Stir Up the Gift

JESUS has not commanded you to do anything that you cannot accomplish. The gift of God which you are asked to “stir up” is already there. If it were not, there is no power on this earth which could put it there. When we speak of the Christ, it is not something that is to be created, evolved, or demonstrated. It is something that is, whether you recognize it, or, for that matter, whether anyone in the whole world recognizes it. It is just this point of recognition that makes it possible to follow out the program laid down for you by the Master. “Go thou and do likewise” does not seem so utterly impossible when you realize that the Power which enables you to “do” the likewise already exists within you.

When Jesus went to the tomb of Lazarus, it was not to overcome death in the general accepted sense of the word, but it was to call forth this “gift” which Lazarus had apparently forgotten. If it had not been there, it would never have brought him forth from the tomb. Recognition that you are in no way a creator will assist you in awakening the “gift” which is within you. It is the hope of the race, and the hope for you. Nothing is hopeless in this glorious light, for, no matter how wretched the outside may be, the “gift” within is able to lift you up into the perfect manifestation of the “picture shown to you on the mount.”

There is no person with sufficient power to heal you if the “gift” within is not recognized.

Without this recognition of the Father within, or the “gift” of God, it is impossible to accomplish anything.

With this “gift” recognized as resident within every individual, the sick man, the poor man, the criminal, yea, even the murderer, has his opportunity. We all have the same opportunity, no matter what the pictures that are exposed or unexposed in our conscious-thinking may be. Thatsomething that was in Lazarus, in the servant of the centurion, in the cripple, and in the harlot, is likewise in you. Until you recognize it you are stoned to death by condemnation or futility.

When you realize this truth, you materialize it. When you know “Our Father, which art in Heaven,” you also begin to experience the result of the recognition, “Thy kingdom come,” or the word begins to appear. Just as soon as you recognize this glorious “gift,” then you begin the materialization.

“Believest thou this?”

Upon the answer to this question depend the results. That which you accept comes to reality and that which you reject passes into oblivion. The highest form of rejection is not resistance; it is Divine indifference.

When the Prodigal remembered the Father, he was able to arise and go there, no matter how far he had gone into prodigality. You are able to call a name you remember, to recite a poem, to describe a thing, and so on. When you remember the Presence of the Father, you stir up this “gift,” and it brings into manifestation “whatsoever” you can ask for in that Nature. The proposition is a personal one. It does not make any difference what another can or cannot ask for. It is up to you. What can you ask for? You can only ask for that which you definitely believe is possible. The other asking is merely ranging about in the quagmire of imagination If you are dissatisfied with what you are able to ask for, there’s only one way to change that, and that is by contemplation and prayer. If you can forget yourself and the ceaseless “Give me — give me — give me” long enough to look into the Nature of the Presence, and see of what it is composed, there will be no more “give me’s.” They will suddenly turn into “Thank you, Father.” They will become the recognition of the Presence in manifestation.

“Believest thou that I am able to do this?” cannot be answered through the conscious-thinking, for at the very outset you do not believe it is possible or you would have performed it long ago. Something higher has to be recognized. A confirmed cripple cannot “believe” that he will be healed from the human thinking standpoint. Jesus could not feed the five thousand people from that level of consciousness. He had to withdraw into the Presence, and whatsoever he found there, that could he materialize. When you realize the Truth you materialize it.

“I will stand upon my watch and see what the Lord hath to say to me.” Standing upon this “watch” is not a constant deluge of words, telling what has to be done, and what should happen, and how much you used a certain thing. It is “seeing” what the Inner Power, the Father hath to sayunto you. Rest assured it will so far surpass the limited cravings of the human mind that they will be beyond comparison. Remember, beloved, that “my ways are not your ways.” To remember this is to relieve the tension as to the how, why, when, where.

“When ye pray, believe that ye receive.” What a statement! Can you do it? Jesus could do nothing of himself, neither can you, but with the Christ within (the “gift” which you recognize) “all things are possible.” It is wonderful! It is glorious and radiant, the light that is breaking over younow.

As you “acquaint now thyself with Him and be at peace,” your whole disposition changes and consequently your whole surrounding changes. “The former things have passed away” — the things which belonged to theformer disposition. The lack, sickness, unhappiness, and all other untoward conditions which were a part of you, have been automatically released by coming into alignment with this Divine “gift.” What was formerly true has become untrue to the present state of consciousness. “Acquaint now thyself with Him and be at peace.” It is wonderful when “Jesus” is acquainted with the “Christ within.” The first sign of this acquaintance is Peace. Excitement, meaningless motion, and restlessness subside. Yet the coming of Peace from this very glorious acquaintance is not drifting aimlessly along through life, nor folding the hands waiting for something to happen. It may bring greater and more continued activity than you have ever known before.

It is said that as a last resort, in ancient Hebrew customs, the name of a person (who was found to be dying in spite of the best efforts) was changed. He was called by a new name, thus bringing into force the idea of a new disposition. Saul and Paul illustrate the changed dispositions. That which was the disposition of Saul was not the disposition of Paul. He was changed, and manifested a completely new background to work against. The former things had passed away and the new day had dawned.

The mere changing of a name means nothing without the consciousness back of it. Because they have heard of the wonders worked by this change on others, many people have tried such tactics without results. Unless the consciousness is changed, the name means nothing. Many say, “Lord, Lord,” and “Peace, Peace,” without any visible change taking place. The doing of anything on the “outside” is futile. The changing of names is as empty of results as the changing of clothing. Dieting according to the findings of others is not always successful. More often than not it is a failure. Yet all of these very things may be dictated from the inner depths and be hugely successful. It is wonderful! When you can stand upon your watch — I said your watch; not the watch of another, but your watch — alone, unafraid, and in the glorified state of “believing,” then will you “see” what the Voice has to say to you. It may call you by the unuttered name, which will snap the cord holding the veil of conscious-thinkingbetween you and Heaven. It is wonderful!

All through the long years of “study” of the how and why of Power, you have been so busy telling “me” what to do that you have not had time to follow the wonderful inspiration, “I will stand upon my watch and see what the Lord hath to say unto me.” But now, somehow or other, you are feeling for the first time the Presence enfolding you, and the urge of Spirit tells you of things which the world knoweth not. The startled human thought immediately “tries” to stand upon its watch, and this very “trying” prevents it from doing so. The effortless giving-up which Jesus experienced when he went unto his Father is the state best adapted for you to “see what the Lord has to say unto you.”

When you are through seeking Me for things, then all things shall be added unto you. Why seek further the outside manifestation instead of the Power behind things? Before you I place an open door of attainment whichno man, organization, or combination of human thought can close. Enter! No amount of trying to get in by the way of personality will accomplish anything. If you think for a moment that the finding of Christ is for the purpose of glorifying you, to set you up among men, to be known of your good works from a personal standpoint; then you are mistaken in the Word, and when you seek Me thus you cannot find Me. This may seem strange in view of the fact that at that instant I Am in the midst of you, telling you to “seek and find Me there.” The dust of human cunning gets in your eyes and you cannot find Me, when you are seeking after the things of Me and notMe. But when you seek the Me, then the things shall be added.

When you have experienced the Voice you will know why Jesus said, “None of these things move me.” None of the appearances moved him, although he walked in and among them constantly. He was said to be moving always with the wine-bibbers and sinners, and yet he was not moved by them.

“I will stand upon my watch and see what the Lord hath to say unto me.” Until you begin to sense the Spirit of Life you will imagine that this command is merely an idealistic utterance. But when you realize that the Word is being made flesh you will receive definite instructions as to what is to be done. The instructions given when you are “standing upon your watch” are so radical that your whole manifestation is changed — yes, in the “twinkling of an eye.”

A woman with a cleft palate, who was unable to make herself understood without great effort, stood upon her “watch” and is today a successful lecturer. It is marvelous to behold in what an extreme manner the expression of the Power comes through when you “stand upon your watch.” Probably the least expected thing or the least possible comes to pass — thus are My ways.

Yes, I would advise, “Acquaint now thyself with Him and be at peace.” At peace with all the conflicting opinions and beliefs, systems, and methods of knowing the Truth. Acquaint now thyself and be at peace — “thereby all good shall come unto you.” Do you hear? It shall be the manner of your own acquaintance which will be peculiar to you, and it shall have its own ways and means of communicating the revelation unto you. Why acquaint yourself with what a man thinks and believes? “Acquaint now thyself with Him and be at peace — thereby all good shall come unto you.” All is enough.

If “none of the things” are to move you, you must be in a place of vantage which enables you to look out upon them, and see why they do not move you. Where is the me which cannot be moved by the appearances? Certainly not in the conscious-thinking.

“When you are ready, I will do the works through you.” You are never ready until you find it for yourself. You will never find this out by asking another person. Immediately he will throw up a barrier of questions undermining your convictions, and hence the power cannot manifest through you. Just what you can ask God, for that can He do for you. What you can perceive as done within, will find its outer manifestation, “Stand and deliver!” is the message to the freed soul. When you recognize, with Jesus, that you can do nothing of yourself, and do not try, then you will know what it is to “see” the will of God being done through you.

Presently the need of secrecy comes to the awakened soul. “Tell no man — show John” is written with fire in the heart of the awakened one. Why not tell? For the same reason you do not tear the cocoon from the caterpillar. The Word must drop into the dark and the conscious-thinking, pro and con, must rot away from it, in order that it may come to fruition. It is wonderful when you know the way of secrecy — it is the way of God. “God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform” — and if you are going to “let” God move, it will have to be in a way that “Mr. and Mrs. Blank,” however holy they may be, know nothing about. Neither can it possibly be of interest nor help to hear what either of them has to say. But it will be a tremendous hindrance to you if you listen to their advice. When they warn you against the doctrine, “:When you are ready I will do the works through you,” they are talking from the plane of the human thought, and are either consciously or unconsciously trying to make you believe in the impotence of God. Yes, after you have experienced the dire effects ofseeing what “Mr. and Mrs. Blank” have to say about God’s work, you will come to know that God of which they are ignorant.

You are traveling the sacred path with Jesus Christ, who is the only companion you need. In His own blessed words lies the key to everything. It does not need further interpretation. When this recognition has come unto you, it will lead you into all things.

Don’t be afraid of me. Don’t be afraid of anything. Put the seal upon your lips, and let your conversation be “yea, yea, and nay, nay,” when it comes to exposing the inspiration which has come unto you.

There be many who, not being able to let go of their limited personalities long enough to hear the Voice, will warn you against Radical Acceptance of the Word of God. What can they say when you produce theworks “The signs will follow them that believe” — in My Name (Nature) shall they raise the dead, heal the sick, etc., etc. It is written that this takes place in the Nature of the Christ and not in the opinion of “Mr. and Mrs. Blank,” no matter how successful they have been, nor for what an interminable number of years they have studied the Truth. In My Nature, the promise reads. Do you believe it? Ye shall reap, if ye faint not.” You only faint when you hear the discouragement, the pity, or the venom which come from saluting the man you pass on the highway of life.

Walking with God used to be the special province of the prophet and the poet. Today we are beginning to “feel” the Presence walking in us and with us, talking in us and to us. We are not ashamed to confess Christ as here and now, and the Kingdom of Heaven at hand. Every lip shall finally confess the Christ. Simple confession is good for the soul. When you discover that you believe in the Presence of God, here, there, and everywhere — going before you, preparing the way; walking with you and in you; revealing to you and through you the hidden mysteries; showing you things not told since the beginning of the world — you will find you are in the New Day.

Be still — be very still — stand yet a while on your ((watch)) and “see” for yourself what the Presence has to say unto you. What ever it has to say, that you can fulfill with ease and efficiency by the Way of God.

Yes, beloved! Christ in you is not at the mercy of evolution. It is not something that is created by the study of words. It does not increase in size and strength as you learn about it. It is eternally the same, and remains unchanged beneath the reels of human pictures which you have thrown upon it. Whenever you become aware of the True Self, referred to as the “picture shown to you on the mount,” the human sense seems to see the manifestation increase in size, just as the tree in the distance seems to grow larger as you approach it. In reality it changes not. It is a glorious revelation to know that this is true and eternal. Any time you rememberthis fact, you will arise from your human beliefs, and go to your Father.

The gentle persistence of the Power which is bent upon one thing — i.e., awakening you — is nowhere more beautifully illustrated than in the words, “Behold I stand at the door and knock.”

The clearer the recognition of this Presence the more the time-space idea of the lumbering human thought is put to naught. We begin to understand in a degree the “Look again” of the Harvest revelation. Look into My face and see reality, and the slow, heavy, leaden feet of thought will give way to the something that cannot be measured by human standards of velocity. “Before you ask” is quicker than any human measurement of speed. “Look unto me and be ye saved — all the ends of the earth.” Saved from what? One man is saved from death, another from debt, another from unhappiness, another from disaster. In other words, each is saved from hisconscious-thinking, which has thrown a veil of false beliefs before him. “Rend the veil?” Do you hear? You who read this line! “Rend the veil” by looking straight into the face of this Presence. Die to it all. “No man shall see my face and live”; he dies instantly to former things and beliefs. “Now through a glass darkly” will resolve itself into “Then through a glass darkly, but now face to face” with the Presence, the Power, and the Glory of the Risen Lord.

The foreshortened vision of the human sense can only see as far as the heavy veil of conscious-thinking, consequently all its reason must be founded on just this. “Look again” lies outside the possibility of this narrow vision. It is wonderful! Praise God! Praise His Holy Nature — let all the earth rejoice! The Lord God omnipotent reigneth !

 

Walter C. Lanyon