Lent, and Jesus’ Temptations in the Wilderness

After his baptism by John, “Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.”—Luke 4:1-2.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and ends on Good Friday. Lent is a forty-day period of fasting, symbolically imitating Jesus’ fast in the wilderness, where Satan tempted him. The observation of Lent was an established tradition by about 331 a.d., according to the “Festal Letters” of St. Athanasius.

Coming forth from the wilderness, Jesus began to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah: “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”—Matthew 4:16-17. Jesus emphasized the need for repentance.

On the Via Christa, Lent is the season of joyful repentance, expressed in forty days of fasting, not from foods or luxuries, but by sacrificing negative expressions of the self and appetitive soul. Repentance is not merely the act of turning to God, but of returning to God completely, to walk the Via Christa.

We believe that the way Jesus lived his life is the way we must strive to live. The events of his life, the challenges to faith he faced, metaphorically symbolize the kinds of events and challenges that we must face as well. Forty-day periods are common biblically, signifying a completed cycle.

To better understand the full implications of Lenten fasting, read about Moses’ leadership of the Israelites in the wilderness (first for forty days, then for forty years; Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), and Jesus’ forty-day fast in the wilderness following his baptism by John (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:1-2, and Luke 4:1-13). During Lent, we also recommend study of and pondering the meaning of the fourteen Stations of the Cross.








Edna Lister on Lent and the Lenten Questionnaires

Have I kept my silence?

Have I kept all my vows?

Have I treated my body as a temple of the living God?

Have I instantly held every thought, emotional desire, imagination up in the Light?

Have I instantly turned on the Light for all darkness?

Have I given my days to God at night as He gave them to me in the morning?

—Edna Lister, Lenten Questionnaire, March 16, 1936.


Repentance includes reviewing your past life taking stock, and holding executive sessions to gain a just estimate of self.

Sacrifice makes way for lifting more self, and room for more Light to balance your soul.

Your vows are solemn promises, the clauses of your contract with God, an oath you make to God to honor your contract.—Edna Lister, Lenten Preparation, February 6, 1937.


Each soul taint has a brood of offspring. For example, hate produces anger, intemperance, intolerance, irritation, and impatience. Revenge begets an attitude of I’ll get even, I’ll show him!

Jealousy gives rise to criticism, pride, and condemnation—and produces envy, scorn, seeking to reap where we have not sown, self-pity, desire to possess attributes, qualities. Greed is possession of things, but can also be for possession of clear seeing, prophecy, and heaven.

Am I ever hateful?

Am I ever revengeful?

Am I ever jealous?

Am I ever envious?

Am I ever greedy?

Am I living my life in heaven, or on earth?

Can I express these attitudes, emotions in both directions?

You have twelve soul virtues, born of love, to express and to work for:

Have I given understanding?

Have I been all purity of Light?

Have I blown out the Light of another?

Have I expressed only graciousness in all places and ways to all people at all times?

Have I expressed only charity at home? In my business? In all my service?

Have I been instantly, willingly and eagerly obedient to all God’s laws?

Have I forgiven all my debtors and myself?

Have I shown Mastery in my gratitude?

How many hours of praise and devotion have I offered?

How much Power is my rod of faith conducting into my life and affairs?

Am I always fully compassionate?

What kind of empathy do I express, and to whom, self or to all?

Is tolerance my detriment and a delusion? Am I proud of my tolerance? Anything you are conscious of being is your delusion.

Am I a Master of all Wisdom? Mastery is to be so sure of truth, God’s laws and principles to be able instantly to stand against anything, anywhere, unmovable, inevitable, supreme, above all doubt, fear, pettiness.

Am I a living expression of justice? Am I always just with myself and to others?

What shall I sacrifice for my ascension? What worldly thing is worth holding onto?

What vows shall I make?

—Edna Lister, Lenten Questionnaire, February 6, 1937.


You must constantly inventory self and soul during Lent. Ask yourself,

How much progress have I made?

How have I used my spare time?

What have I allowed to wear on my nerves?

How much less do I have to overcome this year?

Will my vows take me to the highest Source?

Do my vows make me feel happier?

Are my vows aiding me in lifting the people and situations around me?

—Edna Lister, Why We Observe Lent, March 6, 1938.


What is your heart’s choice and desire, even now? What shall be given you as a gift of God? What shall be added unto you as a gift of men? Look to your own mind and heart, then choose what your need is of God and of men.

God, the Father, has decreed that all Light as Substance is released now. How are you using it, thinking it, emoting it, picturing it, acting it, speaking it, mouthing it? How are you creating with the Father’s Power and Substance?

How is it with your soul’s desire? Much depends on this. Are you ready for a greater climb? Are you strong enough for greater mountain peaks? The way is full glorious and the way is bright, yet steep. There is a price for this. Have you the price in your heart and mind to pay?

Can you stand before the high altars and declare fulfillment of all your vows? Do your choice and desires take you higher? Are you willing to climb higher? Are you ready to lay down more of self? Is it your soul’s desire that your self must also pay an even greater price? Do you care to follow our Lord and Master higher?—Edna Lister, Lenten Questionnaire, January 23, 1939.


Lent is the time to accept ever greater responsibility for sacrificing the little self. You cannot gain greatly for less than surrender of all self, and you do gain greatly for the surrender of self. The task for Lenten work is to let go of all that limits your soul vision and your perfect hearing of the Master’s voice. To let go slightly is not enough. Let go fully, completely, and the full reward shall come. Your reward shall be great.

Therefore, be perfect in your love, praise, and in desire to be perfect, here and now. Be perfect in your continuous release of Power. So shall the rewards you have sought be released unto you. The measure of Light you mete to the Father and to your fellow man will be the measure of your reward, for the Law says, To each shall be given even as he gives.—Edna Lister, January 29, 1939.


Use these statements through Lent to build a vibration of lifting for the world:

My yoke hath become the yoke of Light and love and it leadeth me into rest and comfort of soul. My peace hath become that peace which is from my Source, and it keepeth me in safety now from all disturbance and confusion of earth. I am become peace and very peace.

Behold, I am now become aware of my Source-Light. It shines through me upon my world. It overcomes all darkness found within and without. It is my ever-present help and my servant. I am now a perfect servant of my Lord and Master. His Power moves through me and my service glorifies his name.

I am standing before my Father in freedom of soul from all darkness. Let Light shine in me forevermore unto the further glorifying of my Father. My creations are all good and very good. I am now determined to make this truth in all my expressions of life. Standing before the throne of all Light, hear my vows, oh Father, and send Thy life forth as me.—Edna Lister, Lenten Declarations, February 7, 1939.


Each has made vows of silence and of high obedience to law. Can you stand before the high altars and declare that you have fulfilled all the vows you have made? You must renew your vows to advance, to release greater Lenten Power. You must choose anew to do so.

Do your choices and desires take you higher? Are you willing to go higher? Are you ready to lay down more of self? Is it your soul’s desire and the desire of your appetitive self also to pay an even greater price, to sacrifice more self? Do you care to follow our Lord and Master higher?

There is a price. Ponder well these words. Power shall be released through you in accordance with your personal choice and desires. Choose and make your vows in silence. No one may know another’s choice unless he chooses to share his choice.—Edna Lister, Lenten Questions, February 13, 1939.


Who makes a good steward in God’s house? One who is alert and ever watchful over the Father’s business.

Who makes a good servant in the Master’s Temple? One who fulfills all obligations under the command of service.

Who makes a good student in any class? One who is attentive to the Master’s teachings and in harmony with him.

Who makes the greatest gains through our Lord and Master’s teachings? One who offers the greatest, selfless, sacrificial service.—Edna Lister, Lenten Questionnaire, February 29, 1940.


Do you dwell upon the sins of others? When the sins of others are pointed out to you, it is for lifting, so that special cloud of darkness may be lifted. How then, should God have all blackness lifted if He did not give you the places, the people, the things and conditions which are in present darkness? How could you know where to lift, whom to lift if God did not bring it to you?

Why should you seek patience, ever hunting it? When you live to your soul’s heights, only peace moves into action, sweet, compassionate and fulfilling.

Do you see perfection in everything about you? When you look out in peace and in joy, what can you see, in the face of either friend or the world’s face? Be not double-minded. Be not double-sighted.

Why see that which you do not desire as your portion? If you look to the world only to see hate, how then can you reach or hope to see God?

What have you sacrificed this Lent? What have you given up of the world?

Would you choose to lose all last year’s gains? Would you rather have demotions in life rather than promotions into higher life?—Edna Lister, Lenten Questionnaire, March 1, 1940.


Have I played keeper for my brother’s sin? If I constantly see another in sin, I am keeping his sin and paying his debt as well as my own.

Have I given up looking at darkness, considering it, loving it and contemplating it in myself and others? If I condemn myself and others, I am doing these things.

Have I found the true Way of the Christ? Do I doubt, or hold fast to the new Light on my path of love?

Do others annoy me? Where are my eyes and ears? Why am I following their weaknesses instead of God’s strength? Why am I contemplating my little self and worshiping it? Why am I pandering to it by wanting everyone else to be perfect? Operate on yourself now until you can no longer be bothered by anything but the Light.

Do I desire freedom? What kind? For what use? To lord it over another, to crack down on another? Or to see only the Light, leaving all others alone to follow their own Light?

What are my plans of service in the coming year? Are they onward and upward, or am I trying to drag some dead issue of self along with me? Are my plans large enough?

Have I been satisfied with my allotted time for prayer, praise, treatments and my very golden silence during the past year?

Is my earth now completely lifted into Heaven?

Am I impersonal when I discuss things with another, either soul things or world things? Or do I grow indignant, impatient or take remarks personally?

What is my idea of true poise and where is it found?

What is my idea of self-mastery? Is it controlling self or conquering self by sacrifice and lifting?

Do I live by the virtues or by any old thing that panders to my petty emotions? Do I live by joy, faith, love, compassion, praise, understanding, prayer, the golden silence and all other virtues?

Do I feel perfectly satisfied over my past year’s following of the Via Christa, or have I room for improvement?

Have I truly let go of my past? Am I forever separated from it, or do I hold it by the tail and bring it back again and again? What is choice and what is separation?

Have I sunk from letting the Light do the work and using me into forcing my will at any time?

What are my soul desires now? Do I have more and greater soul desires than last year?

Have I made new plans? Am I ready to move in and do?

Have I released enough love substance through my creations?

Have I been complete joy?

Have I agreed with the Light first? You do this by declaring: This is good. Let there be Light.

Am I now fully delighted only in the law? You never judge another, knowing that the law takes care of everything.

Am I completely, to the full forgetting and exclusion of everything else, only in love with God?

—Edna Lister, Daily Questionnaire for Self-Examination During Lent, February 14, 1941.


These questions shall be part of each day’s work. Earnestly seek to better yourself, your disposition, your ability to love, to declare everyone perfect, yet lift any unlikeness to God the instant it appears.

Am I sure that I have kept faithfully all my vows for the past year?

Am I certain I have never cooled off by listening to the crabbing, whining, selfish complaints of another, by allowing anyone on earth to cause me doubts of confusion?

Have I entertained thoughts of withdrawing from God’s Elect?

Have I allowed any other’s words, ideas, actions or counsels to cause me to stand still in release of Power?

Am I fully determined now in my own mind to make my stand alone, if need be, on the truth of the Elect?

Am I ready to search my own appetitive soul for weaknesses now hidden from me in the subconscious?

Am I now ready to assume the fullness of the Sacrifice of all self to be ascended truly unto my Father?

Am I now ready to accept my own responsibility to stand and uphold the truth, releasing Love and declaring everyone perfect, even though I have to stand alone?

Am I ready to assume my own share of responsibility for the world’s soul debts?

Am I my brother’s keeper? Am I his lifter at all times to pay his debts to law?

What are my vows? Do I know? Can I truly say, "I belong in every way to the Light." Or do I withhold parts of my self?

Am I always in joy? Am I always in the Light? Am I always in love with God? Am I always looking up to God? Am I always lifting up?

Is my tongue always tipped with Love?

Do I recognize any darkness only to instantly lift, or do I consider it and speak of it?

Is my praise always white hot? Have I done this the whole year?

Do I desire more perfection for my coming year?

Am I ready, truly ready to ascend?

Am I ready to answer all questions, search my appetitive soul for hidden things of weakness, search my rational soul for pride of intellect, place or things?

Am I ready to re-make all my vows with all the strength of ability that in me now resides?

Am I ready to do my best, seeking a greater best each day, to fulfill all my vows?

—Edna Lister, Questionnaire for Pre-Lenten Work, January 26, 1942.


Lent is the time of soul-cleansing, and you cannot attain purity with lip-service. Seek instead what you may give up unto God: Self interferes with attaining your soul’s desires—lay all self upon the altar now.

What have you planned as your sacrifice of self for your soul’s attainment?

What have you determined to give up as a gift to your Father?

Why hold fast to that self which limits the Power of God that uses you?

—Edna Lister, Lenten Questionnaire, March 3, 1943.


How much love have you exercised since last year?

Have you dawdled or disobeyed law?

Have you redeemed all your time? Or has it been unfulfilled time? All time not filled with praise of Light goes forth as unfulfilled time.

Have you waited upon the Lord in the high place? You can count only love as waiting upon the Lord.

Have you that completed unity of Love, Wisdom and Selflessness within yourself? This is the only unity there is or can be. When these three are united, then you are fully, entirely God-conscious forever, and never can depart from it.

Have you fully nourished and sustained your own creations all the past year? Or have you allowed them to become pale and anemic and die for lack of nourishment of praise?

Have you kept all your priestly vows intact? To protect all others, forgetting self in such service? To cover all the transgressions of all others while loving them as souls born of God, and not seeing them as sons of men? Forgetting your own past hates, delays, lukewarmness? Forgiving all your own transgressions while pressing on to that state of grace in perfection?

Are you using Power while missing the mark, or is Power using you in grace, love, faith and glory?

Are you polishing all stages of your life, the physical emotional mental and spiritual—in keeping your Lenten Vows and Neophyte Vows pure?

Use these questions each day, morning and night.

—Edna Lister, Instructions for Lent, February 22, 1944.


Do you know love as the Master knows love? As God knows love?

Do you feel that your heat of fervor this year has been great enough?

Do you feel that you have done all possible to bring miracles into visible form for each other, for the world?

Have you used enough substance, power and Light as praise, joy, love, and faith? Can you redouble your efforts along all lines?

Are you now ready to fulfill each promise completely?

—Edna Lister, Lenten Questionnaire, February 28, 1946.


Progress in soul ascension requires you to release more Power, through a corresponding sacrifice of self, and full acceptance of the responsibility that goes with the promotion. You take vows in heaven and on earth to pay your family’s whole debt, to become responsible for everyone’s debts, wherever you may be, to ask no favors for self, and hold no blame in your heart or thoughts for anyone about anything.

Ponder these high vows. Do not make them hastily, or with any reservations to self. These vows mean exactly what they say—no blame to anyone for anything; to assume blame for all others’ debts; to be responsible for all the life about you, to lift it high.

Am I in blame of another? Of self? (I must climb high above earth for purification.)

Am I willing to pay the debts of each member of my family? Of friends? Of all others?

Am I ready to be responsible for all about me always?

Am I asking credits for service, for doing my duty?

Am I truly free of self? Do I live by soul?

—Edna Lister, March 28, 1947.


Have I surrendered all personal feuds? Have I ascended until there is no feud between self’s demands for recognition and my soul’s great responsibility?

Am I free of self-hatred and little self’s criticism of the world and others?

Do I tolerate my own missing of the high mark in loving all others and earth?

Have I remembered that only the love of compassion for all others who commit darkness can ever cleanse it from earth?

Do I seek to push another off the path?

Will I always hold every weak one close as a brother to ascend together?

Repeat all Lenten Vows daily. Surrender. Ascend. I do now. I become now.

—Edna Lister, Lenten Questionnaire, February 26, 1949.


Can you bear greater Power, which brings with it an ever greater responsibility upon earth?

Do you desire to be used by an ever-increasing Power?

Are you in love with God?

Are you ready for greater love?

Are you ready to love more greatly that God may use you for greater Power?

Are you ready to be used by His greater Power?—Edna Lister, Lenten Questionnaire, February 11, 1952.


Lent is a period of sacrifice or “remission of sins.” From Easter to Ascension Day, you release Power through surrender of self, to sanctify your soul for the descent of the Holy Spirit. We call this period the Way of Initiation, the Via Christa, the Way of Christ.

—Edna Lister, Your Life Practice, May 23, 1954.


Am I tired of serving God? Do I want to ask for an easy place?

Am I tired of living with my family?

Am I bored with my teachers and the nagging feeling that I do not live up to the lessons? I am feeling a little sorry for myself. I am misunderstood. I am tired of taking all the blame.

Do I want to give up my present place and position for ease or to just follow worldly ways?

Do I expect God to set aside these rigid laws to please me?

Have I decided to live the rest of my life on both sides of the fence?

Do I reserve the right to declare some things dark and some things Light?

Do I expect others to conform to my way?

Do I reserve the right to expect and demand of others?

Do I think I should be the exception and have Law modified in my favor?

Would I prefer standing where I am as well as I can with what I know now and comprehend as well as I can or live again another lifetime to work it out?

Is my desire right?

Just what do I mean when I say I would like to be perfect?

What is the meaning of ALL?

Why do I evade full responsibility?

What makes me say, “I’m not the only one to blame. It’s hard to live with the other fellow. He is partly to blame, too. Why should I do all the giving up?”

—Edna Lister, Lenten Questionnaire, March 6, 1958.


The tremendous Light of the Source of All Life draws us upward from Ash Wednesday to Ascension Day. The power of illumination is ascension. As Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, so Easter is the beginning of new, joyous illumination, rising to Ascension Day and Pentecost Sunday. Lent is the period of soul-searching and sacrifice of the self to make room for the greater illumination during the forty days from Easter to Ascension Day, when you receive higher Power.—Edna Lister, Alive in Easter Glory, April 17, 1960.


The sacrifices of self that you make during Lent are supposed to create enough space in your mind and heart for the Holy Spirit to pour in, which is the Power of God using you.—Edna Lister, Forgiveness, March 31, 1961.


Lent’s forty days of sacrifice make the Holy Week possible.—Edna Lister, Integrity: Your Great Anchor, April 22, 1962.


Lent is the time to rend asunder veils of illusion. You are responsible according to your degree of ascension.

Do I steal another’s time?

Am I inconsiderate in asking or making demands of another?

Do I blame another for even an instant?

Am I seeing darkness only to lift objectively?

—Edna Lister, Lenten Questionnaire, March 7, 1963.


How much is all?

How great is my sacrifice of self?

Can I expect all desires to be fulfilled where I withhold bits of self?

How great is my desire for a purified selfless service?

How good is good? And what does the term mean to me?

There are two “goods”: Good for me and good for God. By which am I running my present course and on which am I basing my life?

—Edna Lister, Lenten Questionnaire, February 9, 1964.


Twelfth Night opens a period of soul inventory in which you prepare for making your sacrifices of self during Lent. Lent marks a period of personal temptation in the wilderness of self.—Edna Lister, The Ten Lepers, November 15, 1964.


Ash Wednesday opens Lent, which is the period of sacrifice of self, not of things.—Edna Lister, Healing the Lepers, February 28, 1965.


Make six questions from the 12th Night Chart to answer as your Soul Inventory Study. These questions must be your preliminary preparation for your Lenten sacrifices. They must be based on what you’ve found as your weaknesses.—Edna Lister, Lenten Instructions, February 20, 1966.


During Lent, Christians sacrifice on the outer—they give up rich foods, meat on Fridays, candy, etc.—yet this misses the inner purpose of Lent. To know what you must sacrifice is the difficulty. On the Via Christa, we learn to fast from self, and sacrifice the cravings of the appetitive soul.—Edna Lister, The Rewards of Faith: The Cross, June 8, 1969.

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The Lenten Vows

I Vow to Know:
That Lent is the season appointed for the cleansing of soul from all earthly stains.

That at this time all the Power of heaven is working for me, with me and through me.

That as I prepare my soul for the reception of the Power and Light, it will go forth and bring to pass all the dream-desires of my soul.

That “according to my faith” is but the limit which I myself place upon my ability to release Power.

That the Father puts no limit upon my release of Power.

That my own consciousness determines my results in the outer.

That I shall be powerfully selfless in my actions, powerfully determined in my steadfastness, powerfully strong and humble in my heart.

I Vow to Promise Myself:

To surrender to the whole Light of God.

To become the servant of all the Power.

To speak only the things the Christ would speak through me.

To hear only the things the Christ would hear as me.

To think only as the Christ would think about my brothers as me.

To act only as the Christ would act toward my family and the world as me.

To do something each day to show forth this Spirit of the Christ as me.

I Vow to Face My God:

Each night with a pure heart and clean hands.

Each morning with a song in my heart, which shows forth my gratitude.

Each noontide with a greater surrender of myself to the fullness of His glory.

Each feast time with praise for the release of His substance to rebuild my life and my body temple.

Each business hour giving over every detail into His charge and keeping, ready and waiting for His right answer.

Each social hour of diversion with the completeness of His joy so possessing me that I shall radiate the happiness to recreate all things new.

Each quiet time of silence with the tranquility and devotion of Spirit that makes the angels of heaven rejoice that earth is becoming heaven.

—Edna Lister

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Let Me Keep Lent

Let me keep Lent,
let me not kneel and pray,
Forego some trifle every day.
Fast…and take Sacrament…
And then
Lend tongue to slander, hold ancient grudge,
Deny the very Lord whom I would glorify.

Let me keep Lent,
Let my heart grow in grace,
Let Thy light shine till my illumined face
Will be a testament
Read by all men
That hate is buried, self-crucified—new-born
The spirit that shall rise on Easter morn.
—Elizabeth Badley Read

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The first challenge Jesus faced after his baptism by John was fasting in the wilderness for forty days, then being tempted by the Adversary there.

Aspiration: Edna Lister outline, March 4, 1945.

Aspiration: Edna Lister transcript, March 4, 1945.

The Three Temptations: Edna Lister outline, July 31, 1949.

Unconquerable Faith: Edna Lister outline, November 5, 1950.

Three Temptations on the Way/a>: Edna Lister outline, November 12, 1950.

Three Temptations on the Way: Edna Lister transcript, November 12, 1950.

Let Me Keep Lent: Edna Lister outline, February 12, 1956.

Let Me Keep Lent: Edna Lister transcript, February 12, 1956.

The Three Temptations in the Wilderness: Edna Lister outline, February 19, 1956.

The Three Temptations in the Wilderness: Edna Lister transcript, February 19, 1956.

Tomorrow Is Yours: Edna Lister outline, December 13, 1959.

Tomorrow Is Yours: Edna Lister transcript, December 13, 1959.

Religion and the World: Edna Lister outline, November 5, 1967.

Religion and the World): Edna Lister transcript, November 5, 1967.


The New Testament on Jesus’ Temptations in the Wilderness

Luke’s Account of Jesus’ Temptations: And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.—Luke 4:1-14.

Matthew’s Account of Jesus’ Temptations: Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.—Matthew 4:1-11.

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Edna Miriam Lister
1884 – 1971
The original Christian Pioneering Mystic,
Platonist philosopher, American Idealist, Founder, Society of the Universal Living Christ, minister, teacher, author, wife, and mother.


Edna Lister


References

Read, Elizabeth Badley. "Let Me Keep Lent," Good Housekeeping: March 1929 (Volume 88, Number 3).

The Holy Bible. King James Version (KJV). This work is in the public domain.

Thurston, Herbert. "Lent." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910.


Related Topic

See Stations of the Cross