UNDERSTANDING THE SPIRIT OF THE CHARTER!
--Prophecies from Summit '95, with Comments by Peter and Gary, Gleaned from Summit '95 Meeting Notes
Peter #77 11/94
Introduction by Peter During a Summit '95 Meeting
1. The best way to understand the spirit of the Charter and why it needed to be written is to study the prophecies that the Lord gave us the other day when we asked Him to speak to us about how He sees the Charter. We could sit and talk about it and share what our intent was when we wrote the Charter, but the most important thing is to go to the Word. Since there are no MLs on the Charter, the only specific Word we have is in these prophecies which the Lord gave us as we sought Him for a confirmation that the Charter was indeed His will and His plan. Let's go over these prophecies in order to determine what the Lord wants our response toward the Charter to be, and how He wants it to be implemented. (Note: Though at the time of the Summit there were no Letters about the Charter, Mama later wrote "The Love Charter," ML #2963, GN 615.)
God's Word Shall Stand!
2. (Prophecy:) If this work be of man, it will come to naught, but if this work be of God, no man can stand against it. I have taken your David from you to prove unto all that this work is not of man, but is of Me. David is gone from you in the flesh, yet his words live on in the spirit, for My Words are spirit and they are life. My Words are this movement, and they live on in the hearts of those who will receive, obey and follow them. They are golden seeds, and though they may lie dormant and buried, sometimes for long periods of time, yet each seed shall explode with the fruitfulness and the revolution that I have ordained, in My time, when exposed to the light of My love and the water of My Word.
3. Therefore, seek not to quench the candle, or to tell it to burn this way or that way, for by your traditions ye can make the Word of God of none effect.--Your tradition of answering everyone's questions and trying to help everyone to do their jobs.
4. But I would show you, and show the world, that this is the work of My design, and no man can stand against it. Wherefore, ye must have faith in the manual that I have given you these many years, even this latest manual. For if any man will do My will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God. Your flocks will follow this pattern that I have given you and they shall know of the doctrine, that it is of Me, for it will work. If they disobey and fail to follow the plan that I have given them, they shall learn the hard way; but each shall learn in his time.
5. My plan shall not be thwarted, but I would that My Words be vindicated, that they are spirit and they are life, and they will carry on where there is none other to lead and guide. My Words shall continue to lead and guide as each one looks to Me. They shall guide each one through every decision in these perilous times ahead when you cannot be there. You cannot plan the future, but I have already planned the future, and I go before you to prepare the way.
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6. (Peter:) The Word is the basis of the Family--that's what counts. It's not our counsel as leaders that will live on, but it's the Word that is in the Family's hearts. Sometimes when you put a seed in the ground it takes a long time to germinate, but all of a sudden it bursts forth. We've been investing and investing and investing the Word and training for years, and now it's time for those investments to pay off, and we believe they will as we allow people to start operating more according to their own faith.
7. The Lord says, "Seek not to quench the candle or to tell it to burn this way or that way." He is warning us as leaders that we must not take things into our own hands, but that we must lovingly encourage people to follow the Lord and to hear from Him fresh every day, to apply the Word as they believe and feel they should.
8. We must ask ourselves if we are quenching the faith and initiative of our people. One of our "traditions" as leaders has unfortunately been to answer everyone's questions and to help everyone do their job instead of making them seek the answers for themselves from the Word, as well as our trying to ensure that everything is done exactly the way we think it ought to be done.
9. The Lord is promising that people are going to learn their lessons in their time. We have always been so conscious of trying to help people not to fail, implying that it was bad if they failed and made mistakes. But this attitude does not leave room for people to learn and grow, because we grow the most through our mistakes.
10. Further down in the prophecies the Lord says to those of us leaders who are gathered here: "Haven't you stumbled? And haven't you fallen?" Isn't that how we have learned--and are still learning? Every one of us has blown it badly, but we've learned and grown through those falls. But we as leaders try to prevent it from happening to others. If your child is trying to learn to walk, but you want to keep him from falling and you're always protecting him, he might not learn to walk and run properly, or it will take him much longer.
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11. (Gary:) It's our natural reaction as shepherds and leaders and parents to want to reach out and help, but we can become overprotective. We're going to have to check each other by the guidelines established in the Charter for leadership. This is not to say that we are no longer to be shepherds and give counsel and guidance and correction. Building on the example that Peter is using of the child learning to walk, you may be tempted to grab the child right away if it even looks like he's about to fall, but you have to have the faith that his falls are actually part of his learning process. On the other hand, if he's about to fall down the steps and take a real tumble, you help him! You don't just say, "Well, that's how he learns."
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12. (Peter:) Our job is to give people the Word and hope they will follow it without too many falls along the way. But we have to realize that there will be some, and when these happen, our job is to encourage them to try again.
13. At home, Mama gives us a lot of leeway in our work. She doesn't breathe down our neck controlling every detail of how we do the job, but instead she has the faith that, because we are prayerful and mature, we will do a good job. But if we do something out of line or things don't turn out like they should have, she will step in and help us. She doesn't make a big issue of it, she simply explains it and corrects us, and on we go. But we have the freedom to attempt things.
14. I think one purpose of the Charter is to allow people room to grow, to experiment, without leadership jumping in to say, "No, you can't do that. You don't have the training, you might make a mistake." Or, "You're really needed where you are, we can't let you go." Or, "We've always done that a certain way, so you'll have to wait until we can counsel with top leadership about your trying something new. You might cause problems."
Faith for Change!
15. (Prophecy:) The Words that I have spoken unto you, they are spirit and they are life, and the Words that I have spoken unto your Father David, they are spirit and they are life, and they will bring spirit and life to My dear Family. They shall receive them with rejoicing.
16. Forget not the heartcry of those who are in desperate need and are waiting for something to change and have faith something will change.
17. I have chosen to bring your Father David into the heavenlies to help coordinate, to help lead and guide you through this major change. So fear not, for he is with Me, and he is with you, and I am with you.
18. I shall lead you with the right hand of My righteousness. I find great joy in setting My people free. Remember that in the Spirit, in the Spirit, you will know what's right or wrong. In the Spirit, in the Spirit, you can really kick the gong. In the Spirit, in the Spirit, you can sing a brand new song. In the Spirit, in the Spirit, you can be happy oh so long. For that is the will of your Father David, that My people be free and happy in their service to Me.
19. Fear thou not, for I am with thee, I will still thy Pilot be. The Charter shall be for the strengthening of those who have chosen to forsake all, to leave it all behind and follow Me and follow your Father David. Ye must step out by faith, and I will lead you. My Word in these statutes shall be received with great rejoicing in the hearts of those who are desperate.
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20. (Gary:) The Family is waiting for this major change. We have said at other times, "the answer's coming," and other changes in the Family have been successful to a degree, but they didn't go quite far enough. So this Charter cutting people loose is needed. At first they may even be a little fearful of the change; nevertheless, they will be willing to try it because they know what they're doing now isn't working sufficiently. And we as leaders have to be willing to change, to help these changes come to pass.
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21. (Peter:) If we encourage people to follow the Word, it will bring forth the Spirit--the Spirit that they're lacking, and the life that they're lacking. Dad's wish was for people to be happy and free in their service to the Lord. After God took Jesus home, there was Pentecost and a big explosion in the Church. Now with Dad home in Heaven, maybe we'll have our own big explosion through this major change.
22. We have spent four or five months of this year analyzing the Family. We've got stacks and stacks of reports that we requested from you leaders: "What about this situation, and tell us about that problem, etc." It was obvious that you were hearing and seeing the heartcries. And, during that same period, Family members also sent many similar heartcries directly to us. People are desperately crying out for change.
Let My People Go!
23. (Prophecy:) In the words of Moses and the words of your Father David, "let My people go" that they may live according to their faith. You [leaders] have been their teachers, and they have been under schoolmasters for these many years. But the time has come that they must go forth and put into practice that which they have learned, that which they have studied, that which they have been taught.
24. Therefore, I say unto you, let My people go, and bind not heavy burdens upon them. For I free them that they may go forth in the power and the might of the Spirit that I have put within them. Doth not nature itself teach you that there are seasons--seasons of growth, seasons of death? And My disciples shall have their seasons too. Each shall have his turn, each shall have his time. Therefore, hold not back that which I have put within them. Stand back and see My people go.
25. Stand back and see My little ones burn free for Me. Stand back and be not like those who would burn their hands as they hold them around the flame to encumber it and envelop it and snuff it out, even those who are lovingly trying to guide and lead the flame. The flame of David cannot be led. The flame of David cannot be enveloped by loving hands, but must be set free that it may burn free and bring forth the fruit which I desire. Therefore, I say unto you, let My people go, and you, yourselves, let go of those heavy burdens that bind you, that ye may be free to serve Me in the power and the might of My Spirit.
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26. (Peter:) The Lord is saying that now is the time for our folks to start getting their answers from the Word, and not so much from their teachers. He wants them to have a closer personal relationship with Him so they can hear from Him and follow Him according to the guidance that they receive from the Word. The Lord has apparently put this desire in their hearts, including this discontentment about their present situation, because He is trying to get through to us that this is a time that we must set them free from school, and let them graduate.
27. When you look back at our history, you see that in about 1986 we started having teen camps, which was the beginning of our main training era. People started getting together in big combos after that, with many training centers established. That's now eight years of education and training that we have tried to instill in Family members! It's time now to go out on the job and put the training into practice.
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28. (Gary:) We don't need "professional students" who keep going to college, because after a while such folks become afraid to face reality, afraid to go out and get a job. They're afraid to put all that they've learned into practice. We don't want to create fruit like that. We want people who are going to take these years of training and put it into practice.
29. Of course, even after going to the Word and doing all they can to find the answers, there will be times when people will have some questions, and it will be our responsibility to counsel them in love. But perhaps one of the best answers we could give in many situations would be, "According to your faith."
30. Of course, if what they are planning to do is something that would be diametrically opposed to the Charter or Family doctrine, that's another matter, and we would need to offer counsel and a warning that what they are planning is not permitted under the Charter. But in most cases, Matthew 9:29 would probably be good counsel.
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31. (Peter:) You can lead them to the Word; that's what we need to be experts in. Show them, "Here's what Dad or Mama said on the subject." But also teach them to pray and counsel together, to go to the Word and find answers themselves, instead of you just constantly feeding them the answers.
32. The Lord said that each disciple has their season and will have their turn, and to not hold them back. The Lord has put the initiative and the faith in them.
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33. (Gary:) We're a little like our teachers in the System whose students go on to bigger jobs. Some of their students become lawyers, some computer experts or whatever, and some like us become missionaries.--But all the old teachers are probably still teaching school.
34. I believe that we, as teachers, are going to see a lot of the ones we've taught go on to much higher callings within the Family, and we have to be willing to let this happen. I'm sure it's a great joy to a teacher if he can somehow trace the history of all the people he taught to find out what they're doing, knowing that he had a part in it; that's probably a great part of his reward. And it's going to be a great part of our reward. But in order to see them progress, we've got to stand back. Why would the Lord tell us to "stand back" unless we're standing in the way now? Likewise when He said, "Let My people go," why would He say that unless we're not letting them go? And why would He say, "Bind not heavy burdens upon them" unless we are binding heavy burdens on them?
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35. (Peter:) He says to us leaders, "And you, yourselves, let go of those heavy burdens that bind you."--All the burdens that we leaders carry, the concerns we have that everybody is doing what they should be doing. He wants us to cast our burdens upon Him and let go of those burdens and concerns so He can also set us free to serve Him in the power and the might of His Spirit.
36. The details can just weigh you down and snuff out the fire. The Lord wants to use the training that you have received and the experience you've gained over the past years--the things the Lord has shown you through the Word and the shepherding--to set you free so that you can do the job of helping others and leading them to the Word through your inspiration, and thus inspiring others to burn free.
37. One of you asked in a recent meeting, "Is our job now going to become like the carpet in `Prayer for Love and Mercy' that catches the diamonds of dust that fall to the ground and helps them to become airborne again?" (See ML #75, Vol.1.) Yes, it is, and your job will also be to help teach and train others. There is a lot of Spirit in this room. Every one of you is full of the Lord and full of experience. You're wonderful leaders and godly men and women, but we're all getting bound up by too many details that snuff out the fire. It's hard then to be inspired enough to do your main job, which is to inspire and to pray and to hear from the Lord for others and to love and help them.
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38. (Gary:) In "Scatteration" (ML #318), Dad says that our movement must be melted together by love, not frozen together in formality; that the key is a minimum of supervision by the apostles, not a dictatorial, hierarchical, centralized government. This is not to say that as leaders our entire job is to now only go around telling people, "Jesus loves you, and we love you." Encouragement is a major part of it, of course, and as long as the Family is operating within the Charter, we need to encourage them and inspire them.
39. But as visiting shepherds we are expected to obey the built-in provisions in the Charter: If an individual or Home does things that contravene the Charter or the Fundamental Family Rules, their visiting shepherds must follow the prescribed measures of discipline that are outlined in the Charter. The Charter doesn't say, "If there is failure to comply with the standard laid down herein, your visiting shepherds will consider doing this, or think about it, or pray about it," but that your shepherds must carry out the discipline.
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40. (Peter:) The idea is to let people find their own level of service, and as long as they don't fall below the standard of the Charter they can remain DO disciples. The Charter makes the DO discipleship standard less rigid. As long as a disciple or Home is above the line drawn by the Charter, then they're DO.--They're still full-time disciples just like those who may be keeping a higher standard.
41. Though we may agree that those with a higher standard and who are doing more are worthy of greater investment of our leadership's time and training, we must refrain from coming to the guy living a lower standard and saying, "You've got to be up here, you're blowing it because you're not up here.--You're not reaching the standard."
42. He is reaching the standard, the minimum standard, if he is obeying the "Charter of Responsibilities and Rights" and the "Fundamental Family Rules." If he is above that line, he is a DO disciple. And if he is a DO disciple, he has the right to choose at what level he wants to serve the Lord. If he falls below the standard set by the Charter, then we should work to help him, by explaining how he is operating below the minimum standard for discipleship, and offer to help him improve in those areas, or correct him if necessary.
43. Otherwise, if he is above the line, and if that's where he wants the Lord to use him, then we shouldn't interfere. If we come in with, "You've got to do this, you've got to do that, you've got to do it our way," we could be thwarting what the Lord is trying to teach him or do in his life.
44. When you or your VSs visit Family members who you feel need help, the best help you can give them is to point them to the Word on the various areas that they may be weak in. If they're above the line of DO discipleship, we can only give them counsel and guidance to convict them, but we can't force them to do more than they are doing, nor can we condemn them or punish them for what they're not doing. Of course, if they go below the standard line of conduct befitting a DO disciple, we'll have to warn them that they're putting their DO status in jeopardy. However, for those who operate above the line of DO discipleship you can--and should--still give counsel and suggest they read certain Letters, and give the Word to convict them and to show and teach them in areas in which they could use improvement. But we cannot force them or make them feel condemned if they're above the line.
The Spirit of Liberty!
45. (Prophecy:) There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is destruction. But this way that I have given unto you leadeth to life. As I gave the law unto Moses of old, so have I given this Word unto My servant David, to guide My people into paths of happiness. For unto My servant David I have given laws of love, and ye must lay a foundation in building a work, even the cornerstones upon which the work of My Spirit is built. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
46. This work of your hands, the Charter, is the actual proof of what I want My people to do--to walk by faith and to grow. This is the first step of faith so that My people may be able to take on the responsibility that I have given to them. For this scepter of the Word that I have given unto you, I have given unto all My children. Therefore, let the scepter of My Word be wielded unto each according to his ability and according to his gifts.
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47. (Peter:) The Lord speaks of the Word that He has given Dad as the "laws of love" which He has given for the purpose of guiding His people into happiness and liberty and consideration for one another. The Charter contains these laws of love that the Lord has given Dad. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (2Cor. 3:17). The Spirit of the Lord is love, and where there is love and people operate according to the laws of love, there is liberty. The Lord said that the Charter is laying out the plan for what He wants His people to do--to walk by faith and to grow into the responsibility that He has for them. In accordance with the Charter, we as leaders must let people operate according to their own faith without our interference, except for those areas that are our responsibility under the Charter.
48. It says, "This is the first step of faith." There's more to come--more steps of faith. Let's face it, to let people have so much freedom is a step of faith, as we don't know what will happen to the Family. The Lord obviously wants people to take the responsibilities that He's given them, so we must let them do it, and let them follow according to their faith.
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49. (Gary:) You'll notice that the prophecy refers to Dad's laws of love being the foundation and cornerstone of the work. One of you mentioned Dad's "Rock by the Road Dream," where he was digging a hole for this big foundation stone that was about to be laid. (See ML #2517, GN 378.) Dad said it was his final monument to the Family. Dad didn't fully understand when he had this dream, but the Lord certainly knew its fulfillment was coming in the Charter. Also, in the dream Dad went on to stand on another higher vantage point so he could look down and give further direction on exactly how to lay it so it would fit right into the hole, the cornerstone for this whole movement and building.
Every Disciple Is Accountable to God!
50. (Prophecy:) For verily I say unto you, the day is coming, and now is, that they that worship the Father must worship Him in spirit and in truth. For no man liveth unto himself and no man dieth unto himself; and yet I say unto you that every one shall give account of themselves before God.
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51. (Peter:) Each disciple is going to have to give an account of their life; every person is going to have to stand before the Lord for their decisions--and bear the responsibility for those decisions.
Choosing Your Own Path!
52. (Vision:) I saw a game board similar to the Mountain Man chart, with little paths leading off. The first thing you were supposed to do, instead of rolling the dice, was to chart your path--"chart" relating to the Charter. The plan was to get from the first point to the final point off in the distance, which was a pyramid that I took to be the Heavenly City.
53. On the right there was a path, that, although it looped a little, was a fairly direct circuit to the pyramid. But on the left was a path that was much more circuitous and winding. I had the feeling or the knowledge that the path on the right, which was very direct, was the obedient path that got to the Heavenly City via a shorter course. The one on the left, which was longer and more winding, was if you made wrong decisions. Nevertheless, the point was that everybody on the circuit eventually got to the end, to the chosen lesson, the chosen destination or whatever.
54. There were little sheep on the path, as well as on the side of each path. I was asking, "How do you stop the sheep from bunching up along the line?" It seemed if there were too many sheep or people on any one path, it would bunch everybody up, and nobody would get beyond that point. But then I realized that the path was more like a conveyor belt, and as soon as you took the first step on the path, you were moving, either to the right or to the left, and there was no way you could keep from moving along.
55. Along the path there were certain little sheep that had stepped off the path for a period of time to rest, or were sort of grazing in the pasture; but as soon as they got back on the path of their own choice, they continued on towards the destination.
56. There were sheep entering the path at different points, and also some who had gotten off were now getting back on (maybe that represents some of our TRF Supporters). Just like an airport luggage conveyor belt, the path was structured in such a way that there were things to nudge you back on to it; everything was being nudged to the middle of the path. It was all flowing very gracefully, there weren't pile-ups or snags or anyone falling off. (I thought that was encouraging.)
57. It seemed that if any of the little sheep went on the left path, which was perhaps the path of lesser obedience, that there were also arteries shooting off from it that wound their way back to the right artery--the direct path of obedience that they could choose.
58. The Lord has designed our pilgrimage so that it's up to people's individual choice, and that they will all get there. It's just a question of time--a question of them choosing their own direction--but it's designed by Him so that nobody can lose the course entirely.
59. I also got the impression that there was more than one chance. Similar to when you claim your baggage at the airport: If you miss it the first time around, you have a chance to get it the next time it comes around. Many got there right away, and others took longer; but whether it was the path of full obedience or lesser obedience, everybody eventually got there.
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60. (Peter:) When a sheep gets off the straight and shortest path, we as leadership tend to worry about it. If they go off on the road to the left, the path of lesser obedience, there are still ways back. Like the Letter "Keep on Believing" (ML #1268, Vol.13)--sometimes you miss it, but you can get back. There are roads back to the right path of obedience, so we don't have to worry so much. Even though one path was more winding, the sheep all made it to their destination. The Family will obviously learn that there are two paths, that the obedient path is the easy path, and the winding path is the difficult path.
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61. (Gary:) Some of our people are just tired and discouraged and need a rest. Maybe they'll get a rest of spirit with the changes, but there might be others who need physical rest or a break or a furlough. Maybe they just need to go somewhere and unwind a bit. If so, don't condemn them. You can keep in touch with them, but in the vision they get back on of their own choice. If they're meant to be in the Family, they're not going to find satisfaction anywhere else. We won't have to worry about losing the Lord's sheep.
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62. (Peter:) We can guide and counsel and try to help people, but if they make the wrong choices, you have to be open to the fact that maybe it's the Lord's way, because it's the choice they've made. Nevertheless, the Lord will use it and can eventually get them back on the right path once they've learned the needed lessons.
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63. (Gary:) Mama's Letter, "When Teens Leave the Family" (ML #2942, GN 608) epitomizes this principle. We have to trust the Lord and realize this time is only a few moments in God's history. Even if one of our teens wants to leave, or we face some other personal tragedy, we shouldn't fall apart over it, because that one event is a small matter in God's great eternal plan, despite the momentary pain.
The Spirit of the Charter!
64. (Prophecy:) Behold the heart of the law: The spirit of the Charter is for you, My people, to know Me and to love Me through the laws of David, which I, the Lord your God, have spoken unto you.... To have faith for situations according to your own faith, and for you, My people, to be happy and to be fruitful. The Charter is the will of your Father David. The law was given through Moses, but mercy and understanding and grace were given through My Son Jesus. Think not that I have come to abolish the law, but I have come to fulfill every precept of the law.
65. Ye must understand the spirit of the Charter. Therefore, you as Levites have to know the Charter, the spirit of it. As the body without the spirit is dead, so the Charter without the spirit, without understanding the weakness of My people, is of no avail. Therefore study and know how to rightly divide the Word in the Charter so that My people shall have peace throughout the land.
66. Consider the timing in which I have taken your father unto Me, and ye will be very much aware that the dark days are ahead. And My people each have to stand upon their own faith, their own initiative. Communication might be cut off, but heavenly communication is always there, and if ye can teach them how to abide by the spirit of the Charter, through visiting and teaching them how to connect with the source of My Charter, then even though the days are going to be dark and confused, My people shall be blessed with peace and plenty because they abide in My Word through this very thing.
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67. (Peter:) Isn't that an amazing statement about, "Behold the heart of the law." In other words, the heart is the love with which the Charter must be implemented. The heart will give life to the Charter, whereas without love, it would be cold and dead. It's got to have a heart or it's just cold, hard rules that kill instead of giving life. Love is what breathes the Spirit into the law and makes it a helpful tool in our service to the Lord and to others.--Because it's love being put into practice in every area of our lives.
68. The heart of the law is the spirit of the Charter. It lists three things that are the spirit of the Charter: 1) for My people to know Me and love Me through the laws of David; 2) for each disciple to have faith for situations according to their own faith; and 3) for My people to be happy and fruitful. These are the goals. Those things are the will of your Father. That's what Dad wanted, for people to know and love the Lord through the Word, to exercise their faith and to be happy serving the Lord. That's really what Dad was all about, and above all putting it into practice by witnessing. That's really Dad. That's how he saw things.
69. The source of the Charter is the Word, Jesus is the Word. So our job as leaders is to teach them how to abide by the spirit by going around and teaching them how to connect with the Source. So then even in the days that are going to be dark and confused, the Lord will bless our people with peace and plenty because they will abide in His Word.
70. So if we're wondering what is the main thing that we and our VSs are supposed to be doing, it is going around and getting people connected--connected to the Word and the Source, to the Lord--and teaching them to find their answers there so we don't have to be there to answer everything; because some day we're not going to be.
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71. (Gary:) In visiting your areas, it will be your living example of putting the Charter into effect that will set the precedent. The Charter is designed so that the Homes can use it to work things out for their personal situations. However, they will look to you for the precedent of following it, coupled with your knowledge of the Word, and most of all, your pointing them to the Word.
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72. (Peter:) Your role, and the role of your VSs, will be extremely important, your sample of abiding by the Charter. We've chosen certain things that people must do to remain DO, and there aren't that many. Beyond that, they are responsible to make their own decisions.--The choice is theirs on all of the other things.
73. You cannot contravene their decisions, you cannot override them, you cannot force people to do things if it's not within your authority to do so under the Charter. If you do, people either aren't going to take it, or they're going to be very discouraged and think, "Oh, the Charter is just a farce! It's just a tradition of man, it's words not backed up by deeds!"
74. In addition to the VSs visiting the Homes to inspire and encourage the people, they will also act as policemen and judges, in a sense, in that they will probably tune in to the Home Evaluation Checklists to be sure that Home is keeping the standard. If the people who are eventually chosen as VSs, which we believe will be the Lord's choice, are Spirit-filled and know the Word and will relinquish the past leadership mentality that most of us have had--that we have to know everything, and we have to make decisions for everyone, and that we are responsible for everything--and instead see that their job is now to help people sort out their problems by leading them to the Word or giving them godly counsel, and by passing judgment under the authority given them in the Charter when it becomes necessary, they will be a big help.
75. The VSs will not be responsible for tending tables. Their job will be that of apostles, spiritual leaders ministering the Word and teaching people the Word.--Leaders who will inspire and have understanding for people and their weaknesses. By so doing, instead of evoking fear, it will make people look forward to their VSs coming around.
The Charter: God's Plan!
76. (Prophecy:) But the people who do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. But how can they know Me if you are in the way? How can they know Me if you are filtering their communications from Me? Therefore, let every man take heed, for he shall give account of himself unto God. And this is the manner I have given to cause this to come to pass. Each shall give an account unto Me in that day, and even in the days to come they shall stand before Me. According to their faith, they will live, and according to their faith, they will die.
77. This is My plan: that I may cause you to shine and go forth and conquer this world. For the darkness has covered the world and gross darkness the people, but My light is shining upon you, and upon all of My children upon the face of the earth, that they may become the diamonds of dust that I would have them to be. It is for this purpose that I have given this Charter. For as Moses of old, before he went up into the mountain to seek My face, was faced with frustration and dismay, searching to find the answer to the way to guide My people, and as he came down with the Law, so I have given you, My Levites, the Charter, that you may give it unto the people; that they may shine for Me.
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78. (Gary:) Think back over this past year, the frustrations and the emotions you've felt about the work in your area, and how we collectively searched for solutions six or eight months ago. We were seeking Him desperately in prayer, and the Lord has truly answered. This Charter is the resulting embodiment of that desperation.
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79. (Peter:) The Lord said, "How can they know Me if you are filtering their communications from Me?" I thought, "What does this mean, Lord?" Well, the communication from God to the Family is prayer and the Word. So one way we filter it is, instead of encouraging people to pray and search the Word in making their own decisions, we come and say, "This is how you have to do it. There is no other way to do it but this way." Everything has to go through this filter of "only one way," when in fact there might be many ways.
80. They have to have more personal faith, so we have to stop filtering the Word or filtering communications by our interpretations or our traditions, or in demanding that things have to be done a certain way. We have to let them pray and hear from the Lord and shine with their own light.
God Wants to Work Through Each and Every One of Us!
81. (Vision:) I saw a scene in Heaven, and there were quite a number of departed missionaries and great men of God all meeting together. They were discussing all the different places on earth, and the positions that we were all supposed to be in, and all the different fields that were yet to be harvested, and the work that we needed to do. Then they said that an elixir needed to be poured on each of us. So the Lord gave them the commission to prepare an elixir, a special one for each of us. Some verses they put in the vials were, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might, heartily as unto the Lord and not as unto man" (Ecc.9:10; Col.3:23).
82. Then they were putting in a lot of different verses about proving the Word of God. They were discussing among themselves and saying, "Yes, this is especially what the Lord wants us to do, to strengthen each one so that they will prove the Words. Through this elixir, they will be able to individually prove the Word of God."
83. Then there was a scene on earth of several large Homes containing cocoons. The cocoons were large, people-size, and there were shepherds walking around sort of like nurses trying to attend to all these cocoons that seemed like they were dying. Then the departed saints came from Heaven and started pouring the elixir on all the cocoons. They all came to life, and as they burst through the last stage of the cocoon, they came out not as butterflies, but as soldiers. They had wings and they had armor and each one was programed with a purpose, and each one's face was covered with their particular elixir.
84. It was almost as if the Lord had every elixir color-coded, and therefore could program each one through their particular elixir. They all started going out into particular positions and places and fulfilling an immense plan that could never have been done solely by a leader or a group of leaders or a teamwork. It had to be accomplished by this particular programing by the Lord.
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85. (Peter:) In past prophecies, the Lord said the day is coming when He's going to pour out the gift of healing. Maybe now is the time, not only for Him to pour out the gift of healing, but other powerful manifestations of His Spirit like He did on the day of Pentecost. (See Acts 2.)
86. In the vision the soldiers that emerged from the cocoons all started going out into their particular positions and places, fulfilling an immense plan that could never have been conceptualized by one leader or group of leaders. In other words, whatever is ahead is God's plan. We leaders will not be able to figure out what to do, so we need to stand back and let the Spirit move in the Family. Praise the Lord! Beautiful!
If I Be Lifted Up, I Will Draw All Men unto Me!
87. (Prophecy:) If ye abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ye shall know the truth--the truth that shall set you free. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, and the Words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. For this cause was the Son of God manifested, that ye might find freedom and joy unspeakable and full of glory, that ye might find happiness and pleasure in serving your King.
88. For when you were a child, you spoke as a child, you judged as a child, you acted as a child; but the day has now come that you have grown, and now the Word needs to be lifted up. For have I not said, "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto Me"? For I am the Word, and the Words that I have given unto you are spirit, and they are life. I have chosen you just as I commanded to choose faithful men, and you have been faithful so that you may teach others so that they might teach others. Teach them to study to be faithful and to search the Word, for all the answers are in the Word. Seek not to give answers, but seek to direct them and lead them to My Words.
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89. (Peter:) We are to try to help each person in the Family find that freedom and joy and happiness and pleasure. That should be part of our goal: To connect them with the Lord so they can have that joy and pleasure in serving God. Of course, part of having freedom, happiness, etc., is being closely connected to the Lord, and sometimes there is an element of discipline, direction, and training.
Crossing over Jordan!
90. (Prophecy:) Ye do well to take heed and consider again the vision and the example of Moses of old. For did I not take Moses of old away from his children before they crossed into the promised land? And before they crossed into the promised land I gave him My Words. Then Joshua charged the people to take heed according to the Words, and they warred a successful war. Then they entered the land of plenty. So have ye prayed to enter the land of plenty, and I have promised it to you, but all must first cross the waters of testing at Jordan.
91. Your Moses has been taken from you, but his Words have not been taken from you. These Words have been given to you to give to each soldier, that they may fight well to conquer the promised land, according to their faith. So shall it be again that My Words shall go forth to battle; and ye shall have the land of plenty. Those who have faith, those who go forward and obey these Words, shall enter the land that I have promised you, but it must be through the plan that I have ordained.
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92. (Peter:) Perhaps the promise is that as we go through the test, perhaps the test of this Charter, and as we obey the Word, we will fight successfully and will have plenty to enable us to continue to do the job.
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93. (Gary:) There's bound to be testing, there are bound to be people who aren't going to make it. There are always tests before any major movement of the Spirit. If we review our Family history, we see that the Lord often shook the branches before He was going to bring forth more fruit. There will be people who will miss the blessing because they won't hang on, and we have to be ready for that. We don't know exactly what the testing means. It may be, as Peter said, just accepting the Charter. It may mean other changes.
94. The prophecy refers to the children of Israel making their move to the promised land, the land of plenty, and in crossing the desert, they moved as a mob. It was the ultimate huge combo. But once they crossed Jordan and entered the promised land, they really decentralized and diversified. They went into their own separate tribes, their own separate ministries, their own separate areas. We have to be alert to that and let it happen. It's stressed here again that they will conquer the promised land according to their faith. Our job is just to get them there.
Fear Not to Step Out by Faith!
95. (Prophecy:) Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart therefrom. My little children of Kingdom Come, have I not said that I have set you in My school? Why do you fear to graduate, to take the next step that I have placed before you, into a school of greater freedom and greater responsibility? For it is true that that which is wood, hay and stubble will not last. This is nothing to be feared, but it is a time to rejoice! For the gold and precious stones shall shine as never before, and ye shall see a Family, and a building, and a house for Me that ye shall marvel at! For the foundation of God standeth sure, and that which hath been of Me shall stand, and it shall be a thing of marvel and a thing of strength, and a thing that I can use and work through as never before in the days to come.
Promise of New Pastures!
96. (Prophecy:) For My sheep are not dumb sheep, they are smart sheep. But many are sickly and weak because they have grown weary of grazing in the same pasture. Therefore you must open the gate and let them go forth into new pastures where they may feed on new grass, where they may breathe new air, where they may see new sunshine. These so-called dumb sheep shall become strong and mighty men of David. I shall transform them before your eyes, and they shall do exploits. They shall be great and mighty in My sight, and they shall go forth to conquer. They shall come forth in time of trouble, and they shall do exploits.
97. Therefore open the gates and let them go forth. They have trampled down their own pastures. Ye must let them go forth into new and fresh pastures where they may feed from the Word of God. Withhold not, hold them not back from that to which I have called them. Think not that they are dumb or sickly or weak or must be herded or forced forward with your thoughts. For I shall put My thoughts into their hearts. And as they feed of the fresh waters, and as they read the Words of your Father David, they shall become strong, and they shall hear My voice more clearly. They shall leave behind the shackles of this earthly world, and they shall come forth into the life of the spirit, and they shall be transformed before your eyes.
98. For would I have called unto Me so many weak and sickly and hopeless ones? In My great wisdom and foresight, would I have brought unto this fold weak and sickly and dumb and stupid and ignorant sheep who have no future, who have no worth? Do you think that I am an ignorant Father who knows not what I do?
99. But I have My plan, and you must flow with it. Therefore, open the gates and let them free. Let them go forth to drink of the waters of My Word, that they may become strong and that they may stand on their own and that they may become shepherds themselves. For this world hath many sheep (outside the Family) who need guidance and leading, and ye shall provide that, and you shall allow them (the sheep in the Family) to grow and be strengthened through the Words of your Father David.
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100. (Gary:) Lord help us, because this prophecy seems to be a real key. Do we as leaders have the attitude that our folks are just dumb sheep or that they're weak sheep or that they're not going to make it, that they're sickly, that they must be herded, they can't do it without us?
101. When sheep are locked in their little pen and lie around in all their dung, it gets stuck to them, and they are just a mess. They smell terrible! But when you let them out of their pen, let them graze where they want, and the rain washes them, they go from being dirty and grungy to being white. They are transformed!
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102. (Peter:) When you have sheep corralled, you have to feed them. You have to haul all the grain in, you have to clean their pen, etc. When they're in close quarters, they get sick easily, and disease spreads quickly. But when you let them out, you don't have to feed them and clean up after them. They feed themselves, they eat the grass. When they're loose and free and have pasture to graze in, they're one of the easiest creatures to take care of. All the shepherd has to do is protect them from outside attacks. They will practically take care of themselves.
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103. (CRO:) They even fertilize the land when they're out.
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104. (Peter:) As these Family members get out and are transformed before our eyes--transformed into mighty men of David--they will become shepherds to many. Many of our TRF Supporters have gone out and shepherded and cared for their little flocks. How much more should our DO Family, who are constantly getting the new Word, be out shepherding and caring for the sheep.
The Sheep Must Now Follow the Manual!
105. (Prophecy:) Ye have been given children of your loins and children of your flesh, and ye have trained them well. And ye have been given children of the spirit, and ye also have trained them well. Now there comes a time that your children must depart from you.
106. I have had need of schoolteachers to teach them the ways of life. They have sat in your classes these many years, but lest any say, "I am of Josiah" and "I am of Sharon" and "I am of Silas," you must release them that they may say, "I am of David, and I am of Jesus." For the time has come, and well nigh is, that they must look into My wonderful face, that they may cling to Me, their Lord and Creator.
107. Ye have trained them well, and ye have trained up a child in the way he should go, and many shall not depart from you nor from Me. I have given a handbook, I have given a manual, that they may know that the man [David] is in the manual. And that the man of God that they wish to be must be developed in direct, loving intercourse with Me. This is the course of life, and this is their final class.
108. For ye have prepared them these many years, and now they must walk by their own footsteps. There will be stumbles, but I will be there to lift them up. Though many shall fall seven or more times, I shall be there to pick them up.
109. Ye have done your job well. Continue to look well to your herds, and strengthen the flocks that are amongst you. But as your children have come of age and are growing and have married and now have children of their own, and ye must release them, ye must also do this with your spiritual children, and ye must step back from their fray.
110. Ye must lead and direct, but ye must find the balance that will allow them to grow themselves, that will allow them to find the path of their life that I have chosen for them as individuals. And they shall find it. For have you not found it for yourselves? Did you not stumble, and did you not collapse at times? But in falling and collapsing, you found Me, and this is My wish for My children and for the sheep of your flock, that they too may find Me.
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111. (Peter:) If you've been wondering if all those years of training paid off, the Lord thinks so. Congratulations, shepherds! You've trained them well, and now that the children are older, they will not depart therefrom. They had need of schoolteachers, but the time has now come for them to go on.
112. We have to realize that their stumbles are now going to be mainly their own responsibility, but the Lord promises that He will lift them up. We are still supposed to lead and direct, but we must find the balance that will allow them to grow themselves, which undoubtedly will be by letting them learn to make decisions, with us simply leading them to the Word.
113. We and they have to have faith to let it happen. It's like when you have children: As long as they are in your house, and you're telling them what to do, they have to obey you. But once they get married and venture out on their own, you still have the freedom to give them advice, counsel and direction, but you no longer have that same authority to make them do anything.
114. We don't have to try to find a way to convince people to do things if they've already chosen and decided what they want to do and are doing it the way they have the faith for it. We shouldn't try to convince them to do it differently, unless, of course, what they're doing is wrong. So if we feel we have direction to give them, then we should do it from the Word rather than according to the way we think, or the way we would do it.
Let My Sons and Daughters Go!
115. (Prophecy:) Let My people go, that they may serve Me! Let My people go, that they may serve Me! Free My sons and My daughters, that they may serve Me! And I will pour out My Spirit upon them, and your young people shall prophesy, and they shall see visions and dream dreams. And they shall say unto you, "Father, free me that I may serve the Lord." And, "Mother, free me that I may serve the Lord. I will not disappoint you. I will not fail you. I may veer to the right or I may veer to the left. But you will see, I will come again, bringing my sheaves with me. And though there may be tears and mistakes, yet I will do my very best. Free me that I may serve the Lord."
116. This is the desire of your father now with Me: that your children shall hear fresh from Me daily. Hath he not said, "For God's sake, you've got to see God?" Hath he not said, "For God's sake, you've got to hear from God; for God's sake, follow God"? And this Charter, built precept upon precept, and word upon word, shall be the rejoicing of the hearts of your young people.
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117. (Gary:) That's what we've got to let our people do: Dream their dreams. Everybody should be able to have a dream. We should let them fulfill their dreams and pursue them and not stand in the way of that. The Lord is extending the same liberty, the same rights, the same responsibilities to our youth, and is giving them the same opportunity as we had when we were younger. He's making it very clear that we must free His sons and His daughters so that they may prophesy, see visions and dream dreams.
118. We've got to allow them that leeway. God knows that our kids may go to extremes--all the way to the right and all the way to the left--but their desire is to "come again, bringing their sheaves with them." There may be tears on their part, there may even be tears on our part. But their motives are going to be to serve the Lord and to win souls, so we must let them do it their way.
119. And that is Dad's desire, that our young people witness and win souls. He's always had a real heart for the teens. Thank God he did or we wouldn't be here, because we were teens when this revolution began. We have got to let our folks hear from the Lord afresh and let them follow God.
The Charter Is a Light and Holds the Word!
120. (Prophecy:) For many there are that say, "Where shall I find a light to light my way? Give me a light that I may light my way, that I may see my way." So shall this Charter be unto them a light. It shall be as a torch, and they shall run with torches, and it shall light the path ahead. It will show them the rocks over which they might stumble, and the chasms into which they might fall, and it shall lead them and guide them unto My sheep.
121. This Charter will hold My Word, and My Word shall be their light. For the Charter is the holder of My Word. My children shall hold up My Word to see where they shall walk. It shall be up to each one to keep their torch lit, to pour in the oil, to keep their torch full of oil. If they shall keep it full of oil and keep their torch lit, they shall have a light wherewith to see their way.
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122. (Vision:) I saw a beautiful picture of the Family, each one coming to this great pile of unlit torches, and they each picked up an unlit torch, as if they were picking up the Charter. Each torch was full of oil, yet unlit, and then they held it to the flame of the Word, and their individual torch was lit. And then they would run. But it wasn't as if they were running a race; they were instead running out in all different directions, and they were searching out the sheep. It wasn't a race to a finish line, it was a race to find others and reach others.
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123. (Peter:) The Lord pictured the Charter like a torch that will hold the light of the Word, so each of us will be able to see. So while the Charter contains rules which are the embodiment of counsel from the Letters, what is going to make it come alive is when people go to the Word and search it to make their decisions.
124. But it's up to them. If they will do it, they will have the light to show the way. If they don't, then they probably won't. And, of course, if they follow it, it will get them out to do their job of witnessing--sharing the love of Jesus. That's what we're all about.
125. One of Dad's parting wishes and instructions to us was that we should put a far greater emphasis on reaching the lost with the love of Jesus and with His Word. He was really quite stirred up that we needed to do much more witnessing.
Love Is the Most Important Thing!
126. (Vision:) I had three different pictures. The first was the cover of the "Key of David." I got that now that David is gone from us, this key is going to be activated in each child of David.
127. The second picture was Jesus putting on a skit to show us how we were supposed to be as shepherds. He asked, "Is this how I was among you?" and I saw a picture of the 12 disciples sitting on chairs in front of Him. Each one had a bowl of water at his feet, and then I saw Jesus pointing His finger at each of them and asking, "Why can't you see? Why can't you hear? Why did you stumble? Why didn't you get this right?" All the different disciples were kind of hanging their heads in front of Him, trying to brush away these different spots and correct these different handicaps, but they couldn't.
128. Then the picture changed, and Jesus said, "No, this is how I was among you." Then again I saw the disciples, each sitting on their stool or chair, but this time there was only one bowl of water, and Jesus was kneeling down by each one and washing their feet and comforting them individually. The result was that each disciple was lifting their hands and praising the Lord, with tears coming down their faces, saying "Thank You, Lord, for my gift of blindness. Thank You, Lord, for my gift of deafness. Thank You, Lord, that I've stumbled so that I can help others."
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129. (Peter:) Perhaps the first picture of Jesus was a little more the way we were. "Get over your NWOs! Do this, do that! Why did you blow it?" as opposed to now trying to be more loving and caring for people and doing our best. It's not to say by any means that all you leaders have been blowing it. In fact, I know you haven't been because in a few prophecies earlier, the Lord said you did a great job. But it's just a comparison to try to get us to see how things are supposed to change, how things are supposed to be.
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130. (Gary:) It's no coincidence, I'm sure, that the Lord took Libby as a way of preparing all of our hearts for this next step. Mama's beautiful Libby GN (GN 603) has so many lessons that we can study and restudy and never get enough out of. I'm sure the Lord had His timing on all this, and was trying to impress upon us that the greatest thing that we could do is love, and that if anything, it's going to take a lot of love to successfully implement the Charter.
131. We're going to have to go out and be known for our love. That's the greatest thing we can be known for--not our talks, not our projects, not our accomplishments, but our love. That's the kind of thing that the Lord is ushering in now, and He wants it to filter down through the ranks like never before.
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132. (Peter:) Another aspect of this is that with Dad's homegoing, obviously Mama will have a greater effect on the Family, and, as Dad said, each prophet has their own ministry, and it's flavored somewhat by their individual personalities. Mama is much less of an army general than Dad.--Not that Dad was a big authoritarian general, as he was a very very loving and sweet man, but he did have this "general" side to him. And whereas Dad was more symbolic of the father, Mama's distinctive feature is her motherly influence. She represents more the mother figure or Holy Spirit.
133. A mother's love is a different kind of love. The father's love and the mother's love are both love, and they're equal, but they're manifested a little bit differently. Maybe this is a time the Family should try to become more like a mother, manifesting more a mother's love for people. The Lord through Dad said that this was to be "a day of women." (See ML #837:34, Vol.7; #1474:49-50, Bk.5.)
134. With the advent of the Charter, the Lord is encouraging us to put into greater practice the law of love that we've been known and persecuted for. It's no longer going to be, "You just have to do this because I say so. I'm on the Home teamwork, and you're just a Home member." But now there will have to be mutual agreement. It has to seem good to all. That's going to take a lot of love, and if it's going to work, people are going to have to esteem others better than themselves. They're going to have to actually live these principles, the principles of the law of love.
135. We all now have the same basic touchstone--the Charter--so when we make decisions or we discuss things, we can come back to the touchstone and say, "Is this decision helping to let My people go? Is this helping to take away their burdens? Is this helping us leaders to be out of the way? Is this helping us all to be more loving?" God bless you! We love you and pray for you as you put the Charter into practice in your life!
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family