Divine Manhood And Womanhood — The Aim Of God's Patience
Martin Cecil March 9, 1958
How patient the LORD is! We have remarked on this divine quality many times before. The LORD's patience with the children of men is indeed a marvelous thing. We have seen something of the patience of the LORD as He has builded within the scope of recorded history those structures through which it was His intention to achieve the divine purposes. He builds patiently, carefully, knowing the design, understanding the purpose. And how consistently human beings have wrecked that which the LORD began to build! Some of the destructiveness did not entirely eliminate the opportunity that was offered and it was possible to repair the damage and continue in the cycle, but thus far there has always come a time when the destruction was so complete that the LORD was under the necessity of saying, “That is that! It will not work out that way anymore.” And then He proceeded to make possible an outworking in another way. We see this in the large patterns of opportunity that He has offered to the children of men which we find recorded in the Old and the New Testaments. But consider the millions and billions of individual human beings who have been builded on earth.
We have taken note of the marvelous mechanism of the physical body of man, the intricacy of its operation, the perfect provision that has been made for the maintenance and balance as it allows the expression of life to manifest in form on earth; and the building of a human mind to the point where it is capable of logical thought, of following out in a pattern of reason, of acquiring essential knowledge for the discharge of responsibility in life. And the heart, the emotional realm of man, though it has been such a limited and distorted thing in fallen man, yet what a marvelous capacity! How flat and meaningless life would be—even more meaningless than human beings have found it—if there were not that capacity to feel, to appreciate, to enjoy, to experience satisfaction.
Every human being who has been born into the world has had these capacities in varying degrees, carefully developed and builded during the course of that individual lifetime. And though the LORD has made these miracles possible, He has had to watch human beings throwing away their opportunities, failing utterly to comprehend or to do anything to fulfil the true purpose for which He created them. Generation after generation, the world around, human beings have been born. Their bodies and minds and hearts have been builded; they have lived out a little life span—to what end? From the standpoint of the LORD, what was achieved? In virtually every case, practically nothing—the gift of life wasted; all the LORD's care and provision for the development of that marvelous mechanism by which He might express Himself on earth has gone for nothing.
What infinite patience! What faith He has had in the children of men, that there would be those sometime, sooner or later, in sufficient number, who would let this tremendous provision which the LORD has made in relationship to each one come to fruition, be used for the purpose for which it was created. And yet He has had to watch generation after generation simply passing away with nothing to show for it. Patience. Faith. How wonderful is the LORD's patience and His faith!
We might consider that there are those, or have been over the ages, who have in some measure—some more, some less—allowed this mechanism to come to the point of being really useful to the LORD. We have the record of many, particularly in the Old Testament, who did permit the marvelous provision of the LORD in relationship to themselves to have some meaning. A few allowed it to have great meaning. Then our Master came into the world, carefully building an instrument for His use on earth—a physical body with the capacities of mind and heart, growing and maturing, being trained, brought into position to allow that wonderful expression of Divine Being to be offered to the children of men. The instrument in His case was perfect for the needs of that time, capable of functioning in the fulness of the wisdom of the LORD of Lords, capable of doing the work, capable of being used under absolute control. What a marvelous thing—something that in the same degree had been virtually unknown in the world since man fell, or shortly thereafter. This instrument was developed and brought to this point of capability and capacity, a marvelous thing, so that the ministry of our LORD and KING might begin to appear on earth. And human beings undertook to destroy it out of hand, at least they destroyed it insofar as they themselves were concerned. Obliterated it—something that the LORD had so carefully builded!
It had only taken Him thirty years. And after three more years it was gone, lost to the world. No wonder there was darkness on that fateful day when our Master hung upon the cross. And yet how patient He has been. How many millions and billions of human beings have lived on earth since that time, bodies and minds and hearts carefully builded, provided with every opportunity, brought to the point where they might be, if they would be, trained to be the divine instrument on earth. But how many have been willing to let it be so? Very, very few.
And in our own lifetime we can remember one man — Uranda — whose body and mind and heart were trained and developed to the point where they might be a true instrument for the expression of the Spirit of Truth on earth, and then, in a moment, it was gone! In his case, forty-seven years on earth, a very brief span, but even so, fourteen years longer than our Master was here in the world. That instrument through which the Spirit of Truth might express was builded with care, the facilities, the capacities, were developed with care, trained, brought to that pitch of perfection which allowed the expression of the Spirit of Truth on earth. And then, no more.
The LORD has builded in relationship to each one of you, carefully, providing every means and opportunity for the development of your capacities, your abilities, so that you might become instruments in His hands for the fulfilment of those purposes for which He created you. How much has He been able to achieve in that regard up to this point? We know His patience; individually we have all experienced it. How perfect is the instrument at this point? How long do we have to allow Him to complete it into what it should and can easily be?
It is usual in the world of men to consider the next generation. Human beings think to achieve so much so that their children can go on from there, but if the divine purposes are to find fulfilment on earth it must come in one generation. The question is: Are those who are charged with that responsibility, all things else being equal, going to live long enough to let it be? It is indicated that man, under the conditions of the world as it now is, should live threescore years and ten, or thereabouts. You know, in the Divine State it took threescore years and ten, approximately, for Divine Man — Divine Men and Women — to come to the point of being adequately mature to begin to undertake their life work. Just about at the time that the LORD might have developed an instrument to the required pitch, in this day and age, it is liable to become so decrepit that it is no more use. We cannot wait and let the job be done at one and the same time.
The LORD seeks to build the essential instrument on earth. We have examples—Christianity is one of them—of what happens when the outworking is left to future generations. It is not a very victorious picture. Little distortions, little deviations, become greater and greater, and soon any resemblance to the original is virtually nonexistent. Not too many of those who call themselves Christians would be willing to acknowledge that in relationship to Christianity, but by and large it is true. It has scarcely any resemblance to that which our Master brought into the world; it is unrecognizable except for those who have a measure of spiritual vision, and then, to understand, they do not need to look at Christianity, as it is called in the world; the understanding does not come by looking at it. It is those who have the present opportunity, who are associated with the original, who may do the job. It is possible that if they do not do the job their children may; it is possible.
But we have an outstanding example of failure in the experience of the children of Israel, when they had the opportunity to move on through into the Promised Land. They had come out of Egypt, they had spent a little time in the wilderness—not very long—and the opportunity was presented to them to move on through into the Promised Land. Certain ones of them looked the situation over and decided that the giants were too big, that while it was a fine land, flowing with milk and honey, it was really too much of a job to go on in, and their counsel prevailed. And so the children of Israel did not go on in in the way which the LORD had opened before them.
We can perhaps speculate as to what might have happened if they had gone on through. The task at that time would have been easy, far easier than it was later, and the precedent of failure would not have been established, which later, if the victory was ever to be known, had to be overcome. The outworking in the Promised Land itself would have been much more rapid, because there would have been proof that the children of Israel were letting the LORD direct and control in the outworking of that which He Himself had established. But no, they would not let it be that way. And they had to stay in the wilderness until that generation had died, that the next generation might have the chance. Well, as we know, in the ultimate outworking it failed. That first generation could have gone on through if they had been willing to do so.
For us this also is true, and it seems to me that there is more indication, which we can perceive on a reasonable basis, that those of us who participate in this opportunity had better go on through, for the next generation may not have the chance. We would that those who are of the next generation should share the fulfilment with us, but let us not imagine that we can leave it to them. It is our responsibility; it is our opportunity; and the LORD has builded carefully, in spite of failures along the way, and brought this present cycle to this time. Let us not try His patience any further, so that we may, by our own choice and action, let Him complete the instrument that is needed both with respect to each one as an individual and with respect to all together.
He is capable of doing it; there has never been any question with regard to that. But are you, and other responding ones who share this opportunity, going to take advantage of it so that you may let the job be done in you? Our Master let it be done in Him, through His body and mind and heart when He was on earth, in thirty years. Most of you are older than that; some of you may be younger. Those who are younger do not need to wait. Those who are older have obviously been waiting too long.
Yesterday evening I spoke of the confidence which the LORD has had in you, and I suggested to you that there is no valid reason why you should not share His confidence, so that you are confident in that which God has established in you. Human beings feel inadequate, imperfect, sometimes wicked. They feel that they have limitations, and the devil does all in his power, either through the individual's own mind or through somebody else, to convince human beings that that is all they are—inadequate, limited, sinful, wretched, miserable, poor, hopeless and helpless. Most human beings feel that way underneath, and so when someone comes along and says, “That's the way you are,” the individual says, “Yes, that is the way I feel. He must be right.” The devil was a liar from the beginning.
The LORD has confidence in you, otherwise you would not be here on earth. And if He has confidence in you it should be safe to acknowledge that He is right, and that no matter what you feel, no matter what anyone says, no matter what your experience may be, the devil is a liar. As long as you can be convinced of sin you are under the thumb of the devil. When you recognize that truth, you can see what controls in the world of Christianity. It is not God, is it? It is not the LORD. It is not that in which the LORD has confidence that controls.
There are many wrong things in the world, probably still many wrong things in you. The LORD has no confidence in wrong things. But there is that in you in which He has confidence and in which you may have confidence. Trust that and do not let all these supposed limitations cause you to distrust it. Because you happen to feel this way and that way, because on the basis of your experience you have had this failure and that failure, do not take the attitude that you cannot have confidence in that in you in which the LORD has confidence.
You know, females in the world tend to have a certain attitude toward their menfolk. Because they feel insecure, uncertain of themselves, because they know they are not what they ought to be, and because they realize, subconsciously at least, that they need a point somewhere upon which they can depend, they are inclined to attempt, in relationship to their menfolk, to test them, to try to tear down, to break down, to destroy, in order to find out if there is anything there that is dependable. It is a backhanded way of doing it, and if she succeeds in separating that which is limited in her man from the point in which he should have confidence, then she destroys him.
That has been done over and over again in the world: an endeavor to convince her man that he is weak and limited and hopeless and helpless and worthless, and if she succeeds in convincing him, that is what he is. Of course that does not excuse men from being so weak and letting themselves be so convinced. What is needed is to find women who will not be so concerned with weakness but will begin to consider that point of strength, that point in which the LORD has confidence, in her man; to encourage that, to support that, to give her response to that, and to refuse to do what she has been inclined to do in the past—insist upon all the weaknesses.
How does this pattern work out? First of all we must have a man somewhere. Women are not going to do it just on their own hook. They never have thus far, and from my standpoint at least, I see no possibilities that they ever will. There needs to be a man—at least one man—to initiate the cycle. And then there must be one or more women who respond and begin to give support, begin to let themselves be changed in basic attitudes so that they do give support and backing and response to that point of strength. Then there begins to be something by means of which there may be the initiation of a creative cycle, so that the influence may begin to extend beyond, and other men and women may come, the men not imagining that they are perfect all at once and the women not insisting that they should be all at once. But it is on the basis of the attitude of the female to the male, of the woman to the man, that the reality of Divine Womanhood may appear. There is no such thing as a Divine Woman until she has found her correct attitude toward Divine Man. She cannot do it on her own.
You may recall the story of the creation, of man in the beginning, which indicated that Adam was created first and that Eve was taken out of Adam. In other words her being is absolutely dependent upon her relationship to man. She cannot be a Divine Woman, she cannot be what she was created to be, without her man, or without the reality of Divine Manhood. I am not speaking of it necessarily from the individual standpoint. We have husbands and wives, and they have something to learn. But we do have a pattern in which there are men and women, and it is something that should manifest on the right basis from the collective standpoint of men and women. The men cannot make the women over. Don't let them try it! They are responsible for being men, and when they are men, those who are willing to be true women will appear.
A man who is really a man does not want anything else; he does not want the imitation; he simply is not interested. It must come on the right basis. It is needful, then, that men should be concerned about being men. Never mind about the women; just be concerned about being a man. And the women should be concerned about being women. Never mind about trying to make the men over; that is not required. But to be women they must recognize the necessity of their right relationship to the men. They cannot be women without it. If we eliminated all the men from the face of the earth—oh my!—we certainly would not have any true women. That should be obvious enough.
So the women need to recognize that point of strength, that point in the men in which the LORD has confidence, and begin to respond to that and support that, to give themselves to that in response. This is the basis, in this particular pattern, for true spiritual intimacy of which I spoke before. As long as women persist in their attitudes of tearing down and destroying they will never find that for which they are looking, and they reveal in that attitude the attitude of the whole of mankind toward God.
Human beings sought to destroy the LORD when He came, to tear Him down, to eliminate Him, imagining that if He was the LORD, well that would be impossible; so if He stood they could say, “Well that is fine! Here's the LORD; we will believe on Him now.” So has it ever been since man first fell, and so has it ever been in relationship to women with men—the same pattern. Let us let it be changed. Let us, as men, be concerned about being men, true men, having confidence in that in which God has confidence; and as women, let there be concern about being true women and finding the correct attitude toward men. As long as the old world attitudes are persisted in there can never be fulfilment; we can never do the job; we can never let that instrument come to the point of its perfection which is required to let the LORD do the works. Let us not try the LORD's patience in this matter anymore but play our parts in letting the reality of Divine Manhood and Womanhood appear once more on earth to give Glory to God in the Highest, that there may indeed be the rule of the Prince of Peace on earth and the doing of God's will in the world of mankind.
Susannah Light, Costa Rica and Carol Travis, Eastland, Texas
June 23, 2022
listen
the eternal heartbeat
look
a wondrous woman appearing
clothed with the radiance of the sun
with the full moon in her belly and twelve nations gathered round
bearing gifts from the past
promises for the future
db
Susannah Light — Thank you David. I'm really pleased and grateful to be here with you this morning, with gratitude from a very deep place in my heart. I greet you from my tropical garden home in Costa Rica. It's a lovely morning here, and as spoken in the beautiful poem that we just heard, we're in the season of the summer solstice, a new morning, as I like to say—a morning that's filled with wonder, power and grace. It is so good to be with you in that wonder, power and grace. It's good to pause and breathe this breath of life, together in one accord as it has been said. This is truly a gathering of kindred angelic spirits. It's a privilege, is it not, to bring our beings and our beingness together into this radiant circle. May something be lifted up among us today, that is a sweet smelling offering to the LORD. I've had in-person connections with some of you, especially while I lived at Sunrise Ranch, and I trust that the good LORD will bring us more of those opportunities for in person connection in the days to come. Today I present myself to you in this Temple of Light, to be known by you, and to join with you in a radiant offering upward to the Almighty.
There is a phrase from author and teacher, Dan Millman, that comes to mind: “There are no ordinary moments.” I can tell you that in recent times I have felt extraordinary inspiration and spiritual potentiality stemming from these precious Zoom-room Communions. I have felt extraordinary awakenings of vibrancy—rekindling within me the fires of my first love. My time of preparation for this service today has been a heartful journey deep into what I value the most. Carol and I have shared considerations of the finest essences. I think I visited every chamber of my heart!
I'd like to visit the word “inspire” with you. When we are inspired, we tend to feel good, but I'd like to visit a place far beyond that. All of us here have a deep and solid connection to the good Lord within us, with our point of response. I'm also aware that within me there are places and times when parts of my potentiality, even my consciousness, lie inactive. In recent services we have heard the call to action, in such deeply moving phrases as: “Finishing the work”, “Loving with all”, and “fulfilling the prayer and invitation of the LORD” in John 17. This stirs inspired action and awakenings in me, that also reverberate out from me. The verb form of “inspire” is in some definitions as follows: “To fill (someone) with urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.” Imagine how powerfully we can literally bring something to life, bring movement and creative action into the world through the very simple gift of bringing inspiration.
When in April the prayer of Jesus in John 17 was brought by Stewart Berger and David Barnes [templeoflightservices.blogspot.com/my-spirit-to-yours-youtube-video.html] on Easter Sunday in a Temple of Light service, and later expanded in great depth by Yujin Pak, my spirit was exceedingly uplifted. I felt as though the breath of life had filled me, animated me once more. I have always treasured this prayer and retained it in my bosom as a sacred promise already fulfilled, throughout my years alone in the desert. The desert for me was my journey out from the mental confines of my family church structure. This highest of prayers in John 17 stood as a beacon of light as I reached for truth that was not dictated or filtered by the mind of man. In it was the LORD's fervent petition on my behalf to be received into the oneness, and the Eternal Love that He and the Father have had always, before the world was.
This invitation to be with them in that Greatest Love and Greatest Union ever known, to me, penetrated every barrier of strife or confusion created by human ideas of what would “save us” or what, for instance, Christianity might look like. I came to love that farewell message of Jesus above all else. I'm not sure whether I knew that anyone else valued it as I did—our LORD's final Will, witnessed by His Father and heard by us. But hearing these verses raised up through your voices and your presences, ignited once more the fires of the LORD's risen nature within me, very appropriately on Easter Sunday. This passionate prayer reviews not only the extent of the LORD's love for us, but also the reality of our true home from before the beginning of time, where we have always been—compelling me and us, drawing me and us, forever upward into the place of transcendent expression.
On April 14th Yujin brought Temple of Light message entitled “To Fulfill The Prayer of Oneness.” [templeoflightservices.blogspot.com/to-fulfill-prayer-of-oneness-yujin-pak.html] Again I felt the ancient and ever new voice of Love and Truth speaking Life Everlasting into the reality within me. Isn't it amazing that we have that capacity, in this world, to activate life, to inspire in a way that can fill someone with the ability, in this case, the ability to bring to life a latent potential of great significance. What a beautiful thing.
Yujin presented us with two questions relating to our place in fulfilling this great prayer. He asked us: Do you think that it is possible? Do you think that the LORD thought it was possible? And I felt the presence and the love of our LORD revealed right here among us. Who can say that we don't have what it takes to finish the work, and what it takes to inspire this in each other and in our worlds!
On this journey of human experience it does seem necessary to be reminded of what is possible, especially in the sense of the eternal I AM. When I hear the voice of spoken Word, as I have here over the months in these services, by many beautiful voices, it breathes the fresh reality of Everlasting Life into my moment-by-moment thoughts and movements. Can we be the bringers of Holy Presence for each other, and in our daily connections for those around us? The bringers of Holy Presence and of the Word refreshed—refreshing and resetting the patterns of consciousness in our own living, even and especially in our moments of vulnerability or inquietude of heart. In so doing we inspire the finishing of the LORD's work, bring the revelation of God on earth through us, and bring our consciousness into union with His. Is this not the ultimate purpose of our incarnation? This is my first love, my greatest passion.
I have asked at times for the Lord to give me a little more time on earth—another chance, please, to fulfill His Prayer of Oneness in John 17 [youtu.be/JyiGv51LB_Q] within my own consciousness. I have seen the brevity of life and I know it's fragility of outer form. When my mother passed into spirit land many years ago, I was beside her with my head resting on her heart. I listened in greatest reverence as her heartbeat softened, and softened, until there was complete stillness. In that moment of eternal silence I felt awe, and I felt a transfer to my own heart of continued purpose. Times and years later I had my own experience of facing medical reports that didn't seem to give me a lot more time. I had only one prayer: “Please Lord, give me a little more time, and I will fulfill your departing prayer of union; to know you as I am known.” At least within myself, if I can find no other with whom to know You in this way.
I have always had a great care for the Garden restored, for that Holy Place on earth. But I have not always known if it can be so. I haven't always kept that faith. During certain eras of my life journey, the disappointments and wreckages have seemed too great, and the wells of sorrow too deep. During one such era, Carol came to visit me. She was beside me on my living room sofa. I was about as near out of faith as I ever hope to be. Carol said, “Susannah, this might help you”—and she pulled up a YouTube video of Marsha Boglin giving a presentation in Korea on the subject of our angelic being. I felt the attunement current of highest love, and I remembered the truth of what is possible on earth.
In recent times, my consciousness has been increasingly refreshed as to the recognition of the presence of a sanctified body on earth. My faith is restored not only with hope for what is possible, but in that which is absolutely present among us, right here, right now, meeting our LORD where He is. Today, may the heavens rejoice in our presences in the Garden.
Carol Travis — Thank you, Susannah. I love your spirit so much and indeed you are a Priestess of the Sun. I have known many of you for the better part of 50 years. During that time it has been my privilege to live and serve with you, oftentimes in multiple locations, in different eras. Today it is very special to speak with you again in person. I will begin with a poem I wrote, and I offer it to each of you in honor of your angelic expressions and presence.
How shall I greet you, my brother?
Who yet stands regal in the morning sun.
Strong home of my heart,
Whose truth no storm can sway,
Nor roots be swept away
In floods of tears.
Whose love remains
Through all the swirling visions of the dream,
Whose spirit revels in the hills
And mountain streams —
Truth of Man!
And how shall I greet you, my sister?
Lithe as summer breezes,
Softly dancing …
Lifting fragrant essences,
Sweetly in the evening .
Moving, shaping, weaving courtly magic.
Mistress of the Temple’s holy art.
Thy countenance bespeaks
The purity of a sacred heart —
Entrusted to the keeping of the ONE
Truth of Woman!
Oh dearest friends,
I greet you in the Light,
Clear dawning of this day
Brings knowing
Of the right we share
To walk together in the earth,
A blessing to our King.
For we are One.
I share that with you, to convey my deep appreciation for who you are and what you have brought into this world. I have such a gratitude for our ability to be together in this sanctuary, where we can meet face-to-face from anywhere we are in the world. What a miracle! We have kept this space inviolate and sanctified and we have increased the generation of the finest spiritual substance every time we meet. Preparing for today was humbling, as I reviewed our past several months in the Temple of Light, and the quality of previous offerings. So stunning! I would preface my time by acknowledging my spirit of celebration for the insight, wisdom and spiritual maturity of what others have brought. My prayer is that I might bring something worthy to add to what has gone before. This time being with you and communing in this way is very emotionally deep to me, so if I get a little teary, please forgive me. I will carry on!
As I was preparing for this service I had a personal spiritual life review, and I thought I would share some of that, and also include some of our shared spiritual history. This journey for me has been happening consciously for over 50 years. But my journey toward the truth started when I was about 6 years old, and first experienced a conscious relationship with God. I remember lying in bed at night and having these deep conversations with Him, saying things like, “You know, there just shouldn't be witches or wars in the world. Not okay!” This was my child mind touching the reality that there was truth that wasn't completely manifesting here in this world. When I was thirteen I moved to Barcelona, Spain where I was whisked away from everything that was familiar to me of my home in Dallas, Texas. I feel that situation was a bit like Abraham's experience. I left my country, and landed in a place with a foreign language, foreign religion, and even had to attend a Catholic girls school—whereas I had been raised in public co-ed schools before that. So that year, taken away from all that was familiar in my former life was quite a time of isolation for me; however it was also very spiritually productive.
At school, it was a beautiful setting, like a college campus, set up on the top of a hill overlooking the Mediterranean and the city of Barcelona. I had a very spiritually inward focus during that year and during that time I developed a close relationship with Jesus. I boarded for a little while at the school, and I would go down to the chapel every night and pray on my knees, and I wondered during that time if I would recognize Him if He was on earth today. I knew He wasn't going to be wearing robes from the Middle East; He would be in regular modern clothing—so how could I recognize him?
Time went on; I grew up, and got married. My husband was in the Air Force and we were transferred to Phoenix, Arizona in 1973. It was there that I found myself stumbling into an Art of Living class that John Gray was teaching. I didn't really understand what was being offered. I developed a relationship with the people at the Center and within a year Pamela Gray sent me a brochure and a personal note that said, “You can't miss this!” The brochure was for a one week Art of Living class taught up in the mountains of Flagstaff, Arizona. At that seminar that I first heard Martin's and Uranda's services, and bells started ringing in me. By the end of the week I realized that this was the LORD's Ministry. I knew that Martin was not the incarnation of the LORD of Lords, but I sure recognized that it was His Spirit that was coming through Martin, and of course Uranda. At that point I knew that this was my family and I've never left.
In 1985, I wrote that poem after attending a service with Martin on Easter Sunday at Sunrise Ranch. It was attended by 300 or more people. The Shekinah Cloud of Glory was so vibrantly present in the Dome chapel that it was like looking through a fog to see Martin delivering that service. Those years were a wonderful time of the Emissary Program burgeoning in the world. I call it the Golden Era. Wave upon wave of newly responding angels washed up onto the shores of EDL in the mid 70's. It was a time of exuberant young energy; lots of baby boomers and hippies, and we were so dedicated and excited! We would do anything necessary to fulfill our newly discovered participation in our purpose of bringing the LORD's Kingdom on earth. We achieved herculean feats—for which we had little or no real training. It was a time of great building. One of my experiences during that time, a herculean feat for me, was to provide lunch for 300 people at Glen Ivy because Martin was there to give the very first service. I had never cooked for more than 10 people! So, it was quite an intense experience.
During that time, we did a lot of physical building, and it was simultaneously being matched by the rich spiritual generation that was also happening. We added ten more regional communities to the original two sister Units—Sunrise Ranch and 100 Mile Lodge; we built the Dome and the Pavilion at Sunrise. And we renovated a dilapidated Hot Springs Spa at Glen Ivy so that we could hold our One Month classes there. Eventually Glen Ivy developed the spa business to provide financial support for Sunrise Ranch. And it was a time of people connecting from all over the world, visiting North America and attending classes. Those were glorious days full of our youthful enthusiasm and spiritual commitment. Our love for God was so optimistic in our youthful exuberance that we thought that the restoration was right around the corner—maybe within the next decade. But it didn't happen that way.
After Martin died, we went into an era of change; much of what had been drawn together under Martin's leadership changed and many of the forms we knew are no longer present. Over the years I felt some sadness to see what had been so lovingly built fade away. But Spirit has been, and still is, constantly on the move; it never stops. Forms come and go, but our purpose has never changed, and although our outward spiritual associations seemed to go underground for a while, the truth of our Spiritual Commission was not lost. Some, and I would include all of you, kept the flame of understanding and remembered what Martin and Uranda brought to us. We protected it and nurtured it in our hearts and minds and in the sanctity of our living. So, that brings us to how we are together now.
The question came up in my mind, “How do we give the LORD glory?” Instantly my heart said, “Magnify the Lord!” So, we are here to increase the presence of His Spirit in every moment of every day. This is not new to us; it's been the foundation of our ministry from the beginning. But what does moving forward look like now? What is needed to finish the work, as we have recently considered? In reviewing our recent Temple services, my assessment is that we are moving forward—we are really stepping up to the plate. I am thrilled by the beauty, the vision and the tonal clarity that is being demonstrated amongst us. It is so delightful and inspiring, as Susannah said, to move together in the transcendent spirit of our service offerings, as each one brings their unique voice into the midst. It's happening. We are moving forward, consistently—jogging up that golden spiral pathway.
There is evidence of various spiritual movements developing in the world. I would especially underline all the attunement work happening—vitally needed in the world today. We have been serving in this ministry, true to its purpose, as a vibrational offering to the world, bringing to focus radiant love and the purification of Spirit for many, many years. I do believe that we initiated something years ago, that's beginning to show in a new way in the world. All these creative activities and groupings are adding to the generation of the critical pneumaplasmic matrix that connects the earth with the design and control of the invisible Heaven. Because of this, I believe the greater works are being done. It is so important to build a safe, inviolate heavenly space together in our individual and collective world. This is the only way we will finish the work. In the last 50 years, we have proven that the One Law works in both directions, and generates clear, refined spiritual substance and something grows. If we assume that it's just going to happen by magic, without our deliberate conscious participation, then the critical connection to the patterns of truth, of design and control, will become obscured, and forms will die on the vine.
A couple of years before Grace van Duzen left us, she told me personally, “It's in your hands now.” This is an awesome responsibility! But I believe we are stepping up to the task more clearly every day. Finishing the work doesn't have to be an arduous experience. As we know, “In joy the works are done.” Finishing the work is done in the ease of spiritual expression. And spirit always precedes form. This is the way the New Earth comes into being. I would like to share an excerpt from one of Martin's services, given on April 30, 1980, [greatcosmicstory.blogspot.com/2024/06/the-coming-of-spring.html] because it's one of Martin's portrayals of how we might move forward in the cycles of resurrection. It is particularly exciting to me, because it is also a portrayal of what I believe we are actually doing together now. Here's Martin:
“Let us look at this matter from the standpoint of initiating the true creative cycle by which the resurrection may take place. We have some awareness of the quality of the natural behavior of the Son of God. And we would associate ourselves with that… If we do, we are not trying to set the world straight… It is impossible to set this world straight. Its natural condition is crooked; it can’t be made straight. But something needs to be done. We recognize there is some necessity for a disintegrative aspect to what is happening, but there is another aspect: the true creative cycle which leads into the experience of what we have referred to as the heaven, sacred space, which allows the atmosphere of what we might call spring to begin to put in an appearance. There is a new spring here, isn’t there?
“The first heaven and the first earth are passing away, and a new heaven and a new earth are putting in an appearance. We are responsible for providing a focus of the creative power of God, of light, to operate in doing what needs to be done. And what needs to be done first after the light puts in an appearance is described as the creation of a firmament, of a safe heavenly place, containing the essential atmosphere which allows the snows of winter to melt. And when they do, the waters are gathered together unto one place, and the dry land appears. The dry land appearing, together with the light, the warmth, the atmosphere, allows for something to begin to grow out of the earth. Here is the natural, the true, cycle. Something is to grow. Seeing that this is the first spring of our experience in this sense, we have no idea as to what it is that is going to grow. But presumably we have reached a point in our close association with the light so that we are able to trust the creative cycle. And the spring comes.
“We don’t imagine that we should go out and start laying concrete all over the ground and putting up arbitrary structures of various sorts to suit ourselves. We let God do His thing. We don’t have to try to make anything over, because it isn’t something that is being made over. “Behold, I make all things new.” It is a new spring, and things are to grow on the earth that have been unknown in the memory of the son of perdition, things that have been hidden under the snows of winter for a very long time. When we share the responsibility of providing the atmosphere of heaven and keeping this clear because we love one another, then the creative cycle can work. We are not saying how it is to work. It will work the way it works. Let it work. We don’t have to push in our bright ideas, although we may examine what it is that is beginning to emerge.
“Judge not. Just let the Garden grow because the atmosphere is kept the way it should be. And of course as spring moves into summer it gets hotter. There is an increase in the intensification of the truth of love—a reality between people, not a concept of the mind … but the actual experience. Here is the warmth. Here is what is absolutely essential to let the Garden grow. We can’t make it grow but we can provide what is necessary to let it grow… We know that human nature behavior must pass away and we are willing to let it. We don’t need to clobber it to get rid of it. That warmth is there as there is a consistency of the behavior of the Son of God brought to focus in each of us and shared between us and beyond us. “Behold, I make all things new.” Here is the Garden of God putting in an appearance, that we may keep it as it should be kept, that we might share the responsibility of letting everything be right in the expression of the Son of God on earth. The yoke is easy, the burden is light. How little human beings have acknowledged this to be true. They think that nothing worthwhile happens unless it is hard. But the beauty of the earth restored, with man in the midst of the Garden, comes easily. In fact it comes easily or not at all.”
So those are Martin's beautiful words. After working with that service and preparing for this one, I had a meditation that I would like to share with you. Here is what came from my heart:
It is my experience that we have been participating in this process together over the last years. After Martin left, there was turbulence and turmoil that produced a long winter in our midst. But because something of our spiritual purpose was held tenaciously, by at least some who walked with Martin, there was a proving out of true, spiritual stature over many years. And the magic of the creative process has worked to bring us back to a place where we can once again share our holy communion in person collectively. As this has been so, genuine love and appreciation for one another has become increasingly evident, with no human nature agendas or manipulation; simply the natural unfolding of what has emerged from the increasing magnification of the Lord's Spirit through us. To me, this has been an easy and joyful process, full of light and beauty, that has been taking form through the many glorious expressions of our angelic friends. This is the reality of the spiritual authority that is so vital on earth today. In the holiness and wholeness of the LORD's character, there is room for unlimited forms of creative expression. As they are revealed, new life emerges on earth and the glory of His Garden returns. This is the ultimate Climate Control. These are my thoughts and I'm happy to have had the opportunity to share them with you. It has been so important to me that we have come back together in this way and I want to thank you and bless you for what you have done to make this possible. I'll open up the space now, if there's anyone who'd like to say something.
Gary Courtland-Miles — We certainly thank you and bless you two radiant Priestesses, for providing such an atmosphere born out of your love for the LORD, love for the Truth of Love. I'm so thankful to be here this morning with you—and what a lovely atmosphere is present—thank you for letting it generate so richly. Personally I look forward to offering the next Temple of Light service, and I'm certainly in a cloud with this one. Thank you so much, both of you, Susannah and Carol.
Anne Blaney — I think this year the solstice has had more meaning—because there is opportunity to recognize larger cycles, there's more understanding and meaning to it. We've just seen it demonstrated by Carol and Susannah, who have presented themselves and actually said this. That they are Priestesses of the Fire—the Fire at the Center. That's why the solstice has more meaning, because there are Priests and Priestesses who have been tending the Fire. When you nurture a fire you blow on it. And I thought Susannah’s “inspiration was noteworthy. She asked, “Isn’t it wonderful that we actually have the ability to inspire?” So we're now here tending this capacity, the flame of inspiration in times when there is pressure in our lives. We are the ones to provide that inspiration in a very focused way. And we're very visible, vibrationally, for those who are looking. I appreciate using the energies of the solstice this year in a real way; and as we go into this last cycle of the year, approaching September, let's keep that Fire alive and magnified, activated, with the inspiration to act. And we know what that is; we know what it is like to be inspired; we greatly appreciate it, and we know how effective it is. Thank you.
YouTube Video Speaker View
Carol Travis — Well thank you all for what you have contributed to magnifying the LORD today. I feel very blessed by what you have brought; and one of my greatest experiences in this grouping is the love that is so genuine—it's so non-conceptual. And to be in this place together, being able to still serve together, is such a privilege. Suzannah, would you like to add anything.
Susannah Light — Thank you. I just want to acknowledge the richness of spirit and presence with all of us, and the gratefulness and the eagerness that I feel in what can yet be tended and cared for; and what is here present now for us to tend and care for. So with a heart full of both excitement and gratitude, much love. Thank you.
