(Q) Please expand on how we may prepare ourselves that we
may abide in His presence.
(A) This would refer rather to the individual experience;
for in the preparations of self there are varied
consciousnesses, and what to one might be necessary to
another would be secondary, and to that which may be the
attribute of good judgement, clean living, without thought of
same being a command or a law of universal nature; yet as we,
as individuals, become more and more conscious - through
meditation and prayer, and APPLICATION of that we seek in the
way of preparation - of that which keeps or holds, or
preserves us as individuals in the consciousness of His
presence, we become more conscious of His presence abiding
with us, as we let that mind - through meditation and prayer
- be in us during and at ALL periods.
Whether in joy, in sorrow, in trouble or in pain, let that
mind be in you as was in He that gave, "I am with you ALWAYS,
even unto the end of the world."
Will that consciousness of the Christ love make our joys the
more joyous, our sorrows the more in accord with the manner
in which He met sorrow, or disturbances in the material
affairs more in accord with the manner in which HE met the
material conditions?
As individuals we oft find that that as He gave, in the
"thought of the morrow," or "wherewithal shall ye be clothed"
was meant for someone else; NOT us. That consciousness as He
gave, "In patience possess ye your souls"; WHAT becomes aware
of His presence, the physical-carnal body or the spirit of
life that impels the soul in its development?
Then, as His love is shed on us, as we muse and meditate and
pray to that we hold as our door to His presence, do we
become aware of, do we enter in, do we find ourselves abiding
in His presence.
As we may experience by that abiding presence, what are the
fruits of same? WORRIES pass away, joys take their place;
for as He looked upon Peter in the hour of trial and of
denial by him, who had been declared to be - that spoken by
him - as the foundations of that He was to leave in the
earth, did He frown or did He smile? What broke the heart of
the man, the frown or the smile?
Then, when ye abide in His presence, though there may come
the trials of every kind, though the tears may flow from the
breaking up of the carnal forces within self, the spirit is
made glad; even as He in the hour of trial, the hour of
denial, SMILED upon him and brought to remembrance - even as
He has said to each that has named the Name, "I will bring to
remembrance the promises I have made, if ye will abide in my
presence." The promises, then, are sure; and not a thing
apart from those that abide in His presence, but are ever
remembered in the hour not only of sorrow; not only is He
the resurrection, not only is He to come in the hour of
trial, but He supped also in the hours of joy with those in
Cana, He enjoyed even the feast with Zaccheus, laughed and
joked. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death - thou art with me; though I fly to the utmost parts
of the heavens thou art with me." Will we, as individuals,
then, know His presence? How? "If ye love me, keep my
commandments." Are they then so burdensome, those
commandments? What are His commandments? How may we abide -
how may we show the love? "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto
the least of these my little ones, ye have done it unto me."
(Q) The group feels the need of strength and power. May we
have instructions as were given to the Disciples, as to what
we should do that we may receive this power?
(A) It is in Him. Do not allow self to become cold, even as
the church, but rather let the simplicity of the service be
done day by day through the knowledge that His love, His
promises abide; for there is power in the Name, there is
strength and glory to those that are faithful, there is the
abiding hope to all that come in HUMBLENESS seeking even as
He, "Not my will but Thine, O God, be done in me." There is
no power, no strength, save in Him. That puny strength man
may assert in the power of his own manhood is but the SHADOW
of that shown by Him, in the ways that lead to the thoughts
of everyday action.
Then, the POWER as needed by all is the realization of
abiding in His presence; even as may be seen in the next
lesson - which is to be, The Cross and the Crown, but gain
that strength in the cross ye bear day by day; for He is
WILLING, the flesh IS weak. Humble thyself, that the glory
and the power may come from Him, from the Father, from the
Son, in the consciousness of "We love Him, He loves us. We
abide in Him, He abides in us."
(Q) [[
69]'s husband]: What is the meaning of my experience
during meditation?
(A) That the strength of the Spirit arouses every atom of
the physical and mental body, even as the experience is the
shadow of the fire and the strength to do that as is KNOWN to
be in HIS way.
(Q) Would it be advisable to send the article on "Present
World Conditions" to the East-West Magazine published in Los
Angeles, Calif.?
(A) No.
(Q) Please give the address of the publishers of the
magazines the Blue Goose and the Argosy which were suggested
as magazines to which the paper "Present World Conditions"
should be sent.
(A) Argosy, Argosy Bldg., Pennsylvania Ave., Washington,
D.C. Blue Goose, 57th Street, New York City. [See
3976-11,
Reports.]
(Q) What might one who reaches the point of realization of
His Presence expect as a result in their daily life and
activity?
(A) As given, the consciousness that He often walks and
talks with thee, that His promises are ever present; not
retro-active, but VERY active in the causes of the actions in
the daily life; that there is the abiding hope, and not the
doubts nor the fears that make men afraid; not that that
makes for faltering steps, but rather the joys, the PLEASURES
in service, even though it require that there be yet greater
and greater sacrifices of the carnal forces within our own
experiences - rather, the all, "that I may know more and more
of the joys of His service." The service may not be rendered
to self, only to another; and he that serves - either in the
kindly word, the kindly thought, the kindly deed - is lending
to the Lord, is giving of himself even as He.
(Q) Is there a message for the group at this time as a
whole?
(A) BOW THINE HEADS, O YE MEN THAT WOULD SEEK HIS PRESENCE!
Be STRONG in His might! Falter not at thine own weak self!
Know that thy redeemer liveth and may THIS DAY MAKE KNOWN IN
THINE OWN HEART HIS PRESENCE ABIDING WITH THEE! Root from
thine body, thine consciousness, aught that would hinder His
entering in; for HE would sup with thee! Wilt thou, then, O
MAN, make known thine own decisions? Will ye be one with
Him? The way which I guard leads to that of glory in the
might of the Lord. I, Michael, would guide thee. Do not
disobey. Do not falter. Thou knowest the way.
[See 262-33, Par. R1.]
We are through.
Copy to File
Copies to Group
BACKGROUND
11/23/32 See
413-3, Par. 20-A, giving the title for the next
lesson, THE CROSS AND THE CROWN.
REPORTS
