Maria #386DO/TS 3126 3/97

By Maria

1. Over the past months we have heard from several sources about a problem that has come up regularly when members move, or when a Home divides into two teams: Contention often arises as to who will minister to the Home's friends and contacts and receive support from them.

2. We prayed about this problem and asked the Lord how to go about remedying it, and we'd like to share with you the messages of instruction we received from the Lord. After discussing with the CROs how to implement the counsel the Lord gave, we have added an amendment to the Charter (see Amendment #40 in LNF 257) which we hope will help in such situations.

3. (Jesus speaking:) My tender [other] sheep are the most important, and they must be protected and guarded at all costs. My Family is made up of spiritually strong soldiers [shepherds], who have been trained to suffer hardship and to even suffer deprivation for My sheep. This is My plan, for when you are strong spiritually, you can withstand many obstacles in the physical.

4. No greater love has any man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends and contacts. The sheep are the most important. Whatever it costs to care for them—so that they will feel loved and protected, and will see My Spirit and the gifts of My Spirit pouring through My Family—is what must be done. Whatever the plan is, it must be centered around your friends and contacts, for they are the ones that you are ministering My Spirit to. If you minister to them and give unto them‚ they shall give unto you. I will care for you as you care for them.

5. Forget not the principles of the life of faith you have chosen. Because I laid down My life for you, you should lay down your life for the brethren. I have called you friends, because you do whatsoever I ask you to do. I have revealed all things unto you‚ and I have given you strength through My Spirit—strength to endure hardship or difficulty, broken dreams or broken promises. Many other things do I also ask you to give up for My sheep. But I reward you with joy and peace and eternal souls that will be with you forever. When you come into My Kingdom and see the rewards that I have for you, and when you see the thankfulness in the hearts of those that you have helped and guided to My Kingdom, you will not remember the small sacrifices that you made in your time here on Earth.

6. (Jesus speaking:) The sheep must feel that they are loved and cared for by the shepherds. They'll be most comfortable with those who love them most and who are most concerned about them—not those who just want their support‚ who want their money. They will feel in the spirit who is truly concerned about feeding them spiritually, and those who are should be the ones who continue to feed them. If those who have been feeding them are moving far away and they will not be able to continue this personal contact, then they should ask others to continue to follow up on them, although they themselves could still minister to them via mail. And then if the friend or contact whom they are ministering to should wish to send them some support, it is the prerogative of the friend to do so. But the one leaving should ask their friend if he would be willing to help support their former Home, which is in need.

7. If the member who is following up on the sheep is moving nearby, he should likewise be able to continue to follow up on the sheep, minister to them and spiritually feed them. The needs of the sheep are paramount. He may explain to the sheep that the Home is dividing and that he is moving to another Home, and perhaps the support that was received could be divided between the two Homes. The need could be explained to the sheep and the sheep could decide who they would like to give to. What the sheep give will be from their heart, and they will give to those from whom they feel true love and concern for their souls‚ and not only concern for their money.

8. If the Home is dividing, with the departing members remaining nearby, the Homes must work this out between themselves in love. If they are unable to agree together in love, then they could divide equally the revenue and the gifts from these friends and contacts that belong to the Home. If the member who has been ministering to the sheep is moving to a Home that is already well-supported‚ then he should be willing to encourage his sheep and his friends to support his former Home, and his former Home should be willing to spiritually feed and minister to these friends. The needs of the sheep are paramount, and their burdens and desires must also be respected. They will not give to those from whom they feel no love, or from whom they feel only a desire for their income and not for their souls.

9. You will not be able to make a rule for every situation, for every instance. But you will be able to set down some general guidelines, which, if violated and not followed in love, can result in punishment—not only in the form of a Probationary Notice‚ but in the form of My direct punishment by withdrawing the support these friends gave because of the Family's lack of love and their lack of unity.

10. When you send this principle to the Family, send them these words, that they may know and understand that I will not bless a lack of love‚ a lack of unity, but I will withdraw My support from them. Have I not said that if you love Me you will keep My commandments?—And that this is My commandment‚ that you love one another, that you prefer one another? He that seeks his own and prefers not the needs of his neighbor or of his brother, how can he say that he loves Me and that he follows after Me? How much you love your brothers and sisters is also a test of your love for Me.

11. If you have true love for the sheep and are truly concerned about them, as you should be, then you will work these things out in love and you will counsel with the sheep. Make them a part of the decision. Make them feel included‚ so that it is not imposed upon them that they should support this person or that they should contact that person. Invite them to your Home, talk with them, explain the situation and come to an agreement together. For in unity there is strength, and in unity there is blessing. (End of messages from Jesus.)