MAMA'S NEWS AND VIEWS!--Part Four Maria #335 DO 3054 5/96
--By Maria
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Brief Summary of the Summit! 1
Our Personal Schedule! 3
Austin Teens Healed! 4
Driving Safety! 7
TSers and the "Loving Jesus" GNs 13
Things Are Goin' Better Than Ever! 15
To my dearest Family,
1. I love each of you so very much! Daily I thank the Lord for you--for your faithfulness, your dedication, your willingness, and especially your love for Jesus, His sheep and each other! We have so very much to be thankful for, as daily His blessings flow so richly in our lives and are manifested in innumerable ways! Praise the Lord!
Brief Summary of the Summit!
2. ({\ul \i Mama:) }In this GN I'll cover various subjects that I believe will be of great interest to you. To begin with, I'd like to share some news about the Summit meeting that was held recently. Peter and Gary have hosted six Summit meetings now, and they have found that each time the Lord does something different, something new that neither they nor I had thought about or planned! Of course, we do plan the Summit agenda in advance, and Peter, Gary and I prepare a list of subjects to be discussed, based on questions or topics that have been brought to our attention via reports from the CROs or your letters and TRFs. And while many of these topics are usually covered to some extent during the meetings, and either discussed or prayed about by Peter, Gary and the CROs, the Lord always throws in some interesting "extras" that no one anticipated!
3. So Peter, Gary and I have seen the importance of letting the Lord lead during these important meetings, and not trying to put our preconceived plans in the way of any new direction or new factors the Lord may interject while the meetings are in progress! Not only is that a good lesson on following the Lord instead of our own plans, but it's also a lesson on seeking the Lord each step of the way. Because how are we going to know what His plans are or what new thing He may want to do unless we ask Him?
4. I won't get into the details at this time of what was covered at the Summit, because as I explained in part three of this series, you will receive "the full story" via the pubs that we hope to publish in the near future, Lord willing. Also, videos were filmed of some of the meetings that Peter and Gary led, which the CROs and VSs will be showing during their visitation, D.V. But, I thought you might be interested in hearing at least a brief summary or preview of the Summit.
5. To begin with, having young people attend--in fact, more young people than CROs--changed the make-up of the meetings considerably! Besides having prayer and discussion on the subjects on their agenda, Peter and Gary gave a number of classes on various topics. These had not been part of the original plan, but as the meetings progressed, the Lord highlighted the need to answer certain questions that some of the young people who attended had--not only for their benefit, but for the benefit of all of you young people (and adults, too)!
6. These classes were on topics such as the "Loving Jesus" revelation, the difference between legitimate questions and critical doubts, the Law of Love, receiving and applying prophecy, how to find answers in the Charter, testimonies about life with Dad and Mama, the pitfalls of leadership (where the CROs shared different lessons based on their personal experience as leaders), and questions regarding Family finances (taken from a section in "Mama's News and Views!--Part 2," which those at the Summit had not yet received).
7. As usual, a major part of the Summit meeting was devoted to praying about and discussing various challenges or problems that the Family as a whole faces, and discovering practical ideas that can be implemented to solve them. One topic that was discussed and prayed about at length is you junior teens and JETTs, and how to help you feel more challenged and inspired, and more turned on to the Word and witnessing and serving Jesus. The Lord gave beautiful counsel through prophecy, and a group of attendees was also able to discuss practical solutions to help make the above a reality in your lives.
8. Please pray for your CROs and VSs as they begin to try to implement these plans in their areas. Of course, everything takes time, and we can't expect any overnight changes, but I believe you junior teens and JETTs will be very thankful for the special care and attention, and I trust that it will help you become the mighty witnesses for the Lord that He has promised you would be!--Which I know you can and will be!
9. Other subjects that Peter and Gary and those attending the Summit heard from the Lord about and/or discussed practical solutions for are: Helping our larger families and single moms to be better cared for, possible Charter amendments on points and procedures that could be streamlined or that aren't working well, ways to cut down on the CROs' administrative workload to free them to spend more time visiting the Homes, how to handle clearance requests more quickly and efficiently, our children's education, and new GP tools.
10. One of the highlights of this year's Summit meeting was to see the younger and older generations pray and openly and honestly counsel together in a spirit of love and unity about these very important topics. Any "generation gap" or intergenerational barriers that may have existed when the meetings started quickly came down, as the Lord melted all those attending together in His Love.
11. He again highlighted the importance of our first and second generations working together in every area--at the Home level, VS level and even the CRO and WS level. In fact, after the Summit, several young people were appointed as "junior" CRO officers on various CRO teamworks. Also, the Lord led us to bring one YA and two second-generation adults right into our Home.
12. The Lord further emphasized how we all need each other. We older ones need the freshness and zeal and enthusiasm of the younger generation, and you younger ones need the wisdom, experience, brokenness and humility of the older generation. The Lord is bringing us together as a united team, praise the Lord!
13. As the Summit drew to a close, the Lord and Dad spoke several times in prophecy about the role those who attended the Summit should play when they return to their Homes, and the sample they should be to the Family. These messages mainly addressed the younger attendees. This was the first time they had attended such a leadership meeting, and since many of them would be visiting the Homes as VSs, helpers to the CROs and junior CROs, it was important that they understand the responsibility that they now bear of pouring out to others all that they have received and living up to the sample they saw in Peter, Gary, Heather (the WS shepherdess who helped Peter and Gary), and the CROs.
14. We will be publishing more excerpts of these prophecies later, but for now I want to include a portion of a message from Dad to these young people in which he talks about their commission. While Dad's counsel was given specifically for those who attended the Summit, this commission is not only for them, but for each of us. It's a very good reminder of the goals that we should all be striving for in our own lives, whether we're a Home shepherd, witnesser, childcare helper, or whatever.
15. ({\ul \i Prophecy, Dad speaking:) }Because so much has been given to you, the Lord will also require much from you--much giving and sacrificing and loving. Now the real work starts! You've had your days of Heaven, your days of feeding and excitement in the Spirit. You've sat at the feet of your shepherds, and you've been well-fed and cared for and strengthened. Now the battle begins in earnest as you go forth to spread the message that the Lord has entrusted into your care.
16. The commission that the Lord has placed in your hands is to go forth throughout all the Kingdom and proclaim the good news, to be representatives of all that you have seen and heard, and most important, of the love that you have partaken of.
17. --Your commission is to be an example to all, young and old, great and small, of loving the Lord, loving each other, and loving the lost.
18. --Your commission is to be an example of understanding, sympathy, compassion and tender-heartedness.
19. --Your commission is to lift up the Words of David, to rally the troops to believe and have faith.
20. --Your commission is to raise a standard against the attacks of the Enemy, to strengthen those who are weakening, to save those who are almost lost.
21. --Your commission is to be an example of the uniting of the generations, working hand-in-hand in love and unity and mutual respect with the older generation.
22. --Your commission is to seek the Lord and hear from Him fresh each day, to make prayerful, Spirit-led decisions, to not lean to your own understanding, but to constantly, every day and in every way, seek the Lord.
23. --Your commission is to live the Law of Love, and to give of yourselves and your loved ones to those who are in need.
24. --Your commission is to stand strong in the face of the Enemy and his lies, and to raise a standard against him by turning to the Word and the Truth for your strength.
25. --Your commission is to put aside your personal preferences and desires, in order to commit yourselves to fight to overcome your personal weaknesses, and do all that is within your power to be a good sample to the brethren.
26. --Your commission is to kneel in humility before the Lord your God and to admit at every possible opportunity that it's only Jesus.
27. --Your commission is to stand strong and tall and faithfully lead the troops in the battles which are to come, knowing that you can do all things through Christ Who strengthens you.
28. --Your commission is to remain loyal to the king and queen and the Words of David, and to remember that your lives are not your own, but they are bought with a price. Now you belong to the Lord and your Family. (End of prophecy excerpt.)
29. ({\ul \i Mama:) }Please pray for these dear young people, as well as the CROs, as they do their best to pass on the spirit, sample and instruction they received at the Summit.
Our Personal Schedule!
30. Now I want to explain a little about Peter's and my personal schedule. Contrary to what some of you may have concluded, Peter and I don't lie around in bed all day doing nothing but praying, praising, singing, prophesying and making love! Perhaps some of you got that impression from my Love Story, which was published over a period of a few months last year. (See "Mama's Love Story," parts 1-7, GNs 635-639, 641-642.)
31. Those talks were actually given over a period of a few weeks, but it took a few months to edit and prepare them before sending them to you. So I can understand that some of you thought that through most of last year that's all Peter and I did. Well, I assure you that's not the case! We do spend time doing all of those things, but we do much more as well.
32. Usually when we wake up we start our day with a wake-up prayer. I wake up more easily, so I usually pray the most at first while Peter sort of "amens." After he's a bit more awake he gets more vocal. We praise and thank the Lord and pray for various Family members, as well as Family events that are taking place around the world. After this we usually have some Word time, reading either a MO Letter or prophecies which we've received. After this time in the Word we will sometimes sing and praise.
33. By this time we are ready to hear from the Lord in prophecy. Peter usually asks me what we're going to pray about, because I have a long list of things that we need answers on! So I often choose something from the list, though sometimes there will be some urgent question which has come in from a recent message that needs to be prayed about. Sometimes Peter will remind me of things which we need to ask the Lord about. Or sometimes we decide just to ask the Lord to speak to us, without our formulating any specific question.
34. Before asking the Lord to speak, we take a few minutes of quiet personal time with the Lord. Sometimes during this quiet time, Peter will fall asleep for a little nap and get a little rest before we get our answers from the Lord, because it does take effort and is sometimes a battle in the Spirit to hear from the Lord. It costs something to receive such a priceless treasure!
35. Before our prayer and prophecy I put tapes in the micro tape recorders; we use two, one as the main recorder and another as a back-up. Then I pray for that day's topic and we receive whatever the Lord has to give us. When the Lord has finished speaking and we've finished thanking Him, it's time to get out of bed.--But not before Peter climbs on top of me for a little--sometimes big--kiss and cuddle, or sometimes I get on top of him! All of this, from the time we wake up, usually takes about two hours. I realize that those of you with children and other duties may not be able to follow our schedule, nor are you expected to, but in our case our scheduled time with Him and each other is vital to our ministry.
36. From that point on we spend the rest of our time working on our paperwork.--Reading phone messages, editing and preparing GNs, discussing and praying about problems, working on a myriad of projects, making plans, answering questions, writing letters, discussing business, etc. Our days are full from morning till night, with us doing our best to serve you, our precious Family.
37. We spend a lot of time hearing reports from all around the world and we receive quite a bit of personal mail as well, all of which I try to listen to. We're extremely busy with all there is to do. We usually try to take a nap sometime during the day, as generally we only sleep about six hours at night. We also eat, take get-out and clean up, of course, as well as stop for praise times; and we pray for each other and about other things throughout the day.
38. Because we do spend time keeping abreast of all the Family is doing, we hear about many of the victories, the news, the inspiring testimonies, etc. We also hear about the tests, the trials and the problems. We hear regularly from the CROs and others, but we also hear from you via your reports and personal letters and the comments and suggestions from your TRFs, so I feel we get a fairly well-rounded picture of what goes on in the Homes and in the Family in general. If we hear of something that is a major problem or question, we try to address it for the sake of all.
Austin Teens Healed!
39. As you've heard via the Prayer List, Charity and all of the young people who were injured in the Austin car accident are fully healed! I thought it would encourage you to hear some more details of exactly how miraculous and complete their healing has been and how the Lord answered prayer so wonderfully! Praise the Lord! Following is an update written by Rebecca (22), who lived and worked with the Austin teens. She reports:
40. "The Lord has done so many miracles for the young people involved in the Austin accident, healing them and bringing them through, literally without even the smell of smoke!--It's absolutely thrilling! Every time I think of the Lord's faithfulness and power to answer our specific prayers, I just marvel! The Lord has fulfilled and is continuing to fulfill the prophecies that were given for the Austin teens, not only physically, but in every other way as well. Thank the Lord!
41. "Healthwise, they are all doing just wonderfully! People who visited the Home in Houston where the teens lived up until just recently couldn't even tell that they were the ones from the Austin accident, because they are just normal young people with lots and lots and lots of energy! They're perfectly fit in every way. Praise the Lord!
42. "Many people ask if Estrella is able to walk okay, as she was injured with a severely broken hip and pelvis. The answer is yes! The Lord healed her perfectly and she does everything that a normal teen girl would do. She walks, runs, goes out witnessing, plays basketball, does aerobics, cares for the children, and is completely fine. She has no scars or anything. What a miracle! She also has been wonderfully delivered from the fears that she suffered.
43. "Estrella answered a want ad asking for teen girls to help out with childcare and outreach in Finland. She raised her funds and got her visa and legal work together and is now there! God bless her! One of our brave pioneers!
44. "Juan, who suffered a severe head injury and was briefly in a coma, is also doing wonderfully. He very rarely has headaches now. His nose doesn't bleed any more. His memory is complete and he's perfectly whole. Juan is presently in the Houston Service Home.
45. "Stephan had 10 major broken bones, as well as cuts all over his face, which endangered one of his eyes. The only thing that remains of his injuries is that his ankle that was severely broken is a little more prone to sprains, probably because the muscles are still not completely strengthened; but other than that, he's just fine and can do anything that normal teen boys do. He just has to be a little more careful about his ankle, because it's easy to sprain it if he gets too rowdy in basketball. The scars on his face have healed to the point that you have to look very closely to even notice them. Stephan is now in a Home in Denver.
46. "John, who had badly torn ligaments in his knees, is also doing great. He wore braces on his knees for a while, but recovered through exercise (and prayer). Now his legs are just fine--perfect! John is presently in a Home in Atlanta.
47. "Then there is Jesse. He had a severe head injury, was in a coma for 10 days, had broken ribs, collapsed lungs, a severely broken leg, and various internal injuries. He is the biggest miracle, because as everybody knows, he almost went to be with the Lord. He was in pretty bad shape physically, so the fact that he is now every whit whole is nothing but a miracle, a physical impossibility, a direct answer to everyone's prayers! His memory is complete and his wounds all healed up beautifully!
48. "We went to see the orthopedic specialist eight months after the accident, as Jesse hadn't been to a doctor for a check-up in almost six months. He was a different doctor than the one who had taken care of Jesse immediately after the accident and during his rehabilitation, so he didn't know Jesse's history. All he knew was what the medical records that we brought in said, and he couldn't believe that Jesse was the same person! The doctor was dumbfounded! He said, 'You mean your lungs were collapsed, your ribs were broken, your femur bone (the main thigh bone) was in 38 pieces, you were suffering from massive brain hemorrhaging, and you were in a coma?' He was shocked! He gave Jesse a full physical examination and then said, 'You could not possibly be in any better health! You could not have recovered any more perfectly! Keep doing whatever you're doing and you'll be just fine!'
49. "Earlier the doctors had said that Jesse would need an operation to remove the rod that is in his leg. But the doctor said that it was not necessary, unless something about it starts bothering him. You can't even tell that he has had a problem with his leg at all, except when he runs he limps a tiny bit, but it's barely noticeable! What an answer to prayer!
50. "Jesse does anything that a normal person does. For example, on a normal day he cooks breakfast, goes out witnessing, fund-raising or car-washing all day long. Then when he comes home, he goes out to play basketball at night with the boys. He's full of energy and life! Thank You Jesus!
51. "Another wonderful miracle is that Jesse is completely free from condemnation! We know this is a result of the precious words of encouragement, forgiveness and love the Lord poured forth for him, as well as your prayers. The Lord certainly fulfilled His promise that said, 'I will not allow [EDITED: "Jesse"] to be cut off before his time if you will fight and if you will pray and if you will call upon the forces of Heaven to fight beside this one--to strengthen him, to encourage him, to give him the will to live, to give him faith to receive My forgiveness, and to believe in My Love!' (ML #3003:42).
52. "Jesse is also presently in a Home in Atlanta. He and John are trying to get together a mobile road team, a traveling witnessing team, and they are very inspired about that. Also, you'll be happy to know that Charity has fully recovered from her injuries. She provisioned the physical therapy needed to regain full use of her arm, and her other wounds are now completely healed. Praise the Lord!
53. "The situation with the accident has been a testimony to so many people. Every time we've seen a doctor, or had to have some kind of a check-up, or when we went back to Austin and saw the paramedics and the EMS (emergency medical service) personnel or the helicopter pilots, etc., they were just dumbfounded to see the teens. The Lord has used this as such a powerful witness. Jesse is faithful to use his testimony while witnessing, and if someone says they don't believe in God, he just socks it to them with his testimony! I have seen people cry when listening to him, as it's such a powerful testimony, and he can give it with such conviction! It's beautiful! All of the young people from the accident have a really beautiful testimony and they are faithful to testify about the Lord's answers to prayer.
54. "One other testimony that resulted from the Austin accident, which is a bit of sideline but we are nonetheless thankful for it, is how it changed our Home in Houston so beautifully. We had been quite desperate for a change, and had prayed that the Lord would help us be more loving and sacrificial, both in our Home and with the other Homes in the area. A couple of weeks after we prayed this, the accident occurred. Immediately our Home was very involved, praying, sending personnel, vehicles, finances, etc., and then afterwards we received the teens in our Home and helped care for them during their time of recuperation.
55. "It was beautiful to see our whole Home change to accommodate the needs of these precious ones coming in. We built beds, put ramps in the house for the wheelchairs, and moved some rooms around. Our Home changed so much and became a lot more loving and sacrificial. We are so thankful for the privilege of being involved in that situation and for how it changed our lives and our Home for the better! Thank You Jesus! And thank you, dear Family, for your prayers!"
Driving Safety!--Be Prayerful, Cautious and Desperate!
56. ({\ul \i Mama:)} It's marvelous to see these wonderful answers to prayer, how the Lord has taken a seeming tragedy and turned it into a tremendous victory and testimony, just as He promised He would! The Lord is our tender, loving, faithful Physician, Shepherd and Husband. He knows every single detail of our lives and is always ready to hear our cry and supply all our needs, whether it be the need for healing, or inspiration, or finances, or direction, or change in our lives and Homes, etc. He never fails! Wonderful, wonderful Jesus!
57. Of course, along with the exciting testimonies and healing victories, the Lord also used the Austin accident to remind us of the dangers of driving. He certainly wants to get some good mileage out of this very sobering event by helping you all to be more prayerful, careful and serious when driving. When Dad spoke in prophecy to Jesse about his driving, which was published earlier in the Letter "No Condemnation!" he said the following:
58. "I know you weren't as prayerful as you should have been, or as careful, or as watchful. Maybe you were driving too fast and you were distracted and you were daydreaming. There are lots of good lessons, Jesse, but you know, those lessons are going to be a blessing to all the drivers in the Family. [DELETED] In the end, this lesson and this shake-up will save many, many more lives, because your brothers and sisters and your fellow-drivers are going to be much, much more prayerful. They're going to be more in the fear of the Lord and understand a lot better the dangers of driving and being out on the Devil's territory. They're going to be a lot more watchful and careful and serious and on guard when they're driving" (ML #3008:33).
59. ({\ul \i Mama:) }I'm concerned, however, that this part of the Lord's plan--that of making you better, more prayerful drivers--may not be coming to pass as He would like, due to your not taking the warning seriously enough. The Lord's promises often depend on our obedience, yieldedness and prayerfulness. He'll always do His part, but you have to fulfill your part of the bargain as well for the plan to work. Even after the Austin accident I have heard some distressing stories about some very bad and irresponsible driving. An example of this is the following letter to me from a 14-year-old TRF Supporter:
60. "Dear Maria, Hi! God bless you. I love and admire you very much. Thanks for all the love and dedication you have shown for Jesus and the Family. I have been a TSer since I was 10. I was really shocked to hear about the Austin accident. I'm writing because I thought it'd be good for you to know about some things that are happening in the Home here.
61. "I live very close to a DO Home and I usually go singing and witnessing with them. They use a super old VW van that is simply not roadworthy. One night they came to my home at 11 PM in their van with a 16-year-old teen driving, which is against the laws of our country. He was the only boy in the van, and there were four other girls and one woman, age 23. The road from their Home to ours is a very dangerous one at night.
62. "I think the Austin accident happened to wake up the Family about these things, because many of the Homes have very old cars that aren't in very good condition. Thank you very much for your attention. I love and pray for you."
63. ({\ul \i Mama:) }I love you too, dear girl. Thank you for speaking out and for being your brother's keeper. We pray that your brethren at the nearby DO Home won't hold this report against you, even if they see the circumstances in a different light, because this is a good lesson for all. Folks, these things ought not to be so! The Charter lays out the driving rules when it says: "Only those with valid driver's licenses should be allowed to drive on public roads. All vehicles in use must be safe, well-maintained and in good running condition; otherwise they should not be used" (Driving Rules, page 129). When the Charter was first drafted, we had hoped the basic driving guidelines would be sufficient, but have now decided it is necessary to lay down some further specifics in an upcoming Charter amendment.
64. Like the Charter says, it sounds as if some of you judge your vehicles by the criterion of, "Does it move and will it get us where we want to go?" What's it going to take to get you to change? Do we have to have more accidents resulting in more deaths? Will it be you?--Or your children? Will it be your unlicensed 16-year-old who is driving illegally who is responsible for the death of others? For God's sake, what is the matter with you? Don't you realize the danger?!
65. Since the Austin accident I've heard of a couple more very serious accidents involving young drivers. Here is one report I received:
66. "Recently this Home reported via their TRF that a few of the YAs had had an accident. Evidently their van hit an ice patch and went out of control, slamming into a light pole that had a cement base. Apparently one of the boys that was sitting in the front seat got smashed up pretty badly as he was not wearing a seat belt, and went halfway through the windshield. He was hospitalized and had to have quite a few stitches on his face." ({\ul \i Editor's note}: Perhaps the injuries and resulting stitches could have been avoided, had this boy been wearing his seat belt.)
67. ({\ul \i Mama:) }The other accident was also serious, but thankfully no one was injured. I received the following report:
68. "A team consisting of six YAs and teens went out in our Home's van. This was the day after our second snow storm. The sun was shining and the roads had been cleared, so driving conditions were pretty good. Our van was in good condition and well-maintained. As our van was changing lanes, the driver checked his mirrors and asked if the way was clear, and was told that it was.
69. "However, instead of moving over only one lane, he continued to merge into the next lane, where, unbeknownst to him, a car was coming up behind us at high speed which collided with our van, sending it out of control. The van hit the curb and flipped on its left side. The driver and passenger in the front seat were wearing their seat belts. The four others in the back were not. A YA who was behind the driver's seat was thrown through the window on the left side." (Editor's note: Again, this shows the importance of wearing {\ul \i seat belts}, even in the back seat, if you have them. There is more on seat belts in FSM 296, "Becoming a Family Driver.")
70. "When the van came to a stop on the side of the road, this YA was lying partially outside of the van. A snowbank on the side of the road had stopped the van from completely turning on its side and crushing her. By a miracle, no one was injured. Our driver was at fault and is due to appear in court.
71. "The morning after the accident we got the Home together to pray and seek the Lord. First we wanted to thank the Lord for protecting our team as He had. Then we wanted to hear what He had to say to us about the accident.
72. "Here in our area we have had a lot of minor accidents, fender benders, speeding tickets and other mishaps which have continued to this day in spite of all of the lessons learned from the Austin accident. In fact, sad to say, it seems that the impact and lessons of Austin have already faded. We had a prayer of thanksgiving and desperately sought the Lord for the lessons of this accident."
73. ({\ul \i Mama:) }I'm so thankful that no one was seriously injured in the last accident described above. I'm also very thankful that they got together to pray about why it happened and asked the Lord to speak to them about it, so they could learn any lessons He had for them. Though they seemed to be doing well as a Home, apparently there were areas the Lord was trying to get through to them about. During their prophecy session, Dad spoke to them. I'm going to include that prophecy as it's a message we all need, especially you young people.
74. ({\ul \i Prophecy, Dad speaking:)} Why do you think I wrote all those Letters? Your parents thought maybe I was nagging at them, lecturing them, but I wrote them for a reason: to teach you and to train you. Now I plead with you to be prayerful, to be sober, to be vigilant, to grow up! Now is the time to no longer be children, but to be strong young men and women, those who can carry a big load in the Spirit, those who can be trusted. Now is the time to grow up, kids! I've taught you and trained you all that I could, and I continue to plead and reason with you from Here in Heaven.
75. I'm a man of prayer and a man of caution, a man of desperation! I'm desperate for my children, desperate for this world, desperate for world leaders, desperate for situations, desperate for the welfare of my Family. I'm a desperate, prayerful man! This is one of the reasons we've gotten as far as we have, through prayer and desperation. This is a lesson you've got to learn, kids: to be prayerful, to be desperate, to be cautious, to take nothing for granted, to be thankful for all things, to be thankful for the goodness of God, for how good He's been to you, to be thankful for your shepherds.
76. I really love you kids, but you've got to learn to be prayerful, cautious and desperate, lest you fall prey to the devices of the Devil. For the Devil goes about as a roaring lion, seeking to destroy you, to hurt you, to injure you, to wipe you out in any way he can. It's a spiritual warfare, and that warfare does not cease, but continues day in and day out, 24 hours a day! You've got to be on your toes, you've got to be in the Spirit, deeply in tune with God. You've got to follow God. You've got to love Jesus. You've got to "for God's sake follow God!" I've said it year in and year out, in Letter after Letter. I've pleaded with your parents, I've pleaded with you kids, and I continue to plead in the halls of Heaven. I don't stop praying for you!
77. So get this lesson and get it right and get it down: You've got to be very prayerful, very desperate and very cautious! Being prayerful is not enough; you've got to be careful too. You've got to be prayerful and careful--seeking the Lord always in prayer and supplication! Look out for one another, pray for one another, love one another. Lay hands on one another in prayer. Lay hands on your drivers. Don't let that driver drive without laying hands on him first and praying for him. Lay hands on your vehicles and pray for them!
78. Be careful for your lives! Be careful what you eat! Turn out the lights and save on your utilities. Live the life of a missionary! Be revolutionary! Be saving! Be loving! Think of others. Do you think that I've written all these things and said all these things just to hear myself talk?--No! I've said these things to you as an admonition, for your learning, so that you can grow thereby!
79. Pay attention to all these things that I've told you, for they are life and they are the way you should live your lives. They're for your good and for your training and for your upbringing. Now is the time to put away childish things and to embrace the Words which the Lord has given me for you. Now is the time to become a man or to become a woman. Put away childish things! Flee youthful lusts and put away frivolous and foolish things!
80. And by all means, put away envying and strife from among yourselves, comparing yourselves one with another, which the Scripture says is not wise. Get your eyes on Jesus! Get your eyes on the goal!
81. You're great kids and you're all Heaven-bound! The whole Family is going to Heaven! You're on your way to the Promised Land! So be sure to stay on board! Don't allow the Enemy to trip you up and get you off track. Grow up into what God has trained you for and has made you to be! Fulfill the purpose for which He has created you, and you'll be right in the center of His will, going for Him!
82. Do it, kids, for my sake, for Jesus' sake, for the sake of your brothers and sisters, for your parents who love you so, and great shall be your reward! You're great kids and God has a lot of great things in store for you, so keep going for Him. I love you! (End of prophecy.)
83. ({\ul \i Mama:) }The Lord and Dad both are trying to get all of us to grow up, to become mature Christians, leaders, shepherds. To do so requires commitment and conviction, yieldedness and obedience to the Word. Are you willing?
84. Here are a couple of reactions from those involved in this accident. The SGA driver of the van said:
85. "I have become familiar with driving and I've taken too many chances. I can even remember a couple of instances where I had some close calls which really shook me up. But sad to say, I would fall back into being a sloppy driver again. I know this sounds strange, but even after the Austin accident for some reason I just didn't think it would happen to me. If I could relive or change something in the last three years of driving, I would take driving more seriously. I haven't realized until now that every person's life is in the hands of the driver."
86. {\ul \i (Mama:) }A junior teen who was in the van said:
87. "I've noticed that a lot of times when we go out we're in a pretty light spirit in the car and we're not usually real prayerful. I never realized how dangerous a car can be. I feel that it was almost as much our fault as it was the driver's, because we were in a pretty light mood and we weren't being real prayerful."
88. {\ul \i (Mama:) }Still on the subject of driving, one of our TRF Supporters shared the following on their TRF:
89. "Winter! There can be extremely treacherous driving conditions when snow and ice are on the road. Someone borrowed our van and slid into the curb and cracked off part of the tire rim. It was a miracle he made it back without having a blow-out. I'm bringing this up because of the seriousness of driving and how it can be a life-and-death situation.
90. "I was born in Quebec and have lived here many years, and I can honestly say that most brethren are not as prayerful and serious about winter driving conditions as they should be. My personal policy is that when there is any fresh snow falling, I avoid driving if I have a choice. But it seems many brethren put their schedules first, instead of safety. I know you can't make a hard and fast rule about something like this, but it's important to know what the weather and driving conditions are, since a storm front or freezing rain, etc., can be a disaster if you are caught driving in it.
91. "Some brethren think driving in poor weather conditions is a matter of having faith. When you have a choice and can reschedule, I believe driving in poor weather conditions is more a lack of love than a question of faith, because the consequences of a serious accident affect others. A lot of the Family lives in northern climates, so perhaps an emphasis can be made on driving safely, especially in winter road conditions that are extremely dangerous."
92. ({\ul \i Mama:) }You're absolutely right! I couldn't agree with you more. Dad was always quite concerned about our people driving during rain, which could make the roads very slippery. Fresh snow is worse! It may not always be possible to avoid going out, but if the roads are wet or icy, you should try to avoid it if at all possible. If you must go, then you'd better go with desperate prayer, both before leaving and throughout the trip. And make sure your vehicle is properly equipped for such severe winter weather (snow and ice), either with snow tires or chains. Reading "Rules for Going Out" (ML #1591, GN Book 13) should help you when you're trying to decide if you should drive in poor weather conditions.
93. I'm very concerned about this driving issue, especially since I've heard from a number of sources that the attitude some of you young drivers have is that it's just fine to drive 10 miles per hour over the speed limit and that you only need to slow down at stop signs. If you have that attitude, you'd better not get behind the wheel! If I keep hearing about accidents, poor driving and flippant attitudes about driving from you young people, I'll amend the Charter so that you have to be over 21 to be a Family driver! I mean it!
94. You know the saying, "Speed kills"? I'd add that unprayerful driving by immature or out-of-the-spirit drivers also kills! If that's you, don't drive! If you're in a vehicle with someone like that, get out and walk! Don't let their poor driving cost you your service to the Lord. Don't end up in a hospital because you were afraid to speak up and tell someone to slow down! (For more on the Family standard of driving, please see FSM 296, "Becoming a Family Driver.")
95. Right after I had written the above point about driving, Peter and I received yet another report about a serious driving accident, which was sent in by a Home via their comments and suggestions on their TRF. I trust that you have already gotten the point about the urgent need to drive more carefully from what I said above, at least I pray you have, but because these dear brethren share such good lessons, I'll include their report and reactions as well. The shepherd of the Home involved reported:
96. "We had a major accident involving our Land Rover when our two YAs and one senior teen were driving to another city about three hours away to poster at the university. They got an hour out of town when they saw another car heading straight towards them in their lane. That car was trying to avoid a large pothole on his side of the road. (Potholes in the roads are a very serious driving hazard that have caused major accidents in this country.) Our team swerved to avoid the head-on collision, and went into the lane of oncoming traffic. They hit the pothole themselves, and ended up going over an embankment and rolling twice.
97. "The two girls were not hurt except for back bruises, aches and pains, thank You Jesus! Our YA driver sustained the most severe injuries, receiving three lacerations: a very deep gash on his right leg, a smaller gash on his left arm above his wrist, and his right upper ear torn. He received a total of 13 stitches.
98. "It's quite a miracle that all are okay, considering the seriousness of the accident! Thank the Lord! We've been praising and thanking the Lord for His miracle-working protection through this ordeal. This has been no small shake-up for our Home, causing us all to go to the Lord and the Word for the strength needed at this time.
99. "Since we first got the Land Rover, three months ago, our YA had been driving with me as the co-driver and vice versa. As well as driving around town, we've also driven together on long road trips for 8-12 hours and there had never been any problems. I had also tested him for some time. Land Rovers are not the easiest vehicles to drive because of the high center of gravity, but he was doing well as a driver, as far as skill goes.
100. "At various times, however, he had a hard time listening to driving tips and observations from me. The night before the kids left to go to this university, I got together with the whole team for prayer and to point some things out. I made it very clear about leaning desperately on the Lord and driving very carefully, which our YA seemed to laugh off a bit, like 'I know that.' I spoke to him about his attitude and reminded him of the serious responsibility of driving.
101. "Since the accident the Lord's been really speaking to our dear YA about depending more on the Lord and not being so self-confident. He's shared this and other precious lessons with the whole Home. God bless him!"
102. From the driver (19): "I've been having to fight a lot of battles and learn a lot of lessons through this whole experience, but the Word has really been pulling me through. One quote that especially kept me going was from 'Beauty for Ashes': 'Like a giant hand taking the honeycomb and squeezing it, and out comes the honey! Like Moses smiting the rock--it hurt the rock, but out came the water! Like a beautiful flower pressed and crushed, but out comes the perfume! Like the beautiful music that comes from the throat of a bird--almost as though in pain, yet it comes forth with a song!'
103. "This accident really hurt, not unbearably physically, but the thought of what I had done, mainly to the Land Rover, and what I had nearly done to the lives that were in my hands was very hard to bear. When I was being carried away from the wreck, I caught a glimpse of the Land Rover, and thought, 'What have I done?' But I was very thankful for God's protection and I knew there were lots of lessons I could learn from this.
104. "The first lesson I had to learn was to see things with the eyes of the Spirit, because whenever I would think of all the time, prayer, money and effort that the Home had put into getting the vehicle, thoughts would enter my mind that I should just give up or go back to Europe and get a job, etc. What really helped me through this time was talking about it together as a Home, and receiving prophecy and direction from the Lord as to where He was leading and what He was trying to show us.
105. "For myself personally, the main lesson the Lord was trying to get through to me on was about pride. I had begun to think there were different classes of people on our team and that I was better than some of the rest, and a more on-fire witness. Also, I was very proud of my driving and didn't like to take too many tips from others. The night before we left for the road trip, one of the adults had a get-together and prayer with us, pointing out different things to us. He mentioned to me that I shouldn't be too confident about my driving, but I resisted his correction a bit, mentioning that no one is perfect and that he isn't the perfect driver either, and that just because I am a YA doesn't mean that I don't know how to drive. So the Lord had to mash me a bit so that now I know that anything good I do is only Him! Lord help me!
106. "I re-read the Austin GNs and they really took on a new light and helped me see so many things in a different way. They helped encourage me to hang on to the Lord and not give up or think that God can't use me any more so I may as well just quit.
107. "Another blessing through it all was getting closer to the Lord and loving Him more, as my prayer life and time with the Lord had been really dwindling down to nearly nothing. Now I'm spending a lot more time in prayer and praising the Lord. Thank the Lord for the Word to hold on to and for being able to see the Romans 8:28 in it all."
TSers and the "Loving Jesus" GNs
108. Recently our TSers were sent more on the "Loving Jesus" revelation. As was explained in the Questions and Answers on the "Loving Jesus" GNs, Peter and I prayed about what to give the TSers when preparing the Birthday Feast pubs for the DO Family. (See ML #3033:71-75, GN 665.) At that time they received "Loving Jesus" parts 1 and 2. Then over the last few months, two other groups have prayed about the TSers, seeking the Lord's guidance about what to give them and when. The Lord indicated that now is the time for them to receive more of this message, but not the full DO version. So we sent them a slightly edited version of the excerpts of "Loving Jesus" parts 3 through 6 that went to JETTs in the DO Family.
109. When the two teams recently prayed about this subject, the prophecies the Lord gave were very interesting, because He explained what a privilege it is to be able to read all the New Wine, and why He cannot allow the TSers to read the DO version of the "Loving Jesus" GNs. The TSers do receive quite a few pubs, including many GNs. Peter and I give them as much as possible, because we love them and want them to be fed spiritually and strengthened, but the Lord made it clear that if people are not willing to pay the price to be in the inner circle of discipleship, the DO Family, then they forfeit some of the privileges, including some of the strong meat of the New Wine. Below are excerpts of some of the prophecies the Lord gave on this subject:
110. ({\ul \i Prophecy, Jesus speaking:)} Behold, there are concentric circles of discipleship. Each of these circles must be fed differently. Each of these circles must be given that which they deserve, and that which they appreciate, and that which they can digest. The strong meat of the Spirit, the strong meat of the Words of David, is reserved for those who appreciate it and desire it enough that they are willing to give their all that they might partake of the strong meat, the vintage Wine, the secrets of My Kingdom.
111. It is a high calling, it is a great blessing to partake of this revelation. It is a great gift that I have given unto My warriors, My intimate lovers, because I knew the desire of their heart, that it was to love Me more deeply and to follow Me more closely. Because of this desire, I was able to pour forth unto Maria and unto Peter these Words of life and truth.
112. It was the desire, the vacuum, the hunger of My children that made it possible, because I knew that they would receive it, and they would appreciate it, and they would be willing to live it.--Not just to read it for information or for curiosity, but to read it with desperate hearts and to put it into practice. Even though it was difficult, even though it cost them their pride and their carnal-mindedness, they were willing to yield and humble themselves because of their great hunger and their desire to follow closely.
113. But those who are not totally committed, those who are not willing to humble themselves completely, to forsake their sins, I have not called them to My private banquet room to eat of these rich foods of the Spirit. This is a sacrifice that they must make. This is a blessing that they must forfeit. It is of their own choice. For those who love Me most follow closely, and therefore I am able to bless them more richly. I am able to reveal unto them the truth of My Spirit more clearly, because I trust their faith, their yieldedness and their willingness to receive. It has been proven over and over again.
114. So these, My warriors, these who are doing their utmost to serve Me and follow Me and please Me, I have blessed with the full message, the full counsel, the strong meat, great treasures and great wonders from My Heavenly Kingdom, and it is a great privilege.
115. Those who are of the other circle [EDITED: "the TRF Supporters"] can be fed of this Truth, but it must be filtered, it must be sifted, it must be blended, that it might be more easily received and digested. Feed them the principles. Feed them what you can without the details, without the intimate sexual revelation. Those who are truly hungry, those who want more, will come knocking at your door, and they will beg and they will plead and say, "Give us more, for we desire the strong meat! We desire to sit at the table of David at the banquet, in the inner room." As you give unto them the principles, it will create a hunger in those who are worthy. They will come knocking and begging, and they will be willing to make whatever sacrifice is necessary that they might eat of the strong meat of the Words of David.
116. So give unto these of the principles and let those who are worthy come to you. Let them make the sacrifice necessary that they might prove themselves worthy to eat of these fine, fine foods, these delicacies, the riches of My Spirit. For the intimacies of My bed and the lovemaking of My Spirit, as I have revealed unto Maria and Peter, are truly great intimacies and they are not for everyone. They are only for those who can believe and receive and have faith. (End of prophecy.)
117. ({\ul \i Mama:) }Dad also spoke on this subject, explaining that the full "Loving Jesus" revelation is not for the weak. He explained that this revelation in its entirety is for the DO Family, because you have been fighting and pressing in in the Spirit; you've been desperate with the Lord. Here's what he said:
118. {\ul \i (Prophecy, Dad speaking:)} There are many reasons that people are weak in faith, but usually it is because they're not pressing into the Spirit, they're not fighting, they're not trying to understand deeper spiritual principles. But the principles of this revelation will help them [EDITED: "the TS Family"] and it will strengthen them, and in time many of them will be more prepared for the full revelation.
119. This will feed them and help them, and in many it will create a vacuum for more. It will help them to get more desperate with the Lord and to try to become more spiritually attuned so that they will be able to receive greater truths from the spirit world, and have a more intimate, loving and sexy relationship with Jesus.
120. So it's going well and the timing is right. The inner circle is now becoming accustomed to loving Jesus in this manner and saying the words and loving the Lord with each other, and it's helping them greatly, as you can see. So now is the time to give this revelation, the principles, to others little by little. (End of prophecy excerpt.)
121. ({\ul \i Mama:) }You of the DO Family are more privileged than the TS Family when it comes to feasting at the Lord's banquet table. Just as a man gives special blessings to his most obedient children, so the Lord rewards you with the special blessing of being more intimate with Him. Dad explained that you who are faithfully upholding the DO standard are more spiritual. You've had your spirits strengthened through reading the Word, praying, working for the Lord full-time, giving your whole lives, everything, forsaking all, so the Lord blesses you accordingly, and He pours out more to you.
122. Of course, the Lord promised in the above prophecy that there will be some TSers who will come to your doors begging for more, hungry to eat the strong meat, which in this case means the full "Loving Jesus" revelation. Such TSers are welcome to begin the process of reinstatement to DO status as per the Charter (what the Lord refers to in the above prophecy as the "sacrifice necessary"), after which they will be eligible to read all the DO pubs. Some of our TSers are also very dedicated to the Lord and faithful witnesses for Him, and a number of them have recently rejoined the DO ranks or are going through the process of becoming DO members again.
123. When Dad was explaining in prophecy about what parts of the "Loving Jesus" revelation to give the TSers, he also spoke concerning the Lord's protection, which was very encouraging. Here's what he said:
124. ({\ul \i Prophecy, Dad speaking:) }You can't worry about the ones who are going to steal it [EDITED: "the Word on "Loving Jesus""] and take it out and mock it and make fun of it and use it wrongly. That's not your problem, that's their problem. As long as you do things wisely and you distribute the Word grains the way the Lord shows you, then He'll take care of all the rest. Don't worry, He'll keep and protect you through it all--through any persecution, attacks or harassment you receive from this. Whatever problems may arise, they will be small when compared to the value in the Spirit that is being accomplished through this revelation, these beautiful Words of the Lord's intimacy with His children.
125. It's just so wonderful and we're all so happy about it! We're so happy to see our people growing and becoming more spiritual and more content and happier in their service for the Lord. What a wonderful Family! What receptive people the Lord has given us. Thank you for feeding them, Honey, and being such a wonderful shepherdess. I love you! (End of prophecy excerpt.)
Things Are Goin' Better Than Ever!
126. ({\ul \i Mama:) }In this Letter I have addressed some of the problems that I've been hearing about. Even though I had to spend time talking about them, please don't forget that there have also been tremendous victories won! We have made tremendous progress since the Charter began, winning more souls, reaching more people, going to more countries, learning more lessons, gaining more victories, having more children, opening more Homes, and in some ways, things are going better than they ever have!
127. So even though we are having some problems, even though some of you have gone a bit overboard in misapplying the freedoms granted to you by the Charter, even though it's a bit unsettling to see so much change happening all around you, remember what Dad wrote in "Our Anchor Holds":
128. "We can take changes like that because we have an Anchor that holds us steadfast and sure! We have a Rock that is always solid that we can always trust! We have that Rock, we have that Anchor that keeps us safe and secure all the time, no matter what the waves are like, the constantly changing sea and constantly changing life we live.
129. "We have Someone in Whom we can rest reassured, eternally secure, knowing that we don't have anything to even worry about! He's going to solve every problem and always meet the need, whatever it is, and keep us safely wherever we are, whatever we're doing!
130. "We have that Anchor! We have that Rock to hold on to!--Our faith!--The Lord! So it hardly matters what happens around us on the constantly changing sea of life; it doesn't bother us that much. We can survive it and surmount it and we can live on! We know we've lived through past changes and we can live through these, because the Lord is without change!" (ML #2587:6-8, GN 406).
131. {\ul \i (Mama:) }Dad recently spoke in prophecy, giving some very encouraging words about the problems we've been facing since the advent of the Love Charter, which I know will inspire you:
132. ({\ul \i Prophecy, Dad speaking:)} Every few years the tree needs pruning and cutting back. Although this would seem to hurt the tree, it actually helps it to be more fruitful. These problems that are surfacing since the Charter will eventually turn out to be blessings. Without the Charter, problems were more disguised; they were contained, because things were more controlled. But with the Charter, everyone's true motives and true colors and problems can come to the fore, rather than being hidden. It's much the same as during the RNR when the top leadership was fired and the Homes and people were given their newfound freedom.
133. It takes time to learn how to handle freedom. It takes time for the caged bird to learn that he can fly. It takes time to learn how to make decisions and to be responsible. Sometimes it takes years! So those who are sincere will need room to make mistakes. Sometimes, like the preachers' kids, as soon as they get away from home and parents and restrictions, they let it all hang out, causing all kinds of trouble and doing what they know they shouldn't. But with time they learn to settle down, after they get it out of their system. Then there are also those who don't quite have what it takes, and when given the freedom, throw everything to the wind and never quite get it out of their system. They are extra weight, and these are they that the tree needs to be purged of.
134. Just like during the RNR, the Family had to experiment and learn how to handle its freedom. Those who were sincere, the Lord kept them, and those who weren't were eventually shed. So how can you tell who's really got what it takes and who doesn't? Just watch and wait. The people who have got what it takes just need to get a few kinks out, and then they'll start delivering the goods. But if they don't have a change after awhile, then they're bad fruit.
135. There were many of the same problems at the time of the RNR: disobeying leadership, not paying their bills, being delinquent, messy Homes, unruly children, not caring for single moms as they should, not witnessing. But it didn't really last that long, and the Family became better for it. At first it looked like the Family might go under with no leadership, no income, the witnessing way down, and people off doing their own thing. It took a few years to recover from that, but the fruit of that is what prepared the Family for persecution, because what remained were good, strong members, good, solid disciples. So we can be encouraged that the Lord knew best.
136. Sometimes you have to let the worst come out so you know what to get rid of, to know where people stand and where their hearts are at, and then you know who's got what it takes. Those whose hearts really aren't in the Family and aren't keeping the standard and the Word, the Lord will take care of them in His time, just like He did after the RNR.
137. The Family is still revoluting, and we've gone through many revolutions that have purged the ranks: the Discipleship Revolution, the RNR, FFing, the Charter and the New Wine. It's a continual purging, and the Lord will continue to keep the Family a Gideon's band! (End of prophecy.)
138. Thank you, my dearest Family, for your wonderful faithfulness and dedication to the Lord! I greatly admire your fighting spirit, and know that great is your reward in Heaven! God bless and keep you close to Jesus, our precious Husband, Lover and King!
Love,
Mama
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family