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Edna Lister’s Sermons, 1958
Immortality Now
Edna Lister outline, March 30, 1958, Tacoma, WA, Matthew 21:1-17, Psalm 8
“And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.”–Matthew 21:1-17.
Jesus summed up the whole of his ministry between Palm Sunday morning and the Last Supper, Thursday evening. Beginning with cleansing the temple from a den of thieves back into a house of prayer, he cut the purse-strings of the vested, monied interests in Jerusalem. First, he offended them by saying exactly what he meant about the lawbreakers. Then he healed the sick and quoted the greatest prophecies of the Messiah.
“O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”–Psalm 8.
Jesus’ whole ministry was a preparation for what he taught that final week—to live fully right now, to be well now, and to live forever. Under preparation for the life immortal, you must consider repentance, reconciliation and atonement.
Repentance begins when you become aware of your disobedience. Repentance comes in many kinds—you have pain-repentance from buying uncomfortable shoes, or indigestion-repentance from eating too much or the wrong foods. You have shame-repentance when another catches you in the act or discovers you have done wrong. Yet love-repentance creates a sense of contrition, not just being sorry you were caught, but grieved to have hurt another. This is soul growth, which will open into Christed consciousness.
“I wish I hadn’t done/said that” is the first sign that you are preparing to assume full personal responsibility. Contrition is a deep grief that deals with reconciliation of your relationship to God and to others. However, it’s a long step before you can say, “I am reconciled,” and really mean it. You learn law, make friends, and submit to the disagreeable, unavoidable facts and actions of others.
In the “I’ll try” stage, you do not like it, but submit to the law anyway. This is the first surrender of self to be possessed by the Power of God. “I follow him,” says your soul in devotion to the Master of masters. On this, the second step of surrender, you take the blame and begin to live by the Christ Light and the I AM consciousness of Christed stature. Your penitence here is a form of rejoicing that you know the truth of God’s primacy.
Atonement is “reparation for a wrong or injury; reparation or expiation for sin; the reconciliation of God and man through Jesus Christ.” Atonement means to be at ease with God, with yourself, and with others. High penitence opens a super-repentance, operating as the desire to make everything right, to cover others’ missteps and soul debts. You want to repair damage and make amends for past failures. Declare, “This one thing I do now, I set my soul vibration at-one with God.” You move from contrition to penitence, thereby raising the vibration in all your physical cells and life sparks of your soul.
So, the Palm Sunday celebration reminds us of Jesus’ humility under trying circumstances. Had he ridden a white elephant or a horse, it would have aroused hatred, not scorn, and he could not have done his most important work. Nothing is more humble than the small colt of a white donkey, so the priests could sneer, laugh and make fun of him. Jesus was not fearful receiving the crowd’s honor and praise—he accepted it as love.
People forget how important it is to praise others, how pleasing it is to them. Take the time to praise another, even if you sometimes do it with tongue in cheek. Praise opens your vibration of immortality. The multitude’s praise and songs opened the Gates of Light for Jesus’ Ascension as Christ. Your praise opens the Gates for your ascension. That Light from above that rolled the stone away on that first Easter morning can touch you. One footfall, one gunshot, one shout can start an avalanche. One small breeze in the South Pacific can start a cyclone. You can start a chain reaction of joy with your words of praise, laughter, and song.
When you accept law, with no inner conflict or resentment, you move from repentance and reconciliation straight to atonement. Set your personal vibration to be at one with God, which frees you and gives you the independence to walk the path to immortality in the kingdom of God. Make your body a “house of prayer” as your prepare to become immovable and untouchable to any thief of peace. You open this vibration on your Palm Sunday of glory. Declare, “The Lord hath need of me. Thou hast need of my praise, O God, as I need Thy immortality now.”
Immortality Now
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Collord, May Wilder, scribes, March 30, 1958, Tacoma, WA, Matthew 21:1-17, Psalm 8
“And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.”–Matthew 21:1-17.
“O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”–Psalm 8.
Jesus’ ministry up to Holy Week was remarkable, extremely so. Yet the Gospels imply so much more, as here—“You will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat,” to “Follow the man carrying a pitcher.” The world does not know, from the written words, everything Jesus said during his ministry. From age twelve to thirty is a gap in the record, yet from his Bar Mitzvah in Jerusalem to his baptism by John, he never stopped teaching. His ministry taught preparation on earth for walking the way to the kingdom of heaven.
From Palm Sunday to the Last Supper, Jesus summed his whole teaching. He revealed the obstacles that the priests, scribes, Pharisees and temple guards had placed in the paths of the common people. He dealt their pride a blow when he overthrew the tables of the money changers within the temple. With this one gesture, he opened a vibration that has come down through the ages, and he is still overthrowing the power of the money changers.
Jesus’ gospel of preparation contains three steps, repentance, reconciliation and atonement or at-one-ment. Palm Sunday is supposed to represent eternal life. A single earth incarnation has finite duration, but in God’s eternity, life is immortal. How can life be anything but immortal? It will change its form millions of times, yet we have not yet touched the fringes of healing in our bodies because we do not yet believe that life is immortal, or that the body is the form of life itself in time and space.
To repent is to turn from sin and dedicate yourself to the amendment of your life. In the Greek, it is metanoia, which means to turn around completely. You can experience a half-dozen forms of repentance. For example, youth repents of recklessness when they experience pain, which they should not need to experience. Women who repent from the pain of tight shoes should remove the self-imposed limits to their understanding, for the feet represent that faculty. You feel shame-repentance when you have been caught at something. “You’ll never catch me doing that again.” Such words may leaven your attitude until you hurt someone, which leads to contrition, your first touch of true repentance.
Contrition is the prologue to reconciliation, for you must feel sorry for the past before you can reconcile yourself to obeying the law. You have to pass through repentance to reach reconciliation. Each spends his whole life becoming reconciled to law, from the rules that govern how to drive a car to becoming the laws of the divine. In your desire to understand life, you finally discover law. Most of us are still only grasping the simple laws, such as, “I give of the love of God. I give of the love of Christ. Last year’s good is not good enough for this year. Every day is a day of judgment.” Reconciliation is the soul’s submission to law.
The first step you learn is, “I submit to the fact that I have to live with others.” You realize then that letting the other fellow talk and giving him the last word is easier than fighting and less exhausting than arguing. The second step is to be companionable, and finally to know that the other fellow does his best for him, according to his degree and kind. Never permit self to sideline or forget the soul’s leadership on the Way of the Christ. Step beyond the half-hearted attitude of “I’ll try. I’ll put up with it.”
You move through reconciliation with law until you live by the law, as the law, and watch it work. You can stand on a point of law, and if you stand on law long enough you will watch life’s tangles unravel. At this point, you are happy to conform to knowing that law uses you. This is the first step to Christed “I AM” consciousness, the mind of Christ, and the first glory of illumination, which is the beginning of atonement.
A point of conflict exists between God and man in the interrelationship of the subconscious, conscious mind, and Oversoul’s super-conscious mind of Christ. Inner conflict arises only when you forget who’s in charge and let things get to you. Atonement, or at-one-ment, sets a keynote of soul mastery and a rate of vibration leading to your awareness of your soul’s immortality.
Jesus taught us how to live now, a moment at a time, without dragging a carcass of dead self. Soar like an eagle! Why walk with your soul wings and tail feathers dragging in the dust, when you could and should be like an angel of Light? His advice on how to get through the “I’ll try” stage is repentance through contrition, and reconciliation through recognition that you must obey law every time. Then you reach the greater place where the wings of the Holy Spirit cover you, which is the at-one-ment.
The Palm Sunday vibration is designed to get to you by squeezing the self into its Light-shape, making room for your soul. When soul is in charge, you cannot bear to repeat anything outer-worldly or lesser, but can only give what is within and comes from above. Picture Jesus’ humble entry in Jerusalem—the temple priests laughed at him, sneering at the fool on a donkey. If he had ridden in like a prince on an elephant or a horse, they would have imprisoned him for his arrogance. He knew that the people’s praise, added to his message, would build the outer vibration that assured his crucifixion. When that shot of Power from above met the force of earth, it would break the stone within their hearts and minds and release their souls to penitence and cleansing grief.
A gentle breeze can start a whirling that can end as a hurricane. A small stone tumbling can begin a landslide. A shout can trigger an avalanche. A word can start a chain reaction. Today we are starting a chain reaction for the coming year. On Easter morning the Power of the Holy Spirit descends, then continues to build through Pentecost and all through summer.
Jesus left us this teaching of preparation for the life immortal now. Life is self-renewing and continual in the body’s physical cells. Choose life! Choose life with soul, not death with self. You adulterate God’s life-giving Power if you think you are giving too much. Your cells act out the idea, “I am doing too much for you.”
Jesus easily took on the greatest of honors and the meanest of scorn, meant to color him drab, and turned it into bright glory from his millions of years of experience. Yet you are still apt to let one person’s ridicule dull your colors. Declare, “Father, I know that Thou hast need of me as an immortal one, as one who preaches the gospel, never counting the cost of what I must give to the world of man. But what can I give You, Father?"
We, the Elect, do not thank God enough or often enough for the life immortal, which is resurrecting the cells of our bodies, the glory of our souls. The Power wave we build this morning, the love going forth to cover the world’s illnesses, is the Christed vibration. This is what Palm Sunday means to us. Today, set yourself on the vibration of life immortal.
It Is Finished!
Edna Lister outline, April 4, 1958, Tacoma, WA, Psalm 22:1-18, John 19:30, Matthew 27:35, Luke 23:46
“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, “He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.” But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”–Psalm 22:1-18.
“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. The Crucifixion of Jesus fulfilled the foreshadowing in Psalm 22. “They divided my garment” fulfills the prophecy, yet is also a proof of reincarnation.
“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”–Luke 23:46. When Jesus left his body, the release of Power tore the temple veil. Thunder, and black clouds abruptly filled the sky. The earth shook, and lightning shattered rocks. “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”–John 19:30. Jesus’ surrender raised earth’s vibration until men’s eyes were open to truly “see” spiritually. The graves were opened and many saw the dead walking among them.
When the Father took our Lord, He lowered the invisible world, which became visible. You can and perhaps shall see the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day, after the heat and weariness of the struggle to ascend. And in that day, you shall feel no desire to hide from the presence of the Lord God.
It Is Finished!
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Collord, scribe, April 4, 1958, Tacoma, WA, Psalm 22:1-18, John 19:30, Matthew 27:35, Luke 23:46
“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, “He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.” But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”–Psalm 22:1-18.
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”–John 19:30.
“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”–Luke 23:46.
“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. The Roman soldiers, who were in charge of the Crucifixion of Jesus and the two thieves, sat at the foot of the cross, drank and gambled, rolling dice as they “divided his garments, casting lots” to see who would get his tunic, mantle, sash and sandals. They appear to have been a hardhearted crew, yet one wonders.
Crucifixion was the common Roman punishment for treason, murder, and other capital crimes. Judea was a hotbed of political dissent, and these soldiers must have participated in more than one crucifixion. Like it or not, it was their job. Drinking and gambling are two very earthy methods of escapist behavior. Yet, “they divided my garment” fulfills the prophecy in Psalm 22. It is also a proof of the doctrine of many lives, reincarnation.
“Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” When Jesus left his body, the release of Power tore the temple veil. Thunder, lightning and black clouds darkened the sky. The earth shook, and lightning shattered rocks. They reported that the great lintel of the temple doors was cracked in two. Graves were opened and many saw “the dead” walking among them, a proof of the soul’s immortality. The magnitude of Jesus’ surrender raised earth’s vibration until men’s eyes were open to see truth spiritually. When his Father took him, the invisible world, which had been lowered, became visible. What miracles will your surrender of self produce?
Come Ye Apart
Edna Lister outline, April 20, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Mark 6:31, Matthew 6:6
“And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.”–Mark 6:31. “Come ye apart” are mysterious words, as if a secret were about to be shared. That is exactly what Jesus did when he took them apart, he shared the mysteries of the kingdom. This tells us, “Come ye apart” to pray, but where, how, when? We can pray anywhere, anytime or now, but the “how” is the difficulty.
Today, Will Oursler
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”–Matthew 6:6. This brings us to “how” to pray. Obey Jesus—“Go into your room and close the door.” It seems a random success, and effort that does not always work because of outside interference, selfish emotions, resentment, and irritation from the sound of the world’s noises. You take four steps to enter your room of Light and pray—zip-up in a suit of Light, love God, stay up there in consciousness, and praise!
You can use two distinct kinds of prayer, in three distinct ways. First is the broadcasting “outgoing” prayer, telling God about it in words. The other kind of prayer is tuning in and looking up, and “waiting upon the Lord in the high place.” You listen for the Voice, and take in the message you hear with your brain cells. Each of these methods has a phase that brings no results”. You can be too busy telling God about it to hear, or become too “peaceful” to hear. Under inactive “peace,” your vibration sinks too low to register any high illumination. As you become peaceful, your vibration falls. You can slip too easily and too often unless you are wary of self and on watch for this downward shift.
Now, why are there only two types of prayer, but three ways to use them? Why isn’t prayer like a two-way radio affair? Prayer is not so simple as, “Come ye apart” and “Go into your room and shut the door” to the world, to noise, to self. First, you must have a faith-base of operations. A simplified definition of faith is loving God enough to trust Him completely, with abandon. Faith is a principle, but also a name of God to call on. Stand still a moment, and picture a room of Light. Consciously enter this Light, mentally reach down and zipper yourself into a pink cloud that comes up to cover your mouth. This closes and seals your door.
A golden silence, a Source of Light awaits each soul, and God has endowed all with the ability to enter it. It is an action within—in, in, in, and up, up, up. You cannot be self-conscious and God-conscious simultaneously. You cannot listen the world while you listen for God. You cannot hear the noise of self-centered emotions and be God-conscious. In short, you cannot be dual-minded. You hear the world with your ears, but must listen to God with your brain cells. Prayer requires your full attention to be on God. Tests of college students proved that the best of students just half-listen. What kind of listener are you? If your prayer is too much talk, you leave no time for God’s Voice to register following your prayer.
What are the three ways to use prayer? First, after moving up in consciousness, praise God and tell Him how much you love Him. Move ever higher into Light. Only words of praise will take you into the golden silence. When you arrive in the silence, open the way to the outer world through your mind, not your body, and give, give, give Light as all good to the world. Treat all needs in prayer that come to mind. “Let” the Power use you. Tell everyone you see in your mind’s eye, “I love you. You are free. You are up in consciousness now.” When you have exhausted the names and places, become still and let the Power move through you. Know the Power is moving forth, into every person and place you have treated.
Are you finished? No, because you are a twenty-four-hour-a-day channel for giving. The third and most important step is to give, once to the world, and twice to God. Tell God how much you love Him, all over again. Thank Him for the miracles. Dig into the silence with your love-anchor.
“Come ye apart” again before you contact the world. Do not descend in consciousness. Do not leave the silence. Stay up in consciousness. Slowly, open your eyes, and move into action. Do not unzip your protective suit of Light. Feel the Power still, and know the Power is using you. Act as if Power is using you! In this state of consciousness, you are undisturbed, undismayed and victorious. “Come ye apart” and live now, for you are now as immortal as you will ever be. Right here and now, you are immortal in Christed atomic substance. This is your first hour of being, because Jesus has called, “Come ye apart.” You are immortal. Declare, “Because I love God, I am now immortal.” Hear the Master say, “Come ye apart, and rest awhile."
Come Ye Apart
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Johnson, Virginia Whitehead, scribes April 20, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Mark 6:31, Matthew 6:6
“And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.”–Mark 6:31. Jesus’ invitation, “Come ye apart,” sounds mystical, as though secrets were in the air. He often took his disciples apart to share mystical secrets with them. He told them to “rest a while” and through him they drew Power for rejuvenation.
A religious renaissance is sweeping the world today. “God” is no longer a taboo word, and from the high office of the President to the largest business firms, many begin their days with prayer. Will Oursler
One way to pray is a giving, broadcasting prayer with many words. The other is a silent, wordless, upward-looking, in-drawing prayer of soul. Neither will work alone, so using them simultaneously and in balance is the trick. You can apply prayer three ways, but first you must have a method, a formula, then seek three things: Where to pray can be anywhere. When to pray can be anytime. How to pray may trip you.
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”–Matthew 6:6. Jesus said to enter a room, shut the door and pray. Where is this room? What door do you close? Often you may feel like a factory boiler room as you begin to pray, for subconscious conflicts blare when you become silent. You cannot enter the golden silence filled with resentments and irritations. Yet the average person just suppresses subconscious distractions, pushing them back to the boiler room where they continue to howl and clank. Your prayers ascend as high as your consciousness, but no higher. Self thinks of its own negativity and approves itself. Love enough erases all self, unwise actions, hasty words, monetary worries and guilt complexes. You pay a great price to love wholeheartedly, for you must conquer self. Balance the day’s book of self with love each night.
How can you commune with God in the golden silence while worldly noises, problems, and the subconscious all clamor for attention? The secret of successful prayer is to be single-minded and oblivious to the world’s noise and distractions, which is why Jesus said, “Come ye apart.” To find and remain in this golden silence you must
God must have your full attention. Your ears may hear noises, but you listen to God with your brain cells, and each is an inner ear. Reach down from your room of Light and encircle your physical ears and mouth with a rose-pink cloud of devotion. When Oversoul touches you, everything in your subconscious boiler room is drawn up into that Light, and distractions disappear. This is how to enter your prayer room and close the door to pray.
What kind of listener are you? Are you aware? Some listen with only 10 percent of their attention. Ascend in consciousness to your Source of Light, become a completely attentive good listener to obliterate world noises, and hear God in this beautiful sphere of silence.
Two things can disturb you here. You can be so busy telling God what He should do that you cannot hear the vibration of His Voice, like being oblivious to the television while you are doing something else. You can also become so peaceful that you loll in the Light, go to sleep and hear nothing.
You need time to prepare for prayer, to enter your room of Light and close the door on the world. Give God your full attention. Scattered prayer effort counts and helps save the world, but true prayer power comes in supreme golden silence.
“By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life.”–Proverbs 22:4. Humility is the ability to accept and surrender, and loving God enough is the only qualification needed. Your obedience and acceptance of divine law give you riches, honors and life.
Now you are ready to pray. First, prepare yourself to give to the world. You do not want an empty body. Praise pushes the button and opens every door to intake Power until you find your body full to overflowing with Light and love. Tell God you love Him. Heaven is full of so many courts and thrones to see, so extend your vision to eternity, then tighten your focus. Remain in the golden Light, praise God and tell Him how wonderful He is.
Broadcast love to the world, to everyone on your lines of Light. Call them all by name and say, “I love you. You are free.” Your body becomes a powerhouse, a conduit of Light for the world when you just give and give and give. How many hours have you spent on other people’s business? If you meant to spend ten minutes with God but gave Him thirty, you may be tempted to rush to make up the time. Yet this shocks the body and you lose the glory you could have held all day. When you turn back to God, tell Him again how much you love Him. Thank God you have had such a glorious time with Him.
Keep your consciousness zipped up and in a room of Light. Breathe deeply, slowly open your eyes to the world, and you will stay up, on your Mount of Transfiguration. Stand in the Light, filled with life and God’s pure love. You can easily handle worldly matters when you stay up in consciousness and praise God after prayer. Nothing of earth can hurt you if you are zipped-up in Light. “Come ye apart” and rest a while in the Love of God, which is immortal, deathless, ageless and abiding.
Light is the source of indestructible atomic power, and standing in the pure Light of God, you are immortal, invulnerable, invincible, immovable. Remain in the Light where Power still possesses you. As you lean back to “rest a while,” praise God that Power moves through hour by hour as you remain with Him. Prayer becomes the ultimate creative vibration, as a love song of ecstasy from the heart.
A Miracle of Increase
Edna Lister outline, April 27, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Mark 6:31-44, John 6:5-14
“[Jesus] said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? Go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.–Mark 6:31-44.
“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. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.”–John 6:1-14.
These stories describe the miracle of expansion through increase. It is an outstanding lesson in the perfect use of what you presently have, yet it outshines almost every experience you can have. You can gain a more comprehensive view of each phase of this miracle if you compare the Mark’s version with John’s. First, Mark says they had arrived by boat, obviously along a shoreline.
Many people were coming and going, and no one had time to rest or eat. So Jesus told them to come apart to a deserted place, by boat. Then John says he went up on a mountain, so it must have been a rugged coastline, a high hill near the shore. According to Mark, the huge crowd had arrived before Jesus and his disciples. They must have watched the direction they were headed, and guessed their destination. They went by land, spreading the word along the way.
“Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.”–Mark 6:34. He was not “in” another place, as in the sense of being in a building. He came out of the golden silence, had compassion, and began to teach them.
He taught them two great truths—heaven is a state of consciousness and a place, where, he said, “I go to prepare a place for you.” Also, he taught that God is both principle and personality, and the many ways in which we must take care of life’s every department. For example, you “Render unto Caesar” in earthly commerce. You “Look up and be saved” in your mental life, and do not worry about tomorrow at the emotional-psychological level. Jesus had fed their souls by teaching them.
Everyone was tired and hungry. Mark says the disciples wanted him to send the crowd away, but Jesus said, “You feed them.” Two hundred pennies must have been the size of their purse. John says that Jesus asked Philip, “Where shall we buy bread?” Jesus knew but wanted to make them “increase-conscious.” Philip knew that they did not have enough money for bread if everyone were to eat. Andrew, who represents strength, knew that one boy had five loaves and two small fish.
Five loaves represent freedom, and two fish represent agreeing and adjusting. The loaves were symbols of increase, and the fish of abundance. Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” He knew they were weary, and would forget everything he had taught them unless they relaxed. He had them sit in groups of one hundred, the number representing a spiritualized individuality, and by fifties, the number symbolic of spiritual freedom. In this case, it also represents assimilation.
As they ate, they also assimilated the spiritual food he had fed them. While standing, the individual looks down, but while sitting, he looks up. This was a perfect approach, psychologically. The Master held the bread, and visualized what he held as a “seed.” He comprehended the great law of increase, to bless and to praise the seed, no matter how small.
For example, the giant redwood trees, which grow more than three hundred feet tall and live for 3,000 years, throw tiny winged seeds. An oak tree lives 200 to 300 years, producing thousands of acorns annually, feeding many forest creatures. You can have no miracle without a vision of what your seed can grow. Soul vision is seeing the results of increase and expansion while still holding the seed in your hands mentally and blessing it.
If your miracles are partial or delayed, something is clogging your channels of increase and expansion. You must release some opinion or prejudice. You need a spiritual Roto-Rooter to cut through the blockage. People are afraid to let go of the old, for they fear giving away something they might need later. Yet you must give to start increase and expansion flowing.
Use the new seed. Bless it, praise it and put it on a cloud of Light to grow, never forgetting to sustain and nourish it. Then go about your business. Jesus never taught us to sit and concentrate to produce something from nothing, out of thin air.
What did Jesus see? Not five loaves and two fishes. Wheat fields produce millions of loaves of bread. Oceans produce billions of fish. Five thousand needed to eat of the loaves and fish. The Master did not have several jobs to do, just one task. The hungry 5,000 were waiting expectantly on the outer. Their need became a payable on demand draft on Power, which Jesus added to his soul vision. He drew Power into visibility as substance.
Never ask for self, or say “my” or “mine” to draw on Power. You need a payable on demand draft to draw Power through you. Seek a need in another, and use it to envision enough for everyone and to spare. When you think you are giving too much, you stop giving, cut off the Power moving through, and sag at the seams. Your vision must be great to start the flow of increase. No vision on earth today is great enough, none. No one has ever touched the fringes of what “might be."
“I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.”–Psalm 82:6 and “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”–1 John 3:2.
God’s vision encompasses universes. He is all you see, all you shall see, all you shall use. Only you limit the power of increase. Picture only the results of your vision, not the need.
Miracles never end. They gathered up twelve baskets after they had fed the crowd. It went right on increasing until he put the fragments into the baskets. Do not be foolish about this. Jesus never said you needed to feed 5,000, yet if the need arises, step up to the task. Let your vision be great enough, and never stop nourishing that vision.
A Miracle of Increase
Edna Lister transcript, Virginia Whitehead, scribe April 27, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Mark 6:31-44, John 6:1-14
“[Jesus] said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.”–Mark 6:31-44.
“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. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.”–John 6:1-14.
The story of the loaves and fishes describes the miracle of increase, and is loaded with action, for it illustrates bringing the invisible into visibility. Mark and John recorded the miracle under the same chapter number, six, which represents the double trinity of increase.
Mark says Jesus went to a deserted place, which describes a perfectly serene and uncluttered consciousness. John says Jesus went up on a mountain, a high place in consciousness, and when he “came out,” he emerged from the golden silence. The crowds who followed Jesus always respected his retreat into the silence. Jesus had communed with God, was inspired, and the poor people moved him to compassion because they were leaderless, like sheep without a shepherd. He began to build the crowd’s vibration to a higher rate. He taught them that heaven is a state of consciousness and a place. By speaking of the Father, he taught that God is personality and principle. Most religious creeds go just so far in one direction or the other, but we worship God as both.
Jesus unfolded the mysteries in the Sermon on the Mount, and opened Wisdom’s Gates to his disciples. That sermon lifted their consciousness so high that they could increase from exerting their self-will to precipitating substance into visible manifestation. Jesus never taught people to sit and concentrate, but that you must enliven the seed in your hand to increase it.
Heaven is a place and a state of consciousness right here, right now. You have seven bodies that occupy seven different rates of vibration. For instance, you continue in a body of atomic substance when you leave the physical body during sleep or at transition. You are aware of heaven when you raise your rate of vibration by ascending to higher consciousness. As you enter heaven, you occupy a place and a state of consciousness. Thus, you may breathe a complete, pure vibration of Power to inflate the atomic body and higher vehicles for healing.
The versions in John and Mark are a little different. Mark reports that the disciples wanted Jesus to send the people away. They understood the crowd’s hunger, but did not consider supplying the demand. John states that Jesus asked Philip what they should do, but Philip could see only the insufficiency of supply. Jesus saw the people’s need, the miracle-seed in his hand, and knew how to make the seed increase to supply the demand.
This episode teaches us to agree with God that this is good, and adjust to others’ needs. Seeing, then agreeing and adjusting is one of life’s big problems since no two people view life the same way. You become nonresistant when you ascend in consciousness. Enemies expect opposition, so you confuse and bewilder them when you agree until you have no enemies.
Jesus had the people sit in both versions. They were hungry, tired of standing. So, he had them relax to better integrate his words, or they would have forgotten what he taught. In Mark, Jesus told the disciples to have them sit in perfectly numbered groups, in ranks of hundreds and fifties. Thus, they sat in a heavenly arrangement and were open to assimilation.
Five loaves represent a physical increase, as bread increases when yeast causes it to rise. Two fish represent spiritual abundance. In John, the Master broke the bread, blessed it and prayed before they ate. The people needed a common denominator of faith and joy to produce the miracle. You, too, must sit in a heavenly state of consciousness you create.
Jesus held the miracle-seed of increase when he took the bread and fish. A miracle’s success depends on whether you are concerned with your seed, and the work you must do. Bless the seed and use imagination to envision the size of the miracle you want. You delay the miracle unless you see the need only to surrender to it fully.
You need a spiritual drain cleaner to remove your fears and open your channels of thinking and imagination. Simply surrender to God and give up negativity to unclog your channels. If you cannot conceive the need, or the work you must do, you lack vision. Without vision, you can have no miracles.
Each is free to increase his effort and double his output. Jesus went directly to the Source of Power and increased the supply so 5,000 ate of just five loaves and two fish. The group was fervently expectant, and believed absolutely that the Master could do anything. Their fervent belief drafted God’s Power and lowered the vibration of invisible substance to solid form.
Never treat just for yourself, but others’ problems too. Spiritual vision precipitates Power from the invisible to the visible world. You must have a need and a fervent desire to help. What you release in prayer fulfills others’ prayers, the Father then doubles that and fills your need.
Twelve baskets left over represent the manifestation of the increase. The Power released was so great that if Jesus had not ordered the baskets gathered afterward, that Power would have continued to flow and the increase would have become waste.
You cannot have miracles without envisioning them to increase the Power. When you do, the result of miraculous. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”–John 14:12. Your vision has grown to be so great that it pulls you through difficult times, but is puny compared with what you will be able to do. Your vision for the world must be greater.
We are the New Jerusalem, and our government needs Christed men and women in office. See those who hold government office as ascending creators gods. Declare them good. Today, our vision releases only a dribble of Power, and the greatest miracle has not yet come to earth. Power works perfectly when your vision is great enough. You may not act smugly or talk about your vision. Work in silence, without self. Nurture your vision and increase your expression of faith, love and joy.
The need is the seed. Take it in your hand, and bless it. Fill your aura with Light, then go about your business. Surrender to Power and let only soul radiance shine from your eyes. Every effort you make is a vibration that accumulates after its degree and kind and returns as goals fulfilled, new security, new increases, new friends, new illumination, new beauty in your life. “The Almighty will be thy treasure and precious silver unto thee.”–Job 22:25.
Promises Made
Edna Lister outline, May 4, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Joshua 1:1-6, 3:8-17, 5:13-15, 6:1-20
“Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.”–Joshua 1:1-6.
“And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God. And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; and as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.”–Joshua 3:8-17.
“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.”–Joshua 5:13-15.
“Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.”–Joshua 6:1-5.
“And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.” Joshua 6:9-10.
“So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.”–Joshua 6:20.
A promise is an assurance given, a word-token expressing love, admiration, respect, and a desire to serve in some way. A promise should be a pledge of honor, even on the outer. On the inner, a promise is a vow made under honor. Promises in the Bible often begin with, “It shall come to pass,” and end with, “And it came to pass” as spoken. A promise always implies a responsibility to do something, an alternative. We all know that we get nothing for nothing. Promises lightly made, then left unfulfilled are worth less than nothing. Yet you must use your own soul substance to compensate the one to whom you made the promise. The receiver of the promise also has a duty, an obligation to accept the promise, and steadfastly expect its fulfillment, even when an unstable person makes it. Why? God is under solemn obligation to fulfill all promises believed in and thanked for, even when the repayment must come through another agent.
Joshua had taken over leadership from Moses and God immediately sent him to the Jordan River. He returned with orders for the priests to take the ark and stand in the waters until all Israel had crossed the river. First they kept the Passover and ate the produce of the land, “unleavened bread and parched grain.” God fed them no more manna, which they had eaten in the wilderness, for now they were in the Promised Land. Shoes serve to cover or limit your understanding, which the feet represent. “Take off your shoes” means to open your mind, give up personal opinions and prejudices.
The Lord then gave Joshua more orders. These orders hold true for us in taking any new city in the Promised Land of inspiration, from the diaphragm to the shoulders, while climbing to the Garden of Eden, the higher creative center in the head. The first orders applied for six days. Six is the creative number, balanced Love and Wisdom doubled in the trinity of perfection in creation. We always have an “armed guard” preceding and following us when we stand serene and confident.
Twelve priests carried the ark, six on each side. Seven priests each blew a rams’ horn, which totals fourteen, the number representing choice and separation. The rear guard included the people, who represent the subconscious emotions, pictures of imagination and thoughts. They were to make no noise, speak not a word, but to be still. Yet they all participated by marching around the city, working out their salvation, while the priests held the high vision of success.
On the seventh day, they repeated all this seven times. They fulfilled the law of not looking back, but maintained their steadfastness of purpose. To summarize, your armed protection always comes from balanced Love and Wisdom, which forms your armor of Light. The six priests on the left side of the ark represent your gifts to God, while the six on the right signify the gifts you give to humanity. The ark is your higher creative center, where Christed “I AM” consciousness dwells as you express the twelve virtues. Your rear guard is your desires, thinking, and imagination lifted above the self’s control. You may make no noise as the Power is building for a miracle. If you let self cut the vibration, all the substance for the miracle scatters and you must gather it again, starting over at the beginning.
For six days they marched around the city once, but on the seventh day they marched seven times, totaling thirteen circuits, the number of the Via Christa. Seven is the number of the Priest, who stands in the position of protection, in front. “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon, have I given you,” God said. You must defend every foot of ground whereon you stand. How do you do this? You must love enough.
How will you know when you have reached the seventh round on the seventh day? This is the difficulty. Seven is a mystical number, meaning to stand until the miracle is visible, without complaining. Rejoice while holding your trumpet of steadfastness of purpose and unfaltering vision. Then one morning, noon or night you’ll want to shout! Raise your voice in praise. Declare, “I am become unconquerable faith. I am in love with God."
Promises Made
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Johnson, Virginia Whitehead, scribes, May 4, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Joshua 1:1-6, 3:8-17, 5:13-15, 6:1-20
“Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.”–Joshua 1:1-6.
“And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God. And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; and as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.”–Joshua 3:8-17.
“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.”–Joshua 5:13-15.
“Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.”–Joshua 6:1-5.
“And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.” Joshua 6:9-10.
“So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.”–Joshua 6:20.
A promise is a pledge of honor made to give assurance and comfort to someone. A promise is the soul’s desire to make an offering, a word-token of love, respect and appreciation to another. Promises are difficult to analyze.
Wherever the Bible says, “Thus says the Lord,” it means that God has made a promise. The receiver’s responsibility is to turn to the Lord and obey until fulfillment comes. A promise charges a debt to Light as Mind, Substance and Power. Some never say thanks for a promise, but answer flippantly, “Oh, I can’t accept that. Just forget it.” Promises are binding on the giver and receiver and create a two-way obligation.
Some people promise carelessly, and swear away their soul substance. “I wish I’d never made that promise” forfeits the soul substance you invested in making the promise. God subtracts the promise’s substance from the giver’s account, no matter whether he fulfills the promise. If you cannot fulfill the promise, pray for the one to whom you promised, to cover the debit. God makes up the difference in prayer substance for your soul expansion.
The receiver’s obligation is ten times greater. Law grants the receiver enough soul substance to cover the promise if the giver does not fulfill it. You obligate every power in the universe to send an agent of fulfillment when you declare the giver will pay his debts and fulfill his promise under God’s law. The position you earn is equivalent to that promise, and all Power is added to you, if you accept it as such. “I’ll believe it when I see it” is a deadly curse on the Power a promise releases. No matter who makes you a promise, accept it as if it were from God’s mouth, to lift the giver’s soul substance to be restored to him.
To understand how Jericho’s impregnable walls fell, you must comprehend the laws involved. Among the Israelites who wandered the wilderness were the men who had been in Egypt, and it took forty years to wipe the memory from their minds. When the last elder had passed from his body, God called Moses home.
Joshua assumed responsibility for establishing Israel in Canaan, the Promised Land that God said would be theirs forever. The Lord ordered the priests to carry the ark of the covenant across the Jordan River on foot. The waters receded so the Israelites could walk across dry shod, which was Joshua’s first miracle at the Lord’s command. The Israelites were accustomed to miracles. They had witnessed the plagues, seen the Red Sea parted, and had eaten manna, the Lord’s bounty, for forty years.
Joshua ordered that the men be circumcised when they reached the plain of Jericho, to “roll away the reproach of Egypt.” Then they celebrated the Feast of Passover, making unleavened cakes of parched corn from the Promised Land. The manna ceased after the Passover, and Israel ate the fruits of Canaan. How they must have rejoiced!
Jericho was a walled city held by the descendants of Cain and Ishmael, who practiced human sacrifice at their altars to Baal. Jericho, which means “a great enterprise,” was a city of darkness where they sacrificed soul to self. The darkness of the godless had seized the gate to the Promised Land.
In the fifth chapter, Joshua lifted his eyes and saw a man with a sword standing over him, who said he was the Commander of Hosts, the Archangel Michael. Joshua fell on his face and asked if he had come to aid Israel or its adversaries. Verse 14 says the angel answered, “No, but as Commander of the host of the Lord I have now come.”
Fourteen is the number of choice; Joshua was asking if God had already chosen. When the angel said no, Joshua understood that the choice to obey and worship was his. The angel ordered Joshua to remove his sandals to permit the uninterrupted flow of Power through him. Thus, he ascended high enough to hear the Lord’s orders to take Jericho’s walls. The walls represent conquering the spiritual walls of the throat center, the last “I-me-my” center of self-will. Symbolically, the creative fire must possess the Promised Land before it can ascend to the Garden of Eden.
For six days the Israelites blew their horns as they marched around the city walls, then seven times on the seventh day. The steady blaring of horns and constant tramping of feet created a vibration to shatter darkness. God instructed them not to say a word, but to work in silence. We have all opened our mouths prematurely and destroyed our own vibrations.
Seven priests marched for six days, which represents the double trinity of creation, and the time required mystically to gestate any creative desire, prayer mold or idea. It took six days of marching to build the right vibration for action on the seventh day. These people had walked constantly forty years in the wilderness, and had no trouble marching six days around Jericho’s walls. Marching before the ark brought them into rapport with God.
The trumpets blew while they worked out their salvation in silence. An armed guard led them, as an angel with a flaming sword leads us when we gestate ideas as miracles. Seven is the priestly number that protects your creations. Seven priests blowing seven trumpets represent the action of divine Power as Light, color, tone, number, name, the spoken Word that creates form. The Ark of the Covenant represents the head, your sanctuary, a high tower of refuge, room of Light. We also call it the Garden of Eden, Christed “I AM” consciousness, the golden bowl that holds the pineal body and pituitary gland.
Six days symbolize a perfect balance of Love and Wisdom in your life. Then your armed guard, the angel of the Lord, goes with you to deflect harm. Fourteen (seven priests and seven trumpets) represents Power, Light and tone preceding you to prepare your way (twice seven equals fourteen, the number of choice and separation). You must make the choice represented by the number fourteen before the ark can follow. You choose God or darkness of self, and separate yourself from darkness or from God. How will you act? What will you say?
Six priests were on either side of the ark, totaling twelve, the number of primary soul virtues protecting you. You develop six virtues on the left as gifts of devotion to God, and six on the right as gifts of devotion to humanity. They ordered those at the rear to remain silent, which means ceasing negative expressions of imagination, emotional desires and wrong thinking. The little self is your “rear guard.” You cannot lift self until you love your fellow man and express love to the world. You must turn your virtues toward God to have a “rear guard."
The Children of Israel were still shocked with grief and mourning their loss of Moses. They loved Joshua because he was Moses’ protege. The Lord used him to perform two miracles on their first day in the Promised Land. He caused the River Jordan’s waters to recede and filled their stomachs after forty years of manna, which brought them into balance on Love and Wisdom. The Lord had promised them Canaan Land and had kept His promise. God told Moses to defend every foot of ground He gave him: The Children of Israel did defend the Promised Land and we still defend the land, for we are the Children of Israel. Defending the place you occupy is necessary. How? Love your neighbor as yourself. Love your enemies.
How you regard yourself is how you regard your neighbor. Smile when you look in the mirror, and let God paint your face with glory. Declare, “Here I am. Here is Your face, Father.” Love yourself and you will love your neighbor. God waits for you to defend the land He gave you. Go to Him for help. Plant your feet firmly and give up trying to do the whole job alone. How do you know when the seventh day arrives? You do not know, nor should you try. If you look back once, you cut your cables of Light to the Source, and must spend time gathering the scattered lines and substance.
Six represents the time that it takes to fill and gestate the prayer mold you create. Seven represents mystical fulfillment, and seven times seven is how long it takes to spark a project with a soul. You must clothe a project with divine substance if it is born without waiting. Ask not when the seventh day, the Sabbath, a day of rest, a quiet period, will arrive. You weary of waiting for the right time, ask when, and must do it again. God says, “Be still until I can make it visible."
Whenever God instructs you to remove your shoes, it means to clear the blinding cover from your understanding. You are not ascending high enough unless you comprehend. Give projects time to grow and become, and you can look up and say, “I am now that great Light and glory. I am now become the established one. I am now this unconquerable faith."
You have a finished miracle of seven times seven when you declare this every day, seven times seven. You will be happy, joyful, singing and praising, knowing this is your seven times seven, and God will command, “Shout!"
Promises Fulfilled
Edna Lister outline, May 11, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Hebrews 11:1-34
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”–Hebrews 11:1-3.
“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”–Hebrews 11:7.
“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.”–Hebrews 11:17-19.
“By faith [Moses] forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.”–Hebrews 11:27-30.
“Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”–Hebrews 11:33-34."
Today is Mothers’ Day and the last Sunday in the forty days of Ascension, the number of days Jesus remained on earth before he ascended. The Gospel record ends with his Ascension. The title and the subject of a sermon are also factors, since we must relate the three, the sermon’s date, title and subject in some way. Each minister faces the same problem in the sermon fifty-two times a year: How to integrate alien ideas, when they have no seeming relationship. Most ministers labor over it.
In this case, the ideas are scattered through the verses, and one must find some common denominator. What can we find here? First, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”–Hebrews 11:1. This verse directly relates to “Things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”–Hebrews 11:3.
Second, “Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark.”–Hebrews 11:7. Third, Abraham’ had such faith in God’s promise that “When he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.” 11:17-18. Fourth, “By faith [Moses] forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.”–Hebrews 11:27. Finally, Moses performed miracles and wonders through God’s aid and by Him delivered Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land, through faith.
All these verses speak of something invisible and unseen. In winter, a tree stands barren, its life invisible. Spring draws forth that unseen life, and buds appear. Faith is the name of this invisible substance of life when it appears. Faith really is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” A metaphysical declaration states, “God is everywhere evenly present and available.” This means that God cannot be left out of any part of Creation.
So faith is a high, working vibration in Light as Mind, Substance and Power. Mind holds the idea forming the prayer mold, Substance is the visible material, and Power is the energy acting upon the idea to make it visible. Is this practical? Is this logical? We must have a base for all our operations, a family home, a business office. An explorer has a ship. A mountain climber has a base camp for supplies.
Religion’s base is faith, which is composed of the pure Love of God. A simplified definition of faith is “loving God enough” to trust Him completely with abandon, with no time wasted in doubt or fear. Without faith as your base of operations, you have no sustenance, no food. You are weak, fall back, and must start over.
Faith is love, the mothering aspect of God. Therefore, faith is the full expression of God’s mother love. Mother love is penetrating, permeating and pervading. It never stops giving of its self and soul, so it yearns and broods. Mother love must fulfill itself—always pushing, always seeking and persistent. It is brisk, firm, and dependable. When you lean on mother love, it does not collapse—you do not fall through it.
The difference is between softness and tenderness, sentiment versus compassion. You can lean on tenderness and compassion, but soft sentimentality is dry rot that collapses. Mothers Day exemplifies true love. Sentimental love finally rides the soul with a whip and spurs. Its love-giving becomes a hated duty, and it falls in on itself in a “nervous breakdown.”
All promises are made from the substance of faith upheld by nourishing mother love. Promises are always invisible, therefore only through mothering love can you have the promises made to you fulfilled, or fulfill those you have made to others. Somewhere, sometime, you must fulfill all your promises.
A promise made silently to another, or one made to your own soul, immediately releases enough new substance to become the equivalent of the promise in Light, love, healing power. It goes direct to the home, business, the aura, wherever the need is, to the other person. If you promise yourself, the substance goes into your own prayer molds.
To love as faith is ascension. To make a promise is ascension, for ascension is a moving up in consciousness. Promises made to you are but the Father saying, “Come higher, and pick up the precious jewels of wisdom you laid down on each level of consciousness as you descended to earth.” This is why God’s promises must be fulfilled. They are yours from the beginning, and you must take them home.
The fact of your ascension is your claim check at the altar, where you laid down your jewels of soul. As you ascend, mother love, as faith in action, becomes your life’s universal timing. You become God’s promise fulfilled.
Promises Fulfilled
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Johnson, Virginia Whitehead, scribes. May 11, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Hebrews 11:1-34
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”–Hebrews 11:1-3.
“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”–Hebrews 11:7.
“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.”–Hebrews 11:17-19.
“By faith [Moses] forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.”–Hebrews 11:27-30.
“Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”–Hebrews 11:33-34.
Today’s text appears filled with heterogeneous subjects, but is all about promises fulfilled, about faith as the invisible substance of things hoped for and the visible evidence of the unseen. Faith is the common denominator of the world’s ascension. Faith’s invisible divine substance fulfills every promise. Noah feared God’s warning, heeded the warning and built the ark as God ordered him. He was obedience, shaking knees, and faith. The obedient soul has faith, though his stomach quakes and knees shake. The rainbow, the visible spectrum of light, symbolizes God’s promise to Noah fulfilled. God called Abraham to do many things for no visible reason, and Abraham instantly obeyed. Abraham and Sarah had faith in God’s promise that their seed would multiply to fill the earth before their son, Isaac, was visible. The “fear of the Lord” is obedience to law. Fear was the only way to unite the children of Israel. Moses delivered Israel from fear of Pharaoh’s wrath and led them into the desert to live forty years with no visible means of support.
Faith is the invisible substance that makes miracles visible. Faith is the invisible substance of the promise, and the visible seed. The trees stand barren in winter, their buds invisible, yet by May, they have blossomed. Trees fear no lack and so produce their buds. Earth yields countless tons of produce each year from invisible substance under the laws governing nature. We harvest unimaginable amounts of material substance from the earth, yet each year it produces more. It loses nothing. All this abundance comes of faith alone, operating through natural laws. Obedience to law can make invisible substance visible and tangible.
God is everywhere evenly present and available as Mind, Substance and Power, forever one. You cannot strain and separate any attributes from God. They are rates of vibration acting together as one. Mind builds the prayer mold. Faith becomes visible Substance that fills the mold. Power is the divine activity that energizes the mold to express as outer manifestation.
At the Source, absolute Wisdom, Love, and the Logos become abstract Mind, Substance, and Power, to form a supreme trinity that operates as relative desire, will, and action in lower realms. For example, a radio operates by using a carrier wave of Power to convey tone. The Light, color and tone principles act together as one transmission in a television set to produce a picture with sound. Without faith, you are like a television running with no sound or picture.
You must have a base of operations: Your home is one, your office is another. You may have many bases of operation, the military, factories, businesses. Yet you must have a personal base of operations for your emotional, mental and spiritual life, and this must be your faith. Faith is loving God enough to trust Him completely. You cannot base your life on faith unless you love God, or you lack the working tools of the trade. Mountain climbers and explorers establish base camps of supply. Where will you get your substance unless you establish a foundation of faith? Faith is the base camp from which you operate, above and below.
Having faith without loving God is impossible. Love is God’s feminine aspect, the mothering power principle. Today is Mother’s Day and Thursday is Ascension Day. We must weave the two into one. Mother’s Day, a feast day for all mothers, is the one day when everyone does something for his or her mother. Celebrating Mother’s Day is the beginning of a child’s expression of love, and this fits with the Creative Plan.
The deeper love penetrates and permeates the soul, the more it becomes true mother love. A mother will kill herself making the effort to see that her child goes to school or college and succeeds. You can always depend on permeating, penetrating mother love. It stands like a rock or pillar in the world. Any woman who mothers people has spiritual children who cling to her. They accept her as a mother above though she has no children of the body.
A vast difference lies between love and sentimentality, which is born of a possessive self-love that squeezes its loved ones to death. Love stands firmly. Sentimentality collapses in a crisis when you need it most. You cannot lean on this. Sometime in life that sentimental love will ride the loved one with a whip and spurs. Nervous collapses are often due to possessive sentimentality posing as love.
The love you need nourishes and sustains, and will brood and gestate for years, if necessary. Mind builds the prayer mold if you want to bring forth a vision, but you may not waver in filling it. Act from a continually held faith as your base of operations to gestate, nourish and sustain every idea you bring forth from heavenly realms. To have rock solid faith, you must love enough.
Mother’s Day is based on the invisible foundation of unconquerable faith. Mother Love counts no effort too great and no task too hard or too long. Faith in God’s promises is your base of operations, your trust that the material object or condition will emerge from invisible Substance. A promise is invisible and sometimes remains that way. Continuous belief in a promise fulfills that promise as an actuality.
You are responsible for bringing it to pass if you receive a promise. Accept it as love itself, fulfilled, and declare its maker faith-full, which follows the law of “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”–John 12:32. The promise is perfect, even if you know the person is lying. You can fulfill it from your rock-solid base of faith. You must fulfill every promise, even if you must come to earth again to do so.
God releases the Light as love-power for you to fulfill every silent promise you make to yourself. Love-power becomes healing, added gifts of abundant Substance. When love fills your aura, you are an invisible pillar of support for others. No one can ever forget a promise to do a good deed, for something reminds him, and that becomes his future base of operations.
Mother’s Day releases love, the inner substance of faith itself. Ascension Day reminds us of promises, ours and God’s. You grow, unfold and ascend in consciousness with every promise, and lift your base of faith higher. Whenever you read of God’s promises, the Father says, “Child, come higher and just ahead are these jewels of glory waiting for you here upon your altar.” God gave us these jewels when we first came to earth. Ascend a little higher in consciousness and you will receive every gift promised through the ages. The aspects of self you are the most stubborn about lifting are the prices of the greatest gifts awaiting you.
Reach a little bit further. Just one step, then another and the gift will be in your arms, added from the inner to you on outer. The Father says, “Your every prayer and promise you desire to fulfill is a claim check on the altar as you ascend.” As you stand on invisible unconquerable faith, upheld by God’s arms, you ascend. God’s mothering love becomes the timing of your life. You live in harmony with universal timing when you become Godlike unconquerable faith and unquenchable love.
As I See God
Edna Lister outline, June 1, 1958, Cleveland, OH, 2 Samuel 22:29-33, Philippians 4:19, 1 John 1
“For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness. For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God? God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.”–2 Samuel 22:29-33.
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”–Philippians 4:19.
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”–1 John 1:1-10.
Everyone’s results in life depend on what they have permitted their imagination to do. Your results depend completely upon how you have used your kingly faculty of imagination. If your imagination can run wild and uncontrolled, to picture ugly, negative darkness, then you can also use it for the highest creative good. And I mean use it, and let the Power do the work. This is the secret of a perfect life here and now, to use imagination perfectly.
Imagination neither slumbers nor sleeps. To use it properly, you need to know one thing well: The difference between true God-wise analysis, and your own human rationalization. True analysis must be just, balanced, and in it no criticism of either self or others, balanced as God balances Love and Wisdom. Balanced Love and Wisdom give you true perspective and everything else folds into it. To rationalize mentally, while feeling emotional, leaves you with exactly nothing in the end. You can rationalize truth to a pin point, until white turns to black. You can always discern criticism and condemnation of self or of others.
How must I see God? First, see Him as your supply for every need. Physically, see God as the healing of anything. Emotionally, the love of God absorbs all else. Mentally, see God as your beliefs, knowing and comprehension. Spiritually, God is your Father upon whom you can lavish love, whom you can idealize. Everyone seeks to idealize a Father, which is the soul’s heart-hunger for the memory of God.
See your Father as rich. He supplies you every needs according to His riches. So, how rich do you see Him as being? The answer has two halves, “according to His riches,” and according to your imagination and faith in vision. Your faith must reach up to touch the greatness of His riches.
Use your imagination to see Him as generous beyond your dreams with His riches. Fill your baskets with money, large bills, homes, new cars for everyone. You have already handled these riches yourself. Oh yes you have! You have seen with your eyes, the flowers, trees, fruit, beauty, homes and wealth. All has come from one Source, all from His Substance.
You must accept on trust and through love enough that John saw Jesus, the Son of God, and heard from him this message—“God is Light." Walk in the Light. See only the Light. If you walk in darkness, you have no fellowship with Him, and ask, “Where has God gone?”
To “confess your sins” does not mean to analyze how you got them, or to rationalize them away, but to ascend in consciousness, into the Light. Let Light do the work of scrubbing while your joy is full, and use imagination as soul vision. You have replaced the analysis and rationalization you left unattended in your mental incubator, to freeze or bake, with pure vision of the Light. Now that you have stepped up, leaving those steps behind, what shall you see first? When you are high in consciousness, you do not need more Light for clear seeing.
Examine all your unborn miracles for the year. Think of, then envision all the miracles that you can gestate. You can give them form just by holding imagination to a perfect creative vision. Ask, “Am I starving or nourishing my still gestating unborn miracles?” Remember, imagination is the greatest of your creative tools to create perfection.
Second, see the Light going forth to lift all your misused life sparks. Whenever you criticize or condemn another, you glue your life sparks to his. Being hurt, he fastens some of his life sparks to yours. Only by soul visioning, “seeing” Light and love going forth, only by speaking the Word, can you ascend those life sparks to God as the smoke of incense.
How do I see God? I see God as my lamp. I see God as my shield and buckler, my protection, my protector. I see Him as a sphere and walls of Light around my home, office and loved ones, sheathed in fire. I see walls of fire protecting them from enemies. I see God as the Lord, the law, whom I obey, worship and serve. I see whatever He sends me as good.
I love God. I see His face as sublime. I see our Lord more all-glorious than on the Mount of Transfiguration, wondrously beautiful. How do I see God? I see God as the established perfect Way, as the universal foundation. God is my Father, who understands but is not soft. I can neither fool Him, nor twist His law. I see God as my rich Father, beneficently bestowing upon His sons and daughters His all-conquering Power. I love God. I am in love with God.
As I See God
Edna Lister transcript, Virginia Whitehead, scribe, June 1, 1958, Cleveland, OH, 2 Samuel 22:29-33, Philippians 4:19, 1 John 1
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”–1 John 1:1-10.
1 John 1 reveals a formula for clarity of imagination. Your life results depend on how you use your divine faculty of imagination, which sets the keynote of your emotional life. Running wild and uncontrolled, imagination can be devastating, for it may become a source of secret fear, dread and doubt. Imagination controlled, directed and turned upward as vision, draws everything else with it. That is the law.
How you use imagination is a matter of choice. You may not use Power but you are free to use imagination as much as you desire. Imagination is a creative faculty which God meant you to use. Uncontrolled imagination can build ugly pictures, but you can direct and control imagination to build beautiful pictures. Miracles result when you move out of the way and pray!
You must differentiate between Godlike, God-wise analysis and human rationalization to control imagination. Analysis means to undo or to loosen, to resolve something complex into its simple elements. Rationalization applies the faculty of reason to physical laws to understand information about people or situations. Criticism and condemnation are the greatest corrupting factors in rationalization, focusing on pride, self-pity, and enemies to blame, criticize and condemn.
Most people call their rationalization analysis, but analysis imagines no dark emotions or suspicion. Awareness of God and high religious ideals recede to a pinpoint under rationalization, leaving only the negatives of old ideas. Why leave new ideas from the River of Life for someone else to imagine, act on and take credit for doing? Use your imagination wisely today. Criticism and condemnation are the offspring of rationalization. Listen to how others analyze people or events, and you’ll see how many rationalize from a very human viewpoint.
All ideas start bare, like the branches of a tree in winter. Increasing light causes the sap to rise and nourish the buds hidden in the tree, seen only in imagination. Agents of Light are out there, waiting to help you bring your ideas to pass. Your ideas will open over night, like buds on a maple tree when enough Light as the life of God fills you. Attend to this one factor in controlling and directing imagination, study and ponder it. Make sure you use pure analysis, undiluted with self.
“God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory.”–Philippians 4:19. First, see God as the Source of all supply, conform to law at every level, and finally, perform as a creator, using imagination as vision. Now, you must work out your own salvation. Do not “tempt the Lord” by resting in imagination or expecting God to take care of your conformance and performance for you. Two halves make up the proposition of working out your salvation. You do your job and God will do His.
No one can get anywhere without working to attain his goal. So, accept that you must do your share of the job, which includes plenty of good, old-fashioned hard work, then open the way for God to supply your needs. How do you see God? How great an inheritance do you envision He has waiting for you? How great is He as your Source of supply? Do you want to “make do” with an earth pension? The degree of riches you inherit will follow the breadth of your vision of God’s glory. See Him as your fabulously rich Father, ready to lavish the bounty of His kingdom on you. All is of God, for God is all. Everything you handle, monumental or insignificant, is part of God.
Your feet represent understanding. Do you have corns and bunions? Treat spiritual corns by believing in God’s pattern for perfect understanding. Science has reported countless miracles of restored function for eyes, ears, hearts and limbs. Growths have disappeared because those who wanted the miracles had the vision to see themselves as perfect. All you do is pray that the desire body becomes visible.
John said, “God will light your way.” Step into the Light and leave the stumbling blocks behind. Imagination concocts them, so stop dragging them with you. Where is your loyalty centered? God must be first. You need not sit in the mud with old friends who are stuck in their groove. Love them and let them stay where they are while you ascend.
Righteousness is application of your highest soul vision. Unrighteousness, which is the real enemy, lets imagination run wild to build deceptive pictures and betray you. Confess your error in direction. Admit you’ve been in the dark, and just step into the Light as you would enter a room. What will you do first with your new vision? What have you done about your unborn miracles? Do you starve or nourish them? You really boil your miracles if delay annoys you.
God’s Light as Love, Substance, and Power fills your prayer molds when you lift them for substance to fill. Divine Mind is the incubator of miracles. Hold to your vision and it will grow. Nourish your miracles to keep them abounding. Love your enemies and your neighbors. People say, “I gave him a piece of my mind,” which is literally true. You divide, scatter and give your life sparks away when you cast your thoughts or tongue on another, and glue your crystallized life sparks to them. Say, “Let Light dissolve this. Let my life sparks return to my body” if you leave your body at night and return in the morning worse than before. Be sure to follow your request with “This is good!”
“You are my lamp, O Lord. The Lord shall enlighten my darkness.”–2 Samuel 22:29. Accept the lamp of law and ascend to let Light finish the job. “For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall.”–2 Samuel 22:30. We all walk through troops of evil and come out safely on the other side.
“As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven. He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? God is my strength and power and He makes my way perfect.”–2 Samuel 22:31-32. Picture your home as a radiant sun center of life sparks whirling clockwise, and Light heals everyone who touches your door. See each person as encased in a sphere of Light. See God as your life. Just walk up to Him, lift your hands, and walk with Him until your feet grow wings. He is your Father who pours love upon you. See God as glad to serve you according to your soul’s imagination. You are obedient, accept Light as your glory, and let it do the work because you see God as He is.
As God Sees Me
Edna Lister outline, June 8, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Hebrews 5, John 14:12-14, 2 Corinthians 6:16, 3:18, 1 Peter 4:10-11
“For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”–Hebrews 5.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”–John 14:12-14.
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”–2 Corinthians 3:18.
“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”–1 Peter 4:10-11.
Science has revolutionized our world: Steamships, railroads, buses, cars, airplanes. From doing our laundry on rocks in the stream, we have moved through scrubbing boards and hand-wringers to electric washers and spin-dryers. We have moved from spring-houses and wells with buckets to running water, refrigerators, and deep freezers. Yet humanity still repudiates the Light, repudiates responsibility, refuses to be his brother’s keeper. In all this, man denies God.
This chapter of Hebrews is unusual in that it mentions the Order of Melchizedek. Who was, or is, Melchizedek? The first three verses of the Letter to Hebrews say: “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.–Hebrews 7:1-3.
He is the form the Supreme Father takes on when He walk earth, which is His domain. His form is like the Son of God. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”–John 3:16. How can you learn how God sees you? God must have loved us as His creations, and He must love us still, despite our abortive creations.
The Letter to the Hebrews, the fifth chapter, describes how you should look to God. Every high priest is “ordained for men,” and is supposed to offer sacrifices for self, and for others. He does not honor himself. God honored Jesus by appointing him to the Order of Melchizedek. He earned this appointment by his obedience to law.
Peter’s Letter says that everyone has received a gift, the gift of love. You are supposed to minister to each another from your gift as good stewards, and to speak as an oracle, to glorify God. These are the “first principles of the oracles of God.” An oracle is a mysterious adviser, an infallible guide who speaks by divine inspiration or revelation. In ancient days, an oracle spoke from the veiled Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies among the Israelites. Other oracles spoke from behind a pillar or though an image in the sanctuaries at Eleusis and Dodona in Greece.
“Strong meat belongeth to those who are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”–Hebrews 5:14. An oracle cannot live on “milk,” which is too weak, but needs “strong meat.” The “senses” refer to mental faculties, such as logic, reason, discrimination, discretion and discernment. This is how you become a “good steward of the manifold grace of God.”
God sees you through three great stages of ascension, the son of man, the son of God and the creator. First is the son of man, the “seeking” stage of Rebirth, where you ask, seek and knock, which gains us—"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do he will do also, and greater works than these will he do, because I go to my Father. And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.”–John 14:12-14.
Second is the son of God stage, the Resurrection of the old. “You are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”–2 Corinthians 6:16. Third is the creator stage of Ascension, in which you are becoming. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be.”–1 John 3:2.
Everyone receives the gift. Peter’s Letter says, “If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth.”–1 Peter 4:11. Yet you must decide whether your ministry is God and you, or God as you. You are to be a “good steward” of your gift, and the Letter to Hebrews adds that you must “offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins” and “have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.” Here we learn something: Nonresistance is forgiveness in action. The instant the power of nonresistance flows through you, you feel nonresistant. You cannot be bothered to find fault or become irritated.
When the great law of nonresistance goes into action, forgiveness takes charge. Forgiveness is to “give for,” and you give your gift of love. Love forgives. Pride will not forget, but holds onto resentment. Love, flowing forth under the principle of nonresistance, sweeps everything before it, melts ice, dissolves lumps, absorbs darkness, bends swords into circles, and turns bullets aside. Nothing is left but love. Nonresistance is born of loving enough.
You must put God first, until you know that God is with you. “Ye are the temple of the living God. As God hath said: I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”–2 Corinthians 6:16. This is your assurance that God walks as you. Take stock tonight and every night. Do you forgive? Is love flowing forth? Or, do you hunt the bomb-shelter of self, to evade responsibility. Does life scare you? Do you dig in farther because you feel unloved?
How does God see you? However you look or act, He must see you at a glance, unsmiling, pouting and dull, or happy and radiant. How does God feel when He looks at you? Do you make Him feel comfortable and happy? Are you strong enough to dare, to live, to declare God first? Can He dwell in you? Can He walk in you? Do you declare darkness or Light? You may not have both ice and steam, so you must choose.
Ask yourself, “How does God see me?” He pays no attention to your frown. He sees you as He created you, in His image and likeness, never wavering, never ceasing, holding you fast. God sees you as His perfect creator because He knows you have no place else to go but up. You have nothing else to do but to ascend in consciousness.
Love conquers anything. Love flows without ceasing. Free running water eventually purifies the muddiest stream. Thus, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”–2 Corinthians 3:18. Looking up in Spirit, you are refined and beautiful. God sees you becoming His glory, as you see a perfect rose, open to the beauty of the sky and sun. You are reborn, resurrected, and ascended.
As God Sees Me
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Johnson, Virginia Whitehead, scribes, June 8, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Hebrews 5, John 14:12-14, 2 Corinthians 6:16, 3:18, 1 Peter 4:10-11
“For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”–Hebrews 5.
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”–2 Corinthians 3:18.
Science has revolutionized the world as we knew it only fifty years ago. From steamships to satellites is a long step. From rocks in the stream to spin-dry washers is another long step. All this and many more familiar marvels have come from the world of science and technology. Despite these wonders, many selfishly repudiate their responsibility and the brotherhood of man, saying they are not their brother’s keepers. Others are proud of their agnosticism. Yet, we are ascending. Desire for ascension fills humanity’s heart as much as it does the scientific world. We must accept that the doubled healing and Ascension Power, among those who love God, is the way to lead humanity home again.
This text in Hebrews is unusual, but compare it with the first chapters of the Gospel and Letter of John. That which is made is created from that which is usable. John loved God as principle and personality, and was balanced emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Personality is just as important as principle. The Letter to Hebrews presents God as personality. Thus, Paul presents the responsibilities of the office of a high priest.
God calls one from among men to become a priest, and he must make a sacrifice of himself first, before he can direct others to God. Every priest accepts offerings from others and gives gifts of love and guidance in return. Melchizedek was not created, but precipitated a body to walk among men. The name means “King of Righteousness,” and invokes God’s Light as power. Were He to speak, He might say, “I am He who was never born. I am He who shall never die. I am He who is your Supreme Father in form. The Supreme Father covers all space, but I speak for the All.”
Melchizedek was chosen to represent divine personality and take on visible form. You enter the Order of Melchizedek when you stand on truth. This chapter outlines how you should stand and act while remembering that God always sees you. “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”–1 Peter 4:10-11. These are the duties of ministering as a priest. Peter says everyone has received a gift. Each ministers as he or she has received the gift. You are your own oracle when you stand on truth and dare to speak it.
The mysteries came from the Holy of Holies, through the high priest in the Jewish Temple. At Delphi, the oracle’s voice issued from a statue to remove earthly personality from the message. They hid the oracle so people would find it easier to speak to her. People will always criticize you for how you look, walk, talk.
“You ought to be teachers.” The text says, “be teachers." ‘B’ represents the creative fire. ‘E’ symbolizes the Mother on earth. An oracle operates under divine inspiration and can unfold the mysteries. Half the world’s priests, ministers and rabbis hear a Voice in the silence. Listen to discern the sense of each word you hear. You never slip back to self when you obey law and practice principle. Yet many hit a wall of self and return to the “milk” of personality instead of loving enough to eat the “strong meat” of principle.
God must see you through three stages as a son of man, a son of God and, finally, as a creator in His image and likeness of glory. Everyone progresses through these stages automatically. The son of man seeks the truth, which is the Rebirth. The son of God is a doer who seeks to act as Christ, which is Resurrection. Then you become a creator and the Father says, “Ye are gods.” You enter the son of man stage with a certain degree of intellectual intelligence. Some accept God as a remote intellectual concept, a Supreme Being, a guiding principle. They “know it all” or can explain it to themselves.
Others believe in a Father, kindly or stern, giving or withholding, who does or does not answer their prayers, and they’re never sure why. These ideas about God are only half of the equation. Your view of God expands as you grow and learn more about Him. God as principle is you state of being, no matter how you see yourself. God as personality eternally sees you as you are.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”–John 14:12-14.
Jesus, the Son of Man, went to the Father so that we might do the “greater works.” We are doing greater works today than yesterday, in all ways. Look at our advances in medicine, science and communications.
Eliminate the “I can’t do that” attitude. You can. Every time you step up in consciousness, act as if you were doing still greater works. How can you find the ability to do the greater works? “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”–Matthew 7:7-8.
Idle words are your biggest obstacle to success. Yet even if you remove “I can’t,” your “I’ll try” will still stand in the way. Stop trying and do. You repeat the same old thing until you finally bite your tongue, which is progress.
“What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be My people.”–2 Corinthians 6:16.
The sons and daughters of God are seekers who live by the super-conscious “I AM” to become Christed Ones. You remain Christed while you stay wed to God in a
“I will live in them” means that God sends more and newer Power through you. “I will walk among them” means that God wants you to accept that He moves with you. He never meant us to think that the part of Him that uses us as His oracles is as great as Melchizedek. We are not the totality of God, but portions. Creators are members of the Order of Melchizedek, an Order of love backed by wisdom.
Declare, “I stand under the sponsorship of Power Supreme and am taken from the world completely. As a creator, I walk softly and speak gently.” Your tone of voice changes, the rasping harshness, the dictatorial tone disappears. You are up in consciousness, above the world’s “noise.” You just do not bother with petty affairs or mix in the fury around you.
Today we have methods of soundproofing that were unheard of 50 years ago. So science lifts us despite ourselves. Just so must we lift our families, but they may not like it. As Light possesses you, it grips you in the clutches of Almighty Power. Arms of Light surround you and fill you full of Light until you finally lose the need to tell others what is right.
Each has received the gift of nonresistance, the greatest power in the world. The law of nonresistance is forgiveness in action. Forgiveness has become a trite expression. Love always forgives, but pride never forgets because it will not let you love enough. Pride is deeply rooted, and consumes the space love needs. Unless you lift it, love has no channel to use, nor have you true fellowship in the Order of Melchizedek.
God sees you in His original image and likeness of glory when love uses you. You must minister the same way to one another. The law says, “Love your enemies.” Do you hunt a bomb shelter of self and hide when you are afraid? You’ll find you have no enemies when you ascend. Clean up self, ascend and become a priest.
Soul ascension is being fully inspired at your highest point in consciousness, which is also your greatest weakness. It’s a testing point, because you are apt to lose awareness of how far you have climbed, how much you have gained, how much self you must lose. What does God see when He looks at you? Do you pout, or are you cheerful? God sees you as you are, dull, cloudy with self, or radiant with His glory. God loves you despite all this and always sees you in His image and likeness of glory.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”–John 3:16. He must have loved us dearly to send His Son, and loves us still, despite our petty childishness. Do you want others to love you because of, or in spite of what you do and say?
God points to the lotus atop your heart center and sees you as a beautiful flower. He says, “Come to me, child. You are a temple of the living God. I will live in you.” He will never desert you, and always sees you as fulfilling your mission, to love enough. You have no enemies when you love enough. You fulfill part of your goal when you see darkness only to lift it, and succeed when you declare everything good.
“Now we see through a glass, darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known.”–1 Corinthians 13:12. You behold God as in a mirror. To know what God looks like, you must know what to see in the glass. What you see in others is your reflection in their glass. You can look in the mirror and never see the “prune” you appear to be. Declare, “Father, here is your temple. Cleanse it. Purify it. Make it whole."
You must walk and speak as an ascending creator god, dwelling in the temple, where you see the radiance the glory of God. You shall begin to appear as God made you, your face a mask of Light. Let love shine from your eyes. See if you can see the Light radiating. From glory unto glory, God sees you as He created you in the beginning. He waits and watches for you to reach upward and shine as irresistible glory before the world. Lumps and growths will all disappear when enough of God’s Elect let His beauties appear. Someday our faces will be flowers of beauty. We are going home, and we must accept this fact.
As I See the World
Edna Lister outline, June 15, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Matthew 5:1-12
“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”–Matthew 5:1-12.
The Beatitudes are nine lesser mysteries, from one (1), representing the individual, to nine (9), symbolizing the brotherhood of man under God the Father. They deal with nine attitudes you eventually must assume as your outlook on the world, nine ways in which you may see the world. Each has his own personal world. Life is a game that everyone must play, and the Beatitudes illustrate nine ways to play the game. You must choose what character, what role you want to play, which is an individual choice. Then you must learn your part. If you choose the Christed Way part, these Beatitudes will make you letter-perfect in the role.
Without choosing, you live in a three-dimensional world, only one step up from being a creature. Until you choose, you just live between the world of the creature and of the son of man. Choosing your character sets a keynote of life. These be-attitudes set a conduct pattern of gentle manners, a way of life, fitting whatever part you choose. They become your expression of God, and can become God, seeing the world as you. Remember, when Jesus taught, pride ruled the upper classes of his day, who made a great display of their wealth and possessions. They prayed on street corners, so others could see how pious they were.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”–Matthew 5:3. To this, you could add, “Blessed are the poor in pride of spirit and the possession of things.” The first surrender of pride in self is giving up material things, the world’s approval. This wakens your first conscious need to give something up for the miracle answer to prayer. The keynote is I accept in this first step up from the third to the fourth dimension of prayer, letting Power use you, counting on the invisible, believing to see. Everything belongs to God. You may use all He gives you, all that you earn and all that comes as a gift-miracle through prayer.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”–Matthew 5:4. Mourning is grief and sorrow, but can become self-pity and stagnation in a vale of tears and illusion. At sometime during life, you wander around, up and down, in a sea of your own tears, seeing no way out, your wings bedraggled in the mist your tears furnish. This Beatitude deals with the mystery of giving up all possession of personality, even your own, or that which you see as belonging to you. Jesus taught this as, “What is that to thee? Follow thou me,” and as, “Loose him, and let him go.” The keynote is I arise. To arise is to ascend in consciousness from the vale of tears, fevers and headaches to enter the fifth dimension of freedom from grief and self-pity. The mystery is the secret first engagement or betrothal of desire and will, which bring the first freedom from bondage to the little self.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”–Matthew 5:5. The keynote is I forgive seventy times seven times in a day, if necessary. To forgive is to give something good for what is not so desirable. On the Via Christa, you give up enemies and adversaries, so open your mind and heart to become a seeker, a searcher for truth. You move into the sixth dimension to become a balanced creator. This makes you a burning flame of desire, a magnet of attraction. Then you move under the greatest of all creative laws, active, aggressive nonresistance, which creates a circle of protection. To say, “I love you,” creates a private magic circle of protection, which nothing but God’s Light may enter.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”–Matthew 5:6. When you “hunger and thirst,” every cell is crying out to love God until the craving to know God consumes you. The keynote is I forget the past, seventy times seven times in a day, dragging no anchor of your old life. Instead, you get something for what you forget. Get what? At this first marriage of the Lamb, you have lifted self to become one with soul, opening the Oversoul “I AM” center in the head. You enter the seventh dimension as a Son of God, having transmuted desire and will into intuition and illumination until you become a Priest of the Order of Melchizedek.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”–Matthew 5:7. The keynote of mercy is compassion. In this fifth Beatitude, you find freedom to love, are no longer afraid of love or of what others say. You just love. As you step into the eighth dimension of power, you balance yourself on your rod of power, your divine axis, your center of being. Your soul sings to see the world as a joyous place. The secret mystery is that compassion absorbs doubt, fear and dread, until you finally learn what true love really is.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”–Matthew 5:8. You shall see God as God sees you. God has made you in His image and likeness, and His pattern for you is balanced Love and Wisdom. For example, the heroine in Marie Corelli’s inspired novel, The Life Everlasting, transmuted her desire and will into love and wisdom. After she had balanced them, she desired to inhale the perfume of a rose blooming against a wall near her window, and drew it to her. The keynote of this Beatitude is honor, which requires purity of heart and mind, as desire (emotions), imagination and thinking. Honor also requires purity of purpose, which includes your plans, prayer molds and creations. In the ninth dimension you find the brotherhood of man. The mystery unveiled in this Beatitude is that you see God in everyone, everything, and everywhere.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”–Matthew 5:9. Peacemakers are pacemakers for the world. The keynote is responsibility. The Priest, symbolized by the number seven, and this is the seventh Beatitude, aggressively works for active peace, at the center of every storm or whirlwind, but remaining calm at the center of power. Lifting the five outer senses, you synthesize them into one great faculty of apperception, which is the secret of becoming immovable and untouchable. In this, the tenth dimension of a spiritualized individuality, you never take in from the world, but always give out.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”–Matthew 5:10. All Light as power is yours to use in ruling your kingdom of heaven. Do you like yours as it is now? What are you doing about it? The keynote of this Beatitude is I assume all blame to lift, not as mine, but as God’s. Your kingdom follows you because you are its pattern; it duplicates you. In this eighth Beatitude, you are the servant of all Light as power, achieving emancipation by unfolding the mystery of integration, of tying your earth to your heaven. The eleventh dimension opens high mastery of self through righteousness of vision, the right use of soul vision.
“Blessed are you, when they revile and persecute you, and shall say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake.”–Matthew 5:11. Your choices, when you walk the Way of the Christ, are to be a brother or sister to all, lift evil, declare the good, and balance the scales twenty-four hours a day “for my sake,” because you love him enough. This is the twelfth dimension of perfection of your outlook upon your world. You become like a lighted mirror, and reflect others’ darkness, which they credit to you. You must keep your mirror spotlessly clean in the twelfth dimension, which is the same as the Thirty-third Degree of the Via Christa. The keynote is balance, in which you make a whole pattern. The secret of the creator is to relate to and to integrate everything.
“Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.”–Matthew 5:12. Declare, “I rejoice, and am glad. I see my world as perfect.” In the game of life, which is like a play, events do not always allow you to rehearse your part. Yet you must have some basic cues on when to enter the stage, and know how to act.
The Beatitudes are these cues for the role you choose. Your theater prompter is joy. Only by choosing, only by holding fast, only through rejoicing can you be triumphant and victorious.
As I See the World
Edna Lister transcript, Virginia Whitehead, scribe, June 15, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Matthew 5:1-12
“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”–Matthew 5:1-12.
The Beatitudes are really attitudes toward life. The way you express the Beatitudes reveals your outlook on life, how you see your world. Beatitudes set a keynote of gentle manners before the world, and illustrate nine ways to play the game of life. Action is the keynote of the Christ-life, and gentle manners are not passive. You must live in the world—though you may run away, you cannot escape life. Finally, you must choose the character you wish to express as a keynote for this life. Otherwise, you cannot progress from life’s physical dimensions. Choose the birthright Jesus portrayed in the Beatitudes as your character. Live a Christed life, and you will express such character.
“Seeing the multitudes, [Jesus] went up on a mountain and when he was seated, his disciples came to him. Then he opened his mouth and taught them.”–Matthew 5:1-2. We inhabit three-dimensional space: Height, width and depth, but these dimensions are too earthy to apply here. The spiritual life is a matter of the invisible world beyond. The fourth dimension is metaphysical, where Light opens the higher creative centers in the brain. The descending Light causes the pituitary gland to trigger intuition, and the pineal body to provide spiritual illumination.
Jesus saw the multitudes physically and metaphysically by applying the law of observation as logic, reason, discernment, discrimination, and discretion. Then he “went up” to a higher state of consciousness, the sixth dimension of intuition, to bring the Father’s message through for them. He agreed with God that this was necessary, adjusted to man while waiting for them to become quiet, and spoke when the right vibration was set. So, you also must agree with Power, and adjust to others and outer conditions.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”–Matthew 5:3. Being “poor in spirit” has nothing to do with poverty. To understand this, you must consider the time in which Jesus lived. The upper class ruled arrogantly by pride of heritage, place and education. Jesus never stopped preaching against pride in worldly matters. You may be proud but you may not have pride. Everyone can see that you are too prideful if you boast. So, we say, Blessed are the poor in pride. I accept is the keynote. All you have comes from God. While you may use all that He gives you, you do not own or possess it. God places no limit on the love He gives you to use. You simply forget the hurtful words or actions when you truly forgive. Creature consciousness is three-dimensional only. You enter a new heaven on the first step from the creature stage to the fourth dimension. You ascend to the heart center, where you can unfold all mysteries through prayer.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”–Matthew 5:4. Mourning does not include stagnant self-pity. Each, through his tears of self-pity, creates his own veil of tears. Tears dampen your soul wings and create headaches that wreck your aura and rust it full of holes. This is the fifth dimension of science where you can create form. Five is the number of the soul’s freedom to lift and be free of the little self. I arise is the keynote. Stand in the Light of the Comforter and ascend one step higher to the freedom dimension. When you completely mate desire with will, you are freed from mourning the world. The mystery is that God gives all personalities freedom of choice. Whatever degree you occupy, from creature to creator, your personality makes you mourn. Give up possession of “self,” arise and let the Light of life possess you.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”–Matthew 5:5. If you inherit the earth, you inherit everything on it, light and dark. Meekness does not mean passively letting others rule you. Meekness is nonresistance, the most actively aggressive Power the world knows. The Master’s nonresistance is permeating the world today. Active nonresistance is not irritating, and we, who love God, may not destroy peace. The keynote of this Beatitude is. I forgive everything and resist nothing. Give something of God to all who come to you. Draw about yourself a magic circle of protective nonresistance. As you enter the sixth dimension, you touch the fringes of what a creator is. The third Beatitude is in the sixth dimension. Many descended creator gods dwell in the sixth dimension and may create life, but only the Supreme Father can create a living soul. While you are learning to be a creator, you say, “Darling, I love you where you are,” and nothing may enter unless from above. Three plus six gives the perfect number, nine. You cannot complete the magic circle of nonresistance without the nine.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”–Matthew 5:6. Righteousness is your highest point of vision. When you express the zenith of devotion, you hunger and thirst for God. I forgive until I forget is the keynote of this beatitude. You surrender when you hunger and thirst to be one with God, until you forget every enemy and adversary. When you make the second marriage of the Lamb, to mate Wisdom and Love, you become a Priest of Melchizedek in the seventh dimension. The fourth Beatitude is in the seventh dimension. Seven plus four totals eleven, the number symbolizing the first mastery of the law.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”–Matthew 5:7. Complete compassion is Wisdom and Love expressing as perfect balance. Mercy is an aspect of God’s mother love. Justice is an aspect of God’s fatherly Wisdom. You can dispense balanced justice through poise, and the Light of wisdom, love, compassion and mercy. The fifth Beatitude and the eighth dimension combine to equal the perfect thirteen, which is freedom to follow the Christ. As you tie your earth to heaven, you enter the eighth dimension on God’s limitless Power. The secret is complete freedom from dread, fear, doubt, anxiety and confusion. You must base your freedom on conquering the self.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”–Matthew 5:8. The keynote is honor above all else. The ladder of ascension is purity of heart, mind and purpose. Each step is a great initiation. As you purify your heart and emotions, you become purity of mind and heart. You fulfill your purpose and plan when you use no more idle words, create no more dark mental pictures, but live by honor and see only God everywhere, in all things and people. The ninth dimension is the pure brotherhood of man under the Fatherhood of God. The secret is that God is all and is in all. The sixth Beatitude added to the ninth dimension total fifteen, representing the honor of the Father and Mother.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”–Matthew 5:9. A peacemaker is a pacemaker, but he must follow someone who has already blazed the trail. Pacemakers give up self and learn not to be annoyed. Responsibility is the keynote as you hold your standpoint of poise on the rod of Power. Remain balanced, for the magic circle breaks if you let confusion absorb your poise. The seventh Beatitude in the tenth dimension is perfected personality under the Priest Degree. You shall have an open heart when you become as “little children.” The Priest represents a spiritualized individual on earth. The work of a Priest is to integrate earth with heaven, the individual with God, which is at-one-ment. Live in your tower room of prayer. Stand immovable and untouchable, God-conscious from morning to night in the storm’s calm center. The serenity and beauty of this magic circle lifts and comforts as you see your world to lift it. The place of golden silence is always at the center. You occupy a calm point there, observing as a creator.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”–Matthew 5:10. The kingdom of heaven is that calm center in a world of doubt. The keynote is I assume all blame for everything around me, for God’s sake. Whether you are lifting a person or a situation, return it to the Father as a gift to make it right. Lift the lines of Light to everything that seems or appears to be dark. All Light as power uses you to tie earth to heaven. Your kingdom is bright, but others may not like it or want it, so you must assume the blame and lift the lines. The eighth Beatitude is in the eleventh dimension, which represents mastery through emancipation from self. High mastery is righteousness, living up to your highest vision of God.
“Blessed are you when they shall revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake.”–Matthew 5:11. Balanced Love and Wisdom is the keynote of this Beatitude. Wisdom as will holds itself to this consciousness, but only desire, sublimated to love, will bring you balance. The mystery is to interrelate every phase of life in balance with love, which is a facet of integration. Join your earth to heaven, and feel the interrelationship of all truth. The twelfth dimension is the capstone to this pyramid of laws. Ascend in balance to stand on the hub of Ezekiel’s Wheel to see the world as God would see it. See your world as soul substance life sparks you must return to soul, and lift the lines of responsibility for darkness into the Light.
“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”–Matthew 5:12. Having done everything you can by lifting, stand and declare, “I rejoice and am glad because I know God. Love’s magic circle surrounds and protects me. I know perfection will be the grand finale. I will become perfect by assuming the character that will lead me and play the game of life as a Christed one. I choose a keynote of gentle manners before the world and open my eyes and ears to revelation.” Look at your world and see the hidden beauty and glory. Using your creative tools, make this a world you want to see.
As the World Sees Me
Edna Lister outline, June 22, 1958, Cleveland, OH, 1 Corinthians 13
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”–1 Corinthians 13.
Jesus taught laws based on love because he followed God as a personality. He spoke of Him as God, but also pictured Him as a Father, kind, loving, beneficent and forgiving. Some accused him of being effeminate because he reintroduced the Mother aspect of God. Yet that feminine vibration emancipated women.
The laws as given to Moses strictly follow divine principle. He taught of God as a rigid disciplinarian on the masculine Wisdom vibration. The laws of Moses set their followers’ faces in lines of inflexible rigidity. Jesus’ laws left his followers’ faces mobile and flexible. Yet to show the world the face of Jesus, you must use the laws of Moses in the most rigid self-discipline.
The Saturday Evening Post recently carried the seventh article in a series called “Adventures in Mind,” by Dr. Paul Tillich
Rushing forward, horizontally, man has lost the meaning of the symbols of religion. Recast as historical stories, the symbols lose their power of mystery, because you cannot explain them on the horizontal level. So, after rigid discipline in following laws whose symbolism has become meaningless, what must you do? “LET” this intimate Father of Jesus pour His Love through you from the “vertical depths,” which are the heights of religion. To analyze the first Letter to Corinthians, chapter thirteen, we substitute “love” for “charity.” The dictionary defines charity as “seeing good in all,” which is seeing God everywhere. You can do this only through love.
Three vital factors ideas influence how you can climb back into your dimension of depth in religion, which includes the fourth and fifth dimensions. First, you must accept your inheritance from above as a son or daughter of God. Second, you must have a personal plan of life and code of ethics. Finally, you must add action. You must “BE AT IT,” as in Be-at-it-ude.
What is your inheritance? “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”–1 Corinthians 13:1-2.
The gift of prophecy is the ability to pray in a way that is powerful enough to set aside destruction. To “understand all mysteries” requires that you be able to stand under the Light, confident and trusting. “All knowledge” is always having an answer that is ever-ready, and available to you instantly. “All faith” is access to faith unconquerable, where nothing is impossible.
Your plan is your way of life, your keynote of life, and it must include a vivid imagination and a burning desire. Under the laws that Jesus taught, you base your plan in love, give imagination a right pattern to work from and hold in mind, and a goal out there ahead. Every step and each hour in life becomes a part of that plan and goal. You vitalize and quicken your plan by dreaming of it, daydreaming about it and studying for it. To succeed, you may not waver or let self interfere.
People say, “That just took the heart out of me,” or “He really put me on a spot.” What spot? Were you pushed or did you choose it subconsciously? Who put you on it? God, law, people or yourself? No one can move you once you are determined to put everything you are, everything you have, into every small task. Nothing can touch you when you fill every hour with love. Self is the heaviest burden anyone can carry.
Your action must be sweet, firm and final to defend your stand, and to hold to your choice. Make your words sweet, and definitely be compassionately considerate toward the soul to whom you speak. Your words must be so firm and brisk that no one may set them aside or overlook them. They must contain such an honor and loyalty, while being so reasonable, because they are founded in so deep a conviction of truth that your very tone of voice will carry an unanswerable, unalterable finality.
Hear the code that St. Paul left us, the code of the dimension of height and depth in which Jesus’ teachings lead us to stringent self-discipline—"Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”–1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Love forgives seventy times seven times in a day, and forgets the offense by covering it in love.
“Love envieth not,” but wants only what is already its very own. Love waits upon the Lord, and thanks God for the delay or the detour. “Love vaunteth not itself,” does not parade itself, but remains in the golden silence. “Love is not puffed up” because it takes no pride in the self. “Love does not behave itself unseemly.” Love is never rude, because it always avoids the appearance of evil.
“Love seeketh not her own,” but seeks first the kingdom of God’s righteousness, while waiting for everything needed to be added. Love is not “easily provoked,” since it stands on the axis of Power. “Love thinketh no evil,” since it knows that everything and everyone is good. “Love rejoiceth in the truth” because it has unconquerable faith that love always wins.
As you use these laws of love for self-discipline, you see God, face to Face, and His glory is blinding. What does the world see as it sees you, face to face? An office manager once greeted his staff, saying, “Good morning. They answered, “Yes,” weakly. Then he asked, “Are you happy?” Again they said yes. Then he said, “Well, why not let your faces know about it?” Finally they smiled.
So, accept and “let” that part of your inheritance pour through you as God’s love to nourish and sustain you, to keep you alive and alert to remember your plan. Acceptance enables you to hold your pattern in vivid imagination while you get into action. The world then sees you filled with life and Light, for you have found your life, never again to lose it. Others see you as free, tall, walking on tiptoes, reaching for the stars.
They see you walking in the strength of God’s strength. They see you enfolded in the love of God’s love. The world sees your expression of your code of depth-and-height dimension before the world. The word sees you filled with the glory of God’s glory, a soul radiant, brilliant, triumphant, victorious.
1 Read Tillich’s “The Lost Dimension in Religion" here.
As the World Sees Me
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Johnson, Virginia Whitehead, scribes, June 22, 1958, Cleveland, OH, 1 Corinthians 13
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”–1 Corinthians 13.
The latest article in a glorious series, “Adventures in Mind,” by Dr. Paul Tillich
1 Read Tillich’s “The Lost Dimension in Religion" here.
Tillich says we live in a horizontal age, going back and forth, having lost our ability to go any other way. We have lost the meaning of religious symbols. Early church stories lose their power as symbols when interpreted historically on the horizontal plane. The world does not understand their diluted meaning. Scholars and theologians opened the worldly vibration of intellectualism about religious symbolism that our colleges are teaching today when they explained them to agnostic minds. We must redefine our symbols as we should have accepted them originally.
Your choice of religion expresses your desires, and is your code of ethics, a plan for living together in perfect peace. The principle of desire fuels the Creative Impulse of life itself, which shows on your face as youthful joy. A “deadly bore” displays little life. The soul who is interested in life is just brilliant with animation. You will never reach the goal unless you add imagination and desire to your plan.
Hebrew Law is a horizontal code because it follows principle. It reflects the masculine-acting positive aspect of God as Wisdom expressing through the breadth of Creation. Moses spoke of God as a strict disciplinarian, and taught the law as a rigid code for outer action that man could not modify or change to suit individual tastes. Moses taught symbols, but the interpretation later became rigid.
Jesus lived and taught in the dimension of height. He used many symbols to describe a vertical code of law for the inner world. He taught laws to follow God as personality, a kind, loving, beneficent and forgiving Father. Jesus opened the vibration of Love, the feminine-acting negative aspect of God as Mother. For this, they accused him of blasphemy and of being weak. He modified truth to simple symbols like the grain of the field, birds, trees and flowers. One who lives by such simple laws has a mobile, joyous expression. Interpretation of law according to principle sets the face in rigid lines, and reveals inflexibility—the danger of using the force of self-will always comes with it.
Laws form our path back to God, and to walk it takes holding to the law not to slip backward. So, you may not set aside the rigidity of Hebrew law. You cannot reach the heights or show the world a loving face without the most rigid discipline of the self. After your practice of rigid self-discipline is letter perfect, you ascend to the heights of glory and let your intimate Father pour Love through you from the vertical heights. You may not force others to do anything, but can encourage and entice them to self-discipline. As you use self-discipline, God’s Power can use you.
The Beatitudes that Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount form a code of being. Beatitudes are attitudes of being, but no code is any good unless you act on it. The Beatitudes’ nine aspects of love encompass the Via Christa’s code of ethics. Today’s text contains seven steps of love in action. To analyze 1 Corinthians 13, read “love” instead of “charity.” The dictionary says charity is “seeing good in all things.” This means seeing God everywhere, which you can do only through love.
You take three steps in climbing to the dimension of height, which encompasses the fourth and fifth dimensions. First, you must accept your inheritance from above. Second, you must have a definite personal life plan, established on a code of ethics. Third, you must act. No two people can live under the same code: Each must work out his or her personal code of acceptance, ethics and action. These are three ways to help the world to discipline self.
What is your inheritance? “Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.”–1 Corinthians 13:2. To prophesy is to use your physical senses as soul faculties to detect something coming. You can pray and set aside destruction, which is divine protection. To “understand all mysteries” means to stand confident and trusting under the Light that shines in every dark place. “All knowledge” is an ever-ready answer that comes from observation. Observation is the ability to stand and apply logic, reason, discretion, discrimination and discernment in your life.
You can tune in divine Mind for the answers you need. You cannot find tomorrow’s answer in yesterday, but receive today’s answer when you say, “This is good.” Pray for the right answer at the right time, and declare that all that comes is good. “All knowledge” is knowing how to do the right thing ethically. “All faith” is immovable, unconquerable and cannot fail. Nothing is impossible to faith when you know the secret, to stand under the Light and unfold the heavenly mysteries.
A plan is a way, a keynote of life. According to the laws Jesus taught, you must base your plan on love, and two essential factors, a vivid imagination and a burning desire. Imagination builds the picture of your goal, and you must provide the right pattern, which is soul dictates, not self. This finishes living in the horizontal dimension since your imagination must be on a cloud continent of Light. Keep your vision of beauty and glory unsullied in the dimension of height. Keep your ideals above this world. You will attract the world to hear the Christed message of love if you have a real twenty-four-hour interest in heaven. Each hour becomes a part of that plan, a step toward that goal.
Then you must vitalize and quicken your plan, dream of it, daydream about it, study to fulfill it without wavering or letting self interfere. The “little me” says, “I’ve lost heart,” or “I’ve been put on a spot.” Who put you on the spot? God? law? Another or your self? Were you pushed, or did you choose that spot subconsciously? No one can move you once you decide to put everything you have into each small task, and fill your hours with love.
Self is the heaviest burden anyone can carry. Everyone has a high degree of idle word action, all too often your biggest waste of soul substance. Bite your tongue when irritated, or you pay the other fellow’s debts, too. Use the three heavenly modes of action for perfect speech—sweetly, firmly and finally. This is the only way to hold to your choice and defend your standpoint without fearing that self will shove you off your point of poise.
Decide where you want to live, high or low. Meet every ugliness that words can produce with a sweet, firm tone. Use words that reveal your compassionate consideration of the soul to whom you speak. You can use nothing but sweetness when you speak with compassion. Notice the tone of your voice. A saccharine tone reveals a desire to make everyone conform to your way, or may cover a revenge motive. Most marital difficulties arise from tone of voice.
Criticism descends to the horizontal dimension, but you have no enemies when you ascend. Make your words so firm and brisk that others cannot ignore or set them aside, yet so filled with honor and loyalty to God, founded in such a deep conviction of truth that they are reasonable. Your tone is firm and final when you love at this height. Just stand in Light and say that you have no intention of complying with an impossible request, sweetly, firmly and finally.
“Love suffereth long, and is kind” means that love forgives seventy times seven. To suffer it long means to let forgiveness come. Long-suffering means forgiving until you forget the offense. You cannot forgive completely until you can forget the emotion surrounding the offense. “Love envieth not” means love will go around all manner of obstacles to reach the goal. Most people regard detours as annoying delays but detours can be the way of the Lord. Delays sometimes save lives. Ask God to give the other fellow what you want for yourself, and rejoice when his miracle comes before yours.
“Love vaunteth not itself” means that love does not to parade the self, talk about the self or blow its own horn. You leave others with nothing good to say about you if you are always busy boasting. “Love is not puffed up” means that love holds no pride of self. Yet arrogance inflates to fill all available space and leaves no room for anything good.
“Love doth not behave itself unseemly,” which means rudely, so you must avoid all appearance of evil. Should you slip, hang a veil of Light from the Source to wipe it from the other fellow’s memory. “Love seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked” means that you must stand in poise, without using harsh speech, which covers worldly pushiness. Love lets and flexes. “Love thinketh no evil” but knows that God is all good and is evenly present and available everywhere. In every evil appearance, love finds a reason to pray.
“Love rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” Finally, “love never faileth,” which means that love always wins. These attributes of love form the code of ethics for the high dimension. As you use these laws of love for self-discipline, you see God face to face, and His glory blinds you to the world.
What does the world see as it sees you? Let your face know how happy you are. Let the world see joy in your face. If you stand under the Light just once, it will show. Accept and let your inheritance pour through as love to nourish and sustain, to keep you alive and alert to remember your plan. Use the right words. Let vivid imagination hold the vision of your plan’s pattern, to point your way to the goal as you act. Let the love of God pour through, and free your desire to ascend into the high dimension. The world sees you as filled with life and Light because you have so much Light that you are the Light. You have found your life, never again to lose it.
The world sees you free and tall, reaching for the stars because you are happy, strong and shining with glory. The world sees you walking in the strength of God’s strength, with winged, dancing feet, enfolded in the love of God’s love, filled with the glory of God’s glory. Declare, “I am a soul, radiant, brilliant, triumphant and victorious. The world sees in me an expression of the divine Code of Love, my high dimension of glory before the world."
The horizontal world may not follow you to the heights now, but it will someday. The River of Life flows to and from God. Even those who think they hate you are going—they may not like it but they are going. When you appear brilliant and shining, the world will see you as you really are. The secret is to climb high enough. Let’s go!
Brainwashing, Inc.
Edna Lister outline, October 19, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Matthew 5:29-30, 6:19-23
“If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”–Matthew 5:29-30.
“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. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”–Matthew 6:19-23.
To wash means “to cleanse by dipping, rubbing or scrubbing in water.” To prepare a wash means that you group items together for cleansing them. The one great vibration to use for cleansing peoples’ ideas and preparing them to work together is love.
Since the Cold War began, everyone knows what “brainwashing” is. People have used it from the beginning of civilization, every time they try to change another’s mind. Freud opened one cycle of brainwashing; Hitler opened another. Public relations firms and advertising opened a commercial cycle. They persuaded us to change from using Grandma’s soap, homemade from grease and ashes, to the scented bars, flakes and liquid soaps today.
Love is the only vibration that can change substance from one form to another. Death is possible only on love’s highest vibration. It takes full love to draw the soul from the body. Prayer is one of the highest expressions of love, when selfless and pure. Its lowest is mesmerism and hypnotism for evil control of another. No healing is possible without using this phase of love, of which hypnotism is the low point. Prayer is the spiritual form or phase of brainwashing. Hypnotism and suggestions are part of the mental phase. Use both, work on both vibrations to brainwash the emotional and physical life and change it to the good.
All brainwashing as broadcasting prayer comes under a phase of love. All healing comes under this phase. Like every other vibration in the universe, you can misuse brainwashing as darkness. To gain control over the will of another, for example, or to make someone over to suit some evil need is a terrible misuse of love. However, to become law, you must use the love vibration as powerful suggestions in broadcast prayer. All statements of truth are also suggestions to the subconscious mind to change, designed to recondition it into its original Godlike qualities. Do you need brainwashing? Yes. Can it help you to conquer? Yes.
The whole life of Jesus is one long illustration of conquering the self. When you follow him, you recondition your life to meet his standard of rigid discipline of self. Under brainwashing, you teach yourself how to give up the self’s ways, consciously. Since love is the only power that can change anything, you must learn to love more and to let love do your brainwashing for you.
“And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”–Matthew 5:29-30.
Right is “up,” symbolically. The eye represents high vision, and the right hand execution. You do not literally pluck out or cast off the offending member. Let love change your vision and lift it. Live the right way, hour by hour. If another offends you, name him every good thing you wish him to be. This is how to brainwash children. Waste no time trying to love what hurts or offends you. Let God adopt the evil and use His earth name, Good, on the one who offends. Love’s power to brainwash an offender is a glory to watch. Let love move in and possess you. Let it wash the darkness from the subconscious mind.
Lay up your treasures in heaven, where no moth can eat holes in your love. No rust can mar love. Moths are offenses, but rust is laziness, indifference, lukewarmness and self-pity. Thieves are an entire family of selfish traits that steal energy, love, mind, time and imagination. When you let your spoken Word of love make powerful suggestions of glory, of conquering, you are brainwashing the subconscious, the emotions, the thinking, the imagination. You are allowing the joy vibration to launch you into a heavenly orbit.
The love-Light moving through you is as much a prodding challenge to your loved ones as are the words, “I dare you to do it.” To prevent retaliation for the rebuke your Light has become, hastily use brainwashing suggestions on them. Declare, “Darling, I love you! Love possesses you!” You then become untouchable, not because you are too good, but because love is moving forth to create perfection by washing clean and changing everything into itself. Thus, nothing said from darkness can touch you or come near you. You are in your own orbit of conquering love.
Brainwashing, Inc.
Edna Lister transcript,Ruth Johnson, Virginia Whitehead, scribes, October 19, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Matthew 5:29-30, 6:19-23
“And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”–Matthew 5:29-30.
“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. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”–Matthew 6:19-23.
To wash something cleanses it. Brainwashing is a process of persuasion, propaganda or indoctrination that changes some factor of thinking or emotional quality. Learning good manners was probably your first exposure to brainwashing. Everyone uses it as persuasion to bring people together and to get them to work in harmony. Tyrants and dictators have used brainwashing as propaganda on the negative side.
The practice of brainwashing began with the discovery that subconscious mind is a reservoir of frightening hidden memories. We incorporate brainwashing in ascension work to cleanse the brain cells of darkness. Because we have witnessed that brainwashing works, we know that some great underlying power must operate to this end. Since love is the only power in the universe that can recondition or change mind or substance from one form to another, brainwashing must operate under the principle of love.
You apply love to change your mind. In fact, love applied as truth is the only thing that can change anyone’s mind. The expression of love is all-powerful, but can be evil if inverted and applied as hate. Unfortunately, people believe more firmly in the power of hate than in love. Brainwashing is evil only when it makes another do something evil, or when it degrades good into evil.
Prayer is the highest outer expression of your love of God. Prayer is the invisible bridge between you and your Creator. Brainwashing in its supreme and finest degree represents the prayer power of the Elect. Mesmerism, hypnotism and persuasive lies are at the low end of the pole, but are still facets of love. The petition prayer of the masses, asking for something personal, lies between.
Healers use hypnotism for good, at its highest level, to heal so-called incurable ailments. Publicity and advertising are hypnotic on the low pole, a lesser vibration of the great principle of Love. Suggestion is a high point of hypnotism. Television and radio commercials use the power of suggestion to entice you to buy products. A good treatment for a child who watches television is to declare that he is wearing rose-colored glasses. Use the clockwise rotary motion over his head to brainwash his brain cells, eyes and ears with the Light of the River of Life.
How do you apply brainwashing to your life of ascension? Change your thinking from orthodoxy, prejudice and opinions. As you follow the Christ in ascension, let your Oversoul brainwash your subconscious mind and convince the self to leave behind the doubt and fear.
“If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”–Matthew 5:29-30. The “right” in ascension work means up. The right eye symbolizes the physical eyes becoming the single mystic eye of God. The left eye represents imagination and vision. Pluck it out and brainwash self if it causes you to sin. The right hand is the hand of execution. The Light in your body becomes offensive if you cater to darkness or misuse your soul’s executive power.
Cast out the prejudice and emotional negativity influencing your life, the opinionated thinking that drags down and interferes with soul vision. Then brainwash your little self into casting out the darkness in your left eye. To say, “I’ll try” to cast it off means that you do not intend to do it. You are the sum of your words—the heart speaks through your words, which are you. Cast out idle words, such as, “I feel awful. That’s terrible. I’m depressed.” They circle the world, accumulate seven times their weight in similar force and return with a good, hard blow. The “world mind” operates on a hypnotic influence of suggestion. You will use idle words if you allow the world to influence your thinking.
Light brainwashes you when you no longer subconsciously submit to the world mind, newspapers, gossip, or television. As you read headlines of disaster, lift them into the Light. Ascend in consciousness and do. If you look down, you become dual-minded, admitting two powers, good and evil. When you declare someone else is wrong, you admit that you are wrong.
God credits you according to your words, not others’ words about you. He takes a chunk of your credit and gives it in compensation to those you resent and criticize. If you have ever complained, “I prayed so long, but God never answered me,” your soul substance went to those whom you criticized and blamed between your prayers. Never complain about your family or the world—if they would be good, you would be happy.
Prayer is spiritual brainwashing, and only through prayer does anyone’s mental life change. Quickly brainwash your self whenever you begin to feel “pure,” noble, proud, or self-pitying. As your mental life ascends under high soul-directed hypnosis, it signals the physical life to change. Brainwashing reconditions your whole life, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Lift your emotions to love.
What will you do with the people who offend you? “What is that to thee? Follow thou me.”–John 21:22. If you stick your nose in people’s lives, you’ll eventually put it in their garbage. Part of you ends up in your friend’s trash can if you criticize and blame, and it comes home to roost like a buzzard on a carcass.
Admitting a problem admits you have lost contact with the Source of enough Power to solve any problem. You never have problems to admit if you have enough real desire to lift your share of world problems. You tell God to “get lost” if you protest, but you instantly put yourself in orbit around the Source when you accept. Say, “Here I am, Father. You can trust me with anything."
You have the right to brainwash offenders, but only through prayer, by saying, “I love you. You’re wonderful.” This routine works. God’s Power uses you to wipe ugliness from the minds and hearts of others. Use the power of suggestion on an offender, and declare the Power of the living God fills his heart as Light, cleansing him of negativity.
From a mental viewpoint, heaven is in your thinking and imagination. Soul virtues are your “treasures in heaven.” Brainwash the self of the ability to use idle words, and automatically your words will be, “This is good.” Let God adopt the evil lines you lift for cleansing. He gives it His earth name, Good, and so should you.
“Moths” eat good things. everyone has moths of doubt, regret, boredom and resentment that nibble at their highest ideals. Moths represent people who eat at your ego. You exalt self whenever you allow a moth to chew on you. Put your worst favorite where he belongs under the laws of the Almighty. You may not push him down, so declare him good. His Guardian Angels, who want to see him healed, will release Power on your declaration.
“Rust” is the dry rot of laziness, indifference, lukewarmness and self-pity, which rust your little ego. Your joints creak when your self-pity is groaning at the world. Grief and tears rust you and cause the squeak. Never let another cause you to rust, but oil you both with plenty of love, prayer and praise if you rebuke another. Brainwash your enemies with the love of God. It works. The greatest of the big family of “thieves” are pride, prejudice, opinions, irritation, and criticism, which steal your energy. Your subconscious mind is like a junk room, filled with thieves.
Why waste time looking for results? Go about your business and love God. Having done all, stand. “All” is how much you love God. Stand with Him when you have finished praying for your needs. You will then see those who need prayer. For example, declare that God contains war until Light brainwashes the aggressors. The Father lifts His hands and Lights flash to surround the object of your prayer.
The “single eye” is keeping your eye on the mark, seeking first the kingdom of heaven, oneness in heart, mind and purpose, a single I. Simplicity, which is protection, Light and glory, is the gift of the single “I.” The higher you ascend, the more Light uses you as a prodding challenge to your family, bosses and friends, as though to say, “I dare you to speak negatively to me.” To avoid offending your family, keep declaring, “I love you. You’re wonderful.” This works to avert their anger and your self-pity and grief, which cause resentment. You must love God enough to free the world of you.
See or recognize problems only to lift them and their effects. Do not analyze when another wants you to be the “dumping ground” for his troubles. It doubles your responsibility to know too much about another’s problems. Ask what he thinks and neutralize his thought processes with Light. One sentence spoken in love, backed by absolute law, seems as if you had talked all evening. Yet the more Light you carry, the more devastating your idle words will be.
Do you comprehend the love of God as well as you do the world’s evil? As you grow in comprehension, you become untouchable and immoveable by the world’s hypnotic influence, untouched by moths, rust, or thieves. Brainwashing is self-discipline and prayer, God’s love as Power in action. To use brainwashing and the power of suggestion as the pure, undiluted love of God creates Light so bright that you can accept and meet more challenges than you dreamed possible.
Constancy in Obedience
Edna Lister outline, October 26, 1958, Cleveland, OH, 1 Thessalonians 5:14-23
“Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”–1 Thessalonians 5:14-23.
Whether in a descended creator or a life spark evolving from the gas stage, once a Day of Creation opens, consciousness finds no rest from the long pilgrimage back to the Source. From creature to creator, from the son of man to an ascended creator, the pilgrimage takes you from the Land of Egypt through the Promised Land to the highest degree in the Garden of Eden.
All ascension is accomplished with many detours, steps and degrees. You move through the Land of Egypt and enter the Promised Land, finishing your fate line and stepping onto your path of destiny by accepting and obeying law. You step from selfishness to selflessness, slowly conquering self. Some find it a rocky road, and others experience great travail.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines constancy as “constant in quantity, having obedience as a quality.” What is the quantity of your constancy? What is the quality of your obedience? The measure of your constancy and obedience place you where you dwell in consciousness, whether in the Land of Egypt, the Promised Land or the Garden of Eden. The quantity of your constancy may be large or small. The quality of your obedience may be grudging, halfhearted, or barely tolerant.
Does an illustrated chart for the ascent from Egypt to Eden exist? In broad strokes, yes. First you need to know how we go there. Man came into being in the Garden of Eden, and lived there until his choices drove him out. Living in the land of Nod, man forgot his heavenly garden until God called him home, “The Lord appeared to Abram and said unto him, “I am the Almighty God. Walk before Me, and be thou perfect.”–Genesis 17:1.
Through Abraham descended the lineage of both Light and dark, Isaac and Ishmael. Jacob and Ishmael each begat twelve sons. The tribes of Israel, who was Jacob, found themselves in bondage in the Land of Egypt until hundreds of years later Moses led them to the Promised Land. Joshua led them into the Promised Land, from when they were supposed to reenter the Garden of Eden, which man has not yet done.
A formula for ascension does exist also—to ascend, you must climb from the creature stage to the son of man, to a son of God, and to creator consciousness. Just as in mountain climbing, first you must arouse your desire to a high point of enthusiastic preparation. Then you must do something with the equipment you have gathered, whether material or mental imagination. Finally, you must practice constancy in prayer and obedience to law, the general overall rules that govern everyone’s conduct. The following laws describe your climbing equipment. As an unvarying unchangeable chart, they will always work for everyone.
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”–Matthew 6:33. “Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him.”–Matthew 5:25. “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”–1 Thessalonians 5:22. “What is that to thee? Follow thou me.”–John 21:22. “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”–John 12:32. “This is Good. Let there be Light.”–Genesis 1. These creative laws tell you what to do. The next six laws tell you how to do it, and you need both approaches for success.
“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good … And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”–1 Thessalonians 5:16-23. These are laws for conquering creators, to answer what and why you bridge the abyss of self between creature and creator consciousness. They open with “I accept” and are the flowering of “I obey."
To reach freedom of soul in heaven, apply these laws of responsibility and freedom of bondage to self on earth. Your reward will be to be held blameless. “Seek ye first the kingdom” by singing, praising and rejoicing, which stirs you up and out of creature consciousness in the Land of Egypt.
To “Agree with thine adversary” is to agree with God that this is good and to adjust with your fellow man. This opens the son of man stage to reach for the stars through a constant quantity of prayer. “Follow thou me” opens the doors to the Promised Land and takes you through. “Quench not the Spirit,” but let love, glory and Light use you. “Abstain from all appearance of evil” opens the door to the Garden of Eden through proving that law works through you and as you. “I, if I am lifted up” establishes you as a creator in the Garden of Eden. In Eden, you sanctify, bless and consecrate your life to be used as an ambassador of love.
“This is good” finds you blameless in God’s name, untouchable and held fast. The story of Abraham being ready to sacrifice his son, Isaac, is a perfect lesson in willingness in acceptance. He was constant in the quality of his love and eager to obey. God is drawing all things together for you and your ascension success now. You are radiant and rejoicing.
Constancy in Obedience
Edna Lister transcript, October 26, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Ruth Johnson, Virginia Whitehead, scribes, 1 Thessalonians 5:14-23
“Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”–1 Thessalonians 5:14-23.
From the time a life spark is freed from the Source to manifest, it begins its unceasing movement on the long journey back to the Source. From the creature to creator, from the animal kingdom to the ascending creators, all must accomplish the pilgrimage. Every life spark must ascend. The urge or desire to ascend is a hallmark of substance and consciousness.
Some people seek to escape their commitments and spiritual debts to universal law by saying they do not believe in reincarnation or spiritual debts. Those who refuse to accept responsibility for their creations find they must return until they fulfill the commitments of this life and those from past lives. Others return to earth to accompany their laggard loved ones.
Every life spark harbors a responsibility for honor in its heart. Jesus spoke of that original responsibility when he said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”–Matthew 11:28-30.
As you accept the yoke of responsibility, you find its weight and colors are also Light. “I accept” is the first fundamental law of governing, and a higher responsibility of all humanity. Doctors, scientists and professionals in the business world all accept their responsibilities. Yet, responsibility means bondage and enslavement to most people. Why is it so hard to accept the higher authority of God?
Religion unfolds material reality, and includes the synthesis of every particle of matter, a process that we call ascension. Man ascends the scale of civilization in science, the business world and every field of endeavor. The whole process of life is based on ascension. All improvement is ascension, whether selfish or godly. Bettering oneself is ascension. People improve their jobs, their homes and move to better neighborhoods. Thus, life’s keynote is “I accept,” which opens the vibration of ascension.
Obedience is a quality. Constancy refers to quantity. Science uses the term constant to indicate a set amount. For instance, a technician cannot make a perfect serum unless the quantity and quality of ingredients are perfect. Constancy in obedience refers to the quantity and quality of ingredients permeating your life. You think you let the love of God possess you, yet how constant is your love’s quantity?
You think you are obedient, but is your obedience constantly perfect in quality? Anything unlike love cuts it off, resentment for instance. You can judge where you are by your degree of acceptance and obedience. From the creature stage to the Son of God, you ascend from Egypt, the three lower creative centers in the abdomen, by your acceptance. The Promised Land is a metaphor for the area between the collar bones and the diaphragm in the human body. Included in the promised Land are the physical stomach (representing assimilation and acceptance), the heart (symbolic of love), and the lungs (representing expansion, inspiration and aspiration). Soul vision, which has nothing to do with earthly education, opens in the Promised Land of perfect Mind. As vision expands, you broaden your assimilation and love.
Acceptance ascends you to the higher throat, brow and crown centers and the Garden of Eden, the head. The throat is the “I-me-my” center. Many get stuck on “I don’t care. I can’t. I won’t.”—I. I. I. No one can ascend without sacrificing the “little self,” especially in speech. From blindness of self to soul comprehension, this is the path.
What is the formula of ascension? A climber remembers every mountain he has ever seen or dreamed of climbing. First, he prepares to climb by gathering the equipment he’ll need. He does not just sit and wait for a mountain to appear, but finds one to climb. To ascend, you first prepare, then exercise perfect control over your life to follow law. You decide where you want to go and gather the tools you’ll need to make the climb. Study and reading are not enough. You must do, too. You can groan about being too tired to attend classes, pray at night or read the Bible, yet, you are the one who must do the ascending.
The Bible holds many formulas for ascension. The various authors of Scripture do not list the Bible’s mysteries in order, verse after verse, but separate them, often by much between. Since you yourself must integrate the mysteries, you sift and combine them to climb the mountain of comprehension. The world has so many sects and ways of ascending because each interprets truth his own way.
The “What to Do to Ascend” formula contains six steps we call the Laws of Comprehension—"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”–Matthew 6:33. This law covers everything, and shows exactly how to keep your vision focused. “Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him.”–Matthew 5:25. Do it now without giving self the chance to respond first. “What is that to thee? Follow thou me.”–John 21:22. Follow the Master. Ignore everything that would take your eye from the kingdom. “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”–1 Thessalonians 5:22. Do not do or say things that will stall your progress. Use no idle words. “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”–John 12:32. Lift everyone whom you contact. Look into failure and defeat and say, “This is good and very good.” (Genesis 1). The secret ingredient of perfect creations is, “This is good.”
These are vital laws of ascension for health, a Godlike body, for business and personal success. These are laws for conquerors, not martyrs. Pride of self fills every martyr, who is too proud to let others know he is hurt, or does not want others to gloat. To deflate the criticizer’s balloon, say, “How wonderful you are to love me enough to want me to be perfect.” First, use what you already have. How often and consistently do you apply these “What to Dos” of Ascension? Now, add six “How to Do Its.” Nothing is impossible to God, yet you have not touched the mental fringes of Jesus’ statement, “Ye are gods.”
Six steps teach you how to ascend and earn comprehensive blamelessness—“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”–1 Thessalonians 5:16-21.
Righteousness is applying your highest vision to everything you do, the “right-use-ness” of Power. The kingdom of heaven is the perfect realm of “I accept.” Accept the obligations you have formed, the commitments you have not fulfilled. You lose the kingdom unless you fulfill your thousand days of burnt offerings. Then you must use your credits and soul substance to repay unfulfilled commitments.
No one can blow his top without blowing out atomic substance circuits all over the body. Doctors would have far fewer patients if people stopped doing this. For example, metaphysically, the feet represent understanding. Are mental tight shoes ruining your feet? Your understanding should be free. People whose arches have fallen have dropped their truths.
“How” to ascend is to “Rejoice evermore,” seek the kingdom of heaven and ascend from Egypt. Praise vitalizes every cell in the body, ascending each in rhythm. Add love, vision and Power, and your hands will execute righteousness. Lift all things, even plants and animals, using praise. Keep rejoicing. Adversaries of self-pity, pride, resentment, criticism, gossip and blame will end your rejoicing. What quantity of time and quality of response do you give to a silly remark? What will it matter who said what in a year’s time?
You cannot rejoice unless you obey the law of “This is good,” or you may slide down the pole. Declare whatever it is as good, no matter what. Giving an adversary the first and last words is easier than to argue or persuade. If you say, “You are wonderful. How did you think of it?” he forgets his plan to criticize or blame you.
Life is a school with a million grades, and each is in the right one for him. Love people where they are, and work to ascend. Some think they will lose their identities by agreeing and adjusting, which is silly, for you lose only your petty little ego. You’ll hold to the goal, if you want the life of an ascending creator god. The constant quality and quantity of prayer go with this. If you forget your high ideals, your prayers are weak.
You are praying without ceasing if you live up to your vision of glory. Pray in the bathroom, if necessary, to keep peace in the family. You can do anything you wish, without criticism, when you pray without ceasing. “Quench not the Spirit” by giving thought to anything that is not part of your ideal.
“What is that to thee? Follow thou me.”–John 21:22. People are so interested in what others do. Human nature is too critical, bossy and inquisitive, and would rather die of indignation than give up its opinions and resentments. You can ascend any darkness, physical, mental or spiritual, with enough praise, and praise the most belligerent person up and out of hostility. The quality of your praise is important. Is your praise selfless or are you trying to remake the other fellow in your idea of perfection? You cannot make anyone else good, even God cannot.
You quench your own spirit by recognizing darkness anywhere, when you could see the spark of goodness in others. The sharp tongue scatters evil like an exploded bomb. Forget evil now. Sometimes, even speaking to prevent another from committing a blunder is worse than the act itself. Just stand and pray to see the glory spread. Use your equipment to see the quantity and quality of good, not evil, or you cannot entertain God’s Power. As you make your self good, you gradually ascend. Integrate this with “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”–Matthew 6:33, and “This is good. Let there be Light”–Genesis 1.
Why take detours or land in the basement when you can go straight to your tower room to pray? Seeking answers when you already know what to do is just trying to find an easy way on another’s formula. Add “how to do it” to “what to do.” How to ascend is to sanctify yourself—“I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”–John 12:32. People run from sanctification that looks “holier than thou.” Family becomes furious when you look sanctimonious and high on the ladder. Living with a noble, joyous sinner is easier than with a self-righteousness saint. Bless your life, make your commitments, and pay as you go. Be obedient to all these laws. Declare everything good, presume all others are blameless, and it will preserve you blameless. Blame is the source of war, which is nothing more than self-justification writ large. You may never justify your self before the world.
These six laws will ascend you to the glory of God. Responsibility is wonderful, and letting Light use you to lift others and the world is marvelous. You commit yourself to others when you involve them with your words. God’s vibrations, principles and powers draw you closer to the heart of the Source. Pettiness, hurts and charging debts of blame to others drags you down. Wouldn’t you feel funny to awaken on the “sea of glass” with your back to the throne while everyone else faces God? Love God enough to pack the right equipment, and march before the world!
Being Without Self
Edna Lister outline, November 2, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Acts 9:1-9
“Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.”–Acts 9:1-9.
Being means “to be” something, not self, but being without self.
T represents the T-cross.
O symbolizes unity.
B represents Beth, the House of the Lord.
E is the earth Mother of Love expressing.
To read this mystically then, through the use of love, stand on the cross, using it as a stairway into the House of the Lord, to dwell there forever in unity, oneness with God and the world. But what is the difference between self and soul?
God has given man three phases of mind to function on earth, the subconscious, conscious, and super-conscious mind. The subconscious mind takes care of all body warnings. The conscious mind is meant to be the head, the ruler in the House of the Lord, the body. Conscious mind rules your destiny and mediates the orders of the soul speaking through the super-conscious. The super-conscious mind maintains your perfect contact with God. These neutral, inoffensive terms are suitable for the world and science. Religion, however, is the study of hidden wisdom. In religious study, we use slightly different terms, appetitive soul or self, embodied or rational soul, and Oversoul, all of which correspond exactly to the phases of mind.
The impulsive appetitive soul consists of the original nucleus of life sparks encased in the molecules and cells of your first physical body. These life sparks evolved through every type of form, from stardust through every terrestrial kingdom. The appetitive soul operates from the
The subconscious appetitive soul stores impressions of every animal characteristic and all postnatal memory impressions of the cradle and the world. The life sparks, with their sum total of impressions, form the “little self” residing in you as the life sparks of the appetitive soul. The little self forms a memory “deep freeze” from which it draws form patterns of “I want, I try, I can’t. I won’t.” These make the most sour pies when conscious mind puts them on the menu.
Soul recollection is the servant between the kitchen, the conscious mind, and the deep freeze, the subconscious mind. As the liaison between subconscious and conscious memory, soul recollection compares the present situation with the past and brings up the old pies made so long ago. When baked in the conscious mind’s oven, they bake sour. So cleanse your deep freezer, and fill it with newly prepared foods. Learn to submit to and conduct a regular and orderly deep-freeze cleaning. You can tell self from the soul because self always takes you back to sour pies.
“Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”–Acts 9:1-5.
The story of Saul of Tarsus is illuminating. Seldom is a soul called and changed so completely in an instant. “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?”–Acts 9:4. All appetitive soul cleansing is covered under this first statement. The pricks are punctures in the inflated self, and inform us that Saul had been unsure of himself for some time. He was blinded for three days, which is the time it takes mystically to perfect your personal expression.
Through love, you stand on the cross, mounted above the little self, using it to climb into the House of the Lord, to be one with God forever. The T-cross represents the sacrifices you make following spiritual illumination. Light strikes the soul, which moves up in consciousness and degree to stand on the crossbar of sacrifice.
No one is different from another in the beginning. We all begin the same but make different choices as we go along. Some climb all day only to forget to wind and set their clock at night. They continually fall down and must start over in the morning.
You need to make powerful suggestions to the little self of appetitive soul, the subconscious mind, before sleep. Call everything good. The self looks backward and says, “I have given.” Soul looks forward and upward and says, “Father, let me give more.” People used to say of life, “I’ll live it down.” Now they say, “Live it up!” This is good! Soul must sacrifice self to pay the rent and live in the golden silence. Scale the heights to God, keep a high watch and hold that mirror-like surface on your brain cells to let God’s life register. How much life do you want? “Commit thyself unto the Lord: Trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass.”–Psalm 37:5. God says, “Little flock, it is My good pleasure to give you My kingdom!"
Being Without Self
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Johnson, Virginia Whitehead, scribes. November 2, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Acts 9:1-9
“Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.”–Acts 9:1-9.
Being means “to be.” To be what? To be soul-directed, not self-ruled. “To be” encompasses everything in the universe. Because God is, the universe is and you are. TO BE
forms a word diagram revealing truth:
T represents the T-cross.
O symbolizes unity and eternity.
B represents Beth, the House of the Lord.
E signifies earth as the Mother of Love.
You stand on the gospel of the cross to crucify the self-will, and it forms a scientific platform from which you can reveal the validity of God. To understand this mystically, read, “I stand on the cross in love, using it as a stairway to the House of the Lord to dwell there forever in unity and oneness with God and the world.” Stand on the T-cross in your Garden of Eden, living in nothing but love. This is the formula for being without self.
What is the difference between self and soul? God has given us only one Mind, “that mind which was in Christ Jesus,” which is marvelous in expression. You use three phases of divine Mind on earth as subconscious, conscious and super-conscious, which hidden wisdom calls the appetitive soul, rational soul and Oversoul.
You register ideas on your brain cells and translate them into words, like tuning a radio dial to a station. Your job is to listen to divine Mind, but self is usually too busy asking “why” to hear. Most of your difficulties in agreeing and adjusting to life come from the subconscious mind, which has charge of body building and warning. Like a scientist combining chemicals in the lab, it combines thoughts and impressions into a kind of mental food, too.
The appetitive soul is the original nucleus of life sparks encased in the physical body, the outer physical sheath of inner Mind. Each life spark has memory, similar to the photographic memory cells of the brain. The appetitive soul’s “brain” at the solar plexus, executes the orders the brain sends it. In a larger sense, the appetitive soul is linked to the “world mind,” the aggregate of all thoughts and emotions on earth, the world’s backwash, of which most people are unaware. The appetitive soul is the source of warnings and hunches, but is not supposed to rule your consciousness.
Conscious mind is your receiver for heavenly broadcasts that act on your mental faculties. Conscious mind is supposed to reside in the head, the ruler of destiny in the House of the Lord, which orders the subconscious. (If you feel it in your stomach, it’s appetitive soul trying to dictate.) Embodied rational soul uses the atomic mental body life sparks.
The super-conscious mind maintains your perfect contact with God, and uses the faculties of conscious mind. The Oversoul, which “dwells in the House of the Lord forever,” uses the silver cord to maintain contact with the embodied rational soul below and the heavenly Councils. God designed these soul and mind phases as barriers of protection for Oversoul and super-conscious mind.
As you built your body for earth life, you called together your life sparks, two by two, into the Ark of the Mother, the womb. God impressed each life spark with memory. Your heart contains life sparks that have evolved through all forms in the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms. Life sparks carry the sum of little self impressions in the subconscious permeate every cell and are a storage bin of animal characteristics and memories of every experience.
Imagination automatically calls on these photographic memory cells without you consciously realizing that they are a mass of old, hidden impressions. You either lift, or add to memories. You write new negative records when you allow the little self to take charge, judge others, take on their debts in blame, and store evil memories. The subconscious has had its own way for so long that it subtly tries to be your master. The
Little self’s four expressions have taproots that run deep to hold you in bondage. “I want, I try, I can’t” and “I won’t” represent four stages of immaturity. You cannot return to God until you cleanse subconscious memories, for unless you lift them, they continue breaking out, causing doubts, fear, conflicts and disease.
Recollection, the liaison between subconscious memory and soul consciousness, is the servant between conscious mind’s kitchen and subconscious memory’s deep-freezer. Subconscious mind stores all forms of limitation—"I want, I try, I can’t, I won’t"—the best recipes for making sour pies. Appetitive soul compares the present situation with the past and brings up an old recipe you made long ago, which bakes sour under the heat of conscious mind. For instance, subconscious mind recalls a go-to-bed-pattern when you want to escape life, and brings you a cold or the flu. You will want to escape life until you throw out the old pies in the deep freeze.
Anyone can tell self from soul after the first illumination. Self lives in the past, saying, “I’ve given enough. I’ve done so much for so many. I have been good. I deserve a reward.” Soul looks ahead and upward, saying, “Father, teach me how to give. Let me give more.” Learn to submit to an orderly process of cleansing your subconscious deep freeze under soul direction. After a cycle of lifting, the appetitive soul begins to rotate into Light with the rational soul and Oversoul.
Memory lapses can occur, for example. Memories of past incarnations, and taints come to the surface because Light has descended and brings them out. Thus opens the story of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus, a most illuminating chapter. Saul was a Pharisee, who avidly persecuted Jesus’ followers until Jesus appeared and said, “Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the pricks."
Pricks are punctures in your armor of self. Seldom is anyone called to God’s service and changed in an instant without any background experience. The pricks were Saul’s doubts. His kicking shows that Saul had been unsure of himself for some time. His ego was set into inflexibility by his rigid adherence to Mosaic law, and he was proud of being a Roman citizen.
Saul called Jesus “Lord” because the event impressed him. His Oversoul showed him the error of his ways, but Saul was afraid he would lose his Roman citizenship if he listened. He was at the “I won’t” stage, full of fear and pride of self. Yet he would not have fallen to his knees had he remained utterly belligerent. Saul was unconsciously seeking truth, even when he planned his persecution and asked the high priest for letters of introduction.
When you say, “This teacher gave me illumination,” the teacher’s words fell like rain on buds ready to bloom, so you heard and listened. Saul was struck with blindness that lasted for three days, which represents three levels of consciousness, and can last a lifetime or for eternity. Figuratively, three days is the time that elapses between hearing the truth and cleansing the appetitive soul for perfected personal expression, being without self. As love, you stand above the little self on the Mount of Calvary. You may use the Tau cross (T) as a ladder to the House of the Lord, to be one with God forever. God made everyone in His image and likeness, and each is free to choose.
Oversoul holds the picture of perfection. No soul is totally unlike another, but we all do make different choices. The appetitive soul is waiting and desiring to be healed. The Tau cross represents the sacrifice that always follows illumination. Light strikes soul and you ascend to stand on the crossbar of sacrifice. Some climb all day only to forget to set their clocks at night. They fall and must begin again in the morning.
Make powerful suggestions to your subconscious before you sleep. Sort your photo gallery at night, and discard the pictures you want to eliminate. God called your life sparks “good” before He named and numbered them, so lift others to a cloud of Light and declare them good. Declare a pest good, and picture him in his right place to encourage him to leave. “This is good” will cause each life spark to ascend to its original name vibration, and healing comes through the Oversoul’s fervency.
Soul must sacrifice the self to live in the golden silence, to scale the heights to God, to keep the high watch, and maintain the mirror-like receptivity that registers God’s life. Life can be as beautiful as you desire. How much Light as life do you want? If you want only 50 percent, the rest of it dangles. Live it up, not down, cry up, rest up. Adopt the motto, Spend lavishly. Ascend to God’s activity. You do not need more information, but to ascend the appetitive soul. Live to the full, and count your blessings, morning and night. Your soul has wings to soar, so spread them to brush negativity from your path. Light absorbs the problems.
How do you commit yourself unto the Lord? Rest in His arms. “Trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass.” Trust in God’s law and promises, and He shall say, “Child, it is My good pleasure to give thee My Kingdom."
Doing Without Reward
Edna Lister outline, November 9, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Romans 8:28-39, Revelation 1:12-20
“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.
“I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”–Revelation 1:12-20.
Down through the ages, God has sent many lesser avatars and messiahs, and seven greater messiahs who have come as teachers. All have brought the law, but all are subordinate to Jesus the Christ, the first son, the only begotten Son of God. An avatar of Light from above has opened each great civilization in turn. In many cultures, the first three avatars represent a holy trinity, or a holy family.
To review history since Osiris and Isis opened the Egyptian civilization reveals seven strong avatars for the seven golden candlesticks mentioned in Revelation 1:12-20. Each of these churches represents a lighted candlestick. To fill the first golden candlestick, Osiris brought the concept of universal unity to earth. Osiris was the Son of God in all, through all, and as all. He was symbolized as a mummy standing upright, holding an ankh, the cross of eternal life, in more than 5,000 images and reliefs. When their descendants lost the meaning of the symbol, the images meant nothing.
From Persia came Zoroaster, who brought the eternal flame, to fill the second golden candlestick. The fire that cleanses and purifies also represents the nonresistant concepts of letting and agreeing with the adversary. The Zoroastrians lost the symbol of the fiery star, which later generations degraded into mere sun worship.
Aphrodite brought the third golden candlestick to Greece. She was first symbolized as a holy woman, wearing a helmet-like crown, representing exalted motherhood. While she originally represented strong womanhood, with love protected by the helmet, her worship later degenerated into hedonism and lust As the holy creative fire lost its protection, Aphrodite became associated with physical love, licentiousness and perversions.
As the Greeks lost the mystery of love protected, Athena took the helmet symbol and emerged as the virginal goddess of wisdom and war. The Greek myths say that she sprang fully formed and adult from the brow of her father, Zeus. Perpetually virgin (Athena Parthenos), the Greeks named their Parthenon temple and capital, Athens, for her.
Buddha brought the fourth golden candlestick to India. He sacrificed his princely status and wealth for a begging bowl, which represented the wheel of life. The begging bowl was meant to symbolize the twelve signs of the zodiac and 144 soul virtues to conquer through prayer. They lost the true meaning when the symbols, the begging bowls and prayer wheels, degenerated into escape from life and responsibilities.
Mohammed brought the sword of truth and filled the fifth golden candlestick among the Arabs. The sword was intended to represent worship and reverence for God. Its two-edged blade, grounded in earth, symbolized love and wisdom, and the hilt represented selflessness. The symbol of the sword degenerated when Islam turned the cross upside down to attack and to force everyone to live their way. Yet the true way is to grasp the inverted symbol and make it one of self, lifted.
Jesus the Christ brought the sixth golden candlestick to Judea. He said, “I am the light of the world,” and was known by the cross of service and sacrifice of self. Although he was born in humble circumstances, he was crowned a prince of heaven. His followers also descended to the use of force through intolerance. From Light to form, Jesus taught love. Today, we are bringing the Light back to earth in his name.
“Whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”–Romans 8:29. God has called us to His service. He shall justify and glorify us, but at a price, the pearl of great price. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Only the little self, the little me can betray you.
For God’s sake you are killed all day long, until you accept and surrender your “sheep,” your thoughts and emotions, for “slaughter.” Because you are called, you must choose. Choose to refuse to see, hear or feel anything except the love of God. Then you become “more than conquerors” through love.
Pilots, being trained for instrument flying, must be disciplined and utterly proficient. A ship’s captain uses a compass when charting a course across the ocean. When will you stop undisciplined flying and sailing through life? What is your instrument board, your compass? Jesus the Christ!
God has predestined you to be like Him. The seventh candlestick, the “woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” (Revelation 12:1), symbolizes the risen sun, and love, whether masculine or feminine, as brooding and yearning.
“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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”–Romans 8:38-39.
Doing Without Reward
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Johnson, Virginia Whitehead, scribes, November 9, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Romans 8:28-39, Revelation 1:12-20
“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.
“I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”–Revelation 1:12-20.
An avatar or messiah, who brought a different approach to God, a different symbol of truth, has opened every civilization in every age. Seven avatars have come. As centuries passed, the people’s vision of truth decreased, and they worshiped the symbols of the avatars instead of the truth they represented. A conquering of vibration resulted instead of a vibration of conquering.
John was consciously in control of his brain cells when he was “caught up in the Spirit” to a high place, where he received the Revelation. He was a fully conscious mediator, one who deliberately directs all mental faculties to see and hear with extended vision and hearing. John saw one in glory, like the Son of Man, whose voice was “as the sound of many waters,” which means the Voice held every vibration that can manifest. A great high vibration touched John and made him to understand the mysteries of the seven stars and seven candlesticks. Seven avatars have come to earth to help guide the Adamic civilization, each bearing a candle, Light to fill the seven churches: Osiris, Zoroaster, Aphrodite, Buddha, Mohammed, Jesus and the Woman clothed in the Light of the Sun for this Golden Age.
Osiris brought the truth of the unity of God as All. Osiris’ emblem was a mummy holding the ankh of eternal life, the first symbol to represent that all was Spirit, and meant to teach man not to worship form. The practice of embalming emerged from this. The Egyptian priesthood used cats, birds and other animal symbols to teach the masses the concept of universal unity. As the teaching degenerated, people finally worshiped only the symbols.
Zoroaster brought the truth of the eternal flame. His emblem is a fiery seven-pointed star, symbolizing the death ray and the flame of eternal life, which represents the
Aphrodite expressed the truth of the Holy Family. She was the first avatar to exalt motherhood, womanhood and the love of God. Her emblem was the helmet of protection for the creative fire filling the head. As the goddess of love, she was meant to represent the firm, brisk, compassionate Mother Love of God, not a whining sentimentality that gets its teeth kicked in. Love is not pushed around, but can accomplish all, when it stands unwaveringly. The greatest tragedy in earth’s history was the degeneration of Aphrodite’s message of protecting the creative fire. The Greeks transferred the helmet emblem to Athena, goddess of wisdom when Aphrodite’s name became synonymous with promiscuity, and her message of love degenerated into licentiousness.
The Buddha was born a prince, but gave up his palace for a begging bowl. Sacrifice was the keynote of his message of truth. His prayer wheel originally represented the Zodiacal Path, the wheel with 144 virtues corresponding to the Tree of Life in Eden. The high symbolism of the begging bowl was gracious receiving, which degenerated into a prayer wheel and pleading for alms.
The Buddha believed sacrifice meant giving up place, position and things. Soul sacrifice on the Via Christa, is giving up the little self. His idea of solving the world’s woes was to flee life, sit under a tree and meditate. He sacrificed all, but selfishly. Buddha realized his mistake and tried to show his disciples the truth before he passed over, but his message degenerated into escapism.
Mohammed brought the sword of truth as his emblem. Originally representing balanced Wisdom and Love, its hilt was named Selflessness. It was meant to be wielded by the right hand of outer execution or “doing,” in sacrifice of self. Mohammed’s sword of truth was perfect while his followers held it in wisdom and obedience. However, it has degenerated into a sword of slaughter of those who will not follow Islam.
Jesus is the first Begotten Son of God, and is the head of all avatars. Any religious creed or dogma that teaches differently has lost the Light of this great truth. Jesus’ emblems are the star, the lamb, and the cross of sacrifice of the self and self-centered will. God justifies, and Christ makes intercession for us. Nothing is separate from the love of Christ, for whose sake you conquer. Nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ. These are divine truths taught in this age.
“Whom He predestined, these He also called.”–Romans 8:30. God destined us to live here as descended creators bearing seven lighted candlesticks before we descended to earth. God predestined us to be called, justified and glorified to become like the Master, in his image. Do you answer His call to ascend the ladder of Light? What price do you choose to pay, to open to Light, and to sacrifice self?
This does not mean weakness. Jesus’ surrender to be nailed to a cross was strong, not weak. You put yourself on either a cross or a ladder. Get off your cross if you do not want to be crucified by self, make it a ladder and climb. The Power of the living God goes into action, and propels you up the ladder. Predestination is living in the image and likeness of God. God gives you all things when you surrender all self, which is the unity Osiris taught.
“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.”–Romans 8:34. Mankind has founded dynasties on such words as intercession, but intercession is just one candle. Only you can separate yourself from the love of Christ. You can receive constant sympathy, if you want that, but it will not be the glory of God.
Everyone has felt persecuted at one time or another. Some sadly say, “Only God understands me,” and pity themselves if they feel misunderstood. Sheep include your idle thoughts and words, which you must eat. They return to you, you slaughter them, then blame your trouble on another. Sacrificing self for a high calling pays glorious rewards. You are more than a conqueror in all these things. You have more than conquered through those who love you. How much can you love God as principle and personality? Love the personality that the Master revealed instead of being distracted by others’ dispositions, for he is the great ensample that God has predestined you to look, think and act like.
Science is conquering the stars, so do not dare dawdle with prejudice, opinions and self-pity. What price will you pay for God’s true rewards? Nothing around you, personalities or situations, can separate you from the love of God. The Light of your Oversoul star goes before you according to the path you choose to declare, and the pattern of protection your words give it. Bear in mind, your Oversoul is your personal contact with the mind that was in Christ Jesus.
The seventh candle, lighted in love, is the bride of Christ, which reveals an exalted woman. She stands clothed with the sun, with her feet on the moon, crowned with twelve stars. The moon at this woman’s feet symbolize protection for her understanding. The stars over her head represent virtues, powers and glories.
The seventh candlestick is the bridegroom. The “bride goes into the bridegroom” means that Mother Love and Father Wisdom in balance will rule the world. You light your seventh candle in Capricorn, the House of the Father upheld by the church of Laodicea.
“Wherever two or three are gathered together in my name, there will I be also.”–Matthew 18:20. The three symbolizes the Holy Trinity of the appetitive soul, the rational soul and Oversoul threefold soul as one, a balance of masculine Wisdom and feminine Love. Your reward for sacrifice of self is the love of God, balanced by wisdom.
Your body, when filled with Light, is a golden candlestick, but is useless without a candle in it. How bright its Light is your choice. Great souls the world over and through the ages have accepted predestination and their responsibilities in religion, science, business and diplomacy. How can you do this?
Airplane pilots must be able to “fly blind,” and a ship’s pilot must navigate through fog and rough weather. You must learn how to make a soul flight. Your pilot house is in your head, the engine room is at the solar plexus. The instrument panel is obedience to law as you know it, and your compass is following the life of the Master. You gain mastery through soul conquering, not self-control. Mastery’s keynote is sacrifice of self and it earns the rewards of becoming a seer and a prophet, spiritually seeing and hearing until you are finally free to speak.
Sacrifice of self is not asking for a reward but accepting the reward you have earned when it comes. Jesus represents the sacrifice of the petty self through love. You, too, must become a living ensample of love to the world.
Oracles of God
Edna Lister outline, November 16, 1958, Washington, D.C.. 1 Peter 4:10-11, Ephesians 4:10-13
“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”–1 Peter 4:10-11.
“He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”–Ephesians 4:10-13.
What is an oracle? What does it mean to speak as an oracle of God? In the ancient mystery schools of Egypt and Greece, the priest or priestess often spoke from within an image or used ventriloquism to make the messages seem mysterious. People have always stood in awe of the mysterious.
Paul’s oracle is different. “I will put the words upon your lips.” An oracle of God surrenders and dedicates himself to truth until he is certain of this conscious contact with God, one who loves God and lives by faith as conscious knowing. From the creature’s unconscious instinctive intelligence to become an oracle of God is a long pilgrimage. An oracle has made the long pilgrimage, the long climb from resurrection to ascension.
Resurrection means to be brought to life. You resurrect something by digging out the old and lifting it into the Light. Ascension means to be lifted higher. An apostle desires to live according to the truth. Hence, he is both dedicated and surrendered. A prophet is unafraid to speak the truth. Many of today’s news commentators are prophets in the making. An evangelist travels about preaching truth as he sees it. A pastor is a comforter. A teacher gives law. An oracle is a minister and must become all these roles combined to attain the stature of the Christ.
You can recognize milestones on the climb to soul ascension. In the beginner’s “leave me alone” stage, young zeal is slumbering. He climbs, falls and climbs again. Since the neophyte never knows whether his prayers are right or wrong, he often descends to the cellar of criticism and blame before climbing to his tower room of prayer. Thus he is a “skull bumper” in prayer, mainly an escapist.
The keynote of soul awakening is the “you are wrong” stage. Here you see all the faults in others while remaining self-satisfied with believing that you “know the whole truth.” Yet, how can you learn about the wrong or right way to pray unless you see it outside yourself first? If you remain smug and “holier than thou,” you limit yourself to being a “ceiling bumper” in prayer. The first thing to ascend is your prayers. Learning that law governs everything is the first step in resurrection. No one can penetrate the earthly mists of illusion until the pure love of God enters.
The third step is filled with “I think” and “I’ll do it my way.” This is the part-time “star grabber” in prayer. He still seeks to use Power and drag heaven down to earth intellectually. Brainwashing the old subconscious mind begins here. Talking about it begins the process. At least you are grabbing for the stars at this stage. People say, “It took the heart out of me.” Or, “That put me on a spot.” What spot? Ascend in consciousness, resurrect all old self, and begin entering your Garden of Eden again. Being “put on a spot” is the only way God can help you resurrect past indifference, idleness and idle words.
The fourth step sees desire mated to will in the first marriage of the Lamb. Joy enters and you become I AM consciousness, a Christed one, an oracle of God. This is the place of trials by fire, many obstacles on the path, where you finish brainwashing the subconscious. Now comes the glory. Imagination turns upward and becomes vision.
What is loosed on earth is loosed in heaven. When you loose your imagination from inducting the mental clutter of earth, you find that you have loosed your soul’s vision in heaven. You, in turn, are loosed from opinions and prejudices, those violent obstacles, the hindering twins of darkness. You learn that opinions come from willfulness and prejudices from rebellion. You enter your own Garden of Eden and no longer skid to the cellar. To live in the Garden of Eden is to be resurrected, transformed, and changed from old ways to new.
The whole process of resurrection from the past is based in the faith of God, and resurrection is faith in action. Your next step is consciousness that you must fill your faith with the love of God. The quality of the love of God you express fulfills ascension. To feel the full glory of being an oracle of God is to ascend through ascension of consciousness, to let ascension take you up to live as I AM consciousness, fully statured as the Christ. This is the mind that was in Christ Jesus, a triumph!
You are no longer limited in your prayers. You are no longer skull-bumping or bouncing off the ceiling. You not only reach for the stars, but ride the stars as the truth of God, the faith of God. This becomes your glory and makes you an oracle triumphant.
Joy is Invincible Power
Edna Lister outline, Washington, D.C., November 17, 1958, John 15:9-11
“As the Father loved me, I also have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”–John 15:9-11.
Invincibility is above courage and beyond valor. It means to be untouchable and immovable, yet flexible, not resistant, which really expresses the law of nonresistance. Wisdom, Love and Joy are absolute principles that operate through the universe. You modify principles, numerous beyond counting, such as joy, into laws, such as nonresistance, to suit varying degrees of intelligence on earth. Joy produces invincible, protective rays of repulsion around you.
Life is a constant challenge and trial by fire, yet it must be so to purify the soul of earthly taints. Still, somewhere, some place, sometime, each soul must meet life’s full challenge and cease making self-excuses for being an also-ran. Stop being a puppet of chance and missing the mark. Joy is the answer. Joy, the one all-glorious, all-absorbing quality of God as man, is not even a first cousin to ordinary happiness, and you cannot apply it to another like a sticker on a package.
Joy is the energy principle in action, the essence of the Holy Spirit that causes every cell to sit up, and dance with a twinkle in its eye. You can contact joy as such an all-fulfilling vibration when your prayers break the mental barrier. Prayers become invincible when you fill them with the fervency of valor.
Most prayers are merely payable-on-demand checks presented at God’s Bank to cover your needs, or promissory drafts on Power for strength. You collect from God the exact amount left to you after your deductions. You pray, earning the release of just so much Power and Substance. Your deductions may include resentment, rebellion, self-pity, pride, griping and grief.
For months you have had perfect thoughts, pictures and feelings, and declared everything good. Since you are such a joy-worker, you attract everyone with a need. If you are not looking for more invincible joy, you will soon hear yourself pray, “Lord, send me help since everyone calls me to gripe and complain. I can’t take it anymore.” You poor little thing. What’s wrong? Declare instead, “Lord, I am strong. Lord, I am joy.” Then people will say, “How beautiful you look. How lovely you are.” Reply with thanksgiving, “How wonderful of you to say so."
Experiment with invincible joy. It will stand the test of time, take you through any trial by fire, and over any obstacle. Every hour’s joy is your investment in your life annuity for eternal youth and beauty, for God is the youth and beauty you express.
In youth, people say, “I’ll never live this down. He’ll never live that down,” but as they mature, the wise souls learn to declare, “Let’s live this up. Invincible joy goes before me, clearing my way. Joy goes wherever I send it."
Invincible joy propels you into your untouchable, invulnerable orbit of conquering. “I have fallen in love with God, and I am in love with life.” Your tomorrow will be perfect because you are so lovely today.
Unconquerable Faith
Edna Lister outline, November 30, 1958, Cleveland, OH, John 1:1-5, Hebrews 11:1-3
“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 darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”–John 1:1-5.
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”–Hebrews 11:1-3.
The Bible is full of the miracles of faith. A perfect example is Jacob, who was ready to sacrifice his son Isaac when suddenly a ram appeared in the bushes. The woman with an issue of flood, who had spent all her money on physicians, was healed when she touched the hem of Jesus’ robe. The servant told Jairus his daughter was dead, and still Jesus lingered to speak with the woman.
When news arrived that Lazarus was sick unto death, Jesus loitered. Some blamed him when word came that Lazarus had died. Yet Jesus went and spoke the Word, “Lazarus, come forth!” Jesus stopped the funeral procession for the poor widow’s son and raised him up alive. Paul and Silas were bound and in jail when they prayed, praised and sang until the jail fell apart. Peter was chained between two men in jail when an angel appeared and said, “Arise!” We have witnessed modern miracles as well. Yet we usually attribute them to technology and science. All these miracles were wrought through someone’s faith. Miracles are proof of what faith has done, but what makes faith unconquerable?
Faith becomes unconquerable through prayer, praise and singing. Declare, “This is good! Let there be Light!” then remain constant and steadfast. Every time you have stood in the Light on principle, undismayed, a ram has been in bushes, caught by its horns, waiting for you to notice it. If you are blind with grief, pride, resentment or self-pity, you will never see it.
“In the beginning was the Word.” The Word is a vibration that contained every part, quality and attribute of the Godhead. It is Light as all Mind, Substance and Power.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”–Hebrews 11:1. “The Word was with God” as faith, which is “the evidence of things not seen.” Also, “The Word was God.” The Word contains all that is of everything.
“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”–Hebrews 11:3. Your ability to stand in serenity and with courage is your evidence that faith is a quality of God. You cannot have Substance, yet leave out Mind or Power. Yours may not be a long-faced faith, but a joyous, loving glorious confidence that lets nothing disturb it.
Faith includes the qualities of love and joy. Faith is life itself expressing as you, pressing through you. Faith is the ability to know truth. Faith is an open mind. The Resurrection was faith in action and raising the dead still is. Faith is unselfishness. When you stand as faith and decree, backing your decree by the love of God in prayer, praise and singing, your decree is the Word.
Faith is unconquerable. By faith you are able to conquer the world in power, overruling circumstances to overcome difficulties. Faith creates your world, where the Word of God is law. By faith, you conquer self and live by joy. You love and love until you ache with the glory of love. Then your decree is the Word. Nothing can disturb you.
Unconquerable Faith
Edna Lister transcript, Lotus Landis, Ruth Johnson, Irene White, scribes, November 30, 1958, Cleveland, OH, John 1:1-5, Hebrews 11:1-3
“In the beginning.” John’s description of the Genesis is among the most mystical passages of the whole Bible. “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 darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”–John 1:1-5. You cannot escape from God. Every cell, molecule and atom is the substance of God.
God fashioned all material creation from the Word, the substance of faith. Why should faith have miraculous power? In the beginning was the Word, the Source. Faith is the substance of your hope. Mind, Power and Substance are never separate from God. Substance, the essence of Light, fills your prayer molds and condenses into outer form.
You can create, and make mass from Light. God gives you that power by your decree when your spoken Word is faith that God is acting as you. Faith is the substance of God, and operates as principle. As Love, faith is a quality of substance, as Mind, a vibration of knowing. As Power, faith is energy that brings form to pass on a composite vibration.
The Bible describes dozens of miracles, and each was the result of unconquerable faith. God promised Abraham that through his son, Isaac, his descendants would populate the earth, and the seed of Abraham populates the world today.
An angel of the Lord told him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, and he moved to obey instantly. Abraham, through unconquerable faith, knew a miracle would happen, and it did: A ram caught in the bushes replaced Isaac as the offering. Abraham had complete confidence that God had the solution, if Abraham would trust Him.
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”–Hebrews 11:1-3. Faith is the substance of every miracle you ever have or ever will hope for.
The eighth chapter of Luke tells of a woman who had been ill for years with an issue of blood. She crawled through a crowd to reach the Master, touched the hem of his robe and was healed by faith. Jesus said, “Your faith has made you whole,” because Power answered her call of unconquerable faith with the substance of healing. So must you do, and your main creative tool is the Breath of Life, which operates as faith and your spoken Word.
By the Word of faith, Jesus raised the dead three times: To Jairus’ daughter, he said, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” He told the widow’s son at the funeral procession, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” To his friend he said, “Lazarus, come forth!” These miracles illustrate bringing back the dead by the Word of faith.
Acts 12 tells of Peter’s imprisonment by Herod, who had already killed James. There was no way out of the prison, so Peter thought he was dreaming when an angel came to release him. Still, he did as the angel told him and was freed.
Paul and Silas were in prison on trumped-up charges. They sang and prayed in confidence of faith so great that an earthquake tore down the prison walls and broke their bonds.
Prayer and faith produce miracles. Why and how does prayer work? How and why does faith operate? Miracles can be personal. A small creek runs through Yellow Pine, Idaho. Forty-five years ago, a forest fire, a crown fire dashed along the treetops and threw sparks ahead of it, igniting a 250-foot pine on the opposite bank. We prayed, and Light built a wall not 500 feet across the creek, and not a spark crossed.
As you speak the Word in prayer with unconquerable faith, nothing of the composite world mind can touch you. Faith absorbs everything from your past. God gives you free choice. Power holds you, if you hold a high consciousness in faith. Yet, you recreate the mess if you retreat again to doubt and fear. You can ascend and say, “Let anything come,” and Almighty Power conquers it. Conquering is a matter of choice.
God cannot divide self from the living soul, so self crucifies soul. He stands on the sideline, holding and believing you will make it. Just as you have compassion on earth, He says, “Come up to Me, so I can comfort you.”
Your decrees must be free of self. Declare that God also fills others’ prayer molds when you have a need, then stand untouched and lift. Faith is the evidence of things unseen, your confirmation that God’s Power moves through you into manifestation.
The Word is God in action. Things that you see are not made of that which appears. You can never run short of substance or words. Integrate these verses. Faith in action is resurrection and selflessness. The Word of God is the Voice of the Source.
As the glory of God uses you, your decrees manifest “according to your faith,” as what you think and desire. You will not care about old habits of grief or martyrdom when full faith possesses you. Those who are unwaveringly successful express unconquerable faith. Declaring it good opens the way. Otherwise, you put a hole in your prayer mold and substance leaks out, wasted.
Do not think to use Power over anything. Power uses you as faith unconquerable, truth and burning desire to become like God. Act as if you have it. Make another plan if the first does not work. Conquer through the love of God. Praise God in the face of disaster and your decree becomes the Word that is God. Each word you speak is a beginning.
Unquenchable Love
Edna Lister outline, December 7, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Mark 12:28-34
“One of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but He: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.”–Mark 12:28-34.
“Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.”–Mark 12:34. To love God is all that matters. To love your neighbor is greater than anything else you can do, greater than the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. Some souls bring this great love of God to earth with them, alive, awake and ready to use. Such men as Abraham Lincoln, Peter Marshall
Others who bring their love of God, ready to burst from bud to a full-blown flower, are always afraid of it. In every cycle, they shut it off. They spend a lifetime hiding it, running from it and covering it up. Some, who are unafraid, spend their lives “asking, seeking and knocking” without ever stopping long enough to find. Still others have an unconscious innocent blind belief, a faith that is satisfying for a while.
Everyone must ascend in consciousness from blind faith, belief and mere faith-in-God to that glorious place of conscious knowing, which is the mind that was in Christ Jesus. From here, it is only one step to that high point of the full love of God moving in to take full possession of body, heart, mind and soul, to establish you on a rock-solid foundation.
To comprehend means “I understand what the full love of God is. I am become the full love of God.” You discover three phases on this pathway from belief to full comprehension—emotional-sentimental love, intellectual-mental love, and soul love.
The emotional-sentimental degree of love is always asking questions in fear and doubt. “Is this true? Am I being fooled? Is this a hoax? AM I fooling myself? Am I being taken for a ride?” These and similar questions are ready to pop out at the slightest outer challenge. They always surface at the soul’s highest, most glorious point of illumination. Why? Because only Light can uncover the hidden darkness, and Light’s business is to lift, and absorb darkness.
Intellectual-mental love is always asking “Does this work?” This is the phase of wanting to acknowledge God, but after saying, “I love God,” never do another thing about it. The attitude is “Now, I know this is truth, and it will do the work for me." The intellectual type is wise, but often hard, forcing his opinions on others. The sentimental type loves his prejudices, and is always talking about itself. Both are perfect samples of unquenchable love.
Soul love through comprehension is that one short step above knowing. However, it is unable to take that step unless knowing unlocks the door. Then comes the realization of the need to apply knowledge through practice. But how? You open your soul faculties here. You never use the Power, but use your mental faculties to let the Power move through you as you apply thinking, planning and building. Thinking is keeping your mind stayed on perfection, falling in love with God, staying in love with Him, and allowing nothing to take your crown from you.
Planning is how you chart your life, plan your desire and prayer molds, and see that they follow your burning desires without wavering. It’s your choice to hold steadfastly through all your likes and dislikes in life. Your words are your tools for destruction or building, so make every word you speak pay you good dividends. The Word is a wand of Power, your magic wand to create. Hold fast to this formula.
Science once believed that the bumblebee could not fly, for according to physical laws, its wings are too light to support its heavy body. Yet the bumblebee flies anyway because it doesn’t know that it supposedly cannot. Pay no attention to the “can’t” that people hand you—"Why, you can’t do that! It will never work!” The doubters and naysayers are not God.
Count no effort too great, no task too hard or too long. Instead, magnify and exalt love in the other fellow and within your own soul. Love yourself as your Father’s best and only hope. You are the best He has. Then you will love your neighbor enough. Love God with all your heart, all your mind, all your strength, and all your soul.
Unquenchable Love
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Johnson, Virginia Whitehead, scribes, December 7, 1958, Cleveland, OH, Mark 12:28-34
“And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.”–Mark 12:28-34.
“Our God is One” means that you cannot have God and anything. God is everything. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”–Philippians 2:5. You cannot register or draw on the “mind that was in Christ Jesus” unless your heart is consecrated. You may not ride into heaven on the Master’s coattails. God is always just and answers your prayers according to the amount of “heart” you put in them. You cannot focus your mind on the world and on Christ consciousness simultaneously. Wherever you center your heart, there will you love with all your heart. Why do you have just glimpses of soul when your soul qualities could possess you? Your soul must be consecrated and surrendered to know if you’re serving and loving God with your whole heart. The strength of your body equals the amount of “heart” behind your prayers.
“Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.”–Mark 12:32-34. Jesus acknowledged that the scribe knew the greatest law: Love is more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Many today are like this man, nearly touching the kingdom of heaven. Abraham Lincoln, George Washington Carver,
Life is filled with cycles. You prepare and plan for growth and change, then hide when it comes, afraid to let it flower. Some live for cycles of illness, and spend their lifetime fearing the glorious growth that would save them. Why waste the preparation time? Just press on and see what happens. Someday the cycle opens and you stand in wonder at its blossoming.
Then there are those with a few faculty “buds” open, who keep seeking and knocking. They never remain still long enough to hear. Professional seekers touch the kingdom of heaven, then fall back to find some perhaps better or easier answer. They rationalize until they have nothing left. Do not conflate rationalization with analysis. Use logic, reason, discernment, discrimination, and discretion in your pondering, or weak puerile emotional rationalization results.
Some hear truth, but expect to ride into heaven on Jesus’ coat-tails. They sit on a nest of china eggs expecting him to do the hatching for them. Their fears arise and they wonder why he is not helping and protecting them. They think they know truth, but just sit on the nest, resting themselves to death. They ascended in consciousness during a previous life, entered this life with beautiful innocence and now, believing every word they hear is truth, are gulled by their gullibility. They kick against the pricks when belief and knowing fail, and curse God, saying they had a beautiful faith, but have been betrayed. Some build a sheath around themselves and stay within it saying, “I want to crawl back into my shell.” They have miracles when Light enters, but their doubts confound them. The more you pray, the more you uncover darkness within your impulsive appetitive soul.
You express love in three phases—emotional sentimental love, intellectual mental love, and the love of God. Sentimental love is soft and icky and needs wisdom to be balanced. The sentimental type has no “iron up his backbone” and runs around trying to please everyone, but pleases no one. Such a person is insecure and wants an easy way.
Two types fall in the mental-intellectual category. The worst offenders throw the law at others, think themselves very wise, but force their opinions, prejudices and interpretation of law on everyone else. The more nearly balanced type tempers law with mercy and compassion. Law is principle and operates through God’s Wisdom. However, you must temper law with mercy and compassion, two components of love that you must balance with wisdom.
Obeying the first and greatest commandment achieves the love of God—“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” All means every bit. Fall in love with God! Stand, hold and let nothing interfere. You have nothing to fear but rationalization that focuses on pride and self-pity. Let no fear or doubt push the glory of this love from you. Love is stronger than steel, yet fragile in expression. Understanding, discrimination, discretion and discernment make your love unquenchable in relationships. He who says, “I’ve given and received nothing in return,” has given only of a self-love, though no love given is unworthy. You love, not to receive, but to give ever more love. I desire to disturb you divinely with this concept.
How do you find the love of God? Turn to Him in devotion, teach others how to love, and never use force. When you love others as God loves you, you think, plan and speak the Word. But when you only think you are thinking, you close your crown lotus like a trap door. Thinking actually occurs just above the head in the Oversoul star, so open the trap door and let Oversoul use your mental faculties.
As you observe from above and use your soul equipment, the Light of God’s wisdom and truth flows through your faculties. However, Light as power cannot penetrate your mental muddle unless you ascend. Use your faculties to stand and become an instrument for Light to use.
Think of God as Light, life, beauty and truth. Prayer and declarations must come from “up there,” with every cell and life spark of the brain dancing. Planning involves the power of choice. Choose, then plan what sort of life you want.Are you tired of your responsibilities? Love the place where your word stands fast. Once you are completely tired of running around, you realize the only place to go is up in consciousness. Ascend and choose to let God’s Light as power take care of it.
Your thinking, planning and words must be unquenchable love. Every word creates a creative mold and Light fills it. Don’t blame God when you bump into your own molds and crack them. Every thought builds a mold that follows you in the universal records—send love to melt and dissolve anything less than perfect. You would be horrified if you could see some of the thought-forms you’ve created. Most people only peek at their records, dislike what they see, and shut the book, which is why it takes so long to clean up idle words. Looking at someone else’s record, looking for what someone else is dragging around is illegal.
Watch your words—only you or one who loves you can wipe out your negative words. “I didn’t mean it” doesn’t pay the debt. Your spoken Word is your creative wand, and a seed. Every word you plant grows after its kind. You said it, and it grows. Words reveal what your soul is creating. You can lift it for cleansing, but it created a mold.
Anyone can ascend if they choose to. Anyone can become an Abraham Lincoln or a Peter Marshall, according to their choice. “I won’t” is a choice. “I’ll try” is a choice. “I shall” is a choice. Science says the bumblebee should not be able to fly because its wings are too small. But the bee doesn’t know that, so it flies despite scientific logic.
Our
God fills the lack when someone curses, and credits them for their faith in their curse. Angels take the substance of their misused words to a high altar, purify it to its original beauty, and save it in their Oversoul star to prevent further misuse if they are really doing evil.
Those who curse the Master in life appear before him after they pass. His love for them shines, and they melt in devotion saying, “Lord, please train me.” However, they come in a low station next time if they retrogress completely”. Why need to return for another incarnation just to pay debts? Bless yourself instead, saying, “I am good!” Recreate a perfect body by the magic wand of your word. You choose how much love and heart you give in your prayers.
God’s love is unquenchable fire: It cannot fail, and it makes you free. Your application of law does not fulfill love. You cannot create by using law to fulfill love, for love fulfills law. Love considers only love. Love contemplates only love. Love expresses only love. Love is perfect and considers everything to be perfect love. Love creates only love. Love creates in its own image and likeness. Love lavishly!
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Edna Miriam Lister
1884–1971
The original Christian Pioneering Mystic,
Platonist philosopher, American Idealist, Founder, Society of the Universal Living Christ, minister, teacher, author, wife, and mother.
References
The Holy Bible. King James Version (KJV).
Some Scriptures taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Oxford English Dictionary, Compact Edition, 2 vols. Oxford University Press, 1971.