Personal Checklist for "Conviction vs. Compromise" Series

WS Staff
May 8, 2003

By WS StaffCM/FM 10/01

Note: This is not intended to be a summary of the series. Please do not let reading this check­list take the place of your studying the GNs thoroughly, or you'll miss a lot of important guidance and counsel. Also, there are some new questions for you to ask the Lord in this check­list that were not included in the GNs. Please pay special attention to those. Thank you!

Prepare in advance for the worldwide prayer and fast day on Sunday, November 18:

• Read the "Conviction versus Compromise" series, Parts 1-5 (ML #3361-65).

• Read "Call on the Keys!" (ML #3368).

• Hear from the Lord on the questions noted in this checklist.

"Coming Persecution?—Conviction vs. Compromise, Part 1" (GN 957)

Key points:

• The Family is entering a ­monumental stage of growth.

• We need to prepare for the expansion of the Family as a result of the Activated ministry and the follow-up emphasis.

• The new laborers we win must be Family members, not typical church members.

• There is allowance for different life­styles or levels of dedication in the Family‚ which is why there are various categories of membership, but all members are required to believe the Words of David.

• The difference between the various circles of membership in the Family should be a matter of the practical application of the Word, not a matter of faith in the Word.

• All Family members should believe and accept the Words of David. That's what being in the Family is all about; that's the prime requisite.

• The CM Family is responsible to be the example of full–time discipleship as defined in the Bible and the Letters.

• The dedication of our full-time disciples will be reflected in the quality of our new members.

• To be prepared for what is to come, we must root out the widespread compromise.

• If those who are compromising don't change or move on, the Lord will take matters into His Own hands to bring about the needed changes. This would be brought about either by more apostates' wild ­stories, or by actual persecution from the media or authorities. How widespread such persecution is will depend pri­marily on your reaction to the truth. The Lord will have mercy on those who are faithfully following, those who are humble‚ obedient, unified‚ and right with Him. He will carefully orchestrate what persecution is necessary to bring about the desired results.

• There is a spirit of lethargy fighting the Family that's killing people's progress and effectiveness for the Lord. It has affected nearly every Family member to some degree.

To do:

• Ask yourself: Am I personally ready for the expansion of the Family? Am I doing all I can? Am I obeying so I won't fail the Lord? Am I faithful to the Words of David? Am I obedient to the Lord? Is Jesus pleased with me? Is He in first place in my life? Have I compromised? Am I strong in the Word so I'll stand in the face of persecution? Are the new members I'm winning growing into radical children of David, or are they lukewarm?

• Be a doer of the Word. Make a commitment to put the Word into action—now!

• Forsake your sins and return to your First Love.

• Desperately rebuke any hold that the spirit of lethargy might have on you.

• Get filled with the Word (praying desperately that it will move you, shake you up, and stir you to action).

• Heighten your awareness of the End­time. Get rid of any delusion that we're not living in the Endtime.

• Call on the power of the keys.

• Fast and pray with the worldwide Family on November 18.

• Ask the Lord to do something major in your life that will shake you up and wake you up to where this world is at and where things are headed.

• Pray a "whatever it takes" prayer.

• Seriously consider if you want to be a Charter member, Fellow member, Active member or friend. Do whatever is necess­ary to secure the appropriate category, the one that best reflects your lifestyle and level of commitment.

To hear from the Lord about:

qIn what ways am I lethargic ­spiritually?

qWhat wrong influences have come into my life as a result?

qWhat wrong attitudes do I have that I need to change?

qWhat have I been avoiding stepping out and doing? What new moves of the spirit have I been hesitant to put INTO ­ACTION?

qWhat should I do to stir myself up more and keep myself stirred up in spirit?

Letter Links:

q"Bewitched‚" ML #291:62-68, Vol.2

q"On Guard," ML #1377, DB 1

q"We're Still the Jesus Revolution," ML #1592, DB 2

q"Conviction and Honesty," Maria #51‚ DB 3

q"Teens for Christ," ML #2223:34-68, DB 8

q"Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice," ML #2418:1-35, DB 8

q"Goals for 1998," ML #3160:176-184‚ GN 765/Lifelines 24

q"Worldly?—Or Free?" ML #3233, GN 836

q"Desperate for Jesus‚" ML #3250:36-54, GN 852

q"The Shakeup," ML #3257, GN 857

q"A Plea from the Cathars," ML #3259:64-87‚ GN 860

q"Conviction/Compromise," MOP 1

q"Revolution for Jesus," MOP 2

"The Dangers of Division!—Conviction vs. Compromise, Part 2" (GN 958)

Key points:

• Division is rampant in the Family.

• Our work for the Lord will be destroyed if we don't root out division and restore unity.

• Anyone who has anything to do with division and who is harboring negativity, bitterness, and lack of love is wrong—regardless of the details! The key to finding unity is not in sorting out the blame‚ but in forgiving one another.

• "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another" (John 13:35). Are you His disciples? Then for God's sake, act like it!

• To live in division, backbiting, gossip and hatred is wrong! It's against the Word, it's against the Law of Love, and it's against the Charter.

• One result of so much division is the increase in single-family Homes that are not the testimony the Lord wants of communal living‚ which should be one of our ­strongest samples of modern–day disciple­ship and the existence of a God of Love.

• The warning vision: Evil black demons of division called Selvegion have latched on to Family members who don't have their shields up. These evil spirits have sunk their teeth into their prey, and are feeding on their hosts' insides, eating them alive, until they eat their hearts out and the person is dead spiritually. The end result is pictured with piles of maimed and mutilated dead bodies!

• Living in division is destroying your testimony! It's causing the Lord to lift His hand of blessing, provision, and protection. And after this warning, if you continue in your division, it will cause even greater loss to you personally and to your work!

• Homes or areas that are not united risk being disciplined according to the Charter, and receiving the Lord's judgments.

To do:

• If you still can't get over the apostates' accusations, then leave! Otherwise, your area leadership and the COs will move you on‚ or the Lord Himself will. Make a clear-cut decision to leave the Family if you can't resolve the doubts you have.

• Pray for more fear of the Lord.

• Forgive those you are not united with. Don't try to sort out the blame first. Forgive first; otherwise the solutions you seek will elude you.

• If you're bitter, get rid of it! There's plenty of Word on the subject, so read it and obey it!

• Rebuke by name the evil black demon elves from Hell, the Selvegion. Call on the power of the keys in the name of Jesus and command them to leave.

• Confess, forgive, and ask for forgiveness. Bury the hatchet and don't dig it up again!

• Do the right thing and keep doing the right thing until unity is restored.

• Strengthen the weak areas in your life and Home; get ready for the soon–coming harvest of more laborers!

• Endeavor to keep the unity by doing the following:

—working together to resolve your differences through love, humility‚ communication and prayer;

—taking the humble seat and apologizing, even if you feel it's the other person who is in the wrong;

—asking the Lord what your part is in the problem and then being willing to rectify it;

—being willing to confess your sins and wrong attitudes and get united prayer;

—praying a "whatever it takes" prayer and allowing the Lord to work in your life;

—working to overcome any of your personality traits that stand in the way of unity;

—asking your brethren to safeguard you;

—seeking correction when needed;

—being flexible and learning to give and take;

—giving others the benefit of the doubt;

—persevering in loving communication even when you feel misunderstood or rejected;

—going to others in love and humility to com­municate and seeking the Lord together for solutions;

—forsaking all criticism and gossip;

—fighting to overcome familiarity;

—forgiving and forgetting—forsaking the past;

—yielding to the Lord in all things;

—calling on the power of the keys to help you rise above all that would stand in the way of your unity.

To hear from the Lord about:

(Note: These questions are new; they were not included in GN 958.)

qWhat can I personally do to encourage greater unity in my Home and area?

qDo I have bitterness in my heart? If so, what do I need to do to overcome it? If it involves communicating with others, what exactly should I say to people I feel bitter against and how can I make things right between us?

qHave I been harboring the evil Sel­vegion? If so‚ what gave these black demons entrance to my life? How can I protect myself from falling prey to their evil influence in the future?

qIf I have tried to overcome disunity before but it didn't work, what can I do differently this time that will make this effort successful?

Letter Links:

Letters on bitterness:

q"Bitterness," ML #2672, Lifelines 19

q"Beware of Bitterness," ML #2840, Lifelines 20

q"Overcoming the Past," ML #2877, Lifelines 21

q"The Dangers of Bitterness," ML #3167, Lifelines 24

q"How to Recognize and Get Rid of Bitter­ness‚" ML #3170‚ Lifelines 24

Letters on unity:

q"Problems and Solutions!—Part 4," ML #3072:1-27, 101-141, GN 702/Lifelines 23

q"Come Together—In Love," ML #3100, GN 722/Lifelines 24

q"Man Looketh on the Outward Appearance, Part 1," ML #3124:1–48, GN 735/Lifelines 24

q"Mama's Memos!—No.3," ML #3126, GN 734/Lifelines 24

q"Dad's Christmas Message for 1997," ML #3150:54-76, GN 755/Lifelines 24

q"Keynote to the 1998 Birthday Feast," ML #3158:31-85, GN 766/Lifelines 24

q"Goals for 1998," ML #3160:113-253, GN 765/Lifelines 24

q"Overcoming the Generation Gap!" ML #3161, GN 767/Lifelines 24

q"Living the Lord's Law of Love!—Pt.11," ML #3211, GN 814/Lifelines 25

q"Citizens of the Kingdom!" ML #3222, GN 835

q"Loving Interaction!" ML #3234, GN 837

q"Self-righteousness—The Great Barrier to Uniting the Generations! Practical Tips for Unity," ML #3293, GN 897

q"The Family's Future and Expansion Program," ML #3308:79-88‚125-139, GN 908. (See also "Problem-Solving Steps" on pages 26-28 of this GN.)

q"Communication Keys, Part 1-2," ML #3323, GN 927-928

q"More on the Keys, Part 3," ML #3354:83-108‚ GN 947

"Be Ye Separate!—Conviction vs. Compromise—Part 3" (GN 959)

Key points:

• The danger of compromise is that eventually the Family will be just like every­one else. The Devil's goal is to make us the same as every­one else, to take away the uniqueness of the Family‚ to tone down the special message the Lord has given us‚ and through that to make us less attractive to the lost or even cause us to fall apart.

• Compromise has weakened the foundation of the Family.

• The sample of the Family is made of the samples of the many individuals. You, as a person, contribute to "the sample of the Family."

• The Charter allows System jobs, but they're not recommended.

• It's Mama and Peter's con­viction that the Lord wants most Charter members who have System jobs to quit them.

• Most System jobs held by Charter members in open fields are not God's highest will. Most System jobs are a compromise of our standard of full-time discipleship, unless they're absolutely needed for you to remain in your field, or they provide a very clear and abundant avenue for witnessing‚ or are a tremendous source of income that supports a lot of very active missionaries.

• The criteria for System jobs depends on such things as the fruit borne, on how much wit­ness can be given, on how much Word can be handed out, on how much training of new disciples, friends, supporters, and Active members can be had, on how many tools can be distributed.

• Some pitfalls of System jobs: You become weaker spiritually. You begin to lose the burden to witness. You lose the faith for miracles of supply because you're not living 100% for Jesus. You become independent and selfish, instead of living Acts 2:44 and 45. You leave the mission field, and you fail to build a lasting work. Eventually you no longer even remotely resemble a Family missionary. And if you continue like that, you'll end up in the System.

• System jobs are stealing the most valu­able commodity of the Family—its man­power.

• Talented young people, who could be­come dedicated missionaries, are getting slowly sucked into the System and becoming dedicated Systemites.

• If you, as supposedly full-time CM missionaries, are spending most of your time working in the System or on Family-created jobs with little or no witnessing, this gives rise to two serious problems:

  1. You won't win new members, because either you won't have any time to witness after you've been slaving away all day or night to raise money; or, once you have the money you need‚ you won't have the motivation or drive to do any serious witnessing.
  2. You won't be examples of full–time discipleship, and therefore even if you do win any new members, they'll lack conviction for true discipleship too, as they'll follow your example.

• The Lord is emphasizing building a lasting work. To do that, you need quality witnessing. This will bring regular support for the ­future.

• Your Home's witnessing is shallow if you have no Active members, no Church of Love, no Bible studies, no regular monthly supporters, no provisioning contacts, no potential disciples on the line, and no Activated subscriptions being sold. No matter how much money a job or fund­raising method brings in, if the overall fruit of your Home does not include the above-mentioned fruit, the overall witness is shallow.

• The Activated ministry is the Lord's "retirement plan," His "social security." But it takes time and sticking in one place to build a work.

• The System and its security is only temporary.

• The "God factor" is what you need to trust and count on.

• Beginning a follow-up ministry is like having two jobs. It takes a lot more than two hours a week of witnessing. It takes full-time witnessing.

• You can't expect God to pay your bills if you're not working hard for Him.

• Your financial difficulties could be due to not living communally.

• Dad never advocated living in poverty, in dirty, run-down‚ junky homes that are a bad testimony!

• If we are to promote Activated‚ build a greater church, win Active members, reach the middle and upper class where the most potential labor leaders are found, and become a financial power, then we certainly can't be living in awful, filthy, crowded, miserable conditions.

• If we are obedient, we can expect the Lord to provide what we need and even many wants!

• There is no discharge in this war.

• The prime requisite when judging a house purchase is your discipleship. Is the purchase of property going to add to your discipleship or is it going to detract from it? In most cases the end result will detract from it.

• Be very prayerful when entering into any long-term purchases of property and don't move forward with it until you're absolutely sure it's the Lord's highest will.

To do:

• If you have a System job, look at the overall fruit in every area of your life. Ask yourself: "Is my holding a System job causing me to compromise in other areas of my life? Have I become independent? Have I become compromised in living Acts 2:44-45, and do I hold on to 'my own' finances? Do I still live by faith‚ or is that no longer the case? Am I compromised in my life­style, and does this negate my overall sample?"

• If you as a Charter member want to have a System job, that's your choice (if your Home approves it with a vote). But seriously pray about and reconsider your decision after reading this GN. Pray that you can honestly be open–minded and consider all the factors. Call on the power of the keys to open your eyes to the truth for your life!

• Don't judge your job just from the financial standpoint. Look at it from the spiritual stand­point.

—Is it helping and motivating you to be a more on-fire radical witness?

—Is it moving you to reach out to others, to give unselfishly and sacrificially?

—Is it causing you to draw closer to the Lord?

—Do others see good fruit being borne in you through it?

—Is it still meeting the conditions or fulfilling the promises the Lord gave you when you first asked Him about taking on the job?

—Is it enabling your Home to shoot forward and make progress?

—Is it time to stop?

• Ask yourself: If I decide to keep my System job or keep up my Family–created System job (clowning‚ ballooning, etc.), a year from now, what will I have to show for it? If I had to go underground, would I have solid, trained disciples to help support me? If I had to leave the country, would I have a "church" of trained followers to carry on? If younger Family members were to follow my sample, what kind of disciples would they be? If I went to be with the Lord, how would I feel as I look into His eyes?

• Pray today and hear from the Lord about quitting your System job, and then give notice of your leaving their employment! If you feel you are unable to quit your job, go to the Word and seek the Lord to see if He is leading you to a change of status as outlined in this series.

• As a Charter member, to confirm your having a job is God's highest will, besides the vote from the Home, seek confirmation from the Lord from the mouth of two or three channels‚ wholehearted support from your Home, and have the support and approval of your area leadership, if possible. Also, bring forth the kind of fruit in your job and life that makes it obvious that you're fruitful and productive as a disciple!

• Ponder how much the "God factor" has been a part of your life.

• If you're not living Acts 2:44-45‚ pray about what changes you need to make in your life.

• If you're living in squalor, that is wrong. Ask yourself where the problem is and correct it!

• Ask yourself: What am I willing to do to have the Lord supply for me through full-time witnessing and follow-up? How much am I willing to sacrifice to prove it can be done? Am I willing to work hard to pioneer an Activated and follow-up ministry? To what lengths am I willing to go? Am I willing to give up some of my free time? Am I willing to go without some recreational activities if I don't have the time or money? Am I willing to cut back on expenses to save money? What is it worth to me?

• Start today to win and train your own "congregation" of faithful converts and Active members who will support you and your Home through their tithes!

To hear from the Lord about:

qLord, am I doing all I can to obey Your Word to the best of my ability? Am I an obedient and diligent follower in every way?

qWhat kind of sample of a Christian am I on a daily basis? How much compromise of my convictions have I allowed in my life? If someone were to spend a day observing me as an individual, what would they con­clude is my profession? Lord, am I hot, cold, or lukewarm?

qAm I staying in close communication with You, Lord? Am I fellowshipping with You? Am I checking in with You before I make a move?

qDear Husband, am I neglecting Your Word, either in feeding from it myself or in giv­ing it out to others? Am I drink­ing in Your Word daily, receiving the nourishment and strength, guid­ance and counsel You have for me?

qAm I following where You are leading? Am I pushing Activated, giving Your Word to the lost, making disciples of all nations? Am I loving others‚ giving my utmost to reach them and help them, broadening the borders of my tents, opening my doors to gather in Your last great harvest‚ going out into the highways and byways to gather them in?

qHow can I improve the witness in the fund­raising methods I use, Lord? How can I incorporate more follow-up and in-depth witnessing?

qHow do I spend my time? How much of my time is spent preaching the Gospel in comparison to all the other things I do? What are my first thoughts of the day? Do I wonder how I'm going to put bread on the table, or how I'm going to spread the Word?

qAm I living Acts 2:44 and 45? Am I living together with others? Am I sharing all things? Am I following Your plan, Lord, for good economics?

qHow do I spend the finances You supply?

qAm I working for You, Lord, or for Mam­mon? Am I working hard for You? Am I putting my hours in‚ doing all I can to the best of my ability to preach the Gospel to the lost?

qIs it Your will for me to quit my System job, Lord?

q(For FGAs: ) How can I personally tap in to the "retirement plan" You have provided through Activated?

q(For all: ) What steps do I need to take today to begin cultivating my Activated "congregation"?

q(If you're contemplating buying a house:) Lord, how do You see this? Is this a private personal endeavor‚ or is the vision to establish a communal effort? Are we proceeding with sufficient counsel—both from others and from You, Lord? Are we fully informed of all the possible complications? Is the house big enough to house a good-sized Home? Will it take a lot of fixing up, which will distract us from our main job of witnessing?

qAm I putting You to the test, Lord? Am I proving You? Am I standing on Your promises and Your promises alone?

qAm I really depending on You, Lord? Am I desperate with You? Am I claiming Your promises?

qAm I calling on the power of the keys of the Kingdom to open the windows of Heaven of supply? Am I using all the new weapons of the spirit that will acti­vate and enhance my spiritual power?

Letter Links:

Jobs versus missionary work:

q"The Prodigal Son," ML #641:31-49, Vol.5

q"The Summit '96 Letters, Part 3," ML #3079:146-150, Lifelines 23

q"The Summit '96 Letters, Part 4," ML #3081:3-8, Lifelines 23

q"Be a Missionary‚" ML #3135‚ GN 744/Lifelines 24

q"Goals for 1998," ML #3160:176-184, GN 765/Lifelines 24

q"Charter Responsibilities," ML #3197:93-99, GN 803

Living Acts 2:44 and 45 versus selfishness:

q"Goals for 1998," ML #3160:131-147, GN 765/Lifelines 24

q"The Benefits of the Family," ML #3172:154–191, GN 777

q"Charter Responsibilities," ML #3197:109-111‚ GN 803

q"Witnessing and Follow-up Pitfalls," ML #3245:83-99, GN 847

q"Selfishness and Self-Centeredness," Word Topics

Building a financial foundation/

God's supply:

q"Rags to Riches" ML #211, Vol.2/DB 5

q"God's Guarantees," ML #1027, Vol.9/DB 1

q"God's Financial Blessings," ML #2813, GN 527/Lifelines 20

q"From Poverty to Plenty," ML #2929, GN 598/Lifelines 21

Buying houses:

q"The Benefits of the Family," ML #3172:134-137, GN 777

q"The Way Things Really Are in WS," ML #3309:376-382, GN 911

"Be True to the Revolution!—Conviction vs. Compromise, Part 4" (GN 960)

Key points:

• We're still a Revolution, even though Dad has passed on. We still believe in the Word, all of it, and that inevitably makes us different.

• We will be what we are becoming! What we'll be tomorrow depends on the choices we're making today.

• We're either walking the walk of the dropped-out army God has intended us to be, or we're heading back into the System.

• The Lord is leading us back to full-time discipleship, and a purer sample of Jesus' teachings and the lifestyle that makes the Family different and revolutionary.

• Now is the time for the Family to diversify and grow. We will no longer be just an officers' training corps. Now we will care for multitudes of sheep at various levels of dedication and availability.

• Even though there will be members of the Family at many levels of service, the inner core, the CM Family‚ is not to weaken through compromise.

• The greater tolerance and flexibility in the Family is meant for the new sheepnot for those who are Charter members. For you who are full–time disciples, there should be no change in your conviction, life­style‚ goals and discipleship.

• The Lord wants the Family to look a whole lot more like it used to as far as dedication, full–time service, unity, communal living, having all things in common, witnessing full-time, living by faith, home­school­ing our children, etc.

• There is a tendency on the part of many Family members and Homes to tone down the meat of the Word, to be more accepted.

• The Family is not mainstream, and we never will be.

• The radical elements of the Family and the meat of the Word are not going to disappear.

• You are not expected to actively promote our radical, private doctrines or to try to stir up controversy and trouble, but the deliberate hiding and denying of the meat of the Word is compromise! It must stop!

• Mama and Peter will not compromise the message the Lord shows them to publish.

• There will be more new truths and strong meat published in the future!

• Mama and Peter have no intention whatsoever of becoming like the church system, where the Family's mess­age to the world is only to preach Jesus‚ salvation, and the Bible.

• The Family has a lot of radical beliefs that many people don't like. Those are not going away, and in fact, we're going to have more of them.

• You cannot hide or deny the Family, Dad, or our radical beliefs indefinitely‚ because your sheep will eventually find out.

• It is your responsibility to teach your sheep, to bring them along, to help them receive the basics of the meat of the Word. If they can't handle it when taught lovingly, patiently, and in the Lord's time, then they would do better with some active Christian group or charismatic church.

• We will never have strong disciples unless we win the kind who can receive, believe, and live the meat of the Word. We're after quantity and quality!

• If you tone down our message to please the churches, you're going to have very little of God's present-day message left!

• We have every right to our freedom of choice, including beliefs, doctrines, religion and lifestyle and mode of operation.

• There are times when your connection with the Family needs to be kept secret, such as when you're in a country where your work is banned, or where the authorities would imprison you‚ or where being a Christian in itself is dangerous.

• Other than the above-mentioned circumstances, when using another name for your work, there should be some association with the Family‚ some explanation or tie with the Family; otherwise your presentation is deceptive and the Lord cannot fully bless you.

• If you deliberately hide or even deny your association with the Family, then when it becomes known that you are members of the Family, your reputation, testimony, and works will be tarnished!

• You don't need to describe ­every single detail about the Family immediately, but to actively hide or actually deny your association with any religious movement and to not mention the name of the Family fairly early on in your work relationship with others is extremely unwise and will only backfire. It will hurt your testimony as a Christian, because people will feel you lied and deceived them.

• Even in countries where there is strong negative propaganda from the anti-cult movement, it's important to stand up for the Family and be counted—telling the truth and being a good Christian sample—so the public will have a chance to see the truth and know that you're not ashamed and there's nothing wrong with your religion. This testimony breaks down the negative‚ twisted perspective built up by the media and ACs, and helps prepare people for the days when they'll have to make a choice—whether to accept AC control or help the AACs.

To do:

• What is published for the Family eventually falls into outsiders' hands. Deter­mine if you are prepared to deal with that.

• Ask yourself: When the younger members of the Family look at me, do they see that I'm proud to be a member of the Family? Do they see me boldly standing up for the truth? Do they see me accepting my place as a prophet and voice in the Endtime? Or do they see me compromising, cowering, and hiding?

• Decide for yourself what you believe and what you want to do with your life. No one is forcing you to believe anything that you don't want to believe. You're not being forced to stay in the Family. You're completely free to stay if you want to uphold the standards and beliefs of the Family, or you're completely free to serve the Lord in another way. You have freedom of choice.

• Each of you needs to make a decision! To do this you must:

  1. Pray about where you stand. Be honest with yourself. Decide where your convictions lie and whether you're willing to stand up for the radical doc­trines of the Family. Take into serious con­sidera­tion that the Family is not becoming main­stream—in fact, we're going to be getting less mainstream all the time—and the meat of the Word will become known eventually. You can't hide from it or think it won't be an issue.
  2. Determine where you want to serve the Lord—in the Family as CM, FM, or Active member‚ or part of our general membership, or in the church of your choice.
  3. Make whatever changes you need to make. That could mean a change of your classification in the Family, or no longer being part of the Family and beginning a new life in the System.
  4. If you decide to continue as a Charter member, you'll need to rid your life, Home and work of the compromises that will only hurt you and others‚ including your toning down‚ ignoring, or denying either the radical doctrines of the Family or the Family name.

To hear from the Lord about:

(Note: These questions are new; they were not included in GN 960.)

qSweet Lord, have I been compromising the truth by denying or covering up the meat of the Word?

qPlease show me how or why I became fearful and weak in faith regarding the meat of the Word and our controversial doctrines.

qHave I been deceitful or even lied when explaining my missionary work to others? If so, what is wrong with me that I felt I had to do that?

qWhat do I need to do to correct any false or misleading impressions that I've given to any of my sheep, contacts or support­­ers?

qPlease, dear Jesus, show me all the ways I've compromised for gain, and what I need to do to become Your sold-out Endtime disciple once again.

q(For those in sensitive situations:) Is there any way that I can improve my wit­ness while still maintaining the level of security that is necessary in order to con­tinue our work here? Are there any areas in which I need a better balance between security and using wisdom, and getting out the message that You know is needed?

Letter Links:

q"Jesus People?—Or Revolution‚" ML #148, DB 4

q"Old Bottles," ML #242‚ DB 5

q"Expensive Bargains," ML #1401, Vol.15/DB 1

q"Revolutionary Discipleship," ML #1965, DB 8

q"We Are It," ML #2222, DB 8

q"The Dangers of System Influence," ML #2967:1-11, Lifelines 22

q"Charter Responsibilities," ML #3197:46-193‚ GN 803

q"Mama's Memos, No.9," ML #3243:80–123, GN 845

q"Witnessing and Follow-up Pitfalls," ML #3245:57–77, GN 847

q"Mama's Memos, No.12," ML #3287:18-28, GN 885

q"Issues‚ Part 3," ML #3302:29-38, 48-88‚ GN 904

q"None of These Things Move Me," ML #3307:132-149, GN 906

q"Issues, Part 5," ML #3322:80-99, GN 925

q"Discipleship‚" MOP 1

"Are You a Disciple?—Conviction vs. Compromise, Part 5" (GN 963)

Key points:

• Many people, young and old, justify the weaknesses of the second generation, saying our young people can't be expected to forsake all or be totally committed, ­either because the circumstances of the world today make compromises legitimate, or because the attacks of the Enemy are so much more intense now than when the FGAs were young.

• The battle is greater these days; you face more intense spiritual battles and a stronger pull from the System. But that is no excuse for toning down your conviction, because you also have much more spiritual education and new weapons. You have a greater understanding of intercessory prayer, the ability to rise above, the keys of the Kingdom—and with these‚ nothing is imposs­ible to you. So the same can be expected of all in the Family today as in the beginning.

• It's the responsibility of each Family member to see to it that we don't just drift back into the System, settling down in a compromiser's limbo. (Read "Dropouts!—Part 1," ML #42.)

• Life is certainly much different for you SGAs. You are different; you're not like your parents. The Family has changed tremendously from the early days. No one is trying to go back to the past as far as the way things were done, but the basic principles and requirements of full-time discipleship in the Family have not changed. That's the same for you of the second generation no matter how different you are from your parents! What Jesus said about being His disciple has not changed! It's been the same for 2,000 years and it will remain the same!

• The Lord still expects you FGAs to lead the way in discipleship. This is especially important for the sake of your sample to your children and young people.

• Two evil spiritual powers are targeting the children of David‚ but especially you young people. They are the principalities of Pan and Bacchus.

• Pan is the arch-demon whose aim is to gain control over the mind. Under his jurisdiction is the demon of rejection, the evil power that seeks to question, demean, and reject the truth, the Word. Pan is the enemy of faith, and he seeks to bring up doubts, questions, analyzing, distortion, complexity, confusion—anything that would stand in the way of accepting the Word in childlike faith. He is the author of strong negativity, de­press­ion, schizophrenia, even suicide and all manner of mental illnesses.

• Music is one of Pan's vehicles, which allows him entrance to the mind.

• Bacchus' jurisdiction is over the principality and stronghold of addiction. His mission is to separate you from the Lord, to cause you to turn to your addictions—any number of physical or fleshly crutches and excesses.

• Raising our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord is a foundation principle of the Family!

• Our children have a right to an education as stated in the Charter‚ and it is the responsibility of the parents to see to it that they get it! You parents are just as responsible to train your children spiritually and to protect them from harm!

• There has been a significant increase in the number of children who now attend System school, but you parents are not fulfilling your end of the bargain as presented in "Our Children's Education," which is giving your children more spiritual shepherd­ing and Word time to make up for the negative‚ unhealthy input they receive while in school. Because most of you parents who have your kids in System schools have not obeyed that condition sufficiently, your children have suffered.

• We've had years to test the freedom the Lord gave in the Charter and "Our Chil­dren's Education," and we now have plenty of proof to show that sending our children to System school and not investing the needed time to strengthen them through shepherding is damaging their spiritual lives.

• Peter and Mama are not in agreement with System schooling for our children. They believe it's not fruitful and is causing more harm than good. Most CM parents who are not home­schooling their children are not in the Lord's highest will—not because having your children in System school is against the Charter, but because you are not giving your children what they need spiritually and you're not obeying!

• It's understandable that many of you parents needed help and you opted for System schooling. That was not necessarily the problem; it's extremely important that your children get an adequate education. The problem is that you failed to fulfill your responsibilities to shepherd your children spiritually.

• This lack of obedience regarding putting your kids in System school and not doing your part is compromise, and it grows from there. Pretty soon there's no discipline, more TV watching, more junk food, and the standard slips and slips and slips until it's nonexistent! It's all compromise—compromise that is not just hurting you, but your children!

• If you choose to put your children in System school or keep them in System school after reading this GN, you will need to be willing to invest the extra time needed to keep your children in the Word and spiritually strengthened. You can't abdicate that responsibility.

• Some of you parents put your children in System school for a limited amount of time so they can learn the local language and be a good testimony and witness deeply. But even in that case, you parents still need to do your part to properly shepherd your children and obey the guidelines in "Our Chil­dren's Education," because if you don't, even if you have a good reason for having your children attend System school‚ which is to learn the language, they will still be hindered and corrupted spiritually.

• Some of you parents feel very young children are less vulnerable to serious nega­tive influences that undermine their faith, because the things they're being taught are basic‚ their minds are still fresh with simple faith‚ they're less questioning, and they seem to pick up less carnal or worldly mindsets or doubts. However‚ because they are simple and fresh, they are in some ways more susceptible to the subtler influences of evil.

• Some of you Homes or families are delinquent in the education of your children, and this, too, is wrong.

• You kids need a good education, whether you decide to stay in the Family or leave. You need an adequate education for whatever profession you choose, whether to be a missionary and full-time disciple in the Family, or to eventually pursue something else outside of the Family. We are not promoting higher education, nor are we promoting System education that pollutes your spirit, but all of you young people should have the minimum required in the Charter, and even more, a high school education through homeschooling, with GED or other certification, if that's how you feel led.

• One of the strongest aspects of compromise and carnal-mindedness is the attitude that many young people have developed toward education. Promoting higher education (college or university level) for our young people has never been one of the goals of CM living.

• The Devil wants to make all of you young people energy sources to feed his System. He doesn't care about you. He sure as anything doesn't care about your "self-esteem." He doesn't care about you being a success. He just cares about suck, suck, sucking you into his System, to continue to feed his monster‚ to provide fodder for his great furnace.

• It all comes back down to the fact that "he who forsaketh not all that he hath‚ cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:33). Whatever you're holding on to that's more important to you than the Lord or following the Lord is wrong and unnecessary.

• If you don't plan on being a full-time disciple and you prefer to study and get higher education, that's your choice. But if you do want to be a disciple and you want to dedicate your energy, resources, talents, and time 100% to serving the Lord as a disciple, then there isn't room for pursuing higher education, just like there wasn't in the earlier years of the Family.

• Hundreds of pages have been published on the Law of Love, and yet there are some serious problems in the implementation of the sexual side of it. Some of the most problematic issues have to do with:

  1. Not enough shepherding of unfruitful or out-of-control relationships.
  2. People misusing the Law of Love to get what they want.
  3. People taking advantage of our sexual freedom and wrongly applying it to have sex with outsiders.

• At the heart of these unloving acts is compromise! You who are guilty of misusing the Law of Love as mentioned above have compromised the truth of the Word. You've compromised for gain.

• People in our Family and even Active members have been stumbled, not so much by the concept of the Law of Love or the doctrine, but by the samples they've seen.

• You, our Charter and Fellow members, blame all the bad on the Law of Love, but nothing that you consider good or beautiful or fun is credited to the Law of Love.

• The doctrine is not on trial here; it's people's implementation of it that must be judged. The question is not whether the doctrine is right. It is. The question is whe­ther you can be trusted with it.

• Mama reached a point where she seri­ously wondered if she and Peter would have to suspend the sexual freedom of the Law of Love for the whole Family. If the Family couldn't handle the freedom, then maybe the Lord would take it away.

• Vision: God and Jesus weeping. A dark cloud hovers over the 3-D screen where God and Jesus are watching the actions of the Children of David. God's hands are tied, and only the Family can untie His hands.

• According to your choices your future will be deter­mined. You who choose to live according to the Law of Love will reap the blessings; you'll grow and pro­gress. You who choose not to obey the truth, but instead choose to abuse the freedom you've been given and make a mockery of the Law of Love, the "shadow of troubles and sorrow" will cover you.

• The Lord will not take back His Word of the Law of Love‚ for the truth is the truth. He will not recant, for what has been said is right and Godly and Heavenly.

• If you choose to not live this truth, but rather to despise it‚ or if you choose to misuse this truth and use it as an occasion to the flesh, the Lord will raise up others who will take your crown. It makes the Lord very sad to have to say this.

• The fruit of living the Law of Love is in your hands.

• Life in the Family would be very different without the Law of Love.

• Mama and Peter will not recant on the Law of Love. God cannot recant, and neither can they! Mama and Peter stand by Dad's teachings—they are the truth!

To do:

• If you're in the Family not because you honestly believe the Word and want to live and die for Jesus and this Revolution, but because it's an easy life or you don't have anywhere to go, then you need to start finding a place to go!

• Call on the power of the keys of the Kingdom to defeat Pan and Bacchus. Have united prayer against their evil influence in your life.

• Remember this word picture about the worldly education system: It may look like a white-sand beach, but really it's a sand trap—quick­sand! You think you're headed for beautiful‚ blue, deep waters, but the Enemy will see to it that you never get there, that you stay stuck wading through the sand forever, dying of thirst.

• You senior teens, YAs and SGAs are influencing your younger brothers and sisters! You're the ones they look to. You'll be held accountable for the sample you set and for leading them to the Lord or to the System, depending on how you live your lives. All they have to do is watch you. Ask yourself: How do I spend my time? What do I talk about? What do I love? What kind of education am I looking for? Why do I live in a Family Home? Am I a disciple?

• What a sad picture and mess­age about the Law of Love. Please take this to heart. Take the time to think, ponder, and search the Word. Read the Law of Love Handbook ("Living the Lord's Law of Love," Parts 1-11). Get educated if you don't understand the Law of Love. Don't just rely on what you think you remember. Study, read, seek the truth. Ask the Lord your questions. Realize that you have a lot to lose!

• Jesus said our living the full freedom of the Law of Love has been a test, an experiment. Consider how you've done with the "experiment." Can you be trusted with this? Do you use it for good or for your own ends? Do you lay down your life to benefit others, or do you take and devour and cause pain? Judge yourself. How have you fared? What has the depth of your love been? What have your motivations been? How much have you loved others as you love yourself? Have you recognized the value of the treasure of the Law of Love?

• If you want these freedoms, if you like the life you live, if you enjoy your dating and sexual variety, if you like the fact that you're not condemned if you like someone and do something sexy with that person, then wise up and realize that you have that freedom because of Dad! Quit being hypocrites and complaining about the freedom on one hand, while taking advantage of it with the other!

• And for those of you who can't accept the full freedom of the Law of Love, who continue to think it's wrong‚ ungodly‚ immoral and adulterous‚ you'd better find another place to live and serve the Lord! Go where you can live according to the moral code you have chosen, without being faced with the sexual freedom of the Law of Love, because it's not going away!

To hear from the Lord about:

(Note: These questions are new; they were not included in GN 963.)

(For SGAs:)

qHave I lost my appreciation for the blessing of being in the Family, because I've never known anything else? Have I become lazy and lethargic and self-satisfied and self-indulgent, with a false sense of security, out of touch with Dad and his teachings‚ and out of touch with You‚ Lord?

qHave I fallen prey to the attitude that the same level of dedication and commitment upon which the Family was built cannot and should not be expected today? In what ways have I let the spiritual standard slide in my own life? What do I need to change in my life, actions and mindset in order to be living the life of a true disciple?

qIn what ways has Pan influenced my life and mindsets?

qIn what ways has Bacchus influenced my habits, desires, and way of life?

(For parents with children in System school:)

qIn what ways have I failed You and my children by not giving them the input and shepherd­ing they need? What do I need to do to help them be strengthened now? Should I take them out of System school?

(For parents who homeschool their children:)

qAm I giving my children an adequate education? If not, in what ways does their education need to improve?

(For all who read the Conviction vs. Compromise series:)

qHave I misapplied the sexual freedom of the Law of Love? Do I need to be more open to shepherding and godly counsel? Is my relationship bearing good fruit or does it need adjustment? Is there disobedience that I have not confessed which is blocking my spiritual progress, hurting the Family, and keeping You from fully blessing me?

qPlease give me an ultimatum. Tell me what will happen to my spiritual life and service for You if I don't make the changes You want me to make, but rather continue on the way I'm going.

Letter Links:

Young people being revolutionary today:

q"New Bottles‚" ML #251‚ DB 5

q"A Dream About Hearts Aflame," ML #2703, DB 10

q"Issues, Part 4," ML #3306:1-27, GN 909

Combating Pan and Bacchus:

q"Crisis of Faith—More on Doubts, Part 1-3," ML #3088–3090, GN 713-715/Life­lines 23

q"Freedom Through United Prayer‚" ML #3171‚ GN 776

q"Issues, Part 3," ML #3302, GN 904

q"Issues, Part 5," ML #3322:25–35, GN 925

q"Changing Deeply Ingrained Habits and Mindsets," ML #3324, GN 929

q"Doubts," Word Topics

q"Overcoming Bad Habits," Word Topics

q"Carnal Reasoning," Word Topics

Education—secular, higher, and at home:

q"Children in the World," ML #780, Vol.6/DB 1

q"The Devil's Challenge to Our Garden of Eden," ML #2526:31-45, 71-92‚ Lifelines 19

q"Go To It and Do It," ML #2771, Lifelines 20/DB 11

q"How to Have a Happy Home," ML #2956, DB 12

q"Our Children's Education," ML #3066‚ GN 694/Lifelines 23

q"How-tos of Home Education," ML #3189, GN 794

q"Issues, Part 2," ML #3297:18-35, GN 894

q"Issues, Part 4," ML #3306:28-37, GN 909

q"Issues, Part 5," ML #3322:49-63‚ GN 925

q"Why Christian Children Should Be Kept Out of Public Schools," Raise 'em Right

q"Homeschooling—Tried and Proven," Raise 'em Right

q"Christ-centered‚ Bible-Based Education," Family Policy Statement

q"Advantages of Our Family Education," Family Policy Statement

q"From Jesus With Love," Vol.2, #199, page 188

The Law of Love, sex, and marriage:

q"The Law of Love," ML #302C, Vol.3/DB 1

q"The Beauties, Promises and Rewards of Married Love," ML #3194, GN 799

q"Communication in Marriage and Other Relation­ships‚" ML #3196‚ GN 800

q"Living the Lord's Law of Love, Parts 1-11" ML #3201-3211, GN 804-814

q"Issues‚ Part 1," ML #3294:5–21, GN 889

q"Leaping the Hurdles, Part 2," ML #3341, GN 935

(End of file.)