Edna Lister’s Lectures 1945

Your New Year

Edna Lister article|American Pen Women Magazine|January 8, 1945|Seattle Washington

This is your year of fulfillment. Do you know this for yourself? Do you know exactly where you are going this year? Have you charted your new course to fit the new and changing times?

It does not matter how many small ports you are forced to visit by circumstances beyond your control, how often you have to stop for forced repairs, how many contrary winds blow you off your charted course, if you constantly hold before yourself your original course, clearly outlined on your new chart and always set your helm on a straight line back to your course of life, or if you return to the original line the instant your ship is free to move again.

Delays cannot keep you from finally reaching your chosen goal! Keep your own mind made up and determined to do this. Do not allow anyone or anything to un-make it for you. God’s winds are always with you. Do you know this deeply enough in your own heart to keep your confidence adamant that you can win? — constant in your thinking and determination to strive and struggle with life itself until you have won? Nothing too hard for you to do. No effort is too great or too long for you to make, no goal too distant for you to attain.

The long-range view of life is the success view of life. When you cramp your view down to fit today’s despair, you lose the incentive and the power to move forward into your success. So, make your 1945 vision a long-range vision. Make it part of a 10- or 20-year plan. Give yourself time enough to accomplish a truly great plan. There is no such thing as “old age” or “too late.” Now is the time of fulfillment for you!

Life is “deathless, ageless and abiding.” Life is “the same yesterday, today and forever,” and you are life. Chart your new course. Tie down your helm so that no contrary winds of earth can blow you too far to return to your own chosen course. No heavy gale can take the helm from your own two hands, or make you alter your direction, the path toward your goal. You are complete within yourself and already your own fulfillment for 1945.

Choose more life. Light as life itself is the power that flows through you and heals.

You Are a Creator 1

Edna Lister lecture outline|February 25, 1945, Tacoma, Washington|April 29, 1945|Buffalo, New York|Scriptures: Genesis 1:1-5, John 14:12

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." – Genesis 1:1-5.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." – John 14:12.

"Let there be Light." With that great creative fiat, God brought all substance into being, from invisible life sparks to visible solids, "and it came to pass." Every life spark will return to Him, even from an ice state, back to invisible Light.

God has granted substance only the power to become. You are a creator god, here to do the greater works. God has designed you with the mental and soul faculties and the ability of speech to speak the Word of the Creative Fiat, "Let there be Light." As a creator, you have the God-given powers to become like your Creator, now.

You Are a Creator 2

Edna Lister lecture transcript|February 25, 1945|Tacoma, Washington|Scribe: Ruth Bender|Scriptures: Genesis 1:1-5, John 14:12

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." – Genesis 1:1-5.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." – John 14:12.

"Let there be Light." With that great creative fiat, God brought all substance into being, "and it came to pass." Every life spark of divine substance will eventually return to Him, from dense solid form back to invisible Light. God has granted substance only the power to become. You are a creator god, here to do the greater works. God has designed you with the mental faculties and the ability to speak the Word, "Let there be Light." As a creator, you have the God-given powers to become like your Creator, now. Speak the Word in full faith, believing, and it will come to pass, now. Delay is no good result for anyone, but is the product of lukewarmness.

God and science begin at the same point, Light. Your body is built of Light. You have cells made of electronic substance. Even the physical body has an atomic sense, the subconscious mind of the creature-like appetitive soul. The physical body is a hardened crystallized substance. When you raise its vibration, you put more life back into it. The physical body should never vibrate lower than the water stage. In fact, the body truly inhabited is vapor-like in density.

At his Transfiguration, Jesus' garments and face were glistering, literally glowing with Light from within. When Jesus disappeared from their midst, he had raised the rate of his body to the vapor stage through the power of his mind. All substance is filled with Light, whether is in an ice state, water, steam or invisible vapor. Yet substance can do nothing of itself. Substance must be acted upon to become something else, to flow into some other form. If you do not live in the present, time flows by and becomes the past without having been the present. Instantaneous living is a scientific fact.

Love is the heat of the universe. The heat of love will melt any hardened, crystallized form substance takes. You may think you have love as Christ did, but you have not yet touched the hem of his garment. "Love is the fulfilling of the law." – Romans 13:18. The love of God in action, moving through at that point of heat, brings the miracle. This substance flows out from the Source of All Light and back again under the laws of addition and multiplication. Whatever darkness has subtracted or divided, Light adds and multiplies as a miracle of healing.

God made us in His image and likeness. We came from the Source and must return to it again. Anyone who has won through and returned to God is the one who has the grit to struggle steadfastly. He has knocked so constantly that God has opened the door. When you want a miracle, but find yourself wavering and doubtful, knock harder against the doors of heaven.

Any idea begins as a concept in the Mind of God before it becomes an idea in the mind of man. You express it first as a thought, then as the spoken Word. Finally, when you speak the Word, it comes into solid form. God knows what you need when you speak the Word. He has matched the Light-as-substance you will need to the soul substance life sparks you already have, and knowing this, He pours all this Light into your Oversoul star. It is yours, with one proviso. You are the creator. A teacher can only lift for you, pray for you, release Light as Power and Substance for you, and kick you in the south end so you will go north, which is up in consciousness.

When you ask the Father for something, He builds a creative prayer mold for you. Someday, you, as a creator, must fill that mold, even though it may take aeons. The higher the idea, the longer it takes man's cellular consciousness to attain this height. So, finally, the concept in God's Mind becomes an idea in man's. By using the faculties of logic, reasoning, discernment, discrimination and discretion, man creates a plan of action. Then man speaks the Word according to the secret of perfect creations.

"And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good." – Genesis 1:3-4. "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." – Genesis 1:31. Use the word "Let" to preface all your declarations of creation, and for seven days, pronounce it good and very good. That is how to bless your creations. From the moment you say, "Let it come to pass," so it is. Then you no longer see this particular miracle as it was when you started. You see it, you visualize it as a completed form.

"God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." – 1 Corinthians 1:27. God does not make it hard to get. He says, "It is so simple that it confounds the wise." For example, I once helped a woman to heal herself of a golf ball-sized lump on her hand. I instructed her to see only the Light, not the lump. And it came to pass that the growth disappeared.

Arise and go into your Father's house, into the Light. Lift whatever "it" is to have it healed. Put it into the Light. See only the Light. In moments of stress, stand and look upward in consciousness, into the Light. God knows what needs to be done, and the Power knows where to go when you declare it. God needs someone to serve Him as an instrument, someone with a brain, tongue and vocal cords to speak the Word. Hold the whatever in the Light until it feels light. It takes only one creator to stand and hold as a transfigured instrument.

Suppose you have been in the golden silence, yet when you emerge, the body is still groaning. Continue thanking and praising God for the miracle of healing, and declare that it is so. Nature draws upon the invisible substance for its life and verdure. Your task is to praise it into being. Declare, "I now live in the faith of God, and I now dwell in the love of God." Miracle upon miracle shall be yours.

The Trinities of Creation 1

Edna Lister lecture outline; Saturday March 17, 1945, Tacoma, Washington. Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16.

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." – Matthew 5:14-16.

God is the universal absolute. God is both principle in action and personality in expression. God as principle is Wisdom, Love and the Christ principle of consciousness. God as personality is the Father, Mother and Son in action and expression. Wisdom, Love and the Christ principle become Mind, Substance and Power when you put them into action as your personalized expressions of the Godhead.

We call these the "triple trinities of manifestation." They are nine in number, which is the number that symbolizes perfected man, and the universal brotherhood of humanity. Manifestation is how the universal absolute reduces in its rate of vibration into the conditioned relative parts of the whole.

You use the principles of Wisdom, Love and the Logos as your will, desire and imagination. You use the divine personality of the Father, Mother and Son as illumination, intuition and action or expression in your life. You are the principles of Mind, Substance and Power as you begin life. You express these principles as personality as you receive and give. The number of a man on earth is six, which represents the double trinity of creativity.

Three sixes is the number of the "beast" when the soul perverts and misuses the creative powers. On a high level, the triple six is the number that represents the Father and Mother in action as Creators. To receive the number nine on the forehead, you must first use your illumination, intuition and action-expression from the soul above. Second, you must balance your will, desire and imagination. Third, you must perfect your outer personal expression for the world to see and thus glorify your Father in heaven.

You apply will as determination, desire is your substance, and imagination becomes your quickening Power. This is how you open the door to the Father who plans, the Mother who sustains and nourishes, and the Son, who is your selfless expression.

The Trinities of Creation 2

Edna Lister lecture transcript|Saturday March 17, 1945|Tacoma, Washington|Scribe: Ruth Bender|Scriptures: John 1:1-4, Matthew 5:14-16

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men." – John 1:1-4.

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." – Matthew 5:14-16.

God is absolute principle and absolute personality. Man is a finite and relative expression of the infinite. Since we are a part of God's Creation, we require categories in which to place the phases of expression of the absolute and the relative. No single man can express the all of God. All mankind is a part of God. God is Mind, Substance and Power. You cannot express the totality of God's Mind, yet you can have the whole of that mind that was in Christ Jesus flow through you. The absolute God was all that was, in the Beginning. God is all the principles that exist and all the forms of expression of those principles.

"I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away." – Revelation 20:11. From the Source of All That Is there first emerged the three Emanations of Wisdom, Love and the Logos, the Christ principle, which are vast vibrations sweeping out from the center of the Godhead, the great white throne and returning to it. Everything, all the Mind, Substance and Power that emerges from the Source is destined to return to that Source. It cannot stop at any point in its circuit. It can but alter in its rate of vibration temporarily.

The ancient mystics likened the Emanations to the Holy Breath of the universes, an inhalation, a pause, an exhalation, a pause and so on. The Emanations, to them, were the process of God's inspiration and aspiration as the divine respiration. So the Godhead, comprised of Wisdom, Love and the Logos, moved from their absolute state to become relative Wisdom, Love and the Christ consciousness. Relative Mind, Substance and Power reign as supreme principles in manifestation. The Father, Mother and the Son reign as supreme personalities in manifestation.

These are the triple trinities of Creation, three sets of three, totaling nine, the number that symbolizes the universal brotherhood of man under God. Six is the number representing man on earth, and represents the double trinity of creativity of the Father and Mother. Nine is the number written on the forehead of man having perfected himself, the perfect man. A triple six is the "mark of the beast" described in the Book of Revelation.

"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." – Revelation 13:11-18.

The numbers one through nine unfold that mystical history of mankind. Man emerged from the auric circle in the beginning, which was really the sphere of the Source of his consciousness. Thus, in the beginning, man was one with the Light. When you feel "right," you are in the center of your auric sphere. Your sphere expresses as your particular degree of Light, color, tone, number and name, which dictates your form.

According to the philosophy of numbers, one is the number symbolizing the soul of man standing upright in the Garden of Eden. Two signifies a second unit added, another soul with whom you must agree and adjust. Three represents a third unit added to the two, making the first trinity of creativity, as in the Father, the Mother and the Son. The three signifies that from two joined together a third emerges, which is a combination of the first two.

The number four represents the higher creative centers in the head of man. Physically, these include the pineal body and pituitary gland, the hypothalamus and the optic chiasm. As Light enters the head, it illumines the optic chiasm of the thalamus at the floor of the third ventricle of the brain. As the Light metaphysically activates these physical structures, it becomes spiritual intuition (in the pituitary gland) and illumination (in the pineal body).

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men." – John 1:1-4. Thus, the Light is the life in man. Christ came to earth to serve mankind as the Light. This is your destiny as well. When you reach up in consciousness and open yourself to the Light, letting it move through you, the Light itself adds this dimension of service to your life.

Five is the number that symbolizes your soul's freedom to choose, guaranteeing freedom of expression. The five is centered between the numbers one through four and six through nine. As the number of law, the five symbolizes balance between body and soul. You have freedom of action to express as you choose. How you act reveals your expression of balance or imbalance. Ideally, you would exercise your freedom to express upward in consciousness.

Six is the number of creation, and the creative faculties in man. Six is also the number of how the soul expresses the Mother's Love on earth. Thus, the number of the beast, 666, shows that it is the result of the misuse of the faculty of love. Seven is the number of the protective priest. Its shape (7) resembles a cane, an aid in walking uprightly. The priest moves forward while reviewing the past and redeeming the good.

The cross-over point in the eight (8) symbolizes how the soul must cross out the tangle of earthly emotions based in the physical (the lower sphere), and hold its consciousness high above (the upper sphere) in heaven. Mystically, the number eight represents the upper and nether millstones. "No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man's life to pledge." – Deuteronomy 24:6.

"Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." – Matthew 21:42-44.

Thus, eight symbolizes how the soul ties [integrates] his earth to his heaven. The Crown of Christ is 888. Visually, the lower arc of the eight represents the everlasting arms of the Father upholding, and the upper arc the protective wings of the Mother o'ershadowing the soul of the Christed one in between.

The number nine we have already discussed, and the one in the ten. The zero in the ten represents the individual who has passed through the nine great phases of evolution and ascension of body and soul. Again, the one becomes a circle as the soul returns to its source. When you have accomplished all the works symbolized by one through eight, you become a full living soul and the number nine is written on your forehead.

As a soul in the body, you must live and express as these triple trinities. Will is the Father Wisdom principle in man. Desire is the Mother Love principle in man. The Christ, the Son principle, represents the whole total and complete expression of the soul in man. The life in man must be the Christ principle. Life is the ability to do, to express, to use the Mind, Substance and Power that is in the individual soul, not just to call for more.

All the mystical mysteries lie within the hidden Mother, which the Roman Church categorized as the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost, also called the Holy Spirit and Holy Breath, is both the Father and the Mother combined in action. The Holy Breath is the very breath you breathe, the vitality it confers. The Holy Spirit is the Christ consciousness that moves through all living things according to degree and kind. Wisdom is the positive expanding vibration of life while God as Light involves itself with manifestation during the involution. Love is the negative contracting vibration of life while God as the Light within the soul evolves in ascension to its source.

Man, as a soul inhabiting a body, can never be absolute, but must always be relative to The Absolute. Soul ascension is the art of expressing as, of living as the graciousness and the loveliness of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are the Wisdom, the Love and the Logos of Selflessness expressing as the Mind, the Substance and Power of the Father, the Mother and the Son within your soul. You are weaving a pattern of the life everlasting. With every breath you exhale, you paint a picture. Your expression of principle paints the exact picture of your life pattern.

The only way you can change or alter your pattern of expression is to love, love, love as you declare perfection for those parts of your pattern that seem square pegs of will in round holes of desire. Christed substance moves forth on your every spoken Word. Your degree of artistry in painting depends on how you use your God-given mind, substance and power.

No one else can place even a single brush-stroke on your life's canvas without your permission. The would-be artist paints only on his canvas. The art of fine living consists of your thoughts, words, deeds, kindness, service and love. Your quality of living lies in your intensity of desire, from ice cold to white hot. Lukewarm is the most crippling degree.

You expression of desire's quality depends on whether you are living consciously or unconsciously. Faith is Substance backed by Mind and Power. Your faith and love dictate your quality of life. Wake up and live your life. So many people are proud of the fact that they are satisfied with the little they have in life. If you just let life flow through you and past you, you might as well be living in a coma.

Remember the Parable of the Ten Talents: "Unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath." – Matthew 25:29. Do you believe that life is one great and grand adventure? Do you live by a more and more plan for living, or by a less and less plan? If you do not ask more of life than what you were given, you will end as the unprofitable servant, with nothing.

Life is free. Make up your mind to live. Your capacity for life is limitless, but you must go to God for more life. What you want from life, its quality and quantity, how you choose to meet life, governs how much you get. God does not credit the other person with what you think he should or should not have. He pays no attention to your criticism or condemnation of the other fellow, either. He judges you by the canvas you have painted.

When you ascend, you can take all the life you want into your circle of Light. It just grows larger and larger. As you walk down the street, the Light in your auric sphere reaches out and heals those whom it touches, and lifts darkness. You are eternally young in heart and spirit and need never grow older. God is only thirty-five! Think young thoughts. Act as if work is play. All it takes is a flaming desire and vivid imagination. Act as if you have your soul's desire now.

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The Pearl of Great Price

Edna Lister lecture transcript|April 13, 1945|Buffalo, New York|Scribes: Victor Collord, May Wilder

The first fundamental law of expression for the Elect is to ignore the truth of appearance and to accept, surrender to, and declare the truth of reality. Genesis 1 and 2 reveal that the secret is to declare, “Let there be Light,” and then to declare, “It is good and very good.” No halfway measure will do. You may declare “This is good” at the time of the upset, but fail to pursue that course of action through to completion, which will never bring success. You must declare all your creations good and very good, then stand on the foundation of that absolute truth. “Agree with thine adversary,” then remain still and silent. You may legally declare that the other fellow is right because what he chooses as the right is his choice and the expression of his opinion, not necessarily yours. Say, “I see what you mean.” It is good — for him. Mentally, you can declare, “You are good right where you are.” Apply this in your own life as God gives it to you. Why kick, why resent, why complain, why talk about it to no effect but resentment?

The Way of the Seer and Prophet is through a thorough comprehension of the five categories of expression: psychology, metaphysics, science, philosophy, and mysticism. Philosophy deals with the principles of God as perceived through the super-conscious Oversoul, the conscious rational soul, and the subconscious impulsive appetitive soul. Mysticism deals with the personality of God as the Father, Mother, Son, and the descended creator gods. The selfish “little me,” the subconscious mind, must be under the command of the rational soul and held open to the Light. Otherwise, you forget to compare yourself only with God and fall into making comparisons with the world, which any lesser creature consciousness can do.

The mental-intellectual process of ascension, from the creature to God, begins with keen observation and logically proceeds through the steps of comparative analysis to deduction, and synthesis. Beware using induction from the senses for it is colored by emotion and is usually misleading. Deductive reasoning depends on intellect, the mental state, for its analysis and is thus more objective in its results. Only then is it safe to exercise imagination, the great creative faculty, together with intuition, to reach for illumination, which is the Light of the Golden Silence. The vast majority of all clinical patients occupy the self-pity stage, which includes emotional induction, comparison, and analysis.

Obeying all the laws associated with the Seven Degrees of Initiation will lead the embodied soul to transformation, transfiguration, and will enable ascension. The Neophyte must command and properly care for the body. The Disciple must firmly establish self-control, control of the appetites and impulses of self. The Adept begins the arduous mastery of mind over matter and emotions. The Mystic learns to commune directly with God, without benefit of books, intermediary priest, minster, religious conductor, or formalized religious structure. The Master is the point at which the aspirant to ascension becomes an effective teacher for Neophytes. The Priest fully engages in the all-consuming struggle of soul in conquering self. The final Christos Degree is achieved only by living in the physical world as the Light of God, never wavering, faltering, or losing the Christ mind consciousness that forever beholds God and His Creation as the Good, the True, and the Beautiful.

The Land of Egypt is the domain of self, and includes all organs and vital centers below the diaphragm that separates the chest from the abdomen. No matter how an embodied soul excuses or justifies his actions and choices, no soul “gets away with” anything — all debts to law are entered in the accounting and every debt catches up with you, is unveiled and made public. “Whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.” — Luke 12:3. You cannot successfully analyze the self and its effects and flaws unless you first pray earnestly and in complete surrender of self. Use only Light for self-analysis, or you will clog your own channels of comprehension. Agree with your adversary, within and without. Any and every disobedience to law must be paid. While you are taking the seven times seven equals the 49 Degrees, you may earn ahead on some degrees according to your desire and earnest prayers. Remember, every word you utter creates after its own degree and kind. The curled horns of the Ram of Aries are a symbol of the white Light “Wings of Christ.” When you ascend, they descend, and their Light further burns out the dross of self. The white wings protect you to see and hear as a mediator. Whenever the Oversoul descends, it further consumes any taints remaining in the body until your vehicle is free of taints. The Light of God is the Light of salvation, and is free. You can’t be a servant of the Almighty and talk about it or self is again taking credit for what soul has accomplished. Being in service to Almighty God means devotion to the Master and complete surrender to be used by the Power, with no thought of self. Impersonal prayer is done in silence, silence!

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The Five Categories of Expression

Edna Lister lecture transcript|Friday May 4, 1945, Buffalo, New York. Scribe: May Wilder.

Coming soon.

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The Twelve Labors of Hercules

Edna Lister lecture series transcript; Friday May 4, 1945, Buffalo, New York. Scribe: May Wilder.

Read this series here.

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Agreeing With the Adversary

Edna Lister lecture outline; Saturday September 1, 1945, Tacoma, Washington.

“Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him.” — Matthew 5:25. To many this seems to mean giving up all personal freedom, yet nothing is further from the truth. A person may seek to force his methods of living upon you, either physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually only when he is full of opinions and prejudices. Only then will another attempt to interfere with your choice of how to live your Christ-life, and you need not offend to remain free.

Having first moved into your own kingdom of heaven for that instant contact with Light, you may look from heaven upon that earth-bound adversary and tell him that you are certain he is right in his ideas, and that he has worked out a wonderful method for himself. Then ask him to tell you more about it. Rest assured, he will be only too glad to talk about it, and in that talking will forget his original intention.

Any adversary will be happy to see your interest in him and never know that you have not promised to follow his method. Sometimes, because all barriers of resentment melted away when you first called upon God, you do find a way in which to apply law. An open mind always stands ready to receive a gift from every adversary. To agree means to be agreeable right now, not tomorrow.

The Keys of the Kingdom

Edna Lister lecture outline, Truth Temple Luncheon Club, Saturday September 1, 1945, Tacoma, Washington. Scripture: Matthew 16:19.

"I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." – Matthew 16:19.

The faith of God creates a servant of God. Love of God fulfills all law. Joy is all action, energy, and Power. These three principles — faith, love and joy — form the high voltage charge that explodes your physical, mental, emotional, and imaginative powers.

Application of these principles opens the doors of the kingdom when you deny self, consciously take up your cross, and carry it up to God with you in ascension. Your thinking, feelings, and imagination back your spoken Word to loose anything on earth. And when you speak, the Father always says, "Yes."

You must have the courage to choose the right way. And you must have an inner conviction so high that you can stand for that conviction without wavering. If you resent and hate, hate moves in to bind you. When you say, "I love you," love moves in from the world to fill your creative molds.

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Life is Based on Law

Edna Lister healing lecture outline|November 7, 1945|Tacoma, Washington

Life is based on definite laws, physical, mental-emotional, and spiritual. Each realm, or phase of consciousness has its own laws. For example, the physical phase of your life has five great sets of laws for breathing, diet, water, rest, and exercise. These laws operate in your life as you express them physically and they affect you emotionally. At the emotional level, the appetitive (desire) and spirited (will) phases of soul express through the self and the subconscious mind, whose seat is at the solar plexus, called the abdominal brain.

In a child's brain, Light first registers the new records of experience in what are called the higher creative centers, the pineal body and the pituitary gland. The pineal body is the channel for wisdom and illumination; the pituitary gland admits love and intuition into the spiritual faculties used by by the soul as a high creator or by his petty self. The record is then imprinted on the blood platelets; the physical platelets carry physical, emotional and intellectual records that subsequently are also recorded on the soul's silver cord.

Another way to think of your brain cells is as a radio set that can both broadcast and receive. Your can receive from the outer world or through the Christ mind from above; you can broadcast from the lower level of self, or from higher soul level: It's your choice.

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Methods in Healing

Edna Lister healing lecture outline|November 7, 1945|Tacoma, Washington|Scripture: Acts 3:1-11

Jesus was the greatest philosopher, lawyer, and physician of all ages because he taught his statements and teachings to his disciples and passed them on. They still work today, so it's obvious that his teachings stand the test of time.

Many teachers of healing techniques have been unable to pass their abilities on to others. There must be a reason, but what are the reasons? Often, it is fear, a desire for credits, or the belief that they have to do it all alone.

“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God: And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate 1 of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.” — Acts 3:1-11.

This third chapter of The Acts of the Apostles, featuring Peter and John, is one of the most beautiful of themes, illustrating perfect love and understanding. Peter was with John, and so he addressed the lame man by saying, "Look on us." His approach was unselfish, and he obviously shared the credit.

You must care for all persons on your lines of Light and responsibility, and for those whom you contact in daily life, equally and wisely. Name them and see them in your eyes of mind, and let the Light pour through you to do the work.

Illumination and Comprehension

Edna Lister lecture outline; November 11, 1945, Tacoma, Washington; December 9, 1945, Cleveland, Ohio. Scripture: 1 John 1:5.

“God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all.” – 1 John 1:5

The higher creative center holds your brain and soul faculties. The mental and spiritual faculties form the seat of your mental life. The propensities are physical urges. You have three seats of memory, the midbrain, the medulla oblongata, and the abdominal brain in the solar plexus. The midbrain holds the records of the embodied soul’s eternal life. The medulla oblongata holds your memories of self, and the records of the past that are open to your recollection. The solar plexus is the seat of this life’s sensory memory.

The mental setup of the head centers is complicated. The heart of the body registers the heart of the head, the medulla oblongata, the propensities, and faculties. Light feeds your spiritual life through the “door of the crown,” the pineal body, pituitary gland, and optic thalamus. If you choose a lower outer expression of the propensities, you face regression. When you use the higher faculties above the horizontal level, you ascend.

You achieve comprehension when enough Light descends: You receive law, look up in consciousness, and as more Light pours through to illumine the new law suddenly you “see” after knowing about it, thinking about it, and applying it. You can then look up in consciousness once more and “see” the why and how. You comprehend in Light, but blunder in sin and self-deception. You comprehend law when you accept soul responsibility.

To know law is to comprehend its meaning as applied to your self, and to accept your responsibility yo lift the self and incorporate it into the Oversoul. This is crucial, for you lift the appetites and impulses of self soul before we can cleanse the subconscious mind. Therefore, you must determine to become law in an ever greater, higher degree. Only by emptying the subconscious records of all past negatives of the little self, can you create the room to comprehend higher law.

Therefore, comprehension is above all else your present need. Seek the true meaning of comprehension. Consult the dictionary, and make new laws for daily use. Make statements to declare each day that you are open to comprehend high law and to live up to that high law.

Six Creative Laws

Edna Lister speech transcript|December 1945|National Woman's League|New York, New York|Scribes: Madge Grataloup, Eunice Morrison|Scriptures: Matthew 16:19, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 5:25, John 21:22, 1 Thessalonians 5:22, John 12:32, Genesis 1

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." – Matthew 16:19.

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness." – Matthew 6:33.

"Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him." – Matthew 5:25.

"What is that to thee? Follow thou me." – John 21:22.

"Abstain from all appearance of evil." – 1 Thessalonians 5:22.

"I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." – John 12:32.

"This is Good. Let there be Light." – Genesis 1.

We may arrange God's laws many ways to form the methods people use for their different approaches to Him, which are primarily intellectual or devotional. Finding a method that works under all circumstances is the most important thing in life once you know, accept and live truth. You must base your arrangement of laws on God's unchangeable principles to empower you to apply what you know to what you do in your daily expression of truth. Your arrangement of laws represents the key to open your individual kingdom of heaven, which you must enter alone.

Once you choose a particular method, you must stand within that creative kingdom constantly, holding the scepter of love, wisely applying it, using each law that method includes. You choose based on your particular needs in your emotional and mental life, personal relationships and, above all, to fulfill a perfect relationship between you and God.

Since we worship God as both personality and principle, we use the following arrangement, which satisfies our need to understand intellectually, while including personality, which we adore. Principle is the absolute framework of the universe. We worship the Light, which contains all principles. We can agree on one law as a necessity, and the first we must obey, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness." – Matthew 6:33.

You must obey this law, completely depending on fulfilling the promise that it contains, "and all these things shall be added unto you." This is your promise that you shall have your miracles. This law sounds so simple to obey. Its simplicity may hide its importance in your creative life.

"Seek ye first the kingdom" means practice, prayer, and loving God enough, "above all things." When you stand fully clothed in a glorious God-consciousness, day and night, without deviation or letting go for an instant, you reach "His righteousness." Obedience to this law of seeking demands that you stand still for that one instant before you speak or act and let the Light of God possess you. It means standing in that place of Spirit where nothing that earth can produce can move, hurt or dismay you.

All this is yours for the practice of complete surrender to let the Christ Light speak as you. It is yours for that surrendering in love to be the servant of all the Power of God.

For the second law in this series of six creative laws, consider this one: "Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the ways with him." – Matthew 5:25. To many this seems to mean giving up all personal freedom, yet nothing is further from the truth. A person may seek to force his methods of living on you, physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually only when he is full of opinions and prejudices. Only then will another attempt to interfere with your choice of how to live your Christ-life, and you need not offend to remain free.

Having first moved up in consciousness for an instant contact with Light, you may look on that earth-bound adversary. Tell him that you are certain he is right in his ideas, and has worked out a wonderful method for himself.

Then ask him to tell you more about it. Rest assured, he will be glad to talk about it, and in that talking will forget his original intention.

Any adversary will be happy to see your interest in him, and may never realize that you have not promised to follow his method. Sometimes, because all barriers of resentment melted away when you first called on God, you do find a way in which to apply law. An open mind always stands ready to receive a gift from every adversary. To agree means to be agreeable right now, not tomorrow.

We find the third law in this series in Jesus' answer to Peter, when he asked John: "What is that to thee? Follow thou me." – John 21:22.

You cannot be all the way in your kingdom while wondering about anyone else. Being just part-way in the kingdom is not good enough. You must seek the kingdom diligently enough to enter it all the way. You are perfectly agreeable only from your own center of Light, leaving everyone else to follow the way they choose. If you try to force another to do it your way, you only create confusion and disturbance for everyone concerned. Therefore, good sense dictates leaving others alone, while you closely follow your own high laws, to become a living ensample of Light.

The fourth law in this series tells us to "Abstain from all appearance of evil." – 1 Thessalonians 5:22. This means that if it is not good for the whole world to do all the time, it is not good for me to do even once.

The full measure of service to truth is constantly and always to check your self on indifference or carelessness, while you observe and attend to the details of living so that life or people can never catch you "off base." To "avoid the appearance of evil" is to walk steadfastly toward that goal of your own "high calling in Christ Jesus." Obeying all the laws in your chosen method of expression is your only way to avoid missing the mark. You never know when someone may be watching you as their measuring rod of what the Christed one should always be before the world.

For our fifth law, we use, "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." – John 12:32. Someone else is always depending on your expression of strength and courage. Each is lifting someone else. Everyone has the deep soul desire to lift at least one other person higher.

Your lifting ability, your capacity for lifting, depends on constantly increasing your efforts in practicing all the laws. It means to "seek" God first more eagerly, to be more "agreeable" in our contacts, avoiding all delay and wasted time in following the Christ Light. In short, lifting means reaching to everyone who comes to you with arms of divine love, compassion and understanding. This is the high and glorious "lifting."

Finally, to crown your efforts, now declare, "This is good. Let there be Light" (Genesis 1). As you apply the sixth law of this method, divine universal substance moves to fill your prayer molds, and brings your creations into visibility.

These are the six laws of the creator, which you have now become. Pronouncing "All is good" is the final key to open your door into the kingdom of heaven. You have entered the house of the Lord, the house of law, and there you shall dwell forever, as the creator of wondrous miracles of life.

Endnote

1^ The Beautiful gate (ὡραιαν = Hōraian) may have been the Nicanor Gate (named for its Alexandrian donor). The description of a man crippled from birth emphasizes his hopeless condition. He was more than 40 years old (4:22). People carried him every day to the temple gate named Beautiful so that he could beg. This may have been the eastern gate of the temple area that led from the court of the Gentiles into the women’s court. — Toussaint, S. D. (1985). Acts. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 360). Victor Books.

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