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Discover your spiritual freedom! Start from the basis of Genesis 1 – perfect God, perfect man!
Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson on

“Adam and Fallen Man”
for May 6-12, 2019

By Lindsey Biggs, C.S., Practitioner of Christian Science, Maryland Heights, Missouri
biggs.lindsey@gmail.com 541.460.3515 LindseyBiggs.com

Intro

This lesson is full of the freedom that comes from starting with Genesis 1! This is “right foot” thinking! How beautiful to know that spiritual creation already exists, is already complete, and we can live it today! This is our standpoint for thinking, living, and praying, and is the basis for every demonstration we have! Consider exploring the Exegesis chapter on Genesis in Science and Health! Such a beautiful way to elevate thought to perceive the infinite, spiritual creation!

Golden Text & Responsive Reading [See W’s PS#1, #2, #3]

Let’s lift up our concept of God and man! Genesis 1 provides a beautiful illustration of God as all good, all loving, and benevolent, caring for all the needs of creation. It also presents man – male and female – created in the image and likeness of God, infinite, equal, and good.

Shake yourself from the dust – or dust-like thinking! (Anything that would oppress, limit, or make us think we are material – any negativity). Spirit is positive! [“no complaining in our streets” RR, PS#3]

Everything we say and do can "publish peace" – send forth peace. Our mission can be to bring healing peace to the world through our thoughts and actions. And we can publish salvation, too, (“Life, Truth, and Love understood and demonstrated as supreme over all” SH, p. 593), which we can do in many ways including giving testimonies.

Sing a new song! Don’t let old thoughts or ways hang around. Begin each day with freshness – claiming and living that freshness and letting divine spontaneity govern your thoughts and actions. Bring that freshness to every meeting, project, or sport you may be working on. There is always something new to express – a new way to know God. [CedarS 2019 metaphysical theme is “Behold, I make all things new.” Revelation 21:5]

What is the result of this kind of thinking? Genesis 1 thinking? We are planted like strong oak trees. We can be as secure as a corner stone when we thinking that starts on the right foot – unmovable and unshaken.

Our “garners” will be full – our lives will express the fullness of God! The abundance of God’s creation!

When we feel the intense satisfaction and fullness that comes from God, we are settled, we feel at peace, we feel at one with God. This state of consciousness is satisfied. A consciousness of God that envelops one with gratitude!

Section 1…Let’s get started on the right foot with spiritual creation – Genesis 1!
[See PS#4 & $5 –“Genesis—Where it all began!” an October 17-21 Bible Workshop at CedarS!]

Genesis 1. It could be said that these are the most beautiful passages in the Bible! Because it is our starting point and basis, it is our guidepost to know what is real and true in the human experience. A middle schooler recently told a friend that these are his favorite passages in the Bible because it is about our identity – who we really are! This chapter of the Bible is of inestimable value! It is our standpoint for who we are and what we can expect and manifest in our experience. It shows us how to live and what we can demonstrate. It is the true essence of beginning on the right foot!

There is one creator and one creation. Like producing like. Spirit producing a beautiful, wonderful, good, talented, and valuable creation! “The highest ideas are the sons and daughters of God” (S1). What a beautiful, humbling gift and impetus to express God. Everything proceeding from Spirit has to have the attributes of Spirit and so be spiritual. This means that yes, we can excel at sports; yes, we can overcome negative thoughts; yes, we can express divine Mind on our final exams. We do have access to all the attributes of God we need each moment.

This is our starting point and basis for every healing – knowing the true identity of the sons and daughters of God! It also shows us of an earth and all creation living in perfect harmony. What a beautiful basis for prayer about war, drought, climate change, terrorism, polarization, etc. To see that in God’s eyes creation is already infinite, beautiful, and perfect. So, this is the starting point, basis, model of thought, and is demonstrable/attainable since it already exists and is fully perceptible to our spiritual sense.

Section 2…Two different accounts of creation [See W's PS# 6 for "Genesis 1? or Genesis 2?" poem]

As Mary Baker Eddy says, this next chapter of Genesis is the “mortal and material” account of creation (S2). This is a secondary account of creation seen as distinct and from a different source than the first account of creation.

“…scholars have been able to detect several strands of tradition that, in terms set by Julius Wellhausen, are recognized as the hypothetical Priestly (P) and Yahwist (J) sources (Wellhausen 1994). The entwining of these two interpretive strands operates in two quite distinct ways in this material. On the one hand, in the creation materials the two strands are kept distinct from each other, each complete in itself, so that Genesis 1:1-2:4a is assigned to the P source and 2:4b-3:23 to J.” (Walter Brueggemann & Tod Linafelt, An Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 50)

The mist is an important element and can stand for confusion, ignorance, or not being able to discern what is real and delusive. The warning this text gives us is not to believe in duality. Understanding that God, good, alone is real, powerful, and eternal is necessary.

Another falsity of this text is woman coming from man. You may be interested in reading the article “No borrowed bones” by Barbara Cook Spencer. We can be alert to accepting consciously or unconsciously anything that would tempt us to accept any lies or limitations about women or womanhood. Understanding the spiritual nature of creation frees both men and women and allows us both to live with dignity, strength, clarity, intelligence, and freedom.

You are good and worthy! Citation S6 affirms this! Never think of yourself as less than or unworthy. When we stop comparing ourselves with others, it will help us recognize our unique worth and value as God’s beloved child, no matter what status or stage we may be in in the human experience.

Citation S5 is a powerful 1-sec (second) prayer! A firm denial! “The dream has no reality, no intelligence, and no mind…” You can follow this denial with an affirmation and recognition of what is! Matter has no reality, intelligence, or mind. Spirit is all, fills all space, and is the only place you live, dwell, and have your being.

Section 3 …The only kind of snake that exists is the good kind!

This chapter of Genesis tells us about the methods and operations of this mythical serpent – or temptations that comes to us from the carnal mind. But isn’t wonderful to know that the serpent isn’t real? I remember a healing I witnessed that related to this. My husband likes snakes and purchased a Ball Python snake for us to have as a pet. He named him Spartacus. I was not thrilled about this idea, but after a while, I grew fond of Spartacus. I appreciated his kindness and gentleness and would hold him and play with him from time to time. He really was a good snake despite me having no interests in snakes prior to my encounter with him. Well, when I was praying for someone, the idea came to me simply “there is no other snake but Spartacus”. There was such a warm feeling that accompanied this thought. I thought of Spartacus as an expression of God, and I appreciated the beautiful qualities he expressed as an idea of God. I realized in that moment that no other snake or serpent actually existed, just the charming idea of God that is completely good. Well, I don’t recall what the situation was that we were praying about, but it was healed. I've loved this idea and enjoy cherishing it.

Mary Baker Eddy writes, “The serpent of God's creating is neither subtle nor poisonous, but is a wise idea, charming in its adroitness, for Love's ideas are subject to the Mind which forms them, — the power which changeth the serpent into a staff.” (Science & Health, p. 515)

Section 4 … The ideal man and woman living in complete harmony

I love this Bible story of Abigail, David, and Nabal (B5). Such a beautiful example of peacemaking! It illustrates beautifully Jesus beatitude “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9) A great topic for Sunday School! I love this comparison between a peacemaker and a peace-breaker for kids shared on this blog. In this childlike way, we can ask ourselves and our kids/campers if we are attributing to peacemaking or peace-breaking.

When I was taking seminary classes, I did a “close reading” assignment (which is to compare and contrast two different Bible texts) of this story of Abigail and of the story of Jonathan, David, and Saul (I Samuel 19:1-7). Both are beautiful examples of peacemakers and people who prevented violence from happening. What wonderful and timeless examples!

Citation S14 tells us unity is possible through an understanding of one God, one infinite Mind, guiding and governing man – the spiritual image and likeness. Because we all come from the same loving Father-Mother (S13), we have a divine inheritance, divine equality, divine integrity, value and worth. Because it is true in the original spiritual creation, this equality and harmony have to be expressed and manifested in the human experience. It’s like trying to hold back the tide to prevent the equality, peace, and unity between men and women. There is a divine impetus impelling and enforcing it. No injustice has any opportunity to stay or have a lasting foothold in the human consciousness.

Section 5 …Perfect God, perfect man, is our standpoint! [See W’s PS#7, #8, #9, #10]

“The Christlike understanding of scientific being and divine healing includes a perfect Principle and idea, — perfect God and perfect man, — as the basis of thought and demonstration.” S16

This is the starting point – the basis – for thought and demonstration! This goes right back to Genesis 1 as our starting point. I love that this is the starting point and not endpoint or destination that we are working towards through a whole lot of prayer. It is the starting point. We are already there, so to speak! Creation is already spiritual and perfect and complete. This is the basis that Jesus healed from. He saw and knew so clearly that the spiritual child of God is all that has existed for all time. And he wasn’t afraid! He wasn’t afraid of the material sense picture because he knew that the evidence presented was from the serpent/tempter. Moses proved this, too, when the serpent turned into a staff and his hand was healed of leprosy in an instant. Notice that Jesus is saying the “daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound…” (B9). He isn’t saying that the disease has a material cause or has any authority from God. He basically deprives it of any validity by saying that it is not from God. He proves its nothingness by healing the woman! This is another opportunity to see the liberation and dignity that Jesus brought to light for women by defending and healing them.

Section 6 …The leaven of Truth is uplifting and transforming thought! [See PS#11, #12]

Here we get the great illustration of leaven! Seeing how bread rises gives us a great visual metaphor for how this spiritual leaven works – through a spiritualization and transformation in thought. A great metaphor for Sunday School! When the dough doesn’t rise, we don’t get a good bake! And for those of us who watch the Great British Baking Show, we know how important it is for the dough to get enough time in the proving drawer to get a good bake! 🙂

This leaven is the truth elevating and spiritualizing the human consciousness globally and individually. As students of Christian Science, we are bearing witness to this leavening action of Truth. We are seeing and knowing that our churches, Reading Rooms, lectures, etc. are taking part in this leavening action! “This leaven of Spirit changes the whole of mortal thought…” (S23)

Don’t allow anything to say that this leaven is not taking place. This leaven is taking place! The leaven awakens our thought to the spiritual fact that “man has never lost his spiritual estate and his eternal harmony.” (S24) What a powerful statement to know and prove!

Spirit gives us the understanding we need! (S20) It doesn't matter what academic status we have attained. We each have the divine ability and right to hear the Word of God speaking to us. This Word comes to us so tenderly to reveal the right and perfect idea to every receptive heart.

Our prayers can affirm that this Word of God speaks to every heart, in every language, in the way we each can understand. It is universal and available to each of us across the globe.

Have a great week taking a stand for the spiritual creation in Genesis 1!


[Reminder: Click here for special Cobbey Crisler and Ken Cooper insights this week.]


UPDATE! [Warren: Wow!! Thanks to the generous support received over the last few weeks from CedarS Newsletter subscribers and supporters, CedarS time-sensitive need is being met to upgrade to new safety standards for the four Ziplines to and from CedarS Bible Lands Park (BLP)!! This activity will annually bless thousands of visitors! It will make Christian Science Sunday School students, teachers and church members more Biblically literate and alive each summer and fall. And it will show “shoulder-season” visitors of all faiths how Christianly practical and Bible-based Christian Scientists are. From Mary’s Chapel behind Dawn Lodge all users can zip back in time to the Bible and BLP, climb its switch-back “Time-Travelers’ Trail” and learn A.P. (Answered Prayer) History lessons to take “back to the future.”


Thank you dear friends who have already given to the needs that we have made known—as well as to those of you who still want in 2019 to make a big difference in CedarS vital work, outreach and blessings!

We have a wonderful matching gift challenge to meet! You can double your donation by helping CedarS earn our "Adopt the Herd" $75,000 Match for the horses and riding program. (still ~$39,000 to go by Sept. 30, 2019.)

So, if you have been blessed by receiving this inspiration weekly and haven't given lately, or are in a position to be able to give more, we still have many needs, big and small, that you can help meet by clicking on https://www.cedarscamps.org/give/.

Current and planned gifts are a huge proof of your ongoing LOVE made visible and are greatly appreciated!! They not only defray the costs of running this service but also provide greatly needed camperships and essential program and operations support.

Please sign up to give whatever you can on a much-needed MONTHLY basis to support CedarS life-changing work! [You can start at any amount and adjust monthly as you wish at: www.cedarscamps.org/giving ] All of your gifts add up to big blessings in the lives of today's Sunday School students (tomorrow's joyous workers in our Christ-centered church!

With heartfelt gratitude and love,
Warren, Gay, Holly & your CedarS Family

You can also reach a member of the Founding family nearly anytime by
PHONE, now at 636-394-6162.

or MAIL to our Winter-Spring office address (below) your tax-deductible support to our 501-C-3 organization.

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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. 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/meta

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