Via Christa: Via Christa Life: Sermons: Edna Lister’s Sermons, 1945

Via Christa
» Sermons
» Edna Lister’s Sermons, 1945

Edna Lister’s Sermons, 1945

.

The Three Loves
Edna Lister outline, January 21, 1945, Tacoma, WA, April 22, 1945, Cleveland, OH, John 21:15-19

“Throughout history, men have martyred each other and shed blood because of conflicting opinions and desires.”–Edna Lister

“He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”–John 21:17. The third love is your love of God, love for God, and the honor of God above all things. The love of God is an unquenchable fire that burns down every barrier, and the faith of God is an unconquerable will that perseveres despite all odds.
This is your year of fulfillment. To achieve fulfillment, you must chart your year, which is full of golden hours. Where and how shall you spend them? Of the three loves, you must live by the highest love, and check your self for the slightest taint of denial. Live by this long range vision, which brings success. Live no longer by a cramped mustard seed faith. You are complete, unquenchable love and unconquerable faith now. You are already your own fulfillment. You need only to “let” love express through you and as you.

Top ↑

The Three Loves
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Bender, scribe, January 21, 1945, Tacoma, WA, John 21:15-19

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.”–John 21:15-19.
Three of his disciples—Peter, James and John—loved Jesus with a living vital love. He took them with him to Gethsemane to watch with him. The Master spoke more freely and just to them. They were to wait and pray for him because he knew they could not follow him and become involved with the courts of earth. Otherwise, who would carry on his work? But Peter, who was as impulsive as a child, followed him for he loved him so. Then, just as Jesus had warned him, Peter denied the Lord three times. Even after the Resurrection, Peter was still suffering from a guilty conscience for having failed the Lord. So that morning, after the miraculous catch of fish, he and the other disciples had breakfast with Jesus.
“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”–John 21:15-17.
With your every thought and word you trigger a reaction of law. In these moments of questioning Peter, Jesus wiped out Peter’s debt of denial so he could carry on his work after Jesus had ascended. Broadly stated, the love you experience has three aspects, or degrees. First is the love of self, which always asks, “How is this going to affect me? How will this touch me and my affairs?”
The second face of love is love for humanity. All souls are far too apt to lay down their own opinions and prejudices to their families and to disguise their choice as obedience to this law. Never force anyone to do or believe as you do, or to act as you choose. Loose him and let him go his own way. “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”–John 12:32. The third face of love is the love of God, love for the great truths and mysteries of God. It is the completeness found in a grain of mustard seed, deathless, ageless, and abiding.

“Never force anyone to do or believe as you do, or to act as you choose. Loose him and let him go his own way.”–Edna Lister

Where have you determined to go this year? Have you joined your will to your desire and made up your mind to go? Have you chosen so firmly and completely that you will never again unmake your mind? When you join your will to your desire to make your decision at such a high point, you grab hold of the live wire of God’s Light as omnipotence. Then your choice will hold forever, and God will do the rest. How do you do this? You must apply and practice the law actively, without ceasing; otherwise, you sit passively in the silence, where anyone at any time can disturb your “peace” and bring you “down and out” in consciousness.
Jesus is always asking you, “Lovest thou me more than all these things?” The worldly “things” include fame, credit, and the fellow who’s always pricking and squeezing you to see if you twitch and squeak. Jesus commands you to “Feed my lambs,” which are the new little ideas and thoughts, the sudden flashes of soul illumination that the world calls “insight.” He asks you to “Feed my sheep” with the love of God. “Oh, yes,” you may say. “I’ve learned my lesson!” Yet when you call on the Father to hold you because you fear you’ll slip, you’re doubting that you can stand! You have already slipped!
You need an unquenchable love that burns with a devastating-to-the-self flame that sets your soul afire. The fire of love destroys the dross of self. This is the love that Peter the Rock exemplifies. Love’s third face is Light as the faith of God, which Peter represents. Faith doesn’t need to stop and pray or to enter the silence before it can work. Active faith is so simple that fools and children understand it. Just stand and say, “Let me stand in complete surrender of self to all God’s Light-as-power. Father, please let Light possess me as love completely!”
If you blaze a trail with Light as your love of God, without interfering with another’s path, don’t worry—your family will follow you. The Light as God’s faith and love is not your adversary—the lure of worldly appetites is! What is your goal this year? Have you charted your course in life? Don’t you want to be a conqueror of self? Do you think the Father has given a mustard seed more faith than He has given you? All souls start as equals, with the same type and number of brain cells at the same time. What you do with what God has given you makes all the difference between you and everyone else. Your equality with all others ends with your first choice.

“Your equality with all others ended with your first choice and theirs.”–Edna Lister

You can be a soul conqueror of self when you overflow with Light as the love of God. Each day, the Father asks, “Child, lovest thou me?” You always say yes, but do your heart, mind and imagination back you up? Forget self and say, “Yes, Father. Please move in and possess me.” There is no place where you can go to escape the Light, which is the love of God.
Now is the time to fulfill all your soul’s potential and capacity. No one else can touch you, because all souls are on their own chosen tracks. The Light moves through you each hour, yet how do you fill that hour, and what with? Light as love unquenchable can never be snuffed or put out. Love is. Light as faith is unconquerable. If you live through and by the Light as faith, you are unconquerable.
Talk to God! Do not expect to talk to others about anthing without lowering the vibration overall. Do not walk in gray shadows of sorrow, darkness, or despair. Light as faith, as love, moves through you so fast that unless you are constantly open to catch hold of it, it’s gone, having become the past. When you are constantly open to the Light it becomes your miracle, granted in your hour of need. Be sure to keep your heart, mind and arms open to receive the Light, the love and faith of God. Put your lines of Light up to God for your desires, for miracles, now!

Top ↑

The Great Challenge
Edna Lister outline, February 18, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Luke 8:43-50, John 1:1-5

“And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.”–Luke 8:43-50.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”–John 1:1-5.
The great challenge in life is life itself! The Light that was the life in the Word was the light of men, and it still is! The Light shined in the darkness but the darkness could not comprehend its nature or all-encompassing being. To meet the great challenge of life, you must take three steps—desire, decision, and action. First, you must desire more life, always more than you have right now. Then you must choose what you have to be and to do to attain that degree of Light as life equal to life’s challenge.
At first, your action is to think about it, to talk about it, to wonder about it and perhaps to read about it. Then you begin making increasingly active efforts until you finally do what needs to be done.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”–John 1:1-4. The Word was made flesh when God originally said, “Let there be Light.” Life’s great challenge then resolves into this question: Am I living life, or am I going through the motions of a mere existence, letting life live me? Light as life is perfect in its action, but to take advantage of it, you must make it be an exciting adventure. You can have nothing without life and love, which is God’s perfect timing.

Am I living life, or am I going through the motions of a mere existence, letting life live me?–Edna Lister

“The light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”–John 1:5. When you can comprehend God, you will have no trouble understanding other people or life itself. Hold God’s face and the Gates of Light to His Kingdom within your mind’s eye. Always move forward into life, letting Light absorb any barriers or delays. Desire looks on. Choice moves on. Yet the Light as faith in action lives on in you!

Top ↑

The Great Challenge
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Bender, scribe, February 18, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Luke 8:43-50, John 1:1-5

“And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.”–Luke 8:43-50.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”–John 1:1-5.
The great challenge must be life itself. Many people are afraid of life. How strong would you like to be? To be strong implies the need for strength and not many want to take on a heavy load. Yet there is no place you can go to escape life. Even when your soul leaves the body to go through the door to the other side, you are still alive.
Every soul must take three steps to meet life’s great challenge—desire, decision, and action. Desire is always the first step in the creation of anything. The Father of All Light desired to create and Creation came into being as His desire. He held His desire in Mind to fill His Creation with enough of the Light of life for it to in turn fulfill His intention of desire. You can have a wish or a hope for something, but still lack enough desire to attain it. Yet if you desire a healing for yourself or another, you must first desire more life, not less.

“Your every decision is a choice for the good or the not-good!”–Edna Lister

In decision, the second step, you must make up your mind to see more life, not less, which means you must back your desire with your willpower to stick to the end—then hold to this new law of life. Your every decision is a choice for the good or the not-good! You must live the hours of life as they are given to you. To do so, you must be convinced that you are following your line of Light. Choose what fills the bill for you. Choose whether you will be the Light in dark places, or go after power and wealth, the loaves and fishes.

The third step is action. Do you wait until you have no alternative but to act, until you are forced to act? Instead of saying, “I don’t know what to do,” say, “Thank You, Father, that I do know what to do, and I’m waiting for You to show me how I can succeed!” When a problem comes, don’t dive into the problem—fly into the Light! Remain silent for a time, then go into action. View life as an adventure, not as a grueling drudgery.

The Father never sends you a challenge in life without also sending the Light and life you will need to carry it through to completion. Become as an empty vessel, then make your contact with Him to fill your emptiness with Light. Look up to see a vision of the Face of God, which is immortal life here and now. Keep your eye single upon the Light that was the life of men.
“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” Genesis 1:3. “Let” was the word of release and creation that God spoke in the beginning. Use it to speak the Word for your own creations. When you get by the first stage of life, which is returning to your own source of life and Light, it feels so good. A tree knows enough by instinctive desire to push forth millions of leaves to cover itself. So, stop crushing yourself down into your body to avoid seeing God.
If you stood in the Light all day and night, no darkness could exist. Declare, “I will arise and go into my Father’s house to wait upon the Lord while I work out my own salvation here below.” God wants your action, praise, and love. Burdens become Light when your desire flames and your decision is to become Godlike. Your actions then are to follow the law given to you, and to walk the Master’s path.
Light as desire looks on. Light as choice moves on. Light as action lives on. Have the faith of a joyous little child, saying, “Oh look what my Daddy’s giving me!”

Top ↑

Aspiration
Edna Lister outline, March 4, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Matthew 4:1-11, 4:18-22

“What the world needs for more miracles is more love, more wisdom, and more God!”–Edna Lister

Today’s cultural aspiration is for more—more luxuries, more clothes, more money, more cars, more land, more of everything. What the world needs for more miracles is more love, more wisdom, and more God! “Love never faileth.”–1 Corinthians 13:8. You’re tired, I’m tired, and God is tired of waiting. We ask, “How long?” God answers us as His children, saying that it’s our choice.
“Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.”–Matthew 4:18-22.
Jesus said, “Come and see” and “straightway,” his disciples followed. To “Come and see” you must overcome, which is to come up in consciousness over some obstacle. To “Come and see” you must overlook, which is to look up over some mental barrier. Best of all is, “Look unto Me, and be ye saved.”–Isaiah 45:22.
“Come and see” is a challenge to aspiration, which increases your desire, faith and devotion. Your aspiration directly contacts greater Light, and your soul pushes up like a seed seeking the sun. Imperishable Faith can stand forever because it is Light. Faith is unconquerable, and the bonds of faith cannot be broken. Faith fuels aspiration until you can tunnel through a mountain to achieve victory!

Top ↑

Aspiration
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Bender, scribe, March 4, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Matthew 4:1-11, 18-22

“Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”–Matthew 4:1-11.
“Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.”–Matthew 4:18-22.
The Father sent us forth with Wisdom and Love. His Wisdom within us is will, the aggressive masculine quality. Love within us is desire, which includes a definite soul aspiration to ascend back to the Source from when we sprang. Aspiration is first and foremost the desire to find a source greater than the self.
Aspiration means “to look up, to have a desire for.” Aspiration, faith and devotion are the fundamental tripod upon which all religions are based. The height of your vision is gauged by your desire. You can be no greater than that ideal to which you aspire. The Creator breathed life into you in the beginning to make you a living soul. Yet to return, you must aspire and inhale.
The nature worshiper, in seeking strength and vitality, finds that Mind, Substance and Power move through him in only their physical phases, not the in the strength and vitality that enlivens body and soul. It works the same for the intellectual who seeks God in the knowledge he acquires. The soul who aspires to reach God receives His Breath of Life. Each soul worships according to his degree and kind. God is all the Mind, Substance and Power. You can take in only what you can accommodate, so your aspiration should be to encompass the whole of it. Jesus the Christ epitomizes the All of Mind, Substance and Power.
The prefix “ex-” refers to the outer, while the prefix “en-” refers to the inner. An example is the outer expression of that point to which you have aspired, bounded by self. An ensample is a living expression of the Christ consciousness within the soul. You have all the Mind of God to draw upon, all His Substance to become, all His Power to renew and rebuild your body. The day will come when you have become that ensample. When you reach the high point of aspiration, you will face the three temptations to misuse Mind, Substance and Power, as Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. You will be tested and tried from the depths of the creature soul to the Oversoul before God’s throne above.
“Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”–Matthew 4:1-4. Had Jesus turned the stones into bread, he would have misused the substance of God for the self.
“Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”–Matthew 4:5-7. To cast yourself down from a pinnacle is to tempt God, attempting to force Him to save you. Being a show-off is misusing God’s Mind.
“Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”–Matthew 4:8-11. To fall down and worship the devil is serving the self, the little me, and is a misuse of God’s Power. You misuse Power whenever you indulge in any resentment, rebellion, resistance, gossip, criticism or condemnation of others or yourself. Only a tissue paper’s thinness lies between a blessing and a curse. Bless, do not curse.

“You need only to be cured of the idea of anything negative.”–Edna Lister

You need only to be cured of the idea of anything negative. Whatever you aspire to, it comes, the good or the not-good. When two of John’s disciples saw Jesus baptized, and a dove descended on his shoulder, they followed him and asked, “Where do you live?” He answered them, “Come and see.” (John 1:36-39) Put another way, these men asked Jesus, “What state of consciousness do you dwell in to achieve this?” He answered, “Come and see,” and they followed him immediately.
Faith is unbeatable. You cannot overcome faith. Why waste the time you spend looking to see if the object of your aspiration is accomplished, to see whether the mountain has removed itself? You waste so much time wondering rather than knowing! Use the three blades of Mind, Substance and Power to cut your way through the jungle of doubts, fears and what-ifs. It is inevitable that faith will win its way through any jungle of doubt or fear! You will reach the city of your dreams! Hold fast to this high point in consciousness until your desire, aspiration and the faith of God moves before you, clearing the way. Know ye that ye are gods now!

Top ↑

Inspiration for a Vital Life
Edna Lister outline, March 11, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Luke 8:41-56

“Behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him. And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.”–Luke 8:41-56.
Jesus had been journeying and teaching throughout the Galilee. When he returned to Capernaum, he received a call from the synagogue ruler, Jairus. His young daughter was dying. As Jesus traveled to answer the call, the throngs followed and surrounded him. In the crowd was a woman who had suffered an issue of blood for twelve years. She had spent all her money on physicians, with no results. She touched him, and Jesus felt it. He said, “Who touched me? I perceive virtue has gone out of me.” His disciples said they had not, but who could tell in such a huge crowd. The woman knelt before him, admitted she had touched him and why. He told her that her faith had made her whole.
A servant of Jairus came and said, “Thy daughter is dead, trouble not the Master.” Jesus overheard this and said, “Fear not, believe only, and she shall be made whole.” The action in this story has three phases: First, do the next thing next. Second, you must know that you are the instrument of God’s Power, as Jesus did. Third, ignore the outer appearance, and keep faith in the inner reality. You must always do the next thing next! It’s never too late, and never takes too long, if you have no fear and do not worry. Take time to live now!

“1. Do the next thing next. 2. Know that you are the instrument of God’s Power as Jesus did. 3. Ignore the outer appearance, and keep faith in the inner reality.”–Edna Lister

Since the Depression began, you often hear people say they are “living from hand to mouth.” That’s all right if they’re living from God’s hand to their mouth! Folks say they would do anything, give up everything for their heart’s desire, but you can’t give up something you never had. No matter how poor, everyone is always rich in self, selfish desires and self-will. You are the child of a wealthy Father, so give up the poverty-consciousness!
Jesus knew that someone had made a call upon him. He felt the sick woman’s touch because Power always moves through you at the call of faith. You must know this and stand on it as the bedrock of your faith! What you give out is what God deposits in your heavenly bank account. When you give lavishly of self in exchange for soul, you receive lavishly. The Father always gives the giver “twelve baskets left over to share.”

Top ↑

Surrender to Love!
Edna Lister outline, March 18, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Matthew 5:43-48

Unquenchable Love
Love is a flame and fire that burns ever. Love cannot be quenched. Love cannot be put out. Love is. True love needs no assurances. True love knows itself and its own. Love is the fire that enthuses. Love is a fire that ever burns higher, always upward. True love is the end as well as the beginning. True love feeds upon itself and not upon the loved one. True love magnifies the one whom it loves. Love asks no favors and gives all.
Love’s strength lies in its self-sustaining ability. Love’s keynote is a deep, abiding devotion to the one who is loved. True love burns steadfastly under all conditions, joy or sorrow, separation or unity. True love counts no effort too great or too small, and no task too hard or too long. True love is lifting, opens all doors and is all-compelling in its power to unite. True love is never conscious of giving, but like sunshine, shares itself with all. True love withstands all separation and lives forever.
–Edna Lister, 1939

You, as an embodied soul, express love in four phases: Three phases relate to the self, the physical form, the desire body, and the mental body. Your expression of love’s spiritual phase relates to your identity with God. Your physical expression of love is unconscious and instinctive, a phase in which self says, “I need! I’ll hunt for what I want. I’ll get it somehow. I’ll take it if I need to! I’ll do it at any cost!” Here, the self grabs, takes, and may even steal with no consciousness of wrong-doing.
At the desire level of love, you say, “I want, I hope, I must find.” This is the cloudy “I’ll wait and see” stage—desire is aflame but not burning hot enough to set your soul afire. The mental expression of love is the “I will have it. I will get it. I will do it now” stage. At this point, your “I won’t” and “I will” challenge you to pay all your past soul debts. As a result, you experience delays until you clear your account of the balance due. The fourth, spiritual expression of love, says, “I give up in surrender to God. I arise and ascend in consciousness. I look up in aspiration. I am lifted up in consciousness.” In this phase, you see the good for others as you see it for yourself.

“See the good for others as you see it for yourself.”–Edna Lister

The first three phases of love are all varieties of a self-centered love. The fourth stage is a more Godlike love. Love is the oil of Spirit, with which you fill your soul lamp, and no matter what you think, it can be an everlasting Light if you choose to make it so. Love is all beauty, fulfills all law, makes the crooked places straight, and can remake anything anew. Faith fills your empty vessel at the Godhead. You pour the substance of love into your creative prayer molds or lift them to God to be filled. Love is God’s timing, so use it now!

Top ↑

Surrender to Love!
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Bender, scribe, March 18, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Matthew 5:43-48

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”–Matthew 5:43-48.
Tone is a principle that includes your tone of voice. You need a perfect instrument to bring through a perfect tone. Since none of us is perfect, all God can do for us is to use us as His instruments as we are. Our task is to do the perfecting!
Love is a principle of never-ending supply. Since love is limitless, you can never run out of it. Love has four broad phases of expression—physical love, emotional desire (which is self-centered love), mental love, and spiritual love.
Physical love aims at self-replication, the preservation of the species, and is no more than an unconscious instinctive desire. Such primitive instinct has little to nothing of soul in it. People express such physical desire-“love” by taking what they want, no matter what. “To have and to hold” means they may even steal to possess what they want, whether things or people, and will squeeze to death the people they hold as possessions.
Emotional desire is a step above the raw physical expressions. “Waiting upon the Lord” here means waiting for a new position, a free ride, or a legacy that may never arrive. Since the emotions are engaged, this phase of love is filled with the waiters, hopers, and wishers. They want, but become lost in their wanting.
Intellectual love most often gets stuck in a mental rut. The only difference between a mental groove and a grave is the depth of the cut. You receive illumination according to your degree of developed consciousness. To overcome the mental apathy, you must pray and praise harder. Just making statements alone will not do it. Yet, “I will have it,” and “I will do it,” are examples of using force.

“The only difference between a mental groove and a grave is the depth of the cut.”–Edna Lister

Nonresistance isn’t passivity, but one of the soul’s powers of Being. “Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him.”–Matthew 5:25 expresses the law of nonresistance perfectly. Nonresistance is invisible to an enemy, and because he was nonresistant, Jesus was able to disappear at will, whenever his adversaries became violent; he also reappeared eleven times. Most importantly, the law of nonresistance is also a law of miracles.
Using force is unwise unless it is utterly necessary to make a stand and hold the adversary on his side of the line drawn in the sand. The law of nonresistance is active, not passive. The travesty of overusing the phrase, “I will,” is that inevitably the self will say, “I won’t.” These words challenge God. Resistance creates soul debts, which to a Hindu is karma, a word meaning “carry over” referring to debts you owe the law. Love and praise are the only ways to work out such debts.
Spiritual love is astonishing in its power to lift one from any lesser state into selfless surrender. Spiritual love is Christed love, loving as Christ loves. “By their words ye shall know them.” The words of a Christed one include, “I accept. I surrender. I love. I give. I know. I see. I come. I am able to do all things in the name of Jesus the Christ. I can do it.” When you mix these four phases of love, you are apt to fall into disagreement and disharmony.
“I accept” is the first step, but it takes a long time to accept with your whole soul. Yet, if the Power flows through physical cells long enough, it lifts all unlikeness to God. Ascend to a cloud of Light, to your room of Light. When you see, you do accept. You will surrender to the Light. You will be possessed by the Light. Surrender to the power behind the principle of nonresistance. Do this many times a day, with an upward glance, saying, “I surrender.” If you want to be one with God, you have to surrender self to ascend to Him.
The whole universe exists within the framework of time. Set your timing to be in time with the laws of the universe. You must time every aspect of your life to work in perfect harmony, your business and social affairs, finances, health. If any of these departments are out of order, you have not properly timed them. When you are timed under the law of nonresistance, you let God set your body’s timing. Look up into the Light, overlooking anything you considered inharmonious. Love pours into your body, harmonizing and synchronizing it into His perfection.

Top ↑

Trailing Robes of Glory
Edna Lister outline, March 25, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 22:7-13

“When they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.”–Mark 11:1-11.
“Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the Passover must be killed. And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the Passover, that we may eat. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he reenter in. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples? And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the Passover.”–Luke 22:7-13.
Trees grow their roots deep into the soil to reach the rich nutrients they need. Once rooted, a tree spreads its hidden growth underground in a pattern that matches what you can see of it on the outer. Jesus’ ministry had grown strong over a three-year period. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the end of his ministry, for his crime that day was to drive the money changers out of the Temple.
The scriptures record two incidents in which Jesus instructed his disciples to act on his behalf according to some prearranged plan. First, he had the disciples gather the colt of a donkey for him to ride into the city. Then he sent them to reserve the upper chamber for the last supper. The Father granted Jesus everything he needed in order to fulfill his mission on earth. Likewise, God had granted Moses twin pillars—smoke by day and fire by night—to lead the Israelites. Fire came down from heaven to prove a miracle for Aaron and Moses, for Gideon, Elijah, David and Solomon. Elijah was taken up into heaven in a visible chariot of fire.
God has given us robes of Light for clothing our souls. Yet we use our own soul substance to indulge in negative behavior. God’s substance is yours for use only in His service.

Top ↑

Trailing Robes of Glory
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Bender, May Wilder, scribes, March 25, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 22:7-13

“When they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.”–Mark 11:1-11.
“Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the Passover must be killed. And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the Passover, that we may eat. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples? And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the Passover.”–Luke 22:7-13.
Trees grow by extending their roots deeply into the soil, and their branches and leaves widely to the light. Jesus’ message of love has grown from a mustard seed of faith into a mighty tree, deeply rooted for more than 2,000 years. The keynote of his triumph today was sounded 2,000 years ago. Sometimes, with only a single Light burning, we have followed those who knew. We have lifted our eyes to the hills and drawn on an inner strength that is rooted above. Don’t take your eye off the Light, which is the good, but hold to knowing that you go to heaven on your own desire to be good.

“Don’t take your eye off the Light, which is the good, but hold to knowing that you go to heaven on your own desire to be good.”–Edna Lister

Jesus left twelve men to teach others and imbued them with healing power to use on earth by the laying on of hands and by speaking the Word. They passed this teaching and healing power on to those who knew such Power is real. This has continued, down through the ages. The first Palm Sunday marked the beginning of the end, the final phase of Jesus’ ministry. His crime that day was to drive money changers from the Temple. Until that day, Jesus’ ministry had been marvelous. On the day of his acclamation, he openly began building toward his Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension.
In accordance with Jewish law and the laws of the unseen reality, he began his ministry after he reached thirty years of age, which is the age for beginning to teach the law. From age one through ten, you obey the Ten Commandments on the physical level. From age eleven through twenty, you obey the law on the mental level. Between age twenty-one through thirty, you learn to obey the law on the spiritual level.
Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matthew 5:17-18. “Love is the fulfilling of the law.”–Romans 8:10. No soul can “get away with” any disobedience to law. The Father may say, “I understand, child, but I cannot set aside law for your comfort. You must repay your transgression”—yet He will continue take care of you in the same way as before.

“No soul can get away with any disobedience to law.”–Edna Lister

Jesus made his first public statement about his ministry at age thirteen, when he told his parents, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”–Luke 2:49. Later, at the wedding in Cana, he responded to his mother’s request for a miracle with, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”–John 2:4. He resisted her bidding, yet did as she had asked. He changed the water into wine. Jesus started his public ministry right there. He did not want to, but he did. He knew that his path led to Gethsemane and Calvary.
On that first Palm Sunday, his enemies were planning his death. He chose that day to strike at the heart of the graft and corruption of the temple priesthood. He drove the money-changers from the temple and declared it a den of thieves. In doing so, he knew that he had signed his death warrant. Long before that day he had planned the course of events and arranged for the colt to bear him. He entered the Holy City with the twelve, met by an excited and adoring crowd.
The scriptures record two incidents that Jesus obviously had planned, his riding the colt of a donkey, and reserving the upper chamber for the last supper. The wise person always has a plan, daily, monthly, and yearly. If you aim at the sun, you at least get to the roof of your house. Do not be rigid in your plan. Climb over or tunnel through the obstacles if you must, but never stop or give up your plan.

“If you don’t like today’s degree of success,
you can change your kind of plan.”–Edna Lister

The successful soul holds to his plan, and is also able to sacrifice time and effort to do the next thing next joyfully. You are now a success! Declare I AM a success now! If you don’t like today’s degree of success, change your kind of plan. If you don’t declare your success, you’re saying that you don’t like that law of life or care to obey it. Law is inflexible and he who resists fails. God credits you with every thought, every second you spend planning and praying about your plan. A grudging attitude about doing the next thing next dilutes the worth of the credit in your account.
“And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.”–Matthew 27:35. Illumination is Light shining on all deficiencies in your affairs. For illumination, ponder this verse and its reference to the prophet whose prophecy about Christ was being fulfilled. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.–Zechariah 9:9. Jesus had grieved in Gethsemane that his disciples might still not understand the fullness of his mission and message as Messiah. He had worked so hard to put it into words they could comprehend and teach after he ascended. He gave them everything he had, knowing he would be betrayed and denied.
Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus at his Transfiguration. Moses’ faith manifested as a pillar of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night to lead the Israelites. Gideon called down fire from heaven as did Elijah, who was later taken into heaven in a chariot of fire. Jesus appeared to shine “like the sun, and his clothes became white as light,” which proves that you can vibrate at an immensely greater rate of vibration right where you are right now. If you just sit and wait, you find yourself slowing to inertia.
You came to earth to prove that you can live in a youthful body while doing the greater works of which Jesus spoke. You may choose what you do with your body. If you bow down to the earth laws of emergence, maturity and decline, you are slated to become a slave to those laws. The love, joy and praise of God will melt, dissolve and absorb any crystallization. According to your faith, it is so. If you want to think about a comet, trailing robes of glory, you can, and you can light up the heavens! If each of you became a flaming pilot light, you could ignite the world. If you invest your soul substance in the negative things in life, you misuse your sacred substance. Put any so-called enemies on a cloud of Light and call down a pillar of fire from heaven. Then forget them.
Nothing can touch you or hurt you, to wound you into weakness or to make you too hard. The Light surrounding you will heal you instantly if you love God and His Light enough. Whatever you give to others you will receive for yourself. Live your life in the Light, on a cloud of Light. Though God has given us robes of Light for clothing our souls, we so often misuse our soul substance to indulge in negative behavior. God’s substance is yours for use only in His service.

“Whatever you give to others you will receive for yourself.”–Edna Lister

The keynote of triumph is a note of joy. You may have faith in joy, with no doubt of its fulfillment. Joyous love is selflessness toward both God and man. Walk the path of selfless service without doubting your identity, where you came from or what you are to do. You can have perfect faith in the Power moving through you. You can experience joy on earth as you do in heaven, as heaven has always known joy—creating and fulfilling. Joy’s keynote accelerates time, and the sound pours forth in the West and travels around the earth.
Each has his part, has believed, has met the test. We have faced great tests and have been found worthy. We have stood together in love and held fast to the Light. On Good Friday, we commemorate how they raised the Christ on a cross of crucifixion to show that all souls may conquer fear of death on earth. To be on your way back to heaven is walking the rightful path. Each has a duty to perform. Each has a part in the coming Priest-King government of love.
The ensample of love was the living Christ upon earth. He walks on earth today as he did 2,000 years ago. As the keynote is struck, the heart releases joy, a strange vibration that earth has never felt before, only in heaven. As you declare love, serenity sends forth the same vibration of love, joy and surrendered service. We are all one in love, service and belief.

Top ↑

Trailing Robes of Glory
Edna Lister outline, April 1, 1945, Cleveland, OH, Matthew 28:1-8

“In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.”–Matthew 28:1-8.
Of all Jesus’ acts during his ministry, from his changing water into wine to Gethsemane, his greatest crime in the eyes of the temple officials was driving the money changers from the temple. He had always known who he was, and where he had to go. At age twelve, he asked his mother, “Wist ye not I must be about my Father’s business?”–Luke 2:49. His life filled such a short time, only 33.5 years. In Gethsemane, he wept from his grief that he could give no more.
Jesus taught self-determination and physical perfection. Mentally, you must think right, and emotionally, you must learn to love your neighbor, and love one another as you love yourself.
Moses was granted a pillar of fire to lead the Israelites. Gideon called down fire from heaven, as did Elijah, who was taken into heaven in a chariot of fire. Jesus turned into fire on the Mount of Transfiguration. The ancients believed that when a comet streaks across the sky, it is a pilot light, a guiding light coming to earth.
God has given us robes of Light for cleansing and clothing our souls. You use your own soul substance to indulge in negative behavior, which depletes the aura of lights and colors. Yet, God’s substance is yours for use in His service, to fulfill the mission He has ordained for you.

Top ↑

Today’s Challenge
Edna Lister outline, April 8, 1945, Buffalo, NY, John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.–John 1:1-5.
Life itself is the great challenge today! “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”–John 1:4-5. You must take three steps to reach comprehension—desire, decision and action. Desire for what? More life! Your decision is to choose what to have, to be, and to do. Your action starts with thinking about it, wondering about it, reading about it, and talking about it before you dare to live.
The Logos, the Son of God, became the Word, the Scepter of Power within the Chalice of Immortality. Before you can comprehend God, you must understand yourself as being a soul in human form. Your form is not what you are, but simply the clothing for your soul.
The legend of the lost utopia of Shangri-La was based on giving to another what one desires for the self. Many people regard desire as being something only physical, almost shameful, not something good. Yet desire is your pilot light for aspiration, and you must never let it die.
God granted Moses a pillar of fire to lead the Israelites. Gideon called fire down from heaven, as did Elijah, who was taken into heaven in a chariot of fire. Yet, Jesus turned into fire on the Mount of Transfiguration.

“Jesus turned into fire on the Mount of Transfiguration.”–Edna Lister

The ancients believed that when a comet streaks across the sky, it signals a guiding light, or the arrival of a soul with a great mission and destiny. Like comets, we have tried, trailing our robes of glory. Our mission for God is as great as our destiny, to be one with Him. Desire looks on. Choice moves on, action lives on.

Top ↑

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Service
Edna Lister outline, April 15, 1945, Buffalo, NY, John 14:1-4, 14:12, 1 John 5:12

“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”–1 John 5:12. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the man: His life exemplified growth. He was a true mediator between the seen and the unseen worlds, a John the Baptist for the modern age. Yes, he made mistakes, as do we all. “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.”–John 8:7.
First, a concept exists in the Mind of God. That concept then becomes an idea in man’s mind. Then a man exercises his imagination, and thought faculties. When man speaks the Word, the form takes shape. If you let the vibration die down, the form is never realized; it remains invisible.

“First, a concept exists in the Mind of God. That concept then becomes an idea in man’s mind.”–Edna Lister

We need someone to carry on, someone to carry the torch. A key remains a blank until the locksmith grinds the bits to fit a lock. This is the dawn of the golden age of the Christ. “Ye are gods” and “greater works” shall ye do.

Top ↑

On the Right Side
Edna Lister outline, April 22, 1945, Buffalo, NY, John: 21:15-22

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.”–John: 21:15-22.
Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James and John, and two other disciples had gone fishing on the sea of Tiberias after the Resurrection. They fished all night but had caught nothing. Jesus appeared on the shore and called to them, asking if they had any fish and they answered no. He told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. When they did, they caught a multitude of fish. The right side of the boat is the love side. The disciples had been so lost in their grief that they had forgotten to love.
After cooking breakfast and eating with them, Jesus undertook to restore Peter’s soul. Peter, who had sworn that he would follow Jesus even to death (John 13:37-38), had denied him three times on the night he was taken prisoner (Luke 22:54-61). Peter was tearing himself apart with guilt and remorse.
The first time Jesus spoke to Peter, he asked, “Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these?” Peter answered, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Then Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” The question “Do you love me more than these” asks whether Peter’s love of self was greater than his love for God. The lambs represent possessions, and material things. This first grade of love asks, “How will this affect me? What will this do to me?”
Then Jesus asked a second time, “Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me?” Again Peter answered, “Yes Lord; you know that I love you.” This time, Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” At this second grade of love, your ideas about love are full grown sheep. This is the first time you look beyond the self in love to the more impersonal aspects of love—love of God, love of beauty, love for humanity, and so forth. You no longer whine that “my way is the only way.”
For the third time, Jesus asked, “Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me?” Peter was grieved, which means he was offended because Jesus kept questioning him. So he answered, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Again, Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” The third grade of love is the love of God, for God. The sheep at this level of love represent your honor, loyalty and integrity, which are all of God, and are your God-like-ness. Your love must be Godlike to nourish and sustain your creations and miracles.
The Lord represents the high law that we all know we must obey. Like Peter, we have all denied the Lord, three ways many times. You deny the Lord in self-pity and martyrdom. You deny him when you force your way on others, and deny him when you need to know and see God, but disobey your own Oversoul. The Lord asks, “Lovest thou me more than self? Lovest thou me more than the world? Lovest thou me enough to follow me all the way home?” You must hold to a long range vision for success. You can and will find fulfillment within the now. All you need to do is to exercise love unquenchable, and faith unconquerable.

Top ↑

You Are a Creator Now!
Edna Lister outline, April 29, 1945, Buffalo, NY, Romans 8:28-39

“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”–Genesis 1. Light came forth to form everything within the Creation, from ice to steam. A concept in God’s Mind becomes an idea in man’s mind. Imagination and desire then work together, acting and building the mold for the idea’s form. You use your thought faculties to do the planning, while your spoken Word creates the form in the material world.
From concept to completion requires only six steps. First, the concept is in God’s Mind. Then the idea is in man’s mind. Imagination then acts to build the mold for the creation. Man applies his thought faculties to plan the creation. When man speaks the Word, the creation can come into form.
The concept, the Idea in God’s Mind holds the complete Mind, Substance and Power necessary to bring the creation into being or form. The idea is complete when you receive it in your mind. When you reach up unselfishly, God opens the mind of Christ to direct and control it, the substance to become it, to fill the mold, and the power to vitalize and quicken the idea into movement, according to your individual desire, will, and imagination.
Imagination comes from a Greek word imago, meaning mask. Using imagination, you see the image that masks the Idea, which you can then visualize as your mental blueprint for the creative mold you wish to build into outer form. God’s every mold in the outer world must be filled some day. Using your thought faculties for planning, you map the campaign to approach the project. God only knows what you want as you. You use the spoken Word to say, “Let,” and to declare people and situations good. Only love can sustain and nourish your creations.
“We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For 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 8:28-39.
Love is the substance of your form. Use the past as your ladder to reach for the stars. Reach into the subconscious to lift it into consciousness, into your affairs, into the world to lift it in Light.
You have life in the desire body when you ascend the “little me” of self through surrender, Crucifixion and Resurrection. You then become immune to the world. As you ascend, declare, “I AM that splendid, majestic, all glorious, all triumphant, all victorious soul, answering the high calling of God!”

Top ↑

Aspiration
Edna Lister outline, May 6, 1945, Cleveland, OH, Acts 2:1-4

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”–Acts 2:1-4.
From the most primitive savage to the highest intellectual type, every soul has the urge to look up in desire for, to have faith in and devotion to something greater than self. What do you desire? More life? As you grow into adulthood what you think you desire grows ever more complex and muddled because you are entertaining conflicting desires. So you must choose among your various desires; you must determine their importance.
Decision means to choose to be or to do. Our action is to dare to live more expansively. Today’s cultural aspiration is for more—more luxuries, more clothes, more money, more cars, more land, more things. What we need is more love, more knowledge, and more God for more miracles.

“‘Little me’ gets tired of waiting, but Oversoul I AM patiently waits for God.”–Edna Lister

Most people desire such things as more clothes, money, homes, and things to please the self. Soul desires miracles, and God. “Little me” gets tired of waiting, but Oversoul I AM patiently waits for God. Today’s aspiration must be to comprehend God and to understand man. We can find our utopian Shangri-la now, if we are ready to give everything of self in exchange for it.

Top ↑

Inspiration for Living
Edna Lister outline, May 13, 1945, Cleveland, OH, John 6:1-13

“After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.”–John 6:1-13.
The miracle of the five loaves and two fishes is so dramatic a story of increase. Yet another real miracle is how any baker can turn wheat into bread, which is also a dramatic miracle of transformation and increase. A great multitude of people, about 5,000 had gathered to hear Jesus speak. He had thrilled them with his message. When it came time to eat, they were expectant. He had the disciples tell them to sit while they were waiting.

A miracle has three phases: 1. you must do the next thing next. 2. you must make perfect use of what you have. 3. you must ignore everything else on the outer, and depend on the inner for fulfillment.–Edna Lister

A miracle has three phases: First, you must do the next thing next. Second, you must make perfect use of what you have. Finally, you must ignore everything else on the outer, and depend on the inner for fulfillment. So, a great plan for a miracle begins with taking time to live, to dare, to love, to do the next thing next in love, graciously. Take the time to be lovely.
Then you must make perfect use of what you have now, including things, people, and time, etc. Ignore the outer with its distractions, disappointments and obstacles. To do so, you must obey several laws: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”–Matthew 6:33. “What is that to thee? Follow thou me.”–John 21:22. “Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him.”–Matthew 5:25.
Do you depend on God? You must for anything you cannot do for yourself. How greatly do you want the object of your desire? How greatly do you aspire? Enough to ascend in consciousness and receive inspiration from above?
The greatness of the miracles you experience is in direct proportion to the quality and quantity of your effort. You must have a plan for life. Do the next thing next on the outer, while you give lavishly on the inner. You must give lavishly to receive lavishly.
Are you giving a series of ten-cent gifts, or of the richness of all love? What you give lavishly returns to you on the outer as a gift. Bless and break and share the loaves and fishes you have, then gather up the leftover fragments, keeping the secret of the miracle of abundance.

Top ↑

Albert C. Behne Memorial Service
Edna Lister outline, August 11, 1945, Yellow Pine, ID, John 11:25-26, 14:1-4, 1 Corinthians 15:35-55

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.”–John 14:1-4.
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”–John 11:25-26.
[Albert C. Behne (1854-1945), known as the “Father of Yellow Pine,” was born in Tennessee, of German parents. Mr. Behne had been a telegrapher for the railroad in Cour d’Alene, Idaho, in Northwest Canada, and in the area west of Idaho before he came to Yellow Pine, Idaho in 1902. He was the town’s pioneer founder and its first Postmaster.
[Mr. Behne was good friends with Theodore VanMeter, Fred Holcom, Sam Wilson, Charles Ellison, Charles Shattuck, Sam Willey, and Jake Camp, his contemporaries. He passed away in Stibnite, Idaho, but is buried in Yellow Pine’s Pioneer Cemetery.
[During the winter of 1923-1924, Mr. Behne saved the lives of Edna Lister and her son, Henry T. Abstein, Jr., when her husband failed to return from a supply-purchasing trip to Cascade, Idaho. Mr. Behne fed and sheltered them until the spring thaw.]

Crossing the Bar
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.
–Alfred Lord Tennyson

“Behold, I show you a mystery.” Death is a mystery, and we all hold a fear of the unknown. Yet death is but the transition from one place to another.
When you are born, you come to earth. When you die, you go elsewhere. If you were planning to go to a strange country, you would want to find out the customs there before you go. Heaven is both a place, and a state of consciousness. You have two bodies, natural and spiritual, both of which take up a space here or there. When a home grows too old or worn out, you move from the old into a new home in a new place with new friends. When the body wears out, you have a new one waiting in a new place where all your old friends are waiting.
What do you imagine heaven to be like? Is it a place where everyone sits on a cloud and plays the harp, twenty-four hours a day? Your heavenly service lasts forever. You do what you love to do. Our friend, Albert Behne, has stepped from an old, worn out decrepit body into a youthful body. He is free! Death is only an open door to a freedom we cannot comprehend now. So, we do not grieve; instead we honor him, his life and his service.

Top ↑

The Flame on the Altar
Edna Lister outline, November 11, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Hebrews 1:1-7

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.”–Hebrews 1:1-7.
To flame means “to burst out of, to flare up, to consume.” God has made His “ministers a flame of fire,” which describes three phases: All Power for life, all plans of life, all action in life. Jesus Christ was clothed with the Father’s glory. The wings of the Holy Ghost confer all Power for life. The begotten creator sons and daughters personalize the image and likeness of God. However, the Father makes the angels of pure spiritual substance.
Substance is the principle that forms all thoughts and plans, which man uses either as a creator or as the lower self. Principles form all plans that are parts of your plan of life. God “makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire,” which refers to all action in life. The fire of Spirit must consume all self, and it burns.
When the door bell rings, send the “good” you to answer the door, not your worst self, but the best. Whenever the bell rings, it could be anything from the outside. Send angel thoughts to answer, not hurt, grief or anger, the scrubwoman or garbage collector.
Where is your altar? Within the high fortress of your soul. Angels worship God and keep the fire burning on the altar, day and night. When you call on them to do this, your success will come and you will be victorious!

Top ↑

The Flame on the Altar
Edna Lister outline, December 2, 1945, Cleveland, OH, Hebrews 1:1-7

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.”–Hebrews 1:1-7.
The Son of God represents all Power contained within life. The angels represent all Mind for life. The ministers symbolize all the Substance of life. The Son of God receives the inheritance. The angels are spirits. The ministers become a flame of fire. God has given the Son of God all power and dominion. As creators, we are conquerors, made in His image and likeness, begotten, not made, and born from above.
You receive the descent of the Holy Ghost on your Oversoul at Rebirth, which is the Power in all life, and it creates an explosion. The angels in this passage represent the principle of all Mind to use as all plans for life. Thoughts form the blueprints of your plan to fill prayer molds in expansion. Ministers symbolize the principle of all substance of life, the substance with which you “feed my sheep.” Substance becomes the flame of fire from above, which burns, consumes self or body, seed or universe. Its expression is action.
First, Power creates an explosion in your head center. Then Mind causes an expansion that enables you to use more Mind, Wisdom, and understanding to live by principle. Finally, you appropriate Substance in your expression of personality to gain friends, things, to give, or to feed something to the world. Where is the altar? It is your high fortress. Where is the flame? It is above, and you must call it down.
First, the son of God consciousness descends with the Holy Ghost. Then, as do the angels, you worship and offer praise at the altar. As a minister, you are a flame of glory to serve God and to love more. Your inheritance is Spirit, a flame of fire and success.

Top ↑

.

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.

Works Cited

The Holy Bible. King James Version (KJV).

The Oxford English Dictionary: Compact Ed., 2 vols. E.S.C. Weiner, ed., Oxford University Press, 1971.

Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 3rd ed. Springfield, MA, G. & C. Merriam Co., 1929.

Copyright 2018-2026 by Linda Mihalic, The Society of the Universal Living Christ. All titles published under The Via Christa are copyright protected. All Rights Reserved. You may not modify, publish, transmit, transfer or sell, reproduce, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, display, or in any way exploit any of the content, in whole or in part. No part of any book or paper herein may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from The Via Christa. Created March 5, 2018; modified July 26, 2026.

Edna Lister’s Sermons, 1945

.

“Throughout history, men have martyred each other and shed blood because of conflicting opinions and desires.”–Edna Lister

“Never force anyone to do or believe as you do, or to act as you choose. Loose him and let him go his own way.”–Edna Lister

“Your equality with all others ended with your first choice and theirs.”–Edna Lister

“Your every decision is a choice for the good or the not-good!”–Edna Lister

“What the world needs for more miracles is more love, more wisdom, and more God!”–Edna Lister

“You need only to be cured of the idea of anything negative.”–Edna Lister

“1. Do the next thing next. 2. Know that you are the instrument of God’s Power as Jesus did. 3. Ignore the outer appearance, and keep faith in the inner reality.”–Edna Lister

“See the good for others as you see it for yourself.”–Edna Lister

“The only difference between a mental groove and a grave is the depth of the cut.”–Edna Lister

“Don’t take your eye off the Light, which is the good, but hold to knowing that you go to heaven on your own desire to be good.”–Edna Lister

“No soul can get away with any disobedience to law.”–Edna Lister

“If you don’t like today’s degree of success, you can change your kind of plan.”–Edna Lister

“Whatever you give to others you will receive for yourself.”–Edna Lister

“Jesus turned into fire on the Mount of Transfiguration.”–Edna Lister

“First, a concept exists in the Mind of God. That concept then becomes an idea in man’s mind.”–Edna Lister

“‘Little me’ gets tired of waiting, but Oversoul I AM patiently waits for God.”–Edna Lister

.

“If you don’t like today’s degree of success,
you can change your kind of plan.”–Edna Lister