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“Think on These Things” to Not be Fooled and to See through Unreality.
Application ideas
for the Christian Science Bible Lesson on: “Unreality” – 3/31-4/6/08
by Craig L. Ghislin, C.S. 
Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Editor’s Note:  The following application ideas for this week and Possible Sunday School Topics that follow are offered primarily to help CedarS campers and staff (as well as friends) see and demonstrate the great value of daily study and application of the Christian Science Bible lessons year-round, not just at camp!  You can sign up to have them emailed to you free — in English by Monday each week, or by each Wednesday you can get a FREE TRANSLATION in French from Pascal, in Spanish from Ana or in German by Gabriele.   JUST SIGN UP at  www.cedarscamps.org/newsletters

Ask yourself, “What kind of things am I thinking about?”  Do you ever find yourself obsessing over problems?  Individually, collectively, environmentally, politically, there always seems to be some facet of evil trying to impress us.  If we find ourselves admitting and focusing on the problems, we’re liable to believe them.  These worldly challenges would have no power to harm or disturb us at all if we would watch our thoughts and only admit those things that are good and Godlike.  In the Golden Text, the Psalmist declares that only God’s laws are right and that he hates every false way.

In We Knew Mary Baker Eddy (p. 80), Annie Knott reports that Mrs. Eddy said, “…we must never fear evil, no matter what the seeming might be…that her students thought too much about evil and often gave it too much power.  She went on to say that when error knocks at the door, they sometimes open the door to see what it wants, but Mother did not do that; she knew in advance what it wanted and kept the door shut; but that after her students had opened the door, they had to get the intruder out, and the great thing was to keep error out.”  In this week’s Lesson we’ll learn the value of filling our thoughts with good things.  Keeping error out of our thoughts will enable us to see that the claims of evil are the opposite of what God’s law declares and therefore, are totally unreal-neither to be feared, nor accepted.

Can watching one’s thoughts really make a difference?  The Psalmist thought so.  But he recognized that the world would not readily concede that fact.  To those unfamiliar with the logic of divine metaphysics, the spiritual stand for the unreality of evil can appear pretty unreal itself.  Have you ever felt alone in your stand against evil?  In the Responsive Reading the Psalmist cries, “Who will rise up with me…?”  Who indeed? Who else but God?  The Psalmist hoped that eventually, everyone would follow God’s divine judgment.  He knew that God always had and always would protect him.  He knew that the essential thing was to keep one’s thoughts right.  The Living Bible puts Psalm 94:19 this way: “Lord, when doubts fill my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer.”  However real error may seem, it is no more than a suggestion that evil has power.  As Mrs. Eddy said, “the great thing [is] to keep error out.”  Paul points out in his letter to the Philippians; we should fill our thoughts only with things that are worthwhile.  In fact, the rest of the Lesson is based on Paul’s recommendation.  We might call it a recipe for seeing through unreality, and in doing so we will clearly discern between what is real and what isn’t.

Section 1:  Whatsoever Things Are True
Though this world is full of uncertainty, there’s one thing we can always count on-the Word of God.  God’s Word expresses His very nature.  He is righteous, just, and absolutely trustworthy.  His Word ushered in creation and brings all other human devices to naught (B1).  Human standards fluctuate.  They have no fixed point.  What is considered acceptable one day is rejected the next and vice versa.  Isaiah warns against such wishy-washy thinking (B2).  The Abingdon Bible Commentary describes such thinking as sophistry-fallacious reasoning.  Today, we might call this moral relativism.  Reasoning from an ever-changing human standpoint, how can one ever expect to find a fixed reality?  Isaiah reminds us that God’s ways are higher than ours (B3).  “Don’t be misled,” warns James, God is the Source of good and good alone (B4).  Unlike the stars and planets shifting positions, in God, there is “no variableness.”  Those who know God and His permanency are aligned with the spirit of truth.  Those who don’t are deceived by the spirit of error (B5).

Mrs. Eddy called “the absence of Truth, error” (S1).  Truth couldn’t create the absence of itself.  Error is false-an illusion without foundation or existence.  Truth and error have nothing in common and do not mix.  The natural conclusion is that if Truth is real, error is unreal.  U.S. currency has value because there is gold backing it up.  Without the gold standard, the paper is worthless.  If Truth had anything to do with error, Truth would contradict itself and no longer be a reliable standard (S2).  God is good. His thoughts are good.  Material thoughts do not come from God.  They are temporal.  Not having the standard of Truth to back them up, they are no more than “counterfeits of the real and eternal” (S3).  Truth brings light and clarity to our understanding (S4).  Our textbook promises that in exact proportion as we hold our thoughts to the true, we will see Truth manifested in our experience (S5).

Day to day, we are confronted with a myriad of ideas.  Sometimes it’s hard to tell which ideas to believe or which stand to take.  Relying on material laws, customs, and morals to provide direction can be unsettling at best.  If you find yourself wondering what to do, or which way to turn, try filling your thoughts with good things-with true things.  Doing so, you will find stability and confidence.

Section 2:  Whatsoever Things Are Honest and Just
Have you ever been tempted to cheat?  This could be anything from looking at someone else’s test to stealing or fudging on income tax.  If we don’t cheat ourselves, we sometimes run into others who do.  Human nature would love to give them a dose of their own medicine, but the Bible teaches otherwise.  Commenting on citation B6, The Interpreter’s One-Volume Commentary on the Bible declares, “Getting even is absolutely forbidden for Christians.”  Remember that Truth is our standard.  The Bible says Truth is like a Rock, absolute and unwavering (B7).  In citation B9 we find a word used once before in this Lesson-hate.  That’s a pretty strong word. In the Golden Text we find the statement, “I hate every false way.”  Most of us studying the Lesson could comfortably say that they avoid evil and know that it’s wrong.  We try to stay away from evil most of the time.  But at the same time, we could find ourselves dabbling a bit with evil or maybe rejecting it in a lukewarm sort of way.  But hold on.  Cheating is dishonest and is an “abomination to the Lord” (B10).  The Amplified Bible translates “abomination” as “extremely offensive and shamefully sinful.”  Human knowledge and reasoning is “stupid and brutelike, without knowledge of God” (Ibid.) (B11).  We should have nothing to do with it.

Mrs. Eddy points out that evil, being a lie, is false and therefore, unreal (S6).  Everything about evil is a lie and all the crooked, twisted, selfish, criminal practices that come out of it are lies too (S7).  If we don’t condemn evil, we are in effect, nurturing it (S8).  Our Leader commands us to “tell the truth concerning the lie.”  Failure to do so “cripples integrity.”  These are pretty dire consequences.  Why is it so important?  Because “Honesty is spiritual power.  Dishonesty is human weakness which forfeits divine help” (S9).  The caveat is added that uncovering sin is not done to harm, but to bless.  Evil needs to be understood as nothing.  Denouncing evil in a way that makes it seem more powerful than good will not do the job.  We denounce it with the dominion of good because being nothing, evil is powerless.  If necessary, we point out the mistake to save others from believing it and giving it power (S10).  Evil is based on the belief in a power opposed to God.  But in Science, there is no such power.  Only the doing of good gives power (S11).  Believing that success can come in any way other than doing what is honorable and right is a mockery.

Section 3:  Whatsoever Things Are Pure
The law of God is perfect-complete and entire.  The law is right-equitable, fair, and just.  The law is also pure, giving us insight into our true nature.  The Psalmist longs to be purified from all defilement of character (B12).  The acknowledgement of man’s pure identity as the offspring of God brings light to the darkness and unreality of material personality (B13).  The story of Jacob was an experience of spiritual awakening.  Dummelow writes that it was, “a critical moment of his life…in which he received the final lesson that humbled and broke down his self-will, and convinced him that he could not snatch the blessing from God’s hand…”  His name was changed from one meaning “Supplanter” or “Crafty One” to one that was a “Perseverer with God” (Ibid.)  He let go of false personality traits.

Do you ever feel bound to a sense of personality that seems to steer you into trouble?  Have you been branded by relatives, teachers, or peers as being a “type” you’d rather be free from?  Fortunately, Christian Science frees us from these labels.  “Material personality is not realism…” (S12).  Your spiritual identity is as perfect as your Creator.  But the only way to recognize it is to have a pure heart.  To be pure means to be free from any mixture or anything extraneous.  Mrs. Eddy’s account of Jacob’s struggle describes a transformation of character (S13).  His transformation is so complete that he actually changes his name.  Many close to CedarS Camps are familiar with the story of one camper who decided to change his name after undergoing a change in his character.  It’s possible for anyone to break free of material labels.  Jacob’s story has him struggling with angels.  Mrs. Eddy calls angels, “pure thoughts from God” (S14).  She says they never lead toward “self, sin, or materiality” (the unreal).  Instead, they guide us to God and to an understanding of our real individuality (S15).

Section 4:  Whatsoever Things Are Lovely
The lines from Solomon’s Song (B15) are those of a young man enamored with his beloved.  He sees no blemish, only perfect beauty.  As our Leader writes, “Love never loses sight of loveliness.” (S16)  To material sense the picture of beauty fades with time, but God is the Source of all that is good and beautiful and with Him is “the fountain of life” (B16).  The Psalmist in citation B17 is faced with the challenges of old age.  Having looked to God as the Source of strength from his youth, he fully expects God to continue to bless him-“Thou shalt increase my greatness…”  In Job (B18) we find the promise that age will have no negative effect on us.

Many of those reading this Lesson might be young according to human sense.  But it’s never too soon to break free from the belief that man grows old and decays.  As our Leader writes, “we must look deep into realism…” (S16).  Too often, we’re tempted to look only on the physical appearance of people.  Or sometimes we find ourselves dwelling on our own number of human years.  We let years define our capabilities.  Even to the humanly youthful, this can be a drawback.  I recall an acting teacher once lamenting that he was too old to play an ingénue and too young to play character roles.  The unreality of age had him coming and going.  The textbook states that measuring years is a major stumbling block (S18).  If we didn’t count years, Mrs. Eddy says we could be full of vigor and pep at seventy.  There’s no doubt that there are plenty of people out there who are taking this message to heart.  Human belief may attribute the active lives of today’s mature citizens to upgrades in medical therapeutics, but those who study the Science of Life know better.  They know that “Life is eternal.”  They are demonstrating the “radiance of Soul” (S19).  Think about those you know who are examples of “loveliness, freshness, and continuity.”  Notice the quality of their thought. They are indeed “models of spiritual sense.”  I once consulted a Christian Scientist who was in her late nineties as to her opinion on what I thought to be pressing problems at church.  I’ll never forget her answer.  She answered, “We should not be worrying about what mortal mind thinks is popular.”  And then looking radiantly out the window she said, “Aren’t those trees beautiful!”  She was a sterling example of keeping her thoughts on things that are lovely.

Section 5:  Whatsoever Is of Good Report
The messenger spoken of in Isaiah (B19) is bringing good tidings.  He’s not talking about all the troubles of the world or carrying news of the next plague.  He is bringing the healthful, uplifting, good news of salvation.  What kind of messages do we find ourselves publishing?  Do we pass along the latest information about disease?  Or do we put a stop to that and replace it with the Truth that sees through the unreality of disease?  A lot of messages are being sent back and forth in the story of Jesus’ healing of the nobleman’s son (B20).  The nobleman brings a message to Jesus with a bad report.  His son is sick.  Jesus directly reverses that report and tells him his son is well and that he can go home.  Now, the man had the choice to either accept the report that his senses had presented; or to accept the report of health given by Jesus.  He wisely chose to believe Jesus.  As he went home, his servants met him with confirmation of Jesus’ declaration and reported the boy was well.  After correlating the hour of the boy’s recovery with Jesus’ words, the whole house believed.  Jesus however, didn’t allow people to think that he was the source of healing.  He said, “He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me” (B21).

Jesus was the perfect example of one who always “thought on things” worthwhile (S20).  He dwelt on the Christ, and that allowed him always to see through the unreality of disease.  In our time, the Science of Christianity is giving us the good report of man’s health and perfection as God’s creation (S21).  This healing Science instructs us not to be impressed with the unreal reports of sickness.  It teaches that we “must be governed by reality in order to be in harmony with God” and therefore, be able to prove our right to health (S22).  Just as the nobleman changed his belief, so we too, can allow Truth to correct an unreal belief.  When we do, “Truth sends a report of health over the body” (S23).  Citation 24 in Science and Health is probably one of the best-known paragraphs in the book.  Many people can recite it without hesitation.  But remember that this paragraph gives us specific directions as to what needs to take place in our consciousness.  Merely repeating the rules isn’t enough.  We need to do what they say:  “Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in [our] thought…”  We actually need to embrace what Christian Science teaches about man and then the unreal report of sickness will be replaced with health.

Section 6:  If There Be Any Praise
The final ingredient in our recipe for seeing through unreality is to be filled with praise.  Acknowledging God’s supreme dominion certainly gives cause for praise.  And when we are filled with praise, we are more apt to recognize God’s supremacy.  Compared to the majesty of God, even the hills are as nothing-they melt away before Him (B23).  “All the works of God are silent testimonies of His power and glory” (Abingdon).  Once again, we are reminded that those who love God are expected to “hate evil.”  Interpreter’s puts it like this: “God’s moral government of the universe is fraught with meaning for the covenant community.  He loves those who hate what is opposed to his will and protects the loyal adherents to the covenant faith against their enemies, filling them with light and joy.”

Science and Health echoes the biblical precept that there is nothing beside God, good.  His government establishes universal harmony as the divine law and discord as the unreality (S25).  We are told that those who “shape [their] course with divine Science” will increase their spiritual understanding and be capable of apprehending the reality of things (S26).  Shaping our course in Science is summed up in Paul’s admonition to “think on these things.” Knowing the supremacy of God opens our view to reality and the unreality will melt away (S27).  Thinking on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, are the moral effects of Christian Science.  When we fully embrace this way of thinking the conflict between truth and error will be over (S28).  Then unreality will melt away and harmony reign.  So after studying this Lesson, what kind of things are you thinking about now?

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Camp Director’s Note:
This sharing is the latest in an ongoing, seven-year series of CedarS Bible Lesson “mets” (metaphysical application ideas) contributed weekly by a rotation of CedarS Resident Practitioners and occasionally by other metaphysicians.  (To keep the flow of the practitioner’s ideas intact and to allow for more selective printing I put my “Possible Sunday School Topics” and Homework options on the following page – after the practitioner’s application ideas.)  This weekly email (and website posting) is intended to encourage further study and application of ideas in the lesson and to invigorate Sunday School participation by students and by the budding teachers on our staff.  Originally sent JUST to campers, staff and CedarS families who wanted to continue at home and in their home Sunday Schools the same type of focused Lesson study, application and inspiration they had felt at camp, CedarS lesson “mets” are in no way meant to be definitive or conclusive or in any way a substitute for daily study of the lesson.  The thoughts presented are the inspiration of the moment and are offered to give a bit more dimension, background and new angles on daily applicability to some of the ideas and passages being studied.  The weekly Bible Lessons are copyrighted by the Christian Science Publishing Society and are printed in the Christian Science Quarterly as available at Christian Science Reading Rooms or online at eBibleLesson.com or myBibleLesson.com.  The citations referenced (i.e. B1 and S28) from this week’s Bible Lesson in the “met” (metaphysical application ideas) are taken from the King James Version of the Bible (B1-24) and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. (S1-30) The Bible and Science and Health are the ordained pastor of the Churches of Christ, Scientist. The Bible Lesson is the sermon read in Christian Science church services throughout the world. The Lesson-Sermon speaks individually through the Christ to everyone, providing unique insights and tailor-made applications for each one.  We are glad you requested this metaphysical sharing and hope that you find some of these ideas helpful in your daily spiritual journey, in your deeper digging in the books and in closer bonding with your Comforter and Pastor.  Have fun unwrapping, cherishing and sharing your special, spiritual gift(s)!  Enjoy!
Warren Huff, Camp Director, director@cedarscamps.org  (636) 394-6162

An “April Fool’s Day” 2008 Gift to CedarS Staff, Campers, Families and Friends from Warren Huff, Director

Possible Sunday School Topics, Homework & Application Ideas for “Unreality” 3/31 -4/6/08

Possible Sunday School Topics [P.S.S.T. -Golden Text]   Most people and virtually all other religious traditions are so indoctrinated in the supposed reality of the world’s problems and have such sympathy for sufferers that they affirm the problems to be inescapable realities of life.  By so doing they let in these intruders, defilers and robbers, as Mrs. Eddy’s students were inclined to do. (See Craig Ghislin’s page 1 comments on Annie Knott’s reminiscences in We Knew Mary Baker Eddy, p. 80)  Admitting these intruders makes it much harder to get rid of them.  What problems have you been fooled to let into your thought by being focused on and being sympathetic with them?  How is the divine sympathy of Christian Science different from human sympathy?  (See S&H 21:25 & No and Yes, 30,:17-25)  Christian compassion or divine sympathy does not ignore a problem (“pass by on the other side” Luke 10:31, 32) but instead helps to heal it with practical and spiritual means as modeled by the “Good Samaritan” in Jesus’ parable.   Divine sympathy doesn’t mentally jump into the quicksand pit to help another – like human sympathy does – but rather throws a lifeline from solid ground to those who seem to be stuck.  With a little help from above, sufferers can lift themselves up and out.  Using this method, Jesus was called the friend of sinners, even though he hated sin (quicksand pits).  This week (and this summer at camp) let’s pledge to look for opportunities to help uplift others using this “holy ground method” of “esteem(ing) all thy precepts concerning all things to be right.”  (Golden Text, Ps. 119: 128)

Possible Uplifting Sunday School Homework (P.U.S.S.H.)  Let’s challenge ourselves to have a more “God-crowned” week by thinking and living more like Christ Jesus.  (“we solemnly promise” this in the 6th Tenet, S&H 497:24)  Jesus was God-crowned not only because he loved good/reality, but also because he hated evil/unreality. (Ps. 45:7, Heb. 1:9 & S&H 313:1-19)  Let’s use the Master’s method to: think on and accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative; affirm the real and deny the unreal; love solutions and hate problems enough to expose their “awful,” deceptive “conspiracy” (S&H 339:15) so that they can be healed.  To differentiate your teaching for visual learners, here’s a fun, saying-riddle for them to decipher and discuss:

^ U 8 (+)    E  O

 8 (-)   (Key: accent u ate the positive and e limin (color yellow like a lemon) ate the negative)  See P.S.S.T. -6th section)

Possible Sunday School Topics (P.S.S.T. -Responsive Reading)   This lesson’s theme from Paul reminds us to keep error out of thought by keeping it filled with worthwhile things.  (Phil. 4:8)  In her article “WHAT OUR LEADER SAYS,” Mrs. Eddy echoes this theme:” Beloved Christian Scientists keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease and death cannot enter them.  It is plain that nothing can enter the mind already full.”  (My 210:2)  Light up your “NO VACANCY” sign by being happily pre-occupied with good alone.  When an obvious robber knocks, we’re not fooled to let him in.  How about when the robber is attractively disguised as a fun distraction?  Each section features a would-be reality-robber to keep out.

(P.S.S.T. -1st s.)  What UNTRUE UNLIKENESS is knocking?  To obtain & retain the TRUE, up-side-up picture of yourself and all around you, freely feel “gratitude … a powerful camera obscura, … focusing light where love, memory, and all within the human heart is present to manifest light.”  (Mary Baker Eddy, My. 164:11)  “The camera obscura (Lat. dark chamber) was an optical device used in drawing … demonstrated with … a box (which may be room-size) with a hole in one side.  Light from only one part of a scene will pass through the hole and strike a specific part of the back wall.  … With this simple do-it-yourself apparatus, the image is always upside-down.  By using mirrors … it is also possible to project an up-side-up image.”  Click here to read the full wikipedia.org article quoted.  What untrue, up-side-down pictures of yourself and the world should be made right this week?  With the convenience of a do-it-yourself camera and the reliable light of Love-based gratitude, you can use the ultimate mirror of being a Divine Image And Likeness to produce a true, up-side-up image of yourself.  How about also reversing the popular, but untrue, view that happiness and healing come from the outside in, instead of coming from the inside out!  Everything is upside down when no “true-north,” moral compass guides decision-making.  (B2, Isa. 5:20)  Think of God’s laws as a GPS-like “perfect gift,” that helps keep each one “true to course.”  (B4, James 1:17)

(P.S.S.T. -2nd s.)   Don’t be an April Fool!  What DISHONEST or UNJUST “REALITY-ROBBER” is trying to fool you?   Whenever we fail to condemn dishonesty and injustice, we condone and nurture them. (S8, 448:5)  Since even a small, “white lie” “cripples integrity” (S8, 448:10)  and trust, be on guard hourly against telling anything but the whole truth and against believing that taking anything that’s not yours will bring you anything but loss of your biggest assets of integrity, trust, self-esteem and divine help.  (9th & 8th Commandments, Ex. 20:15, 16)  Since “Honesty is spiritual power,” (S9, 453:16) think of daily building up your spiritual power and the working capital of trust by being honest and accountable in all you say and do.  Be “the genuine article” who CedarS seeks as a trusted counselor fulfilling a sacred charge and who everyone highly values as trustworthy employee.  Be like “the man of integrity” praised by Mrs. Eddy who “is guided by a fixed Principle … In all his pursuits, he knows no path but the fair, open, and direct one, and would much rather fail of success than attain it by reproachable means.    We shall never find one part of his character at variance with another.”  (Mis. 147:14- 148:3)

(P.S.S.T. -3rd s.)  Are you foolishly in sympathy with IMPURE “REALITY-ROBBERS?”  Some curious teens kept asking their dad’s permission to watch R-rated and”Adult” movies.  He kept saying no and reminded them that Jesus defined “Adult-ery” as “look(ing) … to lust after” (Matt. 5:27, 28)  He declared and shared “ANGELS…to … counteract … all … sensuality” (S&H 581:4-7) such as the message: “In God you have everything you need and you know it.”  The teens still couldn’t understand why.  They argued that “just a little bit” of each movie contained Raunchy or Racy scenes.  They finally got their dad’s point when he made a plate of their favorite brownies – with “just a little” recipe change.  As they were ready to take their first bite, he told them that he had added in “just a little bit” of dog do-do – for extra flavor.  They suddenly refused to eat them and finally understood that protecting the purity of our hearts (desires) and minds was AT LEAST as important as protecting the purity of our food and bodies from even “just a little” defilement or pollution.  What “little bit” of impurity are you ready to stop “eating up?”  All his life, Jacob had struggled with believing in the reality of material existence “with its false pleasures and pains,” yet something clicked when he saw their unreality.  (S13, 308:18)  He refused to let go of the blessings of his purer view of reality and of his spiritual nature as God’s “image, or likeness.” (B14, Gen. 32:26 and S15)   “Differentiated learners” may like the repetition of “The Treatment Song” that reinforces these ideas in a different way.  Each round try plugging in 3 different names of Sunday School students, campers, or family members, including yourself:  “God made Jacob a perfect child.  God made Esau undefiled.  Israel is an avenue, for everything good and pure and true.”

(P.S.S.T. -4th s.)   Refuse to be April fooled!  What selfish, UNLOVELY “REALITY-ROBBERS” are trying to fool you?  “The measurement of life by solar years robs youth and gives ugliness to age.”  (S18, 246: 10)   The promise in Job 11:17 (B18) that we can be progressive like noonday shiners at every age is proved in the long lives of mountain-dwelling Tibetans.  The only unique thing that scientists have discovered that might account for their outliving other groups of peoples by an average of 30- 40 years is their lovely, unselfish attitude.  They are so free from jealousy and coveting (10th Commandment) that if anything good happens to anyone in their village, they feel just as good as if it happened to them.  How can you daily express a lovely freedom from jealousy, selfishness and ego as well as from all age-related limits?

 (P.S.S.T. -5th s.)  Don’t be fooled by April bad news.  What BAD REPORTS are trying to make you “Forget Everything About Reality?”   At http://www.csmonitor.com/ you can listen to daily, solution-oriented, audio reports on national and worldwide problems.  Over a dozen of today’s fear-free, good reports for us to prayerfully support include helpful insights on issues as diverse as: Tibetan nonviolent protests; controlling border immigration; global warming; human interest & progress from Zimbabwe, Iraq, Iran, and Israel; colleges addressing gambling; a short-term mortgage-support bill; and long-term economic system changes for the Fed proposed by a Christian Scientist, Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson.  Can we keep our verbal and written communications as upbeat and solution oriented as the Monitor does, while remaining realistic?  If not, we are being “April-fooled” into believing and advertising the unreal to be real.  By his absent prayer treatment for the nobleman’s son followed by reports of remote healing, Jesus demonstrated how effective our worldwide prayer work can be. (B20).  In crisis moments in worldwide, national and personal problems it seems like our “backs are against the wall.”  That’s where “the W.A.L.L treatment” paragraph (S24, S&H 495:14) is especially effective to know and apply.  I call it the W.A.L.L. treatment because the 4 sentences in the paragraph start with W.A.L.L.  When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts you, cling steadfastly … Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in your thought.  Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your clear sense … Let Christian Science … silence discord with harmony.”

(P.S.S.T. -6th s.)  The critical “REALITY-ROBBER” is constantly knocking (others) and whining.  Being frequently filled with criticism is the opposite of being constantly filled with the accentuation of harmony and praise.  Praise is the final ingredient in our recipe for seeing through unreality.  Mrs. Eddy sets the bar high to be a real Christian Scientist when she says:  The real Christian Scientist is constantly accentuating harmony in word and deed, mentally and orally, perpetually repeating this diapason of heaven:  “Good is my God, and my God is good.  Love is my God, and my God is Love.”  (Mis. 206:17)   Try measuring your words, deeds, thoughts and humor by this high standard.  Next to it much of today’s “humor” is not christianly scientific because, consciously or unconsciously, much of today’s “humor seems to be constantly accentuating discord and putting others down in some way.  In God’s kingdom “harmony is universal, and discord is unreal.”  (S25, S&H 414:22).  “Love will finally mark the hour of harmony and spiritualization will follow.” (S26, S&H 96:4)  We wish you a wonderful, “un-fooled” week of harmony and spiritualization!

The 4 Spiritual Activist Summits sponsored by the Mother Church (TMCYouth) on four April weekends are an important part of the “one grand brotherhood” of the Christian Science Movement.  Please help spread the word and support them “with one heart and one soul.” (Acts 4:32)  Encourage and even underwrite the attendance of all the 12-30 year olds who you know!  You can find the details at a new webpage link http://www.tmcyouth.com/blogs/events/four-spiritual-summits/  Or, for a downloadable PDF flyer about the 4 events in Houston, LA, DC and London click on or go to  http://www.tmcyouth.com/docs/spiritual-summits-upcoming.pdf]

Go to www.myBibleLesson.com to check out this visually-oriented and very helpful study resource for the weekly Christian Science Bible Lesson.  It’s being produced by The Christian Science Publishing Society. What a great auxiliary to lesson study – and to reading beyond citation markers using the handsome new student books now in Reading Rooms.  MyBibleLesson contains word definitions, Bible background Notes, fun, topical cartoons, timelines and translations, plus many healing ideas to use.  Why not check out this vehicle to help bring new meaning and life to each beloved Bible lesson and so bless the youthful thinker and Sunday School student (and teacher) in us all!

You can receive or stop your free subscription to CedarS weekly newsletter in your email box by Monday of each week by subscribing – or unsubscribing via left menu at http://www.cedarscamps.org/newsletters

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CedarS 2008 theme: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the leper, cast out demons: Freely you have received, freely give!” (Matthew 10:8)

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