New GN series

from Jedran - Monday, June 07, 2004
accessed 1812 times

Warning: This GN is rated EC

Family Discipleship or Missionary Membership?
By Maria Maria #676 FD/MM/FM 3488 3/04

Note: This GN focuses mainly on the new category of Missionary membership and on things that those moving from FD should consider. It doesn't talk much about the FM circle of membership, but that's only because that isn't the focus of this one GN. We are sending it to all circles of Family membership because it contains important information about the restructuring. We pray it is a blessing to each of you, even if it doesn't directly affect your circle of membership.

Contents
The choice between Family discipleship and Missionary membership.... 2
Missionary membership won't be as easy as it might look 3
You young people have what it takes to go all the way................ 7
You're going to have to fight for your place in the FD Family........ 9
Giving full discipleship a chance.......... 10
Blessings of obedience remain the same...................... 10
The rewards of full obedience..... 11
Benefit of communal living: Spiritual and physical support......... 13
When you're living by faith, I pay the bills................ 13
Unity brings success........ 14
Safeguards and an atmosphere of no compromise...................... 14
The easiest place to be a 110% disciple is in the FD Family...... 15
A special challenge and promise for you young people........... 16
More promises for those who give their all.......... 18
What is the Lord's will for you?.. 19

Dearest Family,
1. I pray you're feeling challenged and inspired by the changes the Lord is bringing to pass in the Family. I sure am! During times like this, it can help to think back over your service for the Lord and count your blessings. Think of all the times you needed a change or a shakeup, even when you didn't realize it, and the Lord brought it along. Think about the times when you had to face things that didn't initially seem very comfortable or inviting, but you knew the Lord was leading you in that direction, so you went by faith and they turned out to be so good for you. Think of all the times you've had to stretch your faith to believe and act on the Lord's promises, and look at the results. Think about the times you've obeyed, and how it has always worked out for good, even when it didn't seem like it was going to.
2. We have that experience, that foundation of faith. We know that all things work together for good. Even if you haven't seen it fulfilled yet in every case, you know that you will eventually--because it's a promise from our Husband! So even if you feel a little shaky right now after hearing about all the changes, don't worry. Take some time to stop and look back over your history with Jesus, and see how He has fulfilled His Word time and again, and always brought what you needed into your life.
3. This is just another one of those times where He is giving us what we need. He wants us to not only survive these difficult days that are coming on the world, but flourish! He doesn't want us to just barely stay alive as Christians during the Endtime, He wants us to become His beacons of light and warning to the world! So, through these changes, He's helping us to fulfill our destiny, and we can praise and thank Him for them, and through the weapon of praise, drive the Enemy and his gloom and doom far away!
4. I'm praying for each of you, that these winds of change will bring into your lives what you've needed in order to find your place and be happy and fulfilled for the Lord, and that you'll have the faith to really embrace the changes, embrace the way the Lord is leading you, and go for it with all your heart! That's where you'll find true happiness and fulfillment--in the Lord's highest and perfect will for you.

The Choice Between Family Discipleship and Missionary Membership
5. One of the very big and immediate changes is that we now have the Missionary membership level, which many of you will become a part of--either you'll join this category of your own accord, or your area officers will help you to see that MM is more suited to your lifestyle. It's really an option; it's something you can actually consider without feeling like you'd be failing the Lord or disappointing your shepherds or loved ones. It's a place where you will still get all the New Wine you have been getting, where you'll be active in your service for the Lord, but you'll also have fewer restrictions, and won't have to maintain as high a standard in order to retain your status.
6. I have some further counsel from the Lord to share with you, with some aspects He wants you to consider as you make the choice about which level of service is right for you. We've talked about how the most important thing is to find the Lord's will for you. We have explained the Missionary membership option and what a blessing it will be for some of you. Peter and I sincerely believe that the MM category is the Lord's highest will for some of you, and will be just what you need. We've talked about the benefits that it will bring for those of you who are called to that place of service.
7. Now I want to talk about the benefits of full-time Family discipleship. Some of you have written, asking if Family discipleship has any more benefits than Missionary membership, or if the only difference is that there are more sacrifices and a higher standard required. The standard of no compromise and full-time commitment does mean a lot of personal sacrifice. The Lord wants you to know, however, that regardless of what it may look like on the surface, there are blessings in store.
8. This is a delicate topic, because for some of you, Missionary membership is the Lord's highest will, and where you will be most blessed and the happiest. For others, it isn't. And that is the main point of this GN: I want to encourage you to find the Lord's highest will for you. The messages I'll share will hopefully be helpful for you in determining what that is.
9. I was especially concerned about you young people, as already in many fields you don't have much fellowship or many opportunities for dating and sex, and if some of your friends and peers become MM, you'll have even less, because there is no sharing between MM and FD. At first it might not seem like there are any benefits to remaining FD. The fact of the matter is, if it's the Lord's highest will for you to be a Family disciple, there are a lot of benefits. At the same time, if it's the Lord's highest will for you to be a Missionary member, that is the category you'll fit into best, and that is where you will find the greatest benefits.
10. It all comes down to determining what the Lord's will is for you personally. For some of you, the Lord's will might be made clear through a recommendation from your shepherds, or through honestly evaluating your Home and your goals, or through hearing from the Lord personally in prophecy--or through a combination of the above. But however you do it, it's important that you have a peace about it, and that you're in your category of membership for the right reasons.

Missionary Membership Won't Be as Easy as It Might Look
11. One of the aspects of MM that probably seems appealing to many of you is that it looks easier. It seems as if it would be easier to not have to keep such a high standard, and yet still have the benefits of the New Wine, the FAF, a measure of services from the boards, and the list goes on. Not much in your Home life would have to change, especially if you live in a communal MM Home, except that you wouldn't be required to keep such a high standard. And for some of you, moving to MM is an excellent solution.
12. There will be a variety of reasons that people choose to move to Missionary membership, or are recommended to move to that category.--One of the main reasons being situations in which you don't want to or cannot or haven't been consistently living up to the CM standard. There will be some very good reasons, and it's for those very good reasons that the Lord led us to create the Missionary membership category--so that those who have those special needs can continue to actively serve the Lord in a situation that allows for such circumstances in their life. And Peter and I do expect that there will be many very good, spirit-filled, fruitful, happy, communal MM Homes in the future.
13. There are many others of you, however, who may just be feeling tired of the spiritual struggle, or wondering if there's an easier way to serve the Lord, who might consider MM the solution as kind of an "escape." And that's why I feel burdened to share this counsel with you, especially you young people, because I want to caution you that, while MM might look easier, in many cases it won't be.
14. Being a Missionary member won't be as easy as some people think. Now if you go MM and you continue to stay active in your service for the Lord and you live communally and work hard to obey the Lord and stay in His Word and don't compromise, then there might not be much difference between such an MM Home and an FD Home. In such a scenario you will probably be fruitful and happy and blessed by the Lord.
15. But if you are a single-family MM Home in which the adults have System jobs and the kids go to System school and hang out all the time with System kids, if your witnessing is minimal (just enough to qualify for MM), if you let your spiritual lives and standard slide, then things will be more difficult for you spiritually. You won't have the built-in safeguards, the spiritual support that comes from living communally and supporting one another in obedience to the Word. You will weaken spiritually, your sample will deteriorate, and you'll likely lose the privilege of being MM.
16. More is allowed within the MM category of membership, and so it will be up to each individual's conviction and willpower to stay spiritually healthy. You're not required to live communally as a Missionary member, but you can choose to if you want to maintain that spiritual support system. You won't be held to the same high standard that you've been used to, but you can choose to set boundaries for yourself and fight to maintain a good spiritual standard. Through these choices you can set safeguards for yourself to ensure you remain fruitful and strong spiritually. Otherwise, the natural course of events could be to allow more and more compromise. Because you won't be held to the same high standard that you've been used to, it would be easier to let your spiritual standard go downhill fast. And as we know from our lives of faith thus far, if you compromise, your perspective eventually becomes skewed, you lose the vision, you lose your hunger for the Word, and it perpetuates a cycle of spiritual weakening.
17. If you allow yourself to be weakened through a scenario like I just described, you will not remain MM for very long. It's important to realize that MM Homes and members will be required to keep a good standard in the spirit. Yes, the requirements aren't as high and there is some allowance for things that would not be allowed in the FD circle. But if you become a Missionary member with the intent of having a compromised, laid-back life, you'll find that that spirit of compromise will cause you to lose your MM status and could eventually take you right out of the Family. The circle of MM service is going to be an active and fruitful one, and even though more is allowed than will be allowed in the FD Family, only those who keep things in check and fight to remain obedient to the standard of MM will be allowed to continue as Missionary members.

18. (Jesus:) Something important to realize about the MM category is that it is what you make it. You can have an MM Home that is a haven of joy and fruitfulness, or you can have an MM Home that's barely keeping the requirements. If you are barely in the MM category, if you're tottering between MM and FM, as a single-family Home, then the resultant lack of safeguards is a very real danger. That's something that can cause your service for Me to disintegrate. I want to bring this point out for any of you whom I have called to Family discipleship, but who are considering Missionary membership because you think that, "Hey, I'll still get the Word, I'll still serve the Lord, I just won't have to do some of the nagging little things that bug me about full-time Family discipleship." That's not really why that level is there.
19. MM service is for those who want to serve Me actively, but who cannot be in the FD category for a specific reason. It's not intended for those who just want to have an easier time of things and find a place where they can pretty much enjoy the Family lifestyle and perks, but be able to do as they please with no one to tell them otherwise. Watch out if you're thinking that way, because if you end up in a situation where you do not have the safeguards you've been used to, it can make things more difficult than you are aware of, and you may end up losing your place of service in the MM Family because you let your spiritual standard slip so low.
20. That's not to say that you can't live a life of active service for Me and stay very dedicated as a Missionary member . In fact, you must stay active if you hope to even be a Missionary member. Remember, it is a place of active service. If you're not active, you won't be there for long! The primary factor in whether you should be FD or MM is finding My will for you personally. If it is My will for you to be in the MM circle and you're there for the right reasons; if your goal is to serve Me as a missionary to the best of your ability, and you take advantage of all the Word you receive to help you to obey and be strengthened, then you will be a fruitful and winning team Home.
21. You can be a very good, fruitful Home in the MM category, but it will require work. Living with others in a communal situation (not necessarily a big Home, but more than just a single-family Home or living on your own) will help provide spiritual support. Staying open to giving and receiving shepherding, and committing together to fight for obedience to the Word and a good standard in accordance with the MM statutes, will also help. These things provide spiritual support that will be safeguards for you. It is also possible to remain dedicated and faithful to Me and My Word even if you have to live on your own. It's more difficult and there are many more dangers spiritually, but it can be done, if you're willing to work hard and make the necessary sacrifices.
22. The point is to realize that just because you're moving to MM where more will be allowed, it's still not going to be easy. Life for Me, when you're on the attack and really accomplishing something, is never easy, because the Enemy fights. So be prepared for the spiritual warfare to continue, and realize that you will still have to be on guard against compromise and complacency if you want to be an effective missionary and retain your place in the Family. (End of message.)

23. (Mama:) In the MM Family you'll also face new challenges that you didn't have to deal with before, because some of the safeguards you've been accustomed to won't be there anymore. For example, take the aspect of sex with non-Family members. In the CM Family it has not been allowed, and in the FD level it will not be allowed. It will, however, be allowed in the MM category. That is a real drawing card for many of you young people, I'm sure. You feel like maybe you'll finally be able to find a mate, or at least have regular fun sexual fellowship.
24. But stop and think about it for a minute. Once you start dating someone who isn't in the Family, especially if you get emotionally involved with them, you're going to want to spend more and more time with them. What if they're not interested in serving the Lord? Or what if they're sheepy, but not discipleship material? How is that going to affect your service for the Lord, your dedication and desire to be all-out for Him? If you look at it objectively, I think you'll agree that it could cause you to compromise your convictions and pull you out of the Family pretty fast. Even if you're living in a communal MM Home, if you spend time away from the Home, alone with this person you're having a relationship with, it will sap your time, strength, and cause your vision and priorities to be divided. That will take its toll on you pretty quickly. That's just one example, but it's a pretty powerful temptation that has potential to be dangerous spiritually.
25. I know you'd go into such a relationship with someone you're attracted to in the System with good intentions, the desire to witness to them, maybe even win him or her to the Family. But if you're not safeguarded in a strong spiritual atmosphere, and if you don't realize the dangers and stay very desperate with the Lord, it will be a huge miracle for you to not be weakened through your contact with your boyfriend/girlfriend/lover from the System. Please take this caution very seriously. Please see past what would be your "good intentions" and see that emotional involvement plus sexual involvement is a very powerful thing, and you will be affected; 9 times out of 10 you will be weakened. Eventually you could be pulled all the way out of the Family.
26. So while MM will have different rules in some areas, it won't necessarily be an easier level of membership for most people. It might be somewhat easier physically, but the spiritual fight will continue. You will have to continue to fight against compromise and lethargy and the inroads of the Enemy that threaten your spiritual life and service for the Lord. For some people and situations, it will be just what they need, and they will be able to make it work. For example, if your entire Home chose to move to MM together, or you found a good solid team to move to that category with and you were to live communally, and you as a Home make commitments and decide to uphold those commitments together, it could work very well for you. You will have all the Word you need, the support of the overall Family, and all the makings of a successful, winning Home. If you live in a communal MM Home with a high standard and you've implemented strong safeguards for your Home, it might not be much different physically.
27. But if someone chooses of their own accord to go out and live on their own with the intent of living the MM standard, especially if they're going out with the goal of having an easier time than they've had up until now in the CM Family, they will probably find that compromise comes easily, that it's more difficult than ever to uphold the standard, and their commitment to being a Missionary member might not last very long.
28. I don't want those of you who are asked to move to MM to panic if you don't yet have a team or a Home to go to. If you want to continue to live with others and benefit from the spiritual support that communal living gives, then pray and look around for a team to join up with, and I know the Lord will supply. The Lord takes us where we're at, and He works with us. The Lord will do all He can for you, as you continue to do all you can for Him. I do caution you, however, to avoid putting yourself in a spiritually dangerous situation by getting into spiritually unhealthy circumstances, or you will probably have a much tougher go of things.

29. (Jesus:) My counsel in this is similar to My counsel about being a missionary in the highly materialistic lands of the world. If I have specifically called you to be there, and placed you there, and you do your part to fight and stay on guard against the influences of the world, then you will be safe. But if you are not in My highest will by being there, the temptations and negative input all around you can be a great hindrance to your service for Me, and can eventually destroy your testimony.
30. You must realize that MM is not "just like FD, only easier," but that there are some things about it that make it a difficult place of service. Those who are in it need to be convinced that it is My will for them, and have a genuine vision of why they are there and why they don't want to drop below that level of commitment and service, and be determined to abide by its principles.
31. If your VSs or COs recommend this level of service for you, then you can rest assured that it's My will for you, at least for this period of time. They will be basing their decision on your level of discipleship and commitment and standard over the past period of time, and they are helping each person to find the place where they fit best in the various circles of service to Me. But those who choose MM service with the intent of compromising and living as loosely as they can get away with will find that their effectiveness for Me quickly degenerates. They will find their spiritual standard dropping lower and lower, and they will eventually lose their place in the MM circle.
32. That's why it can be likened to serving Me in a "comfortable" field. When you're on a materialistic field, the temptations are greater; the natural safeguards that come from being on a poorer mission field are not there. Everything is more comfortable, there's an easier lifestyle, and that makes it much easier to get sucked into the System if you're not certain that it's My will that you're there, and focused on the goals of why you're there. If I have called you to be there, and if you work hard to work with others in unity and stay active in your service to Me, then I will keep you and protect you from any negative influences as you stay close to Me; but if you are only there because it seems like you can still serve Me, but it's so much easier to be in a rich, first-world country, then that isn't a good enough reason, and you walk on the edge and could easily slip and fall.
33. So please do realize that being in the MM category isn't a walk in the park. It's not as easy as you might think, and there are dangers that could easily overtake you if you're approaching it in a compromised way.
34. The answer is to find My perfect will for you, and then to follow and obey. If I want you there, then it will be a positive place for you, a situation where your service for Me will blossom and grow and will enable you to be the best missionary you can be. But if you are there for the wrong reasons, then you will not be blessed, and rather than growing, it will only be a steppingstone toward the System. (End of message.)

35. (Mama:) As the Lord said, it's important that when any of you move to Missionary membership, that you do it for the right reasons --because you feel that's where He is calling you to be, or where you fit best--not because it looks so much easier spiritually. Because it won't necessarily be easier for you. The spiritual fight will continue, and you won't have the same safeguards that you've been used to in the CM Family. You can establish your own, and you can choose to live communally, and those things will certainly help. But it will be up to you to make those things happen, and that will require effort and sacrifice.
36. I want to strongly encourage those of you who are considering Missionary membership, or who are recommended to Missionary membership by your VSs or COs, to look around for others who are also moving to that category, who are moving for similar reasons and have similar goals, and team up with them. That will make it much easier for you to establish a communal Home with a high standard. You can ask the Lord and agree together on safeguards for yourselves and each other, and that will be a much safer way, spiritually, to stay strong in the Lord and remain fruitful. Otherwise, if you become independent, if you live alone, it will be so easy to drift away, to lose the vision, and eventually to peter out in your service for the Lord. You don't want that to happen, and Peter and I don't either.

You Young People Have What It Takes to Go All the Way--Why Settle for Less?
37. When I was praying about how to present this message to you, the Lord made it clear that, as we know from the Word, He judges according to what He knows we are capable of giving. And He knows that the majority of you young people have it in you to give all, to go all the way. So for the most part, you young people can continue on as Family disciples, if you are yielded and willing to make the sacrifices needed. He needs your youth, your energy, your fire, your commitment, your idealism--He wants to use it all.
38. Of course, when I say "for the most part," I realize that there will be some legitimate situations where young people will be Missionary members and it will be God's highest will for them. I'm not making a hard-and-fast rule here that ALL Family young people should be Family disciples or they're failing God. The point is that the Lord has made it clear that MOST Family young people could be in the FD membership if they were willing, yielded and obedient. If they're not, then of course they would not be awarded that placement.

39. (Jesus:) When it comes to discipleship, in the broader sense of the term, I bless each person according to how much I know they can give Me, and whether or not they are giving their all. For some, especially some FGAs, the Missionary membership category will be giving the best they can, as perhaps there are reasons that the Family discipleship category isn't the best place for them, such as unruly children, underage children who don't want to be in the Family and thus don't fit in well with the Home, an inability or lack of desire to fulfill some aspect of the FD standard, and other particulars.
40. But there are hardly any of you young people in the Family today who don't have what it takes --if you are willing--to give Me your all in full-time, 100% discipleship, and by this I mean being a part of the Family discipleship category of the Family. The choice is yours, however, and I do not condone having young people in the FD category who are not willing to live the lifestyle of full-time discipleship. There will be some young people who will willingly move to the Missionary membership category and others who will be asked to move by their area officers. But most YAs and SGAs could make it in the FD category, if they set their minds to it and make the right choices.
41. For some of the FGAs, due to their children's needs, or their own special needs, or their not living up to the standard of full-time discipleship--being in the Missionary membership category will be My will, because I see their hearts and know that in living at that place of service they will be giving Me their all, and thus I wish to bless them with the full benefits of My Word. To push some FGAs to make the grade of Family discipleship would be asking too much, and in My love I would not do this, because I know that living as Missionary members is requiring the most of them at this point in their lives.
42. But most of you young people in the Family don't have a legitimate excuse for not living up to the FD standard. For the most part you are able; you are capable of giving Me 100% discipleship service, of sacrificing to this degree for Me. This is a time when I am calling you young people, especially, to forsake all. The joyride is over, and it's time to get where you're going.
43. Many of the FGAs gave to the nth degree in their earlier years. They forsook all, they made the Revolution what it was, and they were key in making the Family what it is today. And if now, due to various circumstances or choices, some FGAs are unable to live the Family discipleship lifestyle, I have opened this new category of membership for them--as a gift of My love for their many years of sacrifice to Me, as a token of My gratitude and appreciation to each one, or perhaps even just for a temporary time of furlough. For I know that they still wish to serve Me and they still love Me, but maybe they don't want to continue to stretch and sacrifice like they would have to if they worked to reach the FD standard. I do not wish for them to now miss out on the blessings of My Spirit and the truth of My Word, for they are deserving of it. If they are giving their all in the Missionary membership category, and if they love Me with all of their heart and still have the spirit of a revolutionary child of David--even if they can't be as active or sacrifice quite as much--then they are worthy of My truth and honor.
44. But I must say that most of you SGAs of the Family today could make it in the FD Family if you chose to and made the needed sacrifices. I look at each heart. I see you, the young people of the children of David. I see what you could become, what you could sacrifice for Me, and the lengths to which you could go to serve Me.
45. What it all comes down to is, I reward each person according to what I know they can give. If there is someone in Missionary membership who, by being at that level is really giving their all, doing their best within their circumstances, and loving Me with all of their heart, then they will receive My full blessings for their sacrifices and deeds of service to Me. But if there is another in Missionary membership who I know could be a Family discipleship member, and could sacrifice more, and does have it in them to live the lifestyle of full-time discipleship, and yet they choose not to, either because they think it's too hard, they're unyielded in some way, or they want some of the freedoms or relaxed rules of Missionary membership, I would not be able to bless this person as much. This person would be giving Me less than their all. They would be choosing to go to Missionary membership not because they couldn't be a Family disciple, but because Missionary membership looked easier or seemed to have more perks, or didn't require as much yielding and sacrificing.
46. I have made allowance for these reasons for some FGAs who have already given years and years of dedicated service and full-time discipleship to Me, and no longer have the desire to continue at the same pace or with the same spiritual intensity. Of course, not all feel that way, but some do, and in My love for them I have created a category of membership where they can serve Me in the capacity that they desire to. But it's a different story for you young people, who have your best years ahead of you and so much more that I know you could give, if you would choose to.
47. I tell you clearly that it is My highest will for most of you young people in the Family to live the life of full-time discipleship. You have it in you, you have the means, and you have the fire. There will be some exceptions to this because of bona fide physical needs or circumstances. This is not 100% across-the-board; nothing in life is. But I plead with you young people to check your hearts to make sure you're not holding something back, or that you're not refusing to give up a pleasure of the world or the things of this earth. Most of you young people have the wherewithal to go all the way for Me as full-time disciples. I expect in most cases that if you're going to serve Me, that you serve Me with all your heart, all your strength, and all your might, not holding anything back from Me. (End of message.)

You're Going to Have to Fight for Your Place in the FD Family!
48. (Mama:) The Lord is asking a lot. He has invested a lot in you, our Family youth, and He wants to see those investments pay off.
49. Having delivered to you that message from the Lord about how it's His highest will for most--not all, but most--of you young people to become Family disciples, let me clarify that that place of service isn't going to just be handed to you on a silver platter. You're going to have to earn it. As I explained in "The Next Step" (ML #3483:27-32, GN 1068), we must preserve the sample of full-time discipleship, and in order to do that, those who are Family disciples will only be those who are 100%, sold out, and giving all for the Lord. So if you want to be a Family disciple, you're going to have to work toward that goal now. Very few in the Family--young or old--are living the life of discipleship today as the Lord outlined it in the CvsC series. Many of you, if we were doing the Home reviews today, would be reclassified. But you don't have to stay that way, and the Lord has given us time to make these adjustments and needed changes!
50. If you want to be a Family disciple, if you are willing to give up anything necessary in order to serve the Lord in the most disciplined category of service in order to give Him your all full-time, then start working toward that today. Hang on to your crown! Assess your personal life and Home, and see if you're in the right place to start making those changes and becoming more committed and stronger spiritually. If not, look for a larger or more effective Home to join that will help you to get where you want to go--the place of 100% discipleship, no compromise, full obedience. Over the next year you will be judged on the standard of the CvsC Letters and the Charter. When we publish the criteria for each board pillar, you will have a better idea of how the Homes will be reviewed and the standard that will be expected of FD Homes. When that goes into effect in 2005, you will have had plenty of warning and time to start implementing those things if you want to be an FD Home.
51. I'm just explaining this because the Lord has put forth the ideal. He knows that most of you young people, with few exceptions, have what it takes to live the lifestyle of a full-time disciple. That's a real compliment. But whether you become one is up to you. If you don't fight for it, you will probably be reclassified eventually. So a decision to not do anything about it is a decision saying you don't want it. I hope that's clear.
52. There will be some of you who don't feel that FD is the place for you. Maybe you feel you need a break, or you just don't want to continue to fight so hard, or there are areas where you're clearly not living up to the FD standard, in which case MM is a much better place for you; that's where you'll be happier, although you have to realize that it's still an active place of service and you'll be faced with different battles, as I mentioned earlier. There are others of you who the COs and VSs will recommend moving to MM, because your level of discipleship and commitment has consistently fallen short of the CM standard. Again, it just comes down to making some serious personal decisions in your own heart and settling some things with the Lord regarding where you feel He wants you, and then taking action accordingly, being willing to really work hard if you want to remain FD. But please pray about it. Think about what the Lord has said.

Giving Full Discipleship a Chance
53. Please consider this as well: If you don't feel you've been satisfied with the Family so far, stop and think about whether you've really given it your all, been motivated to make your Home the best Home it could be, your witnessing ministries as fruitful as possible, have provided the kids in your Home with an excellent standard of education and home life, etc. If you haven't really thrown yourself into your ministries and Home and into the life of a full-time disciple, consider giving that a try first.
54. The best rewards and that feeling of deep fulfillment only come when you're in the Lord's highest will, giving His service your whole heart. Even the world knows that if you're just dabbling in a little of this or that, of course it's going to be dissatisfying.
55. So if you're not really satisfied with your service for the Lord in the Family, before you consider going to a place of service that will require even less of you, consider going all out for the Lord as a full-time disciple and see if it doesn't change your life. See if you can't help to change the Family and make it what the Lord wants it to be. We know we're not reaching our full potential, and we want to--that's why we're restructuring, that's why the Lord has opened this new category of service for those who feel the need for a different lifestyle, and that's why we're challenging those who want to be full-time disciples to give more than they have been.

Blessings of Obedience Remain the Same
56. Another factor to keep in mind when making your decision is that the blessings of obedience have not changed. That means that no matter which place of service you're in, our faithful Shepherd will reward you according to your obedience and dedication--where your heart is. That's a comforting thought, no matter where you end up. The Lord looks at your heart and will reward you accordingly.
57. It's also convicting and something to keep in mind as you pray about and decide where you fit in best. Regardless of the physical circumstances, the pros and the cons or your particular needs, if in your heart you want to obey the Lord to the best of your ability and you're doing the best you can, then He'll reward you for that. The Lord will look at your heart, not at any other reasoning or explanation or what anyone else thinks or says. If you're choosing what He has put in your heart and doing your best for Him wherever you are, you will be blessed and taken care of.

58. (Jesus:) I don't judge by outward appearance-- by titles or what category you supposedly fall under. I judge by obedience, dedication, love for Me, and following through on the Words I give you.
59. While Homes will be reviewed as a unit in the Home review in 2005 and classified accordingly, don't forget that I judge by each individual heart, and the blessings of obedience will continue to be poured out on that scale--according to each person's actions and choices. Of course, when a whole Home is united, I can pour out great and abundant blessings on the whole Home, and everyone benefits. But I can also reward individuals, and I will. So in that sense, regardless of whether someone is FD or MM or FM, they will be blessed according to their obedience. This is something that shouldn't make anyone compare or feel bad, because the blessings are Mine and it's My way of working, and always has been. (End of message.)

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60. (Question:) Can those who are Missionary members qualify for the same blessings as those who are Family disciples?

61. (Jesus:) I judge by the heart. I judge by how much I see you are able to give to Me, if you're willing. I judge by how much you're holding back from Me, for whatever reason. And I bless and reward accordingly.
62. If someone is a Missionary member and is giving all they can possibly give, then they will receive My blessings in great abundance. But if someone is a Missionary member and could be giving much more but doesn't want to, then they will receive My blessings in that limited, reserved measure.
63. It's up to each individual, what they want to give to Me. And the wonderful thing is I just look at their hearts and I judge righteous judgment. Those who really want to give Me their all, but are held back by circumstances beyond their control, can comfort themselves, knowing that I take this into account. I know their hearts' desires, and if they are doing all they can for Me given their circumstances, they will receive great and wonderful blessings for all that they give to Me. Those who make excuses and hold back will find that I'm also limited in how much I can give them.
64. Remember also that the sacrificial communal lifestyle of Family discipleship brings with it many blessings. Those blessings are part of the rewards of obedience to the truth I've revealed to the children of David. Those who want to live that standard as Missionary members can shoot for it too. And according to how much they obey the truth they know, they will be blessed. There is no discrimination involved. It doesn't have to do with levels of membership or titles. It all has to do with their hearts, their obedience, how much I know they could give Me, and what I've asked of them personally. (End of message.)
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The Rewards of Full Obedience
65. (Mama:) Let's talk a little more about some of the blessings of living the lifestyle of full discipleship--or, more accurately put, the blessings that come from full obedience, including communal living.
66. I asked the Lord to speak about these blessings because I know that for those of you who choose to remain FD, there will be sacrifices. And especially for you young people, I knew the Lord would want to give something that you can really hang on to and claim as you make your commitments to Him and His service.
67. This is not intended to make those of you who are moving to MM feel bad. As I said earlier in this Letter, you Missionary member Homes can also live communally, in unity, with a high spiritual standard. That's not by any means reserved only for FD Homes. In fact, Peter and I would hope that many MM Homes would seek to continue to live communally and maintain home rules and standards. There is a difference between going MM for a legitimate reason and keeping a high standard of active service, or going MM simply because you aren't interested in doing your best for the Lord anymore and you desire the world instead, in which case you know that your spiritual life will also change and you won't be able to expect the same spiritual blessings and gifts.
68. Here is something the Lord gave about how blessings are attached to obedience, not to positions or levels of Family membership.

69. (Jesus:) It's a law of My Spirit, a law of spiritual nature, so to speak, that the more you give, the more you receive. My giving does not depend on your level of membership but is determined by how much each individual--and each Home as a body--decides to give to Me.
70. It stands to reason that those who are full-time Family disciples, who are as a part of their membership required to give a lot, will receive a lot of blessings in turn. Some of those who are Missionary members or who are even in an outer circle of membership will be giving a lot, too, and they in turn will receive bountiful blessings as a result of their giving and obedience, equal to what they give from their hearts.
71. Overall, it is easier in a way for the full-time Family disciples to give more, to obey to a higher degree, because it is part of their membership, part of their discipleship, part of their code of living. But I do not and will not say that those who are in the FD category will automatically receive more of My blessings than those in the MM category or any other category.
72. The key to receiving more from Me is to give more to Me, in the form of your obedience, your dedication, and your service. It stands to reason, from a practical viewpoint, that overall there will be more people in the FD circle who are motivated to obey to the full, because it is part of the uncompromising lifestyle that will be required of Family discipleship, and therefore in general there will be more people in the FD Family who will be able to receive the full blessings of My Spirit--because obedience equals blessings and giving equals receiving.
73. In many ways, it is much easier for those who are in the FD circle to give more and go further, because you have the moral and spiritual support of your brothers and sisters who are committed and dedicated to the same lifestyle. (End of message.)

74. (Mama:) As I mentioned earlier, those great sacrifices that come with communal living also bring great blessings. And because the FD Homes will be required in 2005 to have a minimum of six members 18 and over, among other requirements that will be part of the FD standard, those Homes will be stronger and more united than most CM Homes have been in recent years. Just being required to live at that standard will bring with it certain benefits.
75. That is one very big benefit to living in the FD Family--you'll be held to a certain standard. You will be required to obey the Word fully. If your goal is to remain strong in the spirit and on the cutting edge of the Lord's service, the FD Family will have the supports and safeguards in place to help you accomplish that more easily.
76. If you feel the Lord is leading you to go to Missionary membership, look at the following list of blessings and benefits that are rewards for full obedience and communal living, and pray about how you can take these benefits with you by finding a good solid team and committing together to live the Word as much as you can.
77. Again, it's not that MM Homes cannot have these blessings. They can. If you are an MM Home whose members live communally, live in unity with others, work to remain separate from the world as much as possible, stay strong in spirit by reading and obeying the Word, stay active in your missionary work, trust the Lord to supply your needs, etc., then you will also partake of these blessings to varying degrees. It's not that these blessings are reserved ONLY for the FD Family.
78. But the requirements of the FD Family make these resultant blessings more "automatic," for lack of a better word , especially the blessings that are attached to communal living. MM Homes, however, will need to choose to incorporate certain things into their lifestyle, and if they do, they too will benefit from these blessings, to varying degrees. Other blessings which the Lord gives that are attached to other areas of obedience, such as faithful witnessing and reaching of the sheep, faithful Word time, and use of the new weapons, are also open to all levels of Family membership, according to your obedience.

Benefit of Communal Living: Spiritual and Physical Support
79. (Jesus:) One of the greatest blessings of being in the FD circle, if not the single greatest blessing in most cases, is that of the unity and spiritual support that is generated through required communal living. It takes a lot of giving, sacrifice, and humility to live communally with others, to live in accordance with "One Wife" and Acts 2:44 and 45; but for those who are willing to make those sacrifices and humble themselves in this way, the blessings are innumerable. Overall, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, the pros obliterate the cons, and the sacrifices are more than compensated for by the blessings.
80. When you live communally, you have a lot of physical support, for one. When you have a true united winning Home team, as all Family discipleship Home teams will need to be by 2005, then you will have enough people around to share the workload, so that one or two people aren't carrying everything, and people aren't overloaded or overwhelmed. You have a balance and mixture of gifts and talents, so that between you all you have someone who can do whatever is required to fill the needs that arise.
81. You parents will have people who can help carry the load of caring for your children to some degree --whether they are teachers of your children, or whether they help from time to time, or are simply around to carry the baby when you need to take a shower or face some emergency.
82. If you're single and don't have an intimate partner, you have people around who you can at least fellowship with, who can pray for you, who you can do something fun with. It takes a bit of effort at times to reach out in this way and to get together with others for fellowship, but it's certainly much easier when you live together than it would be if you lived alone! (End of message.)

When You're Living by Faith, I Pay the Bills
83. (Jesus:) Living communally makes it possible for you to have a much wider scope of ministries and witnessing opportunities, and therefore makes it possible for you to bear more fruit, which is inspiring and uplifting, and which as a natural byproduct also pays the bills well, according to the laws of My Spirit. For you, My children of David, a very important part of your testimony lies in your communal living, your exceptional obedience and experience in implementing the principles of My Word regarding sharing all things, working together, living the Law of Love in every aspect of your lives, etc. So for you, living communally is a very important part of your testimony of living the life of faith, and living that life of faith brings its own special thrills and joys and rewards of blessing, plenty, and provision.
84. Those who raise their living through means other than full-time diversified witnessing --whether by a regular salaried job, or other forms of fundraising that don't include a good witness--may have just as much or even more of their physical needs provided, but the joy, the rush, the fulfillment, and the peace of being in My care and under My "sponsorship" is missing, and that is a blessing that you would do well to recognize if you are living in an FD Home.
85. You sometimes tend to take it for granted, but there's really no greater security than knowing that I will and do provide all your needs. And for those who are really giving Me all, who are doing, living, and obeying My Words, especially in the sense of their Activated and follow-up ministries and well-rounded missionary works, I am happy to not only supply your needs, but even many desires and wants--such as provision for extra treats and relaxation and entertainment that you could not afford or allow if you were raising your own support through "normal" means. This is another advantage of living by faith, living with others and sharing not only your income, but sharing the givers of your support and income, together cultivating kings and supporters who help not just one or two, but many Family members.
86. Those who live communally usually also have much more faith to approach donors and kings, and such people likewise find it easier to give to you as a team of Family members working together than to a single family or small team, for the simple reason that you have a sample to show, you have a fruitful and active work to demonstrate; therefore you can ask for what you need in full faith, and they have the faith to give it to you, knowing they are giving to My work. Whereas, no matter how dedicated you are in heart, if your Home doesn't have a base of fruitful witnessing ministries and growth, it generally takes more effort and is more difficult to have something to show for your labors, and also to find those who will help you, support you, and work with you. (End of message.)

Unity Brings Success
87. (Jesus:) There are blessings to be found in Family discipleship that are natural byproducts of unity --for in unity there is strength, and unity brings down My blessings. When you are truly living communally, when you are in unity of heart and spirit and flesh and working and living as one body, there are a variety of blessings that you can count on--some that are very visible and tangible, and others that are more spiritual, but just as real, such as the peace of mind and trust and faith that it brings.
88. I am also far more inclined to bless your witnessing, your provisioning, your fundraising, your care and training of your children, and your personal lives, when you are living and working in full unity of spirit. Unity brings happiness. Unity brings success as a team and a Home. Unity brings spiritual power, which enables you to live more fully in the spirit, and therefore to overcome your personal or interpersonal battles and problems more easily. (End of message.)

Safeguards and an Atmosphere of No Compromise
89. (Jesus:) Living with others who are fully dedicated to Me also provides natural safeguards, which then makes it easier to stay on track spiritually, to keep up your commitments to discipleship, and to grow in your use of the spiritual weapons, to rise above, to fight and win victories. These things can be done on your own, or in a small team, if you are truly determined and strong in the Word. But it is more difficult in that situation, because you don't have as much support and you don't have as many others around to check you when you're slipping, to mention something when your NWOs crop up, and so forth.
90. This concept is one of those things that's both difficult and easy, depending on how you look at it. It isn't exactly "fun" or everybody's cup of tea to be living in an environment where you are spiritually supportive of and helping one another. It means sharing and opening your lives to one another. It means doing the humble thing. It means being open to receive tips and suggestions and counsel and even correction from others. It means being willing to give the same to others. But it also means growth. And if you want to be a disciple and you want to grow spiritually as far and as fast as you can, then these are the very things you want and need to help you do that!
91. However you choose to serve Me and however much you choose to give Me, I will be grateful. But those who are truly serious about progressing spiritually in order to be all they can be as disciples will see the great blessing of living communally in larger Homes, of spiritual support, of safeguards, and of the "brother's keeper" environment, as one of the greatest blessings of being a full-time Family disciple. (End of message.)

The Easiest Place to Be a 110% Disciple Is in the FD Family
92. (Jesus:) There will be a special element of safety and support in the FD Family. There will be more safeguards, more helpful rules to keep you on the right track, and because of this, in many ways it will be easier to do your job of serving Me. Safeguards and rules don't always feel good, especially when you're in a situation where you'd like to bend them, or when you feel a bit restricted in your personal freedom, but in the long run they help you. They often save you from your own sinful or rebellious nature, or your desire to push the envelope or try things out that might not be good for you.
93. Haven't there been times in your life when you've been truly thankful for rules and safeguards --either through guidelines, or the coaching or shepherding of others? Surely there are times you can look back on where you know that some rule, some guideline, or someone's loving help and guidance was what you needed to keep you on the right track, to give you the extra boost you needed to keep going for Me, to obey My plan for you. The nature of man is to do his own thing, to get away with the least possible sacrifice, and to be independent, and that's why My disciples need rules and guidelines, as well as help and shepherding from others.
94. Life in the FD Family is where it will be easiest for you to be good. You can be good and obey in the MM Family too, but it will be more difficult, especially if you're living alone or in a single-family Home--you'll have to resist more worldly influences; you'll have to have stronger convictions in the face of opposition; you might not have as much support from friends and loved ones if you're living on your own or in a small Home; you'll have more contact with the world and will then have to fight harder to remain cleansed and focused on your job for Me. There will be less built-in safeguards in the MM Family, which means that it will be a harder fight to stay in My will. When you place yourself in more comfortable surroundings, or in a situation in which you can more easily compromise, you supply the Enemy ways in which he can attack you just by your circumstances. You will have more freedom in some areas of your life, which means you'll also have to fight harder if you want to remain in service to Me.
95. You'll also find that if you are in the MM Family and have more contact with the world, you will probably encounter more disappointments and heartbreaks, because those in the world won't be able to give you the same kind of love and camaraderie you've been used to--especially not of the caliber you need in your discipleship life. Less safeguards and more interaction with the world will mean that you'll be more of a target for unloving behavior and the ruthless ways of the world, and this can weaken your commitments. The rules and safeguards in the FD Family that you sometimes have such a hard time keeping protect you from much of the filth of the world and its ways.
96. It's possible that there won't be as much support in the MM Family to help you do the right thing when faced with difficult decisions. You may be on your own, or in a small Home, or have no one to confide in or ask for counsel from. Many of your decisions will have to be made on your own, and you will often find your convictions waning, your faith wavering, with less support from other fellow full-time disciples. The Enemy will not make it easy for you to be good; he will make it downright difficult to do My will, and his way will always be the way of less resistance when compared to Mine. Your faith and conviction will be tested, and you may not be strong enough on your own to withstand the onslaughts.
97. If you want to be a 110% disciple, then the easiest place to serve Me in this way will be in the FD Family. The safeguards in place are there for your good, to give you the best environment for serving Me, and to help you make the right decisions when you feel weak or unsure. Trying to be a 110% disciple in the MM Family may not work as well, especially if you do not live in a strong communal MM Home, because without as many safeguards, the pulls on your spirit will be great. If you're not mighty careful, your spiritual life may start to go down the tubes. So if your service to Me is the most important thing in your life and you want to preserve your discipleship at all costs, then choose the path of service that affords you the highest rate of success.
98. It's like choosing an airline to travel on. Don't you always feel safer flying on airlines that have a better safety record, the airlines that never crash? Of course, you still have to pray and depend on Me for your protection, but you have a much better chance of survival because you know the plane isn't old, that its engines are good, that the pilots are well-trained, that there are no mechanical problems, and that the track record of the airline is exceptional. So if you have the choice you choose the safest form of travel, because your life is important.
99. Do the same with your service to Me, your discipleship life. If you have the spiritual money--a willing heart, determination, faith, yieldedness, and no legitimate circumstances holding you back from giving your all, and you can afford the high-priced ticket of full-time, 110% discipleship--then travel in the most secure discipleship aircraft. That's not to say that you're going to crash and burn if you can't afford to give as much and you have to take a different flight; but I am saying that if your goal is to be a 110% disciple, then the FD Family aircraft is the safest way to fly, and has the best components and service for keeping full-time disciples in the air and not down in the valley. (End of message.)

A Special Challenge and Promise for You Young People!
100. (Mama:) Here is a special message from the Lord for you young people who want to serve Him. I told you earlier that I believe His highest will for most of you is to remain or become Family disciples. During this time of restructuring, please evaluate what you want to do with your life. If you want to serve the Lord, if you want to be a disciple all the way, out-and-out, live and die for Jesus, then this message is for you, and I'll let the Lord say it as only He can!

101. (Jesus:) For you young people who want to live the lifestyle of full-time disciples, an FD Home will be the best place for you. It's the place of service where you're going to be able to most effectively give Me your whole heart, your whole time, your whole service. It's the place where you will be sufficiently safeguarded from the temptations of the world that the Enemy has designed especially to attract the youth. It's the place where you're going to be around other young people who are going to support you through all your battles, young people who believe as you do, and who are also giving their lives to Me. It's the place where you're going to reap the full blessings of My Spirit as a result of your full obedience. It's the place where you're going to fulfill your destiny as My Endtime warriors.
102. Well, maybe you don't want to be a full-time disciple or an Endtime warrior. If that's the case, then there are other options for you, such as Missionary membership, and I will still bless you according to your choices, according to what you give to Me, according to your deeds of love and sacrifice for Me and others. I love and treasure and appreciate and will use everything you give to Me. You will be rewarded for every bit of it.
103. But if you want to make discipleship and living for Me your lifetime vocation, what you live and breathe and work toward with every ounce of your strength, then Missionary membership is not the place for you. The pulls of the world will be too strong, the Enemy will fight you, and your convictions will wane. There won't be as strong a force field of protection around you in the Missionary membership level, because there will be more avenues for the Enemy to attack you and pull you off the wall--through System jobs, System school, independent living, sex with outsiders, and more. This will especially be the case if you live alone or with only one or two other people. While these freedoms might seem nice for a time, they're not going to strengthen your resolve to be a disciple. They will, in fact, weaken your spirit, and in time you may not end up being much of a missionary or disciple in heart or in action.
104. So why would you want to be in a Family discipleship Home? The youth in the Family discipleship level are going to be strengthened. Bonds are going to grow with one another. There will be excitement and joy and inspiration within the Family such as you've never known before. You hear the FGAs talking about the highs they had in the spirit when they first joined, or the rush it was to reach the lost with the truth, or the crazy things they did for Me that changed their life, and that elusive "joy of your salvation." Well, as the Family is restructured and strengthened, there's going to be a lot more joy, a lot more happiness, a lot more happening--fulfillment, fabulous experiences, challenges--and life will be satisfying for each person who gives their all to Me.
105. Young people are very idealistic. Well, be idealistic about the Family! It's going to be what you make it. It's going to be the sum total of everyone's decisions to commit, to give all, to obey, and to serve one another in love. The FD Family is going to be a tightknit team, and things are going to happen that you won't want to miss! You will feel like one Family again. You will be zealously preaching the Gospel like never before. You will be winning disciples.
106. You worry about what might happen if your friends and loved ones move to Missionary membership? Trust that I will supply. Trust that as you unite as a strong team, I will bring in disciples--disciples from the Missionary and Fellow membership category who will see the power of the spirit generated through unity and 100% dedication, and disciples who will come up into your ranks from the System. I'm not going to deprive or desert those who put their trust in Me, those who give Me their all. Beautiful young women and handsome men will fill your ranks if you will only get your act together to be the radical revolution I need you to be in order to attract them and give them something worth dedicating their lives to.
107. You wonder why there haven't been very many disciples joining the Family over the last few years? Well, ask yourself if you, the youth of the children of David, have been a force to attract them, to draw them in, to open the eyes of the lost and searching children of the world. For the most part you have not. But this will change in the days to come as the fires of dedication and revolution burn brightly again. I promise that you young people won't want to miss this opportunity of a lifetime! The face of the Family, and the army of the young people of the Family, will change for the better, and your light will shine brighter than ever.
108. If you want fame and popularity, you'll get it. And you'll get it by being willing to burn your life on the altar of sacrifice, being willing to become of no reputation, being willing to burn your bridges and follow the crazy and unconventional path of full-time discipleship. It's what you young people were born and raised for--this is your destiny, to take up your cross and follow Me. Most of you really haven't done this yet. You've been along for the ride. You've tried to see how much the Family could give you and how much freedom you could find by doing the least you could for Me. But now I'm going to ask you to do the most you can for Me, and see if the freedom and blessings and benefits you've been trying so hard to find on your own don't just come tumbling around you like you've only dreamed.
109. Think about it: A team of young disciples who are sweeping the world with power, fire, revolution, and freedom! Wouldn't you want to be a part of something so monumental? That's what I'm calling you to, that's what I'm training you for, and that's what I need you to commit to. It's going to take a forsaking of everything you hold dear in order to embrace My Spirit and live My way. You're going to get high on saving souls! You're going to have people staring at you and wondering what makes you so special. You're going to walk through doors you've never imagined possible, and you're going to feel My Spirit in your lives like never before!
110. Full-time discipleship is much more than it might seem. Full-time discipleship is the gateway to the greatest blessings of My Spirit. Yes, there are great sacrifices. Yes, I require your all. But in giving all, you receive all. And I don't just give the blessings that will satisfy the older generation either; I know what you young people need and desire most in your lives, and I'm waiting to pour it on you, if you will just give Me your all, strengthen your spirits, and walk into the new era of accountability and obedience I'm calling you to. (End of message.)

More Promises for Those Who Give Their All
111. (Mama:) When it comes to being in line for the Lord's blessings, not much has changed. If you want everything from our Husband--all the blessings and rewards and fulfillment of the spirit--just give everything in your life to Him.
112. Following is another inspiring message from the Lord about the future benefits of full-time discipleship, and what each person who gives their all to the Lord can look forward to. We have a wonderful future ahead!
113. These blessings are not reserved for only the FD Family. If you Missionary members live in strong communal Homes, if you are united and are giving your time in full to the Lord's service, if you're living by faith, are dropped out and separate from the world, then you too will receive these benefits in direct proportion to your obedience.

114. (Jesus:) Those who choose the life of full-time discipleship in the Family will, with time, begin to receive rewards and blessings. There will be more benefits of unity, because the power of unity will be poured forth on those who are living communally, living the Law of Love fully, and being My sample of Acts 2:44 and 45 to the world. This is a benefit that will be seen, and with it will be more joy and happiness in the Family discipleship Homes, more freedom of the spirit, more Holy Ghost power, and stronger bonds of love.
115. In time there will definitely be a glow and brilliance to Family discipleship. It will become a small core of Family disciples who are there with no strings attached and for no benefits or bonuses other than knowing they are in My will. It will be as a small Gideon's band that you will start with, that you will train, and that will grow to be a strong team for Me.
116. Right now, there are no obvious visible perks. It's going to take faith for those who choose to remain Family disciples, because the benefits will not be clearly seen until the Family has been strengthened. But as the Family discipleship tier is strengthened, the benefits will become clearer. And they won't necessarily be physical benefits--as in more Word or more pubs. There will be benefits of happier Homes, more fulfilling witnessing ministries, deeper spiritual freedoms, more joy and inspiration, more support and camaraderie with your mates and brothers and sisters, and much more.
117. The youth of the children of David who remain in Family discipleship will be strengthened and you will begin to see a powerful army of disciples forming. The FGAs will also see the blessings from My hand that they will be given for their greater sacrifices--youthful spirits, freedom from afflictions, or supernatural "rise above" power to weather them, a uniting of the generations, and more.
118. The level of blessings will simply be determined by the choices of each individual --how much they choose to live the Word, how closely they follow. And the closer each Family member follows, the more blessings they will receive. The more each Family member gives to Me, the more I will give to them. Those who give more will receive more from My hand. And at any point, any Family member can choose to give more to Me. There is nothing stopping anyone who wants My full blessings; it's their personal choices that will make the call.
119. This handful of willing and dedicated full-time disciples that will make up the Family discipleship tier will be transformed into a special cadre of troops who will then lead others through their sample. They won't be elite as far as being on a pedestal; the goal is humble disciples who will at all times welcome new blood--either from the Missionary or Fellow membership category or new disciples from the world who will want the radical freedom of the spirit that they will possess. Family discipleship will become more and more fruitful and radiant as they become strengthened, and as the anointing of full obedience becomes more apparent and the power of My Spirit abounds in full. (End of message.)

What Is the Lord's Will for You?
120. (Mama:) I pray this counsel from the Lord has been helpful for you in determining where you want to serve Him, where you feel called, where you will best be able to fulfill His plan for your life.
121. I don't want anyone who clearly feels that MM is the Lord's will for them to come away from this GN feeling as if they're making a mistake, because that's not the point. The important thing is to find what the Lord's will is for you. And that is a very personal decision--or it could be a decision which the VSs or COs help you with, if they recommend you change to another status. I pray that the counsel in this GN has helped clarify the various factors to consider. But it all comes down to seeking the Lord and then following what He shows you, and doing the best you possibly can where the Lord leads you.

122. (Jesus:) Being human, it's easy for some of you to look at the categories of Family membership by balancing the quantity of sacrifices with the quantity of blessings, much like you might make the decision to purchase a new piece of equipment for your Home by balancing cost with features. This might seem like the logical way to go about it, but it's just not the way it works with the spiritual principle of following Me. You must understand that you'll receive the greatest amount of blessings and will be the happiest simply by being in the very center of My will. There are no exceptions to this rule.
123. For example, if you assume you'll receive greater blessings by forcing yourself to remain a Family disciple, even if that's not really where you feel called, then you are very wrong. You'll never be truly happy and fulfilled, because that's not exactly where your heart is.
124. On the other hand, if you feel the tug in your heart to give all of your heart, mind, and soul to the full-time Family discipleship way of life, but for one reason or another you decide being a Missionary member is good enough, then you'll eventually discover that something is missing in your life and it will become apparent that you are not doing exactly what I have called you to do.
125. Family discipleship is not just a means of getting more blessings. Blessings come to those who obey and who do their very best to serve Me, whether FD, MM, or FM. Family discipleship is an opportunity for those of you who really feel called to give your all. And, of course, the more you give Me, the more you will be blessed. So there will be great blessings in Family discipleship, because everyone in that category will be there because they want to give Me their all.
126. Dwight L. Moody never endured the hardships of Africa, but spent his discipleship career witnessing in a more comfortable Western environment, winning thousands and thousands of souls. He definitely enjoyed a more physically comfortable place of service than someone like Dr. Livingstone, who lived in rough and primitive conditions amongst the African natives. But did their circumstances have anything to do with their rewards? When I handed out rewards to both of these men, it had nothing to do with who made more physical or obvious sacrifices, and everything to do with the fact that both men obeyed My call and did exactly what I had told them to do. Both had made many sacrifices and both had obeyed My will, and there was no need to compare.
127. Had Moody gone to live in Africa for the sake of enduring greater hardships, I would not have given him more rewards; in fact, he would have been rewarded less, because he would not have been in My will. In addition, he would have missed the blessings of perfect peace and fulfillment that comes from obeying My call by faith. Conversely, Dr. Livingstone would have missed out on blessings if he had decided it was easier to witness in Europe or America. It's all about being in My will. (End of message.)

128. (Mama:) In closing, here is an excerpt of a personal prophecy that one of the young men in WS received recently.

129. (Jesus:) It's the highs of My Spirit that will enable you to find fulfillment in whatever I call you to put your hand to. It's My blessings on your life that will enable you to never feel bored or dissatisfied with your place of service. My excellence--compared to that of the world--depends a lot on the position of the heart, on the place of service you choose because you yield to Me and give Me your all. Titles, jobs of influence--none of these matter to Me, save the portion of your heart you yield to Me. Then, when you have truly given yourself over wholly--holding nothing back--you can be ready to be counted among My greats and receive your life's anointing. (End of message.)

130. (Mama:) Are you ready to be counted amongst the greats, regardless of title or position? Just give Jesus your all, and He'll make something beautiful out of your life! Whatever position you fill, we need you and appreciate you. So find the place where the Lord wants you, and stick to it and do your best!
With love and admiration, claiming the keys of direction, conviction, and obedience for you,
Mama

Copyright © 2004 by The Family

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