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Walk in Truth, forever loved and delivered by Christ!
Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson

Subject: Truth
for July 17-23, 2017

Prepared by Kathy Fitzer, CS, Lake St. Louis, Missouri
[unable to receive calls or emails this week while serving at CedarS Ski Camp]

NEEDS OF THE WEEK:

Continuing our series of lessons focusing on the synonyms of God, let’s explore how understanding Truth enables us to discern and be cared for by the reality of being, as revealed through Christian Science — the knowledge of Christ, Truth! We must keep walking forward!

Golden Text: I wondered about the relationship between truth and righteousness. What I discovered is that, as used in Psalms 85, truth refers to stability, sureness, reliability, verity; and righteousness, and can be thought of as faithfulness. God’s faithfulness sometimes feels hidden, but then it is seen “springing out of the earth” — like new growth from a root that has appeared dead, or shining down on us like the sun that has been hidden by a cloud. When things get rough in our lives, we can trust the faithfulness of God to embrace us in Truth’s stability that is ever at hand. We must never give up! God is perpetually blessing His creation! Christ, Truth sets us on the right path, and enables us to walk in Truth.

Responsive Reading: We are reminded in both the Old and the New Testament that God is stable and reliable (Truth). He is a rock upon which we can cling when the winds blow, and upon which we can build without fear of our foundation being washed out from under us. Paul speaks about not being children anymore “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.” It’s sometimes tempting to unthinkingly go along with whatever the popular fad is at the moment — whether it’s fashion, entertainment, diets and exercise, or whatever we’re told we need to do to be healthy or popular. Human teachings and theories change! They are far from reliable and stable. But, following the teachings and example of Jesus, who fully demonstrated Christ, Truth … and turning directly to Truth as we listen for guidance in everything we do, we can expect to stop being pulled and tugged in every direction (as we tend to be regardless of age) and “grow up” to stand solidly on what we come to know as right — as evidence of Truth.

Section 1: God is the only truth-giver and leads you out of darkness

God — Truth — is only one reliable source for knowing the right way to go — the right direction to turn. We need to pray to (turn to and expect to hear a response from) God as the psalmist did — “send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me;” (B5) Light is so helpful when we find ourselves stumbling around in the dark. And God as Truth IS that light! I love Isaiah’s prayer to God to lead the “blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.” (B5) Seeing and hearing direction that will lead to stability have nothing to do with the physical senses. There are basic facts that we have to understand about God (and that can’t be learned from material testimony) that lead to freedom. Mary Baker Eddy learned them when it appeared to material sense that she was about to die — and gratefully she went on to share what she learned and proved with the world. Focus on these facts — no matter what the physical evidence says to the contrary: (1) all real being is in God, the divine Mind; (2) Life, Truth, and Love are all-powerful and ever-present; (3) what are called error, sin, sickness, disease, and death are the opposite of Truth and are simply the false testimony of false material sense — the belief of mind in matter; (4) what is known as matter is just the subjective state of mortal mind — the “false testimony of false material sense”; and (5) this false sense shuts out the true sense of Spirit. (S4) So, when confronted by anything that isn’t good … ask yourself: Is this report coming from God, Truth, or from the false testimony of false material sense? If it’s not good, you can be sure it’s not from God. And, if it’s not from God, it’s not true and can be corrected by Truth. Turn from the lie and listen to God revealing to you His/Her nature — shedding the light that leads you through and out of all darkness! Walk in that direction!

Section 2: Things working together for good

If we only knew part of the story of Joseph — the part where his brothers threw him into a pit and he was sold as a slave — it would seem to be a very sad story. But, that wasn’t the end of the story — and Joseph understood that. His brothers were understandably concerned when their father died. What kind of retaliation might Joseph impose on them? They told Joseph that their father had asked him to forgive them and they promised to be his servants. But, Joseph assured them that there was nothing to fear. He had an entirely different perspective. He saw the blessings that had resulted from him being in Egypt at the time of the famine. How many, many people were blessed by his implementation of the insights that he had about the situation! (B8) We can be just as sure — no matter how dark a situation appears to be — that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (B9) Just as Joseph was willing to work towards the “lessening of evil”, we need to welcome the opportunities we have as Christian Scientists to “lessen evil, disease, and death” by “overcom[ing] them through an understanding of their nothingness and the allness of God, or good.” (S8) Joseph must have understood that because God (Love) is present everywhere — there can’t be another power named evil. It didn’t matter whether this belief of evil took the form of jealousy and hate, or of famine and lack. Joseph remained true to his understanding of God’s goodness and care for Her children. He kept walking forward. In this world that seems so filled with strife and conflict, we have to maintain the fact that there is but ONE God, and Father — one MIND, one Life, Truth, and Love — reflected by all. We can’t afford to become discouraged or to become part of the problem by believing that there are many minds. (S9) And we need to pray for peace and unity from this perspective whether the suggestion of discord comes at the personal level or at the world level. We have a responsibility to not be part of the problem — but rather to be as much of the solution as Joseph was. We must look for the blessings and maintain a view of unity! (S10) Let’s bear witness to the power of the science of being — Christian Science — to destroy any vestige of evil that would suggest it could dwell in the presence of God! Christian Science — the truth of being — “pre-eminently (more than anything else) promotes affection and virtue in families and therefore in the community.” (S11) Count on Christian Science to bring mankind out of the pit and out of the prison into the realm of healing and blessings for our world! We each can be as faithful [and as ultimately undiscouraged] as Joseph was in being God’s witness—in seeing [and in serving] all mankind as one family!

Section 3: Truth neutralizes error and heals

Hezekiah (the king of Israel) was sick and told by the prophet Isaiah that he was going to die. But Hezekiah earnestly and humbly turned to God in prayer, and the prognosis was changed. God instructed Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that not only would he live another 15 years, but that all of Judah would be delivered from the Assyrians. (B11) We must never give up — or accept any negative prognosis! I recently saw a billboard that said, “Jesus heals cancer. You don’t have to die.” Christian Scientists are not the only ones who turn to God and His Christ when challenged by disease! We are be immeasurably blessed [and can be totally healed spiritually as Warren relates in his P.S.] by the demonstrable fact that “Christian Science brings to the body the sunlight of Truth which invigorates and purifies. Christian Science acts as an alterative (something that causes alteration), neutralizing error with Truth.” (S14) To neutralize is to “render (something) ineffective or harmless by applying an opposite force or effect:” (New Oxford American Dictionary) Heat and Light neutralize cold and darkness. Cold and darkness can’t resist the altering effect. When something is neutralized, it’s power is gone, so there’s nothing to be afraid of. We can fearlessly trust our entire being to Christian Science because this Scientific Truth shifts thought, and alters experience to conform to Spirit as the basis of all being, and reveals Life to be all good, totally spiritual, and without a single element of error. It struck me that Hezekiah defended himself in his prayers — declaring his innocence and goodness. Christian Science teaches us to never accept a verdict of sickness, death, or discord of any kind! It teaches us to declare the truth about the situation — in an even deeper way than Hezekiah did. We go beneath the surface evidence and claim for ourselves and others what GOD knows of us. We don’t have to make Truth true. We just need to seek Truth, as Hezekiah sought God when he prayed. Reading the Christian Science textbook is a logical way to learn more about Truth. If you were studying another subject, wouldn’t you read whatever books give the most complete explanation? And the cool thing about studying Science and Health is that you don’t have to “get” everything you’re reading. Hold on to (make your own) what makes sense to you. And keep seeking. You’ll continue to understand more and more as you build on what you have already glimpsed. But, the point is that the truth of what is written will correct the erroneous suggestions (whether they appear as sickness, fatigue, unhappiness, or any other discord.) (S15) Our job is to accept as true what we are learning about God and our relationship to God. Stick to it in the face of mistaken beliefs (erroneous suggestions.) Argue on the side of Truth and embody the “spirit of Truth and Love” represented by the words. As you do … you will be healed, and find you are able to help and heal others, too. (S16) It’s like in math … you apply the facts, and the principle of mathematics does the work. As you stick to the truth of God, you can watch Truth do the healing! Turn to God in prayer, like Hezekiah did. Humbly proclaim your innocence and God’s great power, and answers will come!!!

Section 4: Holding to Truth is a sure defense against evil

While it’s tempting to get all worked up about what needs to be done to achieve peace — whether in the world, in the body, or between individuals — a much more effective approach is to quietly and firmly apply the principles of Christian Science to the situation. Only through a consistent, persistent, and thorough application of Truth will error be destroyed. (S19) Do you know enough to make a difference? It’s not really about how much you know … but how strongly you hold to whatever you do know that makes a difference. Children heal naturally because they never stop to wonder if they know enough. They keep it simple. What they know about Christian Science may simply be that God is good and God made everything, so all must be good. And if it’s not good, God didn’t make it and so it can’t be. But they are testifying to the “law of God” without giving in. We need to be just as firm in holding to what we know to be true, even if we’re being tempted by fear or doubt. [P.S. applies again.] “Error of any kind cannot hide from the law of God.” (S18) Just like no darkness can hide from the shining of light. Even if you’re super scared while you're holding the flashlight … the light will eliminate the darkness. We all need to be like the “poor wise man” that saved the city that was under attack. (B14) We do that by not accepting what appears to be — no matter how real (and in your face) — the lie seems to be. Be wise — stick to what Truth (God) reveals as the reality of the situation. This means that in the face of fear, we know that the peace and confidence of love reigns, in the face of anger there is calm, in the face of indecision there is clarity, in the face of danger there is safety, in the face of disease there is health, etc. Being wise means not being impressed with appearances, but taking your stand for what God (Truth) is revealing to spiritual consciousness, listening to hear God’s direction, and walking forward. All we really know about the “poor wise man” is that he didn’t cower in the face of a powerful king attacking his small city. We don’t know his name or exactly what he did, but we know that the city was saved because of his response to the situation. Let’s all agree to be like that wise man — to stand up to whatever aggressive attacks we’re faced with — suggestions of lack, accidents, disease, terror, confusion ….. whatever guise error presents itself in. And trust with all our hearts that Truth will be revealed and healing and deliverance will be realized. There is one Truth — and it is good! Let’s confidently embrace the promise: “those who discern Christian Science will hold crime in check. They will aid in the election of error. They will maintain law and order, and cheerfully await the certainty of ultimate perfection.” (S19) Never disturbed — but cheerfully awaiting the good that will surely come — because God IS good and the Truth of being!

Section 5: Truth makes man free

The Pharisees were definitely testing Jesus when they brought to him the woman accused of adultery. (B18 and W’s Cobbey Crisler (CC) insight email to follow) Jesus had been preaching (bearing witness to God) in temples throughout the region, and people were listening to him — wondering if he could be the promised Messiah. But, the Pharisees simply wouldn’t accept that Christ could come from Galilee. The test was to see what Jesus would do when confronted with “the law of Moses.” Remember, Jesus had said that he didn’t come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it! And he wasn’t going to fall for the trap. Wisely, Jesus didn’t debate the question … which is a good model for us to remember if others try to pull us into a theological argument. Jesus was simply quiet — undoubtedly praying — and responded with a proposition. Whoever had never broken one of the commandments should throw the first stone. No honest person could say he had never been guilty of some transgression. And, so the woman was left alone with Jesus. Jesus [figuratively] embraced the woman in love and grace. (B17) He acted as “a true witness” and saved her “soul.” (B16) Jesus freed the woman, empowering her to leave the life of sin. Human logic says that it is hard to change … but, as we learned earlier, Truth is an alternative. It changes the false evidence. Jesus described himself as the “light of the world” and promised that anyone who followed him would no longer walk in darkness. I think it quite likely that anyone who had just been saved from stoning would be very inclined to follow the one who had saved her. Yet … how many times do we hear of people having been healed through prayer — through Christian Science treatment — but who don’t make the effort to truly embrace the teachings of Christian Science (making Jesus’ teachings practical and providing a path to freedom from error of every kind). It is worth the effort to pursue Christ, Truth, in order to have “the light of life” and not be stuck in darkness. (B18) Jesus promised that if we “continue in [his] word, then are [we his] disciples and [we] shall know the truth, and the truth shall make [us] free.” (B18 and CC email) Jesus taught and demonstrated our oneness with God. All we have to do is “turn from sin (the belief of separation from God) and lose sight of mortal selfhood to find Christ, the real man and his relation to God, and to recognize the divine sonship.” (S24) That’s not any harder than turning away from one view to see another — like when we turn from clouds overhead to see the blue sky approaching from another direction. Never accept a lie! “Speak the truth to every form of error. (S23) That’s what Jesus did! And doing so continues to bring healing!!!

Section 6: Walk in truth

This last section opens with a great check-in question. The entire verse reads in a modern translation: “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?” (B20, NIV) We need to keep track of our thinking and not get complacent. Keep moving forward. Distractions that “cut in on” us are sneaky and can hijack our efforts to keep our thought clear and focused on what is true about God and His amazing creation of good. The way to “obey” truth is to faithfully bear witness to what is true, and continually “rejoice that we are subject to the divine ‘powers that be’”! (S28) We are ONLY subject to the “divine powers that be.” Insisting on that, and rejecting anything that isn’t from God — isn’t good — is how we “walk in truth” and consistently run a good race, with a personal best assured. (B21) And, remember … you’re not doing this straight walking as an imperfect mortal — out on your own, trying to somehow be good enough to reach God, Truth. “Truth’s immortal idea is sweeping down the centuries, gathering beneath its wings the sick and sinning (those believing they could ever be separated from God, good).” (S27) Christ is Truth, and is forever revealing consistent good to you! Just let yourself be gathered beneath the wing of Love — and let your reflected light shine as you love, love, love the truth about yourself, and about everyone, and all things!


[Warren’s P.S.#1 on what happens when you apply citation S14 (162:4) and truly “live to give!” My 2009 whole-hearted song of gratitude to God and to Christian Science for the priceless gift of a life-saving healing that continues to bless me and those who I seek to serve! About a year ago—after a joyous 2008 summer and fall of service— I found myself agonizing in the passenger seat during our evening move home from camp. I sang (along with the sound system) many hymns that I knew by heart—thanks to years of camp Hymn Sing experience—belting them out at first through tears of intense pain, and later through tears of immense gratitude. For the first part of the trip the disabling discomfort just wouldn't let up—no matter how I changed my position or what hymns or citations I prayed. The pain seemed to radiate from a huge internal growth that had been steadily growing for several months. It had attempted to rob me of my vigor as well as of all ability to lift one of my legs. In deepest humility—and supported by the prayers of the dear driver, of my mom and of a practitioner who I kept calling—I continued to reach out to God and to sing each word with renewed understanding, conviction and vigor. With tears of joy I cherished the truths about my spiritual nature as if they were being tenderly told to me in order to save my life for God's service—and that they did! All pain finally broke thanks to this all-out, fervent praying and singing—and I have hardly stopped smiling or singing since. I remain eternally grateful that I took "God-is-All" instead of Tylenol—that instead of opting to temporarily relieve suffering I chose Christian Science treatment to eliminate not only the pain, but also its cause. I knew when I got home without pain that I was healed, although the draining and dissolving of the growth took several more weeks of consistent "ray-delineation therapy" which "dissolves tumors" with the invigorating purity of "the sunlight of Truth" that "Christian Science brings to the body." (S&H 162:4, S14) I applied each ray of this divine, healing sunlight—shining the specific, promising laws and wonderful ideas laid out in this precious paragraph (as amplified by Synonym Finder).
"Christian Science brings to the body the sunlight of Truth, which invigorates (refreshes, revitalizes, stimulates, enlivens, energizes, animates, rejuvenates, strengthens) and purifies (cleanses, disinfects, sanitizes, decontaminates, filters). Christian Science acts as an alterative (a medicinal plant that causes a gradual beneficial change in the body, usually through improved nutrition and elimination, without having any marked specific action OR A medicine or treatment which gradually induces a change, and restores healthy functions without sensible evacuations), neutralizing error with Truth. It changes the secretions (emissions, discharges, oozings), expels humors (medieval “humors” included phlegm, biles…), dissolves tumors (growths, cancers, lumps, swellings), relaxes rigid muscles ("thought-forces"), restores carious bones to soundness. The effect of this Science is to stir (rouse, wake up, budge, shift, get up, revive) the human mind to a change of base (basis, foundation, origin, heart, starting point), on which it may yield to the harmony of the divine Mind." (S&H 162:4). Have fun singing out this transforming "sunlight of Truth"! Warren Huff, director@cedarscamps.org ]

[W’s P.S.#2—Cobbey Crisler on John 8.3-32 (B18)—Jesus saves woman taken in adultery:
“John 8:3 Suddenly here is “a woman taken in adultery.” One should at least ask the question, where is the husband who would usually make the charge, and where is the fellow she was with? How come only the woman is here?

The event takes place in the area of the temple. If the stones suddenly start flying, both Jesus and the woman were there. Who did they really care about eliminating?

John 8:5 They face him with a rabbinical question. “Moses said that this lady should be stoned. What do you say?…

John 8:6, While they’re all saying this, Jesus has disappeared from view, which would actually happen to those in the rear rows if they’ve encircled. You have to look around. Where did he go? He just disappeared. He’s writing on the ground. A record about as evanescent as the material in which he’s writing. Is that the permanent record of womanhood? It’s a dust record. A dust record that can be dominated by the first foot that walks over and decides to change it or trample it.

John 8:7, “They keep asking him,” because he’s doing nothing but writing on the ground. This is a brilliant way to control a mob. It was a method that was successful. He has kept the mob from being an unthinking gang. He’s kept them all as individuals because they’re thinking, “What’s he doing? What’s he doing?”

“So they continue asking.” He says “He that is ‘anamartetos’, that is, above error, who never erred or who cannot error sin among you, let him first throw a stone.” He hasn’t objected to Moses’ sentence. He hasn’t set himself apart. He simply returned the sentence to everyone’s individual conscience and let it be established in the mental courtrooms of those present. You can’t have a mob scene when conscience is at work individually. That’s what destroys a mob.

John 8:8, “Again he stoops down and writes on the ground,” giving them a chance for it to work. It’s an impersonal treatment of the situation for all concerned. No condemnation. No anything.

John 8:9, What happened? “They filtered out and they began at the eldest.” This is a significant start. The custom in the Sanhedrin… was that after a decision of any major import was made, the youngest left first. The honor was for the eldest to be the last one you saw.

Not in this case. The eldest were the first you saw leaving. This is not surprising when you think since they had been around longer, they likely had accumulated more sin. So, the eldest left first. “The woman is left standing in the midst.”

John 8:10, What is Jesus going to do? Is he for permissiveness? He said, “Woman” again, “womanhood”, “Where are your accusers? No man hath condemned you?”

John 8:11, “I’m not in that business either. But,” and you can imagine the authority that went behind this, “go, and sin no more.” Terminate that link to the flesh.”

John 8:32. Here is the recipe for freedom, “It's the truth itself that makes you free." It is the fact that makes you free. In John 8:44, the devil is defined as a liar and also a murderer from the beginning. If you analyze that again, the devil has one of two purposes when it enters into the thoughts and lives of man. It either murders or kills our neighbor or ourselves, or its purpose is to deceive—one or the other. That's the motive prompting the thought, critical or otherwise. Remember, judging righteous judgment eliminates most criticisms, and not judging according to appearance.”

“Book of John: A Walk with the Beloved Disciple” by B. Cobbey Crisler

You can buy your own transcripts 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 ]


[TOP NEEDS OF THE WEEK:

  1. $450 for new chain saws to replace older units that are no longer repairable after many years of frequent use to maintain miles of riverfront water ways and trails for safe float trips and trail rides. We will also gratefully accept used chain saws in safe working condition.
  2. $1,400 to complete our $50,000 Adopt the Herd matching challenge grant to help feed and care for our herd of horses. See the CedarS photo album for great riding pictures: www.cedarscamps.org/album/2017/70323/activities/ (password: CedarS)

We are profoundly grateful for ongoing outpourings of love and support that have met many of our afore-listed needs!

Especially helpful are your much-needed MONTHLY gifts, past and ongoing, that can be started and adjusted at: www.cedarscamps.org/giving ]


[You can also reach a member of the Founding family nearly anytime in our winter home/office by PHONE at 636-394-6162

or MAIL your tax-deductible support to our 501-C-3 organization
(Our not-for-profit, Federal Identification Number is #440-66-3883):

The CedarS Camps
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Lebanon, MO 65536

[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 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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