There are many critical vibrational patterns in the world. We had atmospheric disturbance yesterday evening, and human beings are inclined to respond even to atmospheric pressures. We had rain here, which was very welcome. I do not know how many of you know that there was a very severe storm in Denver—a cloudburst with almost four inches of water falling at one point, and less at other points of course; but there were the severe convection currents and atmospheric pressures and changes. Human beings are inclined to respond somewhat to such things. We need to reach a point where we do not; we may feel them but we should not respond to them.
Another aspect of world pressure that is at work is the struggle that’s going on in Soviet Russia. Beria, the man who has headed the Soviet secret police for so long, sent so many tens of thousands to the firing squad, many times more to prison and Siberian exile, and so on; probably is directly responsible for the death of upwards of several million people at least’ it runs into the millions, and the suffering of other millions, has been stripped of all his authority and imprisoned, and the stage is set for a nice big trial, to prepare to liquidate him. So Malenkov has, as they say, won the first round with the Soviet big three. One is definitely on the way out, already in prison—a man who has wielded much power over the lives of others, and used it with heartlessness, comes at last to his own pattern of difficulty. These things all have a part to play in the world vibrational pattern, and fear factors are projected into the mass consciousness, elements of uncertainty, so that human beings under some attunement to these things, touching them and not being aware of their sources, tend to accept some little immediate thing, something at hand, something that can be seen, as the trigger which starts the reaction pattern. Sometimes the triggering acts very much like an atomic bomb. The process in the atomic bomb has to be triggered to get it started; a comparatively little thing, and then the larger explosion, the greater reaction, the greater influence.
We have these things far and near, with human beings everywhere suffering from various patterns of futility. We have a gigantic struggle going on in our own country. President Eisenhower is in the midst of it, attempting to hold the line, attempting to hold a basic sensible pattern for the welfare of our nation; but the pressures of all sorts exerted which tend to confuse many issues, for human beings have not learned to function outside of the patterns of selfishness and greed, and general patterns of uncertainty. There are the various reactions which center around the situation in Korea. We have the spectacle of a nation divided, and a civil war and conflict that drew in the great powers, and now all the great powers on both sides trying to get out of it. And both more or less manoeuvring for position in relationship to it, but seeking for some kind of a truce agreement. And then there are, in relationship to that, the projections of the vibratory patterns into the mass consciousness of those who have loved ones in that conflict who have met with accident, or who are numbered among the casualties, or the prisoners of war, etc.
And everywhere there is a sense of great futility, a sense of the senselessness of so much that goes on in the world. And unless we watch ourselves we tend share those feelings when they come within the range of our perception—we tend to become subject to this sense of futility and senselessness and, feeling it, the human mind is inclined to search about, perhaps unconsciously, but to search about for some reason. What is it that makes me feel this futility, this senselessness? And so, the human mind sees this thing, and sees that thing, recognizes something someone had done over here, etc, and forthwith the individual finds the reasons which he assumes to be the cause of what he has perceived—the futility and the senselessness. And the so-called reasons, the things he has assumed to be the cause, have actually little or nothing to do with it. He has merely identified his feelings with something or someone, and consequently there is more confusion. Instead of clearing the pattern, that adds to the confusion, adds to the difficulty, because it projects into the world consciousness concepts, ideas, attitudes which are not based upon fact, they are based upon fiction. And so there is more confusion.
All of this emphasizes the vital importance of learning to hold a vibratory pattern. Now we can take an attitude, I suppose, saying that we will hold this pattern for ten minutes, or a day, or a week, maybe a month if you are feeling real generous—and if everyone concerned doesn’t clear the deck in that time we are going to quit. I see, right here on Sunrise Ranch, patterns of confusion, unnecessary stress and strain, because things perceived are identified with those aspects which the mind has assumed to be cause, and they are not. Therefore there is no real way to correct the thing. The individual has to continue to feel, or perceive, the vibratory patterns presented and must reach a point where he is willing to relinquish the fictional aspect of the matter before he can make any step. But generally speaking human emotions and feelings are so tightly bound up in such matters that they want the fictional causes corrected, straightened out to the individual’s own satisfaction before he will consider accepting the idea that the pressure can be dealt with. In other words, the human being arbitrarily takes the attitude that God must deal with these things according to the individual’s own human concepts of what should be done, what should be corrected, where and how, and when, and with whom. That defeats the pattern of our progress. It injects things that increase the load, increase the problem in various ways. We undertake to hold the pattern for such individuals as long as possible, but sooner or later each one must reach a point where he or she is not identifying himself with the wrong thing, and where there is a willingness to admit the fictional nature of what has been assumed to be the cause. This is one of the favourite tricks of the devil; it’s a very clever and effective trick that has worked with untold billions of people. Let’s examine it just a little.
If there is pressure which the individual perceives and he can be caused, on an emotional basis, to accept the idea that the cause of this pressure is with some circumstance, some thing, some person, on a fictional basis, then the individual is in the position of demanding that this circumstance, thing, or person, must be corrected in order to permit the individual himself to feel freedom from the pressure. But because that is a fictional pattern in the individual mind and heart it can’t be corrected. The human being demands of God, or of the LORD, or of His servants, “You clear this and I will function thus-and-so.” But that to which the individual looks is a fictional thing. It cannot be corrected except to eliminate it or to give the appearance of something on a fictional basis. If I, for instance, were to disregard the basic principles of reality, I could in such a case produce a fictional set of circumstances which would apparently correct the fictional difficulty and the individual would for the moment be satisfied, but for the moment only, because immediately that individual would, the first time pressure came, develop another fictional pattern, and I would be under the necessity of producing a whole set of fictional outworkings to make the individual feel that he or she was being given adequate consideration, that I was adequately doing my job, etc. Whereupon, for the moment, everything would be lovely. But it wouldn’t last; it wouldn’t hold; and we would soon have our whole program based, not on the rock of reality but upon the fictional patterns devised by human minds—and that is sinking sand. Sooner or later there would be a pressure come along and the whole house would fall, because the fictional patterns would extend into a range beyond my ability to produce a fictional pattern that would seem to correct it. And all that while I would have to be violating the Laws of Being and my own basic Calling and Principles of Life. So that way leads to ruin, absolute ruin!
It is on this point, generally speaking, that there are those who leave us in the wrong way; they decide they can’t take it any longer, that they are going to have to leave, they are going to quit in some fashion, and so they decide it’s time for them to pull out if they are not given adequate consideration, adequate appreciation, etc. And so, if I and those who may be working with me are not able to establish the right vibrational pattern and the acceptance of it in such individuals, a parting of the ways comes, and that’s that. As servers in the field you will be faced with this sort of thing over and over again, not just once in a while, but many times. Are you going to try to shift your foundations to fit the arbitrarily projected structure of another? If you do you will soon be so far off your foundation and into the sinking sand that it is all gone, hopeless, and you fail. No, we cannot afford to shift our foundations.
We cannot shift the true Foundation; we cannot afford to shift our contact with the foundations. So often human beings will come along and say, “Look at this nice little structure over here; I’ve built this very carefully; I’ve spent a lot of time on it; this is what I like. Now, I’ll let it be included in what you’re doing if you’ll just move over here, move your structure right over and fit into it. I’ve already got this here, fit into it!” And sometimes the human being who is attempting to serve thinks, “Well that would be a nice addition. I certainly would like to have that. Maybe if I shifted over there and got it in, then maybe I could shift back. But before he gets that operation done someone over here says, “Well now that’s fine. I’ve got something over here. Come shift over here and include this too, and you’ll grow much more rapidly. Things will really take on form if you’ll just shift over here and take this in.” And pretty soon you’ve shifted so far, and the burden has gotten so heavy, that you have absolutely not chance of ever getting back on your foundations. It won’t work. We cannot afford to shift.
That which is to take part in the building of the Temple not made with hands must come to that building. We are not going to shift the building to the material, no how matter how pleasant or fine it may appear to be; no matter how slowly the structure may seem to rise. That which is to take part in the building must come to the Foundation and fit into the building. There is no other way. We are not going to be trying to shift it around to please human desire and fancy—no matter who may come or go. I would rather one or two who are faithful and true than many who are pulling this way and that, and refusing to share in the building of that which is of the Divine Pattern.
Someday, sooner or later, there will be those appear out of the world’s pressure and turmoil who have the capacity, the willingness, to accept a stable dedication. I can afford to wait. I don’t know how many others can. I can afford to wait. And someday, there are going to be those who provide a stable core vibrational pattern. It is to this that I have been long inviting you, according to your capacities, according to your ability, that you may share in the building of a structure not made with hands—a structure so stable and so sure that there will be something manifest in the world to give assurance that there is something dependable on earth, something of God, something that lasts, and that is not pushed down by the pressures that come and go, the storms that pass, the atmospheric storms around us, or the vibrational storms, or anything else.
In the testing of the material, I do not have to arbitrarily produce conditions which will test. I work to the end that the Temple may be built, but the daily outworking of circumstances tests the material to see whether it will check, whether it will break under the pressures, how it will withstand the wind and the rain, how it will withstand the heat of the sun, and all the rest; perhaps sometimes there’s a little hail. In any case, we have to remember that while we work with individuals, the world body of mankind is our servee. Unless we have that vision, sooner or later personal factors of love, concern, for individuals will break the pattern. Unless we remember that we serve a KING who is worthy of our uttermost devotion, and that our pattern of service extends to the world body of mankind, we will tend to get involved in personalities—those whom we love, those for whom we have a high regard, those whom we would like to see sharing in the true outworking of the Divine Pattern, and who begin to break from the field, who begin to violate the basic principles of polarity and become subject to world pressures whereupon they identify individuals or circumstances or things as the cause of these pressures on the fictional basis. And then the individual is lost in an emotional conviction that if this person that did so-and-so, if that situation were different, if this thing were not there, or if we had the other thing, then all would be well and all the troubles would be over. That is one of the worst snares of the devil because the changes of that nature that supposedly would make one content, will not. And, even if those changes were achieved the same thing would happen all over again—the insatiable pattern of human desire, wanting this and that to be thus-and-so, and then I will serve God, then I will be true to the KING, then I will devote myself to serving the body of humanity. Oh you will, will you?
If it takes those specialized conditions to make you a server, you will never be one. You must learn to take it as it comes, without saying, “This condition, and then I will serve; that person change, and then I will serve; give me the other thing, and then I will serve.” As long as the pattern is thus, you are a servant of the devil. The time comes when we have to face the facts, and look squarely at the fundamental principles of being, and realize that if persons and things and circumstances can push us around and make us serve or not serve, then we are not under the control of God. Oh, there are many things we would like with respect to persons and things and circumstances that would be pleasant, and perhaps desirable, but if we are controlled on that score we are not controlled by God, we are not controlled by the truth, we are not being honest with ourselves, with God, or our fellow man—and it takes integrity, it takes honesty.
What is this matter of holding a vibrational pattern?—and how long shall we hold it? How long? Our LORD has been holding it for twenty thousand years. Perhaps He should decide to quit tomorrow. Wouldn’t that be nice for us! Suppose He were to say, “I’ve held it long enough. Let them take the consequences.” I’ve had a little experience along that line myself. I don’t think there are many here that would like to see me step out of the picture and go on a vacation for three or four years; and say, “Well, I am going to quit holding the line for you. I will come back some day and see what’s left.” I wonder how much would be left? There would be those who would valiantly seek to do the job, but I have a job to do too! You’re not supposed to be able to do my job. Or are you? If you can do my job I will go on a vacation. Please step forward. I am not supposed to do your job either. It works both ways. I am perfectly willing to fill in, and I have and I will—but I am not supposed to do your job and you’re not supposed to do my job. Together we all have a pattern of service to the Glory of our KING and to the blessing of mankind. And the question is, “What does it take to turn us aside?”
Holding a vibrational pattern—this is not something that can be easily outlined for clear understanding, but it is something that you have to learn to do. Some of our servers in the field have learned to do it and some of them haven’t. Those who do it are making progress, and those who haven’t learned to do it may still be on the scene but they’re not, they’re not really getting the job done. Underlying factors break the vibrational pattern, and external things produce reactions. When can we learn to hold steady? Suppose there are pressures, things we do not like, things that should be changed—if we become subject to those things we’re no better than they, whether they be persons or circumstances or things. We are going to reveal who is our god—to worship false gods or God Almighty? If we are a part of the body for the manifestation of God Almighty, then let’s act like it. AllMighty, not just partly mighty.
Does than mean then that we’ll have the power to go out and smash things and turn them around, and force people into this pattern, and say, “If you don’t do as I say, I am going to kick you out, etc.?” Is that what it means to be all mighty? You are going to shape things real fast into the pattern of your own desire? No! But when human beings think of power and the Almighty, that tends to be what they think about. They say, “Oh, I wouldn’t be a dictator, but this ought to be so, and that ought to be so, and my neighbour over here should be thus-and-so; this person should change; this person should change; all these folks, we could make a little adjustment and get along much better. So, if God’s power is Almighty, let’s make these changes.” The same approach the devil used in testing the pattern of our LORD, “If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread.” And it doesn’t work.
No, its not that the Almighty power of God is going to enable us to shape things around to please ourselves! It is that the Almighty power of God is going to make us able to stand and hold the line in the right vibrational pattern, while this chaotic mass swishes back-and-forth and up-and-down until the parts that belong come and stay, and become a part of the Almighty. But meanwhile, we are going to have the ebb-and-the-flow, the ups-and-the-downs, the things that ought not to be, and the things that are in the process of changing. We begin to show whether we belong to the pattern of creation or the Pattern of the Creator—the Pattern of the Creator is thus! If we are a part of that then we are Almighty to hold that pattern, hold the line while these things swirl about in the realms of the creative action. We are inviting all who will to come out of the swirling into the stable pattern of the Almighty.
But, which will it be? Not to arbitrarily be able to change things! No, that is not what signifies power, to make things be what you want them to be—but to hold the line on the right vibration while everyone else is trying to make things over to suit themselves, and that’s the mess! We have fifty people, and each one wants it his own way, and each is going to make it over to suit himself, more or less, exaggerated just a bit so we can see it. And I’ll stand on the sideline and just hold the pattern while you’re wearing yourselves out trying to make each other over, and to make circumstances be thus-and-so, and things be thus-and-so. I’ll wait. Here’s the Pattern; here’s the Design; here’s the Foundation; here’s the Power, to make you a part of this. When you get tired of trying to make each other over, if you are not yet exhausted and ready to die, come over, come over and join us—and I’ll wait. I’ll just wait. I’ll hold the pattern. It’ll be here. Oh, I know, you must make each over a bit more, you must make yourself over a bit more. You’re not quite ready to fit in, so you’ll make yourself into some certain design, you’ll make your neighbour into some certain design. It won’t be worth the snap of your finger when you get here—but take your time, work on it hard, wear yourself out, spend the days of your years doing nothing. The Almighty can wait. He can afford to. Can you?
Just to hold the pattern, the pattern of Truth, the True Design, offering it, but not trying to jam it down anyone’s neck. Not saying, “Well, I am going to make you over.” No, but when you respond you find that you are made over, changed. But you can’t change yourself in advance. You can’t shape this to fit your fancy! So if you are going to shape something to fit your fancy, go on back down into the mess and take your chances—that’s all. This is the Design. Here is the Foundation. And there is the Power here to cause you to conform to this. Hesitate! For what? Because you haven’t made yourself over enough, or made someone else over enough? It won’t work. You must be a part of this, or you’re a part of that which the creative force is acting upon—and that swirling morass out there is being acted upon. That is not where you find the stability, the sure things. You say, “Well, I thought I would grow to the point where, in my contact with this that you’re talking about, I could then go out and I can make things over. I can do this! I am going to have Almighty power so I can go out and be little dictator number three-million six-hundred and ninety-eight. No! Not at all. You hold the line.
Geographically, you may be here or there, if you’re a part of Center—but if you go out trying to carry the Almighty power to shape and mould and do according to what you think ought to be done, it will not work! You’ll just fail. Millions have tried it and failed, and brought the things of God and the power of God into disrepute among the children of men. They say, “Oh, so-and-so has tried it; all of these people get fanatical; they get this-way-and-that, and look!” Sometimes people are called faith healers. People will even tend to classify you as a faith healer, which isn’t true at all if you are functioning correctly. But you’ll have all kinds of tags hung on you. If you have a diamond, say a nice three-carat diamond, and someone comes along and hangs a tag on it, “Cut glass.” Now does the tag make the diamond turn into cut glass? No. But, if it is cut glass instead of being a diamond, it’ll be terribly offended, because it wanted to appear as a diamond. Tags do not change you unless—unless you let them. I’ve been called all kinds of things; and my LORD before me was called a servant of Beelzebub. But the tag doesn’t change you, unless you let it.
And I’ve been informed at various times along the way that carrying the business of holding the line, and insisting that this be thus-and-so can be carried too far, that if I just yield a little bit, if I just say, “Yes, well, maybe we can altar the Divine Design to include this little habit pattern of yours, or this little attitude, or… We won’t insist that you clear completely. I know God love’s you so much that He’ll take you right in, if you are just a little bit off; we’ll have a special colony for people who are a little off, and we’ll make it nice for you in heaven.” You want to be a little off, in the colony? There isn’t any such, but if that’s your aspiration, OK—you’ll never get there! Why be a little off? Why not say, “I recognize that our LORD and KING has held the line for the Pattern of the Original Design. All the negotiations, all the pressures, all the rebellions and revolutions and pushings-and-pullings have not caused Him to budge from that one iota. Not one iota. It’s still, after twenty-thousand years with human beings existing in misery and dying, it’s still the same thing that it was in the beginning. Either this, or! It’s just the same. No change.
How is it put in the Bible? “My word shall not pass away.” My Law—not one jot or tittle of the Law. It’s just the same. No matter who dies; no matter who suffers; no matter how much misery anyone has—all of this will not change. God, or the Pattern, the Design—it’s exactly the same for you today as it was twenty-thousand years ago. It’s exactly the same as it will be in the future. So, if we’re true to the truth we hold the line! Of what? Of the Divine Design. And say, “This is it. Come and share it.” We reveal it, and do our best to present it so that it can be seen in it’s true beautiful light, so that it can be as appealing to the human consciousness as possible—but it’s the same thing, and its not going to change. And you cannot negotiate with God and say, “After while, I am sure that God will be willing to sign a truce.” He will be willing to modify His terms a little, after enough of us die on the battlefield of life, enough of us suffer. I am sure that He will say, “Well, its time to call a truce. And we’ll begin to work out colonies for all the distortion factors. Some of you can have this part of the earth, and some of you can have that part of the earth, and we’ll take a little part over here; it won’t have to be very big, I know, but we would like to have a few hundred acres for those who would really like to reveal the Divine Design, with nothing off, nothing distorted—the real thing.” No truce! No truce. No negotiation is going to work. There is the invitation, “Come and share it.” But don’t imagine that you can put enough pressure on God to make Him compromise, and say, “Well, I’ll accept some of your ideas if you will accept some of mine.” It doesn’t work that way.
Holding the line! On what? On truth—the Divine Design. Do you think you won’t feel pressures? Do you think I don’t? Do you think I don’t know what it is to feel sadness at human beings pulling and turning away, or doing a thousand-and-one things that they ought not to do? I’ve had people go so far as to try to make me compromise a bit by saying, “Well, do thus-and-so or I am going to quit.” Well, if you’re going to quit you’re going to quit; that’s a fact. I am not going to change! Like it or not, I don’t compromise, like it or not! Is it just my way? Am I being some kind of an arbitrary human being? No. I have pointed you to the truth. I’ve pointed you to our KING. I’ve pointed you to the Divine Design. And its that way! Now if it isn’t good enough for someone, well that’s too bad. It’s good enough for me. And that is what I stand for. And it will be the same whether this human form violates the principles or not. It doesn’t change it any—for that which appears as the man would go down as well as anyone else, by reason of a violation. So why do it? What’s the gain? Nothing.
And until you begin to have this realization and this basic attitude, maintaining at the same time a willingness to conform in the patterns of the Divine Design, you can’t really serve. It takes flexibility, great flexibility. I think I have revealed that flexibility, moving from point-to-point in various ways, serving here and there and everywhere. Sometimes human beings take an inflexible attitude, and they say, “You’re flexibility is going to have to take care of this, because I won’t budge.” Well then, of course, when it’s put like that, I get inflexible—then I begin to be inflexible, not because I can’t be flexible but because to yield on a point like that would be to damn the one whom I seek to serve; to increase the idea that if we struggle hard enough, press hard enough, work hard enough, and suffer enough, God will compromise. But, Blessed Ones, God will not compromise, and that’s that! And anyone who hopes to secure a compromise pattern with God has a vain hope. It’s a vain desire.
The LORD is your shepherd, you shall not want. Stop your wanting! Yield to the Divine Design, to the truth, and stay true to the truth. Be honest. Reveal the basic integrity, and the Almighty Power of God will be in you and express through you, to help you to hold the line while someone else pushes-and-pulls, and goes back-and-forth, and decides, “Well, maybe some day I’ll yield too. First I must do this; first I must do that, and the other thing. I’ll probably yield some day, when I get tired enough. But please just wait. Hold the line. I hope that there’s a place for me in the Temple. I’ll get around to filling it some day.” Some day! Some day. And so, we wait, letting the light shine, revealing the truth. What shall it be? What shall it be; when and where, and with whom? What shall it be? We shall see what we shall see.
Your faithfulness and sincerity in working forward here helps to carry the spirit of assurance and confidence to others. On our recent journey there were a few in various places who showed themselves ready for a deeper vision of what it means to be an emissary, a deeper recognition of the outworking of God's Great Plan, and our individual and collective relationship in it and to it. It was a joy unspeakable to be able to talk with them concerning the deeper things of God’s Great Plan, to share with them a consideration of the various steps of its outworking, and I wonder if we might well pause now to take another look, a deeper look, that with increased vision there may be truly a greater realization of the privilege and responsibility which we share. Always, when we consider these things, let us remember that at the present time, vibrationally speaking, all Responding Ones are included, no matter who or where they may be, and let us remember that, in the ultimate outworking, the pattern includes every man, woman and child who has a true willingness to let go of those human patterns of function and being which result in futility and failure, that they may share in the greater pattern, the greatest pattern there is, which assures fulfilment and not futility, which assures victory and not failure. When we have enough background of understanding, enough depth of vision, to allow us to take a perspective view of the practical nature of God’s Great Design, it is one of the most awe-inspiring, one of the most thrilling, one of the most glorious, opportunities to which any human being can aspire.
There are a number of things which we must bear in mind if we are to take that view. One of them is a recognition of the practical nature of the Master's instruction as given in the Beatitudes, where He emphasizes the present tense: “Blessed are the poor in the spirit of this world: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." Why? Because they let the Spirit of the Kingdom that is at hand fill their lives. But while we are rich in the spirit of this world we have no room for the Spirit of the Kingdom of God on earth. However, when we let the spirit of this world be cast out, so that there is room for the Spirit of the Christ Kingdom, He says: "For theirs is,” not shall be, not will be, some day after they die, not something to be achieved a thousand years or ten thousand years from now, or from the day He was speaking: “For theirs is the Kingdom of God on earth.” We remember that that same theme runs throughout the expression of the Beatitudes.
And we remember that Jesus outlined the Pattern, the Plan, the Design, by which this Kingdom might become known to the children of men. We remember that it is only the human limitation of vision which has caused so many to assume that Jesus had to die on the cross. We recognize that there are prophecies in the Old Testament which could have been fulfilled at the time of Jesus. We recognize that if the twelve disciples had remained true there would have been a solid Core, a vibrational pattern established, which could have inspired many of the thousands who had received blessings at His Hand, and that instead of the intervening two thousand years of darkness and misery there would have been then the beginning manifestation of the things of God.
There was, nevertheless, a recognition of the nature of human beings, a recognition of the probable course that humanity would follow. Again bringing it up to the time of Jesus (and you will recognize that I am touching just a few high points here to establish a basis for that which I wish to present to you) He recognized the direction in which things were moving. We remember that after the victory over the tomb was made manifest, He spent forty days with the disciples. “To whom also He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days.” And what was He doing in those forty days? “Speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”
Speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Through three and a half years of Ministry He had undertaken to establish a consciousness of the reality of God's Kingdom here on earth, something that was at hand, something that they could begin to share then, but after that three and a half years of Ministry, after the outworking which led to the cross, the resurrection, and these forty days when He was speaking to them concerning the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, the hour came when He was to withdraw, as a part of that Pattern and Plan — for He had said, “It is expedient for you that I go away” — that He should return to the Inner Realm of things, so that the form could begin to appear, so that the Pattern He had provided could begin to have meaning in them. Yet, when it came to the last minute, virtually the last question they had an opportunity to ask of Him, certain of the disciples said, “Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” There was a complete lack of comprehension, a complete failure to grasp what the Master had been talking about. It must have been a sad moment when our Master heard that inane question, the foolishness of the human mind failing to grasp the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
Yet, we see that that same tendency has continued down to this present day. We recognize that when the Day of Pentecost came, if they had functioned according to the Divine Design the Power of God which began to manifest would not have diminished and vanished away, but it would have increased and become a true power in the world in the affairs of men, and according to that Pattern, trusting that His followers would allow that fulfilment an opportunity of manifestation. He gave the prophecies that are contained in the 24th chapter of Matthew. That cycle of fulfilment was supposed to come into manifestation about seventy years after the time when He was born. It was supposed to be in the middle of the cycle of fulfilment at the time when He spoke these words. Some of the things which He mentioned were fulfilled then, but many of them are not yet fulfilled.
We see that man's failure to follow through under the leadership which God had appointed, [greatcosmicstory.blogspot.com/the-leadership-ordained.html] his failure to allow the Power of God to increase instead of diminish, postponed the day of fulfilment. When they failed to follow through while He was ministering with them, it postponed it. Yet, He established a Plan and Pattern by which they could still experience the fulfilment at that time. But again His point was missed, the Plan was ignored, the leadership He appointed was denied, and instead of the outworking which God intended there was another delay. Consequently, the renewed Pattern, not a change of God's basic Plan but of the manner of its fulfilment, was given new form in what we call the Book of Revelation — some sixty years later, when the Pattern should have been fulfilled and was not, when the failure became evident. It had proved itself out, and the Power of God which began to appear at Pentecost had diminished until there was virtually nothing left of it, there was a reaction of persecution which the disciples had brought upon themselves [greatcosmicstory.blogspot.com/control-pattern.html] and so through Johnthe Revelator a new Pattern, a new Program, was outlined by which the Plan of God might yet find manifest form on earth.
We recognize that it is this part of the Great Plan, according to this particular Pattern of its manifestation, which we have the privilege of sharing. But unless we look back and examine into the cycles of outworking which have led to this hour, we are inclined to make some of the same mistakes that were made in time past, inclined sometimes to forget the Way, the Truth and the Life. When Jesus was outlining His Great Plan with respect to the One Body of many members, the means by which His Power should continue on earth, He pointed out this particular possibility. He made it clear. Let me read you His words, the familiar text that begins:
“I am the true Vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away.” If a branch is taken away, in the sense in which He is speaking here, it is evident that the fruit was not appearing. “And every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it.” How often the human spirit rebels against the necessities of the purging. The human being says, “But I have served thus and so. I have borne such and such fruit for our Lord.” If you bear fruit, remember that it is the greatest, the most wonderful compliment that God can give to any man or woman, to provide for a purging, a cleansing, so that there may be an increase to the end that the individual may bring forth more fruit. And the process continues until he brings forth much fruit. Now note: “Abide in me, and I in you.” Remember that that is what impulsive Peter forgot. “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” That literally took place.
When, after the beginning of the manifestation of the Power of God at Pentecost, they failed to abide in Him, they failed to let the Pattern continue and increase, what happened first? The manifestation of the Power of God, instead of increasing, withered. It diminished very rapidly. We have the record here that it did so. It diminished rapidly. It withered, and because there was self-activity, because it was an imposition of a human plan, a human idea, persecution arose, and in the years that followed, as you know, many of those who tried to be Christians were literally burned. They say, “Burned at the stake.” Too often those who call themselves Christians look back at those so-called martyrs and feel a certain pride, a certain attitude that that is evidence of greatness. That was an evidence of man's failure to recognize the Plan and Purpose of God. It was not a part of God's Plan or intent. It was completely unnecessary. Jesus pointed out here:
“If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” Of course. He did not intend to convey the idea that all would be literally burned, as at the stake, and yet it reached that point. The Master had given forewarning of what would follow If they failed to pay attention to the Laws and Principles involved. We have the same responsibility today. As the Power of God is beginning to increase in the earth, we must remember that if we start using it self-actively as Peter and the others did, the results would be the same.
Jesus made it very, very clear on a number of occasions who was to be the leader, and at the cross He passed the place of authority and leadership to John. [greatcosmicstory.blogspot.com/third-and-last-time-.html] But the disciples refused to acknowledge that. They decided to select their own leader, and bold and impulsive Peter was the one they thought could do the better job, and he was the one who led them. Not just at the time of the crucifixion, but again and again all but John followed in patterns which were, in fact, denial and betrayal. And as John was the only one of the disciples who had stood at the cross, so was he the only one who followed through in the Pattern and it was through him that a re-arrangement of the Program became possible. It was because he did remain true that it was possible for God to establish a Program, and make it evident in what we call the Book of Revelation, whereby the fulfilment could yet be. The Dark Ages did not need to be. All this human suffering did not need to be. We can look back and see that. There is an old saying that, “Hindsight is better than foresight,” because we can look back and see that which leaves us without excuse.
Now, with this introduction, so that you may remember all of these things as we move forward in our consideration, I would like to remind you next of God's revelation of His Plan and intent as it was made manifest in the Old Testament period. Jesus did not reveal God's intent, actually. He gave it new form, yes, and He revealed the Way by which it could be experienced, by which fulfilment might come; but let us look back. Seven hundred years before the Master's birth, through the prophet Isaiah, these words were uttered: “Thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.”
Thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The Gateway to the Kingdom of God here on earth is the Gateway of Praise, of Gratitude to God — the Spirit of Thanksgiving. We have recognized that, and we have found that it works in our lives. Sometimes people forget the Gates. Let us not do it. “Thy sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting Light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation.”
Because things did work out as they did, human beings have failed to recognize that that prophecy, among others, pointedly shows what could have been if the disciples had held steady when Jesus came. That fulfilment could have been then. It is not yet. It is still to be experienced. It could have been under the leadership of Jesus, in the first part of its manifestation at least. Again, He prepared the way for it to appearafter He left this sphere of things. It could have come into being and real power following the Day of Pentecost if the disciples had held true, but they did not. But the LORD provided another opportunity, the Program for the fulfilment of the Divine Plan as outlined in the Book of Revelation, and we are sharing that. That is our opportunity, our privilege. If we were to fail — but let us not even contemplate, or speculate on, such a thing. There have been too many failures in the past. This must not fail.
Let me read another passage which relates to the same fulfilment which could have been, and is yet to be, in the 6th chapter of Isaiah: “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, (the New Spiritual Consciousness which shall manifest) and joy in my people.” Has the LORD had an opportunity to rejoice in the outworking of things on earth? Has He had the opportunity of having joy in His people in this interval of the past two thousand years? No. We have been making Him wait a long time. It is time for someone, somewhere, to begin to so function that He can have joy in His people. “I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.” We see how that same pattern of fulfilment was carried over in the new Program as outlined in the Book of Revelation. “And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble.”
As long as human beings carry out the pattern of their own desires, the ideas of their own making, trying to make things be what they want, it always results in this: “They labor in vain, and bring forth for trouble.” Your own lives can testify to that, and you have seen it on every hand wherever you have been in this old world. But, for those who are following the Divine Pattern something else is the case. “They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” These are some of the things that direct our attention to a recognition of the fact that it could have been.
Let us turn now to another view of the Divine outworking of things. This was actually nearly two hundred years after Isaiah. You will remember that when man first fell, when Lucifer first decided to oppose the Pattern of God and substitute an idea of his own, according to the record there was war in Heaven, and Michael and His Angels fought with the dragon and his angels, and the dragon was cast out of Heaven into the earth. Heaven is at hand. Heaven was on earth. People have tried to understand these things by imagining a separation of earth from Heaven at that time, which did not exist. Heaven and earth were One. It was here on earth that this thing took place, and it was Heaven here, and it was through those whom God had created, Lucifer, the Bright and Morning Star, Divine Manon earth, created to let Deity be revealed in the realm of form in this world. Heaven was here, and it was here in that Heaven on earth that the battle came.
We will not go back and examine all the different phases of it now, but touching a few highlights, recognize that that is what took place. Michael and His Angels fought. The dragon, the self-active mind of man, was cast out of Heaven — and in the realm of self-active human beings they still are out of Heaven. They have been trying to get back into Heaven according to their own way and desire ever since, but they cannot do it. Heaven was here then, and has been at hand all the time ever since. So, Michael and His Angels fought, and the dragon, the self-active expression of man, was cast out of Heaven. The restoration, salvation — the thing for which the Master came into the world — the purpose of all God’s Designs and Plans down through the ages, has been the restoration. The restoration to what? The restoration of the mind, the consciousness of man, to Heaven that is at hand. That is all it amounts to. But the consciousness of man cannot get back into Heaven except by the way which God has established. From that time on the work of focalizing the activities designed to bring about man's salvation, his restoration to Heaven at hand, was in the hands of the One who had cast out the dragon and all his angels, all those who followed after that pattern of self-activity.
Michael was the One who carried on that focus of activity in various cycles, in various ways, many of which are recorded and some are not, leading to an opportunity for man — the opportunity that was established at the time of Abraham, the opportunity that was established at the time of the Children of Israel when they came out of Egypt. It is written that Moses did not enter the Promised Land. The place to which he was taking the people was only a symbol to him. The Promised Land to which he was looking was the restoration of the Divine Kingdom on earth. Looking over Jordan to the land to which the Children of Israel were going, geographically, meant nothing to him. There has been a great misunderstanding in this, for actually he was concerned with leading the people back to the Kingdom of God on earth, and already it had become evident to him that that pattern was not going to work, that taking those people to the geographical place of the so-called Promised Land was moving into too many tangents. They had wasted too many years wandering in the wilderness. That was a Plan, a Pattern, which could have worked. If those who had been delivered from Egypt had followed the Plan which God established, it could have been done then, and it would not have been necessary for Jesus Christ to come into the world.
That is the fundamental point I wish to emphasize now. There was, repeatedly established, an opportunity for human beings to come into the Kingdom. It could have been done without Jesus Christ having to come into the world. As you begin to see this Great Cosmic Plan in all of its points and its relatedness, remember that. And remember that from the standpoint of Michael that was the most important thing of all. That was his greatest desire, that the restoration should be accomplished without any inconvenience to His LORD and KING. Over and over again he worked and labored to that end. Now, if you remember the things we have covered in this brief outline, you will be in position to understand and appreciate something I would read to you now from the 10th chapter of the Book of Daniel:
“In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.
“In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;
“Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
“And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
“And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
“But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.
“And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my Lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.
“Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
“Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.”
We will not take time to analyze all the different phases of this passage, but certain points need to be brought clearly into focus. As it is emphasized here, Michael was incarnated in the form that was called Daniel. Michael was in the earth at that time working toward the end that we have been considering, appearing as Daniel, and it is indicated here in this text also that from the Divine standpoint he was recognized as the Lord of Truth. But what was the vision? The Bible does not say. I can tell you what it was. It was at that time that the decision was made from the standpoint of our LORD and KING that He would come into the world. Michael, manifesting in various times and ways, had worked to bring about the restoration of man without this necessity on the part of our LORD. It was at that time that Daniel [Michael] was informed, through that vision, that the LORD of Lords had determined to come into the world Himself and to establish the Program, to work out a Plan to make possible the hastening of the Program of Salvation for man. That was a great sadness to Michael, as it is put: “My comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.”
This was a manifestation to Daniel at that time, revealing to him that since the outworking with respect to the Children of Israel had failed, the Divine decision was made to let all of those old patterns go and to move forward into another cycle. The way it affected Daniel is vividly portrayed here: “And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my Lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. For how can the servant of this my Lord talk with this my Lord?” The feeling of failure, of recognizing that all that had been accomplished up to that time had not achieved the desired end, that the LORD Himself was going to come into the world, was heavy upon him. Then there came the assurance: “Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me.” There we see the picture of the acceptance of the Divine Plan.
We recognize that Michael was again manifest, when the Master was here, through the one who was called the Beloved Disciple John, and that for the period that Jesus Christ Himself was here on earth the focalization of the whole program was, of course, in the Master’s hands on earth; but that when humanity had rejected Him, the moment He lost consciousness on the cross, the authority, the responsibility with respect to carrying on that Program, passed back to the hands of Michael, the one who has worked from the beginning of the days of the fall for the restoration and the salvation of man. Concerning the particular pattern of fulfilment that was to be, the Master gave some very definite statements, and with a brief consideration of them we will bring our meditation to a close. “Nevertheless,” the Master said, “I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me.”
From the standpoint of Michael, from the standpoint of the outworking of the Cosmic Plan, there is just one sin — just one! Any other ill thing would have to come under the classification of that one sin. All ill things come into manifestation as a result of that one sin. And the moment an individual clears, so that he is not subject to that one sin, the former things begin to pass away, and that which has been has no more power, no more meaning. The one sin — "Because they believe not on Jesus Christ our LORD.” The one sin — to share with the world the rejection, the denial, the betrayal, and the crucifixion. From that day the world has been under judgment. Opportunity is given to human beings to be forgiven of that one sin, that believing, believing according to the standard the Master gave — “the works that I do shall ye do also” — they shall be saved. That is the standard of belief. Then there is evidence of whether there is belief. The only sin there is is failure to believe on Jesus Christ our LORD. That is the basis of judgment for the world. That is the basis of judgment for every man, woman and child, without a single exception.
So, we come down to this time, this day, this cycle of fulfilment, having a share in that Great Pattern that is portrayed here from cover to cover in the Bible, when a new opportunity has been established for human beings. If we remember the broad scope of it, the Glory and the Wonder of it, the Awe of God’s Love and Patience — and what an awesome thing it is! — then, surely, in this day and age we can remember what we are here for, to Whom we belong, and where we are supposed to live and serve in the Spirit of the Living Christ. Surely we can leave behind the spirit of self-centeredness, leave behind the whims and fancies, the reactions, that spoil the Pattern, delay the outworking, and in effect say to the hungry ones in the world, “Wait a little longer while I have my own way, while I struggle with God a bit,” and which in effect say, “God, I know you have a Plan, a Design; I know you are All-Powerful, but I am still going to contend with you and try to impose my will over yours.” The contemptible foolishness of the human mind, the human being, who takes such a stand!
We have an opportunity toward which the Prophets of All Ages have looked. This time of outworking is ours to share. If we recognize that which is portrayed in the Bible, and which we have viewed briefly in broad perspective, we can surely remember, and keep centered in, the Spirit of the Living Christ all the time, that we may not only share His Victory but that we may have a part in making that Victory have meaning in the lives of others. Except as we so serve we are nothing. Unless we bring forth fruit we are nothing. What Jesus did will be in vain for each one who fails to follow through on this Pattern, this cycle of outworking. For all who reject that Plan as it now stands, the opportunity and the things that Jesus did are in vain. God forbid that it should be so for any of you. Let us share the Victory, and, sharing it, inspire others to do likewise; for we remember the words of the Master’s Prayer where He taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come.” Where? On earth. “Thy Will be done.” Where? “On earth as it is in Heaven. For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever. Aumen.”
I thank God for the blessings we have shared, that as we remain steady and true, learning to abide in that polarity which permits the fulfilment of this Great Plan, the Power of God can work through us more effectively than ever before. And there are so many Earnest Ones out there working with us, sharing this outworking where they are. They do not have to be here, geographically. They are a part of it. I thank God for what has been accomplished, but it is little more than a beginning. But, concerning small things, we read the Promise: “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation,” and the Master pointed to the growth of the mustard seed. Let us let it be so in our lives regardless of what anyone else may do.
Heavenly Father, I thank Thee for Thy Blessings upon these Faithful Ones here gathered, and for all who are with us in Spirit, for all who are turning to Thee, that Thy Will may be done on earth as it is in Heaven, causing Thy Kingdom to come; For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever. In the Christ. Aumen.
I thank God for the privilege of this hour with you. I thank God for the response that is in you — and according to thy response, so be it unto thee. We are not here to satisfy ourselves or please ourselves. We are not here to play children’s games. We are here to share the outworking of the Cosmic Plan of God which began immediately to come into force and being at the time of the fall of man. It is ours to share, and I thank God for the privilege of sharing it with you, and all the others who are responding and showing themselves willing to forget the human, petty things which spoil so much that is lovely, that the things of God may appear on earth. God Bless you.
