Edna Lister’s Sermons 1956, Part II.

I Ascend!

Edna Lister sermon outline, April 8, 1956, Tacoma, Washington. Scriptures: John 21:1-14, John 20:1-9.

"The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulcher. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulcher. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulcher, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead." – John 20:1-9.

"After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead." – John 21:1-14.

Jesus appeared to his disciples some seventeen times between his Crucifixion and the record of his Ascension, before they knew "the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead." This reading is peculiar: They had not yet written the scripture.

Jesus had told them he would arise and ascend, but they had only half-believed him. The stories about his death by Crucifixion, his Resurrection and the Ascension are easier to believe when you read about them. The human mind usually finds it difficult to encompass the miraculous, preferring the mundane rationalization, which describes agnosticism.

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, who had lingered at the tomb, weeping, after Peter and John had left. Mary believed what the first angel had said, that Jesus had risen from the dead.

When she turned from the tomb, she saw Jesus, but thought he was a gardener. He said, "Woman, why are you weeping. Whom do you seek?" Yet she never recognized his voice until he spoke her name. We all recognize a friend, mostly by the sound and tonal quality of their voice.

Jesus appeared the second time on that same day, in the evening. Thomas was not with them, and when they told him they had seen the Lord, he said, "I will not believe" unless I see the marks of the nails, and touch his wounds. The others had not thought to look for the marks first, but were just glad to see him alive.

On the eighth day, Jesus appeared to them in the same room, and this time, Thomas was present. Jesus invited Thomas to touch the wounds in his hands and side, and said, "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Then Jesus appeared to Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James and John, and two others at the Sea of Galilee. They had fished all night and caught nothing. the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but they did not know him — interesting. He told them to cast their fishing net on the "right side," and when they pulled it up, overflowing, they knew it was Jesus, for it was a miracle.

Impulsive Peter swam to shore, while the others brought the boat and catch. They saw fish and bread, baking on a fire of coals, which must have been burning a long time. Jesus had materialized the fish and bread to "prove" himself, but only enough fish for one.

He told them to bring some of the fish they had just caught. None of the disciples dared asked him who he was, for they knew in their hearts he was Jesus. They must have been consumed by awe and curiosity.

What is this act that we call Ascension? How can you attain it and remain in the world, balanced and functioning? Ascension is, to the student of truth, who is seeking inner causes to account for outer effects in his life, exactly what atomic research is to the physicist.

Seekers in the past have tried many methods to accomplish this Ascension. They have sought it through suffering and flagellation of the body, through starving the body, living on fruit, eating no meat, fish or fowl, by withdrawing from the world, never speaking or using their voices, living alone in a hut or in the desert.

None of these methods will ever work. All they do is to damage or destroy the body vehicle. Unless any method will work for the whole world, then it is not founded in principle, the Master's teachings, or divine law. Law, when followed, must work for everything in manifestation alike to be universal law. Observe. Many sects are based on personal interpretations of law, founded on individual peculiarities, opinions or prejudices.

Ascension and atomic research are both refining processes — positive, moving inward, getting behind or beyond the visible material world. Atomic research is focused on substance. Ascension is devoted to soul as essence. The inner substance of soul is forever held in a protective sheath. You cannot see the finer grade of substance released from the atom, but you can see the effects and results of its liberation.

You cannot see the soul, but can feel its power when released, and when unleashed you do see its effects in the transformed life of the physical body. Soul ascension is a mental penetration through the outer sheaths of substance into the realm of the unseen.

How do you ascend the body today? Ascension is so utterly commonplace — a moving up from outer self-confidence into that realm of soul-consciousness and soul-confidence, which is all-inclusive in its nature, which partakes of God.

Self-confidence is intermittent. Self-expression builds itself an outer reputation, but soul-expression shows character, which you feel as an emanation from the soul. Self-confidence has no followers, while soul-confidence inspires the world.

Self-confidence dulls the personality, but soul-confidence makes it shine. Self-confidence is based on outer intellect, while soul-confidence places trust in God's principles, which cannot fail. Self-confidence fishes all night with no results. Soul-confidence hears the Voice saying, "Put the net on the right side," which is the up side, and the net will be filled.

You have one fish on the fire and one loaf of bread. Start with what you have, pray, and use all that you have now, where you are. The soul is already a part of God. Your job is to ascend the self that you have fused with your soul to this point.

Exchange self-confidence for soul-confidence. Grow from seeing to believe through ascension into believing to see. It's a sloooooow growth as you take one step at a time to ascend in consciousness slowly and safely. Going slowly is essential, for the force of atomic power can destroy cells if you ascend too fast.

Full Christ consciousness, which bestows soul-confidence, is of the ninth dimension world of power. Christ consciousness is soul-sustaining and renewing, and burns out all dross to heal the body. Nothing on earth can resist its upward flowing movement.

Follow the findings of science and apply them to your spiritual life. You know finer grades of substance exist, which you do not see with the physical eye. Yet, you must believe to see beyond the outer sheath that enfolds all Spirit on the outer. It changes everything and everyone that it touches, and transforms your life.

The right side is the up side. Ascend in consciousness. Declare, "I arise. I ascend. I stand in the heart of the fire, the white Light of the Christ. I am free. I reach for the stars. Power uses me for its own glory."

Love's Three Phases

This Edna Lister sermon outline is dated April 15, 1956, Tacoma, Washington. Scripture: Mark 12:28-34.

"One of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question." – Mark 12:28-34.

Love has three phases — love of God, love for your neighbor, and love of self. You have traveled a long path of life coming forth, made a long pilgrimage, away from God into the idea of being separated and alone, which creates a defensive attitude.

The watch-words of selfish love are the self-centered pronouns "me, my" and "mine." Its keynote is love of material things, love of family, love of my life. Self preservation defends "me" and "mine," and is as primitive as cave men huddling together in fear. It has prompted every lie ever told.

Love for your neighbor was born in ancient communities bound together for self preservation, yet is the first step up toward love for God. You love your life, your possessions, your families, and begin cooperating, living together and helping each other. Love for your neighbor defends the whole clan or tribe, and from it is born the love of your nation.

Love's "one Lord, one God" phase teaches you to use and love God's things, God's family. You are learning to love God, to let God's life use "little me."

While he was still a shepherd boy, David held an innocent love of his parents, family, nature and his father's flocks. He grew up in love with all things, and saw his God everywhere. He loved unconsciously because nothing ever tempted him. He was no more than Jesse's youngest son until Samuel anointed him to be king over Israel.

When King Saul brought David to his court and made him his armor bearer, David, found it strange and confusing. Slowly, over the years, he experienced much human treachery and learned how defend himself against more than wild animals.

Trapped in a loveless marriage of state, King David began living the second phase of love, love for his neighbor, when he saw Bathsheba. She was lovely and innocent at first. Her husband Uriah had never loved her, but was so devoted to war that he had vowed to win, single-handed.

David fell in love with Bathsheba so completely that he surrendered to his love, and nothing else mattered. He sent Uriah to the forefront of battle, where he was killed. David then married Bathsheba, which displeased the Lord, who sent His prophet, Nathan, who represents pure law, to sentence him for breaking the commandments. David endured all kinds of family deaths, tragedies, and endless war.

God tempted David to number the people for self-defense. David did so and immediately knew he had failed the initiation. Then God asked David to choose the payment for the debt: Seven years of famine, to flee from his enemies three months, or three days' pestilence in the land. David chose to fall into God's hand, and God smote Israel with pestilence.

David repented when he saw the angel of death, and entered the third phase of love when he prayed that God would let the punishment fall on him and his house, rather than on the blameless people. Finally, he was ready to give up his life for others.

David remembered his youthful love of God, and compared it with Nathan's God of pure justice under rigid law, showing no mercy. David walked up to God, held up his hands, and opened the doors to Light and love.

So David, even in sinning, opened the great vibration of love for Jesus to teach later. Like the prodigal son, he surrendered self completely, paid his debts and saved the people. God found his sacrifice acceptable.

Selfishness forms the bars on the door into the full love of God. The lock is self, which opens only to selflessness. Only the love of God gives you the courage to choose the right way, instead of wandering in darkness, wasting time, paying debts.

You cannot jump up to the goal, but must take step by courageous step. Today's sacrifice forms your next step toward the goal.

You need an inner conviction of right and be willing to stand for it. You must know what goal you want to reach before you can succeed. What you truly want, you desire to do. So, you must want it enough to "die daily" for it. You must be willing to suffer, to sacrifice, to face death of the little self every hour. This opens wide the doors of life.

Finally, you muster the courage — all heart, all soul, all mind, all strength — to enter and place your hands on the Ark of the Covenant of law, which is love. Surrender self to gain the triumph of your soul.

The Greater You

This Edna Lister sermon outline is dated April 15, 1956, Tacoma, Washington. Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 3:16 and Deuteronomy 30:11-14.

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? – 1 Corinthians 3:16.

"For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. – Deuteronomy 30:11-14.

Everyone asks, "Who am I?" or, "Just what is my self?" One in a thousand answers, "I am great!" Most people say, "I am an attorney," or a doctor, musician, painter, actor, statesman, financier, judge, singer or dancer, which tells you what I does for a living, not what I is.

Who is the I who is doing all these things? What is the greater you? "There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding." – Job 32:8. Man is Spirit. John said the Word was made flesh, and we are that incarnate Word.

Many say, "I am weak. I am dumb. I am tired. I am ill." Others say, "I am strong. I am free. I am joyous. I am healed." Some say, "I've lost heart. My eyes are shot. My ears do not work. My memory is gone," until they are all gone. Others declare, "My heart is strong. I can do anything. I have a wonderful memory."

So, the question is not whether you have a "greater you," but What shall you do with your "greater you?" You are free to say, do think and imagine what you want, but what do you want?

Freedom is the personal liberty to determine you life for yourself, but which kind of self? You are free to express, to pour forth, to push forth, to produce what? Which self do you express, the lower weak self or the higher strong soul?

"For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it." – Deuteronomy 30:11-14.

Are you afraid to say, "I am free. I am strong. I am healthy. I am healed. I am wealthy"? Ascend in consciousness and use what you have.

Daring to Do

This Edna Lister sermon outline is dated April 22, 1956, Tacoma, Washington. Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 5:14-23, 2 Samuel 23:20, and Hebrews 11:32-40.

"Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." – 1 Thessalonians 5:14-23.

"Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow." – 2 Samuel 23:20.

"What shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." – Hebrews 11:32-40.

Hebrews 11 is filled with a recapitulation of the brave and daring ones of the Old Testament. They dared to step out on nothing visible, having nothing to see. The invisible contains all things. Nothing of God can be left out. Nothing of God can be withheld.

God is everywhere evenly present and available, so all of God is right here, right now. All the visible substance is on top, like a lemon meringue pie.

Even science now backs up our knowledge of truth and law. When a scientist sets out to prove something, he must "believe to see," for he cannot yet see what he knows must be there. So, he searches.

A student of truth knows that faith must be there to fill his molds, and the love must be there to fulfill the law. You may be thinking, "I've heard all that. I know all that. Why talk about it?"

Two questions concern us. How do you gain this protected place of assurance and Light? Once gained, how do you hold fast to it? "See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men." – 1 Thessalonians 5:15.

Evil is any darkness, misuse of soul substance in gossip, slander, doubt, blame or suspicion. Lift it, and cross it out if you hear it. You cannot stop, or get inside anyone to change them, so to stop evil means to be watchful, to reach out to speak the Word for anything tainted that you see or hear, to neutralize it right now.

How do you hold fast to this protected place of assurance and Power? "Rejoice evermore!" – 1 Thessalonians 5:16. Evermore refers to the length of time, which is quantity. However, you rejoice "ever more," never less, which refers to quality.

"Pray without ceasing." – 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Prayer can be a petition, statement or invocation, asking Power to do the work. Loving God enough covers all answers to prayer. Unceasing prayer is as regular as the planets in orbit, the seasons, the flowing of rivers, and tides of the ocean.

"Prove all things." – 1 Thessalonians 5:21. You prove all things by holding fast to the good until you do see what you have created.

"Abstain from all appearance of evil." – 1 Thessalonians 5:22. Avoid anything that puts you in a false position. Use no idle words.

True prayer is invoking Light as the power to open a vibration now, not a petition or query. Light as power is ever present as potential — it works, but you must invoke it. Like a spring-action faucet, the Power shuts off if you let go of your high state of consciousness. Keep the Light flowing as power.

The greatest of all statements of truth is, "This is good," spoken a thousand times a day. Yet you must add another ingredient, the courage to dare. "Benaiah, the son of a valiant man … slew a lion in a pit on a snowy day." – 2 Samuel 23:20. A pit, what a terrifying place and position. Benaiah was not yet perfect.

He was the "son of a valiant man," but it does not say that he was valiant when he started. Benaiah became courageous by daring to do the impossible. You build character on strength that dares to exceed itself each time life calls on you to do something unusual.

A lion is a formidable beast. Benaiah could not afford to be afraid. A lion in a pit on a snowy day — can you imagine anything worse to face? The "pit" is the subconscious mind of the appetitive soul.

From the courage to act, which is daring, fearlessness grows. Courageous souls desire to conquer all slothfulness, lukewarmness and indifference. Those who do nothing are afraid of losing their place, yet they lose it by default. Their vibration slows to nothing.

You climb as high as your active daring and doing vibration takes you. Fearlessness, your heritage from the Father, who rules over all, belongs to all. How does fearlessness cause you to act?

Snow starts falling softly, its action gentle and irresistible, yet it ties up traffic in great cities. The warming temperatures of spring cause the ice to break up. Slowly, irresistibly, the heat just works until the ice thaws.

The same irresistible Power gently pushes grass, flowers, bushes and trees into new life, not in a fury, but in the gentleness of love. Courage and valiance are born of the same quiet irresistible Power of the faith of God.

Declare, "God is with me. Whom shall I fear? I acknowledge my responsibility now to dare to do when confronted with anything. God, the One, is doing the work. I am never alone." The most fearless expression of all is "I am healed."

You can confidently declare, "I am the wealthiest woman in the world," because "not I, but the Father must do the work." Declare, "I rejoice ever more. I pray without ceasing. In the gentle, fearless and irresistible love of God, I dare to be and do."

Rose-Colored Glasses

This Edna Lister Bible study outline is dated April 22, 1956, Tacoma, Washington. Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 13:12 and 2 Corinthians 3:17-18.

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." – 1 Corinthians 13:12.

"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." – 2 Corinthians 3:17-18.

"La Vie en Rose," or "looking at life through rose-colored glasses," has come to mean that you see someone as perfect, which is part of the law of good, declaring, "This is good. Let there be Light!"

People and situations are good, as far as they have come, then you declare them perfect until they become so. Declaring the good is a tough law to follow, so you analyze three steps to comprehend it — desire, decision, and action.

Desire for what must be your choice, and a right choice, not seeing through a glass, darkly. See with an open face, with no hidden taints of self in the way, no opinions or prejudices. Making a comprehensive overall choice is best. To choose more life will cover everything you could ever need or be. Your desire to possess more life must burn and flame. Life must become an adventure.

First, you may not be gullible or soft, but must equip yourself to make the proper appraisals of everything — individuals, land, houses, cars, business. Your ability to make a just appraisal is even more important in your relationships with others. You cannot put trust in another, whose discretion is a leaky sieve, nor can you burden others with confidences past their ability to hold them private.

After you choose, you must decide "when, where, what and how" you will apply the flame of creative fire to your every hour of rest, work and study, to mold your life to become all powerful and all successful. You must always choose now what picture you hold in imagination: "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." – 2 Corinthians 3:18.

The third step is action, yet how hard it is to move, to get going if self sits glued to the chair. Some people cannot seem to get going until noon. Once soul chooses, you may make no more demands of self, but assertions, such as, "I am success. I am strong. I am powerful. I am free."

You cannot live your life by just thinking about it, but must live your choice. Your Word must "become flesh." Put all you comprehend of God into action as understanding for your fellow man, or you will confuse your relationship to life. Some put off action until money or their family situation permits. No power exists in money. Love what you can do with God as money, and focus your action on the reality behind money.

When you are "changed into the same image from glory to glory," money will come. Your money will stretch, and whatever you need will be a bargain. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" to ascend, to be powerful, to do anything.

Your Royal Birthright

This Edna Lister sermon outline is dated April 29, 1956, Tacoma, Washington. Scriptures: 1 John 3:1-3 and John 14:10-14.

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him." – 1 John 3:1-3.

"Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." – John 14:10-14.

Our royal birth is rooted in our identity as sons and daughters of God. "Now are we the sons of God." Certain inevitable privileges come with being a royally born one. Royal birth implies a kingdom and a heritage to live up to.

An inheritance includes position, wealth and honor as well as responsibility. Though he inherits the crown, a king must earn his people's respect. Every ruler must hold the respect of the people. He must earn more all the time, and never let down on his efforts. People are always watching, and he must uphold in honor all that the crown stands for, every day.

What has this to do with us as sons and daughters of God? First, to be a prince or princess, you need not be born in an earthly, royal household. To live up to your royal heritage, you must develop the qualities that make a King or Queen.

Esther was born to a common lineage, and was undistinguished when King Ahasuerus noticed her. When Esther doubted her ability to be Queen, her uncle, Mordecai, told her that she was born for the position. In other words, she had a divine, royal heritage.

God sends you to your own kingdom for just such a time, right now. Once you accept your heritage, you must consider two ideas, preparation and renunciation.

Your preparation lasts from the time you accept until you ascend to follow all orders and pay perfect obedience to the laws of the crown of glory. This requires self-discipline, self-mastery, and sacrifice of self. Sacrifice whatever self wants for itself in favor of soul, which grows in illumination. You no longer belong to self, but to the Crown.

Renunciation is giving up darkness, of doing as you please. Surrender to the demands of the position, sacrificing thinking about self, fear, self-pity and grudges. After the crowning, comes the proclamation, "Long live the King or Queen." The coronation of a soul is called the Christing, and the proclamation is, "Long live the Christed One."

You may not get too tired, or stop to rest. The crowd in the rear is always pushing as it advances. If you try to hunker down on a step, others will push you off. Ascend in consciousness, sacrifice more self, and make more room for your soul. Once you have proven your royal birth, you again become part of the royal family. After long wanderings, they accept you back home.

"I am in the Father, and the Father is in me." – John 14:10. If you believe this, you can do the greater works that Jesus did. What are the greater works? What equipment have you to do them?

When you have prepared yourself and renounced darkness, you ascend in consciousness into Light, into the great River of Life. You are no longer body-conscious. The River of Life is flowing through in all Power and you know miracle after miracle.

The Land of Egypt (which is everything below the diaphragm) becomes a glorious land of original Light. It runs the economies of the body-sheath just as the business world keeps the economic structure alive and vital for your sustenance. All this happens when you lift desire to mate with will as Christ consciousness.

The Father is in you, using you. When you achieve oneness with God, your Father, you are possessed by principle, used by honor, loyalty, faith, Love and Power. The greatest prerogative of your royal birth is to "ask anything in my name, and I will do it."

Just as the king held his scepter out to Esther, you may touch the scepter of Power. Glorious and free, life knows no limit, no end, and "It does not yet appear what we shall be."

The Path of Faith

This Edna Lister sermon outline is dated May 6, 1956, Tacoma, Washington. Scriptures: James 1:5-8, James 1:17, James 2:14-18, and James 2:26.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." – James 1:5-8.

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

"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." – James 2:14-18.

"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." – James 2:26.

Only two things can happen if you fill a vessel and leave it. It either stagnates or dries up and crystallizes. Now, what is this thing we call faith? The Letter to Hebrews says that faith is both a substance and evidence.

Substance can be solid or liquid, or air, invisible to the eye. You use substance to create or make something. Clay is a substance, and to be used, it must be malleable and pliable. Substance is open to change, and you can change it.

Evidence is proof. "Faith is the evidence of things not seen" is still difficult to understand. You cannot see the principles of mathematics, but you know they work. The principle of faith operates the same way. Faith is its own proof, yet each must prove faith for himself.

Paul was talking about the spiritual substance of faith, which is also evidence. Therefore, you base your whole life on a universal fact — the form of substance can be changed. This fact is the foundation for your confidence in God. Change is one thing you can forever count on, so your faith ought not to be rigid, but always must be firm and able to grow.

To prove your faith as an active Power, you must do certain things. You ask of God, and He gives liberally. But how do you ask? Without wavering, or unstable as a wave on the sea, driven and tossed by the wind? You may not be double-minded, making up your mind tonight and changing it in the morning.

So often people ask, "Is this right? Does God want me to have it? Does God want me to do it?" This is not the place to change. You want to change conditions, not your mind.

Every great accomplishment on earth has been based in faith. Faith underwrites every miracle and every desire. You can have no enthusiasm or incentive without faith. Faith is the motive power of all action. Faith is the Power of God in action.

Where does faith come from? "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." – James 1:17. Faith works because you make contact with God, "for every good and every perfect gift is from above."

How do you get undiluted faith? "No variableness, neither shadow of turning" exists in God. God never casts a shadow, but you see one if you stand with your back to the Light. Turn again to God and face the Light.

How long this takes will depend on the quantity of your steadfastness, and the quality of your doing. You hear, talk, think, act and you must ascend in consciousness.

"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works?" – James 2:14. "Shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." – James 2:18. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." – James 2:26.

The results of your faith, miracles or delays, do depend on both the quality and quantity of your faith. If you let your thinking, imagination, and emotional life dilute and adulterate your approach to God, your faith will be weak and ineffective in its results. If your approach is undiluted by self, and your efforts steadfast, the greatness of your faith will show in your works.

If the quality of your approach and the quantity of your effort is perfect, the quality and quantity of your action and doing will show miracles.

By your devotion and love, you show quality. By your steadfastness of effort and of purpose, you show your quantity of works. Then desire becomes a "bellows," blowing will into a flaming determination of effort to act. You must have burning desire, flaming imagination, and let the Power do the work. Do not seek to conquer faith, but let faith be the conqueror. Let faith conquer you.

I'm a Millionaire!

This Edna Lister Bible study outline is dated May 6, 1956, Tacoma, Washington. Scripture: Philippians 4:11-13 and Philippians 4:19.

"I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." – Philippians 4:11-13.

"God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." – Philippians 4:19.

Do you believe that God is wealthy? Limitlessly so? Do you dare to proclaim, "I'm the wealthiest person in the world"? If you have no desire to say, "I'm a millionaire," then why?

First are those who say, "I would not know what to do with that much money." Others think, "Perhaps it's not meant for me. I might misuse it, do harm with it or spoil someone."

Some pray, "Do not let me have it, God, if it is wrong for me," which is tantamount to saying, "I can't trust myself." God always trusts you. The real question is, "When can I trust myself?"

Do you feel like a millionaire? The "sponge" type sops up the idea and lets it ooze out. Some will answer, "Well, I don't know what being a millionaire feels like." They have little imagination, and where dreams fail, vision perishes.

The "Why should I?" kind says, "It's so much trouble to have that much money. It's too much hard work, too much effort. The hours are too long." By being lukewarm and indifferent, you can rest yourself to death. Without action, you have no point of contact between applying what you know to what you do.

The "What would I do?" type says, "What would I do with that much money? It just seems to be a huge burden that I don't need. I don't want more responsibility." Yet you must give up self, and what self wants to do.

The "wisher" type says, "Yes, I wish I had money, but only if I did not need to change or work harder. I'd wish I were a millionaire if someone would just give me the income and take care of managing the principal."

The "off in a corner" type says, "Why would I want to be a millionaire? I'd rather have a hut on a mountainside. I want to be alone. Groups disturb me. I like to study alone, at home. I get more out of it that way." Are you afraid of new ideas? Do you like the new or the old ways best?

Why think only of money when you say, "I am a millionaire"? Wealth also means "plenty" or "lots." Anyone can be a millionaire in joy, love, understanding, compassion, tenderness, sweetness, loveliness and graciousness.

You can withdraw all the qualities and virtues from God's Bank that you possibly can pour out on your world. Form a larger vocabulary to fit your expansion of new ideas, new thinking, new pictures, new emotions.

Declare, "I am the wealthiest man/woman in the world. I am. I can. I do move onward and upward. "My new name is wealth."

Nourishing Love

This Edna Lister sermon outline is dated May 13, 1956, Tacoma, Washington. Scriptures: Matthew 5:43-48 and Matthew 13:31-33.

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." – Matthew 5:43-48.

"Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." – Matthew 13:31-33.

Mother's Day is the one day if the year when the love given is perfect. It is a way of commemorating that we have spent one year together in brooding, yearning mothering love. It has been the most fulfilling year of my life. Thank you.

Mother love is a way of life, a keynote, a pacemaker and pacesetter, nourishing and sustaining. When it is unselfish, mother love is the love of God expressed in all its purity, balanced.

We see three types of love in expression: A purely sentimental love, self-love, and devotional love of God.

Sentimental love is overly indulgent and overly demanding, weak, thin, watery and diluted. It says, "I've given the best years of my life for you." Sentimental love always thinks of itself first, and asks, "What will this do to me? How will this affect me?"

An emotional self-love always reaches, grabs and snatches what "I want." When no one meets its demands, it sits and waits, but never serenely, always with resentment and blame for someone. It controls your life, and in it, you find no freedom.

Devotional love's first thought is always of God. Dwelling in the love of God, I give up my own way. I give to others freely, and give others their freedom.

Devotional mother love asks "How will this affect my family? How will this affect my service?" — and declares, "This is good. You are right. I am joy. All is God."

Devotional love of God is a loving love, both persuasive and aggressive. Its keynote is expansive, and you never find it while sitting and waiting. It waits while serving, while working out its own salvation.

Some women fear the advantages of devotional love, because wisdom does not balance their love. Such a mother, for example, when dividing dessert among a family of five will cut only four pieces, leaving herself out. Her imbalance is not the family's fault.

She is cheating herself and damaging her family, especially the children, for she sends the message, "You can expect me to give up my fair share for no good reason." A mother must count herself as one of the family, otherwise, she is weak.

Emotional-sentimental love misuses soul substance, saying, "I want, so I take." Mental-intellectual love makes demands, saying, "I will oppose" or "I won't challenge." The spiritual Mother Love principle in balance, says, "I give up. I look up. I come up. I sacrifice the little self to give as love."

The parable of the leaven illustrates the persuasive power of mother love: "The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." – Matthew 13:33.

Mother love loves and leavens the whole family. Someday soon mother love will leaven the whole world into peace.

Mother love spreads its arms of love to take in more, catching everything. Love never cuts out or sends away, but lifts, heals and loves. It never loves in spite of, but because. Nothing can stop its flow above or below, for love must win.

Mother love is understanding, selfless, yearning, brooding, generous, sustaining, a pillar of strength. It croons, "I know," as it reaches to comfort the one in need.

Mother love covers others' transgressions, loves its enemies, does good when despitefully used, and strives to be perfect as its Father in heaven is perfect. Mother love, balanced by wisdom, knows what is best.

Solomon had the wisdom to recognize the true mother of the child claimed by another. The selfish, grasping woman agreed to have the babe cut in two, but the babe's real mother was willing to give it up to assure its life.

We can still see such love and wisdom in action. Last month, a magazine story told of a dying mother who interviewed dozens of families before choosing those to whom she gave her children.

The parable of the mustard seed illustrates the aggressive power of Mother love: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." – Matthew 13:31-32.

Mother love, backed by the Father's wisdom is balanced. Its aggressive action is always pushing up, asking up, seeking up and knocking on heaven's door.

Mother love is always timeless, measureless and limitless in its devotion. When possessed by it, you become unconquerable. Divine Mother love is never sentimental or weak, but the strongest power in the universe, gossamer and light, easy to carry, no burden at all.

A self-centered love is the heaviest burden in the world. It rides the soul with a whip and spurs, until it finally collapses of its own weight, which some call a "nervous breakdown." A selfish love is always too busy, too tired, too hurried, too self-satisfied. Its chief hallmark, self-pity, is nothing more than a sentimental love for self.

Love is an all-the-time affair. Love is a mistress whom you must serve twenty-four hours a day. It is the key to all prayer.

Love is an investment in an eternal youth annuity, which considers, contemplates and expresses only love. Wherever it goes, love concerns itself only with love, creating only love and beauty, converting all it meets into love.

The time to love is now. The love of God as Mother love, pure and undefiled, is God's universal timing.

Nourishing Love

This Edna Lister sermon transcript is dated May 13, 1956, Tacoma, Washington. Scribe: Ruth Bender Collord. Scriptures: Matthew 5:43-48 and Matthew 13:31-33.

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." – Matthew 5:43-48.

"Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." – Matthew 13:31-33.

A yearning, brooding mother love is a way of life. After we have conquered the physical frontiers, we find time for mental interests. Men become involved in the stock market, for instance. Many women become involved in organizations. A woman can do anything, for if a challenge to action confronts her, she acts.

You must grasp a keener, more conscious sense of what you express. Mother love is a nurturing love, pure and undefiled. Love comes in several grades, sentimental love, self-love, and devotional love.

Sentimental love is overly indulgent and excessively demanding for the self, which makes it weak, watery, thin and diluted. Such mothers are greedy and demanding. A child is an individual in his or her own right. Children are your teachers, your trainers, for you are forced upward into divine Mind for the answers in teaching and training them. In marital relations, sentimental love says, "I've given you the best years of my life." A self-centered love sits and waits for its prayers to be answered, then looks around for someone else on whom to park the blame. Such people are always using someone else as the scapegoat.

True mother love accepts all the blame and never seeks to escape full responsibility. The self-lover is always thinking, "How will this affect me?" They are self-indulgent.

"It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!" – Luke 17:1.

You cannot change anyone else at any time. A self-love and escaping the expression of a selfless love grows so heavy a burden on the back that it falls and the person has a "nervous breakdown."

They make excuses such as "I'm not able. I haven't had" this or that. They have sore throats, headaches, aching backs, sniffle because they're snivelers. They go to bed, but still do not rest.

Women are afraid of mother love because others would take advantage of them, and they will if you let them. The mother is the worker of the family. Yet when the full power of love, the River of Life is flowing through you, you will brood and yearn over others. Send a constant torrent of love over the "bear" of the family, and let it wipe out any sadistic desire to hurt.

The day has passed when a minister can stand behind a pulpit and expect to be taken care of financially. He must release mother love to lift, wipe out, heal and bind up all wounds, to give and be ready to give more.

When another reviles you, he gives you a gift to give the Father: When it strikes, go up in consciousness to your tower room, get out of sight, up there, and let love flow forth to wipe out the block, transgression or blow.

Love is a miracle. It is the timeless, measureless, limitless quality of your life. Love cannot understand anything but love. It converts everything into itself and lifts. Love is a choice, every hour. Ask yourself, "How am I mothering this hour?" Every hour, as it approaches, is a beautiful, golden time. Brood over it, live it and appreciate it to fill it with God's love.

Surrender to the Light and power of pure mother love. Sentimental selfish love has no added wisdom. Mother love is balanced by the Father's wisdom. Through mother love, women are leavening the whole world with peace. Today, mother love is building this peace.

Do not put a great load on one who cannot take more. Timing is necessary for everything. Living, music, art, the world all is based on timing, and the mother love of God is the tool you have with which to work out the timing. Mother love brings harmony. This mothering love of the universe holds all in place.

Yearning, brooding and giving for love of giving is mother love. Mother love is the universal timing. Pray with mother love in your heart. It is harmony. It is perfect timing. Love keeps you alert and alive. Tune into universal timing and then think of how to give more.

Promises Fulfilled

This Edna Lister Bible study outline is dated May 13, 1956, Tacoma, Washington; she also used it December 16, 1956, Cleveland, Ohio. Scripture: Luke 24:44-49.

"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 behoved 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 24:44-49.

In Jesus' last meeting with his disciples, as recorded by Luke, he charged them to preach the gospel of repentance and remission of sins in his name. "Repent" refers to your "penthouse," moving up into the city of Jerusalem, the high place, our fortress in the higher creative center, your head.

"Remission" means to turn all the way around, to return to the original place from where you descended, as a Christed one. To do so, you must "tarry in the city of Jerusalem," the city of peace.

Remember your principles of action, expression and execution to do this. Action refers to what you are doing. Your expression is how you appear while you are doing it. Execution refers to how you are doing it.

A spider has only one idea for action, to spin her web in the place of her choosing to get the best results. You choose your place. You choose your goal. You choose God. You either stick to this action with deathless determination or act in an intermittent way, lacking continuity. Some even stop and let go.

If the world tears your construction down, rebuild with more determination than ever. For what you fulfill in life is what you choose to have fulfilled by standing undismayed, and knowing that God's plan for you is unchangeable perfection.

Your expression includes your approach to life. How do you face life? Every glance, smile, frown and gesture tells the story of your approach to God and to life. If you center your life on needs, the needs multiply. If you hate life, it will provide more to hate. A life centered on promises fulfilled will multiply the miracles.

Some peoples' execution is blah, like a painting without a background. Others paint their background as sweet as honey, until they are invisible. You cannot leave the place you occupy, or send your family back as damaged goods.

Beauty stands revealed in the contrasts between light and shadow. Use the dark strokes that come to make life's highlights stand out. Then you stand out by seeking to create more beauty.

By your action, expression and execution, you fulfill the promise. "God is the upholding faith of my life. He is the hope, the foundation of my life. He is the love, which fills my creations, because I am in the city of Jerusalem."

God Gets There First

This Edna Lister sermon outline is dated May 20, 1956, Tacoma, Washington. Scripture: Matthew 6:28-34.

"Why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." – Matthew 6:28-34.

This text contains five outstanding points: "Consider the lilies, seek first the kingdom of God, His righteousness, all things shall be added," and "sufficient for the day is its own trouble." These are all in one place and we must integrate them, but how? You must commit yourself.

Today is glorious. The Power is surging through every part of you. To say, "I am weak from the Power" means that you are fighting inside to keep it out. A negative physical reaction to the Power means that self is banging at the door, "little me" is dictating.

By your works, others will know you. So what impressions are you creating? The gentle Power of life that draws the lily upward cannot cause confusion, weakness or any lack. When you claim otherwise, you are announcing to the world that you are closing out the Power, that you do not comprehend anything; you are a pretender to the throne.

The all-conquering path upward from creature to creator moves through knowing into full comprehension of divine principle. No separation is possible under comprehension. No room exists for separation.

As seasons divide the lily's life, so distinct phases of explosion, expansion and expression mark your way of conquering. The life of the lily perfectly illustrates this trinity of activity.

The lily bulb's explosion gives up its existence in darkness for life. The bulb must literally burst and let its shoot reach for light. The lily bulb's growth is its expansion. It appropriates the life around it to fuel its work of growth. The bulb's expression is its flower. Finally, it blossoms into beauty to fulfill its one idea, its mission in life.

The lily does not turn back into its stem to seek sunshine, but turns upward toward the Father of all Lights from above. The flower's praise sends sweet incense upward.

An explosion always starts the use of divine energy for something. It is energy moving. The lily bulb gives up its dull inertia in exchange for life. An explosion of soul begins to give, to love, or within the self, to take or to hate. The lily takes no thought for tomorrow, and never asks how to get to the light. It never asks where its supply for growth will come from, but just uses the energy it already has to move out and up.

During the expansion phase, you cannot will the power to do anything or make it do anything. Either approach is the use of force and results in a black out or block out. The lily does not pray and sit, but reaches out at once. It uses everything within reach of its appropriating power. In truth, you can only make way for Power to work. Use all you have now, nothing doubting, with either a conscious or unconscious knowing. The secret of success is to use what you have every minute, and never to stop working.

Your expression is to "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness." – Matthew 6:33. This means no dragging feet or anchors of self, no coddling or cuddling of the little self. Some carry "little me" piggyback from birth to the grave. Reach around and grab "me" off your own back as your firstborn sacrifice. You will always find a "ram in the bushes," just as Abraham did on Mount Moriah.

A little five-year-old girl in a poor district eavesdropped on a visiting doctor, who said, "Only a miracle can save him" about her sick brother. Hearing him speak of the need for a miracle, she emptied her piggybank and took her few coins to the corner store to buy one. She put her pennies, nickels and dimes on the counter and told the clerk, "Please, I want to buy a miracle."

The store owner could not understand her request, but a man who had been browsing leaned down and asked her what she had said. She repeated her request, and they asked why she wanted one. So she told them about her brother. The man just happened to be a great surgeon who was traveling through town. He performed the operation and saved the boy's life.

Every obstacle fills the bill of "sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Life presents you with a bill for your past due debts every hour, by the clock. You always have sufficient energy and strength to use as pennies to buy a miracle. All you need to do is to look around, reach out and appropriate new ideas, new methods and new strengths. God can and will get there first. God got to that little girl's brother first, and saved him.

God gets there first whenever you declare that you will arise and go to your Father's house, when you agree with your adversary, when you smile instead of frowning. And God always has the best and the most waiting for you.

After you seek first the kingdom, we are assured that "all things shall be added." These "things" include explosions of Light in your body, expansion of substance for your body or affairs, and expression of love enough to fulfill your mission.

Lilies love to use the energy available to them. It is not toil to make life an adventure, to seek and reach out to appropriate. Righteousness is high vision in action, to appropriate everything in sight.

To blossom is to do the greater works and gather "all things," including opportunities, new ideas and new lives for old. You will always have sufficient energy, ideas and love to meet your debts, because God gets there first.

God Gets There First

This Edna Lister sermon transcript May 20, 1956, Tacoma, Washington. Scribe: Ruth Bender Collord. Scripture: Matthew 6:28-34.

"Why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." – Matthew 6:28-34.

The text from the Gospel of Matthew outlines three steps: First, consider the lilies. Second, seek first the kingdom of God. Third, seek His righteousness and all things will be added.

In the main, we lack a relationship among all ideas and life. Thus, we do not know how to draw everything together in spiritual oneness. We do not know how to synthesize all these disparate elements into the great integration called comprehension.

The one path of life from creature to creator is a grasp of all principles as one principle. Your approach to principle cannot be as a scattered series of statements or you will achieve no solid results. All principles must mesh into one whole.

Study the lily to comprehend the principles of explosion, expansion and expression. To explode, the lily bulb must break open. The lily must give up its former life in dull darkness. Give up all the old opinions and prejudices that have sealed you into your body.

In its expansion phase, the lily grows. It appropriates all the materials it needs from whatever it finds nearest. The lily sends a shoot to the surface, seeking light for photosynthesis, and the Light, which is the Source of all life. To grow, the lily lets Light coax it to expand.

These lily lessons are critical to understand. The lily does not sit, or pray for help in doing what it is fully equipped to do. The lily never asks why it must work so hard, it just works and pushes into the Light.

Finally, the lily is ready for its full expression and blossoms into beauty. This is how it fulfills its life's mission, by letting Light work on it and through it. The lily faces the sun, its source of life and vitality. It never turns its face down into the darkness. It faces God.

In an explosion, energy starts moving. Let Power burst the bonds of opinions and prejudices, taking no thought to the self. If you do consider or pander to the self, the Power creates a blackout or blockage and you cannot remember what you wanted to do.

An explosion describes a new idea. Will you put it into action or let it lie fallow? The lily has only that one idea of growth and never ignores it. The lily's expansion never leaves a hole in the ground or in the air around it.

From earth to heaven, from birth to the grave, you let "little me" ride on your back. You listen to its suggestions of all limitations, what doctors say, and so on, when any minute you could grab it by the nape of the neck and fling it up onto a cloud of Light, saying, "You be gone! This is finished!"

Obstacles come to challenge you to increase your use of energy. Raise your hands, fingers up, as the lily pushes its shoots to the light. These are your "works," and by your works, you are known.

Smile instead of frowning at God. When you cut your finger, put it up in the Light first, declaring, "Spiritual substance cannot be cut, hurt or separated." It takes only two second to think this to God. His answer returns faster than the possible pain when you give Him a chance.

The lily toils not, neither does it spin, but it loves its work. It's fun, not work, and it works day and night. You will be like the lily when your service becomes the greatest thing in your life and you let God be first. Let Him get through first and do the work.

Righteousness is your highest soul vision in action. Righteousness is the timely appropriation of everything you need. Every idea sends forth the energy and substance needed for its growth and expression. Do not lose a second of energy or the added things: Life strength and substance.

Diversity Within Unity

This Edna Lister speech outline for the International New Thought Alliance is dated May 22, 1956, Seattle Washington. Scripture: Matthew 6:28-34.

"Why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." – Matthew 6:28-34.

From creature to creator, the all-conquering path of life leads upward, through soul-knowing into full comprehension of divine principle. No separation is possible in universal principle. All man's advancement occurs under the principles that govern the laws of life.

If we are to "consider the lilies," we must examine the three phases in the lily's life, explosion, expansion and expression. In the explosion phase, the lily gives up its life as a bulb, and splits its sheath to reach the light. Explosion, expansion and expression are the components of a trinity of activity.

In the expansion phase, the lily grows up through the darkness of earth, reaches the light and grows its greenery to support its bloom. The beautiful lily flower itself is the expression phase of its life of "works."

When the lily bulb bursts, it gives up its life to let a new life begin. Then it appropriates sustenance from the life around it to continue growing. Finally, it blossoms to fulfill its one idea, its mission, to bloom. The lily never looks back to its past, or down into the darkness of earth. Instead it works, day and night.

An explosion starts the energy moving to do something. When you have a new idea, you say, "Oh! I know!" The energy of that explosion starts moving and building.

Expansion is not willing it or making it happen. Will, in this sense, is a misuse of Power, and results in a blackout or block-out of Light and life. You can only make way to let the perfect Power do its work.

We can best describe expression as "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." – Matthew 7:20. The lily itself is the proof of the bulb's work.

Every explosion of Light brings new illumination, accompanied by an expansion of substance in our body and affairs. Your expression must be enough love, or love enough to fulfill the law.

The process is the same for all, an expression of unity within diversity. Light resolves itself into millions of rates of vibration or states of consciousness. The entire universe is composed of the one Light forming the expression of the one Mind, Substance and Power.

Love transforms you until you become Light, transfigured. Light assures you without doubt, gives you confidence without fear, and trust without variableness or shadow of turning.

The higher you climb in consciousness, the brighter you shine. Finally, your aura becomes a seamless robe of God's Shekinah glory.

God Is Triumphant

This Edna Lister sermon outline is dated May 27, 1956, Tacoma, Washington; she also used it June 17, 1956, Cleveland, Ohio. Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." – Philippians 2:5-11.

This scripture is the greatest tribute ever written of a man: He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, made himself of no reputation, had the form of a bond-servant, humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death. Jesus died an ignominious death, though he was a way-shower, a mediator who gave law and lived law until he became law. To give law is so easy. To live law until you become that law is something else.

You take five steps from our first giving of the law (talking about it) to ascending in consciousness to become law: Awareness, recognition, acceptance, surrender, and obedience. When you become a law, something within you forbids you, will not let you break it. To be equal with God is to be perfect before God.

Awareness begins with being aware that God is, to first know that God really created you in His image and likeness, and you are a joint heir to the kingdom of God, a part of God. It is not robbery to know this; therefore, I AM.

You have layers on layers of brain cells in the convolutions of your brain, each of which you awaken through experiencing many teachers and books, until you suddenly say, "I see." No one can awaken these cells by force, only though the Light from above. At the right moment, the unfolding comes for the individual and he knows that God is. This is the first consciousness of God.

The second step to your place is the recognition that you must do something about it. You really begin to understand what you need to do to make this yours. To succeed, you must "become of no reputation," taking no credit on the outer. You can never possess or own, only to let God's Power use you. Let, with no I, me, my or mine.

The third step is acceptance, in which you humble yourself, yet in full responsibility to become perfect. You must both be and do, comprehending these declarations — "I and my Father are one." – John 10:30. "The Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works." – John 14:10. "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." – John 5:30.

The fourth step is surrender of self to God, to make room to be possessed of the Light as Power. Thus, you "take the form of a bond-servant," to become the servant of all Power, love, glory and joy. You assume the form of faith, in the likeness of a man, yet expressing as a god.

The fifth step is the death of the old through being "obedient unto death." This perfection of self discipline paves your way to obedience to the laws of the Christian, the Spirit, the Christos or Christ consciousness.

The laws of the Christian involve thinking about it and planning to become. The laws of the Spirit are to pray, to lift and to give. The Christos laws all lead you to become unselfish.

Being stuck in the ruts of opinions, prejudices and crystallized ideas stops you from attaining the full stature of the Christ. When you lift your life's vitality into the strength of God, you can change your body, emotions, mind, thoughts and disposition.

It is not robbery to ascend to that creative point of Power in which you find the stillness of love, poise, glory and radiance.

Joyous Laughter

This Edna Lister Bible study outline is dated May 27, 1956, Tacoma, Washington. Scripture: Matthew 6:19-21.

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

Wherever you fix your center of attention, there your life will be used. It matters not whether it is soul attention, self attention, need attention, or abundant supply attention.

You have and do exercise either soul confidence or self confidence. Self confidence turns its head away under stress and in meeting obstacles. Soul confidence moves up in consciousness showing faith unconquerable under stress and delay.

Self attention grows grim-looking when thwarted, and pushes away love. It seeks the world's darkness, saying, "That's not mine. Nobody loves me."

The Master's new name is Joy. The key to open the joy vibration is praise. Praise creates. Praise fuels the law of increase. No one who is able to belly laugh ever has ulcers. Ulcers are made from gloomy frowns of dissatisfaction and blame.

Grimness is a handicap because it closes the door. Grimness squeezes the life from an individual, family, office or group. When a dour face walks into the room, everyone then feels guilty for laughing.

A dreary attitude closes off the vibrations of health and wealth until the vibration dies. Everything cycles in a circle. What you send out must return to you because it is yours, and you are always sending some vibration into the world.

Gloominess and frowns are big nothings, blanks in vibration. When you send nothing out, nothing returns. Your vibration dies.

Praise creates joy, Praise is the magnet that draws your own to you. Praise opens the door to life from above, and to life's outer expression.

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone.
– Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Do you weep grimly? You must have burning desire to achieve, flaming imagination, and constancy in your use of the now.

I AM now ready to receive. Are you? Are you ready to receive a new position, new salary, new life, new health, new friends, new supply, new love?

Solitude
Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone.
For the sad old earth must borrow it's mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air.
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go.
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all.
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life's gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.
There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a long and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.
– Ella Wheeler Wilcox

The Soul's Aspiration

This Edna Lister sermon outline is dated June 17, 1956, Cleveland, Ohio. Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." – Philippians 2:5-11.

God is still doing business at the same old stand. We know that God is always there, yet we aspire because we live under a triumphant God. We could not aspire toward a God who limps.

Our work has two phases of expression: We teach God as principle and personality. God speaks as personality through personality to personality.

How can anyone read this chapter of the Letter to the Philippians and not recognize the Christ? Paul paid tribute to Jesus, whom he had never known, and made these admonitions 2,000 years ago, which we need again now.

Jesus epitomized four qualities: He had no reputation, he was a servant, he humbled himself, and he was obedient to the point of death. These qualities describe a soul who walks the Via Christa, the Way of Christ.

Holy Week had to happen. Jesus had to overcome the world, and live up to everything he had revealed through his teachings. Nothing about him was weak. He was triumphant over death.

We, in turn, must apply five states of being to walk the Via Christa: Awareness, recognition, acceptance, surrender, and obedience.

First, be aware that you are God's sons and daughters, which is the first Christed consciousness, not robbery to be equal with God. You must become as perfect as your heavenly Father, if you declare equal rights with Him.

Yet pride is the greatest danger you face. You are not equal with God when you use His Light as Power, but merely exalt your squinched-up self.

You may not use the law, which is robbing God. Jesus robbed God of nothing, for the Light of God flowed forth as Power, and used him. Jesus stood as perfectly as his Father in heaven.

You fail to recognize God if you do nothing about becoming perfect. So you must recognize your path of life, ways to cooperate with God, and take on your responsibility to become perfect.

To have no reputation does not mean you must lose your reputation, but to seek none in this world. The perfect servant says, "I take no credit." You may not use the Power, though Power is free.

You are the instrument on which Power plays its symphonies when you declare and live in perfection in all ways, in all your affairs. God gives and gives. He always says yes, even when you say, "I'm weak."

Do you apply discernment, discrimination, and discretion to compare a new law with every other law when you study? You are not really studying unless you correlate all these laws into an orderly working whole.

The third step is acceptance. Jesus humbled himself when he said, "my Father works," which means that the Power does the work and God gets the credit. You may be the mouthpiece of the Power, but you never use it; you release it.

"I think" sounds nothing like the Master. Say, "I think" to the heavenly Councils and they say, "Thou hast said."

Every human is a step-down transformer for Power. Your nerves are like the wiring that connects every cell in God's Creation. You shut off the Power if you cut off the master switch to God's powerhouse, and your nerves act up when you break the circuit. Turn off the power generating plant and no one must tell the town that the power is off.

Some people are proud of their so-called nervous sensitivity. They hover without persevering, and suffer their way back to the Source.

A "nervous breakdown" is hovering on the brink of disaster, but few people lose their bodies from it. Honesty admits you are too lazy to ascend to the mercy seat when you are nervous.

Jesus surrendered and took upon himself the form of a servant of all Power, which led him to greater glory. The magnitude of your surrender sets the capacity of your equipment, and equals your Power station's potential.

What do you choose? Is it so inhibiting to credit the Love of God for operating your Power generator? God, who made you in His image and likeness, says, "Come." He is not delaying you.

Jesus was obedient unto death. Who on the outside, doctors or professionals, can heal your body unless you live up to God's laws and believe God can heal you of anything?

Man created doctors and their pills, so if you use them, you ought to remember that God created them and you. Aspiration will take you to their Creator and you will have a miracle.

Sticks and stones may break my bones
But names will never hurt me.
– Mrs. George Cupples

You can use that nursery rhyme to be equal with God, to be as perfect as His Love, Power and Light. God can never be hurt. Nothing can stop Him. You are going home, whether you want to or not, no matter how.

Grab yesterday's lines of responsibility and hold them across the abyss to unveil tomorrow's glory. Stand and declare that as far as you recognize your responsibility to become and to know, you are the servant of all Power.

The "mind that was in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5) will flow through you when nothing can make you say, "I," only "we" or "God is the One."

You will enter that glory and speak the Word, knowing. Anything is possible to one who believes and loves enough.

The Soul's Aspiration

This Edna Lister sermon transcript is dated June 17, 1956, Cleveland, Ohio. Scribe: Ruth Johnson. Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." – Philippians 2:5-11.

God is still doing business at His same old stand. God is always there. Nevertheless, because we live under a triumphant God, we aspire. Yet, we cannot aspire toward a limping God. So, we have two phases to our work: we teach God as both principle and as personality.

How can one read the second chapter of Philippians and not recognize Christ? Paul gave the admonitions of this Scripture two thousand years ago and we need them again now. Paul paid tribute to Jesus, whom he had never known.

This is the Via Christa, the Way of Christ. Jesus epitomized these four character traits: He had no reputation, he was a servant, he humbled himself and he was obedient unto death. Holy Week had to happen. He had to overcome all he had revealed through his teachings. Nothing about him was weak. He was triumphant, even over death.

To walk the Via Christa you apply five states of being — awareness, recognition, acceptance, surrender and obedience.

The first awareness of Christ consciousness is becoming aware that you are the son or daughter of God, not robbing to be equal with God. Yet, pride is the greatest danger you face. Eventually, you must become as perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

You can give the law to others, but not for selfish reasons, for that is robbing God. Jesus robbed God of nothing. The Light of God flowed through and used him while he stood as perfectly as his Father in Heaven was perfect.

If you declare equal rights with God, you must become perfect as He is perfect. When you use Power, you are not equal with God, but merely display your squinched-up self. You do not recognize God when you do nothing about becoming perfect. So, learn to recognize ways to cooperate with God. Recognize your path of life and take on your responsibility to become perfect.

To have no reputation does not mean you must lose your reputation. When you study a law, you must consider it with discrimination, discretion and discernment, and with every other law. You are not truly studying unless you relate all the laws you have learned.

Make your byline, "I take no credit." You cannot use the Power. Power is free. You are the instrument upon which Power plays its symphonies when you declare and live in perfection. Then you are perfect in all ways, in all your affairs. God gives and gives. He always says yes. He says yes, too, when you say, "I'm weak."

The third step is acceptance. Jesus humbled himself when he said, "My Father worketh hitherto." The Power does the work and God gets the credit. You are the mouthpiece of the Power, but you may not use it. Anytime you say, "I think," you do not sound like the Master. Approach the Councils saying, "I think," and they will respond, "Thou hast said."

Nerves are the wires that connect each cell to God's creation. A nervous breakdown is hovering on the brink of being disconnected. If you turn off the master switch, the Power is shut off. It is just like shutting down the power a generating plant produces. No one needs to tell the town that the power is off.

Nerves act up when you turn off the master switch to God's powerhouse. Some people are proud of their nervous sensitivity. Yet very few lose their bodies through a nervous breakdown. Those who aspire hover, but do not persevere — thus they suffer their way back to the Source. When you are nervous, admit you are too lazy to ascend to the Mercy Seat.

Jesus surrendered and took upon himself the form of a servant of all the Power. This led him to greater glory. The size of your surrender is the size of your equipment, which equals the capacity of your Power station.

What is your choice? God says, "Come." He is not delaying you. God made you in His image and likeness. Is it so inhibiting to give the love of God the credit for your operation?

Jesus was obedient unto death. Who on the outside, doctors or professionals, can tell you what you can do with your body if you live up to the laws of God and believe God can heal you of anything?

Sticks and stones may break my bones
But names will never hurt me.
– Mrs. George Cupples

You can use a nursery rhyme to be equal with God, to be as perfect as His Power, Love and Light. God can never be hurt. Nothing can stop Him. You are going home, whether you want to or not, no matter how.

Grab yesterday's lines of responsibility and hold them across the abyss for tomorrow's glory. Stand and declare that as far as you recognize your responsibility to become and to know, you are the servant of all Power.

With self gone, nothing can make you say, "I." When you say, "we," or "God is the One," the mind that was in Christ Jesus will flow through you.

Enter that glory and speak the Word, knowing the truth of it. Then you need not ask the doctor. Man created doctors and their pills. If you use these things, recognize that God created both the doctors and the drugs.

Aspiration will take you to their Creator and you will have your miracle. Anything is possible to one who believes and loves God enough.

The Soul's Inspiration

This Edna Lister sermon outline is dated June 24, 1956, Cleveland, Ohio. Scripture: Matthew 6:28-33.

"Why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." – Matthew 6:28-33.

To inspire means to draw in, to appropriate the Life of God. The all-conquering path upward from lowest to highest, creature to creator, moves from inspiration through knowing into full comprehension. No separation of your life from God's life is possible under comprehension of His truth.

Let us consider the lily's life, which shows three outstanding phases from the planting of the bulb to the flowering of the blossom. First is the explosion, which means to give up your life of self and to let God's life take charge. Second is the expansion phase, in which the lily grows. Finally, the expression phase comes, which results in the flow, and means "to fulfill." This perfectly expresses a trinity of action, to let, to expand and to fulfill.

A lily bulb has only one idea, one mission in life, to become a lily. It does not turn back into its former state of being to fulfill itself, but turns steadily upward and outward toward the Father of all Lights. By its "works," which are growing into flowering, you know the lily.

By an explosion from within, the soul unfolds to love and begins to desire to give of its inner nature, The self, on the other hand, can only explode in the desire to take and to hate. Either way, the explosion starts the divine energy moving to become something. Ideally, the idea behind such an explosion is to give up old forms for new, a transmutation in the physical form as the individual is reborn under new illumination.

The lily takes no thought for tomorrow, and ever asks why, where or when. The lily never asks, "How do I get to the Light? Where will I get my supply? How long will it take me to reach the Light?" The lily never says, "Look at me God! I'm trying!" It just begins using atomic energy to climb out of the darkness. It gives up dark inertia for a life of action.

You cannot make or will God's Power to work as expansion — either way is the use of energy, or force. The result is a blackout or block-out. The lily does not sit and pray and wait. It reaches out with appropriating tendrils, seeking what it needs for moving higher. It can only make way for the Power to work.

The secret of success is to let God do the work through you, every minute. Expression puts God first with no foot-dragging anchors, no coddling or cuddling "little me." Where is "me" in your life? Are you carrying it piggy-back? Reach around, grab that firstborn and sacrifice it. Just as when Abraham sacrificed his firstborn, a ram is always in the bushes.

Sufficient unto the day are both payments for charge accounts and supply from God's Bank of Power to cover all debts and the day's needs.

The Soul's Inspiration

This Edna Lister sermon transcript is dated June 24, 1956, Cleveland, Ohio. Scribe: Ruth Johnson. Scripture: Matthew 6:28-33.

"Why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." – Matthew 6:28-33.

All Creation aspires to ascend from the lower kingdoms to God. To inspire is to breathe, ascend, and appropriate the life of God, which is our work of soul ascension.

As a soul, you have invested three phases of subconscious mind in three grades of substance — the cellular physical body with its appetites, the emotional life of desires, and imagination, the mental life. You move from inspiration to full knowing comprehension as you ascend from creature to creator consciousness, yet you cannot comprehend unless Wisdom and Love are in balance.

You reach comprehension when you break through the barrier of intellectual knowing to do, apply and become law. Once you comprehend law, you realize that you simply cannot use words that create darkness.

Many metaphysical movements have labored under the misconception that they must deny evil. God never denies, but always says yes. Nothing is separate from the life of God, and the soul should appropriate life from God totally, minus the selectivity of self.

You will see no separation when you comprehend, and say, "This is good," no matter what. If you splash in a pool of darkness, declare it a good, beautiful pool to cleanse self from soul, and it becomes perfect.

The law of growth encompasses three great phases of the love of God — explosion, expansion and expression. Jesus asks us to consider the life of a lily to understand how the law of growth operates.

You may credit the lily only for waiting, but it operates under the law of explosion, comprehends what it must become, gives up its life and lets God express through it as it. Letting is one of the highest, most divine activities in the universe, the heart of the law of nonresistance, which continually flows through everything as the River of Life.

The lily has just that one idea, to become a perfect lily under the law of explosion. Yet who wants to live by only one idea?

To expand is to grow, but you do not want to expand in the wrong form, outside the image and likeness of God. First you comprehend the original idea of God that is in you, then you express it. To comprehend is to want to be as perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.

The lily bulb appropriates all the life of God available to it. It does not complain because its place is dark, but expands until it grows a flower that expresses its lily soul. The lily thinks nothing of its clothing, but works like heck to produce it. You must work this way, too. For instance, people are crying for peace, but must strive to overcome the small minority that is against peace.

The Source is more powerful as you draw near it. A rebirth, under the law of explosion, is ascending from the creature to the creator god class, and signifies becoming. For instance, how much atomic radiation, which is composed of the white Christ Light, do you want to breathe for ascension? You raise the vibration in the electrons, atoms, molecules and cells when you breathe atomic power. You cannot escape it or ignore it. Denial is not growth, but expansion is.

You, as the Elect, must apply what you have learned about the fallout from atomic bombs to raise the vibration of earth cells, and the minds and hearts of men. Medicine is using radiation to kill tumors and germs, giving doctors the chance to make new medications, especially to cure leprosy and skin diseases. We are bringing the prophecies in the Book of Revelation to pass through science and technology.

Why coddle or carry the "little me" piggyback so it can push you into what it wants you to do? Take it by the nape of the neck and put it in the fire of purification to become your perfect servant. Putting God first is seeking the kingdom of heaven first. Agree with your adversary quickly. Accept whatever comes instantly as yours to lift, no matter what. Don't take it into yourself before you lift it.

Some people say that their spine feels "shattered" when Light as Power descends. If you think you are weak, you feel guilty, which makes you weak. God's Light cannot weaken you — His Power makes you strong. Others say their spine tingles when they pray, so they quit and consign themselves to the frozen class. If you just continue ascending, you'll feel the first explosion of the mental body lotus centers opening.

Decide what kind of God you are worshiping. Suffer up, on a cloud of Light, if you want to suffer. You have free choice. Power strengthens you. Declare, "I am the glory of God made manifest this hour. I am the finished, fulfilled, completed miracle now." Ask for Power to increase when you awaken in the morning. The Power hurts only when it moves through a frozen sacrum plexus.

Each cell, molecule, atom and electron becomes more beautiful. The explosion of Light originates in the fire body, causing the electrons to zing, inviting greater atomic power. The molecules and cells must make room for this new and greater power to operate. When you no longer feel the Power physically, you have become that Power.

As we close out the Armageddon, God permits the Elect no new false creations, but each is still responsible for the old. Grab yesterday's lines of Light, take them to tomorrow, and rejoice. The great guardian angels may not allow any soul to live by uncontrolled self any longer. Those on your lines of Light and responsibility cannot ascend if you continue to create new messes.

The Guards gather your negativity and work to hold you. Never drop your lines of Light to the world. Lift them. Each of the Elect has a Great Guard, who coils his charge's sagging lines around the soul's Oversoul star. When you lift the lines, the person is drawn up to his star, and the Father returns his Oversoul substance purified.

Your worst favorites shine brightest when you comprehend God with no sense of separation. As you ascend, becoming the Power of God expressing, you see only good. Say, "Come forth!" to the Light within the embodied soul to confound any evil thinking.

The explosion of life in the lily's bulb, which transmutes its form into the image and likeness of God, is a simile for you. Never believe that you have ascended high enough. You cannot avoid expanding as Light transforms your atoms, but it can and will transmute you into glory supreme. We, as God's Elect, are flowing home together in the River of Life.

An Ambassador of Love

This Edna Lister speech outline for the International New Thought Alliance 41st Congress, is dated July 5, 1956, Washington, D.C. Scriptures: Matthew 16:19, Romans 8:38-39, and Philippians 2:5-11.

"I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." – Matthew 16:19.

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." – Romans 8:31-39.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." – Philippians 2:5-11.

An ambassador is a person who represents a nation or a ruler, carrying a message of peace and good will, or pride and hate. We are the Father's representatives on earth, and as ambassadors of His Love, we represent what we are within.

There are as many keys of the kingdom as laws in the Bible, and as many paths as schools of truth. You can use your key to open the kingdom of love, or to lock the door. Any personal philosophy of the Christ life will open this kingdom of love. Yet, from the first creature standing upright on its feet, from the first breath of aspiration toward something greater than the self to worship, to the fulfilling creator, the soul must obey the law of forgiveness.

You cannot ascend into the kingdom of love with a guilt complex, or wearing a hair shirt over your past failures to obey law. Nor may you force guilt or blame on another soul.

Forgiveness has three distinct phases. First, pardon your enemies until you know that you have no enemies left anywhere. Only when you completely forget the enemy idea can you begin to forgive yourself. Give yourself Light, love, power and joy instead of the past less-than-good.

So, first you say, "I'll forgive him. But he'd better not do it again." Here, looking up to the Cross of Calvary, you first loosen the self from earth, which breaks earth's gravitational pull and ushers in the first soul freedom. The first step is as tiny as a baby's first word or toddling. As a Chinese proverb says, a journey of ten thousand miles begins with the first step.

The whole kingdom of love is based on growth, when you look upward. When you look downward, it squeezes you. You cannot apply that first loosening on earth without shifting your focus from within self, and fixing it on the cross. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Seeing the Lord's sacrifice is a great step up in comprehension.

The third step in forgiveness is to say, "Father, forgive me, lest I cause my brother to stumble. Forgive me, as I have forgiven my debtors, as I pour of the love of God, breaking through the sonic barrier of intellect and the personal use of will." When you cover others' transgressions, the divine fire of God will consume yours.

No matter what catastrophe appears to be on the way, God can always get there first through you. Any soul can move through the three stages of forgiveness, surrender to be possessed by the love of God, and stand in unwavering boldness on the rock of unconquerable faith to open that door.

The question is, Who is taking you where? Little self, binding you, taking a free piggyback ride, weighing you down to earth all your life? Or super-conscious I AM, ascending into the heavenly kingdom of love, into faith unconquerable, loosening your life from earth bondage and darkness?

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." – Philippians 2:5-6. When you live by the love of God, it is not robbery to be one with Him. When you live by self, you do rob God of an ambassador of love. What you have loosed on earth is loosed in heaven.

Be one with God. Love becomes your timing on earth, and the time is always now. This love is the atomic substance of all universes. God's love is forever triumphant.

An Ambassador of Love

This Edna Lister sermon transcript is dated July 8, 1956, Cleveland, Ohio. Scribe: Ruth Johnson. Scriptures: Matthew 16:19 and Romans 8:31-39.

"I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." – Matthew 16:19.

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." – Romans 8:31-39.

An ambassador is a person whom you send in your stead. Ambassadors represent a nation or a ruler, and may carry a message of peace and good will, or pride and hate. We are the Father's representatives on earth, and as ambassadors of His love, we represent what we are within our own soul.

We must envision the keys of the kingdom, which God has given us. We find as many keys of the kingdom as laws in the Bible, and as many paths to God as schools of truth. You can use your key to open the kingdom of love, or to lock the door. Any personal philosophy of the Christ life will open this kingdom of love.

The first consideration in ascension is usually, "How am I affecting the world?" The Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you," is a law of forgiveness that applies to the greatest and smallest of life's affairs. We would have no more war if nations applied the Golden Rule. Imagine how pleasant the rush hour would become if we applied it in traffic.

Those at the creature level of consciousness only may disobey the Golden Rule, for at all other levels, to forgive means to give love for — to forget is to get love for. So, your mandate as an ambassador is to get love from God, and give it to the world.

When offenses come, so many people say, "I forgive him, but he'd better never do it again," which reflects only a thimbleful of love. Until you recognize that something out there needs forgiving, you cannot discern the same need in yourself. Later, you see that you may not blame anyone else either. As an ambassador, you must become the law of forgiveness.

Consider, for example, stealing: You never steal if you have become the law on honesty, yet you do not brag about your virtue, or accuse another. You never boast when you have become a law, for you are that law. Like a puzzle, God combines many small elements to make the big picture of law.

The second step in forgiveness is, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," which is the first true ascension of soul, the first overcoming of the gravitational pull of the world mind that draws you into negativity.

Yet, when you continue to recognize that the other fellow is wrong, you break this protective barrier and fix your eye on the cross of crucifixion. Those who saw Jesus on the cross, even those who hated him, could never erase the image from their consciousness.

If you cannot bring yourself to forgive an offender against your sensibilities, you can at least lift him high on a cloud of Light so you will not stumble over him. When forgiveness becomes a habit, you begin to say, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" – Romans 8:35.

The third step is, "Father, forgive me for having caused my brother to stumble." Here you understand the true meaning of "You have forgiven my debts as I have forgiven my debtors."

Perhaps you know a truly evil one, a person so foul you cannot even consider forgiving or forgetting what he's done. By persisting, you hide him in your mental corners, feed him your suspicion and distrust, and he can work to do great harm in the darkness. Declare him good, promote him into the Light to open his soul to Light, and he ascends. You can overcome all chicanery this way.

God cannot promote you until you declare the enemy's promotion. Believe this — know that God knows what your would-be enemy's promotion should be. Your promotion depends on your faith and how much you love God. Love wins when you comprehend that God's unconquerable faith moves through your healing prayer.

As an ambassador of God's love, you must forgive and forget until nothing but love remains. Apply the law of forgiveness to ascend to the Kingdom of Love. Love God enough.

Nor Shadow of Turning

This Edna Lister sermon outline is dated July 15, 1956, Cleveland, Ohio. Scriptures: James 1:5-8 and James 1:17.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." – James 1:5-8.

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

"The Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" paints a portrait of steadfastness, something to hold fast to. Only one quality could hold this unwavering glory — love. James says that we may ask anything of God "in faith, nothing wavering." But how do we reach this point of faith? How do we find this place of unalterable faith?

First we must unfold three words — righteousness, redemption and sanctification. Righteousness is vision in action as love. Redemption is transmutation through love. Sanctification is the infiltration of love.

Now what is love? It is the love of God, not self-love. Love is the art of being agreeable, cooperative. The love of God must have a vehicle through which to express, a personality — love must have you.

Righteousness is a state of getting right with God. But how can you get right with God and be all wrong with your self? It cannot be done. If you pile truth on top of self, your whole edifice will blow over in the first gale. If you have no cooperation within yourself, between self and soul, you can have no real cooperation with God.

Subconscious mind, rooted in self, is always at war with conscious mind, rooted in the soul. If a battle, a conflict rages day and night, soul is ravaged, torn apart. For example, you want to stop a habit such as smoking. You make a law when you say, "I cannot ascend unless I give up smoking."

Your declaration starts an immediate violent chain reaction: Desire increases, the nerves react through the whole body until appetitive soul prowls, restless and miserable. You find your self with a lit cigarette in hand, with no recollection of having lighted it. Habit lights the cigarette, a perfect example of self putting one over on soul.

You ask, "What shall I do?" Cooperate with the habit. Consciously light the cigarette, saying, "Baby, here's your pacifier. Be sure you enjoy this now because I am giving it up. I AM is ascending to be free. I am putting you in training pants and cutting off your curls."

Redemption means "to be delivered from." To redeem means "to pick up, to buy back, to recover by payment." Buy back your divine heritage. The payment is to hear law, to heed law and to obey the law of loving God enough to transmute self through loving God. "Mutation" means "to change." "Trans" means to carry over the good into new life.

When the same lesson comes repeatedly, you have never fully learned it. On the other hand, you can bury it so deeply that it becomes a subconscious record, played nightly, leaving a sense of dread. Appetitive soul covers it from the conscious mind in the morning, thus recreating the same episode. Yet you can also recreate the old episode by repeating it to another, thus setting the stage for it to recur. Transmute this "same old story" into Light through love.

Sanctification is the complete infiltration of love to permeate the physical body atoms, to pervade family and affairs, to penetrate all darkness, to be possessed by the Holy Spirit, completely wiping it out for healing. Whenever you breathe the white Light of the Christ, you are possessed by atomic power. To sanctify means "to make pure" or "free," to let go of anything dark and let Love move in to possess you.

Do you know what God's gift is? All good. The size and quality of your approach determines your result. What is the size of your approach to God? How much is your idea of God's all? If your approach is stingy, small and adulterated by selfish thinking, wild imagination and a stagnant emotional life, your faith is weak and ineffectual.

You always are cooperating with either self or soul. You can build miracles from your flaming desire and deathless determination to become love enough. Be a lifting challenge to all the "old," which you redeem and make into pure, glorious freedom of unconquerable faith, with no wavering, "no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

Nor Shadow of Turning

This Edna Lister sermon transcript is dated July 15, 1956, Cleveland, Ohio. Scribe: Ruth Johnson. Scriptures: James 1:5-8 and James 1:17.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." – James 1:5-8.

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

James' insight on stability and steadfastness gives a complete picture of our rock solid foundation in God when we ask in faith, with no wavering. These verses paint the portrait of an understanding God. Having sent us forth with free will, He considered what we must conquer, but admonishes us to use our faith without wavering.

Mind must have us as a vehicle to use. We are the vehicles for the expression of God's life. "Ye are gods," and your body is the temple of the living God. Love is both the substance of your vehicle, and the art of being agreeable.

Many begin to agree with God and adjust to others because they cannot stand disharmony, which is not a selfish expression, but love as firm, unalterable principle. Love knows the Godly art of saying nothing but yes. You must cooperate, too.

You cannot reach unalterable unconquerable faith by following old teachings, so you will need to add great new love-factors to lift your rebellious subconscious inhibitions. Apply righteousness, redemption and sanctification to infiltrate self, renew your heavenly responsibility, and reach unconquerable faith.

Righteousness is vision in action as love. Redemption is transmutation through love. Sanctification is the infiltration of love. When you bring righteousness, redemption and sanctification into your present, they carry you into the future.

Righteousness means "the state of becoming right," with God, family, income and everything in your world. Righteousness is a state of perfection, a process of making your cells, nerves and the subconscious work in harmony.

You cannot maintain rightness with God in a raging inferno of inner conflict. So, cooperate with love to lift and align everything in your life into righteousness. For instance, how do you break a habit? Not by using force. The world is becoming conscious that we must curtail smoking, and reports about lung cancer frightened many people from the smoking habit.

You create a chain reaction in every cell and nerve of the body, and the subconscious, when you make a dynamic vow of "I won't do this anymore," and it can be devastating. You may think you are conquering, but the subconscious push of appetitive soul makes you awaken daily with the same habit.

Loving is the art of agreeing and cooperating, so cooperate with a habit. Let I AM consciousness light the cigarette and say, "Here is your pacifier, baby. I am going home. Enjoy it while you can, because soon I will remove your diaper and cut off your curls." Be dynamic, but cooperate with self without forcing. You can conquer self-pity the same way. Go weep alone while you must, but do not bother others.

You can help God two ways: Carry your torch into dark places to shatter darkness, which is sanctification, and lift situations into a state of righteousness with God and yourself, which is redemption.

Redemption is the transmutation of negatives. Mutations are changes of form, emotion and thought. To redeem is to pick up, pay back or make payment for something. An inner conflict cannot pay you dividends or cover spiritual debts. You redeem a negative emotion, habit or debt when you decide you have had enough of it. For instance, make a declaration of perfection for your eyes, but continue loving your glasses.

Your work is your service, and you ascend on agreement and righteousness. Start earning your love dividends right now. Agree with God, stand in Light so that Power can permeate you, and release more Light on your debts. Trust God to cover today's needs while you lift yesterday's darkness.

They wore long faces in the early church, and dressed poorly to appear moth-eaten so others would call them sanctified. To sanctify means to make pure, and permeated by the River of Life. So permeate your loved ones with love.

We have each experienced being swatted repeatedly by the same lesson, often by the same person, several times a year. You see this in family gatherings at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the holidays. Some people dramatize the latest negative event in their lives, reliving it until they build a new monster vibration worse than the first.

The self-righteous believe they are so right with God that they forget to lift a situation. Yet, the subconscious, full of self-pity, recreates the negative and creates a new inner conflict. You have no good reason to entertain inner conflicts.

It behooves you to make a kicking machine for your double-mindedness and instability, lest you forget what God is. You may not condemn or force yourself or others. Whether you have taken Light into dark places while pursuing sanctification and redemption, or failed a test, put the situation on a cloud, lift it and love it into God's perfection.

Remember the good things, not the negatives. Dramatize the good, talk about only the funny, the joyous, and you so infiltrate family and friends with Light so that they forget to do what they did before.

You cannot sanctify your life, and remain an empty vessel. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, or shadow of turning." – James 1:17. All omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, unlimited wisdom, power, love, joy, acceptance, surrender, and cooperation are yours when you seek first His kingdom of righteousness. All answers are available, if you listen.

You are a joint heir in God's kingdom, but must pay your spiritual debts to redeem your inheritance. What is your approach to God's gifts? "According to your faith let it be to you" is a law. Your faith is weak and ineffectual if your technique is stingy and selfish. Hold steadfastly and firmly, with no wavering under the limitless Power of God's gifts.

Ascend into the glory of God and soul freedom. Let unconquerable faith hold you stable and unwavering as a rock, while Oversoul Christ consciousness asks in faith, without wavering. Let there be no shadow of turning from God in your consciousness as your unconquerable faith knows that "Today is my day of finished, fulfilled, completed miracles."

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