from

In  The  World,  But  Not  Of  It

Martin Cecil  August 1, 1982

I'm sure that all of you have sensed something of a shift occurring, brought to focus by reason of the movement of the creative cycle with which we are associated. You all recall the Master's statement, as somebody remembered it and somebody else translated it: “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” In order to hear the Word there must be the substance to accommodate it. What is heard will be dependent upon the quality of that substance in one's own generation of it. That generation is dependent upon the quality of one's own living. The shift which is occurring now in a more particular way relates to an emergence in the awareness of mind and heart of a state that has not been known heretofore.

This relates to another statement with which we are familiar: We are in the world, but not of it. We have said that but haven't entirely proven the truth of it. We have remained very largely still a part of the world as it has been known to us and as it is known to the rest of the population of the world. This has kept us, at least partially, in the trap where it is imagined that somehow the way of the Lord is synonymous with the ways of men. It is not a matter of improvement, and yet the fact is that there has been an inclination to see everything on the basis of improvement. We did not come into the world simply to be competent in any of the fields of human function.

We may be in position to use events to advantage, but let us not imagine that it is the events themselves that have any significance. They only have significance if they are used correctly. They cannot be used correctly unless there are angels incarnate and in expression present to do it. Then the view is not that there is some great significance to the event but merely that the event may be useful in letting people become aware of the angelic presence. This is not to say that one would try to impress by producing some sort of outpouring of glory, but by being what one really is, present in that situation.

There are countless situations and circumstances on earth in which we all find ourselves. Some have more potential for providing a connection with more people relative to the angelic presence. We're in the world; we necessarily have association with all these circumstances, and we are here to use everything to advantage. To whose advantage? To the advantage of the Lord. One certainly cannot use anything to the advantage of the Lord if one is not closely associated with the Lord, if one's first order of business is not to maintain that connection, to let it be strong and consistent, so that everything that is done, in whatever field, always springs out of that connection. We have laid emphasis upon the importance of the Word, because here is the basis of what has been called the connection upward. Without that connection there is nothing of any significance that anyone could do on the face of the earth.

There really is a lot of spiritual substance around within the range of our own experience. This substance allows for a certain level of understanding. The question arises, however, as to the quality of that substance and to what level it reaches, because that will determine the level of our understanding, the level of our ability to function with the creative cycle. If we tend to see things with the perspective of the improvement of what is already happening on earth we haven't really seen anything more than most people. There is this endeavor on the part of everyone to improve upon their experience and their state. Be honest with yourself. Do you expect improvements to occur in your own experience? As you move along the way, are you going to become a better person? Are there not millions of people on earth who hopefully are applying themselves to be better people? Regardless of the ideas about it, it all falls into the same category: the endeavor to improve the present state. As long as one is preoccupied with that, one is in the trap. It is this shift from that point of view that now must take place.

There is a need to administer things in the world the way it is, because we're in the world, but the place from which we come is not of the world. We're not looking for some sort of external acknowledgment of our value. Yes, there is a need for organization and administration in the world, but it must come by reason of angels incarnate in human form and in expression by reason of those human forms. The angel doesn't have any need for earthly acknowledgment whatsoever. We in fact come down from heaven into the earth. We already have the authority. What appears on earth is not required to establish the authority. I have authority with you and others simply because it is the fact for us, but I do not have authority with the vast majority of the population of the earth. That doesn't bother me at all. I know what my authority is. I don't need it to be confirmed by anyone. This should be the experience of each individual. True authority is spiritual. It comes down from God out of heaven. When that true authority is the experience in one's own living, one would not be looking for position, one would not be looking for someone else's acknowledgment. The very fact that a person may look for position or look for acknowledgment is indication of the fact that he has no real experience of his own reality of Being—it is an indication of weakness. So, can we be in the world but not of it?

This is basically the shift that is taking place, to be consciously recognized, so that when you feel, or if you feel, at any time that your tremendous spiritual talents are not being adequately recognized, you can think on what I am saying now. If there's any feeling in that regard at all you have no real awareness yet of true spiritual talent. It's just a fanciful idea of the mind, because when you have the experience of the truth of yourself you have that experience, and nobody can take it away from you. Nobody can make it any more than it is and no one can make it any less than it is. This is true for every one of us.

We're all here to do what is necessary in the creative cycle which is moving. The creative cycle which is moving is not based in any human ideas of organization or position or anything else. There are some, for instance, who subscribe to the Roman Catholic Church—they look to the Pope. Obviously, for any organization there has to be some sort of a head. We've often seen that a multiheaded creature is not too practical. That's why there's such a mess on earth, isn't it?—because the collective human body has become multiheaded. But the reality is that there is one head, which is the endeavor which our friends the Roman Catholics try to make stick, only according to the particular concept that they have, based in external organization. Now something may be said about the succession from—Peter, wasn't it? I wouldn't have too much confidence in that. I think it's much wiser to have some sort of spiritual connection from the One whom we knew as Jesus, and we have found such a connection to the extent that we have, as individuals, experienced the truth of ourselves—that we are indeed angels incarnate and increasingly in expression. If for the moment our physical forms, with their accoutrements of mind and heart, are designated as a minister, or a president, or a lowly dishwasher, or whatever, it makes utterly no difference. It is the quality of our spiritual expression that is paramount. That quality will depend upon the nature of the substance which is allowed to be generated—the quality of that substance. We are aware that things must come to point if there is really to be any movement. The nail has a point when you drive it into the wood. There is a need for penetration. Importance rests in spiritual expression; and spiritual expression, the extent of it, the quality of it, will be dependent upon the substance which is generated in that individual's experience.

You're not clambering up into heaven. A lot of people have tried that and found it to be absolutely impossible. We are here to let heaven come into the earth. Whether it causes any particular human soul to feel good or bad about what happens is of little consequence. What is the angelic necessity? That's the question. I've always said that if someone came along who provided a point of focus with a quality of substance that was greater than my own I would happily accept that fact. So far, no matter where I looked, I haven't found anyone. I haven't had to prove those words. Is it true of you too, that no matter what the spiritual level in which you function, what you actually focalize, if someone with a quality of substance that would do a better job came along, would you willingly and happily say, “There you are”? There needs to be that fluidity and freedom, because the only concern for all angels is that the job should get done. Who does it is relatively unimportant. It becomes important because it is found that only certain people are in position to do what has to be done. So we all share this opportunity to know the freedom of angelic expression. It is quite free. There's no fear of losing anything. Of course, we have to prove it out from time to time.

So there is a need for the generation of some finer substance, which relates to our quality of character. How big are we? Or, on the other hand, how petty? An angel of the Lord is not petty. Each can say, “For this cause came I into the world, to do whatever rightly may be done.” In times past, I know, I had to play many roles that I was quite aware were not really the reason why I came on earth—the same with Uranda—the same with the Master. We all had that. As there were others who came along with increasing spiritual expression, happily I surrendered many of those roles. They were not necessary anymore. And we find, as we move along in the current of the spirit, that this is what occurs. 

So a certain amount of freedom is given to all the souls around us, to provide increased facility for angelic expression. And together we move in oneness along this course, no longer fearful, no longer afraid that someone is going to steal our crown. The fact of the matter is that nobody possibly can. If we think somebody did, it was a phony crown in the first place. Let it go. Who wants a phony crown anyway? We are who we are, no matter what we're called. Sometimes we're called things that are not altogether complimentary, but that we can take. Sometimes we are praised. Can we take that? Can we take either one without it making the smallest difference to what we are? If we find that we can, then we are beginning to know who we are.

It is only the genuine expression of angels on earth that can do what we're all here to do. That, at the moment, is to transcend this state of being in the world and of the world. We necessarily are in the world. Let us not be of the world, because we are of the kingdom. We know what we're about, and we are concerned to let increased spiritual substance of a higher quality be generated, so that we can rise up above the level where there are all these elements of, what is it? Jealousy?—partly at least—competition? Expectation of reaching great heights by scrambling upwards? We know better than that. We don't have to move. We're where we should be now. Let us allow that expression to be brought forth, and as we do, this finer spiritual substance is generated which allows for the increased experience of the resurrection of mind and heart and body.

Let us be friends. The only way we can be friends is in the kingdom, as angels in the kingdom. We wouldn't get on, any of us, with one another if it was just a matter of human souls, would we? Look at the world! No. As angels incarnate and in expression, let us give glory to the Lord, because this is why we are on earth.

© Emissaries of Divine Light