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[Choose Trustingly and Wisely with divine Mind's Guidance!]
Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson on

"Mind"
February 13—19, 2017

By Craig L. Ghislin, C.S. of Glen Ellyn, Illinois (Bartlett)
craig.ghislincs@icloud.com / (630) 830-8683

Decisions, decisions. Nearly every moment of our lives is comprised of choices that determine our experience. I’m reading The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. The book traces the life Journey of a boy named Santiago, in which he faces many life-altering decisions. Early in the story he meets a man who informs him of “the world’s greatest lie.” The old man tells him “It’s this: that at a certain point in our lives we lose control of what’s happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. “That’s the world’s greatest lie.” The boy eventually finds out that the old man is a king, and from the center of his bejeweled breastplate he takes two stones and gives them to the boy. “Take these, he says, “They are called Urim and Thummim. The black signifies ‘yes,’ and the white ‘no.’” These were given to help the boy make decisions when he wasn’t sure what to do.

Eventually though, he has to make his own decisions rather than rely on a random selection of a stone. The story implies that once we know our “Personal Legend,” or our true path, “the universe” supports us in fulfilling that path. What guides your decisions? How do we as believers in the one God, approach forks in the road, both large and small?

In the Golden Text the prophet Isaiah does not encourage us to rely on stones, but rather, on the voice of God for every direction in life. The allusion to hearing “a word behind thee” is thought to represent either the voice of a schoolmaster who stands behind students, a shepherd behind the sheep, or wiser travelers offering assistance to those who’ve lost their way.

Theologian Albert Barnes (1798–1870) explains, “The essential thought is, that they would not be left without a guide and instructor; that, if they were inclined to go astray, they would be recalled to the path of truth and duty….” Barnes also suggests that through the image of turning to “the right hand” and “the left” the prophet means “every kind of transactions which we undertake to perform…so that in all we undertake, we may have God for our guide, and may always regulate our transactions by his authority, whether we must go ‘to the right hand or to the left.’”

The Responsive Reading continues the instruction urging us to look to God for wisdom in our dealings. “Sound wisdom” means true wisdom that is everlasting, as opposed to the fluctuation of worldly wisdom. Having the wisdom be theoretical isn’t quite enough. We are also urged to “get understanding.” In other words, we really need to internalize, and learn the lessons. Looking over the counsel and qualities advocated in these verses from Proverbs, we find that the world is still sorely lacking in them. How much better would our world be if more attention and effort were placed on righteousness, judgment, equity, discretion, and knowledge?

In current times, we are bombarded with instant information, reactionary “Tweets,” and a lot of vicious rhetoric on top of all the other decisions we face in our lives. We can be easily distracted. The scriptures urge us to “ponder” our path and look straight ahead where we are going. With so much emphasis on electronic devices taking over our lives, the biblical warning can easily be adapted to this: “Stop looking at those screens! Look up and pay attention to where you’re walking!” We need to stop being drawn in to the turmoil and flurry of conflicting views in the media, and instead focus on the spiritual reality of things so that we don’t trip!

It’s time to trust God, and pay attention to His direction.

Section 1: Finding the Straight and Narrow Way

The next time you have a decision to make, instead of relying on yourself, or advice from friends, or family, the Internet, or flipping a coin, or even choosing a white or black stone, why not look to God? After all, God is the only power, and there is no limit to His understanding (B1). Indeed, God is the only Mind, and nothing and no one exists that He hasn’t created and pledged to guide “in all his ways” (B2). The psalmist looks to God to show him the way things really are (B3). When we are making our own decisions we usually get very bogged down with pros and cons, statistics and details, but looking to the all-knowing Mind for direction helps us bypass the mental clutter. In the book of Job, Elihu prefaces his speech by acknowledging that God is his sole source of inspiration (B4). Paul tells us that all things are “of Him” —proceeding from God as the only Source; “through Him”—imparted, maintained, and ruled by Him; “and to Him”—the kingdom of heaven is our final destination (B5).

In order to receive wisdom from God, we are effectively giving up human opinion and aligning our thought with Him. Science and Health declares, “God is not separate from the wisdom He bestows” (S1). Tuning in to His wisdom, we are tuning in to God. There really is no wisdom besides His; no truth, love, life, or good exists besides what God bestows (S2). Every talent, every good thing we possess is God’s. Everything real is Mind, God, manifested. Remember though, this doesn’t mean God is “in creation.” No. All creation is in Him, and all that exists is in, and of God. That is why our textbook can declare that, “all is Mind.”

When faced with decisions it’s always helpful to recognize that God is the only “I AM” or Ego (S3). This is one of the hardest things to grasp because it seems like we all are separate egos with our own desires and agendas, fears, and challenges. But in reality, God is the only Ego and God is reflected in the spiritual individuality of each of us. Another important point is that man is God’s idea. That is very different from God being man’s idea. That’s absurd. Our consciousness and individuality are reflections of God. That means we can’t think anything separate from, or apart from what God is thinking. By virtue of this, we can never be afraid, or confused, about which direction to go. God imparts all the understanding we need to move us in the right direction (S4).

Notice too, that since this understanding comes directly from God, it’s not an intellectual process. We often spend so much time trying to “work it out” or “reason it through” or “trying to grasp it.” Such an approach betrays the belief that we are little minds separate from God who have to figure out what He wants us to do. But God doesn’t depend on little mortal minds to do His work. God has already done His work, and spiritual understanding is “the reality of all things brought to light” (S4). To find “the straight and narrow way” (S5), we need to acknowledge that, “All that really exists is the divine Mind and its idea.”

Section 2: Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

To acknowledge that “all is Mind and Mind’s idea,” means that first of all, we need to yield our personal will. The Book of Proverbs tells us “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths” (B6).

Sometimes we feel emboldened by our initial decision, and step out of our comfort zone without fully listening to the complete directions, or in mid-stride, we run into an unforeseen obstacle. Such was the condition of Moses and the children of Israel as they fled from Pharaoh (B8). Once they were on their way, it became evident that they were being pursued. Whether or not this was expected, it’s easy to see how the reality of seeing an army chasing you would cause alarm. Aside from a threat to the rear, in front of them lay the Red Sea. They seemed trapped. Moses encourages the people to be unafraid, and witness the power of God to deliver them. Though Moses’ admonition to the people seems confident, the account records God as chiding Moses, saying, “Wherefore criest unto me?”

Theologian Adam Clarke (c.1760-1832) brings up an interesting point regarding this verse. Despite God’s command to Moses, the text does not mention Moses “crying” unto God, or giving any verbal indication of concern over the situation. Adam Clarke posits that Moses must have been deeply distressed inwardly, and notes that God hears and answers all calls for help even if not expressed verbally. Sometimes we’re too disturbed to formulate a prayer into words and we simply cry, or sigh or reach out in anguish. The idea is that God answers even our non-verbal prayers. In the story, God tells Moses to move forward in spite of the obstacle facing him, and the sea parts, thus providing a path to deliverance from their pursuers. It must have been daunting to go forward into the sea—being surrounded by walls of water—but they pressed on.

The psalmist’s observation regarding overcoming trust in conventional methods reminds us that no matter how impressive material solutions may seem, true believers look to God for their answers (B10).

When we face threatening situations with no apparent escape route we too, can put our full trust in God (S6). Mrs. Eddy points out that Moses moved an entire nation to a more advanced understanding of God (S7). The children of Israel were in bondage, but yet they were comfortable enough to be complacent. And even after they were on the path to freedom, they began to think they should return to their prior condition. It’s tough to leave your comfort zone—even if that comfort zone is bondage. It takes work to keep moving forward.

Today Mrs. Eddy urges us to step out of our comfort-zone of bondage to materially based thinking. We need to decide if we’re going to continue listening to mortal mind, or turn to the one divine Mind and be willing to let go of our old ways of thinking (S8). We don’t have to worry that God will lead us into a wrong path because that’s impossible. Everything God does is good. If it comes from God it’s harmonious (S9). Taking one small step out of error is good, but being willing to step into the “Red Sea”—to really take a bold look at the situation from the standpoint of Christian Science—is a real step towards freedom (S10).

The so-called comfort-zone of mortal belief seems real and beckons us to return, but such beliefs are hollow (S11). If we trust God enough to lean on Him, and step fully out of material thinking we will be exercising our divine rights of “self-government, reason, and conscience” (S12). Lots of theories and practices are vying for our attention. Sometimes we may think we’re taking bold steps to freedom when we are actually stepping further into bondage. We are only truly “self-governed” when we are governed by God.

Section 3: Distinguishing Fact from Fiction

This section provides us with an interesting story we don’t read very often. Aside from the surface story of being led to find something lost, there’s the deeper theme of spiritual insight. In Section 2 (B9) we have a brief mention of Miriam, the prophetess sister of Moses, singing praises to God after the incident at the Red Sea. In this section we have Saul on a journey to find some missing livestock of much value (B12). He seeks help from a “seer,” Samuel, who readily gives Saul an answer. In Matthew we have the confident statement “there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known” (B13).

In the United States, today’s climate of “fake news” especially calls for spiritual vision. It has always been true that we can’t always believe everything we read, hear, or see, through the senses. Indeed from a spiritual standpoint, we can’t believe any of it. That’s why spiritual sense is so important to us. But today everything is being called into question even from traditionally reliable sources. Unless one is praying to God for answers, it’s very unlikely that the truth will ever be known. God is Truth, and Truth is Mind. When we align ourselves with the one Mind, God, we have access to the Truth.

Our textbook tells us, “Mind, not matter, sees, hears, feels, speaks” (S13). Science and Health also tells us the ancient prophets relied totally on spiritual input to discern what was true and what was false (S14). Mrs. Eddy clearly feels that the ability to see prophetically, or spiritually, is still possible today, and in order to do it, we have to commune with the divine Mind. She tells us that we must look “beyond fading finite forms” to “gain the true sense of things” (S15). Where else, she asks, should we look but “in the unsearchable realm of Mind.”

The following sentences are equally engaging: “We must look where we would walk, and we must act as possessing all power from Him in whom we have our being. As mortals gain more correct views of God and man, multitudinous objects of creation, which before were invisible, will become visible.” (S15)

These tell us to look away from material evidence and cast our gaze into the realm of spiritual reality. And that once we do, we’ll see more than we ever knew existed. At one time or another most everyone has had a sense that there is more to reality than meets the eye. Science-fiction and fantasy writers thrive on the possibility. Isn’t it amazing that Christian Science explains what we have to do to see it? We get glimpses of it every time we see the truth, and experience healing. Every spiritual idea we follow, embrace, and make our own opens our vision a bit more. To take the next step, and break through the limited view of the senses is possible as we learn more about God. Following these spiritual ideas leads us to reality, and the spiritual sense of being (S16). Then we won’t merely be able to tell who is lying and who is telling the truth, but we will be able to see through every lie of sin, sickness, and death to the spiritual reality of perfect being.

Section 4: Having the Mind of Christ

The psalmist yearns to better understand the higher ways of God—the deep truths of being that can be practically realized in daily life and health of all nations (B14, PS#1). Elucidating the psalmist’s deep desire, Barnes writes the psalmist wants to know: “The law of God; the principles and methods of the divine administration; the way in which God rules mankind and in which he bestows his blessings on people.” He says the happiness and fulfillment of mankind depend on finding the fulfilling answers to these yearnings.

Christ Jesus’ teaching fulfills the psalmist’s desire. Jesus came preaching, teaching, and healing. He wanted his followers to learn what reality is, and to prove it through healing. He called on disciples to let go of worldly thinking and enter the path of spiritual awakening and practice (B15, PS#2). The Apostle Paul enjoined us to have the “mind of Christ” (B16).

Christian Science teaches that not only is it possible to have the mind of Christ, but that it’s an essential prelude to effective healing (S17). Jesus taught his students how to heal through Mind. This healing power is available for each of us to learn and practice. To some, the examples of Jesus’ disciples, the prophets, and apostles seem to be role models we can only dream to emulate. Is it practical these days to really leave everything for Christ?

Mrs. Eddy—as strong as she was about the requirements of being a healer—still allows each student to make the move from matter to spirit in his own time, and in his own way. She doesn’t limit the ability to heal to only those who “drop their nets.” She gives those who “cast their nets on the right side” equal opportunity and potential (S18). It’s true, that to get even close to healing as Jesus and Mrs. Eddy did, one would have to forsake all other pursuits. But as one works his way to that point, the important thing is to “forsake the foundation of material systems” (S19). That’s actually even more demanding than quitting a career, and ostensibly entering the healing practice. In fact, dropping belief in material foundations is more essential than dropping one’s vocation.

Human reasoning and intellectual wrangling is insufficient to overcome disease. It’s communion with the one Mind through the activity of the Christ that heals (S20). When we drop mortal thinking and let God guide us, healing is realized (S21).

Section 5: Mind Is a Safe Place

In many places throughout the world, including the United States, political unrest and crime seem to be coming to the surface in such a way that many feel their safety is being threatened. Schools, shopping malls, theatres, and even places of worship—traditionally, and almost universally treated as sanctuaries of safety—have become targets of violence. Polarization of ideals and agendas are tearing at the fabric of society in alarming ways. Is there anywhere left that we can feel truly safe? The scriptures have consistently held that trusting in the Lord provides a refuge, and a place of complete safety (B17). Social injustice done to those least able to help themselves has gone on throughout the centuries, and the psalmist’s words still promise God’s protection. The phrase “puffeth at him” means to “despise and to treat with utmost scorn and contempt” (John Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible). The political climate in the United States is rife with people “puffing” at each other. The only answer is to turn to God for guidance (B19). Barnes expands on Jeremiah’s language: “The idea is that of one who telling another which way he is to take…and he says he will watch him, or keep an eye upon him; he will not let him go wrong.” That reminds me of the sweet, tender care of a parent or grandparent guiding a toddler as they learn to walk.

The divine Mind—the only Mind there is, regards all of His/Her ideas with utmost compassion and tenderness. There is no uncertain future, or fear of being extinguished or mistreated. God, the one Mind, sees the end from the beginning and the outcome is always safety, fulfillment, and peace (B20). This refuge is found when we turn to God with our whole hearts. II Thessalonians calls for prayers of deliverance from “unreasonable and wicked men” who “have not faith” (B21). This prayer could easily have been written yesterday. The solution is also as true today as it was two thousand years ago. We must direct our hearts away from political or religious ideologies, toward the “love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.”

Let it be understood that this does not cast aspersions on other religions. The Christ is universal and ever-present in human consciousness regardless of whatever religious persuasion one may identify with. Even atheists have the Christ. Our textbook declares, without reservation, that the only way to find security is through the Christ, divine Science (S22). This Science places all men in the “panoply of Love” (S23). Notice that the protection isn’t from other people, nations, political parties, or religions, but from “human hatred.” Hatred is a threat to everyone. Hatred is the enemy. Love dismantles it.

Science and Health provides an amazing solution to all our woes: “The exterminator of error is the great truth that God, good, is the only Mind” (S24). Think about that—the ONLY Mind. If we can understand that, conflict becomes impossible. Our Leader was well aware of the “despotic tendencies” (S25) of mortal belief, and that these tendencies are constantly reinventing themselves. Her observation of the upheaval going on in mortal thought (S26) was penned over one hundred years ago. She foresaw these times as signaling “the final conflict,” but, with that vision, she saw Christian Scientists as having a place in healing this great division. So we have a special duty to the world, and to mankind. How will we meet that duty? We meet it by waiting patiently on God, and seeking Truth righteously (S27).

Section 6: “Be sure God directs your way; then hasten to follow under every circumstance.” (Misc. Writings, 117:31)

In case any lingering doubts remain, the last section revisits the theme of the Golden Text. In our life journey we sometimes meet forks in the road, and every day we make decisions as to which way to go. The safest way to know we’re on the right path is by fully trusting God.

Now where do you suppose that path is leading? Citation B22 says, “I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit.” Guess what? In Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible the first definition of the word translated as “profit” is “to ascend!” That puts an entirely different complexion on this text. The right path is always the path that leads to ascension. The Golden Text is repeated (B23), suggesting God is always at hand guiding and directing us. However, the Bible isn’t saying God is pushing us. Paul encourages us to “strive for the mark” (B24). The image I get is an Olympic runner putting every ounce of strength into crossing the finish line, and leaning into it as far as possible to be the first at the ribbon. That total commitment to setting aside personal sense, material reasoning, and listening to God to guide, direct, and protect us all the way to heaven is the “mind of Christ” that we need.

Mrs. Eddy instructs her students to faithfully obey the leadings of divine Mind and prove through demonstration that Christ’s way is indeed the only path to salvation (S28). To do this, we need to look beyond media-driven models of success, and keep Jesus as our model (S29). We can’t do this for recognition, or riches, or fame. Our motive of love for God, and man has to be forefront in thought (S30). When our motives are right, and God is our only guide, it’s like having all our “ducks in a row” with all channels open, and our thoughts in alignment with Christ (S31). This is having the “mind of Christ.” When we do, we find the decisions are already made for us. We are in harmony and sympathy with God, and our direction is clear, leading the way to ascension.


[Warren’s (W’s) PS#1 – Cobbey Crisler on Psalms 67:2 (B14) & relationship healings
“Verse 2 of Psalm 67 is the prophecy that "God's way will be known upon earth," and this is what we all said together at the beginning of this session. "Thy saving health among" what? A limited number? ''All nations." No wonder the Bible could not close without that magnificent reminder that the leaves of the tree were not just for healing individuals but for all nations. The medicine for international discord is on that tree.

Just as it is for our own relationship problems. What's a relationship problem [other] than a disease? Something's not relating in our body. Look to our thought. Have we left relationship problems unsolved? Do you know that Jesus would not accept worship from his Christian followers if we brought a gift to the altar? If you remember ought that you have against your brother or vice versa,' don't even bother to give your gift in the environment of church. Church stands for healed relationships. No relationship problems. All things working together for good. Leave the gift. It's imperfect. It's incomplete. Go solve the relationship problem with your brother, then bring your gift to church. That shows that healed relationship problems are the only satisfactory gift to church endorsed by the founder of the Christian Church.”
“Leaves of the Tree: Prescriptions from Psalms” by B. Cobbey Crisler


[W’s PS#2 – Cobbey Crisler on Mark 1:14-34 (B15 and nearby verses)
Mark 1, Verse 14. We have "John put in prison." He has already disappeared from the scene. And, ‘‘Jesus comes into Galilee, and his work begins."
Verse 15. There are four foundational aspects to the gospel we need to study. Normally, an architect might refer to just one cornerstone in a building. But let's remember that all four of the corners have cornerstones. To that degree, let's ask ourselves if this is not a clue to understanding Mark. We have a foursquare gospel, and at each corner we have a particular point. If this is true, you should be able to compile the information that follows in the gospel under one of the following four headings.
(1) The announcement that, "the time is fulfilled." What does this mean? Prophecy. The time for the fulfillment of prophesy has arrived. So, everything is just brimming in the gospel of Mark with this great news. All of the expectation is over for the Messianic prophecy: We have a fulfillment now. ‘What could be more exciting than to be living in an era of fulfilled prophecy? Nothing, apparently, because this is what impels the gospel writers to pick up their pens….
Study Mark as if it were a textbook, filled with data that Jesus needed us to know in order to follow him. It is a handbook, so to speak, a textbook where we can find data that can be applied. Those four foundational points, under "the time is fulfilled," you will see over and over again, explicit or implicit, in the text.
(2) The second one, “the kingdom of God is at no distance.” It is right here. Even that idea is radical to Christendom today often because the kingdom of God, or often heaven, is considered to be so far away fromany of us now. It is out of reach, and we’re not really behaving ourselves sufficiently to get there. It takes Palomar’s 200 inch reflecting telescope to even get a glimpse of it. But we find the founder of Christianity saying, ''Not so." His theology is based on the fact that "the kingdom of God is at hand."

Do we act like it is? We moan and we groan most of the time. We wouldn't if our state of mind was the “kingdom-of-God-is-at-hand" and the “prophecies-are-fulfilled." But those are only two of the cornerstones.

(3) The third one is “Repent!" That means to change your concept. Now, we’re going very deeply to the roots of what is required of us to get anywhere spiritually. The problem is mental or he never would have stated it in this way.

It would be cruelly misleading if he laid down as one of the four important aspects of his theology the fact that we had to change our concepts of things. The implication is that every human ill, physical, moral, mental, all can be changed mentally. Otherwise, repenting wouldn’t make any. Changing one's concept wouldn't make any difference.

This might be where maybe we temporarily get off the train leading to Jesus' theology. We may say to ourselves, if our bodies are riddled with cancer, of what avail would it be to change our concept? How would that affect the body? The implication is that this is the panacea. Repent ye. Change your concept about things.

Do you realize what kind of a religion that suggests? It's very revolutionary in this respect: nothing is incurable from the point of view of Jesus ' theology. If you can change your concept, then everything is curable. That's some good news of victory that has yet to hit the human race with any impact like Mark, the hammer.

(4) The fourth and final cornerstone is to "believe the gospel," That "believe" is not just to hold an opinion that .waves in the breeze. This is a conviction on and a trust in the pronouncements of the gospel of the kingdom of God, and that "kingdom of God is at hand."…

We may just discover that Peter becomes one of the most polished orators of all time. Yet he is regarded as a rather simplistic fisherman who probably stumbled in Greek and was more at home in his Aramaic.

In Verse 16, Peter and Andrew are introduced to us. The Anchor Bible suggests ·they probably already knew Jesus. That would also conform more readily to John's account. Remember, they met or saw Jesus at the baptism. That would have been down in Jordan. In Verse 14 we’re back to Galilee.

There is a recognition factor. "He saw Simon, Andrew his brother. ''It is not by chance that Jesus appoints his disciples, "He sees them casting a net into the sea: they were fishers." Apparently they were not very good ones. I say that. because the Anchor Bible with tongue in cheek tells us that there 's no record anywhere in the gospels that the disciples ever caught a fish without the help of Jesus. They were ready for a new profession anyway.

Verse 17, · "Jesus said,Come after me I will make you to become fishers of men." Notice the intriguing aspect of that call. Because if you weren’t intrigued, you’d stay in your fishing boat. "Fishers of men, " if you weren’t up to the level of seeing the wryness of that appeal, you wouldn’t move. But if you were there, “Fishers of men, " let us go find out what that's all about. Then you would have left. They left a living here. Many of us may have, without being aware of it, been summoned by that same Christ-command to follow and be “fishers of men." But we are too busy with our professions, or our professions are our priority.

Verse 18. So, we do not make the same apostolic response as Simon and Andrew did, "Straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him."

Verse 19. And "later James and John." They even had a small business going. They were real entrepreneurs. ·

Verse 20. Because, "they left their dad Zebedee with the hired servants." They were filling out Social Security forms and everything on these people. "They left and went after him. '' (Jesus.)

Verse 21, “Straightway on the Sabbath day.”

Let’s look at the gospel from above. Let's see the divine structure here that is motivating what we are being told.. Aside from simply gathering the first disciples and paying tribute to John the Baptist's fulfillment of his mission, a greater sense of baptism, the fact that Jesus is defining things in Mark for us. He’s defining things like church, and baptism, and man, and repentance, and relationship. All of these things are major definitions. But we have to move from the day-to-day approach into the narrative and see this happening in an overall tenor behind the text.

The Sabbath day is an important thing, because what we’re supposed to do on the Sabbath day had already been defined by a commandment (Exodus 20:8). We were to keep it holy. Is he going to be consistent or inconsistent with this commandment? We test his every move. "He enters into the synagogue, “where worship is going on, “and he teaches."

Mark1, Verse 22. What he is teaching is so radical that his hearers acted as if they’d never heard this before. How wonderful! That means it's inspired. They didn't recognize in his method anything they were used to in the scribal method the Bible experts, the teachers of that period. In Jesus' remarks they heard more authority coming across than they had ever heard from the local ecclesiastics.

Now we’re going to really see part of Jesus' definition of church. He begins with this preaching that we have heard him do. But his preaching is never separate from his practice of what he’s preaching.

[Verse 23. "And there in that synagogue a man with an unclean spirit appears." …
Verse 31. Notice the church’s healing activity is not confined to the four walls we call synagogue or church. That same healing aspect of the ever-presence of God comes into the humble home of Peter and Andrew, "healing Peter’s mother-in-law.'']

Verse 32, “And when the sun sets,” that’s an important thing to note because it means the Sabbath is over for the Jews. It’s been the Sabbath up to now… the Sabbath is over and you can now do a lot of things that the ritual says you could not do… This also permitted healing in the thoughts of those who were hanging back and needing healing, but had felt one couldn’t be healed on the Sabbath day… “When the sun sets, all that were diseased, possessed with devils,”
Verse 33, “The whole city was together at the door.” Do you wonder how Jesus got the people’s attention? By healing! And in this case, there were two healings, the man with the unclean spirit and Peter’s mother-in-law.

Verse 34. And, especially because Capernaum was located on the shore of Galilee, the specific complaint that Jesus had to deal with concerned “divers diseases.” (Did you think that meant the bends?)

The word that is used for “heal” is the root of our word “therapeutic.” It doesn’t really mean heal in its primary sense. Why was this word selected to describe this healing? It means to serve. Look what the definition of healing is. It is serving. Serving whom? Serving God and man. Is this or is this not obedience to the Commandments? Loving God and loving man turns out to be the service if healing…
He did not have them standing in lines according to their diagnostic reports. All the ears-eyes-nose-throat people over here, and so forth. “He cured them of divers,” of many, “diseases.” There was no physical diagnosis made. Every healing was accomplished. Not one case was lost.”

“What Mark Recorded” by B. Cobbey Crisler

[W’s PS#3: If you would like to be able to enjoy more of Cobbey Crisler’s scriptural commentaries, you can buy your own transcripts (and audio CDs) of most of Cobbey’s 28 talks at a new website: www.crislerlibrary.co.uk Email your order or inquiry to office@crislerlibrary.co.uk, or directly to Janet Crisler, at janetcrisler7@gmail.com ]

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[THANKS TO YOU PRECIOUS DONORS FOR YOUR ONGOING, GENEROUS and NEEDED SUPPORT OF CedarS IMPORTANT WORK!]


[CedarS 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.

[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.

American Camp Association

MAIN OFFICE
(November - May)
410 Sovereign Court #8
Ballwin, MO 63011
(636) 394-6162

CAMP OFFICE
(Memorial Day Weekend - October)
19772 Sugar Dr.
Lebanon, MO 65536
(417) 532-6699

Support our mission!

CedarS Camps

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