Edna Lister on the Parable of the Great Supper

And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen. – Matthew 22:1-14.

And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day … he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. – Luke 14:1, 7-24.

Jesus said: A man had guests; and when he had prepared the dinner, he sent his servants to invite the guests. He went to the first, and said to him: My master invites you. He said: I have money with some merchants; they are coming to me this evening. I will go and give them my orders. I ask to be excused from the dinner. He went to another (and) said to him: My master invites you. He said to him: I have bought a house, and I am asked for a day. I shall not have time. He went to another (and) said to him: My master invites you. He said to him: My friend is about to be married, and I am to arrange the dinner. I shall not be able to come. I ask to be excused from dinner. He went to another, he said to him: My master invites you. He said to him: I have bought a farm; I am going to collect the rent. I shall not be able to come. I ask to be excused. The servant came back (and) said to his master: Those whom you have invited to dinner have asked to be excused. The master said to his servant: Go out to the roads, bring those whom you find, that they may dine. Traders and merchants [shall] not [enter] the places of my Father. – Gospel of Thomas, Saying 64.

Faith in Action

Edna Lister created this Bible study outline for October 3, 1934. Scriptures: Matthew 14:22-33, Luke 14:16-24 and Malachi 3:10.

Fear is faith reversed. Every miracle comes "according to your faith." Fear is your remaining belief in the negative. Faith is seeking possibilities, while knowing that you never waste any time.

God gets a thrill of real pleasure from His own creations. Jesus said, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." – Luke 12:32.

Faith is a free gift from God. The kingdom of heaven is a free gift, but you must raise Hell to get it. We have delayed His pleasure, and become the lost sheep that the Master descended to save.

"A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper." – Luke 14:16-24.

We have all experienced giving someone a gift, which they then received with indifference, and it is not pleasurable. The Parable of the Great Supper illustrates giving a generous gift and being met with indifference.

God must plan to contrive to sneak up on us, to entice us to accept the whole kingdom of heaven. Yet, every time heaven catches up with you, you seem to dodge it, playing "keep away." You have dodged so often that you have become experts at dodging. You need only to reach out your hand, and heaven is there. Spread your arms, physically and mentally, and expand your mind.

Faith is an expansive idea. Just as a piano has no value if no one is playing it, faith is useless if you do not exercise it. Possessions are useless unless you can use them.

The world judges a person's worth by the material value of his earthly assets. Your only valuable heavenly asset is faith, which determines how much you have of anything else.

If you choke off your faith, you shut down your supply train. Your only enemies are your thoughts against supreme faith.

The hand symbolizes the body's working principle. Faith symbolizes the mind's working principle. Imagination, which has been called "the kingly faculty," works as the forming principle of mind.

The finished work of imagination is judgment, which is the restraining principle of man's life. Ideas such as "I'm too old, too weak, too late," stop all expansion and growth. People say, "He's gone to seed." Every plant goes to seed. Old age implies that the body has gone to seed. Seedy things are hard-shelled.

Defend your faith, and avoid anyone who tries to destroy it, for faith killers have the lowest type of mentality. People are the most egotistical when they are doubting, setting up their own opinions as false gods and worshiping them. Yet you cannot be egotistical when you are accepting truth.

God calls you good. He has said that you are gods. Accepting this is not egotistical because God is your Father. Declare, "I know I can do anything for my Dad. I can do all things through Christ."

Disbelief creates an absence of Spirit and a vacancy of mind, no matter what your mentality, intellect or attainments. If you constantly embrace your faith within, your faith's magnitude becomes majestic.

Peter, who represents faith, was the first disciple called, and the first to recognize the real Christ. Let no one rob you of your faith, but defend it as your companion of soul. Peter had to grow into the faith he became. For example:

"In the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" – Matthew 14:25-31.

Daringly Peter crawled out of the boat and got his feet wet. Yet, when the physical called, he suffered cold feet from a lack of daring. You cast yourself out, but first you must climb out of the boat. Try risking little things first, remembering that many small miracles make up a large miracle. Faith is the gateway. Faith controls the portals of Mind.

"Prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." – Malachi 3:10.

God dares. Dare to surrender, and risk everything, without weighing the matter, or judging the pros and cons. Climb out of your safe boat, and take a chance now.

Vivid Imagination

Edna Lister created this Bible study outline for May 27, 1941. Scripture: Luke 14:16-24.

Imagination is "the kingly faculty," the builder of all molds. Desire is the creative seed. Wisdom plans for the universal good.

The six steps of a servant creator are a guide to walking the Via Christa: When you have planted the seed of desire, imagination builds the form, in what we call a creative prayer mold. Faith then releases the substance, which is now ready to fill that mold. Praise opens your vibration to draw on substance, and joy calls it home to you.

The River of Life is always flowing, always generous. Hour by hour, it moves through you as golden Light. You may take clouds of earthiness and misused soul substance into it with you, and allow them to be transformed. It is always your choice now.

"A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper." – Luke 14:16-24.

Desire is the creator. Wisdom, as will, plans the form. Imagination builds the blueprint of the first mold. Faith makes contact and releases substance. Using your faith is like lowering a bridge, or pushing a button to open the sluice gate on a dam.

Praise regulates the principle of increase, and constant praise causes a greater flow of substance. Joy is the magnet that recalls substance to you, and brings your sheep home.

It takes thousands of flower petals to make one drop of perfume. It takes thousands of sacrifices to make one drop of pure, undiluted joy.

A musician can play thousands of tones on a piano, each having its own color. As a creator, you may become a perfectly brilliant musician coaxing paeans of praise, joy and love from your soul's offerings.

The Great Supper

Edna Lister created this sermon outline for November 22, 1964. Scripture: Luke 14:15-24.

"When one of them that sat at meat with [Jesus] heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper." – Luke 14:15-24.

The Pharisees were constantly watching Jesus and his followers, observing every moment of his ministry. They had become increasingly rigid in their observation of ritual and law over time. To do less than they practiced was anathema to them. The Pharisees judged outsiders as wrong, and their actions as sinning. Nothing else mattered to them, and anyone who disagreed with them was a great sinner.

The Pharisees based their practice of law on three points. They were strict in tithing to the temple. They scrupulously observed the laws of purification. They strictly avoided associating with those outside their sect.

Long before Jesus rose to prominence, the Pharisees had rigidly avoided associating with any and all non-Pharisees. They had "built a fence around the Law" to protect it and themselves.

They added many more customs to the original laws of purification given through Moses until their traditions weighed the same as the law. In the race to purity, they regarded as unclean anyone who did not do as they did, for example, washing their hands between dinner courses.

Jesus had often spoken critically about the Pharisees and their customs. He called them a self-righteous generation, wearing long robes and long faces, noting that they delighted in having the best seats at all feasts.

He said they laid heavy burdens on other men's shoulders, but never lifted a finger to help them with their burdens. He noted that they built elaborate tombs as monuments for the prophets their forefathers had persecuted and killed. He called their teachers whited sepulchers, outwardly beautiful but filled with spiritual uncleanness inside.

Jesus taught the Parable of the Great Supper as a culmination of these many parables and allegories. This was the only parable that he refused to explain to his disciples. In private, he told them to interpret it for themselves.

This places the Parable of the Great Supper in the category of an initiation for everyone. Each soul's degree of personal growth is unique. No one else can interpret perfectly for another.

A great supper, a banquet, takes time and money to prepare. The master of the feast sent servants to advise the invited guests that the feast was ready. Only then did the guests refuse to come.

They all made excuses. One had purchased a new property, another had bought five yokes of oxen, and still another had just married. The guest who had purchased a farm represents "possession." Their outer pride in owning "things" upholds some people. Yet Jesus warned us about this:

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." – Matthew 6:19-21.

Too often people let their possessions own them. You cannot afford to let outer things possess you. Instead, be possessed by God. Let life move into you.

The guest who had purchased five yokes of oxen proves that you can never escape your responsibility. Five is the number that symbolizes freedom of choice under law.

You have freedom from worry and concern only when you let the five yokes of oxen pull your load. The oxen, strong, stubborn and unmoved, represent Power doing the work, steady and strong, digging a straight furrow.

You fall into danger whenever you hide in a corner to use your tiny thimbleful of knowledge of law. Unless you fully accept your responsibility, your faith in God as law remains only a mental exercise.

Those who have to do it by themselves ("I just have to do this by myself") want all the credit and will snatch it. This is how they prove the law for themselves. They refuse to use the little wisdom they have until they completely understand why they need to.

"For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath." – Matthew 25:29. When you increase your use of the little you have, the more you will let the Power do the work. Thus, the proof comes, because law proves itself to the faithful.

The guest who had just married represents adding something new to the old for emotional pleasure, which will not work unless you first fulfill your obligations and responsibilities. You see examples of this in people who say, "Oh, I've already read a book about that. I've already heard someone speak on that topic."

Others say, "I have everything I need. I don't want anything new. If I take the new, I might lose what I have." They are so concerned with the self that they have no time for God.

What have you spread on the table for your great supper? Is the feast ready for your guests? Are you prepared to entertain Love, Wisdom, Faith, Vision, Compassion, Tolerance and Understanding?

Have your formerly invited guests – Pride, Arrogance, Opinion, Prejudice, Intolerance, Criticism, Unrighteous Judgment, Greed, Revenge, Fear and Doubt been too busy to attend your high feast of the soul?

Have you then invited Obedience, Awareness, Humility, Acceptance, Endurance and Strength from the byways and hedges? They sometimes attend in rags, come in muddy garments, or appear almost starved and naked.

Have you fed them all at your great supper? Have you loved them with compassion? Have you declared that your first bidden guests may never return to feast at your high table? This is soul freedom. Freedom is never having to deal with the selfish guests again.

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?" – 2 Corinthians 6:14.

You must balance your five pairs of oxen perfectly between yes and no, each with all four feet planted firmly on principle. To choose, you must apply logic, reason, discernment, discrimination and discretion, five yokes of oxen.

So, on the negative side, you may choose rebellion, willfulness, rejection, repudiation and stubbornness. On the positive side of the scales lie all the soul virtues. When you answer from the self's mental and emotional taints, you say no to God and freedom.

One answer, and only one answer covers the positive side of life: Surrender the self to God so your Oversoul can take charge. Then and only then can illumination answer your why.

Comprehension and Recompense (a)

Edna Lister created this sermon outline for November 7, 1965. Scriptures: John 1:1-17 and Luke 14:12-14.

[The Parable of the Wedding Feast is embedded within the beginning events of Luke 14, setting the stage for the Parable of the Great Supper, which you may want to read also.]

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness; and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own did not receive him. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of him and cried out, saying, This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. And of his fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." – John 1:1-17.

To comprehend means "to take in"; it is "the act of understanding, the capacity for all-inclusive understanding." Recompense means "to repay, to make up for a loss, to take in, to grasp, something given in return."

Any demand, conscious or unconscious, willfully seeks to make time and space match for you, despite how many others are unseated or unhorsed by the miracle demanded. You may not make a demand for a miracle.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness; and the darkness did not comprehend it. – John 1:1-5.

Your first step must be to have security and identity with God, as outlined in the first verses of the Gospel of John. It must be a new relationship for the Christed age, since the old ones are not good enough for today.

Your relationship to things is on a level below you. Your relationship to people is on a level with you, but your relationship to God is on a level above you.

What do "things" mean to you? The great question is not whether you possess things, but do they possess you? What do people mean to you? Do you allow or make demands, expect of them, or try to possess others? Do you let others do this to you? Do you allow hurts or resentments?

"Then said [Jesus] also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." – Luke 14:12-14.

Recompense enters here. Some people are always demanding and expecting beyond a friend or relative's ability to give. How can you make someone give you more than they have for you? If you have received all that they can give, how can you get more? Are you asking for payment in love?

What about God? Do you want to be perfect? Do you really want to surrender to be the servant of all Power? Are you honest with God, with yourself? Or are you just half-honest?

Your faith, courage and perseverance, in action and expression, come under your relationship to God. These three qualities are the stuff of which conquerors are made. They are qualities of the restless soul, surging, demanding changes in life, in body, in business, in comprehension.

Blaming God causes you to ask "why." Why can cause spiritual ulcers of the soul, spiritual starvation, a paralysis of spiritual desire, under which one may quit, retire, or escape to become less and less.

You cannot change Spirit, but Spirit can change you. It increases your capacity to accept without recompense.

Give double what is demanded of you. Nothing is too hard or too long to the persevering soul. Light can outlast any darkness, and make any weakness into strength.

What is your present capacity? No matter what you think it is, it is the full Power of God. Do you want it? Are you immortal now? Do you want to be? What do you want?

What are you declaring? Make your declarations in complete assurance and confidence, without doubt or fear. Trust in God without "variableness or shadow of turning."

Declare, "I accept. I surrender. I can last one day longer than any darkness, which pays me no credits or recompense. I am immortal now."

Comprehension and Recompense (b)

This Edna Lister sermon transcript is dated November 7, 1965. Scribes: Elizabeth Barnes, Margaret Pratt Doan, Ruth Johnson and Irene White. Scriptures: John 1:1-17 and Luke 14:12-14.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness; and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own did not receive him. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of him and cried out, saying, This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. And of his fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." – John 1:1-17.

At first, comprehension and recompense appear to be unrelated. Yet, they reshape the relationship of the outer to the inner.

Recompense means "to repay, to make up for a loss, to take in or grasp something given in return." Recompense also means "payment for services, to give or to get compensation." You can relate all the conflict associated with recompense to the amount and timeliness of payment. World conflicts center on recompense and pay.

"Then said [Jesus] also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." – Luke 14:12-14.

You do not simply ask people to dinner to obligate them to you, for this is manipulating to get. You receive no heavenly credit for such. Think of the immensity of meaning behind the idea of recompense. People established unions to get. People establish families to get.

Consider the vibration of the spoken Word people release when they say, "He does not return my love. They do not value my work. What I got wasn't worth what I paid. My effort is wasted." People do not realize what curses they speak in such idle words.

Every word you speak is the Word of God going forth. The words you speak become your form, your recompense, which is a universal law. However, no law is yours unless you accept it, and you must accept it before it can become yours. You are born of Spirit and of the Word, and the Word is good. The Word is God going forth, and it becomes color, tone, number and the form you create with your words.

The concept of recompense is as great on the outer as comprehension is on the inner. We now release the vibration of comprehension into the world of debts, payment and getting. We are establishing a new orthodox religion, so we cannot afford to fall down on recompense.

Nothing but what you have made demands about can hurt you. Thinking you have not been getting what belongs to you, is a form of possession. Stop being hurt about what you cannot avoid, and pay the bill of recompense. You have paid the bill in full when someone forgets you entirely.

To comprehend means to "take in, the act of understanding, the all-inclusive capacity for understanding." Yet comprehension is not yours until you put it into action. Comprehension is an act, and the world's greatest need today. The main difficulty is in comprehending your identity and security.

People need to identify with something. Unless they identify with God, they remain insecure, and their lack of stable identity causes them to criticize others. They criticize to hide their own doubts and fears about their inadequacies. When you feel adequate and secure, you do not see the other fellow's inadequacies.

Only a lack of identity with God can cause you to feel inadequate. Your failure to establish your identity with your Source causes your trouble.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men." – John 1:1-4.

Light, in the beginning, was the Word. This was true then and is still true now. The Word, God's creative Word to live by is, "I accept." You have received lavishly according to your faith. Accept the fact that you are responsible for your words, including your idle words.

"As many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." – John 1:12. Your identity is your relationship with God. Accept the Son by receiving him. Right now, Light is filling your brain cells with new life and form, if you hold to this idea and accept it. This is true for as many as can receive it. Otherwise, the opinions you form leave no room.

The nearer one is to the animal kingdom, the more he criticizes and repudiates. This behavior is part of the creature's instinctive past, and a reason for war and conflict. God cannot just wave a wand and heal them. The spiritual Power of God is growing greater while so many people stand still. You may not half-accept, speak from both corners of your mouth or play put-it-off.

"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." – John 1:14. Have you received grace for grace?

Faith, courage and steadfastness are among the greatest gifts God can bestow upon you, and they must rule your life. You receive according to your faith and your identity with God, as you stand in the Light. When you accept, you are His sons and daughters consciously. Declare, "Here I am, Father. Please cleanse me, fill me and use me until everything is cleansed for Your use." As you declare the glory of the Word, you become all beauty in expression.

Your thinking can be louder than another's idle words. Someone must make a stand to deny the repudiation. You are God's sons and daughters. Declare it "Good, good, this is good." Stand in the Light of "I accept," and do not move from the Light. Hold eternally to the Light, declaring, "I ascend."

"Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" to establish the fact of the full Power, glory and wisdom of the Source until comprehension takes charge. Otherwise, you just settle in a basement room.

Relationships have three phases. Unless people follow the social standards, society accuses them of being "unorthodox." Orthodox comes from the Greek orthodoxos "having the right opinion," from ortho "right, true, straight" + doxa "opinion."

Soul seeks the orthodoxy you find in your unity as a son or daughter with Jesus the Christ. Everyone stands upright and established in this new orthodox religion. Undoubtedly, you will step on others' toes. Yet you will also witness for God, with the essence of God shining through you.

Relationship is threefold. You have one relationship with things and personalities on the level below you. You have another relationship with things and people on the same level as you. Finally, you have a relationship with God, who is above you.

Your relationships to things and to organizations often become muddled. People animate organizations, thus, organizations often draw hatred. You can too often become entangled in them. Things, possessions, are all right until you allow them to possess you.

Your relationship with God is the most important. As a group devoted to prayer, we are just beginning to learn how to put people, organizations and things on cloud continents of Light for God to take care of them.

If someone falls flat in an area of earthly recompense, you can still honor God's Power and Substance. He saw to it that you all came here with everything you need. Recompense enters into your relationships with people as well. You cannot be hurt emotionally by anything unless you expect to be short-changed.

Everyone incarnates to gain experience. You choose, within limits you set by your previous choices. Sometimes you repudiate a choice you have made, which may hurt another.

When divorce breaks a home, it is always painful. Yet even when a child leaves, you still have all the love your son or daughter brought to you from heaven.

God loans children to you. They are not your possessions. Stop being hurt by experiences and rehashing them. Others will never forget you if you have drained all joy from their memory of you.

You pay the bill of recompense when someone forgets what you have done. Yet you may pick it up again in a new experience later.

Your relationship with God is very different. Do you half-pay, or pay your devotion to God and obedience to law in full?

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." – James 1:17.

Your reward is an upsurging of faith if you hold fast to the Light eternally. Courageous faith gets you into action when you speak the Word and mean it. Declare that you hold fast to the Light, and let the Word go forth.

What you choose sets your degree of support, courage and steadfastness. These are three of the greatest gifts that God can bestow on you.

You may face two detriments at this point. Repudiation may take hold of you, or you may begin to question and ask why. Conquer repudiation, for it cuts off your spiritual life.

Self's first tendency is repudiation when someone blames you or heaps criticism on you. Your repudiation cuts off the influx of spiritual life. The adverb "why" belongs to repudiation, and incessant questioning is another form of repudiation that results in soul ulcers, spiritual paralysis and starvation. Only self gets "hurt" or becomes offended. If you persist in grieving about the hurts or nursing resentment about the offenses, you create an ulcer on your desire. The desire for revenge or pay-backs are all related to recompense.

If you say, "I have reached the end of my rope," your rope wasn't very long. When you think you are doing too much, you are cutting off God's Power, which is always ready to move through you. "Ye are gods." – John 10:34. How much Power will you accept as your reward and recompense from God? This glory is yours to draw on, to open doors and smooth your path, to perform miracle after miracle.

To comprehend is an act of beauty, of letting God use you. Comprehension is the illumination power of certain words to enlighten the mind. God is doing business in the same place, and is doing greater works through us than ever before. The Power is so great today that it rebuilds us moment to moment.

Are you rolling around in a wheelchair with a half-paralyzed desire? You are gods, creators, and when you have confidence in that, you trust your heavenly Father in whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning. God's full Power is ready to move through you for you to express fully. This is your recompense for loving Him. His limitless life is opening doors for you. Believe this and act upon it.