Thank you each one, in your beautiful check-in. What a privilege it is to stand here with you on the Temple Steps, figuratively speaking. I was thinking as you were checking in, as we were all checking in, yes, we have 42 stations, but how many stations are represented by virtue of the substance brought to these steps this morning? How many generations of generating are carried in our hearts, our bones, our pneumaplasm—the longing, the sacred longing, the longing of the millions? Our numbers, in terms of physical form, relatively few. In terms of representation, immense! And in this, as we prepare to enter the Temple, let us declare through prayer our appreciation for Whose home this is:
O magnificent LORD and KING, how honored we are to have been called from the Four Winds this day to enter herein and commune with Thee and Thy QUEEN, allowing our hearts, our minds, our spirits, our very bodies to open fully to Your creative impulse, all to the end that Your Temple might be filled with the unabated results of the working of the One Law. We avail ourselves to Thee in joy and in absolute resonance. Thank you, O LORD, for this unique opportunity today. Aum-en.
So, moving with this imagery, let’s file in and take our places in the Temple of the Living God.
I’m reminded of the experience—not to be nostalgic; but I think it represents a point—of what it was like to walk into the Dome Chapel at Sunrise Ranch and take my place in preparation for Martin to speak. And I must admit, I was fascinated with the ceiling, not while he was talking, mind you, but beforehand. The beautiful design was contained therein, intricate combinations of triangles and other shapes, merging at the top around five beautiful circular windows distributed around a pentagon. I used to imagine that above that was the Capstone of the Pyramid, the Christ Consciousness, and flowing into our sacred setting there through the five windows, representing (for me, anyway) my five senses as a human being, indicating and proclaiming that this human equipment, in which I live and breathe, is designed to carry the impulse of Christ Consciousness from the Capstone into the three dimensional world through the course of what we refer to as a human life. As we were privileged to hear and participate in the Word, I was aware that not only was the light flowing in from above, but it was also flowing back out through those windows into the entire world—a radiant pulsation begat through Radiation, Response, Attraction, Union, Unified Radiation.
Sometimes I meditate on how unique that opportunity was among generations. Really! To have incarnated at this time, to have been demonstrated by a Priest after the order of Melchizedek the way it’s done: What an entrustment! What an amazing turn of events! What an immense responsibility.
I’m thinking back again on the design of the Dome ceiling. I couldn’t help but think about our design in the Kingdom of Heaven in these 42+ stations, some with multiple participants, how though we are few in numbers, we are strategically placed about the Kingdom. Strategic in vibration—we are each made uniquely. Aren’t we?—and strategic in geographic location, as well. I’m keenly aware at this moment that due to our time zones, etc., that our friends in Korea are not physically with us. At least I didn’t notice them on the screen, and yet, the East is represented, as well, perhaps through you, Marsha. [As it turns out, Jae Hyoung Lee, from Jeju, South Korea, had logged on after check-in and was in fact able to attend in spite of the time difference! It was 2:00 a.m. in Korea when the Temple of Light service started.]
An example of the Lord’s strategic mastery is represented in the story of Gideon, wherein out of thousands of warriors he chose 300, to surround on the rim of the bowl of a valley, tens of thousands—way outnumbering the Children of Israel. To achieve the Lord’s purpose. In moving in sensitive attunement with the Lord, and with the agreement of the 300 he selected, the valley was surrounded strategically at night. Each was with a lantern on, but cloaked with, I think it was a terracotta pitcher, as it was described; (The Bible doesn’t use the word terracotta—my guess) but you couldn’t see the light until the pitcher was broken. When the pitcher was broken, all the warriors strategically placed around the valley were instructed on Gideon’s cue with his trumpet to sound their trumpets. And all sounded their trumpets. And all yelled like crazy! The enemy thought they were surrounded by hoards of who knows how many. They panicked. They ran and sometimes slayed each other; got the heck out of that valley and were defeated.
I see a great parallel here with us today. Not that we are about achieving any kind of military undertaking. Think of the size of about 8 billion people on the Earth today, greatly attuned to death, greatly attuned to fear, even with the best of intentions, so many people of integrity, so many noble souls, but hypnotized since the Fall. And here, by reason of the working of the One Law, we have been drawn, not any better than anyone else—that’s for sure!—but called nevertheless, strategically, for the purpose of letting our lights so shine, that irrefutably and inexorably the substance of the world might be drawn into Love’s control today.
How thrilling to rest in the knowledge that this process is at work, even as we speak. And it appears that in the Bible that there have been those who have possessed something of this vision along the way. And yet, here we are with 8 billion people, many hypnotized and operating under counterfeit control. And that’s putting it nicely. It strikes me that what has been missing is the requisite power: the power that is required to call unto remembrance the resonant substance contained in the fallen world, to have a sound, a tone strong enough, durable enough, reliable enough to trust, to attune to and to remember by the music of the spheres.
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In the One Law, my sensing is response is what has been a bit lacking. Not that we’re here to dwell on lack. I think we are here to dwell on victory and opportunity. And here is, as I see it, a great opportunity to power up so that the coordination of the LORD might be complete, and full resonance might be steady, sure, and immovable within a Core, a Radiant Core that is adequate—adequately placed, because we move with attunement with the One Who Dwells, and adequately powerful because it IS the Irresistible Force. Here's a piece that I wrote while meditating on these things dedicated to Response. It goes like this:
“As the Fire and the Spirit move round about, creating by LETTING all called substance move perfectly, poetically, rightfully into place, the True Body of His Word is formed, and it is Holy—pristine—perfect in organization and flow. All you said was, ‘YES! Emphatically YES! It is Thee, my Eternal Beloved!’ Through the Single Eye in you, laced with true love’s response, you merely asked, ‘How could it be any other way?’ And a Great Voice in Heaven, CALLING ALL to remembrance, sounded in and through you, from within and without, from above and below. Holy, Holy, Holy! Come unto thy KING, for the appointed time to SURRENDER your world is NIGH! And the Wondrous Light of His Gaze comes upon thee, harmonically illuminating the Temple with audible light, joyously creating, and recreating your story. Lustily chanting, all the voices of Heaven sing once again your true song. Through updraft of Pure Virtue, IN the Vibration of our Lord, thy response USHERS you into His True Heart’s Ultimate Furnace, wherein the One Way of Love’s sacred fusion is eternally walked, and in that Holy Flame, in thy precise Temple place, the Humble Authority of the Word made flesh is eternally revealed—compelling, drawing, reshaping, even unto Paradise, all the substance of this One World, into HIS BODY, through which NEW SHINING WORLDS are uttered into existence. The KING winks, and His QUEEN smiles knowingly. All is well.”
I wonder how much response is enough? “Oh, that’s enough Response.” “Good. We did it.” “I did it this morning during sanctification.” “I did it last night at sanctification.” Was that enough? I know this is a speculation of the mind, but I’m thinking it might be enough when my vibration is so centered in the Lord, due to complete Response of heart, mind, body and spirit that my very presence proclaims to a world attuned with death and fear, “Surrender! Resistance is futile!”
Sounds audacious, doesn’t it? Well, I suspect that the LORD’s audacity relative to human nature is not to be equaled. And here we are with the opportunity of powering up, strategically placed, to the end that all might be brought to remembrance, and that that grid, represented by all those junctions in the ceiling of the Temple, might light up like a Christmas tree. And ALL is brought to remembrance. What could be more joyous work? Martin speaks about that kind of power. On July 3, 1977 [greatcosmicstory.blogspot.com/2018/01/core-pattern-positive-action-martin.html] he made the statement:
“The immediate concern is that there should be this core composed of human beings who are ministering, who are providing the facility for the positive action of the One Law at the level where human beings are. That is the experience of the Holy Ghost coming upon you and it is stated: ‘Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.’ There is the power, the creative power of the positive action of the One Law, and it is this that transforms the world. We begin to allow that positive action of the One Law which is already in operation to be brought to focus and to find release in radiation, in action, in living, because we have assumed the responsibility for letting it be so. Then we might say the job is done.”
What that might look like, in the grid of the true Design, with all of the junctions of all the connections lighting up was so beautifully articulated in the invitation that David Barnes sent out for this Temple of Light Service, with Anne. Thank you, both!
“Just suppose every man, woman and child upon the face of the whole earth were centered in God, completely under the Kingdom Control of the Spirit, letting Life truly manifest—the Shekinah Light is the Life of men—there would be then, around the entire surface of the earth, wherever there is land at least, the manifestation of millions and millions of particularized focalizations of Shekinah. There would be a particularized Shekinah Pattern between any given individual and each of his true friends. Suppose some person had one hundred friends. There would be one hundred balls of Fire and glowing Lights and manifestations of Cloud in relationship to that one individual who centered the hundred friends; but they in turn would have other friends, and each might have anywhere from, what shall we say? one to a hundred, more or less, in some cases many more, manifestations of Shekinah, and it would cover the earth's surface, and everything that would be done, every word that would be spoken, every action, would be on the basis of the expression of Shekinah in actual fact. The earth would then be a Sun, glowing, shining, in its place in the Solar System and the Cosmos—a Sun, a manifestation of the only begotten Son of God. So we begin to realize that if all those who dwell on the face of the earth were as they ought to be, there would be many more manifestations of the Shekinah Pattern than there would be individuals on earth, many more, and all things would be the expression of Shekinah, and without Shekinah there would not be anything done. The Kingdom of heaven is at hand, the Kingdom of Shekinah is at hand. Let it appear to the Glory of our KING and to the blessing of the children of men.” [greatcosmicstory.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-nature-and-work-of-shekinah.html]
What a unique opportunity! There are 8 billion people on this planet right now. Hey! What could be better? What could be better—the One Law and 8 billion people? What’s that story about, in the Bible? “Oh, but there are giants in the land!” Oh there are so many people! Well, “Big deal,” the LORD says. “I am with you, even unto the end of the earth.” How much response is enough? Can we say to human nature—Robert laughed—“Human nature, resistance is futile. Surrender.”? Of course, I’ve been talking about the world. It starts within oneself. Doesn’t it? The surrender of everything. I think that’s what’s required for the “power-up” experience that we’ve been talking about. In the Book of Revelation, Chapter 4, it’s described like this:
“And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
Grace Van Duzen points out the symbology here with those crowns that they relinquish—those “crowns” represent our own self-centeredness of the mind, our own achievements, our own things about ourselves that we think are pretty cool and comfortable. “Hey, I’m a great talker. I can talk all the time in any conversation.” Well, maybe that’s one’s “crown”, and it could be let go of. Maybe, “I’m really good at achieving a lot of things in this world and I’ve got a lot of stuff cooking and I really don’t have time for this meditation stuff, and this full alignment and response!” Well, maybe that’s a crown that could be let go of. Maybe some space could be made in one’s time management for more meditation.
We each know our capacities pretty well, and if we have the capacity to be honest, we begin to see what they are, not by endless self-analysis, but by responding to the original, Prime Source of the Focus of Love for this planet, the Prime Source for that vibration. And by giving ALL to the Prime Source of Love, the KING, it’s described as “fire falling from Heaven”, we may each then be enveloped fully by the Flame of Love, the vibration of that Flame, and live and walk therein all of our days, allowing everything that comes into contact with us in the three dimensional world to come in contact with the KING, and His QUEEN, and the vibration that relates thereto. Is that too much to ask? It does involve giving up everything, doesn’t it? And yet without it, where does the power come from to get the job done? What does that one talk show host say? “How is that going for you?” The LORD could say to mankind relative to our insistence of sitting on our idols, holding on to our crowns, “How’s that going for you? Is that working?” We think not.
I love where we’ve been in this consideration, so high, such a communion with our LORD. And yet, we’re admonished to do more, to actually land this vibration that we’re sharing now in the nitty-gritty, sweaty, grungy experience of walking on Earth at this time in a world where much is not aligned with Heaven.
In his service, “Focalization of Creative Cycles”, Uranda was speaking on July 30, 1946, to I think it was the first class at Sunrise Ranch. [greatcosmicstory.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-one-great-intercessor.html] And they were working with what it was like to dwell in meditation with Uranda, and then go out and fix the tractor, weed the garden, or work with personalities in the kitchen that might not be your first choice. Here’s what he had to say: “These are the creative cycles, and the way you have been carrying through this period of the cycle has been definitely improving. You have been letting that outward pulsation take place, accomplishing that to which you were called, and coming together again without losing the Current, as you used to.” He goes on to say, “That is not to say that you are doing it to perfection yet, but it has very markedly improved…” We all have to start somewhere. Don’t we? But without willingness to give it all up to the Vibration that created this planet in the first place, where does the power come from? I think the answer is: It doesn’t. And that is, in fact, what it takes.
I loved Marsha’s description, in her recent service, about “the pause” during the day when her printer went off-line when she had critical work to do. She just paused and checked in with the highest vibration, and then appearing in her very non-technical consciousness was the technical answer. Viola! So, as we exercise our muscle of trust, more comes of the magic, in particular knowledge and confidence in the Lord, which becomes part of our flesh, which our world can sense.
It’s between the lines. We don’t talk the way we’re speaking right now among most people we engage with. At least, I don’t have the opportunity. It wouldn’t be fitting. Would it? But to the degree that I am in His Vibration, it’s between the lines. It comes out through the eyes. There’s a presence. There’s something that in a very relaxed and beautiful way gets called to remembrance. And like I said, the world is obviously not aligned with Heaven at this point. So, there are things through which we have the opportunity of proving these principles to the world.
Not that we’re trying to impress anybody. Goodness knows, the part of any of us that would want to impress or be recognized is NOT the Lord. But there are places where the authority of our Lord may have its final say in our very actions. Some of our friends on-line here, their computer was recently hacked, and all the trauma that can go with having your world of information up-ended, financial, and otherwise, who knows, was up for them. They got to apply the Kingdom of Heaven to that circumstance and that circumstance got to feel the Kingdom of Heaven through them, being in place, staying centered, which I understand may have had to take place in pulsations. There’s a lot to feel. Isn’t there? And we let those feelings come. As Roger de Winton used to say, “Praise God for perception!” But we’re never ruled by it. We eat “perception”, as angels, for breakfast, because we transform those perceptions into the Holy vibration of the KING through our living.
This is something we’ve shared before in the Temple a couple of times, but I think it’s worth repeating. It’s from Revelation 15. Those elders that were lying down in worship, casting their “crowns” before the Throne of the One Who Dwells on the Throne, at this point are standing up on the sea of glass as clear as crystal: “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire [and Grace states in her book, that is ‘a state of pure vibrational substance alive with radiance’]: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.”
You might say in the process of restoration we exchange our self-centered crowns for the “harps of God”. We’re not left without something to hold. And what are the “harps of God”? They are the instrument of our human lives, used to play His Song through ALL of the circumstances in a human life—good, bad, and indifferent. Aren’t the circumstances the strings? And in true consciousness, oneness with the Father in Heaven, each time one of those strings, one of those circumstances is touched and plucked, BAM, the POWER of the music of the spheres, the Living Word, spoken through a human life transmits out, through the entire grid, lighting it up like a Christmas tree, calling ALL to remembrance, calling ALL into Oneness, letting the sorting out process be done once and for all. Then the KING has His Body to walk in with His QUEEN. And it is safe. And it is luminescent. And it is POWERFUL. Through it, New Shining Worlds are created in His Name by His angels who dwell in Heaven with Him and who are part of His Body. How wondrous, O LORD, is Your Holy Name, Your Vibration, which makes Thy Restoration on Earth possible!
I wonder if the Voice of Many Waters would join in on this Holy conversation.
Christina Pivarnik — Robert, I come with the deepest thankfulness for your elegant, exquisite focus for us in this Temple. It is such a privilege and an immense blessing to have this space where we can consider these things of great magnitude, and offer our whole hearts, our whole being in complete service to the One Most High, to our KING, to our QUEEN. I'm so humbled, and offer my crown wholeheartedly. Let it go, because there's such work to be done in clarity. This time is a time of nourishment—this safe and sacred place where our hearts can just open wide and be in total response. We do this independently, individually, in our days, in our meditations, but to be able to do it as a collective in the sacred space is something very, very precious. I give thanks for each one here who participates in this Temple, in this worship to the Lord, and I for one, and I think everyone here runs to do that! So thank you so much for your beautiful words, heart, focus. I am deeply appreciative.
Suzanne Core — Robert, I, too, am deeply appreciative, and my heart echoes Christina's words as well. How much response is enough? All of it! All of it! Now I have a mental facility that would be probably say, “Wait, you want me to trade a golden crown for a harp that I have to play, that I probably can't sell.” And I say, “Hush! That's not who we are. That's not who we are.” I love that you said “the KING winks. I can't get that out of my head. It raises, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” to a whole different level of light for me. It is light, it is easy, it is fun. The KING and QUEEN have senses of humor. They make it so easy to cast down that golden crown and exchange it for a harp that can sound like a trumpet. So I join with you and everyone here in this moment to say, “Surrender all.” Thank you for a wonderful hour.
Davina Misroch — Robert, I have three words I wrote down which to me describe your wonderful offering this morning: levity, passion and spiritual backbone. That radiated through everything you offered today from the beginning until this point—the spiritual backbone in everything you were saying, suggesting, calling for and inviting us to share in. Without that backbone, it comes to nothing; it's very wishy-washy. So thank you for bringing that to the fore at every level, and you can be assured I'm very much alongside you in that. Thank you.
Marsha Bogolin — Robert, I also rejoice in what has come through you. I loved how you described the Lord's strategic mastery with the story of Gideon, and the opportunity that is present for us today. What I'm particularly struck with is your demonstration how, when we truly have no limit to response, fully respond, cast down our golden crown of self-centered achievement, or whatever is our particular version of it, what we receive in exchange, as you so beautifully demonstrated, is the ultimate power of experience. You know Robert. your vocabulary and imaginative way of expressing which heightens to another level when the current is coming through you, is just an example of the harps that are played through our facilities. So I trust that both the exquisite nature of your example and the deep prayer behind it—which is what the Lord needs now—will encourage us to fully give it all, because in so giving we're not losing anything of value. What we receive instead is who we truly are. So. Thank you, my brother, I am thrilled.
Anne Blaney — Robert, you mentioned the Korean group that we're aware of now, who speak—what was it you called it?—audible light. One of the things I've noticed with those newly awakening ones, is that they always speak from their immediate experience. It's made me realize how our Western minds have this tendency to separate from and to talk about something that has already happened, even if it's just a moment ago. I've been brought to humility in that regard: to challenge awareness in how I offer response, to express what is happening, right now, current! That's what I loved about our time together. We were all together in an exquisite heaven, and the heaven was pouring through those five windows, these five windows in our heads that you mentioned. The world can be assured that there are those right now who have blessed them. But we were certainly blessed, and here I am again talking about something that was in the past! I so enjoyed being present with you every step of the way, and that presence, as you were saying, continues, because we are all present, and now we're all aware of this exquisite connection, that we began, in the Word this morning—the beginning for our moments ahead. Thank you so much.
Laura Fisher — How wondrous and great are the works of our God. How wondrous and great Robert, are your works this morning, and our works that join you. Let's be audacious. Let's listen to the promise of the Lord our God, and be it. Your poem, your writing was exquisite. Such life and color in it. Exquisite! How I appreciate you, my friend, always, and particularly in this hour. Well done, our good and faithful servant! We are one in that expression. Thank you.
David Barnes — Hey Robert. It is such a rich and heart-opening hour that we spent together, brought into the substance of the KING of Love more fully, because there's more of us here to be in that enlarged heart realm, full of love for the KING and for those who compose His Body on earth. I found myself scanning the Zoom gallery view throughout the hour looking at the faces and feeling the current of love moving from each one of us here as individuals, and found it so easy to love each one in the love of the KING—sharing His love. And even though we talk about casting down our golden crowns of whatever human nature impression that may linger and wants to make itself known, make itself impressive, at the same time, when the crowns of self-centeredness are cast down, we immediately are aware that this is the Body of the Crowning Creation. So we discover that there really was no loss, and the crown is still here, but it's of a different nature—for Thou hast crowned him with glory and honor, made him a little lower than the angels, that angels might walk the earth in human form. So this Body, which is a representative sample of the Body of the KING growing on earth, wears a crown, naturally, which isn't of the human nature variety, but it's the crown that is natural to the Body of the KING. It's His Crown. And I feel, through what you have brought us into this morning Robert, so exquisitely, that we're all feeling something of our own Royal nature, as we look at each other and recognize the presence of the KING and QUEEN of Heaven incarnate in this Body— in this representation of the Body right here, right now. I am so thankful for all that you brought us through—bold, daring I would say, to go where many fear to tread. But not here, because it's the place of the love of the KING, for the KING, in His Body, now present here, in us and others here on earth. Thank you my friend.
Robert Merriman — Thank you each one, for your creative participation in both listening and in speaking. We have a little time left and it feels that the substance is present to read a poem that Yujin Pak wrote, presciently, about 43 years ago. It's called The Temple:
In the womb of earth's silence stands, finished,
a fused new holy temple
... delicate and shimmering, of the living Word,
born of the fresh winds of creation.
On crystal-fused edges of temple steps
fall the first dew drops of a sacred new earth;
and holy nectared flowers unseen by earthly man
bloom in the temple's sunlit court.
In morning glory shines the new conscious temple,
built without human hands:
One Mind, One Heart, fused in divine proportion,
a One-splendored Arch of angels,
spinning the One Fire of holy creation …
Completed is the temple.
And from the core of its silence, its immovable mass,
goes forth an incandescent beam,
a signal from the Lord Most High,
to the waiting flame in the earth's molten core.
Beloved Earth,
Fair Goddess of ancient of days.
Glow again thy passion's sacred flame.
Once again there is, on earth, a holy place,
where Lord meets Lord ... in blended flame.
Sacred heart,
though earthen veils hid thy countenance fair,
thine was the holy nectar that filled Eden's air,
the music that graced the heavenly spheres.
Beloved Earth,
New Jerusalem’s sacred bride.
Brace thyself in passion's deepest molten flame,
and remember this day ... thy spirit’s true name.
Rise, sacred flame!
Release thy veil, and return to thy place.
The temple is finished. A path is made.
Speed thy way.
... The Lord awaits.”
Robert Merriman — A regality is the reality of Spiritual Expression. Let it be so.
Steve Ventola — The moments we shared are precious indeed. Robert, you've talked about powering up into a rarified atmosphere. But the simplicity of it is that we just have to say “Yes”—yes to playing our harp. If we've played it off chord at times, we just need to tune it and say, “Yes, let go.” Let the influences extend into the earth, that our earth may become a sun, that we may share radiantly, with each of us in appreciation from the heart of love. Our next Temple of Light service will be led by Gary Courtland-Miles on May 28th. I is a pleasure to be with you all.
We have been meditating on the basic theme of Heavenly Magic, the magic of living, and we can feel the pattern of that magic beginning to work in and through you. You have begun to have a true realization of the reality of Shekinah; and as the Shekinah Cloud of Glory is allowed to penetrate into the pneumaplasmic substance of your body, in that sphere you begin to be One—One with that which is of the Inner Reality of Being. Allowing this to take place you are in position to let the Light that Glows begin to have meaning in your mind, not merely an intellectual process as we ordinarily think of it but a process of illumination. And with illumination, with the correct acceptance of the truth by the mind and the illuminating process in the current of resurrection, the Fire that Burns begins to be a constant and continued reality in your heart—it begins to be the manifestation of the Fire that never goes out; it is a constant flame. Those who live and move and have their Being in God have this constant flame upon the Altar in the heart, in the Temple of the body. You are beginning to realize that your body individually is a Temple, and that all of us collectively have a part to play in the formation of the larger Temple—the Temple not made with hands. Your body was not made with hands; likewise the larger Temple of many members is not made with hands.
Yesterday, in our patterns of meditation together, we gave some attention to the secrets of sex as they relate to the Shekinah Pattern of Being [greatcosmicstory.blogspot.com/2022/01/shekinah-and-sexhere-i-am-lord.html] and our relationship in reality with God. Today, continuing in this cycle that has been opened to you, I would like to draw your attention to the record as taken from the 4th chapter of the Book of Magic, and we will begin with the 1st verse. Perhaps we will go back just a little to get connected up—we gave meditation to the message to Laodicea [Chapter 3, Verse 14]:
“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God [that is, Shekinah]; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
In our meditations here we recognize that we can use patterns of response and patterns of opposition, but lukewarmness is something which we cannot use, it is something which we must ignore or work around. Only where there is response in the sense of yielding or response in the sense of opposition can we utilize the factors present.
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire [the Shekinah Fire], that thou mayest be rich.”
And can we hope to find any true riches in being if we ignore this Fire, the gold tried in the fire? Gold is the symbol of what? Love. Love tried in the Fire, “that thou mayest be rich”—the riches of heaven on earth at hand.
“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed…” And what is the clothing? The Light that Glows, that relates to the reality of illumination and the function of the mind. “… and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear…” What is it that clears away the shame of nakedness? The white raiment, the Light that Glows. “… and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”
Now here in this particular pattern we have the emphasis placed upon seeing—"anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” The clothing, the Light that Glows, and the Cloud of Glory are so closely interrelated here in the pattern of symbolism that we see them really together in their oneness. The outer manifestation of the white raiment is of course the Cloud of Glory, but the Cloud of Glory has meaning and provides the raiment, the white raiment, because of the Light that Glows. And when we have our eyes anointed with eyesalve, that we may see, we begin to see the Cloud of Glory by reason of the Light that Glows.
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten…” Did you ever notice how I love you? “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” With my Father—not only the One Who Dwells but the Shekinah Pattern of Reality.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” Have you ever known the experience of hearing the Voice inviting you, “Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter”?
“And immediately I was in the spirit…” There is one of the great significant keys. We noticed it briefly earlier in this Book of Magic, where we find the statement, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet… And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw.” And here we have the Word, the invitation, “Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter,” things which must take form, things which are to appear on earth.
“And immediately I was in the spirit.” Now when you begin to hear the Voice that speaks with you, what are you in? Are you simply a human being in the flesh? Or are you just in your mind trying to intellectually comprehend that which the Voice is speaking? Or are you in some place far away, some place of the past or some place somewhere else on the globe? Are we all together individually, with one accord in one place—body, mind, heart and spirit, in alignment, in one place? And where is the centering of you? In the flesh? In the mind? In the heart? Let it be in the spirit, for when you begin to hear the Voice you should immediately be in the spirit.
“… and, behold, a throne was set in heaven…” And where is heaven? In some far-off sky? It is at hand, here, now. “… and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold”—Crowns of God's Love. And they had on their heads the Crowns of God's Love... to be continued in a few days, as The Four Beasts
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.
