Via Christa: Via Christa Life: Lectures: Edna Lister's Lectures, 1966

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» Edna Lister’s Lectures, 1966

Edna Lister’s Lectures, 1966

Ambassadors in Bonds
Triumphant Being and Living
The Eightfold Path of Buddha: Powers of Being

The Seven Churches of the Revelation

New Lives for Old: Ephesus, the First Church
A New Found Horizon: Smyrna, the Second Church
The White Flame of Glory: Pergamos, the Third Church
The Morning Stars: Thyatira, the Fourth Church
The White Raiment of Defense: Sardis, the Fifth Church
A Rainbow Has No End: Philadelphia, the Sixth Church
I Stand at the Door: Laodicea, the Seventh Church

Ambassadors in Bonds
Edna Lister outline, March 1, 1966, Tacoma, WA, Ephesians 6:18-20, Romans 8:38-39

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”–Ephesians 6:18-20.
“I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”–Romans 8:38-39.
What is an ambassador? Who are they? For what are they used? How does an ambassador act? An ambassador is someone “in bonds, an agreement that binds, fastens, confines, or holds together, a sponsor for one who has accepted a position of great responsibility.”
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”–Ephesians 6:12. Agnostic and atheistic professors are teaching the noxious sophistry that “God is dead” on campuses today. They can speak no greater blasphemy.
The world needs a prophet such as Zechariah, who will speak the Word to close the mouth of blasphemers and make dumb those who preach but do not know God. You are an ambassador, bonded to represent the Christed One. God gives you the right to speak boldly, which He can grant only when you no longer speak to convince someone of “I’m right” or “I know better.”
When you speak law, state it boldly, saying, “This is law.” Use law to point the way to the invisible world, which is greater by far than the visible, just as an iceberg’s tip belies it size beneath the surface. Electric wiring carries invisible power. Radio sets receive invisible vibrations through the atmosphere. You speak on the phone, but cannot see a voice. Would you refuse to speak on the phone because you cannot see the person on the other end or the wiring in between? Let your motto be “I accept.” Speak to prove truth, not to disprove, remembering that evil always falls of its own weight
Some people are automatically fearful when they get up in the morning because they never bother to clean out the closet of their mind before bed. You must rid the subconscious mind every night of what appetitive soul filled it with during the day. The appetitive soul is supposed to care for and rebuild your physical body while you sleep, but it cannot when you use its share of mind as a dumping ground for the day’s darkness.
Before sleep, take time to lift your subconscious negativity to God and refill the space with Light and plenty to spare. When you do this, which is just good housekeeping, your night’s sleep will refresh and rebuild you.
Most people suppose that the “mystery of the gospel” is just a fantasy. Yet all souls work at night. Your soul leaves your body subject to the appetitive soul renovator while you work with the legions of the Christed ones to heal the earth. Just suppose you could do this work at night, consciously. What glory you could produce!
Place your whole soul’s confidence in this one great declaration—“I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”–Romans 8:38-39.

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Triumphant, Rapturous Being and Living
Edna Lister outline, 51st International New Thought Alliance Congress, May 3, 1966, Los Angeles, CA

This has been a year of glory and of miracles of science. What was just “talk” last year is this year’s walk in space. Next, we’ll be landing on the moon. We spent last year’s war budget on this space exploration, despite all the voices saying, “They can’t do that!” and “What for?” The doubters and complainers simply have no eyes to see the beauty in it, the romance for tens of thousands of children looking up. The whole world is looking up. We’ve set new air speed records, 1,800 mph, New York to Paris in three hours, two hours to cross the U.S. Doctors are now able to treat the growing baby in the mother’s womb. These are miracles.
Revelation 7:1 tells of the “four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth.” A scientific journal recently printed an article about the earth having four corners in high layers, each covering an average of 1,000 square miles.
Science, which is already doing the “greater works” that Jesus mentioned, is our aid in Bible interpretation. The Bible is also the greatest textbook on psychiatry ever written. What about our year so far? Are we doing the greater works? Have we planned for new experiences, new expansion and new ascension? Are we satisfied with our progress? If not, we ask ourselves whether we have a year’s set of goals. Have we reached them? What measuring rod do we use to know how to plan this year’s goals?
We must have a method of cross-checking ourselves. We cannot stand still, for everything obeys the cycles of expansion or contraction. We love more or less. Our bodies are stronger or weaker. Our eyes see more or see less. Our only thermometer for the heat of our expansion or the chill of contraction is praise. Is our praise stronger, higher, deeper, broader and longer? Do I praise more today? Coming home at night, do I praise at the door that I am home. Do I expand upward in praise in the morning? We can tell exactly the degree of our ascension in consciousness for a day or a year, for praise becomes a compulsive action. The illumination of Ascension acts as the amplifier for the desire to praise until we must praise.
When I become the law of praise, I am being perfect as my Father in heaven is perfect. When I become the law of praise, I am being faith in my desire, thinking and imagination. When I become the law of praise, I am being baptized by the Light from above, hour by hour. “I am now possessed by the One God, who is Father of us all, who is above all, through us all and in us all.” This is our perfect metaphysical statement.
New Thought is new every day, as God is new every day. Light is new. To expand in consciousness, I move up to the higher creative center. I close out all earth noises. I close out all earth’s sound waves. I close out all earth’s mental waves, such as those carried on radio and television transmissions.
I stand in the Light pouring down from above. Praise has become my escalator to my Mount of Transfiguration. Praise holds me as I conquer. I say, “Let there BE Light,” and new Light absorbs any and all darkness near me. “Light is denuding evil of power all around me.” Where Light is, evil is not.
New horizons unfold before me. This Light is the flame of immortality, unconquerable, triumphant Light. The Light of ascension becomes a rapture of being and living within me.
We do not need new words of praise, but we do need words newly vitalized every day. We have allowed words to use us. But we must now use words as praise. When enough of us stand as Light, transfigured, the world will follow for Light is life, triumphant and victorious.

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New Lives for Old: Ephesus, the First Church
Edna Lister outline, May 1, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 1:10-20, 2:1-7

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”–Revelation 1:10-20.
“Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write, These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”–Revelation 2:1-7.
The seven stars that John mentioned in the first chapter of the Revelation represent God as a personality, as His Son, whom we are to follow. The seven candlesticks represent seven absolute principles, which are the sources of many relative laws that everything in form must obey. The seven angels are the heads of the sevenfold heavenly hierarchy.
The stars the Son, as the Alpha and Omega, holds in his right hand represent the Creation and all beings begotten and created below the Godhead, including man, whom God created “in His image and likeness.” The right hand symbolizes expression, how you execute your ideas and act in the world. The left hand symbolizes reaching for the Source of all Power as potential.
The seven candlesticks also represent seven great schools of wisdom, each of which taught one of the seven great principles that form the foundation for all lesser or subordinate laws. He who “walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks” represents man’s sevenfold perfection of expression of these principles, as stars in the Crown of I AM. This is another way of saying that the Christ consciousness is walking in the midst of your whole life constantly, inner and outer. Man’s world of consciousness is divided into three phases, the Garden of Eden, the Promised Land, and the Land of Egypt.
The first church, Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7), represents man as a star. The candlestick in this sense represents the spine, from the sacrum plexus, which is the outer lower creative center, to its flaming tip in the higher creative center, in the brain. These creative centers are your means of expression of love in all its degrees, from the outer physical to the inner spiritual love of God.
The candlestick of the first church represents the principle of illumination and how man expresses it. The star, in this context, symbolizes the individual embodied soul and its heavenly Begotten Father.
The text describes what you have overcome, yet you are told that He has “somewhat against thee.” The soul taint here is that you are still lukewarm at times, merely simmering, not boiling. So, you are already part-way down the greased pole of consciousness and slipping fast.
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.–Revelation 2:5. “From whence thou art fallen” refers to the Garden of Eden, which symbolizes your head, your brain and its creative centers, and your mind as it expresses through rational consciousness. You fall from that paradise to the Land of Egypt, the appetitive soul’s world of sensation, selfish desires and willfulness.
How can you repent and do the first works? Arise and ascend in consciousness. The first works include all that God designed you to be and to do. The spine is the body’s rod of Power descending, and the Tree of Life when you are ascending on that Power. At birth, you, the soul, descend to fill the body, taking charge to learn and grow into your soul’s destiny of ascension into the Light
Metaphysically, Ephesus means “desirable and appealing.” At one time, the earthly Ephesus was an important center of learning, religion and commerce. As man’s consciousness descended from the soul’s flame to outer self-expression, he began to worship materialism, practicing idolatry, and believing in superstition. As man has fallen in consciousness, so have the civilizations of the world.
The churches mentioned in the second and third chapters of the Revelation symbolize the molecular desire body’s vital centers, which are arranged from the crown and along the spine. These vital centers serve as the forms through which Spirit acts in the candlesticks.
“I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”–Revelation 2:5. When you fall low in consciousness, you cut off your contact with higher divine Mind. This must be so lest you destroy yourself.
You hold the seven stars in your right hand, which represents expression, execution, and doing. They are seven rays of Light or soul powers to aid you in overcoming the selfishness of appetitive soul, conquering its hold to ascend in consciousness. They also represent seven ways in which you may shine with God’s Light.
“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”–Revelation 2:7. As you stand on this holy ground, the flame of new life leaps up and around you through the magnetic currents of earth, the currents of life that feed you with physical energy. They arise to meet with the shaft of Light descending from above when you are high in consciousness. This is how you “eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

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New Lives for Old: Ephesus, the First Church
Edna Lister transcript, Elizabeth Barnes, Lotus Landis, Irene White, scribes, May 1, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 1:10-20, 2:1-7

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”–Revelation 1:10-20.
“Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”–Revelation 2:1-7.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John is a key to interpretation of the entire Bible. The first three chapters, in which the Voice of God speaks to the seven churches from the Source, are among the greatest examples of mysticism, which the dictionary defines as “immediate consciousness of the transcendent or ultimate reality, or God.” John served as the scribe and recorded the Revelation. However, Jesus’ mother Mary heard the Voice, and mediated the message.
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”–Revelation 1:8. Do you believe this truth? Do you stand on the truth of this steadfastly? Merely bearing witness to Jesus as the Christ is not enough, for you must bear witness to God your Father also. Jesus often mentioned his Father during his ministry.
You do not have to prove that God is alive to the new wave of God-is-dead atheism and agnosticism. The challenger must prove that his god is dead. Ask, “Where is your proof that God is dead? Prove it!” Saying that God is dead is spouting a negative, and no one can prove a negative—it’s an impossibility logically. Even the agnostics cannot tell you what keeps the planets in their orbits. All you need to do is to stand steadfastly and be as God is.
God required a series of forms through which to operate during this Day of Manifestation, so He begat the androgynous Paradise Twins, who form the Computer Mind that administers all Creation. The seven stars represent Archangels who head the great Heavenly Hierarchies that execute the laws of Creation.
“These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.”–Revelation 2:1. The seven candlesticks symbolize the forms of churches, which in turn represent certain principles, greater and lesser. These principles are laws that every soul must obey. Thus, you are a star and an angel, and have a candlestick of your own. Stars represent God expressing as personality through the many individualized souls, and expressing as principle through the candlesticks, the soul’s form. You are a star in your personal expression.
You are a star, and you represent a star in the Milky Way. Your spine represents a candle, rooted in the sacral plexus at the base of the spine, whose flame burns at the top of your head. You ignite the candle from above, as magnetic currents flow in through the soles of your feet, creating a two-way flow of magnetic and etheric energies that enliven your consciousness and your form, the mind and the body. The church in Ephesus, the city of desire, illustrates the lower creative center of living vitality, and the sacral plexus. The name, Ephesus, means “from the desired place, desirable, appealing.”
You can ascend your consciousness to God, even in the most uncomfortable place, if you desire to achieve the Source. To seek the Source successfully, you cannot be body-conscious or merely intellectually curious. Life is dependent on breathing, but you cannot partake of God’s full life unless you breathe deeply.
“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”–Revelation 2:4-5. Worship the Light, which is your soul's first love, the Power of God, and follow the Master. You can touch the Source with one deep breath, and the Power returns along the line of Light you create, healing you by making you whole.
Worship the Source of All Light, but not the forms that personality takes. We believe in and are devoted to personality, but do not worship personality. You can have love for and devotion to the Master of Masters, the Heavenly Hierarchy and Councils, but you worship the one God as Light. Jesus the Christ is part of God as His Son.
“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”–Revelation 2:7. Your candlestick is the rod of power in your spine. It becomes the Tree of Life when the etheric current flows in from the Source. Do you hunger and thirst for the fruit of the Tree of Life? Breathing, breathing, breathing deeply is the key. Anytime you leave your first love, you have fallen into intellectual idolatry, the worship of things, ideas and worldly ways.
You can have a new life for the old if you stand steadfastly and declare that you are through with becoming, and now you are being. Then you stand on holy ground as this mighty Power descends. God holds us all in His right hand, as glorious stars in the firmament of His almighty Power.
God has never stopped doing. His Light, which He releases through His Elect, is bringing evil to the surface for you and I to speak the Word to lift. The magnetic power arising from below and the etheric power descending from above moves through you as you stand, robed and protected in Light.
How great is your honor, integrity, your loyalty, to God? God will eventually enfold every life spark, for such is His integrity and loyalty to Creation’s Unity. When you touch that oneness with God, your face shows it. When you know that only God is because He is all that is, He engraves the mark of a creator upon your soul.

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A New Found Horizon: Smyrna, the Second Church
Edna Lister outline, May 8, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 1:1-3, 2:8-11

Invisible evil acts as a slow poison, but visible evil is its own cure.”–Edna Lister

Today is Mother’s Day, which represents the nourishing, sustaining Power of God’s love for His Creation. The Mother’s love represents eternal time. The Father’s Wisdom symbolizes eternal space. Mother-love as time is forever now. Father-wisdom as space is all space. Because God is infinite and eternal, you have plenty of time and all space in which to do. When Mother-love’s timing is perfect in Father-wisdom’s space, all success and miracles follow. Time without space is lifeless, and space without time is tedious. The two acting together as one create action through faith.
“And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”–Revelation 2:8-11.
Smyrna is the second church mentioned in Revelation, and it represents action. Its metaphysical correspondence in the human body is to the spleen and the second vital center in the desire body. Metaphysically, the spleen is the seat of life substance. The physical spleen filters the blood, recycles old red blood cells, and stores platelets and white blood cells. The body makes red blood cells in the bone marrow and the liver. Those cells made in the bone marrow partake of the Father-wisdom vibration, while those from the liver correspond to Mother-love. They represent faith in action. Cells from the liver and bone marrow travel to the spleen where they mate symbolically, to fill the bloodstream as life.
Metaphysically, the spleen represents opinions, prejudices, rebellion and blasphemy. When you “vent your spleen” by expressing all your anger, you create an actual form that can turn and rend you. You thus cast your soul into prison for “ten days,” the time it takes to conquer the selfishness that erupted from your appetitive soul. Temporarily, you become a member of the “synagogue of Satan,” until your rational soul again takes charge, returning you to your “right mind.”
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”–Revelation 20:11-15.
Smyrna is the city that represents the creative fire. When you explode in anger, it can backfire and result in physical illness. Anger taints the creative fire, which then rises as gall and stomach acid to set the nerves afire negatively. Gall is bitter. To say in anger, “I gave you the best years of my life,” is bitter. Instead, ask of your soul what voicing this anger and bitterness will do to you. How will it affect you? All negative emotions and their expressions eventually fall of their own weight, sometimes resulting in a nervous breakdown as the soul seeks to escape the self’s negativity.
Such a soul lacks timing and finds his space empty. He is suffering from a touch of the second death, the loss of identity with God. No vitality of life is the second death. You can overcome this by being “faithful unto death”—the death of rebellion, blasphemy, blame, opinions, and prejudices. Let the timing of Mother love melt, dissolve and absorb these soul taints into Light. All it takes is to love God enough. Shout, “Father, I love You!” Have a love affair with God!
Your new found horizon is knowing that you can stand in the eternal flame of immortality now. You can overcome death. You can be fearless and come to no harm when you live in full obedience to divine law.

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A New Found Horizon: Smyrna, the Second Church
Edna Lister transcript, Elizabeth Barnes, Irene White, Virginia Whitehead, scribes, May 8, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 1:1-3, 2:8-11

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”–Revelation 1:1-3.
“And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”–Revelation 2:8-11.
Smyrna was a great city of Ionia in Asia Minor, about fifty miles north of Ephesus. Smyrna’s name means “sweet fragrance,” and metaphysically, it is called the “seat of substance,” for it represents the substance of faith in action.
The law of correspondences dictates that an attribute has the same qualities on different levels of expression, and has a correlating seat in the physical. Faith, at its lowest pole of action, operates in the desire body’s vital centers. Metaphysically, the splenic center corresponds to Smyrna. Faith operates instantly on the spleen, which represents honor, loyalty, and integrity.
“I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”–Revelation 2:9. Many words are used symbolically in the Bible. “Jews” usually denotes obedience to law, but in this context it means those who were rabid to keep the letter of the law, careless of its spirit. Such souls claim that they are obedient to law, but fanatically persecute those who do not believe the same way. Many non-Jews are Jews in this sense. A “synagogue of Satan” describes the disturbance of the physical, emotional and mental life through illness, sorrow and lack that results when you do not pay your soul vows and debts.
“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days.”–Revelation 2:10. If you make a vow, you must keep it and act on it, or you will suffer the effects of neglect. Indulging your opinions, prejudices, rebellion and blasphemy will hamper your ability to live up to the laws you know. Some souls blame God, but do nothing to pay for their lapses. Worse is to blame God or His Power for your failure, whining, “Nothing works for me.” Blame reacts on the liver and spleen, which may bring the “first death,” which is to be ill or weak, not necessarily physical death. Resurrection is to change your mind without leaving the body by dying first. Anyone can be resurrected from weakness, disease, and self-pity. When you speak of being resurrected, you are being saved from the first death.
You are cast into prison for ten days while you pray yourself up and out of bondage to self into a spiritual frame of mind, or soul consciousness. Pay no attention to the evils emanating from today’s synagogues of Satan. Ignore them. You cast yourself into the prison of resentment by thinking and voicing negative thoughts. It takes “ten days” to love and pray yourself out of self’s prison of the appetitive soul.
“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”–2:10. Faith represents loyalty, honesty, integrity and all the positive soul virtues. If you are faithful unto the death of opinions, prejudices, and resentments, your effort saves you from the second death in the “lake of fire and brimstone.” This perdition is the annihilation of identity, having the life sparks cast into the lake of fire until all memory burns away from the soul. The fire consumes just identity, not life, which is eternal. That soul substance will come forth in a new Day of Manifestation with a new number and name.
You can see evidence of people having their life sparks cleansed today. For example, one may express a violent antipathy against drinking, but misuse the Power in a different way. You do not suffer from the second death when you ascend, but receive the crown of life for accepting your responsibilities and conquering self.
The church of Smyrna functions on faith in action. In the mating of love and wisdom, the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of life become one, and appear as the glory of God. You are living in timeless eternity. If the phone rings, Oversoul’s God consciousness tells you what to say. You love God and can make no wrong answer, which is overcoming, how you overcome the first death and prevent the second.
What is the glory of a new found horizon? It varies from soul to soul. For example, souls enter marriage with high ideals. They have children and are happy, yet often reach a point of suffocation—mothers may fear for the safety of their children, fathers may feel anxious for the welfare of their families.
When you have reached your spiritual, emotional and physical limits, break through, move out, expand the horizon of your hopes in early life. Begin something new. Beyond that newfound horizon is the glory of new life. Now you are resurrected from your old life, and cannot fall back to sleep.

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The White Flame of Glory: Pergamos, the Third Church
Edna Lister outline, May 15, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 2:12-17, 8:1-5

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”–Revelation 2:12-17.
The church in Pergamos is the third church mentioned in the Book of the Revelation. Pergamos, then named Pergamum, was an ancient Greek kingdom on the coast of Asia Minor, and later a Roman province. Today, it is called Bergama, in the İzmir Province of Turkey. Pergamos, which lies in the Land of Egypt, the abdominal cavity, according to the metaphysical correspondences, represents the physical epigastric nerve plexus and the navel chakra center in the desire body. In Greek, pergos means “a tower, fortified structure.” Metaphysically, Pergamos is the seat of intelligence and of personal pride, also called Satan’s throne.
“I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.”–Revelation 2:14. The citizens of Pergamos were devoted to the worship of Baal, or “lord,” whom Jesus referred to as “the prince of this world,”—“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”–John 12:31. Later he said, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.”–John 14:30. The prince of this world is another title for the father of lies, Belial. The city had countless altars to Baal and the Pergamos citizenry made a mock of God, just as many do today.
People worship so many false idols and often hold blasphemous beliefs. You may not think so, but you mock God when you call yourself dumb, stupid, weak, ill or poor, or when you act selfishly, independent of God’s Mind. All self-condemnation is a mockery of God, your Father, and of your birthright. If you make yourself a stumbling block to others, you are not being an ensample of Light or obedience to law. Fornication, besides referring to sexual immorality, includes taking ugly ideas or thoughts to bed, and waking up in the night with nameless fears or any darkness the self is hugging.
“And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.”–Revelation 1:16. The sword of choice is two-edged—one edge cuts off evil and darkness, the other edge cuts off God’s glory. God never destroys His creations, which are made of immortal substance; however, He does reabsorb the form of the substance and reuse it. You choose which edge of the sword to use, whether to arise in consciousness to glory, or descend to perdition.
Since an adversary-focused consciousness uses only front-brain reasoning, the self-mind resistance acts like a band around the forehead, and shows as headaches. To overcome spiritually means to come up over self’s expressions of rebellion and stubbornness, and includes conquering idle words. You sell yourself short when you listen to or speak idle words. When you repeat them, you recreate yourself in their image and likeness.
“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”–Revelation 2:17. Manna is the nourishing substance God fed the Tribes of Israel in the wilderness, but the “hidden manna” is the gift of life itself, the food of experience hidden in everything and everyone whom you meet. As you meet life, be prepared to accept manna from everywhere.
“A white stone” refers to the pineal body in the brain; its hormone secretion is like white sand. This is the intake point for the white Light of the Christ. As you wash every tainted page of your soul record white as snow, the pineal body awakens as your reward. A stone is “a defense, a polisher, a sharpener, a boundary marker”; it can also mean “to distill, or to condense.” You can distill what you have learned from your experiences in life into such a highly condensed essence that you can store a great deal of wisdom in the brain cells of your mental equipment.
Your “new name” represents new Christed comprehension as Christed “I AM,” the Oversoul consciousness; however, your new name is worthless unless you exalt it with the way you live your life. This is your flaming glory: “And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.”–Hebrews 1:7.
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”–2 Corinthians 3:18. Dare you accept this? Do you believe it? Are you ready to use greater love and to do the greater works for greater conquering? What price will you pay for this glory?
“And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.”–Revelation 8:1-5.
Lift everything in life to this angel with a censer. Be enraptured with your devotion to God and your service to Him. Dare to dedicate your life to releasing greater Power, increasing your flaming imagination and burning desire. Act as if you already are the conquering victor that God has destined you to be. Declare, “I love God. God is great. Thank You, Father.”

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The White Flame of Glory: Pergamos, the Third Church
Edna Lister transcript, Elizabeth Barnes, Irene White, scribes, May 15, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 2:12-17, 8:1-5

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”–Revelation 2:12-17.
The apostles established the third church at Pergamos in Asia Minor, known today as Bergama, in the İzmir Province of Turkey. The name Pergamos means “a fortified tower,” and it was a city devoted to worshiping Baals, the strange gods of the earth, which includes every form of materialism dragging consciousness down to a lower level. Worshipers at the altars of the Baals have always mocked God. We are past that cycle, which was described more than 2,000 years ago. The whole world mocks God and worships the Baals now, wallowing in a very coarse and vulgar vibration. {Baalam is directly relatd to Baalim, or “lords of the earth.”}
Pergamos represents the lower part of the body, the land of Egypt, which includes everything below the diaphragm. As a state of consciousness, Pergamos is but two levels above those who are emerging from the creature stage of consciousness, and signifies willful intelligence without the balancing influence of the Mind of God. When selfish will and desire rule through the appetitive soul, they bind the mind to a peculiar self-centered thinking that passes for intelligence in “Satan’s seat.” The center called “Satan’s seat” is within the cells of the abdominal brain, at the solar plexus, which controls the whole body’s operation through the sympathetic nervous system. A sharp blow to the solar plexus can make you nauseated, or kill the body.
In the metaphysical sense, adultery symbolizes defiling the truth of the heart, mind, and intellect. Fornication is an adulteration that occurs between two factions, and includes perversions, organized crime, terrorist violence, etc. The church in Pergamos was open to the propaganda of evil—the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes—and its inhabitants were committing all the perversions possible to souls having free will.
“Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”–Revelation 2:16. The mouth represents repudiation or acceptance, and the tongue the two-edged sword of free choice. In His mercy, God has given us a protective barrier, which even He cannot penetrate. Through the ages, many have forced their way through by misinterpreting the mysteries, which sometimes causes sudden heart failure in the night.
You always have a choice between “this” or “that.” Two choices are always possible under the mysteries, to ascend or descend. Are you ascending to, or evading, hiding from the truth? Truth is something you should obey, yet most people think, “I accept that I should overcome this, but not now.” The door eventually closes, if you put it off, but you still have the same thing to overcome. To overcome means to come up over a hurdle or obstacle, usually one of self. You create your own life with every choice you make. If you criticize another, you see a barrier, and make yourself over in his image and likeness, which is how you mock God. You, who are in the physical, epitomize the universal. The law is to go up in consciousness. What do you want as your personal image and likeness of God?
Committing fornication is, for instance, going to bed with a fear or doubts, which often cause night fears, and sometimes even a heart attack. You cannot overcome the power of the lower earth, unless you breathe deeply and empty the trash in the subconscious mind of the impulsive appetitive soul. Never cut yourself off from Oversoul I AM consciousness, the door through which Light-as-Power enters your life. If you overcome, Light washes the pages of the past white as snow, and wipes your debts from the Book of Life. You pay a debt each time you overcome a limitation of the self, and God gives you a white stone, which grows as the wisdom of the Almighty.
A quick tongue’s only dividends are loss and debt. Too often, you invest your own life sparks in the body of the person whom you criticize. Every time you criticize, you give away “a piece of your mind,” the actual life sparks that form your brain substance. Overcoming such selfish tendencies is critical, and is a laborious operation. Remember to declare, “This is good. Let there be Light.”
“We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”–2 Corinthians 3:18. Practical overcoming is lifting everything you do not like, the sins of other people, and of the world. Your Begotten Father in heaven already knows all about the world’s sins and evil, so you do not need to go into great detail informing Him of what they are.
“And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.”–Revelation 8:1-5.
As you kneel before your personal prayer altar, you see the faces of those on your lines of Light and responsibility and say, “This person, Name, is good. Let there be Light.” You have soul wings, so fly to heaven. Ignore criticism, and to frustrate the one who picks you apart, say, “You are wonderful.” Put your worst favorites on a cloud of Light.
Now you are changed into total perfection. Let the Light of God move through you. Now you are in the Light, which “makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire.” Your new name is I AM.

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The Morning Stars: Thyatira, the Fourth Church
Edna Lister outline, May 22, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 2:18-29

“You step from self to soul at the heart.”–Edna Lister

“These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass.”–Revelation 2:18. The soul is like a flame, which has the power to consume the physical. What the eyes see arouses the soul to action, positive or negative, for what the eye sees, the heart covets. You may rebuke with just one look, and quell resentment and rebellion without speaking a word. Fine brass appears as gold, yet this is a metaphor for the embodied soul walking earth—the gold of Spirit in its spiritualized form, the body.
“I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.”–Revelation 2:19. “Works” is mentioned twice, first in relation to the works of the self, second in relation to the soul working from the higher creative center, the endocrine glands and nerve centers in the head. The works of self include duty-works, such as holding a job, raising a family, repairing the car or the house. You most commonly practice charity when you give another the benefit of the doubt. Your service is to God, and faith is your devotion of soul.
“Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.”–Revelation 2:20-21. The original Jezebel was a Phoenician princess, whose father, Ethbaal, was king of Tyre. She married Ahab, king of Israel, who permitted her to build altars dedicated to Baal; thus, she established idolatry in Israel. She did many evil works, including murder and human sacrifice.
Elijah prophesied of Jezebel, saying, “The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.”–1 Kings 21:23. After Ahab died, Elisha anointed Jehu king (2 Kings 9:3), and commanded him to destroy the house of Ahab. Of Jezebel, Elisha prophesied, saying, And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her.–2 Kings 9:10.
And the prophecies came to pass: “They went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.”–2 Kings 9:35-37.
Jezebel’s story is a grim tale of how self carries the soul into evil. Every soul chooses between self-expression, demanding and forcing by demonstrations of will, or working from soul’s ideals. Soul “lets” things happen, and speaks the magic Word, “This is good. Let there be Light,” so that miracles may come as added things in your life. Jezebel was a black queen of darkness, thrown to the dogs because she sacrificed to idols and taught others to eat of things sacrificed. Your wisest sacrifice is the idle words you speak, otherwise you find yourself eating them when the laws you break return them to you.
Jezebel’s creature-like appetitive soul nature, which she expressed in her body, was eaten by a pack of feral digs, symbolic of the gods she worshiped. Only her human nature remained, the skull, the seat of the golden bowl, her hands, and her feet, symbolic of her works and level of understanding. The heart is the seat of zeal for the Lord and His Truth, but also holds the sins of anger, covetousness, envy, gluttony, lust, pride, and sloth. You can commit fornication and adultery on any level when you let self rule soul.
“Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.”–Revelation 2:22-23. The law requires that you live by your rational soul’s desires as opposed to self’s desires, which feed the animal nature through the appetitive soul. You can rest yourself to death on a low vibration, so to be cast into bed refers to a state of lukewarm inactivity, the opposite of zeal. Always repent as you go. “I will kill her children” refers to thoughts of discord, disharmony, illness, pain, fear and doubts. To “kill” implies taking that thing’s life power, absorbing it.
“I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts”: The reins is an archaic name for the kidneys, which represent purity of thoughts and desires. Reins also represent control over self and its desires, and “power over the nations,” which are the body’s organs. Physically, the kidneys filter the blood [renal function]; when they fail, the body must have dialysis or die. The spine is “a rod of iron,” so stand straight, upright in the Light and hold fast to truth. When the chaos comes, the “nations” will be “broken to shivers,” meaning that all crystallization will be melted and dissolved, absorbed into Light.
“And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”–Revelation 2:18-29. The morning stars are the creator gods who descended in the first live wave to come to earth. You build your highest spiritual body of pure soul substance, which we call stardust.
Being a “morning star” was your original estate, to which you will return when you have conquered self to the degree that you have shattered the old idols, the creations of self, and scattered the ashes of your dead self in a lake of divine fire to be absorbed and returned to you. The morning star consciousness holds that enchanting dreamlike quality, the tone and mood of those moments before dawn and the rising sun, the morning of life, a new ascended life of glory and soul rapture.

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The Morning Stars: Thyatira, the Fourth Church
Edna Lister transcript, Elizabeth Barnes and Irene White, scribes, May 22, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 2:18-29

“And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”–Revelation 2:18-29.
The fourth church of the Revelation is Thyatira, which represents the heart center, the seat of the soul’s desires. Pergamos, the third center is the seat of self’s desires, and is in conflict with the heart in Thyatira. This text describes soul conquering over selfish desire, as you step from self to soul at the heart, the fourth center.
“And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.”–Revelation 2:18-19.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has “eyes like a flame of fire,” which means that the Power was going forth as he released it to create this vision that John records. Jesus’ eyes always flashed with joy, and sparkled with a flame of Light. The eyes are the windows of the soul and you can communicate without word, with only a glance. You need not reply if another unjustly accuses you, but just stand and look at the accuser to confuse his attack.
To say that “his feet are like fine brass,” hides a mystery. Fine brass shines like gold, but is a natural alloy of copper and zinc that the ancients prized nearly as much as they did gold. The feet represent understanding, and being shod, or wearing shoes, protects your feet and keeps you standing under the Light. Brass is not magnetic and so shields the feet from the influence of earth’s magnetic currents. The Guardian Angels and all angelic messengers to earth are shod in the etheric equivalent of fine brass to render them impervious to the magnetic currents as they walk earth.
All angels belong to one of the seven groups of service headed by Archangels. All things and beings in Creation serve God’s will to bring His desires for Creation to fruition. You can offer your service on the basis of self and selfishness, or as soul service. How about your works? Are they merely duty-service—holding a job to pay for food, shelter and clothing, providing for your family, keeping your car in good working order? If so, you are asking for credits for just doing your duty. The Elect choose to serve God “just because” He is God, and serve in complete joy, never counting the cost.
Your works include many expressions of virtue, including love, service, faith, and patience. Charity is a synonym for love. Webster’s Dictionary defines charity as being “love, benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to men.” You hear people say, “I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt,” but this is not real charity. Service, under the faith of the soul, is serving God with soul service.
“I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.”–Revelation 2:20-23.
The original Jezebel was a devotee of evil, willing to do anything, including murder, to have her way. The woman in Thyatira, who called herself Jezebel, represents perversion and all unlawful activities. She had seduced the city’s inhabitants to commit fornication, to eat unclean things, including sacrifices to idols. What do you sacrifice to idols? Do you lend your good name to gossip, curses, resentments, or criticisms? Every soul must either lift his idle words, wiping the record clean, or eat them.
Fornication is active sinning, but adultery can be passive. For example, you commit adultery when you sacrifice to false gods, or adulterate the Power of God, which is always seeking to use you. Under either fornication or adultery, you fall into great tribulation as your vibration instantly dies. Sin renders you silent, severs your contact with Power, and casts you into the bed of apathy. Some say, “I need some rest. I’m just ready to collapse.” They don’t need more rest, but more life!

Your symbolic children are your creations. “I will kill her children with death” means that thoughts of disharmony, disease, weakness, fear and doubt will kill your brain cells and your creations, your ideas and emotions. To kill means to take the life from something completely, so it has no power over you. Soul ascension of consciousness is all about dissolving the negative taints in the self. God’s Light takes the life out of evil. The seat of Satan, the seat of self as the subconscious mind of appetitive soul, is at the solar plexus.

“God’s Light takes the life out of evil.”–Edna Lister

Thyatira represents the fourth outgoing vibration of service. “Hold fast what you have till I come,” or until you have your next illumination. You get wisdom through the Christ Spirit born and strengthened in you as you obey the law. Just hold fast, clinging long enough to gain the soul illumination that will take you to your next step.
“And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”–Revelation 2:26-29. Jesus the Christ taught us about the power of our words and what to say legally in the eyes of the law. Your words can and must go forth for the healing of the nations. You have the right to speak the Word in his name, which is your healing mandate. The nations also represent the organs and functions of the physical body. God has given you the power for your own healing.
“He shall rule them with a rod of iron.” Your spine is your physical rod of power in a symbolic sense. The spine, as a rod of iron, gives you the stamina to stand steadfastly, unmoving, unwavering, to rule your nations. Yet you also need deep breathing that connects you with your Source. As the Power goes forth, it will shake, shatter and lift every bit of crystallization from your body, which will be healed in the process.
“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”–Job 38:1-7.
The original morning stars were creators, begotten and created, who descended from various sources and cities before the creation of worlds, when the Light first began to shine. We know that six days of Creation have passed, and we are in the seventh. The days are separated by long nights of rest and assimilation of experience. Everything held in abeyance since the previous day has awakened, and restarted at the point where it went to sleep. The creator gods originally descended to earth with all their soul faculties open and functioning. They were sent as Watchers to help guide and guard the consciousness evolving upward here. Most did their service well, but the greatest perpetrators of later evil were among the morning stars.
“I will give him the morning star” refers to that consciousness of belonging, of having your identity with God. Grasp it, and it builds you up, makes you a strong, joyous dawn star of Light just rising. Divine energy feeds you, and your strength comes to renew itself with the morning sun. Reach for your morning star, awaken your crown lotus petals to draw in the Light to fill you. You grow into your original stardust body of Light when you fully identify with your own morning star.
Hold an attitude of rejoicing above and beyond any earthly happiness. No more shall you sacrifice to idols with idle words. Live by your soul desires, not self. Accept your divine identity, and begin to live as God created you, as stardust, the finest Godlike substance of creation. Become a full-fledged morning star.

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The White Raiment of Defense: Sardis, the Fifth Church
Edna Lister outline, June 5, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 3:1-6

“And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”–Revelation 3:1-6.
Sardis is the fifth church mentioned in Revelation 3:1-6, and as the fifth church, it represents freedom. Sardis is associated with the physical pharyngeal nerve plexus and the throat vital center in the desire body. All physical nerve plexus centers are power stations for the brain, which soul uses. Power descends through the atomic mental body’s lotus centers, then through the desire body vital centers, which overlay the nerve plexus power stations.
The Land of Egypt holds three centers, the Promised Land holds one, and the Garden of Eden holds three. The throat center is the first power station as the soul ascends into the Garden of Eden. Every nerve in the body must pass through the pharyngeal nerve center’s control. The throat is the soul’s gateway of Power in speaking the Word. All Power is centered in the throat, and is released through the voice.
The name Sardis means “prince of joy” or “joyous dominion.” Sardis represents freedom and the life immortal, which flows through the sevenfold Power as man’s life. The keynote of your freedom to choose is to watch and to be watchful. Of the seven churches, only Sardis and Laodicea, the seventh church, are not reprimanded for adultery, fornication, or consorting with Satan.
Metaphysically, the root of the tongue is the seat of royal power, the power of decree and proclamation. The disciple Philip rules this center as Power, and Peter rules it as faith. The navel chakra, the third church, represents the little “me,” but the throat center represents “I,” the I AM of Oversoul. The “me” has no power to act alone, so any use of “me, my” or “mine” is always with the consent of the “I.” Power must come through the throat, the site of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, and the soul’s ability to speak the Word.
When you let self say, “I think. I believe. I believe, I feel bad,” your individualized “I” puts self on display and parades it in public when talking about “me, my” and “mine.” When impulsive appetitive soul takes over and projects “me,” it completely blocks all progress, ascension, expansion and illumination. Little me, indulging in grief or self-pity, causes illness. The soul must command self to ascend in consciousness. The self’s “I” must ascend to I AM consciousness.

“The soul must command self to ascend in consciousness.”–Edna Lister

“And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.”–Revelation 3:1-2.
“Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead” is the result of the law—“For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.”–Matthew 13:12. When you lack desire, when you let your desire die, you can release no Power through your spoken Word.
To “be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain” requires that you praise God because it invokes Power, causing it to descend in sevenfold rays as the white Light of the Christ. Praise forms an invisible sheath around the body, which is your “white raiment.” White represents purity of heart, mind and purpose, which you must watch over, day and night. Purity of heart includes praise above and compassion below. Purity of mind permits no wandering thoughts or idle words, just mentally singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Purity of purpose means that your goal is ascension and immortality. Who gave anyone the guarantee that to be happy was the goal of life on earth?
“Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”–Revelation 3:4-5. Praise completes your identity with God in the Christed “I AM” consciousness of your Oversoul. Praise strengthens your weak and dead points. All nerves cross at the medulla oblongata at the base of the skull, and praise sets the nerves tingling. Your white raiment represents the initiation of Transfiguration when you ascend in consciousness.
Only praise can ripen the fruits of the Spirit. Your trouble arises because you pick your fruits of the Spirit while they are still green. When your individualized “I” moves up in consciousness to Oversoul’s Christed “I AM,” and allows Light to rule the tongue, Power forms this white raiment sheath around you. Nothing can withstand the rays of the Christ Light. The same Christ Light saved Daniel in the lions’ den, caused the walls of Jericho to fall, and parted the Red Sea. It most assuredly will prepare a table before you in the presence of any so-called enemy. Every morning, declare, “The Christ Light is my white raiment, my defense before the world, my protection from evil, or anything unlike God.”

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The White Raiment of Defense: Sardis, the Fifth Church
Edna Lister transcript, Elizabeth Barnes, Irene White, scribes, June 5, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 3:1-6

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write, These things says he who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”–Revelation 3:1-6.
Controversies to no end are related with daily living. Sardis is the fifth church, and five is the number of freedom to choose under law. You are part of the great whole, and your physical body is a replica of the universe in miniature. All vital desire body centers lie over nerve plexus centers, which are the body’s power centers. Power moves up and down through the seven vital centers, which are named for the seven churches.
Sardis represents the throat center, positioned behind the thyroid in the throat. The throat center is the “seat of power,” and the disciple, Philip, has charge of it. As the first important power station, it can be a block to illumination. The garden of Eden is the golden bowl, the skull and higher creative centers within the brain, the endocrine glands.
You express the Power moving in you through your voice.For this to happen though, you must follow the laws of loyalty, honor and integrity. The place to starts is with no idle words, or criticism. Christed “I AM” consciousness is dead in whatever part of you that refuses to accept. The Elect follow Jesus Christ as the Word of Light through the Gates of Power, and come to new life. Eventually, you will conquer whatever you repudiated when you did not accept your responsibility, or forgot laws, even the simple rules like please and thank you. If you can make an unwise statement, it proves that you still have an atrophied, dead place, a taint that you must conquer. Every soul must conform to law, and give up self.

“Every soul must conform to law, and give up self.”–Edna Lister

The power of Christ consciousness is in the Oversoul (super-conscious mind), which uses the rational soul (conscious mind). You need increased devotion to God and compassion for your fellow man, and you will have them, if you go through the Gates of Light to release the Power of the living God. Spirit cannot be touched, so Light can heal any physical hurt at once.
You came to earth gifted with every attribute of God, and no goal is too high for you to attain. Become that which you have envisioned. Your key word is to “be watchful” at the gate, so that your “I” does not foolishly consent to the little me demands. “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments,” which represent purity of mind, purity of heart, and purity of soul. Stand in the golden Light, and the white Light of the Christ enfolds you.
Do not pick your fruit of the Spirit while it is still green. Do not criticize, or blame, but ascend in consciousness. Your goal is God.

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A Rainbow Has No End: Philadelphia, the Sixth Church
Edna Lister outline, June 12, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 3:7-13, 7:1-10

“The three higher emanations of Wisdom, Love and the Logos always create a rainbow when they touch earth.”–Edna Lister

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”–Revelation 3:6-7.
David was the king of Israel, the holder of Power who opened the vibration for Jesus the Christ. He started the vibration to change from the law of Moses to the Messianic law of love. The “key of David” is praise. Praise is the catch-basin for the emanation of Love and holds it for the vital centers to fan it throughout the body. The open door is Oversoul’s Christ consciousness. As long as any desire to ascend, to return to God, remains within the soul, man cannot shut the door. You can open or close the door by what you loose or bind on earth and in heaven.
“Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”–Matthew 16:9-10. Those “who say they are Jews and are not” reveals that you must lift the desires, thoughts and emotions that remain in you to a cloud of Light. Oversoul must be in charge of all of you, appetitive soul and rational soul, to worship before God’s I AM THAT I AM.
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.”–Revelation 3:11.
“Let no man take thy crown” refers to the crown of the head, the thousand-petaled lotus of the atomic mental body. The crown door closes every time you allow any outer experience of earth to take over your consciousness. “I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.” The pillar is the spine, which is your personal rod of Power when you are strong in faith and the Spirit. “I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem.” What do you choose for your new name? Peace? Joy? Life? Light? Rapture?
“After these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”–Revelation 7:1-10.
Revelation 7:1-10 describes the servants of God as twelve tribes of descended creator gods, twelve thousand from each tribe, making 144,000 in all. The ninth verse refers to them as a multitude, the 144,000 of the first life wave to descend to earth. After the fall of man, all progress in the Plan of Creation was held in abeyance until the first life wave was saved.
On October 20, 1961, we, the Elect, reached the nadir of our involvement in matter and the material consciousness of earth. Now we are well underway in the upward climb back home to God. We are His workers in the vineyards of earth, and His lifters, His speakers of the Word to lift earth from the grasp of darkness. Never forget that this is your universal mission.

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A Rainbow Has No End: Philadelphia, the Sixth Church
Edna Lister transcript, Elizabeth Barnes, Ruth Johnson, Irene White, scribes, June 12, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 3:7-12, 7:1-10

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.”–Revelation 3:7-13.
Philadelphia, the name of the sixth church of the Revelation, means “the city of him who loves his brother,” signifying brotherly or fraternal love, and motherly love. Each church is related to a desire body vital center and a physical nerve plexus center. The pineal body and pituitary gland are the endocrine glands of wisdom and love respectively. The brow center controls the pituitary gland, and the church in Philadelphia is related to it. You, as an embodied soul, are an appetitive soul and a rational soul subject to an Oversoul, which binds you together as one. You ascend from the heart center, until your faculty of desire enters the higher creative center in your brain, to the pituitary gland for the baptisms of water and fire, and the attendant initiations of transformation and transfiguration—every embodied soul is in line to take these initiations now.
The brow center is the seat of will, and the heart center, the seat of desire. Your ascension task is to move the little self up to high desire in the pituitary gland, which functions the Love principle as intuition, part of the Oversoul’s I AM consciousness. Next, your individualized “I am” arises to the pineal body, which frees the will from the self. The pineal body functions the Wisdom principle as illumination. The process of becoming I AM, as a Christed one, is an actual ascension from the physical cells all the way to the spiritual fire body built of subatomic particles.
Three emanations become three higher breaths, which fall into the four elements—earth, water, air, and fire, also called the “four winds,” named for the four cardinal directions. The four lower degrees of breath are composed of the chemical combinations possible with the four elements; the three higher degrees of breath are are expressions of the emanations of Love, Wisdom, and the Logos of Energy. Every deep breath holds all seven degrees of breath. Your deep breath descends the spine and ascends through the desire body vital centers, which are the circulating fans of vitality in the physical body. They blow the lower breaths to mingle with the three higher breaths.
Ordinarily, you walk through the world pushing 14.7 pounds of pressure per square inch. When you breathe deeply in the morning and periodically throughout the day, the River of Life enters your golden bowl as Love, Wisdom, and Power, the world pressure parts and you can move through your day effortlessly. Love flows into the pituitary gland; Wisdom flows through the pineal body, and the whole breath flows through the midbrain when the Logos, releases it through the physical hypothalamus. The River of Life cleanses the hormones and neurotransmitters in the bloodstream, as it flows through the midbrain neurons, and opens your personal soul records.
The desire body vital centers equalize the flow of Power through the physical body as you breathe, constantly rebuilding your body through live-giving arterial blood and hormone secretions, if you believe and let it. You contact the three higher degrees of breaths as you lift will to its seat of power at the brow center. When the emanations flow as the River of Life, they contact the four angels of the winds. Then the three emanations fall into the four elements within you, and an endless figure-eight rainbow appears on your brow; the rainbow’s colors show what you are conquering. Light shines through the brow, but when self-will takes over, it turns off the Light. When you ascend your will, the brow window clears, and Light shines forth again.
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”–Matthew 16:19. The “key of David” is praise, which opens the door of your crown to illumination and intuition, and starts the figure-eight-shaped bands of Light oscillating in your desire body to hold you in balance. Never work for peace, but for illumination. Praise opens the door to God’s I AM THAT I AM. His Light loosens whatever you place in His hands, so He can work it together for good. After you have opened the Christed “I AM” center, only you can shut that door by binding yourself to earth again. When you make a prayer mold, you must keep the door open to fill it. If you close the door, your mold springs leaks, and you have no place to go for a refill.
“Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.“–Revelation 3:9-10. The pretender Jews mentioned here represent the “little me” of appetitive soul that binds the embodied soul on earth. The true Jews are the high soul faculties that bow at the feet of the emanations. For example, when you surrender your guilt or sorrow, you bow before the higher creative center and the Light goes forth to cleanse your soul.
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.”–Revelation 3:9-10. Your “crown” of mental body lotus petals grows from the lighted nerve endings in your brain when you hunger and thirst after righteousness. In 1936, I said that medicine would someday have a light to revitalize nerves. This invention, the laser, is coming from the plans that were already circulating in the River of Life. “I will write upon him my new name.” Your new name is whatever you call yourself. If you say, “I am dumb,” your name is Dumb! Say, “I am joy and my name is Joy!” This is your heritage, for as the Master said, “I leave you my joy.”
“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”–Revelation 7:1-10.
The Scripture of 144,000 in the tribes with the seven churches signals a new release of Power and begins a new vibration. Reading about the twelve tribes is important today—we use it as a clarion call to each of the 12,000 descended souls from each tribe, who came under the banner of Christ, to get busy! Twelve thousand souls will always descend from each of the twelve inner Golden Cities to begin a new Day of Manifestation. As the Elect, we descended to earth as part of the first life wave, whose number is always 144,000. Many became enthralled with earth and slipped from their original mission. The King’s Chamber of the Great Pyramid opened September 16, 1936, when the first life wave entered the higher creative center. Some from the first life wave have dropped back, and others of the second have ascended and taken their places.
Yet the clarion call has gone forth! On October 20, 1961, we, the Elect, completed our involvement in the material world of earth and we have begun the long, steep ascent home to God.

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I Stand at the Door: Laodicea, the Seventh Church
Edna Lister outline, June 19, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 3:14-21

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”–Revelation 3:14-21.
The church of the Laodiceans is the final church mentioned in the Revelation. Laodicea was a wealthy city that lay only forty miles from Ephesus in the Lycus River valley of what today Turkey. Laodicea is associated with the crown center and the pineal body in the brain. The secretions of the pineal body and the pituitary gland rule of the higher creative center, under the direction and control of the hypothalamus, the main link between your endocrine system and your nervous system. The hypothalamus maintains your body balance, its homeostasis.
The promise to the Laodiceans includes all the Hebrew children of Israel, the sons of Abraham through the line of Isaac and Jacob. God promised them a “land flowing with milk and honey,” identified as Canaan, but which also refers to the hormones secreted by the pineal body and pituitary gland. The pineal body secretes a white sand-like hormone, and the pituitary gland secretes a honey-like substance created after Light flows through the pineal body. Without this “milk and honey,” which releases the proper thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), the body will run on a deficiency basis.
“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”–Revelation 3:18. To be tried in the fire is to burn away the self in sacrifice for the soul. The eye-salve is the balm of compassion. Everything you do is in the Light of the Christ. When you stand in this Light, every shadow cast by an idle word or neglect is a rebuke and a call to ascend in consciousness.
Laodicea represents judgment, good or poor, righteous or self-righteous. The brow center is the seat of judgment, the center of a desire body vital center and a mental body lotus center. This makes it the rod that holds thinking and imagination in perfect balance. Wisdom is cold, but Love’s intuition is hot. The crown center, the thousand-petaled lotus, which holds the platform of the Oversoul star, is the throne room. Laodicea is the seat, or throne, of judgment, where desire, thinking and imagination become one with God. You use the pineal body and pituitary gland as instruments to accomplish this. When your desire dies, your fire goes out. Thus, you may blow either hot or cold, yet being either extreme, overly wise or overly zealous, is better than indifference.
Love is the gold tried in the fire. When you lift self and subordinate it to soul, it burns away the dross of self’s lukewarmness. Hot or cold, when self takes charge, soul abdicates the throne of good judgment. Will divorces itself from Wisdom, rationalization takes charge, and a motley fool holds the throne. Rationalization creates disintegration. You receive no answer about anything in prayer when your good judgment is asleep. When you fill your prayers with the riches of joy and praise Wisdom sitsin the seat of judgment, your high place of right decisions, where you make up your own mind.
“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”–Revelation 3:16. The mouth represents assimilation, but opinions, prejudices, fears and doubts hold nothing worthwhile to assimilate. When law reacts to chasten you, Spirit spews your lukewarmness. If you maintain watch over the self, you need no further chastening. When you are being lukewarm or rationalizing, you cast a shadow, like a heavy dark cloud obscuring the sun. When you are rebuked or chastised, ascend in consciousness and open the door!
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”–Revelation 3:20. Reach for the stars in praise. Sit enthroned on the Christ consciousness, until all your creative centers are whirling and open. As your lotus petals blossom, you experience all rapture, soul triumph and victory over darkness. Create your goal, hold fast to your vision of the good, build the mold and fill it!

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I Stand at the Door: Laodicea, the Seventh Church
Edna Lister transcript, Irene White, scribe, June 19, 1966, Cleveland, OH, Revelation 3:14-21

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”–Revelation 3:14-21.
Laodicea is the seventh church of the crown center in the golden bowl, the head. When you have moved up in consciousness to the crown of super-conscious mind, you awaken the brain cells and listen for the Voice of God. The number 44 is an important symbol. Four is number of the pineal body, the Light of illumination, and also the number of the pituitary gland of intuition. Forty-four is two fours, symbolizing the soul’s ascension to the high place, where you may center your spiritual life in perfection.
The first life wave holds 144,000 creator gods who descended to earth. God promised the children of Israel a land flowing with milk and honey, which refers to the higher creative center in the brain. When the Light of God fills the pineal body with honey-like wisdom, and the pituitary gland with love’s milk, you do have a “land flowing with milk and honey.” Deep breathing is necessary, and the sacrifice of self on love’s altar fires. You have this great ability to change your life. The crown center sits atop the body’s rod of power of Light, which goes right down the spine to the sacrum, the sacral plexus.
“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”–Revelation 3:15-16. You create with the words of your mouth, but lukewarmness in speech produces a great big blob of waste. “I would thou wert cold or hot” means that some kind of vibration of action is happening. If you allow yourself to cool down to lukewarm, you will never receive the answer to prayer. God cannot give you your answer before you have earned it. With just one little thought of indifference, down you come in vibration!—rationalization ices your soul’s vibration and stops you cold. Maintain the balanced middle course—bless, bless, and praise, praise!
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and dine with him, and he with me.”–Revelation 20-21. When you disobey law, you mock the Master. When the Master knocks at your door but you do not answer, you cast a shadow that sits on your own throne of judgment and thus earn a rebuke.
The seven churches of the Revelation represent vital powers in your own body, which generate your physical substance of love, and your mental wisdom. God gave you the power of choice when He made you. You bring your personal degree of perfection into the Light according to your own hungering and thirsting after righteousness. You can always improve your degree of perfection by ascending to your throne of good judgment, into the Light, where you are the living ensample of the Light moving through you. Your love and praise refine the dross of self from the gold of soul. You buy this gold, refined in the fire of love when the Love of God possesses you.

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The Eightfold Path of Buddha: Powers of Being
Edna Lister transcript, Margaret Doan, Ruth Johnson, Lotus Landis, Irene White, Ross Whitehead, scribes, October 18, 1966, Cleveland, OH

Following is the highest possible interpretation for the Eightfold Noble Path of Buddha, containing the original teachings from the Sources. Jesus taught the rhythms of seven in the Seven Degrees, and powers of being, which are eight phases of the Logos Emanation of Power as energy. We use these powers of being in our healing work.
Gautama Buddha (483-563 BC), the “enlightened one,” founded the philosophy of Buddhism in India, and taught a doctrine of “four noble truths”: existence is suffering, the cause of suffering is desire, there is an end to suffering, called transcendence (Nirvana), and there is a path to the end of suffering, the practice of meditation on Eightfold Noble Path.
The soul walking the eightfold path never completely succeeds because by climbing on it he cannot pass beyond the third Degree of the Adept. Even at the eighth point of ascension they are still adepts. The modern versions of the eightfold path taught today seek self-control, but usually fail to sublimate. The Via Christa is the way of complete ascension to become as perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect.

Neophyte: Law of Acceptance

“I accept all that comes to me as mine own. I earned it in past lives or created it in this life, or it is something of darkness that only I may lift for my Father; therefore, I do accept and lift all that comes unto me. I now accept my responsibility to lift all that comes to me, which entails these three things: assuming all responsibility for all darkness around me, a responsibility to sacrifice self, and the responsibility of full surrender to be the servant of all the Power. I now observe every detail of my life. I am alive and alert to observe above and below. As I use observation in my outer life, according to my practice of observation, exactly so shall I see and hear in Heaven.” Only under acceptance can the higher mental faculties open: logic, reason, discernment discrimination, and discretion.
Rebirth is the first Mystic Brotherhood Initiation of the Via Christa. Jesus emphasized this: “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God” – John 3:3. Rebirth breaks the shackles of the subconscious with all its old ideas, opinions and prejudices. You must be reborn in consciousness to control the “little self,” let alone master it. Rebirth makes us child-like in the simplicity of our acceptance. “Whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein” – Mark 10:15.
Self-control is the first Buddhist path. Control is the first step in conquering self, and it begins with bridling the tongue. Stop using idle words, especially, “I’m trying.” Buddhism calls this “right understanding” (knowledge), and teaches that you must speak no ill or injure anyone. On the Via Christa, self-control is under the adept degree. We call it self-mastery. Here you apply discrimination, which is the mental faculty of differentiation, of being able to make an exact distinction between different ideas and actions. Discrimination is how you decide what is right and what is wrong.
Hatha Yoga, the yoga of physical control, is under self-control. For us, Hatha Yoga is part of the five great Laws of the Neophyte: breathing, water, diet, rest and exercise. Rest includes sleep, recreation and diversion, all the activities that inspire and quicken, including reading and painting. When we coordinate and apply these Laws in their proper relationship, we are balanced physically.
he first great Power of Being is conquering the forces working in the lower self, the subconscious or subsoul. This comes under acceptance and self-mastery. You already have the Power to conquer subsoul, so why work for just self-control? The difference between our work and Buddhism is that they work for 20 years to control self under Hatha Yoga, while we do all this plus Rajah Yoga, which is the Royal Path to Illumination.

Disciple: Law of Surrender

All Power comes from above. “Not I, but my Father doeth the work.” Here you surrender self-will and self-desires to become the servant of all the Power. To surrender is to let go. By letting go of self-credits, self-doubts and all thoughts of self, you conquer through obedience to the law of surrender, knowing that the Power does the work.
The second Buddhist path is control of actions, and it involves “right thought” (intention). Under Buddhism, this is control of all actions by controlling outer expression. To us this means right direction of all outer expression under the faculty of discretion, which is the power of deciding or judging. Discretion is the faculty that governs knowing when to speak and when to remain silent. This is a law of surrender.
Baptism by Water is the second Mystic Brotherhood initiation. Through Baptism by Water we stabilize emotions into the Christ-life. The Disciple does this by surrendering emotional “jags” and reactions to balance the emotional expression. Emotional reactions include opinions, prejudice, resentment blame, guilt and all old, worn-out memories.
The second Power of Being is command of all inner forces under the process of growth. The inner forces of the “process of growth” deal with the principles of expansion and contraction. Under acceptance and surrender come expansion and growth. Under contraction and repudiation come condensation and crystallization. Command of all inner forces is earned through stabilizing emotions until all healing Power moves through us to raise or lower the rate of vibration of Substance. This is the power of healing. We know that if we work for self-mastery we already have self-control.
The Law is, “I arise and go into my Father’s house.” Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). The Law helps those who help themselves. This means you have to work out your own salvation; you work out your own problems.

Adept: Law of Obedience

“Obey the Law and live.” The Law of Obedience covers all Law, for if you break the least of the Laws, you have broken the whole. Balance of the mental life is the responsibility of the Adept.
Baptism by Fire is the third Mystic Brotherhood initiation. Here the flames of the Holy Ghost pour out upon you. These flames are the pure, unadulterated atomic fire of Holy Breath as love. This comes at any hour after surrender until all that is left is love. Baptism by Fire always brings a choice of love or hate, positive or negative. Love brooks nothing but love.
For one who hates, treat by declaring, “Father, raise this beautiful Substance of Love sent to me. Ascend, purify and restore Love to (Name).” Use this for those who criticize and curse you to redeem their lost soul substance. Stand in a circle of love, gird your loins, cross your arms and declare the curses are love, and thank God for them.
The third Buddhist path is cultivation of perseverance, which is steadfastness. All obstacles become a challenge for the initiate to practice steadfastness and perseverance. This path includes “right speech,” which means wise and careful words. What are you going to declare? “I am a swine” or “I am good”? Remember, one “Let there be Light” sets into action the whole eightfold path without having to think through each Law.
The third Power of Being is command over all outer forces. You can only command yourself, and you do it under complete surrender. Use the gesture of a creator: Give yourself the inner command to “gird up your loins.” Contract the abdominal muscles to in draw all magnetic currents to the solar plexus center. Hold them there as you in draw the etheric currents on a deep breath. As magnetic and etheric currents meet at the solar plexus, an explosion follows, which is Light “watering” the glands. This makes you a “pillar,” an instrument of the Living God.
Three is the number of perfected personal expression. To do the “greater works” that Jesus performed takes a vivid Imagination, and flaming Desire. You can only do by letting. Stand steadfast and let God do the work as you, with no force of self-will. We don’t use Power, we let Power use us. In this sense, standing is conquering by becoming the Power released. Then the Power goes forth to do the work. Overcome and overlook. To overcome is to come up over all ideas of self and limitation. To overlook is to look up over outer appearances to see God’s reality.

Mystic: Praise

The Mystic is one who serves God day and night, inwardly singing “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Praise frees you to pray with fervor at the heart center. The heart center is the respiratory rate of balance between the three lower and three higher chakras.
Transfiguration is the fourth Mystic Brotherhood initiation. Transfiguration is in-drawing in the life sparks from the physical and ascending them to the desire then to the mental body. You are transfigured only according to the fervency of your service to God. Four, the number of service, represents the pineal gland of Wisdom and Illumination.
The fourth Buddhist path is thw cultivation of tolerance and “right action” (conduct). Buddhism teaches that you cultivate tolerance through contemplation and seeking comprehension of the “all.” Yet this is not enough. You must live in the world and learn how to agree with God that "this is good," and adjust to your fellow man to effecrtively apply tolerance.
The fourth Power of Being is setting aside gravitation, which is becoming too light to be held by earth gravity. It is walking on Light-beams, a raised and indrawn vibration of the atomic mental body. This is Transfiguration. Emotions must be sublimated to levitate or walk on water. Under praise, thankfulness, gratitude and devotion, the One, the All lifts the “little self” into I AM consciousness. Acceptance, surrender, obedience and praise are the pathway to Transfiguration and levitation.

Master: I AM Good

Good is the name of the Father on earth. Good is the name of every lifespark, atom, molecule and cell on earth. When you say, “I AM good,” it lets you be used by God. “I AM good” is a recall to your Throne Center. Call upon the name of “I AM good” to lift yourself above every negative circumstance. You apply this Law from the heart center, above the meridian [diaphragm].
“I AM good” is the name of your identity with God. Fasten yourself to Him. Stand and shout, “I AM GOOD,” then in draw the magnetic and etheric currents and hold them at the abdomen, covering the lower centers [sacrum, splenic and solar plexus]. This forms a Girdle of Aphrodite, a sheath of protection about the solar plexus. Shocks, blows and “world” things hit at the solar plexus. This Sheath of Aphrodite holds you undaunted. This is our gift of the Fathers.
Crucifixion of self-will is the fifth Mystic Brotherhood Initiation. When you crucify self-will, you mate Desire with Will to become I AM. You must look Up. “I AM good” causes desire to mate with will in a marriage of the Lamb; and this opens the pituitary as Intuition and the pineal as Illumination. The symbol of a fully opened pineal and pituitary is 144,000, the name of the Elect on earth. “I AM good” tunes you in to the River of Life that cleanses and purifies as you move with it. Tune in the vibration of the faith of all ages rather than the world vibration. You can apply it 24 hours a day.
The fifth Buddhist path is cultivation of an impersonal-personal attitude toward life. Buddhism calls this “right livelihood.” To us the cultivation of an impersonal-personal attitude is becoming too “simple-minded” to take offense. This strength comes with ascension, finding and holding your new relationship with God and man, agreeing and adjusting in harmony with the River of Life. Think of how many go through life wanting harmony to adjust to them. “I AM good” is good management of your life and faith. Learn to go to God first and let love pour forth upon your neighbor. Lift the situation and stand in and on the Light to adjust in harmony.
The fifth Power of Being is becoming too heavy to be moved. This is exhaling and invoking the Power on the 5th Breath (atomic) to become too heavy. You do this for protection. You apply the law of condensation to substance to lower its rate of vibration, and precipitate under the law of gravitation. Both Laws operate under the Principle of Contraction. This gives you the absolute ability to stand unshakable, immovable by any darkness, becoming too heavy to be moved from the Light. Breath is the whole Substance of life throughout the universes. In breathing under the Laws of Condensation and Gravitation is how you precipitate a visible body.

Priest: Law of Becoming

The Priest works under the law of becoming (transmutation or sublimation) all the law he has learned. This is the “lonely path” because you walk it “alone.” Here you string together your lost pearls of wisdom. Separate the wheat from the chaff, and keep only the good.
Resurrection is the sixth Mystic Brotherhood Initiation. You resurrect both Love, the emotional life, and Wisdom, the mental life. To do this you apply just appraisal in three steps: surrender, praise and lifting. You surrender self under the Laws of Forgiveness. Praise all previous good. You lift all to the Father, knowing that He does the work. As you are resurrected from old ways of thinking and emotions you move into all life as the Father-Mother Principles of Wisdom and Love.
The sixth Buddhist path is balance and equilibrium, which is “right conduct.” Balance, Equilibrium and Equanimity are standing on the Hub of the Wheel. Get off the pendulum of self and stand on the Hub of the Wheel. Then you become a teacher and protector.
The sixth great Power of Being is becoming invisible, to clothe yourself in Supreme Light and make yourself invisible to darkness. Lost articles become invisible when there was irritation, upset or blame at the time of their disappearance. To invoke Supreme Light, there can be no blame. “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). You make things visible in the quiet of your soul, the Golden Silence, under the Law of Becoming.

Christos: Law of Absolute Responsibility

Ascension is the seventh Mystic Brotherhood Initiation. To ascend is to climb or go up to a relatively higher position, to rise by process of growth. It means to proceed from the inferior to the superior, to rise in degree of characteristic quality. To ascend is to ascend to a higher point in consciousness and conquering. Ascension is continually moving up in consciousness, a continually growing awareness, continually increasing rate of vibration and continually expanding aura.
The seventh Buddhist path contains the six attributes of the Priest: 1) Face life with no running from self or others. 2) Bridle the tongue, will and imagination. 3) Synthesize the five senses into Apperception (one of 44 faculties). 4) Seek full use of your mystic eyes and ears. 5) Translate life’s experiences into Ascension of soul. 6) Balance Love and Wisdom, expressing in the world as Compassion.
The seventh great Power of Being is to create or to invoke life by the spoken Word, first for others and then for yourself. You reach this by complete surrender to become the servant of all Power. This is standing in the Light as Light. Assume all blame and responsibility for all about you, wherever your name is used or for whatever you are connected with. This is under the Law of Responsibility.

Eighth Power Degree: Joy

Immortality is the eighth Mystic Brotherhood initiation. Joy Lifts, ascends, heals and cleanses. Immortality means to live now in Eternity as an immortal being.
The eighth Buddhist pathway is the final discarding of the “husks” of consciousness. To ascend, you discard the husks of self, opinions, prejudices and old forms. Go back to the beginning and add the illumination of Rajah Yoga to the Hatha Yoga of breath and Karma Yoga of earth living. Pick up your pearls, life experiences, everything of Love and Wisdom you cast aside in the past during your descent into matter, and during past incarnations.
The eighth great Power of Being is overcoming death (1 Corinthians 15). This is the point at which you become Law and Comprehension, casting off the grip of earth gravity, becoming responsive only to paradise gravity. The physical ascends into the desire body and the desire into the mental body, and you walk in an atomic vehicle. This marks the final ascension of the faculties of Imagination, Thinking and Desire.

Steps of Ascension

You ascend through the sub-steps of the Seven Sacred Degrees. The first ascent contains one hundred forty-four steps through seven times seven equals forty-nine degrees of initiation, or twelve times around the Wheel of Terrah acquiring the twelve virtues of each sign. Even while incarnated in one sign, you are still polishing the virtues of the other eleven. You never focus on just one sign, but always operate under all twelve. If you neglect polishing the virtues of one sign-incarnation, the debts pile up until you “catch up.”
The first ascent awakens the optic chiasm of the thalamus, where Light enters and shines forth through the mystical “third eye” in the forehead. This is the window of the soul open toward Jerusalem.
These one hundred forty-four steps equal the Thirty-three Via Christa Degrees as we make the rounds of the twelve signs twelve times. When you step to the hub of the Wheel, you open a new round of twelve times through the signs. We are higher, but are still polishing the things left undone. On this second ascent, the second round, you begin the thousand burnt offerings, a thousand days of selflessness, to open the mental body lotus petals. You complete one day of burnt bfferings by being as perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect. Thank God and smile a thousand times an hour. Say, “I love You, Father!” a thousand times an hour.

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Edna Miriam Lister
1884–1971
The original Christian Pioneering Mystic,
Platonist philosopher, American Idealist, Founder, Society of the Universal Living Christ, minister, teacher, author, wife, and mother.

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