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LIGHT OF THE WORLD INSPIRATIONS Why Is This Happening to Me? by Tony den Hartog Preached 10/3/1994 A transcription of tape 1270 Transcribed by Jackie Weber We are all on various levels of development in our consciousness. It doesn't really matter where you are; the secret is to realize that there are principles that govern life. They are laws of the Spirit of life that function in the mind of Christ; they do not function in the human mind. The human mind is not really a mind; it is a belief in two powers, or a belief in good and evil which exists because we have five sense gates through which we give value to things. We see something and pronounce it good or not so good. We hear things and think it nice or not so nice. So we have good and evil constantly in our human experience. What we call the "human" is not a human being. There are no such things as human beings. Humanity is not being. It is a state of ignorance of the laws and principles that govern life. One person may experience good things in life and only a small amount of calamity (evil, disease, problems) while others may have numerous problems and do not really know why it is happening to them. We all want to know why things happen to some people and not to others. This is what we call "cosmic" (not spiritual) law. Cosmic law is the law of sowing and reaping: whatever a man soweth, so shall he reap (Gal 6:7). If we do not understand the principles of sowing and reaping, we will be governed by what we call the psychic world, or the world that exists as good and evil. That's why Jesus said that in "this world" [not the God-created world, but the human world] you will have tribulation. But He also said, "Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world" (Jn 16:33). By overcoming the belief in two powers, Jesus cancelled the sin of Adam and overcame the world. We can do the same. Jesus did it by first realizing that He wasn't born. He could say, "Before Abraham was, I [already] am" (Jn 8:58). In other words, Jesus was never born. In actual fact, you were never born either. Birth and death are beliefs which are existing in the subconsciousness, or the psychic race--the human race. We believe that we were born and consequently develop a fear of death, which is basically the root of all our problems. And because we have a fear of death, we struggle to survive. Even a drowning man will grab at a straw--because we all believe that if you don't breathe, you die or that you cannot live without organs in your body. But these are all beliefs. I'm just as alive and conscious with or without body. Without body I'd be even more conscious of myself and the reality of my being than I am with body. For with body I have a sense of cold or heat, hunger or thirst, a sense of whatever I want. This is the reason all these things are happening to you; but it is by no means your fault. The belief of the human race in two powers has existed universally in the subconscious ever since Adam. Even though you weren't born (really), you were "born" into this world. But that's not a legitimate birth--because you are not born of the "corruptible"--something that has a start and a finish. The incorruptible seed is the Word of God (1Pet 1:23) which is sown. God is constantly speaking and sowing His Word into your heart--or at least attempts to. When you hear the Word of truth, then you know it and will accept it as the soil accepts the seed, activating the life force which causes it to spring forth. But a seed placed on a mantel piece will remain dormant until it is put into the soil; the soil receives the seed, and we get some form of harvest. It is like this with the principle of sowing and reaping. You must receive a belief (whether good or evil) into your heart. That's cosmic law: you must first believe it. For if you do not believe it, you cannot experience it. You must first believe that you are going to die before you can. If you no longer believe in death (not a mental assent, but a conscious awareness that there is no death), you will not die. It is impossible, because that is the law. John 11:25-26 I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead [in his sense of corruption, or his sense of good and evil], yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? Jesus is asking, "Do you believe this?" It doesn't matter what Jesus says, if we do not believe it, we still die. Or at least we think we die. There are lots of people today who believe that death is final. They have a good religious reason, because there is going to be a resurrection in the future. No, the sun never comes up or goes down in the future. And a seed doesn't grow in the future. And it doesn't grow yesterday either. It is always here and now that we must believe in what life is. Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold. . . . This doesn't mean looking into the sky at the stars and moon; it is looking over and above the circumstances of life and seeing through that which appears to be detrimental--such as a funeral or a doctor's evil report. If you "lift up your eyes on high," you will know that God has not given you that thought or suggestion. We live by suggestion. Any book, Bible, or TV show (whatever we see, hear or read) are all suggestions--both bad and good. But none of these things have the germ of life in it; "for the letter killeth" (2Cor 3:6). So when you read "lift up your eyes on high," you must get the mystical meaning of it. The secret or mystical meaning of this is to behold something that is invisible, to see something that is incorruptible and to know something that is incomprehensible. This causes the mind to go "tilt," for the mind cannot behold the activity of God. All that the mind can say is "this person is dying" or "this person is poor." The mind constantly suggests to you only what your physical eyes behold. The suggestion then goes into the heart. But it is not what goes into the heart that defiles a man; it is what comes out of it (Mt 15:11). For the suggestion has no affect on you until your heart receives it. You can still spit it out if you want. But once you receive and believe it, it will bring forth after its own kind. Jesus said, "It is what comes out of the heart that defiles a man" (Mt 15:18)--because he has believed it. On the other hand, I can also believe that which benefits me. And that will also bring forth after its own kind. So two people can be in the same situation and one will experience something good while the other experiences something evil. Then he wonders why God allowed this to happen to him. But God doesn't allow it. Isaiah 40: 26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things. . .. These are the "things" which God created in the beginning and declared to be very good. There is not one bad idea in God's economy; everything works perfectly--be it the butterfly or the bumblebee. I no longer know that I'm going to "die." I have forgotten. The Scripture says, "Remember not the former things; neither consider the things of old" (Is 43:18). And Paul says: Philippians 3:13 . . . but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. That is the manifestation of the fullness of the good idea that God has for your life. First we forget the former things; then we begin to remember the things that we have forgotten. We have forgotten the Genesis 1 principle. It is perpetual motion, eternal being, life everlasting--without father or mother, without beginning or ending. I'm not talking about length of life. Life is eternal, immortal, incorruptible, incorporeal, unfolding itself here and now. I am now beginning to feel the eternality of my being. I still have a little anxiety at times, but very little. Nobody can give me anything or take anything from me--for I am self contained, self maintained and self sufficient. "But I thought God was your sufficiency." That's right; "I" am self sufficient. "Are you saying that you are God?" No, God did. God called Himself "God"; and beside Him there is no other Being. Humans are not beings; they are only the formation of thoughts and beliefs that exist in the subconsciousness as two powers, and which form the calamities and the problems and the anxiety that are existing in the world because of its illusive nature. We put values on things, saying, "This is a white person and this is a black one." There is no such thing as a black or white, poor or rich, good or evil person. God is not a person. And you are not a person. You are Being. God reveals Himself as person, but you are not a person. We have taken upon ourselves an identity. First we say that we were born; then we say we are male or female; then our mother tells us that we are good or bad. We get all kinds of experiences, and this is what we call humanity developing. It is what we call personality. Every person appears to be different, but in reality we are all one. Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number. All that you see, all creation, is the host of God appearing as effect--trees, whales, microbes, apes, plants. All life that you see is the host of God appearing as form. Verse 26 . . . he calleth them all by names [nature] by the greatness of his might. . . . He has given the nature, the character, and the expression to everything that lives, whether bear, caterpillar or snake. Whatever God created, He called it all by its name and gave it a nature. God didn't give the snake a poisonous nature or the mosquito the power to suck blood. The belief in two powers (or Adam) has done that. Adam named the animals. Not just man, but everything is created after God's own likeness. God's nature is love, and everything that is created is love expressed. In the love nature of God there are no good and evil activities, no poisonous activities. Well, how did evil come about? Adam became afraid and hid himself from the Presence, or the realization of who he was and began to name the animals that God had already named--or given to them a nature. Verse 26 . . . he calleth them all by names [nature] by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. This means that if God says I am His image and likeness, then I am also His nature expressed. So I can never be evil; I cannot have an evil nature. God didn't give anything an evil nature. So whatever God did not create wasn't created; therefore it doesn't exist. So evil nature doesn't exist, though a BELIEF in an evil nature does. There can be a belief that a snake is poisonous and that if it bites me it will kill me. That's a belief; and usually when you have a strong belief in that sort of thing, then you'll meet the snakes everywhere you go. And given any opportunity, they will get you--because you have believed it. You draw to yourself that which you fear greatly (Job 3:25). God has not given us the spirit of fear (2Tim 1:7). We get rid of the spirit of fear by realizing that everything which God created is good--including the mosquitoes. Most of us have not yet come to the point where we can really believe that if we would drink anything poisonous it wouldn't hurt us and even if we would pick up snakes they wouldn't bite us--as Jesus said we would (Mk 16:18). Some have tried it in the United States, but they get bitten because they are tempting God. It is a secret that we have to come to. But as long as we have a belief in death, we'll have a fear of snakes. Paul the apostle was bitten by a viper on the isle of Melita (Acts 28:1-5). But he knew in whom he had believed and was fully persuaded (2Tim 1:12). He said that he had not yet attained to the resurrection of the dead but was pressing on (Phil 3:11-14). He had seen and heard things which were unspeakable and not lawful to be uttered (2Cor 12:4). In other words, he had lifted his eyes on high and beheld the activity of the only power, the only creative process. He saw God in action, and because of what he saw, he just shook the viper off his arm. Then all the people on the island began to worship him; they thought he was God (Acts 28:5-6). This is why they wanted to worship Jesus--and they still do. They think He is God. If you shake a deadly snake off your arm, they call you God. Paul didn't want them to do that. He wanted them to also realize that vipers have no power in the light of the glory of God that is being wrought into our consciousness. It is line upon line, here a little and there a little, that God is speaking to us (Is 28:9-11); He is sowing His seeds into our hearts. It all depends on our ability to receive. Mark 4:14 The sower soweth the word. What you are hearing now is the Word. The Word has the power within itself to cause itself to come to pass--if you receive it. You don't have to do anything except water it. You must let go and let God. I don't expect you to get this overnight. Some people want it right now, and if they don't get it, off they go, saying that it didn't work. But the Word does work: Proverbs 4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear. . . . It is not your physical ears, but your inner consciousness, which has to hear the Word. Some people have been listening for years and yet have never heard it. I don't know why. But I'm hearing; and with all my heart I want you to hear whatever God is speaking to you about. Verses 20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep thy heart with all diligence. Don't let the junk come in. Keep your heart from receiving the lies, the suggestions. This whole cosmos is full of psychic voices, vibrations and impressions. You can just be walking around happily and suddenly feel this heavy oppression coming over you. Or you are enjoying a wonderful day and the flu comes on. Where does it come from? We are very vulnerable. If we are to keep our hearts with all diligence, we have to learn to behold only the activity of God without looking at good and evil. I'm saying both good and evil, because it is easy to look at a beautiful garden with nice flowers; but don't look at it as your criterion for life, peace or joy--for the next minute a big storm can blow the garden away. Then where are you? We must continue to listen to the Word. For the Word of God is life to those that find it. Mark 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard. . . . People do hear the Word here. They come with cancer and get healed; and you never see them again until four or five years later when they come asking us to pray for them because they have only two weeks to live. They hear it, but Verse 15 . . . Satan [the belief in two powers] cometh immediately and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. Satan is the belief that exists as ignorance, as universal stupidity, universal impressions that exist for no reason. You don't know where they come from, but they come and try to tempt you into believing something. They tell you that you just thought you got healed, but didn't really. They come immediately to take the Word that was sown in the heart. Then there's another group. Verse 16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; "Hallelujah, isn't that wonderful. Listen to this; isn't this a wonderful message!" I've heard that before too. First they think that the Word of God is wonderful and what they want. But they go away and immediately Satan comes in the form of a pastor or preacher and suggests, "That which Tony is preaching is all heresy" and you don't see them anymore. They keep on coughing and sputtering and finally die. Is it worth it--when it is God's will for you to prosper and be in health, even as your soul [or heart] prospers? (3Jn 2) That is God's will and there is no other will. That is the soundest doctrine that you will ever hear. Your heart can prosper only when you receive the Word and keep out the junk. Obedience is better than sacrifice (1Sam 15:22). You must obey that which you hear from within yourself--and forget about all the suggestions. They were suggesting to Jesus that He was of the devil too, and that he was casting out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils (Mt 12:24). So don't worry about what somebody else says, not even about what I say. But when you hear something from within yourself, that is God speaking to you. That is the Word of God coming to you--so don't let your heart be stony when you receive it. Mark 4:16 . . . [they] immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake. . . . It is for the Word's sake. That carnal reasoning or universal belief in two powers always wants to take away the Word through persecution. I've experienced it a hundred times. If you would have all the people who have been through our fellowship, you'd have two or three thousand. But, for one reason or another, people get sidetracked. Sometimes it is believing in sacrifices and what Jesus is supposed to have come to do. Jesus didn't come here to die on a cross; He came here to reveal the Father. But he did say, "Once the Son of man is crucified, then you will know afterwards that I am He and that we are one, you in Me and I in you." There is only one, not the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; there is only God appearing as you in individual being. The Spirit, Son and Father are one, not three. There are not three persons in the godhead; there is no person in the godhead. You can't show me that in the Scriptures. "Our Father WHICH is in heaven" (Lk 11:2). "The Spirit ITSELF makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Rom 8:26-27). "I can do all things through Christ WHICH strengtheneth me" (Phil 4:13). Saying this is sufficient to get you persecuted and excommunicated. You not only undermine, you take the foundation of the church away. You take away their trinity, their god, their devil, their heaven and their hell. And they've got nothing more to do. Instead of paying attention to all that doctrine, just begin to listen to the Word. This is what Jesus came to reveal. Mark 4:17 . . . afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. Don't be offended at the rock: 1Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Verses 1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. It is sweeter than the honey in the rock, sweeter than the most precious thing you've ever become aware of with your five physical senses. This is far above the tasting of good food. This is the tasting of the spiritual, of the mystical, of the eternality of life. And who is coming?--the Lord, that gracious activity Verse 4 To whom [the Lord, that gracious activity (or Presence) of God] coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious. . . . Anything at all that is of God (or Spirit) is always disallowed by religion--because it makes it possible for all men to experience God just the same as the clergy. And they won't allow it--because then they lose all control over the people. I can receive the Spirit just as much as the Pope (or any other minister) can. When we all know this, the church loses its government and each of us has to work out his own salvation (Phil 2:12). We can come together and commune. I don't say I know more than you; actually, I don't know a thing. It is only my Father who does the works and who speaks through me. He can speak to me only because I no longer have a fear of disease, poverty, impending doom or death. Verse 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood. . . . That is the Melchizedek priesthood which is the administration of righteousness, or the administration of oneness--letting everyone know that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation (2Cor 5:19). We are to let all men know that you are self contained, that you as individual being are the fullness of God manifesting in the earth. God doesn't know what you have done, so you should forget about the past. Do not remember the former things (Is 43:18). Verse 5 . . . to offer up spiritual sacrifices. ... To offer up a spiritual sacrifice is to Romans 12:1-2 . . . present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed [in your mind] to this world [and its beliefs]: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove [know] what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God [for you]. You needn't worry about what God's will is for someone else. You will know God's perfect will for yourself, without anyone else telling you. You will know it from within yourself, because there is an inner communion with the Father who teaches us and reveals to us all things that have been hidden and overshadowed by the belief in two powers. God is revealing Himself, making Himself known to you. 1Peter 2:6-7 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious. . . . It's precious to me. It is the pearl of great price which I would not exchange for anything else. They can keep their millions. I don't want anything at all but just that feeling that I have right now; I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'd rather be locked in a dungeon for the rest of my life and keep my precious little pearl. I wouldn't trade it for the most wonderful property and house; it is far too precious. No one can take my pearl from me, but I can throw it before the swine. The "swine" are unprepared religious thoughts. They will trample your pearl if you start talking about it to them. 1Peter 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone [the Christ, the stone hewn out of the mountain without hands] which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner. When people are trying to build the church, the thing which they should let in is the Christ. But, instead, they have built a brick building and put a minister and pews in it. And the thing they ought to let in they leave out; they reject the cornerstone which is Verse 8 . . . a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But they were not appointed by God. When we become rebellious and disobedient, we begin to reap the consequences. Eventually it will catch up with us. This is why we ask, "Why is this happening to me?" As you receive the seed into your heart, it brings forth according to its own nature. If you receive the seed of fear, you are going to experience fear. But if you receive the love of God and are rooted and grounded in it, you are going to experience love everywhere you go, whereas another will experience hatred. When you take the attitude of thinking of others before yourself, you'll always experience good coming to you. 1Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of [the] darkness [of the human mind] into his marvellous light --where all things begin to work together for the good. Your health and prosperity will begin to spring up; friendships begin to spring up, and your life becomes abundant. That is showing forth the praises of Him--not saying "Hallelujah, praise the Lord!" "It is out of the mouth of babes and sucklings that I have perfected praise" (Mt 21:16). Praise is perfected when we can manifest or demonstrate the Genesis 1 principle of the abundance of all things through our own consciousness--without ever being afraid to let go of anything. What you compromise to keep, you will lose. I used to be a magpie collecting a shed full of junk for some feeling of security. But that is not showing forth the praises of Him. You must let it go, let it flow through your consciousness. Your love and your giving-ness and your willingness to cooperate as it flows through you will insure that you never run out; as soon as it goes out the front door, it will come in the back. That is showing forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness, out of limitation--which is what darkness is. You are limited by your own mind, by your own beliefs. Galatians 6:7 . . . for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. This means that if we plant thoughts or attitudes of peace, harmony, health and prosperity, we shall reap accordingly. But if we sow thoughts or attitudes of sickness, lack, strife and contention, we shall reap these things. We must remember that our subconscious mind is like the soil. It will grow whatever type of seed we plant in the garden of our mind. Biblically speaking, we are sowing thoughts when we believe them wholeheartedly. What you really believe deep down in your heart is what you will demonstrate. Cosmic law is the law of belief. IT IS BECAUSE OF MY BELIEFS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME. When I begin to understand this and become aware of the Presence of God, I will gradually be translated out of the law of belief into the law of life that was also in Christ Jesus, who thought it not robbery to be in harmony with God. But we are not there yet. If we were, we would not be experiencing sickness, poverty, fears or problems. We would be in the law of life. We are still in the learning process. We have to, first of all, come to terms with the cosmic law of sowing and reaping and begin to understand why this is happening to me. Then we begin to transcend through it, as Jesus did. He had to come to terms with why He had to die on a cross. Was He predestined to do it? No, it was the law of belief. That's what Caiaphas said, "Let one man die for all" (Jn 18:13). It had been prophesied through the prophets that one man was going to die for us all. So He came and died for all. It was not ordained by God, but was rather the outworking of cosmic law. Whatever happens in this world is the outworking of cosmic law--because this world is not God's world. Trouble of any kind is nature's alarm signal that we are thinking or having a wrong attitude in that direction. And nothing but a change of attitude can set you free. It has been said by the metaphysical mystic Quimby that the hu-man is belief expressed. And we demonstrate what we really believe. There is a law of cause and effect operating at all times, and nothing happens to man without his mental consent and participation. You do not have to think of an accident to have it befall you. When you are irritated and upset emotionally, you become uncoordinated, causing accidents. That is the cosmic law of cause and effect. It works in various ways and on various levels. These are lessons that we have to learn first. What you are experiencing is never God's ordination or God's will. And it is not God teaching, rewarding or punishing you, or ''calling you home." God never called anybody home; it is man's beliefs that kill him. God doesn't do anything to anybody an any time. If something happens to you, it is simply and solely the outworking of your beliefs.