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Discover your God-given intelligence as you ask God for wisdom!
Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson

for August 17-23, 2015 on

“Mind”

Prepared by Kathy Fitzer, CS
314-323-4083 kathyfitzer@gmail.com

What great timing for this lesson on Mind! Many are already back in school. Others are getting ready for the start of a new year. What a wonderful time for all of us (whether we have anything to do with the academic scene or not) to affirm the source of all wisdom and intelligence to be God — omniscient Mind. As the Scientific Statement of Being says, “All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 468) That means ALL — with no exceptions. So, this week, let’s really work to understand why it is absolutely NOT true that some people are just smarter than others or some will just always be on top of things mentally while others are destined to struggle. That simply is not how God works! We must be alert to conscientiously counter the belief that brain is the control center of man — and can be damaged or weak. EVERYONE is the full expression of a perfect Mind — that knows all and expresses all. Claim this for yourself and for all others!

Golden Text: By seeing that “the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;” (NRSV) we empower everyone to express the intelligence needed to do whatever is required. ALL have the understanding to discover the solution to any problem that comes their way, and to make the choices that will best lead to blessings for everyone. Give God the credit and there are no longer “haves” and “have-nots” when it comes to knowing whatever is needed to be known whenever it is needed to be known. Everyone can succeed as they respond to God’s wisdom!

Responsive Reading: I love the message that getting wisdom and understanding makes us happy! Wisdom (sound and intelligent judgment) is “a tree of life” — leading to continual blessings as that tree bears fruit and never shrivels or dies. Seems like something we’d all like to have! The last line of the Responsive Reading tells us how to get this wisdom and understanding. Our thoughts are “established” (determined to be true and certain) as we commit (entrust, hand over) our works (our thoughts and activities) to God. [As CedarS 2015 theme says: “Put your all on the altar to alter it all!”] So, we need to ask ourselves … are we looking to the opinion of others to guide us — or going right to God, through prayer? We all have equal access to the source of all wisdom. God is Mind… and as the reflection of Mind we all have all the wisdom and understanding we need — always knowing what we need to know when we need to know it, as we turn to God as the only source of intelligence (wisdom and understanding.)

Section 1: Go to the source — ask God for wisdom
Solomon understood two things that made him a great ruler. (1) Wisdom is what he needed more than anything else if he was going to be successful in his new endeavor. (2) He recognized that God had all the answers, and he was humble enough to ask God to give him the wisdom he needed to be an honest and effective leader. (B-2, I Kings 3: 5-12) The Bible speaks of God as the source of all wisdom and Mary Baker Eddy understood this to mean that God is Mind itself – the only origin of true thought. She writes in italics (indicating that this is a really important point being emphasized, “God is Mind, and God is infinite; hence all is Mind.” (S-1) Another place where italics are used is in the glossary definition of Mind – “not that which is in man, but the divine Principle, or God, of whom man is the full and perfect expression.” (S-2) Solomon demonstrated what Mrs. Eddy identified as true for us all – “The human capacities are enlarged and perfected in proportion as humanity gains the true conception of man and God.” (S-6) When you need to know how to do something – confidently ask God to show you and expect to hear an answer.

Section 2: Intelligence does not come from a brain
When the Bible was written, there wasn’t any mention about brain being the center of intelligence. But, the Bible does talk about wisdom not being in the earth or the sea, and acknowledges that clay can’t instruct the potter. (B-5 & B-7) We say, “Well, that’s obvious!” And, yet, as a whole, we’ve accepted another false theory – that brain is the seat of intelligence and the body has sensation. Christian Science challenges this mistaken view with a question: “How can intelligence dwell in matter when matter is non-intelligent and brain-lobes cannot think?” (S-10) I agree! When I was a kid, I saw a brain that had been put in a jar full of formaldehyde. Looking at that made a lasting impression me. It just didn’t make sense that a hunk of matter could be the source of intelligence. So, where does intelligence come from? From infinite Mind outside of matter — and reflected by man (all of us.) Mind is God, and so Mind is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient good! Accepting this frees us from the belief that intelligence comes from a brain or can be good and evil, strong or weak. The size or condition of a brain has nothing to do with intelligence. The more we understand that fact — and resist the temptation to measure IQ, or believe that a mind [or memory capacity] can be lost or disturbed, the more clearly we’ll see evidence of God — Mind — governing ALL! Mrs. Eddy recognized that the corporeal senses suggest that there is mind in matter — separate from God — and capable of limitation and evil. So, she gave that suggestion a name. She called it “mortal mind.” (S-11) To me, the crux of this citation is that Christian Science (the knowledge of Truth) utilizes the phrase mortal mind “to designate that which has no real existence.” We deal with mortal mind (the supposition of mind in matter and evil in mind) as we deal with darkness — recognizing it as only the suppositional opposite of that which is real—Mind and light. We don’t need to fear it and it can’t be measured. So, let’s silence the false testimony and see what Mind is revealing!

Section 3: One Ego — Mind [re-educates the human e.g.o. of edging God out]
King Nebuchadnezzar had to learn a huge lesson about the erroneous nature of arrogance [and the human ego’s approach of Edging God Out]. Under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon became the most powerful city-state in the region. The problem was that Nebuchadnezzar took full credit! He was hugely arrogant and was removed from his kingdom until he could learn that “the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” (B-10) Nebuchadnezzar suffered from insanity for 7 years, and lived with the wild beasts outside of the city during that time. But, when he turned his attention back to God, giving God credit for all the good he had accomplished, everything was restored to him. Whatever it takes, we all must learn that “the Ego is Mind, and that there is but one Mind or intelligence.” (S-14) We get ourselves in trouble when we start thinking that our ability, our talents, and our intelligence are responsible for the success we experience. As this story illustrates, if we think those abilities, talents, and intelligence are personal, they can also be lost. But, I love the fact that this story includes healing! Understanding the only Ego to be Mind “begins at once to destroy the errors of mortal sense and to supply the truth of immortal sense.” Then, as we stop thinking about the brain as the control center of man, and “the nerves, bones, brain, etc.” are recognized as “servants, instead of masters,” health is restored. (S-14) It is never too late! If we see a material brain as the source of clear thinking, that clear thinking can also be lost and the belief of insanity, dementia, or a variety of other “mental problems” result. I was struck by the fact that hatred is included in this list of errors. (S-16) We can refuse to be impressed by whatever specific part of the body claims to be diseased. The treatment is the same whether the problem appears to be mental or physical. The key is to “give up the delusion that there is more than one Mind, more than one God.” Then, “man in God’s likeness will appear, and this eternal man will include in that likeness no material element.” (S-17) It’s never too late to leave behind a false view of a personal ego and recognize divine Mind as the control center for all. God is responsible for all the good that has ever been—or ever will be! As we recognize this, our situation changes and we are free to be God’s window for good!

Section 4: Understanding the control of the divine Mind on the body leads to healing
This section includes the story of a man bringing his son to Jesus to be healed of a condition [of epileptic seizures] that had plagued him since childhood. The boy was described as being “possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.” (B-13; NIV) Jesus rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith that had made them unable to heal the [epileptic] boy. The symptoms appear to be quite dramatic. The disciples were probably totally taken in by them and could see no further. But, Jesus responded with a love (compassion) that allowed him to see God’s child, undisturbed. He spoke with authority to the “dumb and deaf spirit.” He ordered the spirit to “come out of him, and enter no more into him.” I was struck by a few things. One was the love that Jesus expressed — no doubt or fear, just love. Second, the authority with which he spoke, truly recognizing that the problem was not attached to the boy. He understood that because the “spirit” was not from God, it had no Principle or law to support it. Thus, it had no power with which to resist Jesus’ command.
As Mary Baker Eddy discovered (and demonstrated) “Disease is not an intelligence to dispute the empire of Mind or to dethrone Mind and take the government into its own hands.” (S-19) The Bible assures us that “we have the mind of Christ.” (B-14, I Corinthians 2:16) That means we have the mind of Truth—or the Mind that is God. Jesus understood that he didn’t heal through some personal power, and he didn’t need to get rid of a real disease. He understood that sickness and sin are errors that Christ, Truth, naturally destroys! (S-20) In order to heal as Jesus healed, we have a conscious decision to make. Do sickness and death govern the body or does the divine Mind? Understanding that it is the divine Mind that governs “every function of the real man” leads the human mind to give up its belief in the necessity of sickness, sin, and death. (S-20 & S-21) Willingness to acknowledge that our body is governed by Mind sets us on the path to healing. What a relief to know that “the blood, heart, lungs, brain, etc. have nothing to do with Life, God.” (S-21) Then, we don’t have to worry about (accept or be afraid of) the condition of the mortal body, but can instead give all of our attention to how Mind’s idea functions eternally!
[More rules of healing—such as handling parental thought first—that Jesus demonstrates in this case are in a Cobbey Crisler commentary P.S. It ends with Jesus stating the need—in Mark 9:29—for both “prayer and fasting”—winning our way to such seemingly tougher demonstrations only by fasting–firmly denying every lie (with a “No!”) coupled with the fervent prayer—of affirming with a vehement “Yes!” Mind’s complete control of every bodily function and condition.]

Section 5: Ask God for Wisdom—There’s nothing too hard for Mind!
It’s always a good time to think about learning. The Bible tells us to “get wisdom, get understanding.” It speaks of instruction as our life. (B-16) And, it tells us that if we lack the knowledge that we need that we should ask God, and he will give it to us, without finding fault —without upbraiding! (B-17) Mind naturally expresses itself in the intelligence of each one of its ideas! The key here is to acknowledge GOD as the source, and know that Mind is reflected by all of God’s ideas. Never should we accept the lie that some are “smarter” than others! Never should we accept limitation for ourselves or others. God doesn’t! Neither level of education, IQ, or condition of the brain determines what we are capable of doing. “Mind alone possesses all faculties (abilities,) perception (reception of knowledge,) and comprehension (understanding.)” (S-24) Just as the sun does not give any individual ray more light and heat than another, Mind does not give any one of Its ideas more intelligence. Infinite Mind can never be reduced to a state of mortality. The full expression of Mind has nothing to do with “material organization and non-intelligent matter,” i.e. brain. (S-25) So, we can’t fall into the trap of thinking that some “have it” and some don’t! We are all capable of doing whatever we need to do and of understanding all we need to understand because it’s not a personal ability – but ours by reflection. An object held in the middle of a room full of mirrors will be reflected equally by every mirror. The image may look slightly different (various facets of the object brought out in each one) but each will be a full representation of the qualities of the original! So it is with our expression of Mind! Understanding this law of Mind and God’s “government of the universe, inclusive of man” has been shown to increase the capabilities and expand ability. The individual who recognizes God as Mind finds that thought become “more elastic,” has more endurance, “escapes somewhat from itself” (which, to me means it breaks down limits we’ve put on ourselves) and needs less sleep. (S-28) Those are good things that we can achieve just by starting with God as Mind rather than a mortal sense of mind in a brain. Do we still need to study and go to school? Absolutely!!! In fact, we don’t ever want to stop learning because that is how we express more and more of the infinitude of Mind! But, Mrs. Eddy speaks of “academics of the right sort” as “observation, invention, study, and original thought,” calling them “expansive” and that they “promote the growth of mortal mind out of itself, out of all that is mortal.” (S-27) It isn’t what we are learning that is as important as the unlimited qualities of Mind that we express as we are learning! So, as school starts—or as challenges arise—ask God for wisdom and expect to receive all you need and more!

Section 6: Be led by Mind — He directs our path!
We are constantly faced with having to make a decision about our next move. The decision may be simply what to wear, what to eat or what to do at any given moment. Or it may seem monumental and life-changing. It doesn’t matter. As we practice consistently turning to God for guidance with the “little things,” we will feel confident that God will surely lead us rightly with the “big things.” How blessed we will feel as we always remember to follow Proverbs 3: 5, 6 (B-18). I got fresh insights as I considered the translation from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)–“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Let’s look at a few definitions. Insight = a deep, intuitive understanding of a person or thing. The problem is that our insights are often based on mortal opinion rather than spiritual reality. To acknowledge (according to the Hebrew) is to know, understand, be aware of or acquainted with. To me, that says that we should spend less time weighing the pros and cons of making a certain decision and instead work to understand more about God being our all-knowing and all-loving Father/Mother who knows what is best for each of His/Her children and sets each one up for success. And, finally, trusting God to “make straight your paths” assures us that even if it seems we have made mistakes in the past, Mind corrects and governs and straightens out the winding road so that our path always leads to blessings. (B-18) We can trust that any decision we make based on having listened for God’s guidance (to the best of our ability at that time) can only bless us — and others. We may not see that blessing at first — especially if we stay stuck in the mortal view. But the key lies in accepting the truth of this statement in citation S-31: “All that really exists is the divine Mind and its idea, and in this Mind the entire being is found harmonious and eternal.” Then, follow three steps: (1) “see and acknowledge this fact,” (2) “yield to this power,” and (3) “follow the leadings of truth.” If we accept that we actually dwell as ideas in Mind, and whole-heartedly desire to yield to the harmony of this Mind (giving up mortal ego, pride, and willfulness) we will discover the possibility of the same kind of order that exists in the system of numbers and notes. It’s never too late to discover the “straight path” that leads us to progress and blessings. This path may not always seem easy, but Love will always keep us safe on it as we learn to listen for Mind’s directing in ALL that we do!


[P.S. from a Cobbey Crisler’s commentary on epilepsy healed in Mark 9: 17-29:
“We have healings throughout Mark which require your study. We have an epileptic child healed in the next few verses, 17 through 29.
Verse 21. Jesus recognizes that the first patient is the father and his thinking.
Verse 23. He turns and deals with the father, his parental thought.
Verse 25-27. Jesus then deals with the young man.
Verse 29 says, “This kind of healing.” Because the disciples had failed, this healing required two things, “prayer and fasting.” You can say this another way using two other words: “No” and “Yes” [as Mary Baker Eddy titled one of her works on scientific, mental healing.] Fasting is what we say “no” to and prayer is what we’re affirming. Once again, we see that we are given the rules of healing.” What Mark Recorded by B. Cobbey Crisler, page 59, with prior permission to share this freely given by Cobbey’s widow, Janet Crisler]


[Bracketed italics in each CedarS Met are added by CedarS Director and Met "Founder"/Editor, Warren Huff, who’s forever grateful for all the good already received and LETTING 2 ONGOING NEEDS BE KNOWN –

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[The weekly Metaphysical Newsletter is provided at no charge to the 1,200 campers and staff blessed each summer at CedarS, as well as to CedarS alumni, families and friends who have requested it. However, current and planned gifts are a big help and are greatly appreciated in defraying the costs of running this service and of providing needed camperships, programs and operations support. Click http://www.cedarscamps.org/giving/ for more about how you can provide even monthly support online. THIS WOULD BE A HUGE ANSWER TO PRAYER! Or you can always call the Huffs at 636-394-6162 to get information or discuss privately how to transfer securities or other assets to help support and perpetuate CedarS work.]

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[The Met application ideas above are provided primarily to help CedarS campers and staff (as well as friends) see and daily demonstrate the great value of studying and applying the Christian Science Bible lessons throughout the year, not just at camp! YOU CAN ALSO SIGN UP for weekly emails from past CedarS staff of possible ways to share Bible Lesson applications with older, as well as younger, Sunday School classes by clicking the "Subscribe Now" button (lower left) at http://www.cedarscamps.org/metaphysical/ ]

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