The Decision-Maker
Martin Cecil November 14, 1965
I always find it very pleasing to look upon you as I come to service. But I'll tell you something. I have the impression that a few of you, anyway, do not have any really vivid sense of destiny. Perhaps there is a lack in my vision in this regard, but I wonder if it might be wise to consider this matter. It is tremendously important that if you are present in the Chapel at a service, or whatever it is that is being undertaken, there should be a keen sense of interest and consequent participation. I would far rather have two or three people who were really interested than a Chapel full of lukewarmness. This real interest, so necessary, relates to the experience of a sense of destiny, as I have called it. One has a keen sense of responsibility for the right fulfilment of the creative purposes of God. One's whole being is directed toward this.
This comes to a particular point of focus in our Chapel, of course. It is more easily seen in its focus point, or should be, than anywhere else. We are not, after all, when we come into the Chapel, busy with our responsibilities in the external field of daily function in the ordinary sense. We're not cooking, or keeping books, or washing dishes, or whatever the things we do may be. Therefore our whole attention can be brought to focus with respect to the true purposes to which our sense of destiny directs us. If it doesn't occur when we have a clear field in this sense, it is not likely to occur when we are out there doing other things. If it does occur when we are together, when we are all really participating in that which is being brought to focus, then when we do move out in the field of our daily affairs those external activities will not dominate our viewpoint. We will not ignore them, we will not neglect them, but they will not be primary. They will be the means, the important means, by which we are enabled to serve and to direct the creative expression of our beings into the field where the power of God is required. So it is in these times together that we have the greatest opportunity for developing this sense of destiny. I suppose in other terms we could call it a sense of real meaning, Divine meaning. A sense of meaning is very important to a person if there is to be experience of living in any vibrant sense. As soon as we begin to lose that, we're on the way out.
There is this matter of keen interest, then. And as I say, from my standpoint I would far prefer to have a few people who are vitally interested and right there than a collection of droopy, dozing people. From my standpoint I prefer that if a person is going to sleep, he go to bed and do it where he should be doing it. If there are those who feel that they are not interested, or not going to be able to be interested—I don't know what that means, exactly—then I would prefer that the individual didn't come. Perhaps if he didn't come he might discover the fact that he wants to be there, or he might be quite content not to come, in which case that individual is on the way out. These things will prove themselves out in that fashion, because we really have something to do and we need to do it. There needs to be developed a keener awareness of the reality of what I call destiny.
There have been individuals who have moved through the pages of history who obviously had a great sense of destiny. Of course the most outstanding one, the only completely true revelation in this regard, relates to Jesus, who clearly had a keen sense of Divine Destiny. He not only had this but He acted accordingly. Now there have been many others who have had a sense of destiny, but for the most part it has been a limited or distorted thing—a human pattern and not a Divine one. There is nothing wrong with the compulsion of this sense of destiny. What goes wrong is the individual's translation of it in his own consciousness.
What would our sense of destiny cause us to say of ourselves? “I am Divine man,” perhaps, and in this sense, “I am mankind; all mankind depends upon my sense of destiny.” I wonder how clearly defined that is in our individual consciousness. We take responsibility presumably in our spheres of function day by day. Sometimes there have been little points of failure even in this, haven't there? But for the most part we have learned to be responsible in this regard. However, there is the inclination to look upon what we do as being "this much", contained in our field of responsibility, and we have consequently what might be called a rather puny awareness of our destiny. If our destiny merely relates to what we happen to be doing here at 100 Mile House, even though we hold responsible positions in whatever it is, this is not adequate at all, is it? We need to have an awareness of a far greater destiny, which relates to all mankind.
“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly,” our Master said. "They" was not exclusive in any sense. He included all people in that statement. To what extent do we have a consciousness of destiny in this regard? We have used words to indicate something, by saying, “I came into the world to save the world”; but for the most part, I think this has tended to be just words. There must be something inside oneself which knows this to be true. I am not suggesting that there should be the development of a human sense of self-importance. Nevertheless it is right and proper that there should be, underlying one's function, a deep awareness of one's own Divine importance.
It is true of so many, isn't it, that they don't really have very much consciousness in this regard, because individual human beings tend to feel, “I won't be missed,” and they say, “No one's indispensable.” I suppose in one sense that could be said to be true, but in the Divine sense it isn't true, is it? We are all absolutely necessary. No one is dispensable. If any aspect of Divine Being is missing, the whole of Divine Being is rendered meaningless, because God is One God. If there is any part not there—this is impossible, of course, but supposing—then the whole thing is dissolved. From the Divine standpoint everything is in place, and we all have destiny in this sense. Of course very often the word "destiny" is used in the human way, to indicate some sort of fate. It was Judas Iscariot's destiny to betray our Master, in the view of many people. It wasn't his destiny at all; that was his human choice. The destiny of which I speak is the Divine Destiny, the true purpose for being. We need to have a consciousness of this, whether we have the specific awareness of what that destiny is or not. It is not as though we could prefigure it, but in our moment-by-moment living it needs to be present in us, so that all our actions, all our thinking, all our speaking, is conditioned by this awareness of one's own Divine importance—an absolute thing. Then we're not depending upon anyone else.
I mentioned something about the lack of interest, the tendency to be only partially present, shall we say, which sometimes appears in different ones. This is an indication of the fact that the individual is not participating, not playing any part. If you are in a position where you are the only one, and there is something to be taken care of, you know darn well that it's going to be taken care of by you or it isn't going to be taken care of. Yet if there is more than one, the human being tends to lose this consciousness. He thinks, “Oh well, it doesn't matter. Someone else will do it.” In other words there is no real sense of worth. One is saying of oneself, “It doesn't matter; I might just as well not be here.” Well why don't you cut your throat then? You might just as well, if it's true that it doesn't make any difference whether you are here or not! It makes, actually, a tremendous difference from the Divine standpoint—but we need to have a consciousness of the fact that it does make a difference.
We can't be meaningful if we have no sense of meaning within ourselves, if we are, so to speak, apologetic for our presence. Mind you, there are times when perhaps we need to be a little apologetic about something, when it is the sense of the fitness of things that brings forth what is expressed. Let us not be apologetic about being ourselves—but let's not always be apologizing for ourselves. Now I don't necessarily mean coming out in words and saying so. I'm talking about an attitude. One should have a keen awareness of the fact that if you are not in place, everything is going to collapse.
Now, of course, that can be carried to an extreme too, from the standpoint of human ego, which doesn't wish to allow anyone else to carry any responsibility. We are willing to carry our own responsibility, and we are willing to let others carry their responsibility, rightly; but from the standpoint of our own responsibility, this is a vital factor in the whole. If it is not there, the whole pattern is going to be spoiled. Yet people take the attitude that it doesn't really matter whether they are present or whether they are not. Of course, when a person is taking that attitude, in one sense I suppose it doesn't matter. But the individual is not being true to himself when he takes such an attitude, because there is the reality of Divine Being, which is not dispensable at all. So it is important that we should have this sense of destiny, of our own Divine importance. We're not, because of that, going to thrust ourselves in and say, “Look how important I am; you've got to take note of me.” No, there is humility, there is a sense of the fitness of things, but inside oneself there needs to be this rock which knows. And that state of consciousness is tremendously important. Without it we can't go very far.
I wonder if we might look at something else related to this matter—perhaps a little excursion into a field of adventure. Let us think of our own physical bodies for a moment, not just from the standpoint of the parts, the organs and so on, which we may know about, nor yet even from the standpoint of the cells of which the body is composed. Let us consider it as to its basic structure, which relates to what are called atoms. Some vast, meaningless figure may be given as to the number of atoms that are present in a physical body. Now, these atoms are presumed to exist; they actually are simply in our consciousness; nobody has seen one. The atom itself, the structure of it, may be broken down still further, into little bits. But they aren't “bits,” are they? It is said of an atom that sometimes it behaves like a particle and sometimes it behaves like a wave. Well, it isn't either a particle or a wave. [greatcosmicstory.blogspot.com/2022/10/trailing-clouds-of-glory.html] It may seem to behave that way according to human viewpoints, but within the atom we recognize the positive and negative factors. These are very insubstantial, aren't they?—you certainly can't lay your hand on them. They might be described in the term used by Mr. Wells, who refers to them in the Journal of Modern Subjectivism as “conscious constructs.” That is, they exist simply in one's consciousness—this takes them out of the realm of "things" as we think of things—positive and negative conscious constructs, whatever that means.
Now, we have brought our bodies down to this. Really, it isn't anything in this sense, anything of which we have any direct awareness, is it? We have an idea that we have a solid physical body, and if we are human, in the ordinary sense, we think of ourselves as being this. Yet, when we come right down to it, we find that it is very insubstantial; it is hardly there at all. There are these positive and negative factors in different combinations, built up one upon another, until finally we have a few molecules, and then some cells. These cells are constantly changing, we hear, in our physical bodies. This is not necessarily an indication that all the atoms are constantly changing. There may be a breakdown of cells, and the atoms may be used in other cells. In any case, if we are intent upon imagining that we are our physical bodies we are virtually saying we are nothing—just these positive and negative factors.
It is rather interesting to consider this matter of positive and negative. I suppose, in another way, one could say: yes and no. If you stop to think about it, whenever you decide to take any action, immediately you create positive and negative factors. For instance, if I decide to stand up, at the same moment I decide not to sit down. And you will find that in any action that is initiated there are always the two things. We have heard something about the processes of creation which relate to what has been called the unformed—apparently nothing—and yet, out of this nothing the positive and negative factors emerge. Why? Well, obviously, because some decision was made. In this unformed, if we can call it that, there is unlimited potential, but that is all there is—potential. I suppose you could say potential is something, but what is it? We don't know what it is until it emerges and stops being potential only. The positive and the negative factors are consequent upon a decision. As it is put in the first chapter of the Book of Genesis, “And God said”—He made a decision—“Let there be light: and there was light.” But there was darkness too.
Now there is a teasing thought! Could there be darkness without light, or could there be light without darkness? These we can recognize as positive and negative factors emerging out of something. Light and dark are potential in the unformed. Can you imagine a state where there is no light? “Oh,” you say, “well, it would be dark.” No, because you've got to imagine a state where there is no darkness. “Then there would be light.” No, neither darkness nor light! What would that state be? Of course it is beyond the comprehension of the human mind, but here we see the nature of the unformed. We have an awareness of that which emerges but we can't comprehend that which isn't formed, out of which the emergence comes. But whatever it is out of which it comes, it must be there or nothing could come. Incidentally, we have already taken note of the fact that if there is a creation there must be a creator. You can't have one without the other. You can't have a creator either, without the creation. The terms would be meaningless. So we see how the initial starting point in any creative process always establishes the positive and the negative, the yes and no, the proton and the electron.
There can't be a proton without an electron. Now they may not necessarily be together, but they are each necessary to the other. We have the idea of anti-matter. There is matter and there is anti-matter, yes and no. Of course this is more or less speculation in the scientific field; but according to all the indications, there couldn't be one without the other. So we have a universe and an anti-universe. We recognize what we would call heaven and earth, and there can't be one without the other. There is this duality everywhere. The creation takes place by reason of the fact that a decision is made. Now if a decision is to be made, there must be a decider. A decision can't appear of itself. The scientific developments in recent years have come to the conclusion that there is no need for any initiator of any processes—they just follow along. Did none of the scientists ever initiate any processes themselves? Because of a decision creation is initiated. If I decide to stand up, I create this condition. I create the condition of standing up, and at the same time I create a condition of not sitting down. We are constantly creating in this sense, on the basis of decision.
Now, we recognize that something hasn't worked quite right in the field of human function. I don't wish to go into that at the moment; you know something about it. But when we begin to accept the true identity of what we might call the Divine Decider, we may participate in the creative process, transmuting elements in the realm of potential into the actual. If I am presently sitting here, the state of standing up is just potential, it isn't actual. If I make the decision to stand up, the potential of standing up becomes an actual experience, an actual creation. It emerged—from where? Where did it come from? Well, you can say it didn't come from anywhere. And yet it was there in potential, or it would not have been possible to stand up.
We can recognize that there is a vast field of potential, absolutely unlimited potential, out of which there may be eternal creation. We are never going to run out of potential—but the potential is nothing, in effect, until the decision is made. If our decision is based in our acceptance of identity with this physical form, then our decisions are going to be distorted, because the physical form is not the true decider. The physical form, we have noted, is an actual creation that came forth from the state of potential, and it has built into it the capacity to decide. We recognize that this capacity to decide is necessary if a decision is to be made at the particular level where the physical form is. There could be no decision made at this level if it were not for a built-in ability to make the decision. As this particular construct of the human form was brought forth for the purpose of providing the facility to make decisions—in other words, to create—at this level, it is only natural that the facility should be present. But it isn't present so that it should make the decision, but so that that which created the facility might make the decision. We come again to a recognition of the basis of right function, which centers in right identity.
This atomic structure here is a part of this creation. It only exists because there is a creator. The creator is not the creation. This is something that leads into various other opportunities for understanding. The creation is contained within the creator and yet the creator is contained in the creation. We have an awareness of the fact that within the scope of our own consciousness is contained everything of which we are aware. In that sense it is within us, and yet we are in the creation. There is a seeming paradox here. The creator is present in the creation but the creation is also contained within the creator. We do not necessarily need to figure this out, other than to recognize the truth of it. We are rightly in the position of being identified with the Divine Maker of the decision—the making of decisions, the ability to make decisions, the ability to create. We are here to create rightly, to bring forth rightly.
I think that very often, when there is consideration of Divine creation, it is imagined that God snaps His fingers and here is a perfect creation. Presto! There it is, all complete, everything just right—according to the human concept. From the scientific standpoint, usually based in the idea of the evolutionary theory, it appears that nature made a lot of mistakes along the way, whatever nature is. It developed a form up to a point and then discarded it. Of course the view of these things is a view of something distorted in any case, because the viewer is seeing things through a distorted viewpoint. And because the creative processes have not been functioning correctly, since the creator in man has not been in position to function correctly, there have been mistakes in that sense. Those mistakes we call evil—something unwholesome, something wrong, something which shouldn't be.
On the other hand, in the true creative process there are cycles of what we might call trial and error. Isn't the main experience of joy known by reason of working something out? If you just have the finished product it may be a novelty for a while, but you get tired of it. It has been emphasized that happiness relates to creativeness, and there is a process of molding and working things out. Even if we look at the evolution of a human embryo, starting just as one cell, to the adult person, one could say there were many things that were discarded along the way. They served a purpose up to a point, and then they were no more use. Would you call that making a mistake? No. It is part of the evolutionary process—part of the creative process. In developing anything, there is this which relates to what we might call trial and error, even from the Divine standpoint. It is the drawing forth of the potential. We draw forth a little this way. No, this is not quite right. We move it over here, and that's better. Gradually there begins to be the development and the bringing forth of whatever it is that is being created. There are decisions to be made every step of the way. We know this from the standpoint, for instance, of building Red Coach Inn here. You could say, in one sense, that a lot of mistakes have been made. Things have been put in that had to be torn out. You may say, “Well they shouldn't have been put in in the first place.” Perhaps not, but it hadn't evolved to that point then. It only evolved later. Then the change comes.
In all creative processes there is this. And it is right, from the Divine standpoint, provided that the creation which is being brought forth is being brought forth by the True Decision-Maker and not on the basis of the distorted human viewpoint, the ideas of good and evil as human beings have them established. That is no foundation for creation, because, fundamentally, good and evil in the human view are what is considered to be good for human beings or what is considered to be bad for human beings from a very short-sighted standpoint. And that, again, is eating of the forbidden fruit. But there is the True Decision-Maker, and these decisions are made utilizing the facilities of the physical body, with its mind and emotional realm, to get the job done.
Now maybe, if there is a clearer view of the nature of the physical body—it is not such a substantial thing, after all—we won't be so determined to try to identify ourselves with it. In any case, if it is composed of all these myriads of atoms, what composes it? Why is it the way it is? Obviously because there is a Decision-Maker there with respect to it, and this is YOU. This is the individual. This is the reality. The reality centers in the Divine Decision-Maker, and we need to have the experience of being that, being ourselves, being in position to make the right decision, consequently having a sense of destiny. Individually we have that responsibility from the Divine standpoint, the responsibility of making the decision, of taking the responsibility, of recognizing our importance in this creative process. Whenever you make a decision you create. If the decision is not made from the standpoint of Divine Being, then you create destruction. But we have an awareness of this vast potential. Out of this vast potential, actually very little is required to be drawn to create what is right here on this planet of ours. The potential is here. The Decision-Maker is here. Let us share the responsibility of creating. Let us see the reality of that responsibility, in the recognition that whenever we make a decision we create something. And we can't get out of creating by refusing to make any decisions, because the very fact of not making a decision is making a decision. If you say, “I won't make a decision,” well you are not making a decision—and that is what you have decided. The positive and negative are present, and the nature of the positive and negative that are brought forth determines what the further progeny is going to be.
If we have this keen awareness of the effectiveness of our decisions in the creative field, it may give us a sense of power perhaps; but if we do not have any adequate awareness of Divine Being, we may be a little frightened by it, because we can't stop creating. The only right creation emerges by reason of the fact that we are identified with Divine Being, so that our decisions relate to the Truth, in the spirit of Love, and consequently bring forth Life. Then we have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. The sense of destiny is vital, the sense of Divine importance, because you may say, “I am a creator.” In every decision there is creation. Let the decisions be the decisions of the Divine Decision-Maker, who you are in reality. And behold, all things are made new. It isn't such a desperately difficult problem. The vast sea of unknown potential is present. This is the provision of which we speak. We say, “The provision is adequate.” Why? Because all the potential is there. You can't take it away. It's always there, and it is in the decision with respect to this potential that the creation takes place, the positive and the negative emerge, male and female, yes and no.
We see this yes and no in harmony, don't we? It isn't, “Yes, I'm going to stand up; no, I'm going to sit down.” Rather, “Yes, I'm going to stand up; no, I'm not going to sit down.” And we have a harmonious unit. The trouble has been that it hasn't usually worked out that way in human function. We have these creative units, the positive and negative, permitting the Divine potential to be made actual.
Here we have something upon which to meditate, and something of which to be reminded constantly in our living. Your decision creates. If you know what is right and you decide to do something else, you are creating evil, in the sense of unwholesomeness, something that is wrong. It is absolutely sure. No matter how pleasing and nice it may seem at the moment, you are creating something that is going to be destructive. If, in your awareness of truth, you know what is right and you do it, then you are creating from the Divine potential, drawing forth that which should come, and on this basis creation may continue in the fulfilment of Divine purpose. This is the way in which our steps are directed, that we may play our part to the glory of God and to the consequent blessing of the creation. I thank God for your interest which has allowed this much actuality to be drawn out of the present potential tonight.
© emissaries of divine light
Prepare The Way For The Peacemaker
Uranda December 21, 1949
Our Gracious and Loving Heavenly Father, it is with grateful hearts that we come together in Thy Name, that we may let this hour he set apart as one in which we may truly worship Thee in Spirit and in Truth, that the Inspiration of Thy Spirit working through heart and mind may truly cause each one to so let go in Love Response to Thee that Thy Will may be done on earth as it is in Heaven, for Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory, forever. Aum-en.
As man counts time, one-thousand-nine-hundred-fifty-four years ago our Master was born on earth—according to the numbering of years as they are used. He was born about 5 B.C. One-thousand-nine-hundred-fifty-four years have passed since the LORD of Lords and KING of Kings was born as a babe in a manger. He spent about one-third of a century on earth—one third of a century. Most of us here have lived more years on earth than our Master did, yet consider what a tremendous impression His years made upon the world. He was still, even as man counts time, a young man when, in that prayer to the Father, He said: “I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do”—a young man in his early thirties who left this sphere of things about one-thousand nine-hundred-twenty years ago. More than nineteen centuries—and He was here for about one-third of one century.
We are in that season set apart and dedicated to commemoration of His birth. It is a story that never grows old, and on Christmas Day I wish to consider some parts of that story with you, but tonight I am thinking of the word, “preparation.” We have been preparing to celebrate Christmas Day. The LORD made preparation for His birth long ago. It was not an unheralded event. The birth of John the Baptist and the events connected with the Master's own birth all pointed to the tremendous significance of the occasion. The prophets had foretold His coming. There are those who live in Jerusalem today who still look for the coming of the Messiah, who still wait for the fulfillment of the prophecy. They do not recognize that the prophecy has been fulfilled. When we think of such individuals we find it rather amazing, rather difficult to understand, but it is nevertheless so.
The Master's coming was foretold; preparation was made, that the world itself might be prepared, and yet when He came, how few there were who were prepared or who recognized His coming for what it was. How few there were who had any idea of the importance of that event which we celebrate this Christmas Season; and we say, “How could any fail to recognize the fulfillment of the prophecy, the provision of the LORD made manifest according to the preparation?”
But, let us ask ourselves another question: “Why did our Master come?” Was it not to prepare and open the Way of Salvation? His Life, His Teaching, His Ministry, were supposed to be a preparation for something to follow. We have perhaps rather prided ourselves on recognizing that He did come, and that He lived and ministered, but for what was He preparing the Way? Can we, considering His Word, His Teaching, instruction, His Life and example, say that we and those who have lived in these nineteen centuries have fulfilled that for which He prepared? The preparation He made for all who should follow after—to what degree have we taken advantage of that preparation? To what degree have we accepted that which He made possible and available through preparation? Has that which He prepared for us been made manifest adequately and effectively? Those who count themselves to be Christians are numbered by the millions in the world today. There are millions in many lands who celebrate this Season, who commemorate the birth of our LORD, and yet, can we say that these millions have adequately accepted and received that which He prepared for us?
If the millions of every race and color and creed who are counted Christians had truly received that for which He made preparation would there be the horrible threats of war? Would there be the misery, suffering and sorrow? Would there be the widespread sense of futility and fear? Would there be uncertainty on every hand? Did He prepare the world for uncertainty, that uncertainty should continue, or did He prepare against uncertainty, that man might know the certainty of the Way, the Truth and the Life? Did He prepare the Way so that the millions of those who live on earth should continue in frictions and discords of every sort, or did He prepare the Way for the Peacemaker? For what did our Master prepare? For that which is now in the world? Oh, we can point to so many achievements of the Christian peoples, and yet when we place those achievements in the balance against that for which the Master prepared, that which might be received and made manifest, can we be proud and satisfied? I think not. I think there is no Christian upon the face of the earth who has any true right to self-satisfaction or who can truly point with pride to the achievements of the so-called Christian world.
When we recognize the difference between that which has been achieved and received, and that for which the Master made preparation, we must surely feel how woefully inadequate has been the fulfillment in and through those who claim to follow Him. He prepared the Way, the Truth and the Life, that the Kingdom that was and is at hand might truly come, and that the Will of God might be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Under the supreme influence of the Prince of Peace there would be no wars or rumors of wars. Under the supreme influence of the Great Physician there would not be widespread devastation through pestilence and disease. Under the supreme influence of the Lord of Love there would not be hate and discord and misunderstanding.
We commemorate the Master's birth, but in that commemoration let us not forget the vital necessity of doing our part toward allowing the fulfillment of that for which He prepared. He made a glorious beginning from a very lowly place. Born in a manger, He grew and ministered until He could say, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.” He accomplished His task. What does the record say for those who followed after? Where are those who have followed Him to the point of completing the task? If all those who follow Him according to their idea of following Him actually finished the work, how could evil withstand such Divine expression on earth? How could there be millions enslaved? Hew could there be dictatorships? How could there be such poverty and suffering as there is in so many places in our own land?
Did you ever walk through the slum districts of Chicago or Boston or New York, or the poor sections of the cities in the south, and say to yourself, “Here we have wonderful evidence of the fact that we are Christians following our LORD and KING, completing the work which He gave us to do?” I remember a few years ago I rode on the elevated train out through the slum districts through Chicago. For more than a mile in perhaps the most congested area in the United States, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of shame that this so-called Christian nation should have in its very center such a condition, in the very center of a city that is called great.
We wisely celebrate the glorious beginning our Master made, the glorious accomplishment which He achieved, but if that beginning, if that which He did on earth, is to have true meaning there must be an enlarged vision, a deeper realization of what His coming meant to the world. There must be a deeper recognition of the preparation which He made whereby we can enjoy achievements far beyond that which has satisfied too many of those who have called themselves Christians.
The Christmas season, dedicated to our LORD and KING, is celebrated largely by commercialism. “How were your Christmas sales?” Yes, we buy and give gifts, and it is well, if we act wisely, but does all of this once a year in the Christmas season, as human beings make it manifest, satisfy the longing in the heart of our LORD and KING that human beings should follow Him and let His life have true meaning? If we are to truly follow Him, surely we must let that which He prepared have greater meaning in our lives than it ever has before. He began His work and He left it in the hands of those who should follow Him to carry it on and to finish it. Can we be proud of what we have done to that end? I rejoice in that which has been done, but we must face the fact that it is not enough. His birth and His life must be allowed to have such vibrant meaning in our lives that the Spirit, the atmosphere of Heaven, may find expression on earth, that those who are fair, those who are honest and sincere, of whatsoever land or clime or creed, of whatsoever race, must be compelled to recognize that the Spirit of the Living God is moving and working in the world. We must do our part to inspire a greater vision, a deeper realization that we are not truly following Him when we simply drift along the paths which have been worn so deeply in the passing generations of these nineteen centuries.
It is time, surely, that that which He began, that for which He prepared, should begin to manifest truly and effectively on earth, and every blessed, earnest one on the face of the earth has the blessed privilege of sharing therein—but none can afford to wait for someone else to do it. We ourselves must refuse to be self-satisfied. We must refuse to be content with that which is less than the outworking for which He prepared. So, let us let His preparation bring a still greater fulfillment in and through us in the year that is at hand, for soon another year shall have passed into the eternity behind us and we shall face a New Year in the eternity before us.
The Angels' Song—“Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace, good will toward men”—must have a deeper, more vibrant meaning in the everyday life of all who follow Him if we are to let the birth of our LORD Jesus Christ find fulfillment in that for which He prepared. [Glory To God In The Highest greatcosmicstory.blogspot.com/2020/12/glory-to-god-in-highest.html] Are you, each one, are we all as One, ready to do our part in letting His Kingdom come, in letting His Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven? Is not this that for which the Christmas season stands?
Our Gracious LORD, we thank Thee for Thy Love and Thy Patience, Thy long-suffering Mercy, that we are privileged even yet to have a part in letting Thy Plan, Thy Preparation, find meaning and fulfillment on earth. We thank Thee for the Holy Privilege of following Thee truly, that Thy Kingdom and Thy Power and Thy Glory may be made evident in all the earth in Blessing to all who will receive, IN the Christ. The Peace, Purity and Perfection of the Living Christ be unto you and find expression through you in body and mind and heart and soul now and forever.
© emissaries of divine light
The Continuing Incarnation Of The Archangel
Martin Cecil December 21, 1980 p.m.
I spoke this morning about the Christmas season being a time of conception. This I related to the winter solstice and also to the day set apart by Christianity to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Celebrating the day when this particular individual was born has been looked upon simply as celebrating His individual birthday. [greatcosmicstory.blogspot.com/2022/12/satan-man-and-god-man.html] Let us pause and consider a moment to see what was actually happening. The heavenly view encompasses the whole. Individuals are only seen as they relate to this whole. Individuals in fact only have meaning as a part of that whole. Nobody has an isolated meaning, not even the One who incarnated a long time ago and was called Jesus. As an individual He was born into the world, but looking at it from the larger perspective, we may see here a point of conception insofar as the whole is concerned, a conception taking place within the body of mankind.
A conception in the individual sense of each of us, for instance, began with one cell, two halves blended into one cell, but there was something more than that. The focus of spirit was present; the one who was to incarnate was on hand at that point. This is true of all of us, each person. An immaculate conception in consequence took place. There was such an immaculate conception for the One called Jesus, and the babe came to the point of birth into the world. Here was the point of conception in the world: one cell, one person. The outer form, as well as the impregnating spirit, combined in the babe called Jesus, who was born on this particular day, whatever it was, within the body of mankind. Then conception, immaculate conception, had taken place. The further development springing forth from that one cell involves a multiplication of cells, but throughout, the same incarnating angel, the same focus of spirit, is present all the way through.
In the case of Jesus we speak of Him as LORD of Lords. We recognize His position relative to the identity of man. He is the One who provides the focus of man's true identity. Man is not just one person but, rightly, the collective body of mankind, however many that should be. That collective body has an identity, just as our own individual bodies, which are a collection of parts after all, have an identity. We have referred to the identity of the body that was conceived at the time of the birth of Jesus as the Archangel. It is necessary to use words.
Now we are thinking of this one cell, this one person, who provided the evidence of conception in the body of mankind on earth, the Archangel providing the focus of spirit at that point so that conception would take place. And it is the same Archangel, in this instance, throughout the whole operation, just as with respect to each one of us individually, from the point of conception on, the same angel was present right to this present time. The incarnating Archangel, who has been identified in human consciousness relative to Jesus, is rightly to be revealed through His body. The Archangel is to come forth. [greatcosmicstory.blogspot.com/2021/08/thou-shalt-bear-true-witness.html]
When any of us was conceived the angel was present but certainly wasn't coming forth at that point. Here was the focus of spirit making possible the continued building of the flesh form. If we are considering this now from the standpoint of the Archangel being present with His focus of spirit at the point of conception within the body of mankind, seeing this as transpiring in that one individual, that one cell, called Jesus, then we may recognize that the Archangel has been present all through the operation. Everything that has transpired since has transpired because the Archangel was present and in the process of incarnating: first of all in building the body of incarnation and then experiencing the birth of that body and continuing on to the point where the Archangel might come forth through His body. That would be called "the second coming," wouldn't it? Most people don't see it this way. It isn't really a second coming at all, because that One has been present in the midst constantly ever since conception took place.
I'm sure you can see that there has been the conception of this body of incarnation for the Archangel, and following conception has come the continuing development of that body by the spirit of the incarnating Archangel. He said, "I go to prepare a place for you"; in other words this was a matter of building a flesh body essential for the coming forth of the Archangel. The initial coming forth was simply at the point of conception, but the ultimate intent is that the Archangel should be revealed in expression on earth in all His glory. Because the first point of initiation in this cycle has been looked upon as the coming of the Christ, then the idea would be that this coming forth now would be the second coming, but of course it's all the same thing. These are not separate events; the Archangel has been present over the last 1,980 or so years and something has been happening because of that within the body of mankind.
Seeing the creative cycle in this light, then at Christmas we are indeed celebrating the conception of the Archangel on earth which took place many centuries ago, and without the presence of the Archangel all along nothing could have emerged as it has emerged now within the range of our own experience and the experience of many other people. We are concerned with the coming forth of the Archangel. In the individual sense this angelic coming forth has really never occurred for a long time. I suppose you could say that there have been varying degrees of that coming forth through people as individuals, but it certainly has never been a complete revelation of the coming forth of the angel in any given person. It was, in the case of the One called Jesus, but this was only a point of beginning, a point of conception. It seems rather peculiar, doesn't it, that one should take that initial cell and enshrine it, or try to enshrine it somehow, which is what Christianity has tended to do. The initial cell is useless unless it is allowed to multiply, unless the continuing development takes place in the darkness of the womb. That development is not out where everybody can see it.
The coming forth of individual angels, of course, is related to the coming forth of the Archangel. If something of rather more cosmic proportions is viewed by human consciousness there tends to be the idea that God establishes what is happening on a more or less arbitrary basis, regardless of human beings. There is a certain truth to this, because human beings have undertaken to go their own not-so-sweet way, which cuts right across what is actually unfolding in the cosmic sense; but as has been repeatedly emphasized, God so loves the world, loves mankind, His creation, that He takes them into account with respect to everything that is happening. He doesn't come striding into the earth without regard to people and just stamp them down. His coming forth relates, obviously, to people. There is a coordinated state of affairs here. We ourselves have some experience of this, knowing our relatedness to what it is that is happening. I'm sure that all of us are quite agreeable to the happening, partly because we have some understanding of what it is, and we are quite willing and happy to go along with it and to provide what is necessary from our own individual standpoints in the various fields of our responsibility. So, whatever it is that is unfolding, it takes us into account. Everything that is happening relates to what it is that is unfolding. But of course the experiences of people vary; we recognize the factor of human response in this whole affair. But there is the coming forth of the Archangel to occur. It is occurring in fact.
There is present a new identity within the range of the consciousness of mankind. We ourselves participate in allowing this new identity to be our experience and to be drawn more and more to a point of focus. Ultimately that point of focus is in fact the Archangel. If we look at this from the individual standpoint and the coming forth of the angel, we may recognize that there is a growing-up process through which we have all passed in the usual sense; but obviously more than that is needful, because human beings have grown up to adulthood, never having allowed the angel to come forth. Our concern is to allow the angel to come forth because he has a sufficiently mature facility for it to happen. So the angel comes forth as there is a means for that coming, and in the coming forth there is the increased intensity of the expression of the angelic spirit. This has been illustrated in terms of fire, Shekinah for instance: the fire that burns, the light that glows, the cloud of glory. This is to come forth, and in the coming forth there is the increased intensity or heat generated.
Perhaps in times past when we viewed the possibility of the greater coming forth of the angelic presence in our own experience, we may not have thought of that in terms of fire. Here is the creative expression of the spirit of God, making all things new. That's true. But how? Well the earth and all that is in it needs to melt with fervent heat, to be transmuted, so the more the coming forth of your angelic selves occurs the more fire there is and the more rubbish gets burned. Sometimes we may think of ourselves as being caught in the fire. Well, of course, that is an attitude taken by human consciousness which has allowed the true perspective vision to be obscured. In such case there is a return to whatever measure of self-centeredness: "Poor me; I'm getting burned." Yet we proclaim that our concern is to let the angel come forth, and then when the angel begins to come forth: "Oh, don't come forth anymore; I'm getting burned." But the fire is required to permit the experience of transmutation. In the burning process there is that which rises up and there is that which is waste, ash. So we have been concerned individually with this matter of our angelic coming forth into expression.
This, in the collective sense, relates to the Archangelic coming forth through the collective body which He has built for His own incarnation. This is true, angelically speaking, of each one of us individually. We as angels built whatever we have, that we might incarnate and be in expression on earth. It happens in the collective sense, and this Archangel who comes forth is the same Archangel who incarnated or provided the starting point, the focus of spirit as a starting point, when Jesus was born on earth, the same One. We begin to see now that however great that starting point may have been, because of the presence of the Archangel to make it possible, how vastly greater is the experience when that body has grown to the point where the Archangel can come forth into expression on earth through His complete body. All that was possible in the original sense was the coming forth through that one cell. That coming forth initiated the cycle in the womb as the point of conception, but the same One is present, and we may have a much keener awareness of the immensity of this One. It's rather a travesty, isn't it, to see human beings trying to fit Jesus into their hearts. But we do share the creative cycle of coming forth, because the coming forth of the Archangel is not an isolated occurrence. It is made possible by the coming forth of the angels individually within the scope of the flesh body which He has built and is still building.
Can we see the celebration of Christmas in this light then? We would certainly love to celebrate the point of conception, because our present experience would not be possible without it; the coming forth of the Archangel in mature expression would not be possible. What a difference there is between whatever expression there could be in one cell hidden away in the dark, and the mature, divine man whose presence on earth was made possible by reason of that first one cell through which the creative cycle was initiated. We do not need to judge as to where in the unfolding of this cycle we may happen to be at this point and try to fit it into some concept of the mind in this regard. Let's let it be just exactly what it is. But we may have an overall view of what is occurring, and we may better understand such validity as there is to Christmas. The human view of Christmas has remained childish, but here is a real event, a real spiritual event, with which we are immediately associated, and the fire burns, the fire of transmutation.
This fire is an essential part of the creative process which is the responsibility of man in bringing the dominion of God on earth. Such fire as there has been in the experience of human beings has not been very hot. If the real fire was burning there wouldn't be anyone left on the face of the earth. So certainly there has been a cooling, shall we say, for the sake of satan-man who might participate in the process of transmutation. The human experience has been one of trying to exist at the level of the fire burning, trying to exist in the lake of fire and brimstone, which has been cooled a little heretofore; but as the Archangel comes forth, the angels come forth, the intensity of the fire increases and the lake becomes hotter, so that eventually it reaches the point where anyone who continues to try to exist at the level where this fire is burning will discover that it isn't possible and certainly the torment increases. But it is only torment in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone if there is someone in there to be tormented. At that point there is a very keen recognition of the torment involved in so doing, so who would undertake any such ridiculous excursions?
Let the lake burn with fire and brimstone. It's fine. It's part of the transmuting process, the creative process which continues on and for which man is responsible. But he's not responsible for jumping into the fire. Standing where we belong as angels, we discover that the fire is the expression of our own nature, the means by which the creative process may be continued and the dominion of God maintained. We are desirous of letting the angel come forth, but the more the angel comes forth the more fire there is, and the more we necessarily are compelled to relinquish what it is that is being burned. Here is the cleansing fire, the fire which cleanses the earth of all unrighteousness and leaves only righteousness.
The conception of this creative cycle, which is now well on its way, occurred when Jesus was born on earth, and the One who incarnated in that individual body is still present and incarnate in the true body which is forming and beginning to provide increased opportunity for His coming forth. What a wonder it is to know these things! Your human consciousness can't figure it out, but to the extent that the angel comes forth we know these things. We know by reason of the angel's knowing. When that knowing is present in human consciousness then we know. So we share this Christmas season with some awareness of these things.
Now we have observed the matter of conception and birth as it relates to this large cycle. There are all kinds of conceptions and births taking place within that large cycle, and we participate in these. Our concern is that all these lesser cycles should be held steady and carried through to their completion. This is done by reason of the foundation which is provided. The foundation is the heaven, isn't it? The heaven is established. We begin to understand the ordinances of heaven. We are aware of some of the qualities that are present in the heavenly experience. We touched upon a few of them recently in terms of serenity, tranquility, peace within oneself. The heaven must be sustained, the foundation must be there, if the true earth is to take form. If we allow the heaven to be established in our experience and then we get lured away into the torment, the heaven for which we are responsible is lost. Then there is no foundation for the earth, so whatever earth has begun to put in an appearance simply collapses. I'm sure you all recognize that this has happened over and over again in your own personal experience. It is only as the heaven is held steady that the foundation is present from which the true earth can appear.
By the way, heaven isn't such an all-fired serious place!
Part of the heavenly experience is mirth, I believe; certainly it's enjoyable. So we need to include that in the foundation, that there may be this present, because we are present, which sustains the creative cycle by which the earth is transformed and then transmuted. We surely do not anymore, when some aspect of this transformation appears, feel sorry for ourselves and say, "Well I didn't think it was going to be this way." Whatever is to appear will appear. Let it appear. And we handle it as it appears, without judging it and saying, "This shouldn't be this way," because immediately when we start to judge we pull some of the bricks out of the foundation. We are concerned to keep that foundation strong and steady and sure and present, and what emerges in the earthly sense because of that foundation will be acceptable, recognized as a part of the unfolding cycles, whatever they are.
Let the angels come forth, that indeed the Archangel may come forth. When the angels of God are present, incarnate and in expression on earth, here is a place of safety for the coming forth of the Archangel. Obviously that ultimate experience of transmutation is not yet present with us, but the time rightly comes as we continue in the creative cycle, assuming responsibility ourselves in the angelic sense. Again, as sons and daughters of God we shout for joy that this is so. Glory to God in the highest now and always.
© emissaries of divine light
Satan-Man and God-Man
Martin Exeter December 21, 1980 a.m.
As sons and daughters of God we come this morning to present ourselves before the LORD. While satan also may still be present, we are not interested in what he might have to say. In most gatherings of human beings in the world satan comes to present himself as the Lord. Generally speaking there is no acknowledgment whatsoever that there are any sons and daughters of God present. This morning, as sons and daughters of God, we come to present ourselves before the LORD.
This day is the shortest day of the year. This is the time of the Winter Solstice. Christmas is supposed to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but it is likely not the time of year when He was actually born. The significance of the Christmas season relates more particularly to the Winter Solstice. It might be said to be a time of conception rather than a time of birth. Our concern is with heavenly events. The Winter Solstice for this earth might be described as an earthly event, but it is based in the ordinances of heaven. The operation of the universe, which includes the solar system, reflects heavenly government. So there is a heavenly event related to the Winter Solstice. This might be well described in terms of spiritual conception. The birth of Jesus into the world was a point of spiritual conception insofar as mankind was concerned, birth for Jesus but conception for mankind.
As sons and daughters of God we find ourselves coordinated with spiritual events. This may be seen now as relating to a particular point of conception relative to what is to occur in the days to come. Many people see something of this at the point of the New Year. We would certainly play our part in allowing whatever the proper conception now to occur. Human pregnancies last nine months, they say. If we look at it in this way, then the time of the Fall Equinox would be birth. This seems to correlate with what we have referred to as the birthday of this ministry, September 16. If something is rightly conceived now, maybe it comes to birth then. We are looking at this in spiritual terms, not in the terms of form. Almost always, when anything pertaining to dates is considered it is immediately interpreted as referring to some form or other that should put in an appearance. No doubt there always is a form connected with any spiritual event, but usually there is quite a lag between the spiritual event and the form. The form which does appear is seldom recognized as being consequent upon the spiritual event. We are safer to concern ourselves with spiritual events and let the forms take care of themselves, so that there is no preconceived anticipation form-wise.
Here is the point when a particular spiritual cycle may be initiated as a part of what is unfolding in the larger pattern of things here on earth, and everywhere else as far as that is concerned. Spiritual conception now, spiritual birth later. Of course this is only one cycle amongst many; there are wheels within wheels. Some significance has been given, however, to September 1981, because it is the completion of seven seven-year cycles since the birth of this ministry. As sons and daughters of God we naturally keep step with whatever is unfolding in the spiritual or heavenly sense, and this is our primary concern, because we recognize it to be the foundation of the earth. Our job might be defined as laying the foundations of the new earth in this instance. Included in this, the Morning Stars sing together and all the sons and daughters of God shout for joy. So we are quite aware of the natural approach from the standpoint of sons and daughters of God. Human beings do get caught up in the spirit of joy somewhat at Christmastime and we would certainly encourage that, although why it should be limited to Christmas I don't know.
As I indicated before, most human gatherings might be described as satanic. I don't know that people generally would be too agreeable to that, but it may indeed be the fact of the matter. Satan has his kingdom, which he thinks is fairly firmly established. He has what he considers to be the necessary power to do what needs to be done in that kingdom, and of course the glory is all his. Human beings have become satan-man rather than God-man. They are now made in the image and likeness of satan. That explains a lot of things, doesn't it? The image and likeness of God has gone by the board. Of course there is still a connection here with God or there wouldn't be anyone around. But the image and likeness of satan is certainly characteristic of human beings generally, mankind made in the image and likeness of satan—self-made.
If satan does come into the presence of the Lord—occasionally some thought is given to God and spiritual things by human beings—he maintains his own identity. And human beings say of themselves, “I now come before the Lord to worship, to seek guidance, to be strengthened, to be healed,” whatever, but the “I” speaking is a satan “I.” Satan says, in effect, “I still stand in my kingdom and maintain it, but I will acknowledge that there is another kingdom somewhere or other and seek any assistance or blessing that may be offered from that source,” presumably the objective being in such case that improvements should be made to the satan-man model. “Let me be better, O Lord, but still satan.” This is the viewpoint that is held by virtually everybody on earth. It might not be couched in those terms, but as sons and daughters of God I'm sure we see the point.
There is something very unique about the Emissary ministry—looked upon by those who are aware of it but not a part of it, and also by some of those who are a part of it, as being just a human organization with certain views and opinions regarding spiritual things. There are many cults in the world. We have noted that it is a cultic world, and satan-man is cultic man. He has felt so isolated and alone that he tries to establish for himself a home of some kind to which he may relate. Most people have a number of homes, from national homes all the way down to the family home, with intervening organizations of all kinds, all this in an endeavor to produce a sense of belonging. But he never does quite belong, at least if there is any sensitivity left at all in satan-man. Presumably it was because as satan-man we felt out of step somehow that we have participated in EDL. What is this unique distinction which is hardly present at all anywhere else? It relates to this recognition, which is inherent in the approach I am making this morning, indicating the alternatives of satan-man and God-man. Satan-man doesn't belong, so it is not unnatural that those who are identified with this should feel that they don't belong. God-man does belong. We have heard the idea expressed that human beings are somehow just pilgrims. Well perhaps they come and go, but this is because there is no recognition of the reality of God-man—the sons and daughters of God. Satan-man is all that is known; therefore any help that is sought from whoever the deity might be is to assist satan-man to get by, to feel that he belongs somehow, to be enriched in whatever way and blessed, as satan-man.
The intent of the sons and daughters of God is not to improve or unify satan-man. That would be an impossible task anyway, wouldn't it? I'm sure none of us are interested in trying to do the impossible. But most others see the situation in such terms: We need to be better and more loving people so that we may get together without scrapping quite so much. Human beings have been trying to get together as satan-man for a long time. The only way that this get-together is possible with any seeming unification is based in absolute enslavement, and there are those who have this in mind. This is satan's view, after all: enslave everybody and then we'll have oneness; whatever the reality may be, it will have been defeated; satan-man will at last have triumphed absolutely. So human unity in the ordinary sense is human enslavement.
From the standpoint of the emissary view, there is presumably a recognition on the part of most that there is something to be brought into the world that has not been here for a long time. The only way it can be brought into the world is by reason of the sons and daughters of God who reveal themselves on earth as God-man. And God-man is not satan-man. No improvement on the satan model will ever produce God-man. Improvement is about the best that can be anticipated by most human organizations, even of the most spiritual character. The view is that the earth is a mess, upon which point most of us could agree, and therefore needs revamping in some way. This requires better people. “Well let's go to work and reconstruct people”—this is satan speaking! And usually, because human beings are polarized in form, they look at the form of things and say, “Oh well, here's a nice organization; they are doing good work. They are very fine people in this organization or that organization. We can subscribe to something along these lines of form”—and there are those who do. And there is encouragement one of another: “You're doing very well, really some improvements coming. Changes are working out; changes must come.” All this is the embellishment of satan-man. Give him greater glory, really make the appearance shine, polish it up, and we'll have it made! Of course in order to achieve this we must get the cooperation of God, whichever deity it is; and so that is sought in various ways, but all for the benefit of satan-man, who wants to have a nice nest on earth where he may belong. There are some who have been caught a little bit in that approach.
But we speak, understandingly I trust, of what it is that comes down from God out of heaven, something that hasn't been here and which fills the space created by what has been here, so there are no more present on earth what I have now referred to as satan-man. There's no need. Such a thought comes as a terrible shock to most people because they see themselves being eliminated. That's right too, and most don't like the idea of that. As has been stated many, many times, we're not at all interested in improvements to satan-man except as these may provide a starting point for the unveiling of what it is that is really required. One cannot, after all, plunge right in with people, who are satan-man, saying, “To hell with satan-man,” because it's to hell with them. So there is a more cautious approach, shall we say. We are indeed interested in making possible a setting through which the sons and daughters of God may emerge. But in doing so, satan-man is dissolved. No more satan-man—a complete re-creation insofar as the human aspect of the situation is concerned.
We have seen these things at some level, understood them a little, and have a sensing of an absolute distinction between that with which we are associated and all the other organizations on the face of the earth, every last one of them, because they all have the satan-man perspective. Everything is seen from down below. Finally we begin to reach a point where we may share some vision of the sons and daughters of God, from above. There we have some awareness of the Kingdom of God, the Power of God, and the Glory of God. All of this is to be brought into the world. It hasn't been here, because satan-man was not interested in bringing it. He was interested in having his own kingdom. There was a model for everyone. But if the sons and daughters of God are present the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory of God are present—and this is what not only transforms people, which presumably means improves them, but transmutes them. I've used that word. The word describes what takes place, but I don't think there is a word, because satan-man doesn't know anything about it.
In the Book of Revelation, the 20th chapter, the 9th verse, there is this passage: “And they went up…” That is, satan-man, collectively … went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city…” This is the new spiritual consciousness, the new spiritual perspective, or the true spiritual perspective. “… and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” I think when that is read most people have thought, well that was utter destruction. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
If we look at this from the standpoint of the sons and daughters of God, we recognize that the fire which comes down from God out of heaven is what we ourselves are to bring on earth. Here is the power of the Kingdom. The sons and daughters of God are present, incarnate in human form to bring forth the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, and this is the fire of transmutation. That fire of transmutation was present in a specific sense when Jesus was on earth. It was this that allowed for transmutation insofar as He personally was concerned. That was done in the individual sense by the One who alone could do it in representation of all, simply because He provided the point of focus for the whole—here was the conception I was speaking of before. Individual transmutation is a reality by reason of Jesus; so that doesn't need to be done again. What is required is the transmutation of the whole.
I think it would be rather useless as an individual to beg God to transmute “me, because I'm so deserving, or worthy.” No need! That's really not the point. The transmutation that is to occur relates to everyone, all who compass the camp of the saints about. The saints relate to the sons and daughters of God, incarnate and in expression on earth. They are at the core of things. Everyone else is round about—and this fire comes to devour. What does the word “devour” indicate? Here reference is being made to the Spiritual Body of God, the Body composed of the sons and daughters of God, incarnate and in expression. So the devouring simply includes all that belongs in the Body into the Body. When we eat a meal we expect that there will be some waste in that meal, which will be excreted in one way or another because it doesn't belong in the body.
Here is an illustration, using language comprehensible to satan-man, as to what occurs: the transmutation by which the sons and daughters of God are provided with flesh facilities in which to incarnate and be in expression on earth. And this is a collective happening; it is the coming forth once again of God-man, man made in the image and likeness of God. Man made in the image and likeness of God is not man made in the image and likeness of satan—something incomprehensible to satan-man; therefore he's inclined to take the attitude that something of that sort could never happen. Certainly he has never seen it happen; but all things are possible with God.
“And the devil that deceived them [satan] was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” This is simply making the point that forever and ever there shall be no more satan-man. By the way, satan-man has been in that realm of torment, but the normal temperature of the furnace was reduced so that human flesh might survive to the point of restoration. At that point the furnace is stoked up, heated seven times hotter than it is wont to be heated, so that the transmutation may take place. But that transmutation has nothing to do with the ideas and concepts and beliefs of satan-man. He doesn't understand what's going on. He looks for the utopia of satan-man, but utopia is nowhere—nowhere! It doesn't exist. There is no place for satan-man anywhere forever and ever. That is what is being said here.
Obviously, where the human consciousness accommodates the consciousness of the son or the daughter of God there would be intelligence; therefore no one would be so stupid as to go again into the realm of torment. Having been in the realm of torment and having experienced the realm of bliss, what urge would there be to return to the realm of torment? The realm of torment is still there, forever and ever. That's the level where satan-man has existed for all these millennia. Man doesn't belong there. It is a realm of devouring fire by which transmutation takes place. And transmutation needs to take place: first of all, the transmutation of man from satan-man into God-man. But let it not be supposed that one can edge into the experience of God-man from satan-man by little increments. They are different experiences. They are incompatible experiences.
It is this bringing forth of the Kingdom, regardless of what the state may be in the world, that is fundamentally the distinction between the emissary understanding and the understanding of virtually everyone else on the face of the earth. Satan-man's view has prevailed in the world, no matter how exalted the spiritual mountain that may have been climbed by satan-man. Whether satan-man is in the pit or on the mountain peak, he is still satan-man, and this is to be dissolved. EDL provides the facility for the use of the sons and daughters of God, incarnate and in expression on earth. Here is very free use, because there is an awareness of what the purpose is. The use is not nearly so free anywhere else, because there is no such awareness. It is not a matter of judging others but of recognizing the fact of the matter.
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” That sums up the emissary understanding. There are lots of people who mouth those words but have no faintest notion what they mean, because they are seen from the satan-man perspective. They are looking off into the distance somewhere for something to come. There is nothing to come from anywhere. It's here, and it's known to be here when the sons and daughters of God are present and in expression. For theirs is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, by which the world is transmuted and returned into the hand of God. God assumes responsibility and control directly in that world because of His sons and daughters, incarnate and in expression. This is indeed Glory to God in the Highest, which brings the Peace of the Kingdom.
© emissaries of divine light
