Reverse the material view to find the beautiful and true view of God’s harmony

[Reverse the material view to find the beautiful and true view of God's harmony.]

Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson on

“Unreality”
March 27-April 2, 2017
[TOP NEEDS OF THE WEEK]

by Kerry Jenkins, CS, House Springs, MO
(314) 406-0041 kerry.helen.jenkins@gmail.com

It's interesting that Mrs. Eddy saw fit to establish a lesson on both "Reality" and "Unreality". It is revealed to us just why this is necessary when we look in Section 6 at citations S25 and S26. We have to "…learn that error is unreal…" before we can be ready to progress. And "A knowledge of error and of its operations must precede that understanding of Truth which destroys error, until the entire mortal, material error finally disappears, and the eternal verity, man created by and of Spirit, is understood and recognized as the true likeness of his Maker." Like being able to recognize a mathematical error in a complicated problem so that the solution can make itself clear, in the same way we must have our thought prepared for the reality of God's harmony by a knowledge that matter and all its trickery and dream-like testimony, is false. Christian Science helps us reverse the evidence that material sense puts before us, revealing the evidence and reality of Spirit that is unchangeable, good, and eternal. [You can read about how to never forget that reality in Warren’s PS#1.]

Golden Text and Responsive Reading (RR): When we know the laws of God ("thy statutes") we can readily recognize the falsehood (vanity) of the so-called "laws" of matter. The Responsive Reading is sewn together from Joel and Isaiah in a beautiful way. First we are presented with the withered landscape that comes from the "sons of men", the mortal, material sense of things. And then the "trumpet of Zion" sounds the alarm and we are called to turn to God with "all your heart" and to "… rend your heart, and not your garments…" This is meant to convey a sincere turning to God. Someone might, in Bible days, have expressed their desire to reach out to God in repentance by tearing their clothes and covering themselves with ashes, as Hezekiah does in citation B9 in this lesson. How much more should we tear our "heart", that is, express our sincerity through our genuine heartfelt repentance and prayer, rather than an outward sign? From the bleak landscape of the first two verses in the RR, we are given not only the "former rain" but the "latter rain in the first month"! So in the early planting we are given unexpected watering to produce abundant crops—spiritual joy and gladness. This is the spiritually true landscape that God has created, one of harmony, abundance, wholeness (the kingdom of heaven!).

Section 1: We stay "right side up" when we build on the Rock of Truth

Be on the look-out in this lesson for references to "reversal", "inversion" and other forms of these words or this idea. It's such a great image to employ when we are confronted by evil! Citation B3 gives us that great verse about how the potter's clay can't talk back to its artist and tell him that the artist didn't make the pot (that is a ridiculous inversion!). The idea that God made man out of matter and then set him on earth to recreate man materially, generation by generation, while He (mostly passively) looks on, is a common and popular view. But this view is an inversion of God's creation. It is the fog of error (S3) that would try to obscure the shining reality (remember the light in last week's lesson on Reality?) of God's harmony. We all know that fog is without substance and is easily burned away by light. This fog of error (unreality) is destroyed by the clear light of God's reality. Citation S5 continues this analogy: "When examined in the light of divine Science, mortals present more than is detected upon the surface, since inverted thoughts and erroneous beliefs must be counterfeits of Truth. Thought is borrowed from a higher source than matter, and by reversal, errors serve as waymarks to the one Mind, in which all error disappears in celestial Truth."—disappears in the brilliant light of reality. (Italics added) We can consider asking the question, "Is this picture built on the Rock of Truth?" next time we are confronted with sickness, sin, accident, or any of the myriad suggestions of mortality. If the answer is "no", then we can reverse that suggestion. Reversal can be a key component to routing error from our consciousness and bringing about healing. It is often a way to deny the lie and replace it with the opposite—health, purity, safety. I have experienced many examples of the kind of healing that this reversal can bring. In one instance, after a long night of very uncomfortable stomach disorder, I was roused to perfect health by my husband's gentle question (based in spiritual understanding of my divine integrity), "do you feel any better laying in the tent than getting up?” My answer was "no", so he suggested I get up so he could go ahead and pack the tent. (We were on a canoe/hunting trip while living in Alaska). I literally was "inverted" from a prone position to a vertical one. But mentally, I was roused to get a more "upright" sense of my strength to resist and reverse this imposition on man. Within minutes I was fully restored to feeling ready to actively paddle, and to eat a full meal.

Section 2: Make a "room" in your consciousness for the true prophetic view.

The Shunamite woman gives us a transcendent example of someone who strove to see through the foggy lies of material sense to the reality of immortal Truth. I'm not saying she didn't harbor a single fear or doubt when her son died on her lap. But she practiced that firm reversal by declaring that "It is well", when it seemed far from it. It is not included in this lesson, but she also asks that the prophet not "deceive her" by promising her a son and then having that son die so young. Isn't that "deceit" exactly what material life "promises"? Matter is a roller coaster of hopes and despair, of promises and disappointments. Truth's promises are sure and eternal. Elisha proves for her that the room, literal and figurative, that she has made for the true view of the universe, has dominion over that falsehood of material existence. The lesson for us today is to create that room always in our own consciousness for [spiritual sense—] the prophetically accurate view of God's kingdom around us. Christian Science gives us the tools that we need to correct the unreal view. We may not have a literal "Elisha" to go to, but we have Science, the revealed Word of God to this age that, along with the Scriptures, reveals spiritual reality, and helps us to heal as Jesus did, and as the prophets before him.

Section 3: Warfare with evil is ended, when we see that evil is powerless, because unreal.

Just like in the last section, we are presented here with overwhelming material testimony that evil has power. In this section we have King Hezekiah reaching out to God to show him that his faith and trust in God is built on spiritual Truth. I find it illustrative to contemplate these Bible stories in modern terms. In this case, we might think of Hezekiah's prayer to God and the answer he received as not necessarily a voice that told him "That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard… He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it…" Yes, in fact, Hezekiah may have heard just that, in a voice even. But it is just as likely that his prayers were answered by a strong sense of confidence and peace that God's dominion was real, that evil had no power to destroy good. The first time after class instruction in Christian Science that I had the opportunity to pray for someone was for a friend who lived in a tiny cabin 1/2 a mile from ours. She was barely able to walk to her cabin she was feeling so ill. My husband loaded her wood stove and I tucked her into bed and offered to pray for her. As I walked to my own cabin, I turned to God with my whole heart to acknowledge her identity as safe, secure, loved and harmonious. I don't remember the exact ideas I used in my treatment, but I was overwhelmed with a sense of God's presence, love and power. I felt utterly peaceful and confident that she was well and safe. The next morning she was up and at it with full energy and joy. That sense of God's powerful presence can end any suggestion of warfare with evil when we turn to God without reservation. This warfare with error is only "suppositional" and is the "…mental conflict between the evidence of the spiritual senses and the testimony of the material senses…" (S14). It is helpful to remind ourselves that in order to reverse or see the powerless nature of evil as a lie, we have to regard it as a "mental conflict" and not a "real" conflict. There is nothing that can truly oppose almighty Good.

Section 4: Awaken thought to Truth and find freedom.

In this section the Master gives us another example of where we need to focus our sight. By looking always to the Truth, to the truth of being, we find—obviously—what is true! Contrariwise, when we look at matter, we find sickness, disappointment, limitation. Mrs. Eddy's recipe for health is contained in citation S20 "Look away from the body into Truth and Love, the Principle of all happiness, harmony and immortality." It goes on from there, instructing us to be steadfast in this practice! In order to see that we are surrounded by God's harmonious reality, we have to practice, as Jesus did, looking only to God for the evidence of this truth. We find that by practicing this skill, we gain freedom from material limitations, from sickness, sin, accident and so on.

Section 5: Accidents are unreal.

That is quite a statement. Again we have a recipe from our Leader in citation S23 for reversing the suggestion that accidents are real. My family has had many adventures that have included some opportunities for proving the truth of her statement in that citation. In one case severe injuries from a dogsled accident were reversed in a matter of four days leaving not a trace of bruising, abrasion, or injury to my eye. It was a dramatic and visibly obvious healing that continues to inspire me after three decades or so. My husband, Doug, also was healed quickly from multiple broken bones (including his back, shoulder, ribs and leg) after a tree fell on him. Doug was able to continue his work within two weeks of the accident, albeit a little carefully and slowly. He recovered fully and within three months was trimming trees in trade for the back surgeon's bill (no surgery was performed, but he was consulted twice during Doug's brief stay in the hospital). In both cases, while they were different in scope, it required unswerving dedication to Mrs. Eddy's statement in citation S23—to the fact that, while the physical senses testified otherwise, the spiritual facts were the only facts in play. We could peacefully and wholeheartedly wait on Love to reveal Her truth, Her comfort, Her reality to each of us. Rather than repairing matter, we were reversing those painful false suggestions that there is some other power than God. "Consciousness constructs a better body when faith in matter has been conquered." (S24) It is just so awesome that our consciousness can "construct a better body" but it's not a materially better body. It is a body formed "anew" by Spirit (also in citation S24 and in CedarS 2017 theme Hymn #453).

Section 6: "Turn" us; reverse our view from matter to Spirit.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this met, this section contains the explanation for why we need to study both reality and unreality. In order to see truth, we have to recognize the lie when it presents itself. We don't have to dwell on that lie, just see it for what it is! Science then can help us to reverse the evidence that matter puts in front of us. Whether it is the evidence of death, warfare, deformity/disease, or accident, Science is there to help us see the spiritual counterfact that reverses error with truth. The Golden Text opens with a plea for God to teach us His "statutes" because they are substantial/eternal/real. Citation B17 confirms that the "counsel" of God (similar to His statutes) stands forever—is permanent. When we hear and listen to God's counsel and His statutes or laws, we find we are standing on that Rock. We are not swayed by the suggestions of unreality when we are planted on God's laws. When we look to matter for truth, we find we are "seeing through a glass darkly" (B19). But as we practice seeing spiritual reality, "…then shall I know even as also I am known."

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[Warren’s (W’s) PS#1, Tips on how to never forget the reality of good and unreality of evil.

“This week let’s heal a sense of amnesia or memory loss about who we are in REALITY! I’ll never forget what Grace Wasson said in a Christian Science lecture over a half century ago: “Where there’s loving attention, memory is inevitable!” The fourth Commandment instructs us to “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (Exodus 20:8) Let’s give our all-out, loving attention to the fact that on the Sabbath day God’s creation was complete (Gen. 2:1-3) and that we have already passed God’s quality-control test with “very good” flying colors! (Gen. 1:31) Whenever we are facing unreal challenges, instead of even temporarily drawing a blank about our spiritual identity and divine heritage, we can instantly recall that we are the highly-favored and beloved children of the Almighty God—as this week’s lesson shows us! It will dispel our every worry —which after all is just “ingratitude in advance” and snuff out all F.E.A.R.—which after all is nothing more than Forgetting Everything About Reality!”
From “Stop Forgetting Everything About Reality” a Sept. 20, 2015 CedarS Met by Warren Huff

[W’s PS#2, Cobbey Crisler on John 8:32 (B13)
“Here is the recipe for freedom, “It's the truth itself that makes you free." It is the fact that makes you free.”
“John, the Beloved Disciple” by B. Cobbey Crisler]

[W’s PS#3, Cobbey Crisler on Psalms 34:20 (B15)
“Psalm 34: 19 We have the therapeutic and the prophylactic. We have the healing and the preventative arts. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” That’s the therapeutic power of God. But it goes even a step further in Verse 20, “He keepeth all his bones.” That means “He guards or protects all his bones, not one of them is broken.” It is the prophylactic, the preventive, power of God’s therapy.”

“Leaves of the Tree: Prescriptions from Psalms” by B. Cobbey Crisler

**You can buy your own transcripts and audio recordings of most of Cobbey’s 28 talks at a new website: www.crislerlibrary.co.uk Please email your order or inquiry to office@crislerlibrary.co.uk, or directly to Janet Crisler, at janetcrisler7@gmail.com]

[CEDARS TOP NEEDS OF THE WEEK:
1) $1500 (in $50 increments, still 5 units given…25 to go!) to split apart a key tractor to replace its clutch so it can do its mission of helping keep CedarS mowed and well-manicured.
2) Professional horse training ($120/day). Goal= To hire a trainer for 6 weeks to prepare our horses for campers. Gifts are matched! (9 days given! 14 to go!)
Thanks to earlier outpourings of love and support, CedarS is doing other needed Maintenance work before our 56th season, our "adopted" herd of horses are also being well cared, AND a growing stream of campership applications are being granted. However, we still need donations of about $125,000 more to grant the campership requests that traditionally come during this season. We also need almost $16,400 to meet our $50k match for Adopt the Herd! (CedarS Adopt the Herd matching fund opportunity goes through the end of our fiscal year, 9-30-17.) Thank each of you grateful for this service and our work, way beyond words and whinnies, for your much-needed MONTHLY gifts, past and ongoing, able to be given at: www.cedarscamps.org/giving ]

[You can also reach a member of the Founding family nearly anytime to discuss current credit card and equity gifts as well as planned giving at 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 Office
1314 Parkview Valley Drive
Ballwin, MO 63011

[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. But, 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.]