The Ark Of Restoration
Martin Cecil October 21, 1979 a.m.
“Out of Egypt have I called my son.” Out of the world of human darkness have I called all people. Who is the one who calls? We speak of the Voice of the Lord. This Voice is present with all human beings. It certainly can be said that many are called. “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Most hear that call very, very faintly, if at all. Those who do hear something of it are inclined to interpret it in human ways. What is heard is for the most part mistranslated because of what is present in human consciousness. “Few are chosen.” This has reference not only to hearing but doing. Many are called; some hear the call; very few let that hearing be translated into doing. Those who do are the chosen.
All of us sitting here have heard, as have many others on the face of the earth. I am sure that all who are sitting here are concerned with the doing. To be concerned with the doing is a step in the right direction but it only has real meaning when it goes beyond concern to the actual fact of the doing. Then there are the chosen and the beloved on earth; for a purpose of course, not just for their own benefit. Out of Egypt, out of the world of human darkness, have been called those who have ears to hear, and above all those who have a willingness to do. On this foundation of doing we are assembled here this morning.
The world of human darkness is the experience of people everywhere because of the fact of being stimulated by externals. Which of us here present this morning could say that we are yet not stimulated by externals? To the extent that we are subject to such stimulation we remain in darkness. We are thereby governed by that over which we rightly have dominion. This has been the state of human beings as long as can be remembered—stimulation from below. This stimulation is present and it produces human addictions of various sorts so that people behave accordingly. One of the tests for intoxication is to walk a straight line. There are those who find difficulty in walking a straight line even when they are sober. If we see this straight line in spiritual terms there are indeed precious few who are able to walk a straight line. We may understand that this is so because they are addicted to the stimuli of externals, so that they are moved in this direction and then in that direction and consequently are unable to walk the line.
Subjection is a deliberate choice, the choice to be subject to external stimuli. We understand these things presumably. External stimuli do induce a high of some sort. This is always inevitably followed by a slump. This up-and-down experience is characteristic of the darkness of human nature. Some attempt to smooth out the waves, and perhaps this is a wise move but all too many imagine that this is about all that can be done about it. We know better: there is something more that can be done about it. The question is whether we do better!
We have heard in some measure the call, which is not really to better human darkness, is it, not merely to a more stable human existence, so that we are not so erratic as we were. If this does occur and things do smooth out in our experience, there is a tendency to take that to mean that something really worthwhile is being accomplished; but it is unlikely that anything much has started to happen yet. After all, there have been relatively stable people in the world over the ages. Mere stability in the sense of the smoothing out of the ups and downs of human experience does not achieve very much. It may assist in the continued existence of human beings on the face of the earth so that things do not get entirely out of hand, but it seems to become more and more difficult for people to maintain this stability, because there are more violent fluctuations going on within the range of human experience. A person braces himself to maintain equilibrium because of the apparent movement in one direction; he suddenly finds that the movement is in the opposite direction, and unless he is pretty agile he has lost his equilibrium. So all these attempts to establish equilibrium and stability in the human state are going to be found to be less than adequate, if they haven’t been found that way already.
However there are those on earth who have discovered a certain experience of stability from another standpoint
— I am always hopeful that this includes us —
Stability which comes because of centering in what really is stable and not merely an endeavor to become an expert on the high wire, so to speak, because this high wire represents something that isn’t particularly stable. We have come into an awareness that the spirit of God is stable, and therefore if the spirit of God is the quality of our expression in living then we discover a stability which is not in any way dependent upon external events. We can leap upon the mountains and skip upon the hills without losing our balance. The initial experience in this regard may involve some stumbling. Provided that we maintain an adequate centering in this stable spirit, though we stumble, though we even fall on occasion, we find ourselves restored to a state of equilibrium once more. If we look at this simply from a personal standpoint—what’s happening to me: “I’m making spiritual progress now, I am able to stand more surely and firmly”—as though that was the end and aim of everything, we miss the point. If we do gain stability, if we do experience greater vision, increased understanding, it is not in order to make us self-satisfied. It has happened because of something much greater than what we are individually.
In moving toward this point of true stability centered in spirit, there is the need for a certain amount of discipline, so that a person may become familiar with the stimulation of spirit in his own consciousness. This doesn’t immediately mean that one has no more stimulation from the standpoint of externals. Obviously if we are not going to be pushed around by such stimulation there must be a firm hand in the picture somehow which says, “No,” without equivocation. Usually a person doesn’t immediately have that sort of internal strength, having been accustomed to the addicted state. When the addiction comes up, “Well I really can’t help it; I must be overwhelmed; next time perhaps.” But of course that next time comes and the same thing happens. There is a need for some sort of application of discipline. There is that of which human consciousness should partake, but it has very distorted appetites, appetites which destroy. So we are concerned to emerge out of the addiction and to provide what is necessary so that others may emerge out of the addiction.
We have had a ministry for many years. It has been identified under the name Emissaries of Divine Light. This offers a Voice, rightly, which some may hear and to which they may respond, so that they may associate themselves with what? We may say the intent is that they should associate themselves with the expression of Divine Light, in other words participate in the Emissary state. Do you think anyone is going to let that happen without the presence of what is needful to dispose of the already firmly entrenched addictions? Most people are hopeful that this can be done without ruffling too many feathers—but do you really think so? It’s going to take a firm hand somehow. There is the necessity for love; true enough, but a firm hand—discipline. Those who begin to show a willingness to accept such a discipline usually thereafter, when it begins to be applied, reject it. The complaint comes, “You are taking away my freedom.”
We have the freedom of choice: either to be addicted to human nature or to experience the truth—one or the other, and we can choose. But if we are to experience the truth then we have to make that choice and let go of the addiction, and not imagine that we are free anymore to indulge in the addiction. Even those who have heard a little of the voice and begun to accept orientation in that direction take a long time to decide that their exercise of freedom of choice is simply between the truth which is being offered through the Voice, or the human nature addiction which was the already experienced state. We can have one or the other; we can’t have both; and if there is persistence in the choice to sustain the addictions of human nature, then we have rejected the truth.
That addicted state of human nature may be described as wickedness. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” That is the way it is in the addicted state, not just the way it was somewhere back along the way before the flood. God saw that. Do we see it? If we really do see it then to that extent we are seeing as God sees. He sees the human state in its true colors, which most people do not. We have certainly been privileged with a certain amount of vision in this regard. With privileges, there go responsibilities. It is not only a matter of hearing, seeing, but also doing. The responsibility is the doing.
This story, which leads into the building of the ark and the coming of the flood, may be looked upon as a myth. Perhaps some of the elements of the story are not an accurate portrayal of what actually occurred but, as with any myth, it may reveal something which is valuable. The event of the flood itself may indeed be a fact. The waters prevailed upon the earth—there must have been a reason why that happened. We have some awareness of the fact that the earthly consciousness of man, who was created in the image and likeness of God, is the means by which the control of God may be exercised in the field of human responsibility. If this is so then what happens in human consciousness will be the cause for what occurs in the field of responsibility. If what happens in human consciousness is an extension of what is happening in the consciousness of God, then what occurs will be accordingly. Destruction occurs by reason of the fact that in the human field of responsibility the action is being taken on the basis of what is present in human consciousness and not what should be present in human consciousness of the consciousness of God. There is always an inevitable destruction as long as human consciousness does not include the consciousness of God. It was described in these particular terms in the Book of Genesis: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth”—we see that, I think—“and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Then it goes on to say:
“And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth”—well he was messing things up after all; still is, isn’t he?—“and it grieved him at his heart. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” Familiar picture? “And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. “And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”
This was not an arbitrary action on the part of some mysterious God somewhere but merely the result of what had been happening in the consciousness of human beings. And the result of what is happening in the consciousness of human beings is what is occurring in the world now. The instruction was given: “Make thee an Ark.” I am sure you recognize that this ark—whatever it was; a boat, they say—was designed to make survival possible. Because of what was to happen, what inevitably must happen on the face of the earth, there was a need for a means of survival unless the human race was to be wiped out. So the initial ark here mentioned relates to an Ark of Survival, and indeed evidently man survived; we’re still here. The same picture was painted at the time of the birth of Moses, you may recall. He was put in an ark too and floated upon the water. The Princess of Egypt found him there and took him into the palace, so he was raised in the palace. But that ark was an ark of survival insofar as Moses was concerned.
Both these arks, as I recall, were pitched within and without with pitch. That was to keep the water out presumably, providing a safe place within the substance of the consciousness of man. A seed survived, both at the time of Noah and then again in the story at the time of Moses. And we can see why it was important that Moses should survive, which he did. But later he built another ark, that was called the Ark of the Covenant, which wasn’t a boat; and it wasn’t pitched within and without with pitch, but another material was used, namely gold. Here is a distinct difference then between the previous arks, the arks of survival, and this ark which was a symbol, a representation, of something else beyond survival.
Human beings are inclined to look with some fear toward the future, wondering how the human race is going to survive. I don’t think it’s important anymore that there should merely be an ark of survival. The mere survival of human beings on earth hasn’t accomplished very much so far. So this is another kind of ark that is needful. The cycle was initiated at the time of Moses in this regard. We could call it the Ark of Restoration, not merely survival anymore but restoration, so that there may be some meaning to survival. So far there hasn’t been much meaning to survival. Human beings have always reverted again into the same old addictions. While those addictions may have taken different form—it’s not all that different actually—over the ages, they were always there. The fallen state, it’s called sometimes. It’s simply the state which human beings experience on earth, and that state, because of what is present in the consciousness of human beings, ensures disaster, makes it absolutely certain. It has happened repeatedly in the past and apparently it is about to happen again.
There are those who are attempting to make arks of survival. Some of the religious bodies do this, stash away some food, canned goods or whatever, in anticipation of the disaster that is coming. But it is not only the religious bodies that do it. There are all sorts of people who want to tell you how you may survive in the coming crash of financial disintegration, what you should do. So there is a great deal of interest still in the matter of survival; but if that is all it is I don’t think there is any reason for anyone to survive, so why bother? The true concern is with restoration, and there needs to be an ark for this. The composition of this ark is a living composition—it’s composed of people. There are those who have some conscious awareness of what it is that is needful and what should be undertaken, and there are those who are not so conscious in that way but who are all essential to the ark. Even the ark of survival, as it originally was with Noah, had a lot of forms present in it which were completely unconscious of the reason why they were in the ark. They went in two by two!
So we may see that the ark includes many more than those who have some little consciousness of it, and the mere fact of having a consciousness of it doesn’t indicate that the individual is necessarily participating in what the ark really is. There must not only be the hearing but the doing. Those who do have the opportunity of sharing in an awareness of what it is that is happening have the greater responsibility, but there are many others who are handling their responsibilities in an unconscious way, perhaps very often a lot better than those who should have been handling them consciously. Let us never put others down because they don’t share our exalted vision. What’s the use of an exalted vision if it doesn’t include an exalted doing? Certainly those who do see, who do begin to understand, have the greater responsibility because they have the greater privilege of vision. In such case there is always a sense of appreciation for all those who reveal the qualities of the spirit of God at whatever level. We may know that merely ministering to the poor is not going to allow for the restoration of man, but it is a part of the expression of the spirit of God nevertheless.
What is the quality of the expression of the spirit of God in our own experience at the level where we are supposed to understand and to do what is required by reason of that understanding? In such case we rejoice in the evidence of the spirit of God in action no matter where—nevertheless there is a focus of the spirit of God in action, and if that is allowed to be included in a body which has conscious direction, well we begin to discover that there is far vaster expression of the spirit of God, the power of that spirit, already here than we thought. We don’t have to dig all these things out and find the people. They are doing their job; we can trust them. Can they trust us? That’s the question, because all that they do is utterly futile unless there is a focus of conscious understanding and doing. When there is that then restoration is possible.
The thing that has been lacking has been that focus of conscious understanding and doing.
The focus that was represented so beautifully by the One called Jesus.
But it is not a matter of one person; it is a matter of all of us, all of those who have the privilege of sharing a vision and an understanding which heretofore has not been available adequately on earth. Are we going to make sure that it is adequately available on earth? That is what we are here present for this morning, sharing in this hour. So we stay humble. We don’t think that somehow or other if we do have some vision we are better than somebody else who doesn’t. We have been charged with the responsibility of that vision; they haven’t. They have their own responsibility and maybe they are handling that a lot better than we are handling our responsibility of vision. We need to be honest in these things. We need to be humble and appreciative, and above all encompassing, including all who are participating in the expression of the spirit of God at whatever level and in whatever way. How blessed we are in our vision, but only when it includes our doing.
© emissaries of divine light
It Really Makes Me Feel Very Uncomfortable
an excerpt
Uranda March 16, 1947 Riverside, California
It is all done, all accomplished, and all achievement is possible through the Love and Power of Jesus Christ. The honor and glory are His, and while I appreciate recognition of my Ministry, the greatest recognition of it and the most pleasing for me, is the recognition of Him, and the proof that that Ministry means anything is the manifestation of an increased Love for Him.
The Master Himself came into the world and did these things, and lived among us because He loved each man, woman and child upon the face of the earth; and when, in the recognition of that Love for us, we learn to really love Him, then we can begin to be a part of His Body on earth, and being a part of His Body on earth in actuality, we can begin to let His Love work through us into the world. Unless that love becomes such a living, vital, constant and utterly complete, thing, so that it is that which fills our expression and holds us in oneness with Him, our words will continue to be just words and will accomplish no more than what a lot of other good people have accomplished.
I could not help you to know Him unless I knew Him. It is because I know Him as He was, and as He is, that I can help you to come to know Him. And the more vividly the individual knows that I know Him, the easier will it be for me to introduce the individual to the LORD of Lords, so that each one can know Him, and so that these things can be such vital, living realities in relationship to us right now, no longer separated by two thousand years—something that is just as real and just as vital for us as it possibly could have been for those disciples; and in fact it must be a lot more vital and real than it was for any of those disciples, save one. And unless that vividness can be conveyed to the One Christ Body, so that it is just as real as it was to John the Beloved, then there is no means whereby this outworking can take place now. We have got to know Him and love Him. Time, in that sense, has utterly no meaning. Until we get away from this tendency of thinking of ourselves as being separated from Him by 1900 years, it cannot be done. It must be just as if He had walked every step of the way here with us, or as if we had with Him then, and then the possibilities of fulfilment for us are really greater than they were for the disciples after He returned to the Father.
That is why, while I appreciate your recognition of my Ministry, it really makes me feel very uncomfortable when you express so lovingly — and I am not criticizing you for it — unless the praise and honor and glory go to Him. Yes, I know, it goes to Him through me, but I have said these things because I have tried to convey to you how I feel about it so that you emphasize in those recognitions the love and response to Him. I am not finding fault — please understand — but I am just trying to convey how I feel about it.
© emissaries of divine light
Not Just Another Man
Martin Cecil September 15, 1974 p.m.
Moving into this new seven-year period, a new experience should be naturally anticipated. “Six days shalt thou labour.” We have known that, but now something new. I'm not suggesting some sort of instantaneous transformation is to be expected. There has been something working out in a natural cycle over the years. What is it that has been fundamentally happening?
What we have referred to as material man has been dominant; spiritual man was apparently lost. However, gradually, as the attitude of judgment receded some changes have come. The movement out of the six days of labor into the seventh day of rest comes because spiritual man again begins to be revealed and material man recedes somewhat into the background, although still present. Spiritual man would not be very effective on earth without material man. Material man is not very effective on earth without spiritual man—but he's tried his damnedest. There begins to be a greater consciousness of one's own spiritual being, and responsibility is assumed, or right expression in this regard, through material man. He is needful that this might be so.
The sabbath of the Lord was blessed by the Lord and sanctified. We can see here something that relates very directly and particularly to the holy place where the priesthood are—where spiritual man properly abides. There comes an increased consciousness of walking day by day on holy ground. The old material man characteristics are no longer dominant and no longer seem so attractive as they once did.
Each individual is rightly a leader. The human view of a leader is sometimes that of a person who issues orders, imposes whatever is seemingly required upon his followers; but this is not the sort of leadership which we find in the experience of the true tone. True leadership is an exemplification of what is right; not with the idea of imposing that example upon somebody, but to make sure that no support is given to something wrong. If we give support to something wrong, then we are a follower of the wrong thing—of the prince of this world. So we have no agreement rightly with anything that is not right. While we do not make a big thing out of it, there is what might be called a gentle pressure with respect to anything that is not right appearing through somebody else.
For this to be the case, one must be right within himself, so that there is immediate and easy agreement with what is right wherever it appears. But when something is off-key, when a sour note begins to put in an appearance, we do not undertake necessarily to correct the person, to say, “You shouldn't be doing what you're doing; you shouldn't be judging,” or whatever it is. There's really no need for that if you are yourself an expression of the right thing. It immediately brings pressure to bear on the other person without any particular deliberation on your part—you simply are not in agreement with the wrong thing—you ignore the wrong thing. And you thereby exhibit the real nature of friendship, because you're not encouraging the person to follow the wrong thing.
As long as there is not agreement with the wrong thing, because one is too occupied with expressing the right thing, then certainly pressure is brought to bear. Something is felt if there is a person present who is true to the truth and one is deviating from it oneself. You feel it. And one needs to be alert to that feeling. You immediately know that something's wrong. The usual self-centered human attitude is to find some justification for one's own state of discomfort. If the discomfort is consequent upon agreement with something wrong, then immediately there is a warning signal which says, “Let your attitude change.” And it can be changed so easily and quickly in that circumstance. How long do you think it would take for the wrong things to disappear?
If there have been wrong things maintained—the habit of judgment, and there have been others around who have been inclined to agree with that judgment, then, of course, the judgment is maintained, the ill thing is maintained and fattened even, made more healthy. But if all concerned were instantly in this moment in agreement with what is right and simply not be in agreement with anything that is wrong, then the wrong things would clear out pronto; the person would be so lonely in the egression of something wrong. Particularly when we begin to move in the current of the spirit and you express something wrong, you find yourself isolated. And that's the way it should be.
People love to jump right in, don't they? Tear somebody down—something's wrong. How do you know? There's nothing wrong if we agree with what is right. There's only something wrong when we agree with something wrong. If we agree with something right, the tone is sounding and whatever is seemingly wrong will be taken care of as it should be, whatever way that may be—by the tone, not by the human judgment. We constantly make sure that in our association with others we are agreeing with what is right. On this basis comes a new experience of oneself. Spiritual man is right; material man separate from spiritual man is wrong. So, we accept the responsibility of rightness and consequently experience spiritual man. One can't experience spiritual man if one is wrong.
I have a letter here which I received from a lady outlining something which is vitally important to see.
She outlines something most clearly and beautifully: “For almost two years now I've been very careful to agree with your words, period. I had had an abhorrence to anything approaching idolatry of another human being. Lately, it had been difficult because your high vision and even higher expression were hard to ignore, but I worked at thinking of you as just another person. Last year, about this time, I woke up and thanked God for the morning. Not ‘the God that is me and is you’ as previous, but God—the Lord. And last week I suddenly faced the fact that I knew you weren't just another human being that had good things to say, yet for some reason I had refused to acknowledge it. And as soon as I did accept it, I realized what I had been doing. By trying to keep you at my level I didn't have to face the fact that if you were ‘up there,’ I could be as well. I have seen some idolatry of you. Those that kept you separate obviously didn't know you. I guess, too, that it's another way not to have to accept the standards. I realize now, more so than ever, the greatness of you. But I don't think I'm idolizing you. I know I can stand where you are—and I know that when I am there you will be higher, inviting me up. I'm finally, consciously, coming to you; not your words, not the Ranch or the Hundred, but to you. You've been waiting this long. I offer my total love and being in thanks.”
As I say, there is something of vital importance to be seen here. Human beings, in the material man state, look at each other as material human beings. Spiritual man has been so long absent that he is virtually an unknown quantity—he doesn't really exist to people. He may exist in symbol—the symbol of Jesus Christ—there is spiritual man, but not here. And it's convenient if He is there rather than here, because one then doesn't have to measure up—He is different; He is separate, and no one could aspire to be what He revealed Himself to be. This is the general human attitude in the range of Christianity, isn't it? He is something separate from all of us. But it isn't the truth. It is a convenient way of avoiding the necessity of facing what is required of oneself.
The same thing may occur with respect to a person who is now present. In this instance the lady writes to me. She had been endeavoring to maintain a distinction between what I was saying—the truth which appeared in written form or on tape—and me, the endeavor to see me simply as material man. Now material man sees material man, but spiritual man sees spiritual man. If one is afraid, as she expresses it, of idolizing material man, then perhaps there is something valid about the fear. Why should one idolize material man? But at the same time this attitude tends to deny the possibility of spiritual man: Everybody is material man—it can't be any other way. This was more or less the attitude that was taken when spiritual man was revealed so vividly through Jesus. The attitude would be, “Well, he's just another man.” When He went back to His hometown for instance, everybody knew Him. They knew His mother, His father, His brethren, and so on—just another man. What is being said is, “Here is just another material man,” which indicated in that instance, certainly, a great lack of vision. In other words, there were a lot of material people with no spiritual vision, and all a material person can see is another material person.
Now a material person is present when spiritual man is present. What is it you see? What is your vision in this regard? Does it get hung up in this regard with material man? Or do you see the evidence of spiritual man? Of course, a person can only see the evidence of spiritual man to the extent that he himself is beginning to experience the reality of spiritual man in his own expression. The emergence through the six days, as the judgmental attitude of material man is left behind, allows a person to begin to perceive spiritually—spiritual things are spiritually discerned. And who can discern spiritually? Material man? Oh, no. Spiritual man discerns spiritually, so there must at least be some measure of the experience of spiritual man in oneself before one will recognize spiritual man in another.
When there is the recognition of spiritual man in another, on the basis particularly of someone who is providing leadership, then one is no longer separating oneself from the same experience. One's own identity is rightly in the same place. And on this basis we come together in agreement—we agree as spiritual man, male and female. We don't try to agree as material man. This effort has been put forth for a long time by human beings, and still is, to try to produce agreement between material human beings while ignoring spiritual man. It is an impossible task on that basis—no agreement ensues. All that happens is that people become more critical of each other. And the closer people get to each other, the more critical they become of each other. Agreement is based in the experience of spiritual man. One must acknowledge spiritual man if one is to begin to know what agreement is.
I'm not interested in being idolized. We don't need any idols. But we do need agreement—we do need to awaken in our awareness to the reality of spiritual man. And spiritual man is not as other men, because that statement refers to material man. Spiritual man is not as other men, although material man is present in relationship to spiritual man.
There is the appearance of material man, but then the instruction is, “Judge not by the appearance”—rather, judge righteous judgment. See what is actually present and rejoice in that. All I'm concerned with is spiritual man—and spiritual man is spiritual man. I acknowledge spiritual man in relationship to each one. Why not, as you look at each other, do the same thing? If you do do the same thing, then you're in agreement with me. If you get hung up on material man, then we're in disagreement and the evidence of that disagreement will appear, because there will be a critical or judging attitude, where a person looks at material man and says, “That's not spiritual man.” Well, I know it's not spiritual man, but our concern is with spiritual man who is also present. Which carries the most value to us?
We find the value in spiritual man because we know there is no solution to any of material man's problems or difficulties or miserable states except by reason of spiritual man. Spiritual man is the one responsible for propagating the true tone on earth. And the true tone, propagated on earth, clears the mess which material man has made. Material man is totally incapable of clearing his own mess. All he does is add to it, make it worse. Wherever we look, in whatever direction, we see things getting more and more tangled up, and it is the nature of material human beings to condemn or criticize this one or that one because they acted thus-and-so and things became more tangled up. But if they had acted so-and-thus, exactly the same thing would have happened.
Judge not. Let the whole mess alone and agree with what is right. You may say, looking out into the world over there somewhere, you can't see very much that's right. Well, why not come a little closer to home. There are things that are right right here. Let's agree with this. Never mind the world out there. That will sort itself out if we are right. But if no one is right anywhere, it will never sort itself out.
Spiritual man is present. As you have an increasing awareness of this truth, that awareness becomes ever more vivid to the extent that we are in agreement with what is right, because spiritual man is that much more present. Only material man judges. Material human beings have judged God for judging. They're inclined to say that God is a judge. Oh, no. “With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.” We judge ourselves in the material condition. Let us rise up out of it. But to do that we have to recognize that spiritual man is present—acknowledge the fact, not because one is going to worship spiritual man but because one is going to share in the being of spiritual man, accepting that responsibility. The failure to acknowledge spiritual man is the insistence upon remaining in the material state.
Anyone can look at me and judge me—lots of people have. But those judgments make no difference to me. Do judgments of you make a difference to you? Does it change you from being you? We are not concerned with material judgments; we are concerned with the spiritual state in human experience, spiritual man—Abel as opposed to Cain. And Cain and Abel are rightly brothers. They belong together. But Cain will only allow the resurrection of Abel when he stops judging. That's why he killed Abel in the first place, wasn't it? Let us be willing to acknowledge the presence of spiritual man on earth, and agree with rightness. That doesn't mean that we have to disagree with wrongness. Don't judge it.
Always the question can be asked when you judge something as being wrong, how do you know? How do you know that it is wrong? Let it alone. To the extent that one begins to associate oneself with spiritual man, one becomes aware of what is right. We don't need to know what is wrong to know what is right—at least, the only reason why we may have to take a look sometimes at what seems to be wrong is so that we may turn to what is right. We're not going to take issue with what is wrong; we're not going to get into a battle about it; we're not going to judge it, but agree with what is right. And when we do, we reveal the fact that we love one another, because we will not support attitudes of judgment whenever they appear in others. We should be delighted that, if an attitude of judgment appears in us, we find that those with whom we are immediately associated don't support it.
Human beings are afraid of being alone, which is why so much trouble is taken to surround oneself with other people, supposedly friends—but the sense of aloneness is the void in a person consequent upon the fact that spiritual man is not being experienced. It doesn't have anything to do with other people. And other people can't take your loneliness away from you. Only you can find the true state of comfort, because you agree with spiritual man. Then the true brothers get together; there's no more loneliness.
So we move into this sabbath day, to stand in the holy place because we are simply concerned with what is right. We are not judging others as being wrong; we are concerned to be right ourselves in the expression of what we are, spiritual man. And as this becomes the increasing experience of all concerned, whatever doesn't belong in the right expression of spiritual man in the moment is simply dissolved—it passes away. Many of the things that perhaps we have judged as being wrong are discovered not to be wrong at all; it was merely our view of them that was wrong. We didn't see clearly. But as we begin to see with the eyes of spiritual man, all these things begin to fall into place and we find that there was really nothing to judge anyway.
All things work together to perfection for those who love and serve the Lord. Let us continue to love and serve the Lord, which means to love and serve what is true and right in the expression of spiritual man. Here is the basis of all agreement. The almighty power of God is released through the tone of life to achieve what is right and true and proper to the glory of God. Let it work out on the right basis; everything's under control. All things work together to perfection—this is true when we love and serve the Lord, when we are true to the truth, when we are true to the tone. Let us assume our responsibility as spiritual man, that we may continue to play our parts together in agreement. The vibrant spirit of the living God is always present, always enfolding, always ready to find full, free, strong expression through you in each moment of your living.
© emissaries of divine light
