on an all-out attack to discourage us; the Lord wants us to see that the job is too big for us so we'll call out to Him and not try to do it in the arm of the flesh; and a lack of going to the Word and obeying it. You also read a message from Dad in which he tells us of the need to get our eyes off the problems and on to the Lord, and he reminds us that by going to the Word, we'll find the answers we need!
2. I know you've been told about the importance of the Word before; in fact, many times. And I've got to admit that I don't think that just my saying "go to the Word" one more time in this Letter is necessarily going to do the trick or bring about the change that's needed. There are some problems or questions that are stopping you from going to the Word or having faith in the Word, so some of you may be saying, "Yeah, sure. We've heard that before. 'Go to the Word. The Word's the answer.' Yeah, yeah, yeah [DELETED]."
3. It's always a battle to get Word time. We all know how difficult it is to schedule time for the Word and to make sure that time is feeding. There's always so much to do that it's easy for the cares and responsibilities of a busy Home to squeeze out the Word. Plus, even when you do have Word time, there's the tendency to daydream and get tripped off, so you don't always get as much out of what you read as you'd like. These are normal ongoing battles that we have always had to fight when trying to get the Word we need.
4. But today the battle to get in the Word is even greater, because some of you have major questions about the new GNs or the way things are going in the Family, thoughts which hinder you from going to the Word or having the faith to obey it. For example, perhaps some of you struggle with the following thoughts:
1.) There's too much prophecy in the GNs, and I don't believe the prophecies anyway.
2.) WS is out of touch with the field, so the counsel in the GNs doesn't apply or relate.
3.) The Family has failed in many important areas, so that proves the Word doesn't work.
4.) Mama says the Family is doing better than ever, but that's not true. Where I live, things are going worse than ever! The Family is falling apart.
5.) There's no time to get in the Word anyway, even if I wanted to, because we're too busy just surviving. So why even try?
5. The five points listed above aren't just hypothetical scenarios that I dreamed up so I could use them as an illustration. We have come to know through communication with the Family, either via reports, reactions, letters, and Peter and Gary's personal conversations with many Family members during their recent travels, that a number of people are indeed feeling this way. If you're battling with these thoughts or similar ones, then please take time to read this Letter carefully and really think about what is being said. Please! If nothing else, do it for me! This could be a matter of life and death for you, because anything that's standing in the way of you getting fed from the Word is serious business!
6. You may not realize it, but what's happening is the Devil is launching an all-out attack to try to destroy your faith in the Word. That's his goal, his top priority. Our power is in the Word, so it stands to reason that if the Enemy were to choose one thing that would cause the greatest problem to you as an individual or to the Family overall, it would be to cause you (and as many of us as possible) to doubt or disregard or resist or stay away from the Word! He knows if he can do that, he will have won a great victory! Because if you don't have faith in the Word, even if you do read it, you won't have the conviction to obey it. Recently Dad said to me in prophecy:
7. {\b \i (Dad speaking:) }The greatest power of the Enemy in the Last Days will be through doubt, discouragement and fear. So you need to teach our folks to fight the Enemy, to be able to recognize his wiles, his attacks, and know how to fight back and win, because the Devil is playing for keeps! He's not fooling around; he's serious! He's out to destroy the Lord's children, and especially the children of David. He knows we're a threat to his power, to his plan.
8. We're his greatest enemy on Earth, and he's doing everything he possibly can to undermine faith in the Word, to cause our kids to doubt the Word, to doubt the Lord's Truth. Because if they doubt the Word, then they won't go to it or read it or study it or memorize it, and they'll lose their power. Because that's where the power is, it's in the Word! The Word is the Lord! The Word is the Spirit! The Word is the power! So one of the Enemy's greatest attacks will be to get our folks to doubt the Word. (End of excerpt of message from Dad.)
9. {\b \i (Mama:)} Thoughts like the five listed above undermine your faith in the Word, which takes away your desire to read the Word and to try to live it. As I explained in part one of this talk, I believe wholeheartedly that going to the Word and obeying it is the solution to many of the Family's ongoing problems, but I also know that I can't expect you to eagerly dive into the Word until some of these obstacles to your having faith in the Word are removed. In this GN and the next, Lord helping me, I want to talk about the above points and answer some of the questions that may be on your hearts.
Battles with Believing and Receiving Prophecy
10. Quite a few of you still don't particularly like the prophecies in the GNs. You say you don't get fed when you read them. This is a serious problem. Dad has told us time and time again that the key is to go to the Word, but it's not enough to just read the old Letters--you also need the Lord's fresh Word from Heaven for today! As Dad said:
11. "The greatest thing we can teach our new disciples and children--and each new generation has to learn it for itself--is to follow God and hear from Him fresh every day. Moment by moment learn something new every day, because only God is way out there in front and knows what's going to happen, and is able to lead you and guide you and show you what to do" (ML #251:39).
12. "Every day should be a new day, a new experience, a new listening to the voice of the Lord! Why just live on yesterday's food? Why not have something fresh every day? We do, almost every day, don't we? Praise the Lord! Then we pass it on to you" (ML #638:12).
13. You need the Word, and the Lord is giving you the Word, both through me and through direct prophecy. But if you're not reading, understanding, and trying to live that Word, then you've got trouble and it won't work!
14. It takes time to get used to reading prophecy. It's an adjustment, because for most people it requires much more concentration and focus--especially the prophecies from Jesus, which come in a style least like your usual day-to-day speech. You have to apply yourself more while reading. It's perfectly understandable that it may take a while before you really start to enjoy reading prophecy. But as long as you keep trying and keep reading the prophecies, you'll eventually get used to it and you'll find it more feeding and easier to read. We've heard many testimonies to support this from people on the field who had a real hard time reading prophecy, but eventually grew to enjoy it and it has now become their favorite part of the GN.
15. We've also heard, however, that because some of you don't like reading prophecies, you just barely skim them. Or worse yet, you don't even try to read them, but instead skip them completely. We have heard that some of you are not reading the new GNs at all! If you don't read the new GNs, you're only hurting yourself by neglecting to do so, whether out of indifference or laziness or lack of interest. If you continue to do that, you'll fall further and further behind, and pretty soon the Revolution will go on without you. You won't even know what happened to you, but you'll end up stuck in the past, because you didn't keep up with the stirring New Wine of today!
16. If you're not reading the New Wine just because reading prophecies is not your cup of tea, then please ask for prayer and get serious with the Lord to overcome this problem. You need the New Wine!
17. Not liking to read prophecy because you think it's boring or not feeding is one thing, but we have heard other reactions and reports that indicate that there are those of you who flat out don't believe the prophecies in the GNs. You criticize the messages from the Lord and Dad, talk against them, and outright reject them.
18. Believing, receiving and having faith in the prophecies in the GNs is crucial to your spiritual growth, because the Lord has now chosen to speak to Peter and me primarily in prophecy. It's His vehicle for the new revelations He wants to give us, for the important things He's telling us. Today, the Lord is giving His message to the Family through prophecy.
19. Prophecy isn't just some new "trip" that Peter and I are into right now just for the fun of it. This is God's plan for today. The New Wine the Lord wants to give us is coming via prophecy. Prophecy is God's Word; it's God giving the message. It's not just some "thing" we happen to call "prophecy!"
20. That's why I stopped putting the word "prophecy" in parentheses before each message we publish from Jesus or Dad. I thought, "We need to help the Family to realize what this is. It's not just another literary style to present a message--like you've got poetry, and you've got prose, and now you've got prophecy! That's not it! It's God speaking to us! He's speaking His Words!" And I thought, "Well, we'd better say who this is! This is Jesus speaking." And when the Lord allows Dad to give us a message, I want you to realize it is Dad speaking. Prophecy is not just some little detail that we can take or leave; it's a big part of the picture! It's not just something optional that you can decide to accept or reject, or decide that you don't like, without suffering some definite loss.
21. Some people ask, "Why does Mama have to fill up the GNs with all this prophecy?" Well, I'll tell you, I'm not filling up the GNs with just a bunch of unimportant words that we happened to call prophecy. I'm filling them up with God's Words, God's message!--A priceless treasure that you should value as one of your most precious possessions! You should be so thankful that God has chosen to speak to us in this way, so directly, so beautifully.
22. Why would you want me to speak to you in my jumbled, disorganized, partial, broken, whatever-it-is way, when God can give His very Words directly to you? Of course, you like me to speak, and I don't mind speaking too, and I need to and I do. But why would you not primarily want God to speak to you directly? If you really believe that it's God, then for goodness sake, of course you should want to read it and believe it!
23. Some people, however, actually think we're making up the prophecies from Jesus and Dad that we publish in the GNs--that Peter or I or other people in WS write the prophecies! That might sound pretty crazy to some of you, but that's what some people think! Believe me, we don't make up or write the prophecies!
24. One of our secretaries who transcribes both prophecy tapes and work tapes of some of the folks in my Home commented the other day: "If anyone doubts the validity of the prophecies, they should see the difference between the way people speak when they're dictating--that is, when they're deliberately thinking about their thoughts and sentence structure and trying to make things sound good--and the way they speak when they're prophesying. When most people dictate, they're unclear, they have cliff-hanger (unfinished) sentences, they say 'ummmm' 100 times, and they usually have to go back over their dictation and edit it so it will flow and make sense. But when those same people prophesy, the message is clear, straightforward and almost perfect. I know the prophecies are miraculous and inspired by God, because I've seen the difference between people speaking as a channel of the Lord and when they're speaking themselves!"
25. Along this same line, another member of WS commented:
26. "I think when people 'meet' Peter on the Summit videos, they will realize that Peter is a great teacher and his presentation is fun, clear, loving and wise. But it will be obvious to everyone that no amount of editing could make one of his classes sound like one of the prophecies he receives. Peter is Peter, Dad is Dad, and Jesus is Jesus.
27. "Another proof that prophecies are the inspired Word of God is the 'wisdom factor,' which is one thing that has really increased my faith in prophecy since the Lord started emphasizing this as one of His primary ways of speaking to us around the time of Dad's homegoing. I know and work with some of the people who are the Lord's channels for some of the prophecies that have been published. I love these folks and respect their counsel and other gifts, but when they prophesy, I sure know it isn't them! It is 'wisdom from above.'
28. "So when I hear reports that some folks on the field think that people in WS make up the prophecies that get published in the GNs, I have to laugh! There's no way these folks could cook up the things they get from the Lord in prophecy--especially not on the spot!
29. "That's another factor which those reading the GNs may not realize: The people who are the channels receiving the prophecies usually hear from the Lord only a few minutes after being told what they're going to be praying about. There's usually little or no discussion, and no time for them to try to reason out the subject at hand, or concoct the messages they give. Usually what happens is someone reads the prayer request from Mama, and someone prays and asks the Lord to speak, and then, BOOM! The message is there!
30. "By contrast, when most of those same people are given even a simple writing assignment, such as writing an LNF, it's a struggle from beginning to end. But when they prophesy, the words flow with effortless ease--no 'writer's block,' no rough draft, and no rewriting or editing! The Lord gets it right the first time, every time! Praise the Lord!"
Pillars of God in the Last Days!
31. {\b \i (Mama:) }Recently the Lord spoke about how He is preparing the Family now for the Last Days. That message shed light on how and why the Enemy attacks the Word. I'll include excerpts of this message below, which I believe will help explain to you more about what the Lord is doing, the tactics of the Enemy, and how you can best prepare to be the witness you want to be in the Endtime.
32. {\b \i (Jesus speaking:)} I wish for My children to learn to hear from Me, to follow Me closely, to obey what I say to do, to yield to the ways that I lead them, to hear the whispers, the messages, and to follow in faith. As they learn these things, they shall become more connected, they shall become stronger, they shall become more the children of David. They will become more as David, as receivers, as prophets, as men and women of conviction and of power and of anointing, as My David was.
33. They shall become more confident in Me and stronger in faith, as they see Me perform what I said I would do. They shall become pillars, I say, in the Last Days; pillars of light that will shine in the darkness; pillars of strength that will uphold many; pillars of faith that will do miracles, move mountains, call down wonders; pillars to stand strong against the wiles of the Evil One as he goes forth to deceive and to destroy even the very elect.
34. These are the days of the creating of the pillars, of the strengthening, of the growing, of the broadening and the heightening of these pillars. And how do they become pillars?--Through faith, through belief, through drinking in the New Wine, My Word, and through receiving My directions, My Word, My instruction, My guidance themselves; through prayer, through the Word, through prophecy, through obedience, through yieldedness.
35. I say to you, My children, be not deceived by the Evil One who wishes to keep you from becoming the pillars of God, for he knows the strength and the power and the anointing of the pillars of God. He knows that the pillars of God keep him from his dirty work and destroy and defeat his works, and thus he tries to keep you from becoming the pillars of God. He casts forth his doubts, his lies, saying, "This is not the way to become a pillar; these things are not true." He tries to weaken your faith. He tries to get you to reject the truth, to reject the Word, which is the giver of faith. He attacks My Words; he says they are not true, he states they do not work.
36. He does all that he can to deceive and to defeat you! He has done this from the beginning. He is the caster of doubts, the demon of defeat, the Lucifer of lies! And so he tries to cause you to doubt, to lie to you, to defeat you, to keep you from becoming the pillars that I wish for you to be.
37. How do you defeat him?--You drink in My Word. You drink it in in full faith, in full belief, desiring it and wanting it, implementing it, obeying it, yielding to it. You defeat him by resisting, by fighting, and by not surrendering as he tries to lie and deceive and defeat you.
38. For I say to you, if you are entertaining thoughts that the Words I give are not Mine, if you are entertaining thoughts that the Words that are poured forth from your queen, from My appointed and anointed prophetess, the Words that she pours forth to you, My Words that have been received by those whom she trusts, whom she loves, and whose prophecies and Words she judges, if you are tempted to think that these things are not of Me, then I say to you, you must resist, and you must recognize that this is the Enemy of your soul trying to keep you from becoming a pillar of God!
39. It takes time to become a pillar, to have the strength, to have the faith, and it is accomplished by the constant, steady stream of My Word being poured into you, by your listening to Me, to My whispers, to My voice, and by your obedience and your yieldedness day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. It seems it is a hard road for you, but I say, it is an easy road compared to being in the dark days without being a pillar.
40. To become a pillar of light you must receive the light and be filled with the light, that you may glow in the darkness and that others may be drawn unto you. You will be strong and do exploits, and you will feed the people the Truth in the midst of the darkness and lies and deceit that will cover the Earth.
41. So become a pillar of God! Become a pillar through belief, through faith, through the Word, through obedience, and through yieldedness. Become a pillar each day, every day, through receiving and believing My Word, through hearing from Me fresh each day, through loving Me, through drawing nigh unto Me, through becoming one with Me, that I may fill you with My light and that you may begin to glow today, a little more glow each day through a little more input, taking in of Me and My seeds, through a little more obedience, through a little more yieldedness, and through a little more fighting against the wiles of the Evil One.
42. So I say unto you, come unto Me! Come unto Me, you who are weary, you who are heavy laden, you who are buffeted by the Deceiver, you who are lacking faith, you who are doubting the Word. I say, come unto Me! Come into the protection of My arms. Cry out to Me and I will reach forth My arms and pull you in closer. Cry out to Me and fight against the wiles of the Deceiver, of the Liar, of the Defeater! Cry out to Me and I will draw you nigh unto Me. Drink in My Word, cry out for faith! And pour My light, My life, My Spirit, My Word, My Love into your souls, into your spirits, into your lives so that it will reflect on others as you glow and become the pillars of God! (End of prophecy.)
43. {\b \i (}Mama:) The Lord is doing a great work in each of you to prepare you to be strong, powerful witnesses in the days to come. Through the lessons you're learning today, He's making you into the pillars you will need to be tomorrow! Day by day as you grow in faith, drink in the New Wine, learn to hear His whispers, and follow closely by obeying what He shows you to do, you're becoming the prophets and men and women of conviction and power and anointing that the Lord needs. These are days of preparation. These are days of the creating of pillars.
44. The Enemy knows the strength, power and anointing of the pillars of God. He knows that you're able to stop his dirty work, so he'll do anything he can to stop you from becoming a pillar. The way he does that is by trying to get you to doubt and reject the Word. If he can get you to think that the Word doesn't work and the New Wine isn't of the Lord, if he can get you to think that the prophecies in the new GNs are concocted, made up, or false, or that I am not anointed by the Lord to judge the prophecies, then he knows you'll not read and absorb the Word as you should, and he will thereby succeed in cutting you off from the source of your faith and strength.
45. If the Enemy is attacking you in this way, the Lord gives the keys to bring about his downfall: Drink in the Word in full faith, and then obey it. Resist, fight and don't surrender when the Enemy tempts you to doubt, criticize or reject the Word. And remember that when you're tempted to think the New Wine is not of the Lord, that is the Devil trying to keep you from becoming a pillar of God! Of course, you'll have to take this by faith, but if you take the first step, and go on the attack to read and receive the Word by faith, praying desperately, then you'll see the Lord pull you through and give you peace and understanding in your heart, as a result of your obedience.
46. It takes time to receive the training the Lord has for you. It doesn't happen overnight, but requires that you receive a constant, steady stream of the Word, and consistently listen, obey, and yield to the Lord, day after day, month after month, year after year! You may think this is a hard road, but the Lord says it's an easy road when compared to "being in the dark days without being a pillar." In the years to come, you'll be happy you endured the training and the preparation of today, because you'll be well-equipped with the strength and gifts you'll need for the exploits you'll do in the End. Praise the Lord!
47. I know that none of you want to fail the Lord or miss out on the calling He has for you. You want to be ready for whatever battles or adventures come your way. So it behooves you to remember the spiritual battle, and recognize that it's a dangerous thing to reject the Word, which includes the New Wine of prophecy that the Lord is giving, the Words that God Himself is giving, and that He's allowing Dad to give.
48. But if you're having trouble with the prophecies, if you're doubting them, or even if you've rejected them and have stopped reading the new GNs, don't give up or feel like there's no hope for you. The Lord will help you if you cry out to Him. The victory is there for you if you'll just keep fighting, seek the Lord desperately, and go to His Word with an open mind!
Testimony of Victory Over Doubts!
49. Here is a testimony along these lines that I think will be very encouraging for you. It's a letter that was written to me from a YA.
(From Solly, a 19-year-old man:)
Dear Mama,
50. God bless you! I love you so very much and am so thankful for all the love and concern that you have for us! I wanted to share with you my feelings, reactions, and the lessons that I have learned through the "Loving Jesus" series, as well as through the many prophecies which have been coming out in the GNs.
51. At the time Dad died, it was very natural for me to think that you would take over the leadership of the Family, as you were trained by Dad and under his guidance for so many years. Reading about "King Peter" also seemed quite natural. I had read a lot of the Letters about Peter, his jealousy over you, etc., and my attitude was, "Good on Peter, he finally got his chance." I hope you don't mind me saying it like that, but that's how I felt, ha! My attitude was, "Great! Even though Dad died, the Family will still keep on going just as fine as it ever did." Even though I missed Dad and his instruction, I knew in my heart that we as a Family needed to push ahead.
52. From then on there was a big emphasis put on prophecy and hearing from the Lord. That was also around the time when the daily "praise times" went into effect. To be real honest with you, that was something that I didn't like. I saw it as a lead up to a new form of "works religion," concocted by you and King Peter.
53. Looking at the prophecies and how you were receiving counsel and direction from Dad himself, not to mention from saints and famous world leaders--sorry to say, that was a bit too far out for my carnal mind. I felt like, "Oh my! Mama has finally done it. She has gone off her rocker!" Of course, now I know that was the voice of the Enemy feeding me doubts, to try to stop me from receiving all that the Lord had to show me!
54. Later on came the Birthday Feast, and I was stunned! Literally, I was in a state of bewilderment for about two days, thinking, "Oh God, spiritual sex with another bloke!" (Aussie slang for man.) You can imagine what sort of thoughts were going through my mind. I'll tell you, that was the biggest time of testing I have gone through in a long time!
55. During the month or two that followed, I completely stopped reading any prophecy GNs that were sent out. I just refused to read them because I was so full of doubts, such as, "Mama and Peter are just making these prophecies up to try to impress the Family," etc. Again, I would like to say that these doubts were straight from the pit, and it was just the Enemy trying to use this change in the Family to pull me away from it all! Well, it sounds real bad, doesn't it?--But, hey, the victory is right around the corner!
56. Two months after the Feast, you sent out another Letter called "Loving Jesus Jewels." I tossed it on the shelf, thinking, "Oh yeah, another far-out Letter from Mama." But a couple of days later someone was talking about it, so I thought that I should have a read of it. I started to skim through it very haphazardly when my eyes fell upon Charles Spurgeon's quotes. By the time I finished reading that, something hit me, and I went straight back and read the whole GN from cover to cover. I was so excited by this that I started to believe the prophecies that you and Peter gave. It was so encouraging! It was like I was pulled from the darkness to the crystal pyramid of light. I was no longer cynical of prophecy. I went and read the Letter "Crystal Pyramid" out of Daily Bread 5, and that was very strengthening.
57. I am now spending more time in the Word than before so that I can grow stronger in faith! I still have a slight difficulty with the daily praise times requirement, but I am getting used to it, and I am learning to accept it as a little child!
58. God bless you, Mama and Peter! Thank you for your understanding. Where would I go?--You only have the Words of Eternal Life! I love you both dearly. Love, Solly
59. {\b \i (Mama:)} God bless you, dear Solly, I love you! Thanks for not giving up on me even when you thought I had "gone off my rocker!" I'm so thankful you hung on until the Lord could defeat the Enemy's attacks. Please keep up the good work of going to the Word! The Lord won't fail you!
60. Your testimony really made me think, and I hope you don't mind, but I went to the Lord to ask a few more questions about your experience. The Lord used your letter to get me to ask and receive some tremendous help from Heaven!
61. Let me give you a little background: I've recently been praying and seeking the Lord desperately for more instruction for the Family on how to overcome doubts. He has given some very enlightening counsel on the subject, which will be published in an upcoming GN, D.V. The Lord gave very specific messages which made it clear that to overcome the Enemy's attacks of doubts you need to recognize the dangers of doubts, be desperate to be set free from them, cry out to the Lord for deliverance, admit that you don't have the necessary strength in yourself to defeat the Enemy, and then grab hold of the Word and cling to it for strength, wielding the sword of the Spirit for as long as it takes to defeat the Evil One.
62. I was fascinated when I read your testimony, Solly, and I wondered what had happened or what you had actually done to overcome the attacks of the Enemy that had gained such a stronghold in your life. I could see from your letter that you had accepted some serious doubts and had stopped reading the new GNs altogether, yet you were able to gain the victory so wonderfully and so quickly. However, you don't explain any details about what went on in your mind. You don't mention that you called out to the Lord, or desperately sought the Lord. I understand, of course, that you were probably trying to keep your letter to me short. There was nothing wrong with your letter--to the contrary, I was very happy to have received it. But when I thought and prayed about it, I came to the conclusion that there was more I wanted to know. All I could gather was that you had been having serious doubts, you hadn't been reading the GNs for a couple of months, then one day, when you decided to skim through the "Loving Jesus Jewels," your eyes fell on quotes from Spurgeon, you got interested, you read the whole GN, and it seems like rather suddenly, from one moment to the next, you were not doubting prophecy any more!
63. I was quite sure, however, that there was more to your story than that. We knew from what David (my son) had written us concerning his recent battles and victory over doubts that simply putting a new mailing in front of him, telling him to sit down and read it with an open mind, could never possibly have eradicated his doubts, no matter how much he would have tried to get the victory. As David explained in his letter, published in "The Road to Commitment" (GN 692), he had to come to the point where he knew he just couldn't get the victory on his own. He had to cry out desperately for the Lord to deliver him from his doubts before he could accept any of the new Word without analyzing and tearing it apart and being skeptical of it, and without the Devil's lies flooding his mind as he read it.
64. We knew from David's testimony basically what he had done: He had come to the end of himself, so he knew the Word was his only salvation; he desired a change in his life; he prayed that the Lord would help him believe the Word with all his heart and have faith. Then he read the Word with an open, receptive mind, really praying beforehand that the Lord would give him faith and show him things and help him by it.
65. However, there really wasn't any explanation in your letter to me, Solly, as to what you had done to get such a wonderful victory. It shows you did get the victory, which proves that it's possible to get the victory, but you didn't say anything about how you had done it. Again, don't worry about this. There was nothing wrong with your letter, but I didn't quite know how to apply your testimony so that others who are battling something similar can also find the help they need to get the victory.
66. I knew I had two choices: I could either write you and ask you to explain more, or I could ask the Lord. I opted to ask the Lord. Not only was that quicker, but also, oftentimes the Lord knows what happened better than we do, and He can give a much clearer explanation than we could, even if we tried.
67. When I asked the Lord to shed more light on your testimony, He had Dad speak, who gave a fascinating message! I'll share excerpts of it with you here:
Deliverance from Doubts--How It Works!
68. {\b \i (Dad speaking:)} When people have received the doubts of the Enemy and they are no longer resisting them, but they've chosen to receive them and believe them, and they've allowed them to gain a foothold in their heart and in their mind, then at that point they're no longer able to receive the truth of the Word and gain faith from the Word. That's why it's so dangerous to allow the doubts of the Enemy to become part of your thoughts, to receive them and believe them and take them in.
69. That's what happened with this poor boy. He received and believed and accepted the lies of the Devil when he tempted him to doubt prophecy and to think that you were wrong, Mama--that you were going the wrong way, that you were not in tune with the Lord, that you had gone crazy, that you had flipped out, that you had lost your lid and were off your rocker, that these prophecies from me and from world leaders and from departed spirits were just too weird. It was too far out, too strange, unscriptural. He took in all those lies of the Devil and he believed them. He let them steal away his faith in the Word, and he even started voicing those doubts to others.
70. It doesn't take long between the time you accept and believe the lies of the Devil and the time he gains a foothold in your heart and mind. And then, the longer you harbor those attacks of the Devil, receiving and believing and even voicing his doubts, the weaker you become, the more resistant you are to the truth, and the more difficult it is to get fed from the Word.
71. That's why this poor boy didn't even read the GNs. He couldn't even see or receive the truth, because the Devil had cut him off from the Source. The Devil had severed his connection with the message, with the messenger, with the prophetess, and that's the Devil's goal. That's his ultimate plan and his whole purpose in sowing doubt. He wants to cut your connection with the Word, with the message, and with the messenger. He wants to cut your hotline to Heaven, because then he knows it's only a matter of time before you fall by the wayside.
72. He understands the power of the Word even better than some of our own folks. He knows that if he can get them to quit reading the Word, then he has defeated them, he has killed them spiritually.
73. But the Lord is so merciful, He is so loving, that He listens intently, constantly, diligently, for even the faintest cry of His wayward children. He doesn't put the doorknob too high and expect some complex, hocus-pocus, extravaganza of a "deliverance." He doesn't require that they say any specific words. They don't need to be on their knees, or weeping, or beating their breast, or begging the Lord to deliver them. He'll hear even their faintest cry.
74. Solly knew he was in bad shape, and he knew it was wrong to not be reading the New Wine. Even though he put on a bold front and he acted like he didn't care and it was no big deal, in his heart he knew that he did care. He knew in his heart that he was getting left behind, and that if he continued, it would just be a matter of time before he'd be on the scrapheap of the old bottles, living in the past.
75. Even though he didn't like the New Wine, and he had determined in his heart and mind that he didn't believe it, yet the Lord was able to speak to his spirit with His still, small voice in his heart. The Lord was able to prick his conscience, because he still had faith in the Lord, he had faith in the Family, and he believed in me, Honey. He knew deep in his heart that I had appointed you and trained you to be my successor, and that the Lord had anointed you and chosen you to be the Endtime Prophetess. Even though he couldn't believe your words, he still believed deep in his heart in your anointing and your destiny, and that you were the one chosen to lead the children of David through the End. It was this faith that kept him holding on, hanging on.
76. He was confused, because he couldn't understand how he could believe in you but yet he couldn't believe your words. It was so difficult for him to reconcile this conflict in his heart and mind. He believed in the Lord, the Family, me and you, but he couldn't believe in your words. And though he put on a bold front, this conflict and contradiction caused him so much confusion and torment, until he finally called out to the Lord to help him to understand, to free him from the confusion, to help him to see the truth. He didn't even realize he was calling out to the Lord to be delivered.
77. But what is deliverance but to be set free? When something is delivered, it is taken from the hands of one and placed into the hands of another. So it is with those who are delivered of their doubts and their confusion and the lies of the Enemy. They are taken from the hands of the Enemy and his influence, and placed again in the hands of the Lord and under His control.
78. Honey, I wish people could understand and realize how eager the Lord is to answer their prayers and to hear their cry. As soon as they put their will on the Lord's side and they cry out to Him for help, admit how much they need Him, resist the Enemy and turn to the Lord, He is immediately there to help them. Just like I said in the Letter "Crystal Pyramid"--as soon as you turn from the darkness and face the light, immediately the warmth and power of the light can begin to pull you toward the crystal pyramid, and then the darkness has no more power over you.
79. As soon as they cry out to the Lord to be set free, He sets them on the path of deliverance, the path of freedom. Of course, it comes more easily for some than others, depending on how long they have entertained the thoughts of the Enemy, and how much they have to rewire their mind and their thought processes and their reactions.
80. For those who are willing to come before the body, to receive united prayer, to humble themselves and confess and have the laying on of hands and public prayer for deliverance, it's good, because it's a testimony to others, it glorifies the Lord, and there is power in united prayer. But if people can't do that--either because their pride won't let them or they don't see the need for it--even if they just cry out to the Lord in their heart with the faintest cry, He will hear them and He will have mercy.
81. Even the tiniest, humblest cry can release the great power of the Lord. Even if people don't realize what they're doing, the Lord counts it to them as righteousness. He gives them what they need, and then later, with time, He teaches them and explains to them what happened and helps them to understand.
82. They don't have to understand all the whys and wherefores and everything that's happening at the moment that they cry out to the Lord.--Just like some people receive the Lord when they cry out for the truth, not really understanding anything about salvation, not really knowing the whole truth. But when they cry out to the Lord in whatever way they can, He hears their cry, He answers, and He comes into their heart. And then later, with time, they understand more of the truth, and they grow and they mature. (Note: For more on this, please read "What Is Jesus?" ML #2618, GN 432.)
83. The battles are becoming hotter and heavier, and as time passes and the Enemy's attacks become more vicious, so will the desperation of God's children need to be greater. They will need to be more fervent in prayer, more knowledgeable about the ways of the spirit world, more practiced at wielding the sword of the Spirit, more aggressive fighters, and better prepared for the battles of the spirit. The more truth the Family has, the more accountable they will be, but also the better prepared they will be to fight the Enemy.
84. It is your job to give them the truth, to deliver your soul, to be the Lord's voice and messenger, and it is up to them to read and study and believe and act upon that truth. You can only give them the truth; what they do with it is up to them. But give the truth! Speak the truth! Prepare the children for the days that are to come! Fit them for the battle! Those who are wise will take that truth and eat it, receive it, drink it in, and allow it to become part of their very being. And those who do this will be the greatest fighters in the Endtime, because they'll be the strongest, the wisest, and have the most faith.
85. So give the truth, Honey! Put it in the hands of the Family, so they can eat it and receive it and live it and be strengthened by it! The truth is where the power is. By giving them the truth, you're giving them the power of the Lord, and you are preparing them for what's ahead. (End of prophecy.)
86. {\b \i (Mama:)} Thank you, Dad, for explaining that to us, and for helping us to understand what happened in the spirit that allowed Solly to experience such a wonderful deliverance and victory. That is so faith-building! Praise the Lord! Then Dad gave the following personal message to you, Solly:
Personal Message to Solly from Dad!
87. {\b \i (Dad speaking, to Solly:)} Thank you, Son, for being a fighter! Thank you for holding on, even in the midst of the battle, even when you were really confused and doubting and couldn't understand what was happening and it all looked so strange to you. Thank you for holding on! Like I always said, "It is von ting yust to shtick!" It's a great thing to be able to shtick, to keep holding on and hanging on, even when you're being buffeted by the Enemy, and not give up. You're a fighter, Son, and I'm proud of you!
88. Thank you especially for writing Mama, sharing your thoughts, and letting her know of the victory. What a testimony! What an encouragement it will be to many, because it shows that the Lord is able to deliver you! The Lord is able to free you from the thoughts of the Enemy and bring you back to a place of peace and faith and openness.
89. Son, the Lord allowed you to experience those battles so you could share your testimony and encourage others. The Lord allowed you to doubt and waver and feel the confusion of the Enemy so that you could also experience His answer to prayer, His deliverance, His freedom, and you could be a testimony to others. Thank you, Son, for not giving up, for having faith in the Lord and the Family and me and Mama, even when things seemed to be going awry. Even when the Word seemed crazy to you and you thought Mama had gone pretty cuckoo, you still had faith. You had faith as a grain of a mustard seed, and that was enough to pull you through, because you wanted to believe.
90. I understand how difficult it was for you to read the New Wine and have the Enemy constantly lying to you, constantly telling you how strange it was, contradicting it and telling you how it couldn't possibly be true. The Enemy would especially attack you when you read the new GNs. You would hear his lies and his accusations and his doubts, and it made you feel like you were nearly going crazy! You had never experienced such an attack before! It was so bizarre, so strange. It made you feel so unsettled. It made you feel like you were cracking up! It was easier for you to just not read the GNs. You thought, "Well, at least if I don't read them, I don't have to listen to the doubts and the bad thoughts and the negative thoughts against Mama and Peter." You thought maybe if you didn't read the GNs, the battle would go away.
91. But I understand, Honey, that when you saw others excited about the Word, then you really missed the Word. You missed that time when you read the new GNs and you got excited and you got turned on and inspired and you felt so close to the Lord and to Mama and to me. You wanted that again--you missed it--and that desire caused you to look to the Lord and to cry out to Him.
92. You wanted the Lord to do something, to help you believe, to help you get back to your place of simple faith where you could read the Word and be fed by it and enjoy it and believe it. You wanted the Lord to do something to deliver you from those negative thoughts, the accusations and the doubts that you heard in your mind whenever you read the new GNs. You missed the Word, you wanted the New Wine, and you were envious of others who could read it and receive it.
93. So when you picked up that "Loving Jesus Jewels" GN, in a prayer you challenged the Lord. You almost begged the Lord to do something to open your eyes, to help you see and believe, and that's when the Lord gave you the desires of your heart!--And He even used the words of one of His former great men to open your eyes to the truth of the "Loving Jesus" revelation. Isn't it amazing how the Lord works? Because the Lord knew that you sincerely wanted to believe, you wanted to be fed, and you wanted to receive the truth, He was able to honor that desire.
94. You got desperate in your heart, even if you don't realize it, even if you don't remember. But the Lord saw that desperation, and He immediately came to your rescue, because you're so precious to Him, and He loves you so much.
95. The Lord has invested so much into your training and your preparation, and He has something wonderful in store for you! You're one of His fighters, one of His warriors of the Endtime! You're the hope of the future, so of course the Lord was very attentive to even your slightest cry. Your desire to be set free from the lies and doubts and negative accusations of the Enemy turned the tide of the spiritual battle, and the Lord was then able to send ministering spirits to comfort you, encourage you, and speak to you.
96. I'll tell you, Son, there's a mighty warfare going on in the spirit world now. The Enemy is attacking all-out, trying to get the children of David to doubt. He's trying to cut off their connection with the Word, the truth, their source of power. But if they'll just cry out to the Lord, He will defeat the attacks of the Enemy and restore to health those who are weary and weak and injured.
97. Thank you, Son, for testifying! Thank you for standing up for the truth! Thank you for being open and honest with Mama. It'll make a big difference to a lot of people, and it will give them the faith that if the Lord came through for you, He can come through for them as well.
98. Keep fighting, Son! The Lord wants to use you as a bellwether. He wants to use you to lead others to the Word. He wants to use you as an influence for good. He wants to use you as a great testimony and a great witness, to bring many to Him.
99. You'll be great and strong in the armies of David, but you have to do your part and stay yielded and respectful and desperate. You've got to want to be that fighter and that bellwether and that shepherd. You've got to want to stay close to the Lord and to work in unity with those around you--your shepherds and co-workers. It takes a lot of humility and a lot of yieldedness to be a leader. But you've got what it takes, Son, if you'll just use it and do it.
100. We're counting on you! We're so thankful that you made it through the attacks of the Enemy and you're on the road to recovery and deliverance. Keep fighting! Keep going to the Word! Keep calling out to the Lord! Keep loving Jesus and you'll have everything you need.
101. I love you, Son. God bless you! Love, Dad. (End of prophecy.)
102. {\b \i (Mama:)} If any of you, dear Family, are battling doubts, regardless of whether you've recently been hit with doubts or you've entertained doubts over a long period of time, you can call out to the Lord to deliver you from the Enemy's grip. First acknowledge your need and that you can't make it without His help. Then believe that He has heard you, and go to the Word with an expectant heart. The Lord can do it for you like He did it for Solly! (For more on Solly's testimony, please see his reaction at the end of this GN. I sent him paragraphs 47 to 101 of this Letter to read and comment on before we published it.)
103. You'll notice above that Dad said, "For those who are willing to come before the body, to receive united prayer, to humble themselves and confess and have the laying on of hands and public prayer for deliverance, it's good, because it's a testimony to others, it glorifies the Lord, and there is power in united prayer." If you can manage to muster up the courage and humility to ask for united prayer to be delivered from your battles with doubts, it's much better than trying to fight on your own, as Dad has taught us over the years! You'll get more support in the spirit that way, your prayers will be more powerful, and it will be easier to break the hold of the Enemy. "One can chase a thousand, but two can put ten thousand to flight!" (Deut.32:30).
104. If you have united prayer, then others are aware of your battles and needs, and you'll have many more people praying for you and upholding you as you continue to progress on the road to commitment. Plus, if others have had a part in praying for you, then when the Lord gives you the victory, it will glorify Him more and people will know that He has done a miracle in your life. So I highly recommend having united prayer, if possible.
105. But if you can't bring yourself to have united prayer, at least not right now, then remember, Dad said: "But if people can't do that--either because their pride won't let them or they don't see the need for it--even if they just cry out to the Lord in their heart with the faintest cry, He will hear them and He will have mercy." The Lord will be attentive to even your faintest cry, as He was for Solly and David, and He will help you step by step, so don't give up!
106. Recently Jesus told us some of His personal testimony via prophecy, which I hope to publish for you soon, D.V. But I'll give you a little glimpse of what He said, to whet your appetite! He explained that even He was besieged by doubts and had to fight a tremendous battle against them during those 40 days and nights in the desert. Even though He didn't accept them, He still had to battle with them in hand-to-hand combat with the Devil. Finally, the only thing he could do was to call out desperately to His Father to be delivered from those attacks.
107. The solution is the same for either outside attacks of doubts that you haven't accepted, or inside attacks of doubts that have become part of you, that you have yielded to and have accepted and believed: You have to call out to the Lord for deliverance and He will give it to you. Then you have to be washed thoroughly with massive doses of the Word. If you've gone so far as to accept these doubts and make them part of your attitudes and ways of thinking, you're going to need an even greater cleansing, as you daily wash in the Word, so that little by little your thought patterns and attitudes can come back more in line with the way the Lord looks at things in His true perspective.
108. After you have cried out to the Lord for deliverance from the Enemy's stronghold of doubts, either through united prayer or privately, you'll need to work to continue to be strengthened and to rewire your mind by faithfully feeding on the Word, being open to counsel from others, admitting your mistakes, being willing to confess your faults, etc. (For more on this, please see "The Road to Commitment," GN 692.)
Excerpts from "The Crystal Pyramid!"
109. Both Solly and Dad mentioned the Letter "The Crystal Pyramid" (ML #214). You might want to read that Letter in full, but I'll include a few choice quotes here, which are so encouraging:
110. [EDITED: "Dad begins this passage by describing a vision:"] I see a radioactive reflective crystal that glows with light! "Behold, how beautiful and how brilliant is the light, and the color which radiates and emanates from the life within, that I have given unto the children of David!" But the crystal has to stay in tune with this beautiful column that helps to support the temple roof, the glowing, incandescent column which pulses with light, and the crystals pulse with light like they are connected to it. "How beautiful is the light that I have given unto My servant David, which these reflect and imbibe!"
111. It's like you pulse in tune with exactly the same rhythm as the pillar, and as I glow, you glow, with the same pulsations and rhythm. (It's like making love!) It's like you're activated by the power of the pillar! You're irresistibly drawn to it, like you have no will of your own. It is the will of God that draws you, and you cannot truly resist! Eventually, sooner or later, you are drawn somehow.
112. But this dark hand is holding on to you, trying to pull you back, like two hands closing around you out of the darkness trying to pull you back! But instead of that, this dark evil creature itself is drawn irresistibly into the light, which it cannot stand! It does not want or like the light, and the closer it gets to the pillar the more unbearable the light becomes!
113. "The closer you are drawn to the bosom of David, the greater becomes the power!" This dark thing cannot stand the light nor the power, and you're slipping out of its grasp, because it has to flee away from the light, because the light will destroy its darkness!--And then you are joined to the pillar!
114. Despite all the dark hands that would hold the crystals back, the power and light within the pillar is so powerful that anything that tries to hold them back is dragged with them and by them, and almost torn out of the darkness into the pillar! But these ugly creatures of darkness don't want to leave the darkness or be separated from the darkness, so they finally have to flee and let go, and let the crystals go to keep their darkness from being destroyed by the light!
115. Oh, the darkness is so angry! It's furious! The darkness is raging because it's losing its grip on these crystals of light, and it thunders and rages, and it storms. But it can't put out the light, because it is afraid of the light! It can't put it out, because it can't even get close to it, because the light destroys it!
116. The darkness is all around and seems much larger than the light, and yet it can't overcome the light!--It can't put out the light! It tries to surround the light and cover it, but it can't put it out because the darkness itself is destroyed by the light! Every time it comes close to the light, or tries to attack the column or the crystals, it is destroyed by this terrific power!
117. The blobs of sticky darkness would like to entice a cluster of crystals away from the pillar and from the other clusters, because each cluster has greater power there with the other clusters surrounding the pillar. Outside of the cluster, away from the pillar, a crystal twists and it turns, and although it is not conquered by the darkness, yet it struggles and tries to free itself as it is being drawn from the darkness. But in the pillar with the other clusters, each crystal has rest and peace. It has found freedom in total bondage to the light! It has found total freedom from the darkness in total union with the light!
118. While a crystal is out there in the darkness, there is a terrific battle! The darkness cannot overcome it, but it batters it and buffets it like the wind, which has no substance yet blows and buffets and attempts to destroy it and blow it out. It is beaten about, yet is not destroyed. But there, amongst the many clusters against the pillar, it finds rest. It finds peace and total unity with the other clusters in the pillar from which it had once been torn, plucked by the darkness, because it let go of the pillar!
119. As long as the crystals face the light and the pillar, they seem to absorb the light, and they have strength and they glow brightly and are drawn toward it, and the darkness has no power over them! But if they turn their facets or faces away from the pillar, it is like a polarization! The changed position in relation to the pillar seems to shut off some of the light, and the light grows dim as the crystal turns away!
120. If it turns toward the darkness rather than the light, the crystal loses its brilliance, and it's as though the darkness closes in and has greater power! As the light diminishes in the crystal, the darkness has more power to slow it down from being drawn into the pillar--even to be drawn away! The darker the crystal is, the more it is drawn by the darkness, as it faces the darkness! The moment it turns its face towards the light, it immediately begins to glow with the great brilliance of the light and power, and is immediately drawn toward the pillar, and the darkness has no power over it!
121. You must face the light! You dare not turn away from the light or look backward, or you seem to lose the light! It seems like only your face is able to absorb the light. The crystal has to face the light in order to glow itself, and to shine with such beauty, and especially the power in that light that drives off the darkness! The darkness flees in terror when the crystal glows! It is afraid of the power!
122. But if the crystal turns away from the light, as though it were trying to turn itself and fight the darkness in its own strength, it loses the light; and it has no power unless it focuses itself on the pillar and receives that beam of light! Every time it turns away it grows darker, and its strength fades and wanes, as the light is diminished in trying to face the darkness instead of facing the light!
123. As long as it faces the light, it doesn't seem to have to exert any power itself at all, but the light gives it the power.--And as long as it faces the pillar with purpose and receives the light, it just glides right out of the darkness into the pillar! So your only hope is facing and absorbing His light, and glowing with His power, and this causes you to glow. It causes you to generate terrific power, which drives back the darkness and leaves you free to glide with such ease toward the light, until all are joined in one! (ML #214:15-18,20,22,23,43-49).
124. {\b \i (Mama:)} This vivid illustration from Dad says it all! If you're having a battle believing the prophecies in the GNs, the following message from the Lord might also be of help to you. It was sent to me at the time of my birthday from the NACRO office.
Seven Guiding Spirits Prophecy
125. {\b \i (Jesus speaking:)} I have set seven strong guiding spirits around Maria. They keep the flame; they guard it 'round about. At the same time they ensure that every word that goes forth shall be filled with the spirit of truth to enlighten the hearts of men; shall be filled with the spirit of love to show them the compassion that I have for them; shall be filled with the spirit of wisdom to open the mysteries and unlock the doors of the questions of the hearts; shall be filled with the spirit of understanding, understanding the needs and desires of those around her; shall be filled with the spirit of judgment, judging the wrong and upholding the right; shall be filled with the spirit of mercy, knowing that some fall only through human failings, and seeing the mistakes of the mind as opposed to those of the intents of the hearts; shall be filled with the spirit of discernment, discerning the right and the wrong and knowing the thoughts and the intents of the heart.
126. {\b \i (Mama:)} Jesus is so good to me to give me the help from the spirit world I need to prepare the Word!
127. {\b \i (Prophecy continues:)} These spirits of the Spirit of the Lord rest upon My Maria in this Endtime, so all may know that a prophetess of God has been among them. And through these Words, you also can partake of the same spirits, of the same strength, and the same wisdom and insight.
128. As you have grown as little Davids in the house of David, so are you learning to be little Marias in the house of Maria. For the house of Maria is but an extension of the house of David--the one built upon the other and being the same. The gifts, the talents, and the calling of Maria complement and extend the gifts, the talents and the calling of David. The one is an extension of and building upon the other, a continuation, a growth, an adding of one upon the other, the foundation upon which the building is built. Precept upon precept, concept upon concept, building and building until the fullness of the house of the Lord is finished.
129. {\b \i (Mama:)} I follow in Dad's footsteps. Dad and I, however, are different vessels, and the Lord uses me and speaks to me differently than He used and spoke to Dad. But what all of us are doing now, beloved, is building on what Dad started. It's a continuation. Praise the Lord!
130. {\b \i (Prophecy continues:)} Keep your hearts diligently. Be aware of what goes into your heart. Discern what you take in. Distinguish between the right and the wrong, the good and the bad, the evil and the loving. Closely follow the Words and guard your thoughts. For the Enemy of your heart and soul would devour you with his subtle lies and doubts and evil innuendoes. He knows that his time is short, for the building is close to being finished. The crown is now descending, but still can be lost. Hold it fast!
131. Be not as the foolish man who opens his mouth wide and fills it with whatever is given him without thinking or discerning, or the foolish woman who desires whatever she sees. Do take in the good, but with all diligence reject the evil. The evil influences are much greater in this time and in this day, and do always try to snuff out the light I have given.
132. {\b \i (Mama:)} Again the Lord is reminding us of the spiritual battle and the need to be on guard against the lies, doubts, and attacks of the Enemy. Watch your thoughts and your spiritual diet, and hold on tight to your crown!
133. {\b \i (Prophecy continues:)} The flame of David, personified in My Maria, grows within you as you partake of the delicacies of the table of the Lord, as you listen to the whispers of the wind, as you float on the river of My Love, as you allow My Spirit to take you where it is going, to feed you with Heavenly manna and comfort you with everlasting love. Be as a wave of the sea, formed only by the power of My ocean and the wind of My Love to become an instrument of strength and power for good, and you will know the truth of that which is spoken in the Word. (End of prophecy excerpt.)
Is WS "Out of Touch"?
134. {\b \i (Mama:)} So far we have discussed how not liking or believing the prophecies in the GNs undermines your faith. It is a serious attack of the Enemy! There is another question or attitude that undermines faith in the Word. Some people complain about WS being "out of touch" with the field, saying we don't know your needs or understand your situations. This is another attack on the Word, because if you think WS is out of touch--which really means that you think I am out of touch--then you certainly won't have much faith that the Word you receive in your regular mailings is what you need for today. You won't believe it's the answer to your problems!
135. Some of you feel that we, your WS leadership, don't understand, because after all, how could we? You figure that since we don't live in field Homes, we don't understand the problems. You feel that not only do we not understand the problems you face because we haven't been there, but we don't have to go through the same things, so how can we possibly relate. We don't have 15 or 20 kids in the Home with only three or four adults; we don't have to eat beans for a whole week without any meat or milk; we don't run out of Kotex or toilet paper, and we don't have to hustle each month to raise our rent and pay our utilities, and on and on and on.
136. It's true that your leaders in WS don't live in field Homes, and we don't have those particular circumstances to contend with, but we do have our own particular very serious problems, difficult struggles and heavy battles that are unique to our situation! We don't by any means live in a lah-lah land that is problem-free. I was telling Peter, "We are just as burdened with our problems as the field Homes are burdened with their problems. We have the problems of the whole Family that we're trying to cope with, and that we have to deal with. We feel just as desperate for the answers, and we have to come to the Lord just as fervently as they do for His solutions."
137. I was almost complaining to the Lord the other day. Well, I was complaining, really, Lord forgive me. I said, "Oh, Lord, how can You do this to poor Peter? He's so tired! After being away a month at a recent TRF Supporter meeting and a meeting at the new WS unit for GP book publication--both of which were extremely taxing--You tell him to rest and read, that he needs rest and a 'massive infusion' of the Word, but then look what You make him do!--He's got to go off on another big trip in just a short time! And in the meantime he's got all the problems of the whole Family to be concerned about. He's got the problems with the care of the TRF Supporters to discuss, pray about and take care of. Something needs to be done to improve the care of the single moms--he needs to think and pray about that. He's got the major decisions and problems associated with the new WS unit to sort out. He will be hosting a top-level three-week long WS leadership meeting beginning in just a few days*, not to mention he's also got all his past work to get caught up on, all the messages from the CROs to read, and very important, timely pubs to work on and letters to write!" (* Note: For more information about the WS leadership meeting, see The Grapevine #2, WS News.) There are probably quite a few other things that he also has to do that I missed.
138. Peter and I looked over his to-do list, and I said, "Lord, it's too much! How can You expect this? He's got to get prepared for his meetings and for his next big trip, and how can he even get strengthened and recuperate from the strain of the last one in such a short time?" I was really complaining and worrying about the future. I think I was feeling worse about it than Peter was!
139. I said, "Lord, how are we supposed to do this? Help, Lord! Please! I'm sorry I'm complaining, but I really need You to tell us about this." So what do you think the Lord told us? He said, "Look to the sample of My servant, Martin Luther, who when he had a task too big, too hard, pulled back and took double time in prayer and sweet communion with Me. You ask how you will ever accomplish your long to-do list? Do as Luther. When he entered into his closet to pray, he entered empty. He emptied all of his pockets. He opened his heart and cast all of his burdens on My altar and left them there. This is the secret of quiet rest--casting all your care upon Me, knowing that I care for you; knowing that I have always taken care of every problem, every detail, and I always will." (This message, entitled "Be Like Martin Luther," will be printed in full in Part 5 of this series.)
140. When things get too much for you and you just can't possibly make it, and you know you can't do it, that's the Lord's plan! That's the point He wants you to come to, so you'll know you can't do it, there's no possibility of you doing it, and you'll throw yourself completely on Him. You'll throw off all those burdens, empty your pockets of all your weights, take them off your shoulders, and just put them on Him and then take time with Him.
141. The Lord explained about Himself, how He too had to get away from the crowds, no matter how much they were demanding of Him. Think of what a pull it was on Jesus with all these poor people needing help. "How could You desert us, Lord? How could You leave us stranded here while You go off? We need You!"
142. When the pull and the press of the people and all that needs to be done is overwhelming, when there's more than we can possibly handle, that's when we're supposed to take even more time with the Lord. He means it! He keeps telling us that. Does He mean it or doesn't He? He keeps saying virtually the same thing--to just cast our burdens on Him, that's the solution. Do we believe it, or don't we believe it? If we believe it, we'll do it, and when we do it, we'll see that it works!
143. We in WS obviously don't have the exact same problems that you in the field Homes have. I feel for you; in fact, I feel very badly for you. I don't experience what you experience, but I know what you're going through. I know that many of our Homes and families live in very difficult conditions. I know many of you live hand-to-mouth; you don't have the financial stability you'd like. Lack of finances brings a lot of stress into your lives, and the need to raise money often dictates many of your decisions. You feel very restricted due to your limited finances, and you can't do many of the things you know you should do or would like to do, due to having to get out every day to make the money you need to live.
144. Also, you have so many kids, and often few teens, YAs or adults to help care for them and train them. Then they come down with whooping cough or other childhood illnesses, which makes their care and the juggling of the schedule and your personnel even more difficult! I see that it must be almost unbearable sometimes.
145. Your OCs and JETTs aren't growing in the Lord as you would like, and you have trouble finding the time to tune in to them. So you're worried about what's going to happen to your children and whether they're going to grow up wanting to serve the Lord. You don't get enough sleep or rest, and you don't have enough of the right kinds of foods sometimes. Of course, the Lord never lets any of you go hungry, but you don't necessarily have everything you feel you need.
146. I know the list goes on and on--I hardly touched the surface. But we in WS have burdens too. The Lord allows everyone to have their own particular burdens, whatever they may be, as a test for them. And He gives us all so much that we have to get desperate with the Lord. We have to get so desperate that we'll just give all those burdens over to the Lord and let Him take care of them. You know, it doesn't really matter whether it's 20 kids and 4 adults struggling in a Home with barely enough food on the table, or whether it's us here with all the problems of the whole Family to try to solve. It really doesn't matter. The solutions are the same!
147. Whether it's a field Home or whether it's here in my Home, we all have to do exactly the same thing! The Lord has made the solution standard, clear across the board. It doesn't matter where you are, it's equal. We all have the key. We have the master key, and it's the Word! The Lord has given the Word to you equally. In another prophecy the Lord called it the "master key" that He's duplicated many times over and given into the hands of each of His children.
148. So you can't say, "Well, WS is out of touch with our problems, therefore they can't help us." The Lord is not out of touch! And the Lord knows that we all need the same thing, the Word, and He's giving it to us. What we all need to do is obey it!
149. We recently received a report from Gary, who was visiting various Homes in the U.S. He had talked with some brethren who said, "We've heard a number of people say, 'We've been hearing for too long now that it's going to get better. But from what we can tell, that is not the case, which leads us to believe that Mama and WS are completely out of touch.'" He also commented on how some of the folks he had talked to don't think Family members are completely honest with Peter and me and their leaders about what they feel is wrong or the difficulties they face; they're only honest with their peers.
150. I had been quite convinced that the CROs' reports, your TRF comments and suggestions (which tell of your problems and battles as well as the victories), the personal mail I receive, and Peter and Gary's travels provided Peter and I with an accurate picture of most of what's happening in the Family. You may be tempted to think that your leaders give a rosy picture of things (which they don't), but if you were to read the confidential letters we get from Family members all over the world, I think you'd be convinced that they're being very candid and straightforward in telling us of their victories and battles. Also, as you may recall, after the Summit three young people from field Homes (one YA and two SGAs) joined our Home, which has been a tremendous help, because their very honest, humble heart-sharing has given us much more insight into the needs, thoughts, desires and outlook of the younger generation. (Latest news flash: We've just recently received another SGA in our Home.)
151. Nevertheless, after reading the above comments in Gary's recent report, I felt led to ask the Lord what He thinks about the "out of touch" question. Following is the message we received from Dad:
Keep in Touch with God!
152. {\b \i (Dad speaking to Mama:)} We were expecting quite a backlash with the Charter, and the Lord tried to prepare us, and we tried to prepare the Family, but still, it's quite a surprise and it's shaken the faith of lots of Family members. And now they want to blame you and Peter. One of the most logical reasons for the problems and failures that they can think of, that seems perfectly legitimate to them, is that you and Peter just don't know what's going on. They think that you don't understand, you can't relate, so how can you possibly lead and guide them and give them the answers that they need?
153. The Family is so frustrated! They're frustrated with themselves, with their kids, with their situations, and it makes them frustrated with you and the Word and even the Lord. They don't realize it, but it's true. Sad but true!
154. They're feeling so unsettled. Everything about them is awhirl with change. Everything is so different and new and they don't know what's on the horizon, so they feel unsettled. So in order to cope, they want to blame somebody. They're tired of blaming themselves or having others blame them, so instead they blame you, or they blame the Letters, or they even blame the Lord.
155. They say you're out of touch and you don't know what's going on, because what you say is not reflected in the conditions of their Home or their field or their personal life. But what they don't understand, Honey, is that you see the big picture. You're standing on top of the mountain and you see 360 degrees, all the way around. You see everything that the Lord has done and is doing and is going to do. You see beyond today; you see the future. You live in tomorrow, and that's the way you need to be. That's the way you should be. That's the way God created you to be, because you are the prophetess of the End!
156. Of course you have to see into the future! Of course you have to look around and see things from a different perspective than those who are on the field. They should be glad you see things from a different perspective. They should be glad and thankful that you can rise above all the nitty-gritty problems of daily life to be able to hear from God and get His message.
157. Honey, what does it matter if you're out of touch with every little detail on the field, as long as you're in touch with God! That's what counts! That's your job, that's your destiny, that's your mission in life--to be in touch with God and His Word and His plan and His direction. Your job as God's prophetess is not to be in touch with the people, but to be in touch with God--to get His Word, not to get their word; to get His ideas and perspective, not to get theirs.
158. Now don't get me wrong, Honey. You do need to know the state of the flock. You do need to hear the bleating of the sheep so you'll know their thoughts and their hearts and you'll be able to feed them and strengthen them and keep them from getting sick or falling off the mountain or being attacked by the ravenous beasts. Of course you need to know the heartcries of the people, because oftentimes knowing their needs and hearing their heartcries is what moves you to reach out to the Lord and get His answers and His Words for them.
159. But don't you think that if it's your responsibility to get the Lord's Words and His answers and direction for the Family, that the Lord Himself is going to make sure that you know what they need, that you know what their heartcries and their feelings and their longings are? Of course He is, because God is God! He's going to give you what you need, so you can give the Family what they need!
160. These people who think you're out of touch because they don't believe anybody would be honest with you, well, they're forgetting one important detail. They're forgetting one factor in the equation, and that is that God speaks to you, and I speak to you, and we know the state of the flock! We know what they need. We see it. We understand even better than they do what they need, and we want to give it to them.--And you, Honey, and Peter, are the channels.
161. So these people who think that you and Peter and your co-workers are out of touch need to have a little more faith and realize that God is the One Who is in control. He's the One Who really knows what's happening, and He's the One Who knows what they need, and He's the One Who's going to give it to them. He often uses me to do that as well.
162. You've not only got the Lord speaking to you continually, but I'm also by your side, whispering words of love and instruction to you, and many, many Heavenly helpers surround you and are at your beck and call. So with all this at your disposal, do you think the Lord is going to allow you to go astray or to be out of touch or out of tune or not know the needs of your flock? Of course not! That's silly! That's ridiculous!
163. God is God, and He knows His sheep. He knows His flock. He knows what they need, and He's going to give it to them, because He's the Good Shepherd Who cares for His flock, and it's His greatest desire to feed His flock and to give them what they need.
164. And, Honey, no one will ever be able to convince me that the people who write and pour out their hearts to you are not being honest! That's just not the case. Many of them trust you more than they trust anyone, and a lot of people tell you things that they've never told anyone. That's how honest they are with you. That's how comfortable they are with you. And these people who say that the Family is not honest with their leadership, they're only honest with their peers, well, I don't believe that. Maybe that's the case with those people! Maybe they're not honest with their leaders. Maybe they're only honest with their peers, but there are many who trust you and who write to you and speak to you from their hearts; and they tell you the truth, they don't hold back. In fact, they tell you more truth than they've ever told anyone, and they bare their hearts to you as they have never bared them to anyone.
165. And do you mean to tell me that when Peter and Gary were at the recent TRF Supporter meeting and people were pouring their hearts out to them day and night, and they were weeping and praying with them, that those people weren't being honest? Of course they were!
166. And do you mean to tell me that at the Summit meeting where all those young people came from around the world, and they wrote hundreds and hundreds of reactions to you and Peter and Gary, that they weren't being honest? Of course they were!
167. And do you mean to tell me that when people fill out their TRFs and they tell you their victories or their problems or their reactions to the Letters, that they're not being honest? Of course they are!
168. So you don't need to worry, Honey! You've got insight and truth coming from both directions--coming up from the grassroots, as people pour their hearts out to you, and coming down from the Heavenlies, as the Lord showers you with His Words of Truth. So the people who think you're out of touch need to have more faith. They need to see God! They need to trust God and to realize that you don't have to experience something to know it and to understand it.
169. Just because you and those in your household don't struggle for finances doesn't mean you never have, or that you can't understand the difficulties of it. Just because you don't have lots of little children running around that you have to constantly care for and teach and train and try to corral day and night doesn't mean that you don't understand the struggles of the large families. Just because you have a husband, an earthly lover by your side to help you carry the weight, to share your burdens, and to love you and make love to you, doesn't mean you don't understand the loneliness and the heartbreak and the sadness of the single moms and those who don't have anybody.
170. You understand, Honey, because God has given you a spirit of understanding and a special gift of being able to put yourself in the place of others. But your greatest gift of understanding is that you have so much faith in what the Lord says; and when you ask the Lord to show you what the Family needs and what the situation is, He shows you, and you believe Him. And because He shows you and you believe Him, you understand.
171. So you're more in touch than people realize, because you're in touch with the heart of the people, and you're in touch with the heart of God. You are His voice, you are His love, you are His understanding. So the way you see things, Honey, is the way they are, or the way they should be.
172. So just keep doing what you can to know the state of your flock. Listen to the messages, the reports, the personal letters, the reactions. Hear from Peter and Gary as they travel. Keep your finger on the pulse of the Family. But even more important, keep in touch with God, because He's the One Who's really in touch! He sees it all, He knows it all! He knows every single person. He sees every single situation and Home, and He'll show you anything you need to know.
173. So stay in touch, Honey! Stay in touch with the people as much as you can, as you have been, but especially stay in touch with God, and stay in touch with me. And stay high on the mountaintop, so you can continue to give God's message and help people to see things from His perspective.
174. Everyone wants you to be in touch with them, to be in touch with the field, to be in touch with the problems, to be in touch with the Homes. But really, they should be desiring to be in touch with you, because you are not only in touch with them, but you are in touch with God! What more could you ask than to be in touch with God and to give His Word, His answers, His perspectives? That's the most important thing! So don't let them condemn you or criticize you. They should be grateful that you are on the mountaintop, that you see ahead, you see the future, you see God's face.
175. Praise the Lord, Honey! I love you! Everything's going to work out just fine. Just keep following Jesus! Just keep listening to Him and He'll never lead you astray. I love you, Sweet Baby! XXXXXXX! (End of prophecy.)
176. {\b \i (Mama:) }Peter and I will continue to do our best to stay in touch with your needs and heartcries. We will continue to hear from not only the CROs, but also from you personally via your TRFs and your letters to us. We will continue to listen to the opinions and outlooks of the young people in our Home, as well as those of you who write us. But we will especially continue to listen to the Lord and Dad and our Heavenly helpers, because as Dad explained, they're the ones who are really in touch and they know the situation and understand your needs better than we do, and even better than you do! Thank the Lord we don't have to try to figure everything out ourselves, but we can depend on help from Heaven as we listen to the whispers and get our instructions from Him! Praise the Lord!
177. God bless you, my dear loved ones! Please don't miss Part 3 of this series, in which I address other important questions that are hindering your faith! I love you very much! Love, Mama
178. P.S. If you have a personal testimony about how the Lord helped you overcome doubts, or how you won the victory over battles about prophecy--either reading it in the GNs, or receiving it yourself--please write it up! Lord willing, we'd like to publish more reactions of this type to help those who are still struggling. Thanks!
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EXCERPTS OF SOLLY'S REACTION TO DAD AND MAMA'S MESSAGES:
Dear Mama,
I love you very much. Thanks for taking the time to write back to my letter. To be up-front with you, I had no idea that my letter to you was very inspiring. After I sent it to you, my initial thoughts were, "Lord forgive me for bothering Mama with such time-wasting stuff like that, when she has so many other burdens and people to worry about!" But your reply was so very encouraging and uplifting.
I am glad that the Lord will be able to use my lessons and reaction. By the way, I don't mind if you use my letter to you in the GN. I am quite honored.
Well, Mama, when I write you letters and stuff like this, I try and visualize that I am writing to a fellow mate (friend, buddy or pal) of mine. That helps me to be more honest about things, because there can tend to be the attitude of, "Oh, this is Mama, I'd better crank up the show for her and not tell her everything." I don't know if this is the case with everyone, but I can have the tendency to be that way on occasion.
The prophecy from Dad was like hitting on a pile of gold! It was so exciting to be able to know that Dad thinks of me and knows me as a person--with problems, but that I still have use and am worth the time and effort that the Lord has invested in me. Frankly, it was a dream come true and very encouraging for me at this time.
Also, I would like to say that I am sorry for not putting down the details regarding what, how, where, when and who, etc. But I will try and tell you in my own words what did happen. For starters, the last prophecy in your Letter from Dad talked about crying out to the Lord for His answer to my problem, and that is what I did. But the thing that I asked the Lord was not for some super spiritual thing--although I wouldn't have minded something like that--but I guess the Lord wanted it to be something my down-to-earth mind could handle, to give me some legitimate proof to back prophecy and the "Loving Jesus" issues.
Well, the proof and the conclusion that was enough for me were the Spurgeon quotations. I figured, "Hey, if some Systemite spiritual medium or a conservative preacher can hear from the departed, or hack a revelation like that, and mention those controversial statements on paper (which mind you, for those many years ago it would've been something to say), then why can't we, His called-out chosen ones, have that direct revelation serial link [EDITED: "high-speed computer connection"] with the Lord!" And in light of that, it just all came together and fit like a jigsaw puzzle! It gave me faith to believe in all the Lord is pouring forth through you, Mama and King Peter.
Oh, by the way, I thought I would mention something else I thought would be interesting for you to add in a "Loving Jesus" GN (if there is going to be another one). Actually, I have to give credit to someone else, because I didn't find this, but I thought you would like to hear it. I also feel that it would give encouragement to others in my former predicament.
The Bible says in Genesis 4:1, "And Adam knew Eve his wife...." Note that the word knew in that context is used for sexual activity when translated into either Greek or Hebrew. I am not sure exactly what the word knew (or know) is in those languages, but it has the exact same meaning in that verse I just quoted as it does in Dan.11:32b, which says, "But the people who do know their God shall be strong and do exploits." Isn't that inspiring? I was totally flipped over that one, and it really increased my faith in hearing from the Lord.
Mama, I don't know if you realize this, but there are a lot of young people in the Family these days who want to understand, and who want to be a part of this new revolution of really loving and hearing from the Lord, but they feel the way I felt before I asked the Lord to show me some proof.--They're sort of wanting a sign, like they have a hard time taking it simply by faith.
Also, the Family is now sort of turning out these really small Homes. Not to say small Homes are wrong. I actually appreciate the life in small Homes, away from the blobish scene. But these Homes are sometimes made up of just teens and their parents, who don't exactly know how to relate and explain these subjects in a simplified way, or in a way that the young people can understand. So the attitude for young people like myself can get to be that "the New Wine is coming out so fast that I can't keep up with trying to understand and grasp the full context of it, so I might as well just forget it entirely." I believe in my heart that the key would be closer shepherding, and people who can go over it and explain it, not only in spiritual terms, but also by researching the old Letters and the Bible to find proof to help strengthen the young people's faith more.
Here in Aussie Land we just had some much-needed teen/YA meetings where we got to see the videos with King Peter and Gary sharing things on doubts. Also, what was very exciting was when they talked about yours and Dad's life, and lessons they had learned from you both all these years. It really made me feel closer to you. In fact, I felt like the girl in the story who met the author and loved the book written by him, which she had previously discarded.
Dearest Mama, thanks so much for spending the time to talk, and for hearing from the Lord and Dad for me. I love you so much.
Love, Solly
* * *
"I'M A BELIEVER!"
From Yvonna (19):
I want to give a brief account of my first united prophecy session here at Mama's House. It was after a meeting with Mama and Peter. She was giving a talk on the importance of our ministry of getting out the Words.
After the meeting she said something like, "Okay, now how about if we take some time to hear from the Lord and see what He has to say." It wasn't like everybody came with their pre-planned speeches, or, for that matter, even knew what the topic of her talk was going to be. Then we just prayed and got quiet. It was quiet for a little while, and then Francis was the first person to give a prophecy. After his prophecy others started, one right after the other, beautiful prophecies!
I think the thing that was the most interesting to me was how excited everybody got about what the Lord said, the same excitement that children have when opening up their Christmas presents. After P&P (prayer and prophecy), as it is referred to here, everyone got into a lively discussion about all that the Lord had just said.
To give you a little of my personal history: When the Letters began to contain more prophecy, I was not one of those who readily accepted this New Wine or this style of Word. Firstly, I thought that every prophecy pretty much said the same thing, and that it was somebody just trying to recall a bunch of verses they memorized, or just talking off the top of their head but putting it into King James English. Besides that, I tended to be one of those "Doubting Thomas"-type people who said, "I'm not against it and I think it's great for everybody who's into it, but until I see it with my own eyes[DELETED]"
So the Lord in His Love did just that. Shortly thereafter I began to see prophecy after prophecy fulfilled, beginning after the Austin accident when in "State of the Nation '95" Stephan shared about the prophecy received by WS brethren where his daughter, Kristina, was relating her battles and about how she had considered leaving the Family, etc., which he didn't believe would be coming from her. Then someone at another Home received a sealed letter that she had written before the accident saying the very same thing that the prophecy said, and in the letter she said that she had not shared that with anyone beside this one person she had written prior to her graduation. (See ML #3017:83, GN 654.)
Another such incident was a prophecy which one of my peers received for me at the Summit, which expressed my deepest thoughts --thoughts which I hadn't shared with anyone, nor had I given the impression to anyone that I felt that way. The person who received the prophecy had a difficult time giving it to me, but she said that she was praying for me one day and the Lord gave it to her.
Quite some time before I had been invited to Mama's house, someone received a prophecy for me saying that I would be going behind the scenes. I almost laughed in their face because that was the furthest thing in my mind at the time. Good thing I didn't, because here I am. Well, all that to say, "I'm a believer!"
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BEING A CHANNEL
From Jenna (21):
It's quite evident to me that it's the Lord speaking when I'm transcribing a tape of beautiful, flowing and eloquent prophecies which someone received, when in the natural, they are not gifted in that way. Perhaps they are more of a simple person, they don't have an incredible vocabulary, and they're not so detailed or descriptive when they talk. Yet when they hear from the Lord, they just give what they get, and it's clearly not them. That has been faith-building.
Additionally, now that I have seen all of this firsthand, I can assure anyone who might wonder if any of these prophecies are made up--they are most definitely not! This thought had crossed my mind on more than one occasion before I came here. I think it would amaze people to see how desperate everyone here is during times of hearing from the Lord. They realize the responsibility they have of hearing from the Lord for Mama and the Family, and they spend a good amount of time in prayer, asking the Lord to clear their channels, to keep any personal feelings from getting in the way, and to have the faith to give what the Lord gives them.
I've also seen times where perhaps something has been discussed, and it appeared to me that those praying about the situation had personal feelings one way or the other. However, when they heard from the Lord, they would just give whatever they got, regardless of whether it went along with what their previous opinion or preference had been. This quite impressed me, as it shows that they're not trying to "run the show" through what they "get from the Lord," but they really are just channels, and it is the Lord speaking through them. I've also had this experience personally, where I was leaning to one side of a question, and then when hearing from the Lord, the opposite came out. Though it perhaps went against my reasoning, nevertheless, it strengthened my faith--as it obviously wasn't something that I had just "made up."
Before coming to Mama's house, I imagined that since there was so much prophecy coming out in the Letters, and Mama was always asking various ones to pray and hear from the Lord on such-and-such a subject, Mama's Home and the other WS units must be constantly in prayer and prophecy sessions. I thought, "Boy, I just don't see myself being able to sit through hours and hours of prophecy sessions. They probably have them every night for 2 or 3 hours!" However, for the first two weeks that I was here, I kept wondering when the "prophecy sessions" were going to happen. I eventually realized that there are not big "prayer and prophecy" meetings all that often. Mama often asks people to pray about this or that, but they usually don't get the whole Home together to pray about something, but people hear from the Lord in teams of two or three. This is very time-efficient, and frees most everyone else to continue working on the pubs for the Family, which is everyone's 100% here.
So when you walk through our house, it's not like everyone is just prophesying 24 hours a day, by any means. Throughout the day there are probably a few people who have taken P&P (prayer and prophecy) time, but it's real relaxed, calm, and wasn't quite what I had expected.
It's not easy to explain this on paper, but I have come to realize that being a channel in Mama's Home is not a big, glorified deal. They're just normal people who happen to be called to serve the Lord here at Mama's Home, and for that reason, the Lord anoints them and uses them as channels to give His Words. And one of their responsibilities is to make it possible for the Lord to give Mama the answers she asks for.
* * *
NOT OUTTA TOUCH!
From Bethy, Peter and Abi's daughter (22):
Mama, I really liked the section of this Letter entitled "Is WS Out of Touch?" and was so inspired by the way this was explained so well. Your explanation about how everyone has their problems, but the solutions are the same, is so true. I think it's so amazing how whether you're in WS or on the field, the Lord seems to teach all of us the same things, just in different ways, and through different situations or circumstances. But He always eventually brings everyone to the same point--that of being totally dependent on Him.
Just as a confirmation that you are not out of touch with the field, I don't know if people realize what a comprehensive picture of the Family you can get just from reading the monthly comments and suggestions that have been compiled from everyone's TRFs. When I started working on the Prayer List some months ago, I was given permission to go through the comments and suggestions, because although the area offices compile the prayer requests for the Prayer List and send them to us, often there are testimonies or requests, or miracles or victories in other sections of the comments and suggestions that can be published in the Prayer List. To me it's been such an eye-opening experience to read parts of these. It's just mind-boggling! It's definitely a balanced picture, because you get not only the problems or "complaints" or difficulties--of which there are always quite a few--but you also get the victories, testimonies, witnessing adventures, miracles, and answers to prayer. It's such a beautiful thing, and it gives you a very good picture, because you get so many people's viewpoints, and you can see how things vary from area to area and Home to Home.
From reading some things that have come in, I can vouch that the accusation that "people aren't being honest with you" is totally false. I don't know how much of the comments and suggestions you personally read, but whoever does read them is getting an accurate picture, and can speak knowledgeably about the Family in general. (Note from Mama: Peter reads and I listen to as many of your comments and suggestions from your TRFs as we can each month.)
I feel very privileged to be able to have this glimpse into our Family's life. And even though I don't read all the comments and suggestions, as I don't have time and it's not part of my job, the things that I have read have given me such a love and admiration for our Family. I always feel very responsible to pray for those I read about who are having a rough time, or who have requested prayer for various situations. It's also interesting from month to month to see different comments come from the same Home. After a while, you feel you know them personally.
So I just wanted to say a hearty "amen" to all that's been said in this section of the Letter, and just add a confirmation from my experience about what a well-rounded and full picture the comments and suggestions from the TRFs give.
I love you so much. Love, Bethy
(To be continued.)
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family