Here Is The Word!

Here  Is  The  Word!

Martin Cecil   December 19, 1976

There are many groups of people the world around who are concerned with what might be referred to as spiritual things, people who are sincerely and earnestly seeking to do what they may to offer a blessing into the world, people who have an attitude of goodwill toward others. Some of these groups are of a communal nature; in other words they are associated together quite closely in a physical sense. Others find common cause in the nature of their understanding. They may have what could be referred to as a mutually acceptable creed, code of ethics, what have you. We certainly rejoice in all human beings who are concerned with being right according to their highest vision. In spite of the diversity of understanding that may be present there is a general recognition, on the part of most, of the need for some kind of inspiration of a continuing nature. Sometimes this inspiration may be forthcoming through a person who, from time to time, catches a new vision. There are those who feel that they receive messages from invisible guides of various sorts, but what is offered in the way of continuing inspiration is usually of a rather sporadic nature. In spite of this it is remarkable how many such groups have continued on. The LORD has great ingenuity, by which He is able to use nearly everything to advantage.

We ourselves of course are keenly aware of the necessity for what might be called a continuing inspiration. We see it from the standpoint of what rightly comes down from God out of heaven in each moment of living, but we do participate in particular experience in this regard at times of service such as this. We have an awareness of the essential requirement of a point of focus on earth in which all may share and by which what rightly comes from the LORD may be channeled into living expression on earth. This, while it relates to the daily living of all concerned, is brought to particular focus at times—in this moment for instance, here, now—that there might be the opening of the Gate for the LORD to come into His world in a special sense, for the special purpose which is found in the present moment. We all have a responsibility to participate in the opening of this Gate, but what emerges by reason of the opening is, in these circumstances, given form in words. We may speak of these words as an expression of the Word. The Word is forthcoming, in this sense, on what might be described as a rhythmic basis—Sunday by Sunday for instance—as well as being available in the expression of our individual living, twenty-four hours a day. Our immediate concern is with this rhythmic pattern as it finds a special focus this morning by reason of this unified gathering, concerned as we are for the opening of the Gate by which the LORD may come into His world.

We have an awareness, then, of something that is of a continuing nature. I spoke of it as being rhythmic; there is the provision in this regard week by week. The Word is brought forth directly, insofar as we are concerned this morning, by what is spoken; but you are all very much aware of the fact that what is spoken is not just a matter for me, in this instance, but all of you who are present determine what may be rightly brought forth. Here is the factor of uniqueness which characterizes what we might refer to as this ministry. It isn't a hit-or-miss proposition. Obviously there is a great consistency and constancy that has been present all down through the years. There has been a consistent flow of the spirit, taking particular form according to the facility that was provided to let it take form, and we have not had to depend upon messages coming to us from somewhere, or indulgence in visions of various sorts which would tell us which way to go. There has been this flow of the spirit taking form in a specific sense through the spoken word, making possible the recording of this on audio- or videotape, the transcribing of it into the printed word, so that there might be a continuing movement of the flow of the spirit in this way, something very particular and very specific. So has it been, week upon week, month upon month, year upon year. I have described this flow as relating to the bloodstream, in analogy, something which has the power to give unified life to all who share in allowing this bloodstream to be the bloodstream of their own living. In this fashion we may participate in salvation by the blood of the Lamb.

Here is the central factor which has been lacking—in varying degrees I suppose it could be said, but almost totally in most cases—which makes possible the reality of creative meaning to those who are associated in group patterns. What has emerged in our own experience has emerged because of this constant and consistent flow of the spirit. There have been those along the way who were keenly aware of the real meaning and value of the Word; others felt that it was just a mailing that was sent out—very nice, maybe we could learn something, it was interesting to hear what was coming next, so on and so forth. But there have been those who have awakened, by reason of their own experience, to the reality of this spiritual bloodstream. You cannot separate the flow of the spirit from the means by which that flow is made comprehensible. This is the point, isn't it, because there always has been a flow of the spirit but insofar as human beings are concerned it has remained largely incomprehensible; it has been subject to human imagination, human attitudes of belief, and so on. But there is One Flow, One Spirit, and it doesn't go in a multitude of diverse directions. Those who are associated with this flow find themselves moving increasingly as One Body.

So this Word has been present over the years and has been available as the basis for the movement of all concerned, in the expression of their living. If it was merely something that was intellectually observed, considered, thought about, maybe even agreed with, it meant very little; but if there were those who saw in the Word the living flow of the spirit and accepted that living flow into their own daily experience, then this reality which was coming into the world because the Gate was thereby opened was known for what it really was and is.

Here is the unique factor in the ministry of the LORD. This is what causes the ministry to be the ministry of the LORD. There must be the focus by which the creative Word emerges. That focus includes many people; it only becomes meaningful and truly creative because of many people; it only becomes understandable because of many people. It was, after all, brought to the finest possible point of focus through the One called Jesus, but what happened by reason of His point of focus has never been generally understood. It has remained incomprehensible, because all it was was this point with position but virtually no magnitude. Any magnitude that has come by reason of Him has been on the basis of human concepts about Him, and not really because of Him.

What does come down from God out of heaven in the moment, particularly in this moment, becomes meaningful and comprehensible because of all of us put together. As long as it merely remains at a point of focus, which has position but no magnitude, it is not comprehended. It is comprehended when it is differentiated in the experience of living people. Then each living person knows what he knows by reason of his own living, and as that living is based in the flow of the same spirit, as these individual lives are put together, there is a wholeness of comprehension. No one person has to know it all. Each individual knows the reality of his own quota, and we can begin to trust each other to take care of our own quota of knowing so that we don't interfere with other people's business. The only business that anyone is capable of knowing is his own. We're all here to mind our own business, and when we do, the total business is minded.

The unique factor with respect to what we know in our own experience of the truth of this ministry relates to the Word. There are an increasing number of people, responding ones, who are finding a delight in the Word which they had not really known before; they are discovering that it is alive! Of course that discovery comes by reason of the individual's own living; that's the only way it can be known to be alive. When in our own living that Word is revealed according to our particular quota of revelation we are immediately aware of the living nature of the Word, and the Word is a delight to us. We see that without that Word there would be nothing insofar as this ministry is concerned, insofar as the ministry of the LORD is concerned. The Word must be made flesh, but there is a Word to be made flesh. Some seem to imagine that that Word is going to materialize out of thin air. It comes forth in a very specific way. It requires very specific participation on the part of those who are accepting the responsibility of letting the Word come forth. If the Word has found, in recent years, a particular focus through my own expression this has not been so because I somehow wanted to bring this Word forth for the benefit of all concerned; it has come because there has been the fulfilment of the Law in relationship to the birth of it.

Insofar as human birth is concerned, in the ordinary sense, it's something that happens because this and this and this occurred. Very specific! So must it be from the standpoint of what is to come down from God out of heaven into the earth. It isn't based in happenstance—somebody may happen to be inspired one day; someone may happen to have a vision Tuesday morning; someone may happen to think that he got a message from somewhere. It isn't that at all. It's something very particular, and very specific, and very constant, and very sure, and very certain. There has been the opportunity for all concerned to participate in this assurance and certainty for many years. There has been a certain amount of hesitancy about it but, even in spite of that, here we are today.

There is only one thing that is absolutely unique, and it is the one thing that carries the absolute importance. Without it no other type of effort, no other fancy organization, will be of the smallest value. Here is the Word! That's the point—the opportunity to become acquainted with the Word, not with the results that may have occurred by reason of the fact that there are those who have been participating in the Word. We have a beautiful Chapel here, which is the result of the fact that there have been those who have been participating in the Word, and this is a wonderful evidence of what the cause is. But it's the cause that is important, not the evidence of it. If all that is offered to a person is a view of organization, as though that were the key to everything, then that person is not being given anything of any particular value. This is the human nature approach—which totally ignores the only factor that has any meaning—the Word!

When the Word is recognized and accepted into the expression of living, then, as has often been said, everything else takes care of itself. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” That's the fact of the matter. There is one thing that is essential, and that is the focus by which what is coming down from God out of heaven may be allowed to emerge in living expression on earth, and that living expression will take care of its own forms of manifestation. It will not require human beings to figure out how they should organize things.

We have had opportunity over many years to be associated with the Word. Because of that, whether it has been clearly recognized or not, there has been some movement with the flow of that spirit; but there are, obviously, present in people the elements of human nature. Human nature in the world has always been at variance with the flow of the spirit, because of what we have referred to as the fall. Human beings have been excluded from the Garden—the Garden where the Word originates. Those who begin to become aware of the reality of the Garden and the Word that is spoken in it also contain within themselves elements of human nature; and those factors, most of which are subconscious, are at variance with the flowing movement of the Word. If these factors maintain rigidity in a person there will be, I suppose one could call it, trouble, because the flowing movement of the Word will come up against these rigidities, and then various things may happen: troubles ensue, accidents occur. Anyone who gets into trouble, or has an accident, is not alone of course, insofar as the rigidities are concerned that may have been involved in the situation, but obviously, even though he may not have been alone in it, he was in it.

These troubles of all kinds continue to appear because of these elements in human nature that are deliberately maintained. When the effect comes out there is the opportunity for the individual to begin to recognize something beyond the surface. One may say, “Well these days it's icy; one can easily have an accident.” True enough! Even in the human nature world there is indication that there are some people who are particularly accident-prone, as it is said. Why? Well obviously there is something compelling them into this experience. We are not particularly interested in looking at it merely from the standpoint of human nature. We observe it from the standpoint of the flowing movement of the spirit of God, from the standpoint of the Word, recognizing that the rigidities in us are going to be hit, and when they are hit something happens. It happens because of a rigidity of some kind.

There are those who may say, “Well what about Jesus? Something certainly hit Him. Did He have rigidities inside?” Yes, He did, because He deliberately accepted them. He deliberately accepted the rigidities of human nature. He did that because there wasn't any other way that human beings would let Him handle the situation. As we well know, it could have worked out in an entirely different way, an easy way, but human beings would have none of it; and that has been their attitude ever since, regardless of Christianity. So the only way left for Him to go was to accept human nature into Himself and clear through it, thereby establishing the fact of victory, thereby revealing that it could be done. If He hadn't been willing to assume this responsibility then we would all certainly have excuse to say, “Oh well, it's human nature, you know. We can't do anything else but behave in the way that human nature dictates.” He didn't behave in the way that human nature dictated, even though He accepted the focus of the human nature of mankind into Himself. He didn't let that tell Him how to behave, but it certainly did mean that there was going to be a rigidity present which would be hit by the flow of the creative spirit of God—and it was! It was hit, and it was shattered. That was a very violent experience.

The evidence of it came out but because He handled it rightly it cleared all the way through. Because it cleared all the way through we have a precedent of victory. Not only can it be done but it has been done. The way is open in that regard for anyone who is willing to accept the flow of the spirit into present experience of living. This doesn't mean that all the rigidities on earth are in us individually. We have our own quota; that's enough! Only in the case of the Master Himself was there a complete focus of all rigidities, and if He could accept that, and carry through that, then our little quota shouldn't be too much, should it? Yes, it may be said that whatever is present in us is representative of what is present in many other people; but the point is that it is present in us, and how are we going to handle it?

If a person is in fact accident-prone, obviously whatever it is is not being handled. It does require care, thoughtfulness; but this is also a subconscious thing and it is what emerges from the standpoint of the subconscious levels that is going to take over if allowed to do so. This is very much deeper than the surface idea which says, “Well I should have been more careful.” Yes, you should have been more careful, no doubt. We all need to be careful, but we also need to recognize these elements of human nature that are still rigidities in ourselves. Is there a willingness to lose one's lifelong habits? That's what it amounts to.

That's why it's so much easier to “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth,” because you don't have quite such length of life to contend with. The lifelong habits of a younger person are not all that long, but it's still the same principle involved: Is there a willingness to lose one's habits, the way one has always been behaving heretofore in human nature? I am sure there is not one of you sitting here who doesn't know that there has been a goodly quota of behavior in human nature. Some of these elements may stem from earthly heredity but let's not use that as an excuse either. There was the assumption, apparently, on the part of many that Jesus, for instance, only had half an earthly nature; the immaculate conception took care of that—just the mother's side! But He had one hundred percent human nature hereditary background, the same as anyone else; otherwise He could hardly have been an example for us. There was nothing different.

So we share the responsibility of letting this Word be accepted as supremely delightful in our experience, far transcending any of our human nature habits. When this happens those human nature habits will be brought under pressure, and when they're brought under pressure, if we continue to accept domination of them, we will produce trouble. I think we have some evidence of troubles produced on this basis.

The Word is in fact the key, the key that has been by too many overlooked and perhaps thought of as not all that important. I wonder how important it is to you who hear my words now, these words in this moment. How much effect are you willing to let them have upon your experience now? because unless it has an effect now it's not going to have an effect in the future. Tomorrow never comes; but letting the effect be now, the human nature factors may easily be dissolved. However, we will only allow the effect to be now as there has been an actual willingness to relinquish human nature habits. This relates also to the Word as it is reproduced in various ways. For many this is the only basis of direct contact with the focus point. How immediate is the individual's concern to read the mailing? This all relates to the Word—the Word, the unique feature which allows for what we speak of as restoration. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” We share the responsibility of letting the Word of the LORD that is spoken now be the inspiration of our momentary living.

© emissaries of divine light