July 16, 2004
(ML #3501, GN 1088)
FD/MM/FM July 2004
(ML #1827‚ DB 2.)
3. SO I'LL TELL YOU, THIS IS THE BIGGEST RESPONSIBILITY YOU HAVE EVER HAD, LIVING IN THIS HOME! You think it's the greatest glory you ever had & the most wonderful thing that ever happened to you & you've heard lots of wonderful testimonies of what a wonderful thing it is to be here—well, it may be a wonderful thing, but it is a terrible responsibility! We mean business & I'm not just joking! We're serious about these rules, & anybody who breaks them—I don't care even if you do it in secret—God knows! He'll catch you & you'll suffer for it, you'll be sorry.
4. Remember Tim Concerned?—Well, he wasn't very concerned about [us]! He went back to Rachel's crowd. When Tim left us we immediately moved because we didn't know how far he'd go.
5. WHEN PEOPLE START GOING THEIR OWN WAY INSTEAD OF GOD'S WAY, YOU CAN'T TRUST THEM ANY MORE. When they start breaking the rules & the customs & the advice & the instructions that I have given this Family‚ even the tiniest littlest things because they thought perhaps they were exceptions, because they were bigshot leaders, so they didn't have to pay any attention to those little rules, you can't trust them any more.—"Why, Dad doesn't mean me!" Jethro used to get up & say, "Well, you know Dad, he doesn't really mean that! He doesn't expect me or you to have to do things like that. He says drink only one or two cups of coffee a day"—he drank six—"but I don't have to keep that!—After all, I'm one of the bigshot leaders, you know!"
6. WHEN YOU CAN'T KEEP THE TINIEST LITTLE "LEAST OF ALL THESE COMMANDMENTS," WE BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT YOU & WORRY ABOUT YOU & NOT TRUST YOU TO KEEP THE BIG COMMANDMENTS! If you can't even keep the little ones, how can we trust you to keep the big ones? Do you understand what I'm talking about?—People who break the little commandments & just brush them aside, "Oh well‚ Dad doesn't mean me, he doesn't expect me to pay any attention to that. I don't have to do that! After all, I'm one of the upper crust, I'm the aristocracy, I'm the Royal Family!" or "I'm one of the leaders of the Chain, or I'm a LAS, or a DAS, or a NO‚ & I don't have to keep those silly little rules!"
7. LET ME TELL YOU, IF I HAVE WRITTEN IT IN A LETTER & I HAVE TOLD YOU TO DO SO–&-SO & NOT TO DO SO-&-SO, I MEAN YOU—EVERY ONE OF YOU! Nobody is too big a shot or too important a leader to not keep the least little rule that I have given the Family‚ including coffee-drinking, sun–tanning or whatever it may be! If you break those rules, you're apt to break any rules & you'll get further & further away! Pretty soon you'll think, "Well, that rule doesn't apply to me either, the other doesn't apply to me either, I don't have to do that either!"
8. I WANT TO TELL YOU, IT'S THOSE LITTLE FOXES THAT EAT THE VINES! (SoS.2:15) In the early days, Saul was head & shoulders above his brethren, a man of talents, big man, a man of ability, great leader, good organizer, a tremendous king, & God said to him, "When thou wast little in thine own sight, I did highly exalt thee." (1Sam.15:17) But the day came when Saul thought he could get along without obeying God's rules & without obeying God's Prophet, that he could do it his way.—He didn't have to listen to the Prophet‚ he didn't have to pay any attention to his rules & his orders—in this case his Letters—& he went ahead & did it his way.
9. THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST HORRIBLE SONGS THAT FRANK SINATRA EVER MADE POPULAR, "I DID IT MY WAY!" That's like that poem "Invictus": "My head is bloody but unbowed! I am the captain of my fate‚ the master of my soul!"—And whoever wrote that went straight to Hell! That's where people go who have that attitude.
10. IF YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SOMEBODY IMPORTANT, A LEADER, WHOEVER YOU ARE, & YOU CLAIM TO HAVE DONE THE WILL OF GOD & A GREAT WORK LIKE SAUL DID, why do I hear this lowing of the cattle & this bleating of the sheep of some of these little sins & little transgressions, these tiny little foxes eating the vines, sapping your strength, sapping your spirit, sapping your very soul because you have disobeyed the slightest‚ tiniest, littlest, least of all the rules?
11. DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET AWAY WITH IT! IF I DON'T CATCH YOU OR ONE OF US DOESN'T CATCH YOU, GOD KNOWS ABOUT IT & HE'LL CATCH YOU, & YOU WILL PAY FOR IT! Sooner or later you will pay for it & you will reap what you have sowed!—And that means you, Faithy, & every last one of you!—I'm talking to every one of you! Because when people begin to break the little rules, pretty soon there's no rule too big to break. "He that is unfaithful in that which is least will be unfaithful also in that which is much!" (Lk.16:10)
12. If you allow the Devil to get in in one little tiny thing, in the least disobedience to these rules we have laid down, it shows that you have a chink in your armour‚ a crack in the dyke, a little place for the Devil to get in. And if you disobey the least of these commandments, you are going to be guilty of all! (Jam.2:10) And "He that shall break the least of these commandments & shall teach men so"—even if you're saved—He says, "shall be the least in the Kingdom of God." (Mt.5:19)
13. THIS IS THE TOUGHEST OUTFIT YOU HAVE EVER WORKED IN! We have the toughest rules & the toughest jobs & the toughest work & the least recognition for it!
14. DO YOU KNOW WHAT JUDAS' JOB WAS? The enemies didn't know where Jesus & the disciples hung out in the middle of the night when the crowds weren't around Him. They were afraid to arrest Him in broad daylight because He was always surrounded by mobs that might attack them if they tried to arrest Him, so they had to sneak up on Him in the dark, in the middle of the night, the cowards! They were the High Priest's soldiers, not the Romans. It was the Temple guards who did it. But first they had to find out where He lived, where He spent His time at night.
15. SOMETIMES I'VE ALMOST GOTTEN FED UP WITH THE CONFINEMENT OF [AN OFFICE] COLONY & SAID, "I'M GETTING STIR CRAZY! I'd like to get out of here & go someplace, do something, take a vacation, a change of scenery somewhere!" But after thinking better of it & murmuring & complaining a little bit, I think maybe that's why the Lord let me get so sick—I was just getting ready to take off! I was going to take a trip & go somewhere, to get out of here for awhile!
16. BUT LOOK‚ WE HAVE EVERYTHING A HEART COULD DESIRE! We have a gorgeous house to live in‚ plenty to eat, comfortable bed, you're doing what you like to do & working for the Lord, serving God & even in our household, & in some ways you have the best security you ever had.
18. THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS, DELICATE JOB YOU EVER HAD IN THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE YOU EVER LIVED! The Devil knows that you & I are the greatest threat to his kingdom in this World! The churches aren't doing him much harm, they're not battering at his gates‚ the gates of Hell. But let me tell you, he's afraid of us & he attacks us any way he can get in—into any little weak character who's not 100% sold–out & loyal & faithful & diligent & spiritual & absolutely all-out for Jesus & us!
20. THEY COULDN'T FIND JESUS, THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE HE HUNG OUT IN THE DARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, so they had to bribe one of His Own disciples to lead'm there & show'm where He was hiding. "Judas, betrayest thou Me with a kiss?" Jesus asked. (Lk.22:48) Imagine, he went up to Him & kissed Him! I've had people kiss me who I felt were betrayers, & later they turned out to be! They could pretend to love me & kiss me & big smiles & everything's fine‚ but later on betrayed me!
23. THAT'S WHY THE DEVIL POSSESSED ONE OF JESUS' OWN DISCIPLES, JUDAS, TO BETRAY JESUS‚ BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY HE COULD GET AT HIM. And when Jesus finally dismissed Judas, it said that the Devil entered into him! (Jn.13:27) And it uses a Greek word that is only used for Satan, capitalized, Diablo, the Devil! The Devil didn't leave that job to any little underling, he did that dirty job himself! He personally possessed Judas to do the job of betraying Jesus.—And he will try to get into you every way he possibly can & do the same if he can, if you don't look out! And I mean it!
24. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE DEEPLY ON YOUR GUARD IN THE LORD & IN THE WORD & IN SPIRIT OR HE COULD GET INTO YOU & DO THE SAME THING! You say‚ "What do you mean, Lord?—Me? I'm saved! How could the Devil get into me?" He gets into a lot of people in unguarded moments! Any time you just let down your guard & for a minute you're off guard or out of the Spirit, disobedient, willful‚ murmuring, complaining, sorry you came, just any little thing the Devil can use‚ he'll get in. He's waiting! (1Pet.5:8)
25. THANK GOD WE ARE SURROUNDED WITH A GREAT COMPANY OF ANGELS! Hallelujah! TYJ! (Tongues:) TYJ! PYL! Hallelujah! "Ye lie protected by My angels, & I have kept thy father through lo these many years!" Hallelujah! TYJ! PTL! Amen! TYL! I'll tell you‚ if it weren't for that, if it weren't for the Lord and His angels, we'd have been gone long ago. Because I want to warn you, that out beyond this circle of angels which are camped 'round about us here, there is an even bigger circle of devils & demons & Satan himself trying to get in!—Waiting for just one little opportunity, one little crack, one little bad thought, one little evil idea on your mind or heart‚ & that becomes his territory, that becomes his avenue to get into you!
26. IF YOU DON'T GO ALL THE WAY WITH THE LORD‚ YOU'LL GO ALL THE WAY WITH THE DEVIL, EVEN IF YOU'RE SAVED! He'll so deceive you because of your disobedience. If you don't believe the Truth & follow the Truth, then you will believe a lie & follow the lie to your damnation!—I don't mean Hell, but the rod of God with which He can clobber you if He has to, to protect His Work & His Kingdom!
27. IF YOU STAY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WANT TO SO BAD THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW TOUGH IT IS, HOW HARD IT IS, HOW TIGHT IT IS, HOW CONFINING IT IS, YOU LOVE IT & YOU WANT IT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THIS LIFE, TO SERVE THE LORD WHERE IT WILL COUNT THE MOST! You may not witness to a soul‚ you may not get out a piece of lit, but you are going to be responsible & have a share in almost every single piece of lit that is passed out & every soul that's witnessed to & is won by those who do! Because this is where it comes from!
28. SO THAT'S HOW SERIOUS YOUR JOB IS HERE & THAT'S HOW SERIOUS YOUR SITUATION IS HERE & [we] depend on you & your faithfulness & your loyalty & your obedience‚ strict obedience to every single rule without exception!
29. DON'T THINK YOU'RE SOME KIND OF AN EXCEPTION JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE SOME BIGSHOT LEADER or you've got such an important job that you think, "Well, I can get away with it, I'm so indispensable!" Nobody's indispensable, not if they don't obey, for you can't trust for anybody who doesn't obey all the rules‚ every single one of the rules without exception! Amen? GBY!
30. NOBODY HERE'S AN EXCEPTION! I'M NOT AN EXCEPTION!
32. I can't keep you faithful, I can't make you obey no matter how hard I lay down the rules or try to enforce them. You have a free will, you're a free moral agent. God has given you the majesty of choice, & like everybody else & everything else in this World, He's given you the power to choose to do good or evil & you have to choose it. You have to be willing & want to obey & keep the rules. You've got to feel that they're right & righteous & good & necessary & want to keep them.
33. IF YOU THINK ANY OF THEM ARE TOO HARD &, "WELL, I DON'T HAVE TO KEEP THIS LITTLE ONE OR I DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT & THAT'S TOO MUCH," ETC., you had better watch out, because the Lord is going to hold you responsible & accountable & He knows your every thought & every word & every deed! And I warn you, I beg of you, not to break a single rule or it will be an avenue for the Devil to get in, & that's only the beginning‚ because it will be worse from there on until you fail God & me & the Family & God only knows how much havoc you might wreak!
34. SO I HOPE THIS LITTLE TALK HAS HELPED YOU REALISE THE SERIOUSNESS OF OUR SITUATION, THE IMPORTANCE OF SECURITY, THE ABSOLUTE IMPERATIVENESS OF OBEDIENCE & THE DANGER OF DISOBEDIENCE, even the slightest little thing that you might not think is important, like an extra cup of coffee or an extra glass of wine, thinking, "Dad will never know the difference!" Don't break these rules!
35. SO DO BE PRAYERFUL & ON YOUR GUARD & CAREFUL! You're fighting a dangerous war, & this Unit is under attack all the time without ceasing in some way, & you don't want to be the one who's the hole in the wall or the breach, do you? Stay close to the Lord in prayer & in the Word & in Jesus to keep you from straying in the slightest little thing. Amen? PTL? It's not so nice living here after all, huh?—Pretty tough! But it has its compensations. It has its benefits, praise the Lord!
36. AMEN LORD, WE'VE HAD TO TELL'M WHAT WE'VE TOLD'M TO IMPRESS ON THEM THE SERIOUSNESS OF IT & the danger of any laxity or digression which can become a transgression against even Thy laws, Lord, & endanger the work. Help them to keep these rules‚ help them to keep these laws‚ help them to be led of Thy Spirit every moment & to heed & mind the checks of Thy Spirit even on things that perhaps we haven't had time or a chance yet to tell them about, things that they must be very prayerful & careful about.
37. HELP THIS TALK NOT TO STRIKE FEAR INTO ANYONE'S HEART, BUT HELP THEM TO KNOW THAT AS LONG AS THEY STAY CLOSE TO YOU & IN YOU, IF THE BRANCH ABIDES IN THE VINE, THEN YOU'LL TAKE CARE OF IT & IT'LL BEAR FRUIT! They have nothing to worry about as long as they stay in the Vine, in Thy Word, in Thy Spirit, in Thy will‚ in Thy work & keeping the rules‚ in Thy Law. You'll keep them, Lord, if they'll keep what we've asked them to keep & You want them to keep. So they have nothing to worry about or to fear as long as they obey.
(ML #2417, DB 8.)
1. THIS FAMILY STARTED OUT AS A TOUGH ARMY FOR THE LORD, WITH STRICT DISCIPLINE for all of its soldiers!—And I STILL believe that's GOD'S way! That's the way He runs His Family & His Church! In fact, I believe the Lord, in a sense, permitted or created or allowed the WORLD'S ARMIES & MILITARY to be a physical example of what He expects of HIS Army: Total absolute unquestioning LOYALTY!—Total absolute OBEDIENCE & FAITHFULNESS!
2. WAY BACK IN OUR EARLIEST DAYS, IN THE "REVOLUTIONARY RULES", WE MADE IT CLEAR WHAT WE EXPECT OF OUR MEMBERS: "The Discipline of Jesus' Revolutionaries must be absolute 'OBEDIENCE to them that have the rule over them, for they care for your souls, as they that must themselves give account.’-Heb.13:17. You must obey implicitly, quickly & without question your officers in the Lord, if you wish to remain a member of this Team!" (See ML No.S)
3. IT'S JUST A SAD FACT OF HUMAN NATURE THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY STANDING RIGHT OVER YOU MAKING YOU DO THE RIGHT THINGS, some person in the flesh, then you often won't do them. This is why we have to have officers & leaders to lead & coordinate our troops to win victories for the Lord. It virtually HAS to be this way in ANY kind of organization. There is no army in the World, there's no organization in the World‚ there is no business in the World, there's not even a family in the World that doesn't have a BOSS!
4. BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE THE GUY AT MY FLORIDA MISSIONARY TRAINING CAMP who told me, "I'm not going to take orders from you or your wife or anybody but GOD!" So I said, "Okay, Buddy, get out of my trailer & out of my yard & go somewhere where all you have to do is serve GOD, & that's fine with me! But as long as you're living in MY yard & MY trailer & eating MY food, you're going to take orders from ME! Period!"—And that's the last I saw of him & his wife & his nine children!
5. PEOPLE LIKE THAT WHO THINK THEY DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ORDERS FROM ANYBODY BUT GOD DON'T BELONG IN THIS OUTFIT!—Because we are a Family of UNIFIED LEADERSHIP & totally DEDICATED FOLLOWERSHIP of all-out‚ forsake-all, do–or-die disciples who are willing to obey God & follow His God-given leadership anywhere, anyhow, anytime in anything to the very end of the Earth!—With anybody in order to reach everybody! Hallelujah!—That's why we've succeeded & gotten the job done while countless other groups & churches have failed!
6. SOMETIMES WHEN THE BATTLE IS RAGING AS WE LAUNCH OUR ATTACKS AGAINST SATAN'S STRONGHOLDS, SPLIT-SECOND BATTLEFRONT DECISIONS MUST BE MADE.—And sometimes this means following leadership blindly by faith on the spur of the moment, when there isn't time for them to explain, or even ask you if you'd like to. But when the emergency is over, it's best for leadership to try to readjust & explain things afterwards if possible.
7. WHEN MY FIRST SET OF CHILDREN WERE SMALL‚ I USED TO ALWAYS TRY TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY I WAS ASKING THEM TO DO CERTAIN THINGS, & would try to get them to choose to do them of their own accord after they understood the reasons why it was necessary.-That is, if we had TIME! However‚ in certain sudden EMERGENCIES, when we had to do something QUICK, when there wasn't time to discuss it or argue, I had to tell them to do it, "Just because I SAID so!—I'll tell you why LATER!" And they usually obeyed in such emergencies, because they knew I was usually RIGHT.—And that I USUALLY tried to explain to them when I COULD, & let them make their own choice when it WAS possible!
8. BUT WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS‚ THEY TRUSTED ME TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. And this is true of any general in battle. In peacetime‚ there's more time for training & explaining, & even suggestions from the ranks, & even requests for transfer, if some buck private feels like he's a square peg in a round hole & wants a change.
9. BUT IN WARTIME WE'RE IN A HURRY, & we can't always take time to explain or figure everything out in advance & wait for you to volunteer. Sometimes, when the battle is raging & the fighting is furious, we have to move, & move FAST, before the Devil moves in ahead of us!—And you'll just have to TRUST your leadership under such circumstances, that they're doing what's best‚ the best way they know how, & hopefully will be able to explain it to you later!
10. I'VE MADE IT CLEAR IN THE LETTERS THAT ALL OF OUR LEADERS SHOULD BE WILLING TO CONSIDER VARIOUS POINTS OF VIEW in order to base their decisions on good, well-rounded COUNSEL. And though I believe in unity & loyal & faithful obedience to leadership in the Lord, I still do NOT believe that these are total absolutes which must be put above reason, right‚ Scripture & personal conviction of God's Truth! Blind obedience can sometimes be TOO blind, & it's always best that "every man be fully persuaded in his OWN mind!"—Rom.14:5.
11. BESIDES HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO OBEY, I BELIEVE SOMETIMES IF AN UNDER-OFFICER OR A FOLLOWER HAS A QUESTION or feels a doubt about carrying out his superior officer's order, then it is also his responsibility to VOICE it: "Excuse me‚ but I had a question about such-&-such. I wonder if perhaps we should do so-&-so? What about this or that, don't you think maybe so-&-so?"—It's almost like a form of witnessing, of delivering your soul if you think your leader's wrong.
12. I THINK IF YOU HAVE ANY SERIOUS QUESTION ABOUT AN ORDER OR DECISION, THAT YOU SHOULD MENTION IT. If you have any reservation about it, any doubt about it, if it just doesn't seem right to you, you ought to at least MENTION it‚ you should try to DISCUSS it with your leadership. Good leaders will welcome questions, suggestions, & even ideas contrary to their own! They know they need to see all sides, & to consider others' opinions prayerfully before the Lord, & will try to agree together on a unanimous decision with their co-workers if possible!
13. SO IF YOU HAVE STRONG CONVICTIONS ABOUT SOMETHING, & YOUR LEADERSHIP IS WISE, THEY WILL BE WILLING TO TRY & TEST IT. I know when people question ME‚ I often say, "Well, I don't know‚ maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong. We'll see." Sometimes I might even say, "Well, I doubt it, but let's try it & see." Often the only way we're going to KNOW if something is right or wrong is by putting it into effect & TRYING it. That's the acid test. (See Jn.7:17; Mat.7:20)
14. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IF I'VE GOTTEN SOMETHING DIRECTLY & SPECIFICALLY FROM THE LORD ON A MATTER, it is my duty to obey THAT, & NOT be too dissuaded or stopped by others' doubts or questions. (Maria: So what is the responsibility of the officer who questions something?) It is only to QUESTION it & to MENTION it & to SAY it, but if this does not change the mind of your superior, then you have to carry it out, whether you like it or believe it or not, without murmuring & without bitterness, knowing that the LORD is in control, & if something IS wrong, He'll eventually straighten everything out.
15. THE SUPERIOR OFFICER SHOULD BE WILLING TO CHANGE HIS DECISION IF HE FINDS THAT IT WASN'T THE RIGHT CHOICE AFTER ALL. But if you don't agree with your superior officer & he doesn't agree with the counsel you've given, then it's your place to just PRAY & OBEY! God's Word says‚ "OBEY them that have the rule over you, & submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy & not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."—Heb.13:17.—Even if they're wrong!
16. ONE OF MY FIRST UNDER–OFFICERS ONCE TOLD ME LONG AGO, "I THINK YOU'RE WRONG, BUT YOU'RE STILL THE BOSS, SO I'LL DO WHAT YOU SAY!" If reasoning, discussion & prayer with your leaders in love cannot change their minds about something you don't agree on, then you are still obligated to obey them whether you like it & them or not. Otherwise you are breaking the chain of cooperation, which is anarchy & will bring chaos!
17. (MARIA: BUT IF YOU ARE PERSUADED THAT YOUR SUPERIOR IS WRONG, are you ever obligated to report it to an even HIGHER authority?) If there is a higher authority to whom you can appeal & bring your question to & say, "I don't think this is the right thing they're telling me to do," yes. If you are personally convinced that something is really WRONG with your leader's actions or orders, & that God's Work is being damaged or His sheep are being abused, mistreated or hurt as a result, then it is your DUTY to report it to a higher authority! Remember the old saying‚ "Failure to REPORT a crime IS a crime!"
18. IF THE SITUATION IS THAT BAD & YOU'VE FACED SOMEBODY WITH IT‚ if you don't get any action & you think it's really SERIOUS, then you should definitely try to get help from somebody else. But while you're waiting for help or for word or counsel, you shouldn't be disobedient & have a mutiny & refuse to cooperate with your leadership. If no help comes, you're going to have to trust the Lord. If you're convinced that it's the LORD'S Work, then you need to have faith that somehow‚ sometime, the situation is going to be straightened out & that the Lord is USING it in some way for His glory, even though it may not look like it to you.
19. IF YOU CAN'T PERSUADE YOUR SUPERIOR THAT YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING, YOU STILL HAVE TO OBEY, because, right or wrong, he's still the boss. Insubordination & rebellion against leadership cannot be allowed in any man's army, REGARDLESS of who the leadership are & what the problem is! Regardless of what mistakes they may have made in the past, if they continue to be left in charge by THEIR overseers, then you continue to owe them your allegiance, respect & obedience.
20. YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO LOVE, HONOUR‚ RESPECT & OBEY YOUR LEADERSHIP, not only for their words, their works & their good fruits, but because GOD has chosen them & placed them in that position of responsibility. They are HIS officers, HIS representatives, & any lack of respect for them shows a lack of respect for the Government of God which He has ordained. This is regardless of whether you like their personality or always agree with their way of doing things.
21. AS THEY USED TO TEACH US IN THE ARMY, "It doesn't matter what you think of the MAN, respect him for his POSITION, his AUTHORITY. If you don't like the guy, at least salute him for the sake of the UNIFORM he wears & the position & authority he bears & the Government he represents, the fact that the Army has entrusted him with such a position." In other words, it's like you're saluting the ARMY, not just the individual personality.
22. AND IF YOUR LEADERSHIP HAPPENS TO BE YOUNGER THAN YOU ARE—in actual age‚ or in their length of time in the Family—you STILL need to salute the uniform they wear & "despise not their youth".—1Tim.4:12. Spiritual maturity is not merely a matter of years or time, but it's a matter of a per son's connection with the Lord & His Word, & their obedience & their humility!
23. SOMEONE'S LENGTH OF SERVICE & AGE IN THE FAMILY DOES NOT NECESSARILY MAKE THEM A GOOD LEADER! It's "by their FRUITS ye shall know them!"—Mat.7:20.—Not by how ancient they are! So regardless of your leader's age, you should "give HONOUR to whom honor is DUE!"—Rom.13:7. Amen?
24. WE'VE HAD SERIOUS TROUBLE RESULT FROM DISCIPLES FAILING TO HEED THE WARNINGS or obey the instructions of their leadership in certain situations! You should remember that obedience to & cooperation with the Lord's leaders could save your life & liberty for the Lord's service! Every good soldier must try his best not to be a casualty!
25. IN MORE THAN ONE INSTANCE, THE LORD'S WORK HAS SUFFERED GREATLY because some stupid, dumb, idiotic‚ rebellious people have REFUSED to respect their leadership or heed their leaders' warnings! And they independently went ahead doing what THEY thought was right without even counseling with their shepherds, resulting in such serious mistakes & breaches of security that the Family was forced to abandon entire mission fields!—All because some people never even counseled, never consulted, never obeyed the Letters, never even obeyed direct warnings from their own leaders NOT to do so–&-so, & TO do so-&–so!
26. BELOVED, TIME IS SHORT, & WE SHOULD ALL BE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE LORD & WITH EACH OTHER in one great, final UNITED effort to win as many as we can to the Lord before His soon coming! Times are waxing worse & worse until the End comes, so we need to work more & more together in greater strength & unity & power & fellowship & leadership in order to fight the tough battles ahead in united strength together! That's the only way we're going to overcome the Enemy & rescue all the lost souls we can from his fiendish grip!
27. THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO WIN THIS WAR IS TO FIGHT IT TOGETHER!—Not AGAINST each other, but together WITH each other against the ENEMY! Let's win it together so we can shout the victory together & greet God together in the end! Hallelujah? Praise God!
28. LET'S LEARN TO FOLLOW LEADERSHIP, FOLLOW SUGGESTIONS & LEARN TO RESPECT AUTHORITY, amen? If you can't even take a SUG GESTION, you're probably not going to be willing to take an ORDER. And if you can't take an ORDER, you're not going to be OBEDIENT; and if you can't be obedient‚ let me tell you, you're not going to be in the FAMILY very long!—Because this is an ARMY run on basic army principles, and one of the MAIN ones is that you've got to be able to follow ORDERS and take COMMANDS!—And if you're REAL smart, you'll even take SUGGESTIONS!
31. AND PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU STICK CLOSE TO & FOLLOW THE LEADERS WHO HAVE NEVER LET YOU DOWN, who faithfully kept on leading even when most of the Family's other leadership failed!—The ONLY leaders the Family had for years‚ the Lord's LETTERS! If you'll just read & study them, share them, pray over them & follow the light of their truth, you will be melted together in His Love‚ blended together in His Truth, joined together as one body, fitly joined together according to His Word!
32. THE LETTERS ARE A CONSTANT SOURCE OF LEADERSHIP THAT WILL ALWAYS KEEP YOU ON THE RIGHT TRACK! If you're following the WORD, you are following the PROPHET, & if you're following God's Prophet, you're following GOD! PTL! "Kiss the Words of thy father & hide them within thy heart & OBEY them, if thou wouldst be HAPPY in ME!"
(ML #3016:73-87, Lifelines 22.)
73. (Mama:) When people knowingly misuse the Law of Love and wrest it to satisfy their lusts‚ instead of applying it in a loving, giving manner, it causes others to question it, to wonder how it can possibly be a good thing. In some cases, Family members have acted unlovingly, and when they have, they have sinned. "To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).
74. Besides the biblical definition just given, another good definition of sin is "deliberate disobedience to the known will of God." If you know that the will of God is to be loving to others, and instead you act in an unloving manner, then it's sin! If you know that the Lord has put down some boundaries to keep you from hurting yourself or others, and you cross those boundaries, it is sin. The following prophecy talks about this and about how the Lord sees these matters.
75. (Jesus speaking:) "The Words I speak unto you‚ they are Spirit and they are life‚ and they bring forth life. The Words your Father David gave to you were life-giving Words, Words of My Spirit, Words of My Truth, Words that set you free from the captive's bonds, that set you free from the snares of Satan, that set you free from the clutches of this world. And whom I have set free is free indeed!—Free to love Me, free to serve Me‚ free to give love. But in this freedom‚ as in all freedom, there are those who take it as a liberty to do things which are in their hearts which are not of Me. Any time one does an unloving act, a harmful act, a selfish act, a hurtful act, it is not of Me.
76. "For I am the Creator of all things, and I judge the heart of man. I know the heart of man, I know all that is therein, so My judgment is just and true. At the day of judgment, the day when you stand before Me, and your life is reviewed‚ I judge by the act and by the intent of the heart, thus I judge righteous judgment. For I know the heart of man, and there is nothing hid from Me.
77. "So when you seek to do a thing, know that I see and understand the thoughts and intents of your heart. So in all that you do, be motivated by love—My Love, love for one another, love for Me and love for the lost—that you may be found perfect before Me, perfect in love.
78. "For some will be shocked to arrive Here in Heaven, to understand and to see and to feel the depth of My Love, for they have no idea how deep My Love runs‚ how broad My Love is, how full My Love fills! They have no concept. Even you, to whom I have given this great Truth, do not fully understand the depth, the breadth‚ the height, the width of My Love. The puny mind of man cannot encase the broadness and the fullness and the completeness of My love, for it is not possible.
79. "Because the Truth of God, the freedom of the Heavenly Realm, is too broad for the mind of man and for the heart of man, so are there restrictions put so that man can operate within the bounds of the heart of man. For the heart of man is wicked and evil. And though I abide in the heart of those that love Me‚ that have received Me, yet there is a constant struggle to yield to Me. So I have put the bounds on these freedoms as protection—protection of others and protection of self—that you, My children, can move freely within the bounds, bounds which are much broader than those who do not receive My Truth.
80. "For I have set wider boundaries for you to operate in because of your belief and your receptivity to My Truth. So can you move within these bounds in love without sin. For great is your faith in that you have believed the Words that I spoke to your Father David, and you have received these truths from Heaven. Thus I have widened your bounds, and you are free. You are free as children of the King to roam freely within the bounds that I have set—wide bounds. Whereas those that receive not My full Truth operate within much stricter bounds. If they cross over their bounds, because of their little faith, it is sin.
81. "The bounds that I have set‚ because I have set them, are the boundaries, and you are to go no further. For to go further is sin, for these are the boundaries that I have set. I have set these boundaries that these things would not be a testimony against you. I have set these boundaries in wisdom and in love.
82. "As I lead you step by step, so did I lead your Father David step by step. So did he too learn the need for boundaries. And so did he set boundaries for your safekeeping, for your protection. So stay within the boundaries of God and sin not, for he that oversteps the boundaries sins in My sight. For these are the boundaries of God, the boundaries that your David has set forth by the wisdom of God. Remain within the boundaries and you are free. Step without the boundaries and you sin." (End of prophecy.)
83. (Mama:) Isn't that an amazing prophecy? What a warning about doing all things in love, knowing that the Lord is looking at the motives of our hearts. As the Bible says, "Let all your things be done with love!" (1Cor.16:14). I thought it was very interesting, too, how He pointed out that the boundaries He has set for us are much broader than those set for most other Christians because of our faith and our acceptance of the freedoms that He offers to us. Because most other Christians don't accept these freedoms, their boundaries are smaller.
84. For example, because of our faith, we can enjoy sexual fellowship with another consenting adult outside of marriage‚ without sin. Whereas if a Christian who doesn't believe as we do were to do the same thing, for him it would be sin. The Bible brings this principle out clearly when it says, "Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned [condemned] if he eat [or commits any other act that he's doubtful about], because he eateth [acts] not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom.14:22-23).
85. Although the Lord has given us in the Family much freedom, there are, nevertheless‚ some restrictions. The Lord says clearly here that He, through Dad‚ has set some boundaries for us. He goes on to say that if we cross over those boundaries, it is sin. What are those boundaries? The boundaries that Dad put in place concerning sex were:
These rules are all precisely reiterated in the Love Charter.
86. What the Lord is saying is that if you break these rules, cross these boundaries, you are sinning. He said these boundaries were set up by Him. "The bounds that I have set, because I have set them, are the boundaries, and you are to go no further. For to go further is sin‚ for these are the boundaries that I have set."
87. What is it that gives us faith? The Word‚ right? "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom.10:17). So if the Word gives you faith for something, like it does for us to have sexual fellowship with other consenting adults, then you can engage in those activities without sin. However‚ when the Word says that you cannot do something, then you cannot have the faith to do it, because you would be acting in disobedience to God's Word. So to cross the boundaries the Lord, through His Word, has set up, is sin.
(ML #3044:119-128, Lifelines 23.)
119. (Mama:) When I was preparing this GN for you, one of our YAs raised the question, "With so much in the Family swinging towards free choice and everyone floating to the level of their own faith, I am having difficulty distinguishing between the times the Lord allows you to choose how much of yourself you want to give Him and how He is happy with that, and when your holding back from Him becomes unyieldedness." You will see that Dad's message below confirms and further amplifies what I was explaining above.
120. (Prophecy, Dad speaking:) Honey, about this question that one of the young people brought up, "When can you choose and when does it become unyieldedness?" Well, Honey, it seems like a very complex and complicated question, but really it's very simple. This is a day of choices. The Lord is giving His children the opportunity to make many choices, but those choices must be within His will. He gives them their choice to do this good thing or that good thing or the other good thing. He certainly is not giving them the choice to disobey, or to step out of His will and to think they're going to get away with it without suffering any consequences or any punishment or any lifting of His blessings.
121. The idea of the day of choice is not that you can choose to disobey. It's not that you can choose to not do the Lord's will, to do your own thing, or to say "no" to Jesus. The day of choice means that the Lord is giving His children the opportunity to walk through the tunnel of His will and choose from a number of good things. He's allowing these choices for many reasons—because He wants them to be happy in what they do for Him, He wants them to mature and learn to hear from Him, and make their own choices. It's preparation for the days ahead when there will be many, many more decisions, and they will need to have learned how to recognize the choices that are within His will.
122. So it's very important for the kids to understand that the day of choice means the day of doing good things for Jesus, not the day of unyieldedness, or the day of disobedience‚ or the day of going against the Love Charter. When folks say "yes" to Jesus, then He can open His hands before them and offer them a number of wonderful opportunities within the tunnel of His will. Once they say "yes" and yield, then He gives them many choices, because this is the day of saying "yes" to Jesus. And once you say "yes" to Jesus, it becomes the day of choice for you.
123. Unyieldedness is when you say "no" to Jesus. Unyieldedness is when you refuse to obey. Unyieldedness is when you turn your back on Jesus and go the opposite way. When He speaks to you with His still, small voice, when He speaks to you through the Word, when He speaks to you in prophecy, when He speaks to you through your shepherds, but you say "no," then it becomes unyieldedness.
124. But it's like you said, Honey; if you're in the time of decision, you're trying to obey. You're trying to say "yes" to Jesus. Then of course He has mercy. He looks at you with the eyes of love, and He will not be quick and harsh to judge. He will give you time and He will be patient, because His desire is that you will yield. So He's willing to be patient and to wait. Or even if you say "no" to Jesus and then you repent‚ if you repent quickly as in unguarded moments‚ or you repent down the line when you have seen the error of your ways, Jesus is so quick to forgive you. He forgets that unyieldedness. It is replaced with the joy that He feels in having you once again saying "yes" and walking closely with Him.
125. So this question of freedom of choice and unyieldedness and the consequences you suffer from unyieldedness can seem quite complex. But the most important things to remember are: Say "yes" to Jesus, listen to His still, small voice‚ and just be yielded clay in His hands.
126. It's always better and safer to yield to the still, small voice of the Lord in your heart and follow closely the word of counsel that He's given you. But even when you find it difficult, even when you're struggling and you're trying to yield‚ know that He is merciful and He will help you if you call out to Him. He'll help you over the hump, and He'll help you to continue to walk down the path of yieldedness. Even if you're caught in an unguarded moment, just cry out to Him and He will have mercy, and He will rescue you and restore you.
127. It's always safer and better to yield. Yieldedness is the safe, beautiful, peaceful path. It's the high road of Heaven. The path of yieldedness is the true highway to Heaven. It's the highway to blessings. It's the easy, gentle, beautiful way. So of course everybody has a choice. But my advice to you is, choose to yield. In every opportunity that you can, choose to yield. (End of prophecy.)
(ML #3255:70-88, GN 856.)
70. (Dad speaking:) Son, I love you and am praying for you. I'm praying desperately that you'll snap out of it and really fight. You're in a pretty serious state. I know you're unhappy—you're miserable, in fact—but you have to see that those feelings are from the Enemy; they're lying vanities. You don't have to be unhappy or miserable. You don't have to feel bored and at wits' end. Those thoughts are the symptoms of what's going on in your mind—the outward manifestations in the form of feelings and emotions that come about as a result of your listening to the lies of the Enemy.
71. This is the day of choices, that's right, but like I've said many times, that doesn't mean we can choose to disobey the Lord. This is the new day, that's right, and in some ways the tunnel of God's will has been made broader, wider. Unfortunately‚ Son, it's not broader for you because of your position in the house of the king and queen.
72. I hate to disappoint you‚ but for you the tunnel of God's will stays pretty narrow, because unto whom much has been given, of the same is much required. You've been given so much in the way of training, deep spiritual feeding‚ the example you've seen for years and years, that the rules of the game don't allow you to disregard all that or despise it and just throw it away by deciding to go someplace else where you wouldn't make full use of your talents. The Lord will use your talents wherever you are, but why not stick in the particular place He's given you the gifts, talents and calling for, especially since it's not His time for you to move on?
73. What that means, Gabe, is that others may, you cannot. Other Family members are making decisions left and right to do what they want to do. Some of our folks are making some pretty selfish decisions that aren't based on a firm conviction of the Lord's will. Some aren't putting the Lord absolutely first and following Him closely, but the Lord is merciful because many of them are in a time of learning and training. He allows them to even make decisions that take them out of His perfect will because He knows that they'll learn and grow and come back eventually‚ and they'll be better, stronger soldiers as a result.
74. But that's not the case with you. You don't need those kinds of experiences to learn those lessons because you're supposed to already know that. You're way ahead of those grades! You passed those long ago, so you're much, much more accountable for your decisions. You can't just take yourself out of what you know to be God's highest will for your life and not expect some kind of chastisement, negative repercussion, and a big loss in some way—not only to your own personal happiness, but to the work. And that's true not just for you but for others as well.
75. That's why the Lord is socking it to you pretty heavy here. He's not letting you off easy and He's hitting you with some pretty strong truths, some pretty advanced spiritual principles that a lot of people in the Family these days have forgotten or thought don't apply anymore under the Charter. But they sure apply for you and the other trained, experienced veterans of battle.
76. You've been trained for years for the job you do. You've been poured into for years by me‚ Mama and Peter. You've been taken under our wing and groomed especially for the job you have now. I think you've gotten a little lifted up in pride, Gabe, if you think you can just leave it all, or even forsake it in your heart to where you don't give it your best on a day-to-day basis.
77. I think you've lost the vision a little bit and have been taking some of your blessings for granted. We brought you to our own Home and we trusted you with our lives, our children, our security, for years. And now Mama and Peter continue to trust you with the shepherding and training of the young folks on their staff‚ part of our crop of new young leaders that we need and depend upon. That's no small thing, and just the realization of this vast, monumental, stupendous responsibility should humble you and make you call out to God in utter desperation, being afraid to be out of the spirit or lead anyone astray.
78. Well, thank the Lord, you haven't led anyone astray—not yet. Thank the Lord you've kept your battles pretty much to those who are mature enough and strong enough to handle them. But believe me, if you don't get strengthened spiritually and overcome this assault on your life and service for the Lord, you could lead plenty of people astray!
79. Let this be a warning to you and to everyone: The only thing that guarantees that anyone‚ even the strongest, will continue on fruitful and close to the source and in the Lord's will is desperation, humility‚ staying close to the Lord in His Word, and keeping your heart clean through confession and honesty.
80. No one should ever say they'll never go back, they'll never forsake their plow. You can't do anything good without the Lord, but that also means that you can do anything bad without the Lord! This is a war, and the Devil will fight to the death if need be. But I want to see this be a death to his evil ways, his negative thoughts, his outright assault on your service to WS. I don't want this to be a death to your fruitfulness, your following the Lord, and your being in His highest will for your life.
81. Please, Son, wake up! See what's happening and get on the attack! Forsake this foolishness, this murmuring and complaining! Get rid of the Devil's lies! Kick him out! Destroy him! Blast him! The Lord said you're a P.O.W.—a prisoner of war. Well, I'd say it's time to give the Devil a pow! Kick him in the teeth or hit him below the belt, if need be! Turn off the speakers of his evil thoughts that he's blasting in your ears. Refuse to listen to him. Fight! Fight! Fight for as long as it takes to defeat him!
82. We need you, and we're not going to take this attack lying down! You're Mama and Peter's right hand in many ways, and I don't know what they'd do without you. You're more needed now than you've probably ever been—and Amy too. Isn't that just like the Devil to take the truth and completely distort it and twist it all around? He has actually convinced you that you're not needed, that all you have to do is train someone‚ and then you can be on your merry way to greener pastures. Whereas the truth of the matter is that you're more needed now than ever! And if you were to take off now to parts unknown‚ they wouldn't be greener pastures at all, but rather a dry, dusty desert.
83. I love you, Son, and I'm sorry to see you battle so. I'm sorry to see you've lost your joy. But it's not too late. The Lord and a host of Heavenly helpers are fighting for you, and I am too. Let us help you by you doing what you can to help yourself.
84. No matter how weak you feel, no matter how unwelcome these words are, no matter how little faith you have that this will work or change anything, even if you feel you can barely raise one little finger to show that you're still alive, you can do it! You've got what it takes! You're a trained, skilled, top-class fighter. You know the new weapons well. You have everything you need to win this battle.
85. In this case‚ the victory goes not to the strong, not to the powerful, but to the weak—he who is weak in himself, who casts himself fully on the Lord! If you want to see the weakness revolution in living color, this is it! You're it! You're weak, but you're going to cause a revolution when you get back to the Lord and back to your first love—the Word and the will of God for your life!
86. Just do it! How do you like that?—I'm even appealing to your love of sports. Like the Nike slogan, Just do it! They've chanced upon a great truth. Just do it! No matter how you feel, just do it! Just obey! Just fight! Just yield! Just do it! That would be a good title for this little talk! Just do it!
87. I love you‚ Son, and I know you can make it. We're expecting great things of you, great progress. And you have the Lord's promise of a miracle. He promised that you'd regain the joy of your salvation and your ministry, and I believe it! Do you? Fight! Just do it!
Love, Dad (End of message from Dad)
88. (Mama:) Praise the Lord! Thank You, Jesus‚ and thank you, Dad, for those excellent exposés! How's that for a wake–up call? God bless Gabe! Even though it wasn't real easy for him to see right away how the Enemy was attacking him so strongly, he went on the attack with the Word like Dad told him‚ continued to seek the Lord and believe by faith, and the Lord brought about the promised changes in his life, just as He said He would!
(ML #3304:207, GN 905.)
207. (Jesus speaking: ) The surest way to know that a prophecy is false is if it goes contrary to the New Wine or the Charter, for I will not lead you to disobey My printed Word nor to step outside the rules, responsibilities, and guidelines of the Charter. You can also tell by the subject matter of the message‚ if it's something "new" that would normally be addressed by or revealed to Maria and Peter. You can also tell by the effect it has on the channel and those who hear the messages. If it causes the channel to be lifted up in extreme pride, or causes people to follow the channel more than the written Word or Maria and Peter, then that is definitely a danger sign. (End of message from Jesus.)
(ML #3309:216–233, GN 911.)
People in WS don't have to abide by the Charter like field Homes do regarding such things as the alcohol rules, sex with outsiders, the sharing age guidelines, etc.
216. (Mama:) Peter and I and all WS members abide by the Charter guidelines just as you do.
217. As for alcohol, everyone in WS is issued the weekly alcohol quota as outlined in the Charter. Someone oversees this quota as well as that which is served at special occasions. We stick to the alcohol rules just like field Homes do‚ but that's not to say that no one has ever had an extra bottle of beer or glass of wine occasionally—that does happen from time to time, as it does on the field, but it's not the practice.
218. We don't allow hard liquor in our Homes as per the Charter. Once in a while some of our folks have had a drink while outside of our Home that has been over the 20% limit, just like many of you have. No one does it consistently or often; if they did, it would be considered a Charter infraction and would be corrected. Those who have done this usually confirm any such plans with the Lord as well, and heed the advice and cautions He gives regarding such occasional outings.
219. WS does abide by the age guidelines for sex and sexual activity/contact that are outlined in the Charter, Peter and I included. An older SGA and a 20-year-old in our Home received a three-month partial excommunication after deep kissing on the dance floor. We very much believe in following the Charter rules and do so, the same as we expect all of the CM Family to do.
220. Over the past 5 years, we have granted a couple of experimental exceptions within WS to young people‚ permitting them to have sexual interaction even though their ages weren't Charter-legit. We made these exceptions with much prayer and counsel. After a couple of months‚ in both instances, we either withdrew the exception or the need for it was no longer present. Since those exceptions were granted, nearly four years ago, there have been no more exceptions granted, and our conclusion was that it's wisest not to make such exceptions.
221. If anyone in WS were to have sex with an outsider‚ the same penalty would be given them as any Family member. Those in WS abide by the "no sex with outsiders" rule like everyone else does.
222. In the last 10 years we have granted a handful of exceptions to Family members (all in field Homes) to the "no sex with outsiders" rule. These exceptions were made with a great deal of prayer and counsel. A number of people have asked for exceptions for one reason or another, and generally they are not granted, but in a few extenuating circumstances the Lord showed us it was important‚ and His will, to allow an exception.
223. The above exceptions don't fall into the category of those in WS not obeying Charter rules. According to the Charter, Peter and I have the authority to suspend the Charter, or to grant such exceptions to it. These cases fall under this clause, and have nothing to do with our overall WS policy, which is to obey the Charter rules and uphold them.
224. You probably know individuals who have been placed on partial excom for crossing the Charter's sexual boundaries or age limits. Having had that experience within our Home also, as I mentioned above, we've found it helpful to announce and remind everyone of the limits and specifically who is underage, and what activities that rules out on occasions that might lend itself to such slips—no deep kissing‚ no touching of the breasts/genitals, etc. I'm sure it's a little embarrassing for those who are underage, but it's a lot less painful than being on partial excom.
225. Amanda (22): When I came to WS, I was a little bit surprised at how strictly WS abided by the Charter rules. I thought that since WS was the governing body of the Family, they'd be at liberty to bend the rules‚ but that's not how it is at all. I'd say that WS keeps the Charter rules more diligently than any other Home I've ever lived in. If Family Homes around the world have to abide by the rules, then we do too. Why should we be an exception? I was even partially excommunicated (in WS) for kissing someone out of my age range. We definitely do abide by the rules outlined in the Charter.
226. Louise (24): Uh, well, in fact we do follow the Charter here. Of course, there are some parts that don't apply to us like they don't to a Service Home‚ like all that stuff about voting in your own Home shepherds and establishing your own Home goals—but that's in the Charter too, so we knew what we were getting into.
227. I think there was somebody who once had sex with an outsider a few years back—and who was put on partial excom as per the Charter. He didn't do it again, and the rest of us didn't do it at all. [Note: This incident happened several years ago when a member of another unit was visiting relatives and had unprotected sex with a former girlfriend. This man left the Family a few years afterwards.] As for the alcohol rules, between you and me I've often wished we could make exceptions for ourselves, as I'm one who would like to have a drink every day. But, as a secretary who has been involved with answering reports of Charter contraventions on the field and seeing how far things can go when someone starts out with just a little bit of "bending" of the rules, I'm personally convinced of how important it is that we in WS‚ who are responsible to help the rest of the Family be aware of the Charter and stick to it, do so ourselves.
228. Jenna (25): We wish! But this just isn't true. We do abide by the Charter rules—alcohol and sex ones included. And I would venture to say that you may have a little more liberty than we do in some of these areas. Don't get me wrong; we have FUN, but we have to keep a pretty tight ship in order to be what the Lord wants us to be.
229. Evye (21): I don't know who spread this wacky comment around, and I wonder if they actually believe this or if maybe they're just trying to get some slack so they can be a bit more slack. It certainly is a bit of an "off the wall" accusation if you think about it. I mean‚ why on earth would we allow ourselves to break the Charter when one of the main reasons we are committed to living in WS is because we want to help the Family be the place we all want it to be and do our best for the Lord, which the Charter helps bring about?
230. Bethy (27): As far as alcohol rules go, I've heard we even have a more strict policy than most field Homes. There is a "ration deacon" in our Home, and they give everyone their bottles of beer, or wine in a little bottle with their name on it. We don't have a "free for all" on the alcohol cupboard, and it's measured out carefully. This also keeps costs down‚ and we are certain we aren't going over the limit at all.
231. At special occasions and parties, if there is a punch, it's clear how many cups people get and it's carefully measured down to the last drop, ha! You don't want to go over, but you want to make sure you get your full share! But there isn't allowance for or provision made for going over the alcohol consumption.
232. Before the new alcohol rules went into effect (limiting the amount we drink at a special occasion and the number of special occasions), we didn't ration so carefully what was consumed at special occasions‚ and consequently had a few experiences with people drinking too much‚ crossing boundaries, and getting put on P.E. for it as a result. No one's perfect here by any means, but we do have to keep the rules, or we suffer the consequences just like any other Family member.
233. Jon A. (24): No‚ WS keeps all the same rules that everyone else in the Family does—including alcohol, sex‚ etc. That doesn't mean that in the last four years I haven't ever had an extra beer over the limit. But it's definitely not WS policy to do so. Everyone in WS tries, as I know most Family members do, to abide by the Charter rules‚ because we all value our place and wouldn't want to jeopardize it.
Copyright © 2004 by The Family
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