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Edna Lister’s Lectures 1934, Part II.
Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday August 22, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Topic: prodigal son|Scriptures: Luke 15:11-24, 1 John 3:2
“A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” – Luke 15:11-24.
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be.” – 1 John 3:2.
“I will arise and go to my Father’s house.” Who is my Father? Where is His house? The Upanishads teach that Mind, the Father, is the beginner; speech, the Mother, is the sustainer, and life, the Child, is the expression, the product, or the outer form. The Father is the first person of the Trinity, the second person is Christ, the Son, and the third person is “I AM,” which is you in your righteous estate, your rightful place. Now are you the sons and daughters of God.
The I AM consciousness within you is the gathering point, the centralizing point, the focusing point. By your word, you become that which you take in, and by your word, you display what you are. So you take yourself into what you take into yourself.
Each soul has an embryonic desire, which is its potential capacity, to be “like the Father.” You must “mother” your desire until the world fades, and your desire becomes manifest and tangible. Failure results from failure to mother your “son” of desire. Further, you must tarry until you fulfill the original creative motive within you. To do so, you must continually speak the Word, “let.”
Never confine your progress to your virtues or retard your virtues by indulging vices. Instead, return to your Father’s house now. The only suicide is forgetting who and what you are. You cannot be wrong when you remember to surrender to the Source. Life begins in life, in the life of God, not out here in the world of dense matter. Only eternal divine life can cure what ails your temporal individual life.
Edna Lister prosperity outline|Thursday August 24, 1934|Buffalo, New York
You make your own individual laws. The Law of Attachment states that what you love becomes your law, your guide. You take yourself into what you take into yourself: What you hear, see, and choose to accept.
As a son or daughter of God the Father-Mother, you are the third person in the trinity of your life. Like the Father and Mother, there is no end to your capacity to unfold, expand, and produce.
When folks say they are in love, they are actually in enthrallment. Do you say that you “fall” in love? The power is in the love to which you are enthralled. To fall is selfish, and brings you pain. Arise in love, for this is the Selfless Way.
Immeasurable Power to use for success lies in that soul who becomes enthralled, possessed by the idea of surrender to God’s Power, to complete absorption, complete surrender, one with all. “I can be that which I truly am. I can release power through and as substance. I can ‘mother’ this God-given desire until it is ready to move forth into form.”
Edna Lister lecture outline|Sunday August 27, 1934|Buffalo, New York
As a species and a race, mankind has displayed an eternal curiosity, endlessly questioning what has been, what is, and wondering about what will come. We have made dramatic progress, although social science tells us that it will take billions of additional years to civilize us thoroughly, or a mere 20,000 years of asking enough questions and finding their answers instantly. Only then will we know no more hatred or incessant fighting and wars for supremacy.
The story of Daniel in the lions’ den illustrates the necessary approach: Daniel was so perfectly focused on God that he was able to close the mouths of a pride of hungry lions in their den. When one man or woman can stand so firmly based in the peace of God’s presence that he or she can quell a riot in advance of guns, he can hold a multitude of men in stillness and silence.
Most people have favorite phrases, such as, “It doesn’t surprise me,” “Oh, that will never work,” or, “It can’t be done.” When you are desperate, and what you have tried has not worked, you’ll be willing to try almost anything, including going to God first.
Our divine destiny is to become prophets, teachers, lifters, servants of humanity, and leaders of men. Man must strive to live as he thinks or he will end up thinking as he is living. Achieving your destiny begins with observing others’ actions while watching your own reactions. At the same time, you must insistently demand of the self not to hear, see, or feel negatively. Consciously live your inner life until it becomes your outer way of living. Your slender taper of Light then becomes a flaming torch to light your way Home.
Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday August 29, 1934|Buffalo, New York
The Garden of Eden is a glorious reality, beautiful beyond compare. It represents the divine presence, the center of all knowledge, the abiding place of the Tree of Life of which we may “eat thereof and live forever.” Thus the Garden of Eden is a symbol of perfection, a play ground for life as eternal delight.
How would this work for me? When you really know how to do something well, you love to do it. When you have learned to excel in any activity, you like to show it. When you have learned a thing well, it is a joy to do it, and you then work at play and play at work. Whatever business you love becomes play to you, and you can excel at it just as you play the games you love.
God’s Creation is seven symbolic days in duration. He created for six days, and rested on the seventh, which we are in right now. The seventh day is the Sabbath, a day of peace in which no labor or tilling of the ground is permitted, for it must be a day of rest. Being truly at rest means knowing that all things must fulfill themselves. How can this be? Words, prayers, and prayer treatments are all formulas, methods to keep you resting from activities and distractions that take your mind from God, from knowing His truth.
We are now in seventh day. Time did not exist until the fourth day of Creation when God divided the Light from the darkness, the day from the night. Yet not until the completion of the sixth day was everything finished and ready for mankind to begin the work for attaining his spiritual perfection. How are we to understand this?
Symbolically, Mind is the Father, the Beginner. Mind uses speech, the Mother, the Sustainer, to create and nurture Creation. Life is the Child, the expression, the product of the conjoint action of the Father and Mother. The mothering idea fills the seventh day. All that Mind begins can be brought to completion only if the Mother nourishes and sustains it. Man discovers his independence where and when he discovers his complete dependence on God’s Power. Through accepting this idea you become a creator with Him.
Surrender of self requires that you be possessed by, commanded by, enthralled by, and enamored of God’s Life and Power. Thus He made the Garden of Eden perfect for our development. God put us in the Garden, but we put ourselves out of it. Where is this Garden? Right where the Father’s house is, here and now. But to find His house, you must do as the Prodigal Son did: “I will arise in love and go unto my Father’s House.”
Let’s go! Let’s tarry there until the descent of Power that brings independence, which is freedom.
Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday September 5, 1934|Buffalo, New York
God desired to create and a universe was born. The Word describes the Creative Impulse in the first chapter Genesis and the first chapter of St. John. From the fundamental premise of one name, the Logos, we have drawn the premise of one God as all, one universal Mind embracing all, one Christ Mind expressing all.
The purpose of creation is to embody the Creative Impulse, and creation sustains the Creative Impulse. The Creative Impulse is the freeing action of an inner urge, such as how you release an impulse to create art through expansion. Any creative desire expands the Creative Impulse.
Thought has no power in or of itself. The power in thought is the power behind that which formulates thought. The degree of the One Mind behind thought determines its power and conviction. The power in the condition of your mind may belie your words. Molding thoughts into words will not cure the condition of your mind if your thoughts do not agree with your mental condition.
“The creative desire to express is in the seed itself.”
The creative desire to express is in the seed itself, but the power within the seed — the acorn in the case of an oak tree, is the pattern, the Idea — is not the creative desire expressing itself as an oak tree. Desire carries the power to express itself within itself. Desire is like a flying fish, able to leap from one medium into another yet to live in both.
Emerson, in his essay “Nature”, held that the process of mind begins deep within the most fundamental part of nature. He was describing the universal mind, the mind that was in Christ Jesus, which is always seeking expression. You can’t work your thoughts into a form external to you by merely saying the words. The creative mind that expresses the thought must unfold from within. To do anything less is to join the ranks of the mental garbage eaters, such as those who live by and for the purpose of recreating gossip and other idle talk; they rely and depend upon the borrowed ideas and imitations they seek and find within memory.
The subconscious mind is not and cannot be creative, but only repeats what it has seen or done before. To draw ideas from the outside this way is like running backward to go forward; it has no creative ability, and is but reversing the plan of God. The creative mind must give, must flow outward because nothing in the world can flow backward for very long.
To be successfully creative, you must give to receive, not give to take. Man’s thoughts have wings that either let him soar or be dragged through the dust of earth and ruined. Dragging thoughts create a drugged mind. When your ideas come from the outside, you believe you can’t succeed, but when they come from within, you know you can win through any difficulty. What a deadly exercise it is to have to constantly pump self up a like flat tire! Think expansive thoughts. Think ideas that want to explode into being!
Top ↑Edna Lister prosperity outline|Thursday September 14, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Topics: resurrection, construction|Scripture: John 11:41-44
“Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.” – John 11:41-44.
Every idea of men points in one of two directions: Disintegration of the old, or construction of the new, from the old into the new, which keeps you on your toes. The new must include more life. That life must be good, perfect, and just. It must contain good for each soul, from lowest to highest. It cannot be less, but must be more.
God’s invisible shelves are filled with divine supply. Bring your needs in, leave them on the altar, and take away your supply. The secret of abundance is dwelling in the heart of God, together with treating every case of need perfectly.
The Master said, “Lazarus, come forth,” and a dead man came to life. Jesus had spent years in preparation to raise the dead, yet waited another three days before he told his disciples that Lazarus had died. He knew in advance what he would do, and how he would do it.
As a mystic, you are now dwelling in the heart of God. The walls fade out until no walls, no space, no time exist. Present your claim, and God will provide the supply. This is fulfillment.
Top ↑Edna Lister lecture outline|Friday September 15, 1934|Buffalo, New York
The first step in navigating the Golden Silence is to surrender the tightness of self in favor of soul expansion into Christ consciousness. The second step is to focus on a great God-centered idea.
△
Power and Substance
can express though you as
Love, Wisdom and
▽
Selflessness, the Christ in you
Where does this happen? In every soul, potentially. Each soul is a Christ Idea and has access to Christed Ideas. My idea of what Christ is expresses itself as the Christ I see in you. This is what I see in each and every soul.
Every galaxy has a central sun, just as you have a radiant sun center of Light at your solar plexus, the center of your soul’s control of your physical body, the seat of all physical action and power. In the same way, a ship has an engine room and a bridge where the captain stands in charge of all operations. And from this base of command radiate all your soul’s rays of life and Light.
Take but one step up into the heart center, where the flame of your soul’s desire burns fiercely bright. Now reach for the stars as the Star you are!
Top ↑Edna Lister lecture outline|Monday September 17, 1934|Buffalo, New York
We describe various types of psychology by several different names — academic, personal, practical, Christian, social, group, business, and mob psychology. These different offshoots, good, not so good, and bad, spring up like mushrooms overnight giving rise to many whacky notions.
We find balance in five phases, the categories of expression — psychology, metaphysics, science, philosophy, and mysticism — which are aspects of the illusory reality of time and space in which we dwell. As teachers, the Greek philosophers Pythagoras and Plato knew that we can’t separate these five phases, which operate together as aspects of the one Mind within us, and we must keep the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual phases of life in balance.
Something is always attracting you because you think it will make life better or more pleasant. We like to have it easy and we like to have it our way. Likewise, something is always repelling you from one choice or action into its opposite. Man has discovered and uses countless thousands of ways and means to make life better, easier, or more convenient. You cannot eliminate anything of potential benefit because everything has soul. The soul of a thing determines what it is good for.
You can study a person’s inner life by observing his outer form, actions, and speech, by listening to him voice his thoughts and dreams, etc. Pythagoras had the message, “Know thyself,” carved into the arched entrance to his school in Crotona, Italy. To know yourself, first you must know who God is, and then you can learn who you are. Next, you must study the lower self, to discover what you can do to improve your life.
Most people are overly involved in the lower self, and are simply fascinated by it. They study dreams, palmistry, astrology, and numerology, working to master one discipline after another, hoping to master themselves through understanding all these methods.
Psychology is the basis for understanding your own soul. Metaphysics explains how and why things work the way they do. Science is a ladder, like a rose trellis supporting the soul as it reaches upward in ascension. Philosophy is the hook tethering you to absolute principle, and to mysticism, which explains the principles that serve as the foundation and framework of all that is — God and His Creation.
Top ↑Edna Lister lecture outline|Monday September 18, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Scriptures: John 1:1-5, John 1:14, Matthew 24:35
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” – John 1:1-5.
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14.
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” – Matthew 24:35.
The nature of the Word is utterly impossible to define. You must “feel” your way into its heart. Is the mystical Word, a Word of syllables or of an inherent nature? The Word holds magical power. Fairy tales reveal the mystic realm, a magical world of fantasy, in which you may see things as you feel they ought to be.
In the realm of fact, you see things as they are in the earthly dimension of consciousness. The Word is that thought within, which is changeless, and conveys the facts: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” – Matthew 24:35.
Not one word shall pass away from what our Lord has spoken. Humanity has always displayed an unchangeable tendency toward using magic names, numbers and occult words. “Jesus the Christ” is such a magic name. His life is the story of man as he conquers self, the perfect template for soul ascension of consciousness.
John Fletcher, a playwright who co-authored with William Shakespeare, said,
Man is his own star; and the soul that can
Render an honest and a perfect man
Commands all light, all influence, all fate.
Nothing to him falls early, or too late.
Our acts our angels are, or good or ill,
Our fatal shadows that walk by us still.
That soul that can
Be honest is the only perfect man.
– John Fletcher, An Honest Man’s Fortune 1
The ancients taught that we live in a world comprised of four elements — earth, water, air, and fire. In the earth element phase, humanity is always digging for some material treasure. Earth is beguiling, fixing your attention on the law of gravity, not on God. When the soul is immersed in the water element, man lives by the emotions and “feelings.” In the air element phase of development, science defines inspiration as breathing only. To the traveler in the realm of mysteries, inspiration is the lodestone of the soul’s truth. To live life in the fire element, man lives by the fiery truth of the soul:
“That soul that can be honest is the only perfect man.” – John Fletcher
You must climb to the fourth dimension to discover the true meaning of “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” – John 1:1-2. Then you can comprehend that “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14.
God has given man the power of speech, the ability to form the Word into many words. Unfortunately, not all our words have created only the good. Each time you have misused the Word, you have separated the principles of creation. You have torn Mind from Substance and Power, creating terrible force. In returning to God, your task then includes moving force back into Power, to fuse it with Substance and Mind. The difficulty you have created for yourself depends on the degree of force you have used.
The power of the Word lies in the facts the Word reveals, not in its syllables. Power is the heavenly fire animating the Word. John, the Gospel writer, referred to himself saying, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord.” – John 1:23. A Voice speaks the eternal Word. The voice today is man, who must speak the lost Word. You are that voice today, the Word clothed in flesh.
Top ↑Edna Lister prosperity outline|Thursday September 21, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Scripture: Job 22:25.
To become “an expert in doing good” takes a long time. Thornton Wilder 2 has said that “Of all the forms of genius, goodness has the longest awkward age.” Your thoughts may be beautiful. Yet your actions and words may be ungainly, or often wrong. If your thoughts and approach are powerful, the rest should follow.
How do you release that inner power and develop your talents? It’s not a question of where the Power is, but of what Power is. How can you release what you have from where you know you have it.
Scientists and inventors now have hundreds of new developments and inventions in laboratories, ready for when we are ready to use them. For example a “Little Black Box” that records what happens on airplanes is in the works. 3
Once you have accepted “all power and dominion,” the how to do it is what still confronts you. How to Release: Richard Mansfield 4 worked hard to become an expert actor, and was acclaimed the greatest living actor of the late 19th Century.
It makes no difference what you desire to do, you can do it if you invest ten minutes each day in exercising your talent and another ten minutes a day in study. Doing this repeatedly, you win the race as did the tortoise, who beat the hare in Aesop’s fable.
Too much time is the curse of the world. You always have plenty of time when you practice inner calm and approach life’s tasks just a little at a time. A Chinese proverb says that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” So you can become “an expert in doing good,” which will inevitably lead you to true prosperity. “The Almighty will be thy treasure and precious silver unto thee.” – Job 22:25.
Top ↑Edna Lister lecture outline|Sunday September 24, 1934|Buffalo, New York
There is One God, One Mind, One Power, One Substance. The whole world is inter-related, the whole universe is inter-related. This means that just one choice of action can affect the whole world. The vibration of all thoughts and of all words spoken in this instant permeates the atmosphere around earth within twenty-four hours. Thus, we cannot even think alone.
Everyone has witnessed how the disposition of one member can affect the whole family. If one person fears, it results in a roomful of fear. One cannot live like a hermit, alone and to one’s self. Everything is inter-related.
Psychology is like the trunk of a tree whose branches and roots are both physical and metaphysical, seen and unseen. The soul is a composite of appetitive soul (subconscious mind), rational soul (conscious mind), and Oversoul (super-conscious mind).
Soul is Spirit manifesting its individuality within the composite world mind, which affects your consciousness whether you are aware of it doing so or not. That means that your consciousness bears the overlapping weight of all phases of your own mind, plus that of the world. You cannot extract your soul from this world mind, yet you can go higher in consciousness and remain psychologically complete and unaffected by it.
Psychology is “the study of the soul,” and has been a topic of discussion among many ancient Greek philosophers — Pythagoras, Socrates and Plato for example. Yet psychology as spoken of and as practised today has cut the soul out of the picture and classes man as an animal only — no God mentioned. We need more use of God’s law and Christian principles applied to psychology to deliver it from the barren waste of over-intellectualism. Only then will psychology be able to play its rightful role in healing the mind of man.
Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday September 26, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Scripture: Matthew 6:1-18.
“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 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. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” – Matthew 6:1-18.
The Lord’s Prayer is a perfect formula, covering each phase of life and every human need. The needs of the now is the predominating idea. Yet what does God get from this? The seed is glorified in the flower. Yet God is glorified in your individual completeness and perfection. Everything the Father has works to your infinite benefit, and is available in limitless supply. Anyone who needs anything, “Let him ask of the Father.”
Prayer is the only way out of a confused condition. Under the law of forgiveness in prayer, you can break a vicious circle, and only the evil will be destroyed. Using prayer and declarations, you can lift everything that comes to you to a cloud continent of Light. Your life is an expansion and expression of I AM consciousness, an extension of your rational consciousness. How great an expression your life become is solely your choice.
An internal combustion engine uses gas, a steam engine uses coal, and an electric motor uses electricity as power. God has designed your body to burn the fuel of spiritual energy, which are cosmic rays. If you try to use the worldly energy of human emotions, you dissipate your vigor. The motive power of a “wicked, stiff-necked generation” is selfishness and greed, traits that produce only stiff necks. Spiritual Power has a refined force, potency, and strength.
Scripture says that the “Spirit of God created them,” meaning all mankind, and Elijah saved a boy when he “breathed into him health of life.” You must return to the spiritual filling station for more life. Your refill must be steady, not spasmodic. To keep your tank full, fill up every night with the right kind of Power. “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” – James 1:8. You need to be “minute-minded” in regard to God consciousness. Keep your feed line lifted and connected to the refined Power storehouse.
Fasting is the discontinuance of cheap mental and emotional fuels, which can cast you into a “den of thieves” who steal your energy. Going without food makes the body’s nervous system more “sensitive,” which generally means more irritated. Thus, negativity will seize the body if you are mentally and emotionally negative before you begin. Fast from negatives and whatever earthiness you have indulged that has robbed you of your innate divinity.
Prayer is the application of divine principle. Prayer is to the servant of divine principle what practice is to a musician. First, you must surrender to God in devotion, which is a process of sublimation, of perfecting the self. A successful singer, musician or dancer must practice constantly. Thus, you know that to be successful in prayer, you must “pray without ceasing.” The urge to prayer originates in the deepest longings of man’s nature. Prayer releases the hidden, inner manna that feeds the soul. A soul praying is like a musician playing a musical instrument.
You must overlook (look over) the problem, step into the fourth dimension, and see God instead. The ancients believed that the gods loved prayers fervent enough to pull the answer down from heaven. Say, “God, here I am! I’m ready!” Most people let too many “little tin gods” of convention — like “you should” and “you ought to” — block the way of effective prayer.
Ordinary petition prayer is like going begging every time you want something. At the end of a day, most beggars have only small change to show for their efforts. For example, a doctor once told a woman, “There is no hope. Only God can save you.” She said, “Oh! Has it come to that?” Your true portion is all that the Father has.
You need miracles worth more than nickels, dimes, and quarters. Declare, “My portion is all that the Father has now, available for me to draw upon.” Speak the Lord’s Prayer through once, without letting go of God-consciousness, and you will receive complete illumination.
Prayer is the magic, and prayer is your luck. Prayer gives you the will to stand still long enough to “let” the Power move forth and create. Wisdom and strength belong to the brave heart. Declare that all delay is good, and a greater door will open.
Edna Lister sermon outline|Thursday September 28, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Scriptures: Isaiah 59:19, Jeremiah 32:27
"When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." – Isaiah 59:19.
"Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?" – Jeremiah 32:27.
Arthur S. Brisbane 5 said, "If men want to go up 500 miles above earth and look around outside of our atmosphere, they will do it." Twelve thousand years ago, we lived in the Stone Age, and used tools chipped from flint. Conversely, Professor Robert A. Milliken, 6 who won the Nobel Prize in Physics, once said that our present land speed record of twelve miles per hour "will stand forever"!
Yet, while we are perfecting our ability to produce anything we can think of, we have neglected distribution. You do not need to use your whole brain to get rich. For example, at Yale they have been experimenting with monkeys and apes, which they have taught to find food and go pay for it. Dr. Charles Abbot, at the Smithsonian Institute, has devised a machine that bakes bread. It provides ample heat in the morning to broil bacon and bake biscuits as well.
We are finding something new every day. So many new ideas are coming through daily, but people do not have enough help, or time to carry them out. Radio is a new invention, yet experts say they will revolutionize it within a few years.
A victorious life is not having power over anyone, anything, or any place, not money or success, not force or any single outer thing. A victorious life is rooted in a man’s confidence and pride in his own ability to create.
He starts to create something. For instance, he may desire to lay the world at some woman’s feet, but loses sight of his ideals and allows things to absorb him, to own him, which will leave him unhappy, no matter his degree of success.
Only creating can satisfy the soul. Men are creating machinery to cool the air, turning barns and blacksmith shops into garages for mechanics, not farriers. You can see change everywhere, new growth, new Light.
A victorious life grows from knowing that you are a victor, confident in your ability to create, to accomplish. You want to go somewhere. You are glorious, divine, so be fearless and go.
"When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." – Isaiah 59:19. The enemy often comes in like a flood. The Israelites lived in a parched and arid land, cut by only a few rivers, subject to flash floods. Sufficient water was critical.
A flash flood is immensely powerful and sweeps everything before it, leaving only barren destruction in its wake. A flood will level everything unless you raise a dike or a levee to contain its flow. Just so, you must lift up a standard against the enemy. A standard is a banner, an ensign symbolizing support, and it stands at the forefront of the battle line.
"Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?" – Jeremiah 32:27. When God is your standard, no enemy can prevail. The Light, shining from your eyes when you remain at one with God, is your unbreachable levee.
Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday October 3, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Topics: miracles, Jesus and Peter walk on water, parable of the great supper|Scriptures: Matthew 14:22-33, Malachi 3:10, Luke 14:16-24
“Straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshiped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.” – Matthew 14:22-33.
“Prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” – Malachi 3:10.
“Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.” – Luke 14:16-24.
Fear is faith reversed. Every miracle comes “according to your faith.” Fear is your remaining belief in the negative. Faith is seeking possibilities, while knowing that you never waste any time. Jesus said, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” – Luke 12:32. This implies that God gets a thrill of real pleasure from His own creations.
Faith is a free gift from God. The kingdom of heaven is a free gift, but you must raise Hell to get it. Have you forgotten that you are God’s lifter? We have delayed His pleasure, and become the “lost sheep” that the Master descended to save. We have all experienced giving someone a gift, which they then received with indifference, and it is not pleasurable. The parable of the Great Supper (Luke 14:16-24) illustrates giving a gift and being met with indifference.
God must plan to contrive to sneak up on us, to entice us to take the whole “kingdom of heaven.” Yet, every time heaven catches up with you, you seem to dodge it, playing “keep away.” Some souls have dodged so often that they have become experts at dodging. You need only to reach out your hand, and heaven is right there. Spread your arms, physically and mentally, and expand your mind. Faith is an expansive idea. Just as a piano has little value if no one is playing it, faith is useless if you do not exercise it. Possessions are useless unless you can use them.
The world judges a man’s worth by the material value of his assets. Your only valuable heavenly asset is your faith, which determines how much you can have of anything else. If you choke off your faith, you shut down your supply line. Your only enemies are your thoughts that run counter to the supreme faith of God.
The hand symbolizes the body’s working principle as faith symbolizes the mind’s working principle. Imagination works as the forming principle of mind. The finished work of imagination is judgment, which is the retarding principle of man’s life. Ideas such as “I’m too old, too weak, too late,” stop all expansion and growth. People say, “He’s gone to seed.” Every plant goes to seed before it dies! Old age means that the body has gone to seed. Seedy things are hard-shelled. Defend your faith and avoid anyone who tries to destroy it, for faith killers display the lowest type of mentality.
People are the most egotistical when they are doubting, setting up their own opinions as false gods and worshiping them. Yet you cannot be egotistical when you are accepting truth. Acceptance cancels egotism and arrogance. God calls you good. He has said that you are gods, so accepting this is not egotistical. God is your Father. Declare, “I know I can do anything for my Dad. I can do all things through Christ.”
Disbelief creates an absence of Spirit and a vacancy of mind, no matter what your mentality or attainments. However, if you constantly embrace your faith within, your faith’s magnitude becomes majestic. Peter, who represents faith, was the first disciple called, and the first to recognize the real Christ. Let no one rob you of your faith, but defend it as your companion of soul.
Daringly Peter crawled out of the boat and got his feet wet. Yet, when the physical called, he suffered cold feet from a lack of enough daring faith. You can cast yourself out, but first you must climb out of the boat! Take small risks on little things first, and remember that many small miracles make up a large miracle. Faith is the miracle gateway, for faith controls the portals of your mind.
“Prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” – Malachi 3:10.
God dares, so dare to surrender, and risk everything, without weighing the matter, or judging the pros and cons. Climb out, and take a chance now!Edna Lister lecture outline|Thursday October 5, 1934|Buffalo, New York
Omni- is a prefix defined as “all, of all things, in all ways, in all places.” God is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent, and is absolute in these aspects. Omniscient refers to knowledge, wisdom, and mind. Omnipresent refers to God’s presence as all Mind, all Power, and as all Substance. Omnipotent refers to God as all Power. Omnifarious means of all sorts. Omnific means all-creating. Omnigenous means of all kinds.
Omnipotent is defined as “the infinite, limitless, endless Power of God everywhere evenly present and available, without beginning, without end.” So omnipotently means with absolute influence.
“And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” – Isaiah 65:24. Before you even speak to God in prayer, He hears you. Write a mental letter now to each earthly creditor, paying your debt in full. Send mental letters to those who owe you, saying, “Thank you for the repayment.”
Omniscient is defined as “the infinite knowledge of God, wide information, all knowledge.” Omnipresent is defined as “ubiquitous, widespread, all-present.” Ubiquity is omnipresence, being everywhere at same time. Law is all over the kingdom, everywhere at once. A king is a form of judge. You represent God as the all-pervading ubiquity of the king.
Omniscient refers to knowledge, wisdom, and mind. Omnipotent refers to Power. Omnipresent refers to God’s presence. Mind, Power, Substance. Omnifarious means of all sorts. Omnific means all-creating. Omnigenous means of all kinds.
Deific means like God. To deify means to make a god of, to make godlike, to regard as a god. If God is everywhere, then all things are here now. God is all substance, even as money. Write letters saying Dear Sir, enclosed find my check for $… then put it in your Bible and ask God to supply your need.
Do you need it now? What shall you do? How shall you act? All that the Father has is yours as part of your Godly heritage. If you obey the laws He has given you, be assured that you may call upon Him in your time of need and He will answer.
Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday October 10, 1934|Buffalo, New York|April 29, 1956|Tacoma, Washington
The freeing action is the cooling action. The freeing presence of the kingdom of heaven moves through you freeing, equalizing, cooling the fever of self, and harmonizing your whole life. You experience the presence of the kingdom through the silence, and in this you know the Christ principle, and the presence of the Father. You may know the presence of the agreement within you through the balance of Mind, Substance, Power and the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual alignment that results.
Imagination is a “River of Illusion,” which collects all the mistaken ideas moving over “the face of the waters,” the inner sensorium of the brain. Mentally, you follow action according to a blueprint, a negative. You can see the reflection of the blueprint without a movie projector or screen because Light projects the pattern into your mind. If you believe, so it is, and this applies to anything. Imagination produces all illusions and nighttime fears, causing you to experience all the same old emotions.
Imagination plays tricks on the mind as if its images were true. You must learn to “outsmart the trickster.” Imagination determines the world’s ideas of truth and reality, and unfolded, you may not like them. Do not blame anyone who tricks you with their belief in the illusions, but do make wise choices. Imagination is the foundation of all accomplishments in your experience. The pattern either sustains growth and expansion or perverts and prevents growth.
A Confederate soldier in the Civil War found an iron frying pan, but it wouldn’t fit into his pack, so he stuck the handle down his trouser leg, with the pan over his middle. The enemy was firing at him down hill, and his comrades were falling around him on every side. Bang! He was hit in the frying pan! His courage, bravery and tenacity made him lead the charge uphill to victory. He felt blood oozing between his toes and fell fainting, thinking he was dead. He came to and realized that his imagination had believed the bullet had put a hole in the frying pan.
When your job is gone, you have no income, you fear you’ll lose your home, and you’ll starve. Imagination follows this sequence as the scenes play out in a movie. Inevitably, imagination must work it out in pictures. If you permit this, your mind will follow the wrong logic chain, perfectly. Pictures follow the faulty logic of worry, too.
God created me, and He creates a perfect place for everything that He makes perfect. An idea needs substance to clothe itself. Henry Ford planned a place with Fords for his Fords. God planned a place for you. Everyone has his proper place in the universe. Declare, “Divine Intelligence now moves me into my perfect place.”
What do you still desire? To win, life, love? To grow into the stature of Christ, you must chisel away all false ideas and concepts. If your imagination is cunning genius, you have the power of 10,000 spies. A doctor was quoted in a newspaper that 50% of meningitis is imaginitis. The whole creative process is perverted when you see the other fellow’s business or the world’s business before you see your own business.
Imagine two gardens, one filled with flowers, the other with weeds. Life is a process and death is the conclusion. Yet life must go on. You must be steadfast, and invincible. Following your destiny is perfect. Never settle down. Settle up. Take flights of imagination into the realm of life and Light, the land of reality, of things as they are. Life’s switch is on, and life cannot be thwarted or stopped. You must go ahead even though you have to leave the body behind, you must live. A streamlined body is built for speed and endurance. The destiny of life is above the world.
Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday October 17, 1934|Buffalo, New York
The question of “will” involves not one but at least two kinds of will, that of the creature and also of the creator. A creature lives a three-dimensional life, ruled by instinctive intelligence and desire, centered on food, sleep and mating. Some species of animals among the dogs, horses and elephants seem to function more closely to the creator stage.
A true creator has a conscious desire, which operates through him as love, and conscious intelligence which operates through his will and developed intellect as wisdom. Without a developed intellect creatures even humans are but crude and cunning creatures. Yet a too highly refined intellect can breed clever cruelty unless the soul uses the higher faculties.
God, the universal Creator, has given man the potential for perfection of the faculties, glands, nerve centers He has given us to develop as Love, Wisdom and Selflessness. You must “listen” to God with your brain cells to use Wisdom. Mere hearing without listening produces a use of personal will that may result in headaches.
The second step in developing your will power is choosing between the desirable and undesirable uses of your will. Jesus revealed the perfect method of applying your personal will when he said to the leper, “I will; be thou clean.” – Mark 1:41. He said, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” – Luke 22:42.
A dictator says, “I will” — “I will do. I will have what I want. I will do the thing I have always wanted to do.” The creator knows that to bring the desires of your soul into manifestation, you must surrender your personal will to become God’s will for you. Thus, the creator says, “I am now the thing I have always longed to be and to do.”
Use rightly framed statements of intention to arouse your inner soul powers to direct self to operate in a certain direction. An aroused will is your first need. You need to select the right path, and find out where you are going. Find out who is going, I AM or little me. To avoid any perversion of the Power, concentrate all your attention and energy on one thing at a time, saying, “This one thing I do.”
Finally, you must accept your soul’s divinity. “I am become rich: I have found me out substance.” – Hosea 12:8. If you have to become rich some day, why not accept it now? Select a new line of talk, approach to life, road to health, a path to walk. “I am rich. I can select a new way of walking through life, with a crown on my head.”
Jesus used the best of everything. Letting Power move through everything is easier than limiting it to just one place or person. Treating for the whole body, the whole family is easier than for an eye or a son. It’s easier to treat for $10,000,000 than ten cents. You have no more time to use self-centered will constantly, or to expect a miracle to result from mere concentration. It is blasphemy against God to think anyone or anything can limit His will.
A child takes his father a broken toy and asks him to fix it, expecting all good things from the father whom he loves and in whom he has faith of perfect performance. His father says, “I will,” then either acts according to his word or doesn’t. If, having said, “I will,” the father then fails to mend the broken toy, he adulterates his son’s processes of expectation, thinking, and believing in faith as an adult. A child’s character development is all-important, so make sure that everything you say when he asks is designed to lead him up and further into the kingdom of God.
Active submission to God’s will is active surrender of the self. You are always submitting, either to the world or to God. You are always the servant of something. Use the dumbbells of life as exercise tools rather than letting them exercise you. Exercising your free will foolishly or unwisely can put you in deep bondage. When you must choose, exercise your will to gain freedom from false appetites, false prophets, and base-metal friendships.
What can possibly defeat the great Creative Impulse? Only self and only for a limited time. When you will to do, you are doing, not trying. Do not insist on believing in old age, illness, or weakness. Instead, ask yourself, What am I going to do about this? Then pray. Prayer is always the first step.
Top ↑Edna Lister lecture outline|Thursday October 19, 1934|Buffalo, New York
The throne of God’s dominion is that image in every cell of life that works toward perfection. Man’s use of mind (thoughts, pictures, emotions), or elements work upon and pervert the divine idea.
| Father | Mother | Son |
| Wisdom | Love | Selflessness |
| Beginner | Sustainer | Expression |
| Mind | Life | Speech |
The throne in man is the Universal Christ consciousness, overcoming the idea of death here in the physical world through ascension of consciousness. Christ is the Way-Shower for all men. You are made in the divine image according to a perfect pattern.
Edna Lister lecture outline|October 24, 1934|Buffalo, New York
“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” — Luke 18:1-8.
“Judge not lest ye be judged.” — Matthew 7:1.
Your soul is forever at a spiritual crossroads. You engage in the study of self, the study of your past life, choosing this day whom you will serve. To your conscious mind, this seems right today, but your subconscious is usually locked up in wrong judgments, fixed opinions, emotions, and prejudices, or demanding “justice” for some imagined or inflated wrongs — in short, in bondage to the world.
When someone questions you, are you always eager to have your say, without being questioned? Are you still eager to tell what you feel, always ready to go on record? Are you a wise judge of life’s facts?
Searching for all the facts is more profitable than jumping to conclusions. The conclusions will always unfold from the facts. A lawyer gathers the facts and evidence to produce only one outcome, a favorable verdict for his client, which may or may not be the truth. A wise judge holds an open mind, heeding no knowledge gained from gossip, and engages in balanced thinking, and comparison of the facts in hand.
Hard or unrighteous judgments create a hard face. Kindly, loving judgments create a kindly face. “Judge not lest ye be judged.” – Matthew 7:1. You may judge behavior, but not a soul. Really, you can only judge your self, so to confine yourself to yourself is best. You may not tell others how to run their lives until you look the part, act the part, and are perfect yourself.
Rub truth on self like an old-fashioned liniment. Then let the truth fumes emanate. Searching for facts is more profitable than jumping to conclusions. The conclusions logically unfold from the facts when you have gathered them all.
Judgment Day will come soon enough, and worrying about. Many people fear the judgment. Yet the precursor to the final judgment is the day you begin going to seed, which means that you stop growing — you either expand backward into elemental parts or forward into greater magnitudes of glory. On Judgment Day your own judgments will fulfill themselves in you. You must make each day a judgment day. The seat of judgment is a point in mind where you reach your conclusion — whether rational, or opinion and prejudice.
Chaff is destined for the fires of Hell. Give up self’s false judgments to be made perfect. Unless you give up the chaff of self to be burned, you will be forced to sacrifice your body. For example, one temperance reformer drank eighteen cups of coffee a day, until it dissipated his body. He had consumed more poison than a dozen drinkers.
When lifted, the soul reaches beyond the stratosphere, into heaven. Thus, you are an explorer of the unknown dimensions. As a nation, we are spiritual explorers, leading the world to a Christed government. We bear the message of a new Gospel now, written in our hearts now. As the Shunammite woman, we may say, "It is well with me now," despite any experience or obstacle that life produces. [See The Story of Elisha and the Shunammite Woman, 2 Kings 4:8-37.]
Edna Lister lecture outline|Thursday October 26, 1934|Buffalo, New York
The Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of truth, the Comforter baptizes the universe, baptizes man. How? What with? The thoughts of God. Perpetually permanent and continuous.
To establish is defined as “to set up on a permanent basis, to secure permanence, permanent acceptance, to place beyond dispute.” This establishes Divine law, Power, dominion, authority. Do you give away your power? How? To little things you admit into your house, give room to in your consciousness until you feel that you are holding up the sky and running the universe. This leads to a loss of faith. Playing God is hard work. All you can do is to play at it. Power is no external thing. All power, all dominion, all authority is given to man on earth.
Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday October 31, 1934|Buffalo, New York
Our idea of freedom is to have all we want, what we want, where we want it, and naturally we dislike all restraint. Freedom comes through definite understanding and obedience to all law. Understanding that there are many laws governing each plane frees you from ignorance.
Relationship is explained thus: Law attempts to define the relation of elements to each other, and their behavior toward each other. Law is not relationship; Law governs relationship. Einstein’s parting message upon leaving America was, “We scientists know practically nothing.”
Governing laws are not stationary. God Himself is forever evolving and expanding. We must go beyond the law governing the behavior of matter to the Source. Psychology and metaphysics deal with thoughts of “mind over matter.” All ideas of limitation find their source in thoughts of matter over mind. Most people believe in “mind over matter” sometimes.
We must go beyond the laws of mind to the laws of Spirit. We are each governed by laws according to our sphere of life. No two come together under exactly the same laws. We cannot be confined. We must move out into the spiritual realm.
The law of Spirit must be Christ law, the laws of the Christian who knows of the Christ laws of the “Christed One” who has become a Christ.
“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7) is given as a law, but is only a statement of present facts, a revelation of what you now are. It is the point where you become conscious of your fundamental relationship to the Source.
Science is the source of the law that the “sum of the parts is equal to the whole.” The law governing the relationship of a part to the whole will govern and control the relationship of part to part.
The trinity of Love, Wisdom, and Selflessness begets surrender, expansion and protection when used perfectly. You are governed by the laws pertaining to the degree of your absorption into the heart of God’s life.
Surrender to law creates freedom, and love becomes the point of attachment. This admits no pretense or pose. The soul who adopts a pose is one who thinks he is acting as if he were, but is absorbed in self. When you are truly loving, you are absorbed in God.
You must rise out of personal consciousness into universal consciousness. You become free through bestowing freedom. The Christ in me salutes the Christ in you and you are free. I can please everyone in the world by pleasing God.
Why do you need freedom? What do you need it for? To hurry to get through day’s work to sleep more? Or a wisely planned life to get all there is out of it and to get exactly enough. Freedom to selfishly do as I please, or freedom to please as I do?
Freedom from the idea of having to hurry, redeeming time, not saving time. Poised freedom that goes from thing to thing without waste of time of effort. The eagle epitomizes poised, effortless flight. Do you accuse a deer of hurrying? It displays a natural, bounding, graceful, untrammeled freedom. In the heart of God’s life, everything moves faster at a higher rate of vibration of Light and life; thus, your life speeds up day after day.
Each new freedom won becomes a form of bondage as you ascend. Unless you have a greater goal ahead you will become bored, ruled by shadows of your own making. Although strong winds may blow, travel straight, and dance your way through! Don’t stumble, or leave any obstacle in another man’s path.
Edna Lister lecture outline|Thursday November 2, 1934|Buffalo, New York
Supreme means the highest in rank or authority. Supremacy the highest station of power, or authority, such as the Crown of All. Eternity is defined as “duration or continuance without beginning or end.” Supremacy is the soul’s objective. “Objective” certainty is when the proposition is certainly true in itself; and subjective, when we are certain of the truth of it. The one is in things, the other in our minds. An objective is a point to be gained, something to be achieved, something to be conquered, something to be earned, which you gain by overcoming.
We came forth from the Source of all Light on an arc of involution from Wisdom, Love, and the Logos, the Word. Soul evolution takes us back to God, into the invisible, which will then be visible to us. On earth, we are regaining access to all invisible worlds through our self-conquering actions.
Middle age falls between ages 40 to 60. By then, you know who you are, what your weaknesses are, all your strengths, and where to work. You have learned to be strict with yourself, and lenient with others. Youth is eager, uncertain, eager but untried. Poise is serenity without passivity, a state in which you may serve and work without strain. Thoughts of confusion and rest negatively affect the heart.
You are a radiant being of Light. Light describes both radiance and weight. Supreme Light melts and lifts heaviness. You do not need to hurry, for Light will speed you up, while you rest up. A dynamo needs to run for only a short period to generate the power required for an entire day. Light lifts you from action to action, in divine activity.
Let’s be eternally youthful in a good way — strict with ourselves, lenient with others, not playing God but blessing all. In ascension we know no such thing as “letting down.” So, unfurl your parachute to generate the divine Power for your activity, hour to hour, to be lifted high at night. Let go of the weight. Let up your parachute! Declare, "I arise, I shine, I float, I ascend."
Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday November 7, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Topics: The Word made flesh, golden silence|Scripture: John 1:1-14.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” — John 1:1-14.
You are the Word made flesh, the spiritual Word. Tending the Word means growth, expansion and expression. You begin by training the outer mind of intellect to grasp the meaning of outer words, and the inner mind to see through you and as you spiritually, by letting it do so.
To attain the silence, you must expand your nature or ability to grasp as your means of attainment. The keynote is attainment through silence. This is a personal accomplishment, which begins after you cease outer movement. The silence is cessation of all outer movement. Yet you cannot stop living or make your mind a blank, which really is a form of death. An old adage says that bats always fly into empty belfries.
People who do not pay attention stop one moment to begin another task, then give that up to begin yet another. Some people pay attention to pain. Rather than giving it up before going to bed at night, they crank it up in the morning. You need to give up the pain before you take it anywhere. Heart trouble, goiter, diabetes, all become worse when you are paying attention to them. At this point, you should be minding your own business, which is not encouraging pain. Mind your own business of ascension.
Sustained attention to the good means new discovery. Sustained, continuous attention to the good brings revelation, training the outer mind, and the inner spiritual seeing. Sustained and continuous expectancy of revelation means attainment of that revelation in reality. In truth, you have only one sense, seeing. When asked to describe a fragrance, most people say, “I see.” When you tell about some condition, they say, “I see,” never, “I know.”
The keynote of the silence is attention. The quality of the silence you attain corresponds to your degree of attention. Your degree of interest determines your attention. You must be interested in God while you are in the silence. The silence is the simplest operation of which you are capable, and you can attain it. While the silence is a time when you may not talk, keep your eyes to the front, knowing and remembering who you are. This requires your sustained attention. Make the silence your glorious hour, a time when you receive the divine revelations your soul must know and heed.
You are a being of Light, but with your wings furled, you cannot fly from crag to crag. Even an eaglet learns to fly, just like any lowly sparrow. In the silence, you strengthen your wings for the wondrous soul flights to come.
Character Analysis
(Wednesday November 8, 15, 22, 1934) Coming soon.
Edna Lister lecture outline|Thursday November 9, 1934|Buffalo, New York
In one sense Jesus’ twelve disciples symbolize the twelve cosmic divisions of the universe, the twelve divisions of the zodiac, called the signs or houses, the twelve tribes of Israel, the twelve divisions of the great pyramid at Giza, and the twelve plexus centers and endocrine glands combined. By extension, the disciples also represent the 24 elders of the Book of the Revelation (4:6 and 15:2), the enthroned sons and daughters who cast down their crowns in their constant worship of God.
Peter represents the rock of faith, and the throat from whence you release Power through the Words you voice. Paul represents zeal for serving God together with overcoming selfish desire and will. James represents good judgment, having overcome opinions and prejudices. Matthew represents the faculty of ascended will, operating as the seat of control. John represents love, purified in its desires for the loved ones.
You cannot expect to get good results by sitting and concentrating on the centers in body to develop them. When you are seeking Light, you develop all centers spontaneously through the zeal of your focus on God. Jesus chose his disciples and apostles because they were ordinary men and women who had lived in the common way, were eager to hear what he taught, and grew into teachers themselves. They had no special qualifications, but Jesus knew that the educated ones were hard to teach because they already knew it all or so they thought.
Twelve great powers are concentrated in one flame of divine fire. As the fire goes forth it quenches the physical fire of appetitive soul; the inherent twelve powers separate and do God’s perfect work.
By contrast, belief in the world and the outer creative fire eats up your soul’s investiture in the body until little or nothing of your soul’s wisdom remains. The divine fire of Spirit consumes the outer conflagration of selfishness, which nothing else can melt or dissolve. It’s like illumining a dark hallway by opening a door to Light.
Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday November 14, 1934|Buffalo, New York
Noah Webster said that knowledge is “A clear and certain perception of that which exists, or of truth and fact.” He further added that “We can have no knowledge of that which does not exist. God has a perfect knowledge of all his works. Human knowledge is very limited, and is mostly gained by observation and experience.” You gain knowledge by gathering outer facts, practical and theoretical. Sometimes you may touch true knowledge, sometimes it evades you, but you can’t tell what knowledge is if you don’t know it; unrecognized, it just fades away, quickly becoming indistinct.
Where does knowledge come from? God is everywhere evenly present and available, so knowledge is right here, right now. You need go to no other state of consciousness or another place beside the practical world of facts. If you seek the knowledge of wisdom in things or in people, your search will mislead you. If you seek the truth in books, you focus the vision of your mystic eyes of mind outside yourself, but the fountain of contact is within you.
You have a broadcasting and receiving set in your head. You receive worldly vibrations through the solar plexus, but the wisdom vibration comes through the brain equipment in your head. Your brain centers must translate the world vibration. Mind is everywhere and your access to it is through that mind which was in Christ Jesus. Seek within the mind of Christ, which you already have, by looking up in consciousness, and remember that up is also “everywhere.”
You will find the world’s ideas everywhere, as common as dust, but the Christ ideas are within your mind just above where you commonly look, just beyond your conscious memory. If you keep the Christ ideas bottled up within, you eventually experience a blowout. Spirit holds the Christ mind, but spirit must expand to serve your soul. “Hell” is losing sight of and falling from the truth of Being. The first real sin is forgetting this truth.
Practice these three points: 1. “Look unto me, be ye saved.” – Isaiah 45:22. The Light does everything, of myself, I can do nothing. Power uses me as its instrument or mouthpiece for speaking the Word.
2. “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done.” – Matthew 18:19. When you are in agreement with the law of perfection, “it shall be done.” Disagreement creates disintegration. Am I the person I seem to be (little me), or the person I’d like to be now, the great I AM.
3. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 7:21. It’s not enough to acknowledge the Lord or Law. “Faith without works is dead.” – James 2:26.
The glory slaves of Light are rulers, servants of all Power. The Elect slave twenty-four hours a day, with no time off. Individually, you must practice agreement with God and adjustment to man to release Power. Just as you tune a piano or auto engine, you must expect that Light shall tune your soul with law. Become fascinated with Light.
Christ knew how perfect we could be and told us we would do the “greater works” that he had done and greater works than those. Your degree of mystical contact is perfect right now. Look for your inner divinity within the Christ mind, not in books, things, techniques, or teachers. Teachers may show you the way, but truth and wisdom must be lived. Let yourself be possessed by God’s Power, by Light. “Be still and know that I am God.”
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Edna Lister prosperity lecture outline|Thursday November 16, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Topics: Giving, gifts|Scriptures: Luke 6:38, Proverbs 18:16
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” — Luke 6:38.
“A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” — Proverbs 18:16.
God is Spirit. God, as Spirit, is first invisible, non-manifest, then visible and fully manifest. The Holy Spirit is the Christed breath of life that filled Jesus. God, as Spirit, is everywhere evenly present and available. Now ask yourself, What do I really want?
“A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” — Proverbs 18:16. A man’s gift may also become his cross, and bring all his lessons. A man’s gift must be unfolded just as you unwrap a birthday present; God does not give a gift that is already fully formed. You must use your gift to give it form, and the best way is by giving.
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” — Luke 6:38. What? When? Where?
Would you like to know how to adopt a miracle? Give of God’s invisible substance. You do not need to see it in form. Just fill any void places with a handful of fiery substance from the cosmic aether.
The other fellow molds his own form while you furnish the prayer substance to fill it. Allow each to build his own form. Give freely of life’s flowers, beauty, and goodness. Give freely of this invisible substance of fiery Spirit. Giving is a miracle; receiving is another miracle, but you attain soul freedom only through selfless giving. Top ↑
Edna Lister lecture outline|November Wednesday 22, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Scripture: Acts 17:22-31
“Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” – Acts 17:22-31.
You must use intuition righteously, but super-sensitivity masquerading as intuition is misuse. “They should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.” — Acts 17:26. You may contact true intuition only in the silence. A hunch is the subconscious extending mental “feelers” to predict the stock market, play the horses at the racetrack, read minds, etc. They “seek God that haply” they might ‘feel’ Him and ‘see’ Him. Wanting God, many seek a guru, but they are really are searching for God.
Every soul is a genius in some field. You are all experts at doing something — some in this world are expert at avoiding work or expert in excuse-finding. Too many are specialists in poverty and disease. A wise man once said, “If you want to know a person’s genius, listen to his line of talk.” You are radiant with genius, yet your use of silence is the parting of the way toward success or failure. Using the silence to commune with God marks a life-changing turning point.
Consider this: You cannot be an expert job holder and an expert job hunter at the same time. Let go of the job you do not have, and apply yourself to your present place. Let your Light so shine!
But remember, you cannot take a question into the silence with you, or you will have no room for the answer. Let go of the questions of why and how. That’s God’s business. Quit chasing shadows. Quit chasing darkness. Quit chasing things. Quit chasing petty and selfish desires. Start chasing the Joy way!
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Edna Lister lecture outline|Thursday November 23, 1934, Buffalo, New York|Topics: being and doing|Scriptures: John 20:17, John 10:30, Luke 12:15
“Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” — John 20:17.
“I and my Father are one.” — John 10:30.
“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” — Luke 12:15
Divine Intelligence separates the atom and brings it together again by the same creative device: intelligence. Intelligence is instinctive in the animal, but is knowledge and intellect in man. From the atom to the Creator, the Divine is constantly flooding the world with Light.
Munitions experts and war mongers use the Light of divine Mind to create air ships and battle ships to destroy cities and lives. It’s time for us to turn up the floodlights; otherwise you cannot see the evil, for it is dark to the eye.
The battle is in every man and woman — between the higher rational soul and the lower appetitive soul, which destroys life in order to exist in its own mindless way. Power and dominion rightly belong to an inner group, the Elect, who use Light for the good of all mankind, not its destruction.
Jesus taught us how to know God. For example, Mary Magdalene tarried at the empty tomb after the other disciples had gone. Jesus appeared and said to her, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” – John 20:17.
“I and my Father are one.” – John 10:30. You are like your Father now, in spirit and in truth. Spirit is a flame of life and Light. Quickened into anger, it can become blazing hate, when it should be the blazing flame of divine glory.
Our original estate is a prospering consciousness. What is that? “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” — Luke 12:15. Life consists not in the abundance of material possessions or riches, but in that rich consciousness of God’s Power and your own soul’s dominion.
Self-skepticism is disbelief in dwelling in the self, rendering you unable to think the thing through, or to be the thing. The subconscious mind is full of fear, and doubts even while he conscious mind says, “I think I am. I hope I am. I try to be. I try to do.” Yet, if you just “think” you are doing, you never buckle down to doing and being. Be life, as a light ray. Do and dare.
“Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26. When you cling to God as your rock of refuge, all things are possible.
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Revelation Comes in the Silence
Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday November 28, 1934|Buffalo, New York. Scripture: Psalm 46:10, 1 John 4:8, Malachi 3:10
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” — Psalm 46:10.
“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” — 1 John 4:8.
“Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” — Malachi 3:10.
Revelation means “to reveal, to make clear.” All revelation comes through the silence. What you see depends upon what you are seeking or asking, and why you want revelations. Do you want to be greater than anyone else? To know more than anyone else? To make more than anyone else? To have more than anyone else? Or to be a greater servant of all the Power? You gain what you seek, so choose your line of progress with care. Some folks grow weak and ill. Some folks grow strong, grand and glorious. Where you are now is the right place.
Revelation is Light coming through as the answer. Revelation releases Light and Power: The Light brings added things. You can have real revelations only through the silence. Thank God for the small, the faint, and the large revelations. You need only one thing, Light, so be still and receive the answer in the silence.
The first revelation is about the nature of God, the second is about the nature of man, and the third revelation concerns the relationship of man to God. All revelation deals with this, knowing, silent, powerful, presence of God. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all things shall be added unto you.” — Matthew 6:33.
A woman once was required to pay $1000.00 to a man she detested; she paid him, although resentfully. Before taking an ocean voyage, she received a cable from him, reading, “God is love.” She was indignant and kept thinking, “The idea!” What happened then was miraculous indeed: While on the ship in the middle of the ocean, she finally “got it.” The money she paid had released the power of love to fill her.
Another example is the man who went to a spiritual retreat to study with Masters from Tibet. He was all ready to start, eager to have information imparted to him, like Christmas ornaments hung on a tree from the outside. The first morning, the teacher told him, “Go sit on that little knoll and meditate on the presence of God.” He went to the hill and sat an hour and a half, distressed, but “endured” the rest of day. The next morning, the teacher again said, “Go to the little knoll and meditate on omnipresence of God.” The man refused to be made a fool of while others watched, but he finally went three hours later.
In the third lesson, the teacher said, “Go up and meditate.” Disgusted, the man went and sat there, wondering why folks even came to the retreat, wondering what they got from it, how they got it, and from where. He became lost in thought and sat on the hill, forgetting everything else for twenty-four hours; he ate no meals, and had no sleep. When he returned from the hill, he was radiant of face and transfigured.
In the silence, alone, when you are aware of nothing but God, you receive your private lessons with God. Creatures and the primitive children of men are disappearing, and the creator gods are coming. When you believe only in God, the world will be filled with only creator gods. Ponder this in your heart, until you are alive with the life of God. The woman dwelt upon “God is love.” The man pondered the presence, and both received a revelation in the silence.
Let go of everything else for that one revelation, for it is worth it. “Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” — Malachi 3:10.
Aim not to disprove, but to prove God. Then you will hear, “Come and see.” — “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.” — Revelation 6:1. Top ↑
Edna Lister lecture outline|Thursday November 30, 1934|Buffalo, New York
Who is man? What are thoughts? What are emotions? What are the pictures of imagination?
Original authority is “the initial, innate, earliest, existent from the first.” Original means “creative, inventive, pattern, design, thinking or acting for oneself, not derivative, dependent, first hand.”
Authority is the power to enforce obedience or the right. Authoritative is commanding, imperative, possessing authority, proceeding from competent authority, a lawful exercise or practice, a correct proceeding under exact scientific procedure, which produces the same result each time when the thing becomes a law. To harmonize means “to make harmonious ease, light, comfort and accord.”
The "Path of Spirit revealed" is your idea, your thought of the path now. You do your own revealing. Lift into Light all you possess. Need and supply, the two ends must be welded together. Power melts ice and also welds metal when you apply it. Let Power use you as supreme authority.
Top ↑Edna Lister lecture outline|Friday December 1, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Scripture: Mark 4:35-41
"And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" – Mark 4:35-41.
The Master’s rebuke to the tempest was, "Peace, be still," which illustrates power over the forces that can destroy. The situation remains dangerous until you can release enough Power and have the steadfast faith and understanding to direct and control the resulting disintegration.
Under the cyclic law of action and reaction, everyone is granted the opportunity to step up in consciousness and take higher initiations. Some fail while others pass quickly. Yet no one really loses, for all gain strength in love and Light, and another opportunity will be offered.
However, the one who commands Power without the requisite and corresponding understanding runs the very real risk of destroying himself. Also, one who takes credit for such a release of Power will create the reaction of a debt of force.
Your only full protection comes through "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." – Matthew 6:10. You must remain in complete obedience to God’s commands to withhold or to give.
You may not let go for an instant or you force a debt to be paid to the law. Your faithfulness shall lead you to hear the Master say, "Today shalt thou sup with me in paradise."
Top ↑Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday December 5, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Scriptures: Matthew 16:21-27, Hosea 12:8
“From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” – Matthew 16:21-27.
What is a problem? Loads of folks say there is no such thing. A problem is a situation you have produced with your own thinking, emotions and imagination.
If you insist upon living with a problem, insist upon taking it to bed, insist upon taking it to work, insist upon taking it to play, insist upon taking it out to exercise it, the problem will thrive.
Since whatever you think is done in silence, you are in silence with the problem. As long as you are conscious of the problem, you feed it. When you shut off its food, it grows weak.
Christ told the devil, who was using Peter to tempt him, “Get behind me Satan.” Keep your eyes on the Light. Be absorbed by the Light.
The idea that “I must be free” is an indication of bondage. Since no one can bind you, you must be binding yourself. You glue yourself together with the idea.
You give yourself to be plastered with Christmas seals and stickers. Yet when the next storm comes, they wash off.
Freedom from problems is the "natural" result of knowing truth. Truth is the sum total of facts and processes as they exist, move and have their being as stated in principle. Truth about life is the sum total of facts and processes as you find them in life.
The truth of principle is life as God knows life. You must know life as it is in God. How is life in God? You see the evidence in the inevitable, invincible, limitless, Substance, Power, and Mind of God touching you as ideas. Like a vacuum cleaner, you gather in all the experiences of life. “I am become rich. I have found me out substance.” – Hosea 12:8.
Go to heaven voluntarily or life will kick you into it eventually. If you have to know first, you will never arrive. Knowing first is impossible. You must seek first, which is possible Let go of the problem entirely. Do not care about it. Love the Light, the Power. Love God.
Understanding is inevitable in the Light. You will have glory to spare when you declare, “This is good. Let there be Light.”
Top ↑Edna Lister lecture series outline|Friday December 8, 1934|December 8, 15, 22, 1934, January 4, 11, 18, 26, 1935, February 2, 1935|Buffalo, New York| Scripture: Matthew 5:1-11
“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.” – Matthew 5:1-11.
To be is an attitude. The Beatitudes, found in the Gospel of Matthew 5:3-11, include all lesser and greater initiations, except care of the body, especially the sublimation of physical excesses. You really begin living your vows the instant you know and ponder this. Then you live them for a long time before you really “make” and “take” your vows. The Beatitudes are nine lesser mysteries of initiation:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3. This is the first Beatitude, and one is the number that symbolizes the individual standing upright in the Garden of Eden. To be “poor in spirit” means giving up impulsive willfulness, possession of persons, and coveting riches. When you give up “things,” and your attachment to them, you give it all to God. Then you can use all that the Father has, and love all His children for Him.
“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” – Matthew 5:4. This is the second Beatitude, and two is the number that symbolizes agreeing with God and adjusting to your fellow man. Mourning represents the soul’s grief about past mistakes and the time self has wasted. Your self-pity must become selflessness. One family had two sisters, one of whom made the whole family miserable, and finally lost her mind. The other devoted her life to caring for others. These sisters illustrate the two possible conflicting sides of one soul's character. To conquer self-pity, you must resolve to be finished with the past, and keep your eyes on the Light. Give up every iota of personality possession.
“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” – Matthew 5:5. This is the third Beatitude, and three is the number that represents perfected personal expression. Meekness is an open-mindedness that does not insist that having its own way as the only way.
“I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” – Ephesians 3:14-19.
This is the Prayer of Melchizedek, “I bow the knees of my heart unto the Father.” If you are of the Christos Degree, you cannot force or ask, but only work by releasing the power of love from the inner. Cultivate open mindedness and your vows of silence. Thus, by agreeing with God and adjusting to man, your outer expression becomes interesting and desirable.
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” – Matthew 5:6. This is the fourth Beatitude, and four is the number that symbolizes service. To “hunger and thirst” means that the soul that is dedicated to service is always giving up self and receiving new soul substance under Light. Hunger is a gnawing pain, wanting to go somewhere, constant seeking until satisfied, or a physical weakness. Thirst is dryness, a secret calling, or a mental weakness.
If you are always full, you cannot eat more, so you must empty out the self to receive. The law says that you must give freely to freely receive. Ascend in consciousness through the mental-intellectual faculties into the endocrine glands of soul knowing. You can develop the faculties you use in illumination through concentrated outer study in class or in books. However, you can “know” truth only by standing under the Light. “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” – John 12:32. I draw all others higher as I lift self and ascend. Thus, I must intentionally lift all others to be released from all darkness.
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” – Matthew 5:7. This is the fifth Beatitude, and five is the number that represents freedom of choice under the law of Light. Mercy is real loving-kindness, and graciousness is the law of Christ Jesus, covering others’ transgressions freely with love and compassion. To cover for another means you must always be lifted up in consciousness yourself.
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” – Matthew 5:8. This is the sixth Beatitude, and six is the number of the creator. To attain purity of mind, heart and purpose, you give up possession of self’s so-called individuality, or possessing one’s self. To give up possessing persons confers the ability to agree with God and adjust to your fellow man without being hurt or offended.
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” – Matthew 5:9. This is the seventh Beatitude, and seven is the number of the Priest. To be a Priest, you must also be a peacemaker and a pacemaker. The number seven symbolizes the priest in the temple. At seven, you are quietly assuming responsibility in prayer. When you do not know the answer, declare, “Thank You Father. I am now under the Light and You, my God, know the answer.”
The Priest is untouched, uncontaminated, protected and surrounded by walls. He or she is drawn out of the world to stand at the center of the storm in the quiet sanctuary. Peace is harmony. To unfold the word peacemaker, you must know that to make is to create after a pattern for some original good. A peacemaker is a pacesetter. Pacesetters seldom receive credit on the outer, but their inner rewards include riches, honor, life. God crowns them with life, glory and honor.
“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10. This is the eighth Beatitude, and eight is the number that symbolizes God’s Power tying earth to heaven. To persecute is “to pursue with enmity, with the intent to do injury, to harass, worry or importune.” You can unfold the word righteousness as the “right use of Power,” which is better stated as to use right law. The way of trying to do it means death, or self-pity, like putting a black lining in a white robe. When you merely try, you put a stopper in the bottle to hide the stink of your stubborn disobediance. Declare, “I AM in the right place at the right time, saying and doing the right thing.”
“Blessed are you, when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake.” – Matthew 5:11. This is the ninth Beatitude, and nine is the number representing the mirror you become when you reflect others’ flaws. Seeing their taints when they look at you leads them to make false accusations. They insist that you are flawed. The eighth Beatitude was being persecuted “for righteousness’ sake,” but the ninth is persecution for Christ’s sake.
Thus, you reach the end of the Beatitudes, but nine is not the number of completion, ten is. To conclude, apply a tenth Beatitude: “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.
Top ↑Edna Lister lecture outline|Wednesday December 13, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Scripture: Matthew 16:23-25
Life on earth is filled with a multitude of possibilities, but possibilities of what kind? In general, people want a good life with the power to do as they wish and the financial substance and wherewithal to do so. You need certain attitudes to attain all this: You must be a creator, a conqueror, and an ambassador. You will need sufficient strength, but how much? How strong will you need to be? Are you willing to be the strongest in your family right now? What kind or form of strength do you need, or want? What form will your desires take? This is the finite level where you must be specific about your life, your affairs, and your development, the “I-me-my-mine” of you.
Use your time in the silence as the place of revelation where you rediscover your own divinity of soul and define the burdens of the self. You can remember everything you have ever experienced from the beginning of time, from the moment God made you. Yet if you only hold onto the ugly part of the past, with its mistakes and transgressions, you cheat yourself of your soul’s glory. Then you have only a meaningless cipher, and see yourself as “a zero, having no influence or value; a nonentity” saying, “I am nothing but this old mess.” Holding fast to sin is believing “I am nothing” or “I am weak. I am unable.” A cipher is also a “key to a secret message.” To decipher the soul message within you, you must transmute the failure idea into “I AM able to do all things now through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
What you see with your physical eyes affects and acts upon what you think and imagine. Intuition is seeing with the eyes of mind. Change your gloomy view to the Light of pure intuition, which is glorious and superb. Letting your senses run riot hither and thither around in the outer leads to a blah conglomeration of confusion. Strengthen your physical and spiritual visual faculties. See your empty wallet or purse filled with large denomination bills. When you see lack, your sense of soul vision has sprung a leak and your good sense, your common sense runs out. Look into the heart of truth and be invincible!
Mother your creations to make them strong enough to manifest. The relentless power of love, mother power, must create through you. It will not let you go and you cannot let it go. Deep in your memory is the desire of your real soul’s desire to return home to God. Live by this law: “If any man will come after me, let him deny his self.” – see Luke 9:23.
“Whosoever will save his life shall lose it.” – Luke 9:24. If you prefer to save your old pattern in life, you will lose the great new life awaiting you. Stop withdrawing from life. Let go, and let God use you. Be the soul He intended you to be!
Top ↑Edna Lister lecture outline|Thursday December 14, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Scriptures: Genesis 3:22-24, John 16:32-33, 1 John 5:4-5
"And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." – Genesis 3:22-24.
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." – John 16:32-33.
"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" – 1 John 5:4-5.
Long ago we left the path of glory for the Fall. We fell from knowledge of whom and what we really are. God gave us to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Then we were driven from the garden lest we eat of the tree of life also and live forever.
When you live by the truth of appearances, you depend upon material conditions, and limit yourself to mothering nothing more than worldly ideas. To move beyond a finite supply and demand, you must bring love and praise together, more love, and more praise.
When you work for God’s greatest hour as God’s greatest servant of the Power, you bring the Father of Wisdom together with the Mother of Love. Thus, you part the veils of illusion that are hiding the truth of reality from your earthbound sight.
To know the truth of reality, you must overcome the world, the flesh, and the Adversary through Jesus Christ. You can do this through knowing who you are, through the creative power of thought and speaking the Word. To be successful in this, you may permit the self no idle words.
To save their lives, some people live indoors, getting no fresh air or sunshine. He who covets his ease and freedom makes plenty of money to enjoy it, which he is then afraid to lose. When you risk your life outside the safe walls, you get more life. Live in the joyous expectancy of receiving God’s surprise for you. Declare, “I am now fulfilling the law. This is my greatest hour as God’s Agent.”
Top ↑Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday December 19, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Scripture: Matthew 26:36-54
“Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him. And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” – Matthew 26:36-54.
You are constantly meeting the dichotomy of two conflicting ideas: Youth and strength, age and weakness. What causes each? Ideas! Youth and strength train together. You know this because the world knows this is true. Age belongs to the calendar, but weakness belongs to the mind. Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. What happens to cause you to age? You entertain undesirable guests. When you stop entertaining them, they leave.
A strong will is one that never lets an outside source change its purpose. A weak will is afraid to change attitudes, tactics, or its way at a moment’s notice, or lets another change it for him. You must hold to the purpose of your goal. A ship’s captain uses aids, for example, such as charts and a compass to reach his goal, the ship’s destination. By holding fast to his purpose and goal, his helm and course, he can make his way through any storm.
All life backs the man who surrenders completely to God’s Power, but no halfway measure will do. You must be willing to gamble your life, and stake everything, knowing that you have all the aces in hand to play at the right time. When you let God’s Power control you, nothing can stop you. Steadily unchanging, surely determined, the end-game is yours. You’ve beaten the world before you begin, if you start under Light, controlled by Light. Yet you must start in silence, without revealing your plan or intent.
The degree of active vitality you derive from Spirit determines the strength of your body and affairs. Be a “clinging vine” to God if you expect to be filled with Spirit. For example, say you must buy a new car. First you must finish your work before you can leave the house to shop. Yet you mentally spend the morning visiting the car dealer, staring at the selection of cars, slowing down when you see the car you want and examining it.
In effect, “nobody is home” because you have already left the party. Your mind is running around shopping while your body remains at home working. You may sometimes do this for days, your mind always shopping. Finally, mind is finished thinking and imagination is tired of picturing, so you really do go shopping to buy a car. The dealer has no car you like and you are so disappointed. Home you go to fall into a chair, and find that you feel rested, together, and “at home” for the first time in days.
You must be and do everything required here, where you are. If your spirit is drawn out, let it settle in. Life fills you with Light, as liberating energy. What Light you release will return to you. You can contact God, who is a fire, a flame. His Power fills you with strength and youth. No condition can keep you down, conquer you, hold you back, or prevent you from achieving your chosen goal. You cannot change your soul’s inner desire to be as perfect as your heavenly Father; it is innate. Man’s “impossible” is Spirit’s only “possible” course of action.
A dictator must have an army to back him. Yet this reliance on force is a confession of weakness. A Christed one may be alone, but is always joyful. “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” – Matthew 26:53. Jesus knew his Father’s heavenly host was backing him.
Youth and strength come from agreeing with God and adjusting to life and your fellow man. God has built you to be and to do now. Your task is to express His Light, to push forth and bloom. Yet always, you must start under and stay under the Light.
Edna Lister lecture outline|Thursday December 21, 1934|Buffalo, New York
To “establish” means to set up on a permanent basis, to place beyond dispute; “to make national, to secure a permanent acceptance for.” It implies a plan, a divine plan. As an illustration, consider the “River of Life,” which holds and circulates all divine Mind, Substance, and Power throughout the universe with no diminution or separation.
Through Jesus mankind first learned that you can attain the Christos Degree while in an earth life. He did this more than 2,000 years ago. He became the Wayshower, and his life portrays the way.
Moses’ message was an “eye for eye.” Jesus’ message was “Love fulfills the law.” Today, we know that we are descended creator gods. Act the part, use your God-given talents and abilities, and let go of self to let God’s Power use you.
Edna Lister lecture outline|Tuesday December 26, 1934|Buffalo, New York
You are your own boss. An ineffective boss is a poor boss because he fails to pay sufficient attention to his own business. Man has power, but too often uses it in the wrong way, which is the cause and the reason for the mess we are in today. Those who find themselves in the worst messes have the most power though 98 percent do not believe it, and seek to disprove it, while the remaining 2 percent will not practice for perfection.
A boat’s sails catch the wind. Your soul’s sails are made for catching Light’s glory to float, to move, to push you along. Dish-washing is hard work if you think it is, but if you work hard to the glory of God even while doing what you dislike, time flies! You accomplish more than you had dreamed possible in no time at all, and you make more money and progress in life.
During the 1920s, a superintendent of Baldwin Locomotive Works, an American manufacturer of steam engines and cars, traveled to France where his firm had sold important machines to the French Government. The largest, most important engine had broken down, and the needed spare part was unavailable because it was hand-made. He had no time to wait for a replacement part to be shipped. They had informed him that no payments would be made, and no more sales unless he supplied the part at once. This man had no psychological, physical or metaphysical fix, just God was left.
He put on his hat and went to a movie. He surrendered to Spirit and let Spirit work. His subconscious mind got involved in the movie and off the engine track as he watched. He let go so God could do the work. In the middle of the movie, he heard a voice say, “Look on the scrap heap.” He jumped up and rushed to look. Sure enough, he found a discarded part, the exact duplicate of the one he needed. He had it cleaned and polished, and delivered it on time. He folded his love and faith into one, surrendered to God and invoked the Power.
Put on a hat, go to a movie. Let Spirit work: Keep your eyes and subconscious mind busy. You’ll find the right idea in the middle of a jumbled scrap heap, almost overlooked. He found his missing part and fixed that machine on time. So can you when you let God’s Power work for you while you work also.
A man who was facing failure because he had no business for nearly a month during the Great Depression, decided to give God a chance. He knew only one thing, and while not a student of religion or specifically religious, he declared, “This is the greatest month of of sales we’ve ever had.” He quit sub-letting his mind to the world and its ideas of failure. He then enjoyed more business during rest of that month than he had for the three months previous. God hadn’t changed, but he did. He turned on the heat under his love and faith until they measured up God-high. He became his own spiritual boss.
Figure out what your own Path will be. If it turns out wrong, fine. It’s good to make mistakes. It’s how you learn. “This one thing I do now.” First, make your acquaintance with God’s Power. Second, be conscious and willing to rely on God: “Not my will, but Thine be done.” Third, believe in yourself to create continuity. Fourth, apply consistent conduct. Fifth, do it now.
Top ↑Edna Lister lecture outline|Thursday December 28, 1934|Buffalo, New York|Scripture: Luke 24:36-49
“And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them. And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” – Luke 24:36-49.
What is prayer? What is faith? Your prayers rise to God and the answers return to you as the rain of the spiritual substance of faith precipitated into the outer realm. How? In what substance? Ice, water, vapor, and steam, are all varying degrees of the one element, water, which is a substance. The body, too, is composed of the one substance of God.
You can do only two things to substance, you may raise or lower its rate of vibration. When you are sick, the body substance has been lowered too far in its rate of vibration. Healing then is raising the rate of vibration of the body’s substance.
Trespasses (transgressions) and sins (disobedience to law) “kill” the body’s vibration until you must resurrect it from weakness and ill health. You can do this only by lifting and raising its rate of vibration. The last enemy you meet in life is fear of death. To “tarry in Jerusalem,” which is the City of Peace, the garden at the heart center of Being, symbolizes raising the body’s rate of vibration.
Alchemy is the art of transmuting base metal into gold. As a spiritual alchemist, you transmute the cells of your body into perfect form also. A bulb, planted in earth’s darkness, needs only abundant Light to coax it into growth. Working to remold the body is fascinating, and changing it is delightful. Your task is to make it to shine, to radiate, to overcome death.
Endnotes
1^ Recommended Reading: "An Honest Man’s Fortune", John Fletcher.
2^ Wilder, Thornton. Heaven’s My Destination. Harper & Brothers, New York, 1935.
3^ Small barographs with a rotating paper drum and ink stylus were installed on many airplanes of the 1920s, including Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis.
4^ Richard Mansfield (1857-1907) was regarded as the greatest actor of the closing decades of the 19th Century.
5^ Arthur S. Brisbane was an influential American newspaper editor in the 20th Century.
6^ Robert A. Millikan was an American experimental physicist, and Nobel laureate in physics for measuring the charge on the electron and for his work on the photoelectric effect.
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
Fletcher, John. "An Honest Man’s Fortune," in Parnassus: An Anthology of Poetry, Ralph Waldo Emerson, comp. Boston: Houghton, Osgood and Company, 1880; Bartleby.com, 2013. March 25, 2023.
Fisher, Scott M. "Father of the black box", Historynet, June 29, 2017; accessed March 23, 2023.
The Holy Bible. King James Version (KJV).