Enjoy some sparkling GEMs of divine Love meant to bless YOU—and ALL!
from insights of Cobbey Crisler and others for the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson on
“Love”
for August 1, 2021
shared by Warren Huff
CedarS Executive Director Emeritus warren@cedarscamps.org
LET YOUR CHRIST LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN LIKE AN OIL LAMP THAT LIGHTS UP THE DARKNESS OF THE HOUSE!
Cobbey Crisler on Matthew 5:15-16 (Responsive Reading)
[Cobbey:] (Matt. 5, Verse 15). “One about “men do not light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick or lamp stand.” It’s a lamp and lamp stand rather than candles. They didn’t have wax candles then. They had very small ceramic lamps. You may have seen one of them lit with a tiny little wick dipped in olive oil coming out this narrow little spout. Imagine, that’s all the light they had when the sun went down. It’s a narrow little land and the days are short in much of it because hills are on either side. So, it takes longer for the sun to be seen and the sun sets very quickly.
(Verse 16). In asking them to “let your light so shine before men,” that often is given out of context by itself. That word “so” means “thus,” let your light thus shine before men. It requires the preceding Verse 15 to explain how the light should shine. So, it could be seen and its light could project and light the darkness of the house.”
“Book of Matthew, A tax Collector Audits the Master,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
Audibly or silently GREET and EMBRACE EVERYONE as PAUL DID the Corinthians:
“JOY BE TO YOU!” (2nd Corinthians 13:14/last verse in Responsive Reading)
[Warren:] As Kathy Fitzer points out on in her opening comments for SECTION 6 of her Metaphysical application ideas for February 15-21, 2021, the word “grace,” in this week’s Responsive Reading comes from a Greek word meaning joy. “The grace (joy) of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.”) She says “Greeks would greet each other … Joy be to you! How different out world would be if we embraced everyone that way.”
This is even more significant for CedarS and our 2021 one-word theme of GRACE. The final Fundamental of the Five Fundamental Concepts upon which CedarS Ruth E. Huff founded CedarS Camps is simply, “We expect to make camping at CedarS FUN!”
EXPUNGE FABLES & WAKE UP to EVERLASTING, TENDER MERCY HOLDING YOU!
Make the psalmist’s prayers to God your own to “withhold not thy tender mercies…” “remember…thy tender mercies… let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.” ” (citation B6, Ps. 40:11) and “according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” (Psalm 51:1)
“The human history needs to be revised, and the material record expunged.”
Retrospection and Introspection,” by Mary Baker Eddy, page 22:1
“I awake each morn to a brand-new day… Tender mercies are holding me” Words and Music by Susan Booth Mack Snipes, Hymn 500 in 2017 Hymnal. [My favorite performance of it was hearing it sung on the back deck of CedarS Care House as a duet by CedarS Met contributors, Craig Ghislin, CS, and David Price, CS, who were both serving as Christian Science practitioners for different programs when they sang this together.]
ACCEPT CHRIST’S ABILITY TO BRING THE SAME HEALING AIR TO EVERYONE AT THE SAME TIME.
Cobbey Crisler on Luke 4:40/cit. B12
[Cobbey:] “In Luke 4, Verse 40 as healing increases, we find that many healings occur, especially around the Sea of Galilee. Is it any more difficult for Jesus to heal collectively than it is individually? It doesn’t seem to take much more time, does it?
Who does Jesus say is responsible for the healing? If God is responsible for the healing, does He love all His creation as instantly as he loves each individual part of His creation? Can that love reach collectively? Is it present collectively? If that’s the basis for Jesus healing, then we see that healing a multitude was just as normal and natural as breathing, and as healing an individual.
What is the atmosphere there? If the Holy Ghost is there, then we all can breathe that same air simultaneously.
The healings were apparently permanent. There was no standing in line. Jesus didn’t say, “All right, all the ears, eye, nose, and throat people over here.” He didn’t deal with them as a specialist would deal with them. He dealt with them as a general practitioner, as if he could be consulted and he could join with others in prayer and to be at-one with God, whether it was one individual or hundreds or thousands. Remember, he fed thousands from that same point of view.”
“Book of Luke: Luke the Researcher,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
STRIVE TO FEEL GOD’S FACE ALWAYS SHINING ON YOU (& THE SYMPTOMS)! AND, ALWAYS PAY YOUR BILL BY GIVING GOD THANKS AND PRAISE! Cobbey Crisler on Ps. 107:1 (cit. B15) -22
[Cobbey:] “I’m going to give you an assignment in Psalm 107 because it’s a very rewarding one to work with. In the first 22 verses, for example, when you are studying this independently at home, work out the steps that are being given us, the symptoms, the appointment with the Great Physician, the treatment, the complete remedy, and then paying your bill. That happens to be a refrain, “Pay your bill. Pay your bill.” In this particular Psalm, in Verse 8, [and Verses 15, 21, 31] “Oh that [men] would praise the LORD [for] his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” Follow that all the way through and you’ll find three different sets of prescriptions and treatments that can be quite relevant to our own experience.”
[Cobbey’s transcribed-from-audio response to an audience question:]
“The appointment with the Great Physician and then, of course, when you’re in front of the Physician, that’s face-to-face, seeing God’s face, get the treatment, let His face shine upon thee, then the remedy, go out and have the prescription filled. The remedy solves the whole problem; then pay your bill. Follow that through and see what comes.”
“Leaves of the Tree: Prescriptions from Psalms,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
THINK AGAIN TO PROVE THAT IT’S NOT PROBLEMS, BUT HEAVEN, THAT IS AT HAND!
Cobbey Crisler on Matt 4:17 (cit. B3): “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
[Cobbey:] “Verse 17. … Jesus’ opening word, according to Matthew’s gospel is “Repent.” Change your concept. Again, just as John the Baptist said in Matthew 3:2, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” That is radical good news for mankind.
“It’s not a far-off event. Many denominations have left the impression that heaven is something attainable in the far-off future. But, the opening words of John the Baptist, as well as of Jesus, are “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” right here. That means that we must be able to do something with it and about it. And, apparently that had something to do with the changing of our concept, even theologically, that heaven can do something about the problems that that seem to be at hand.
“… Are the problems at hand, or is heaven at hand? That’s the test question that Jesus met in the preceding verses so beautifully as a sovereign over it in the wilderness. He proved that heaven was at hand.”
“Book of Matthew, Auditing the Master,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
[W.] We follow our Master Jesus, as we dismiss dualism like he did to feel a heavenly harmony that heals EVERY PERSON & EVERY ISSUE! (cit. B3/Matt. 14:23) As a prelude to these verses from this week’s lesson, you’ll enjoy Cobbey’s insights on Jesus’ wilderness testing experience where he overcame feeling isolated and alone, by feeling ALL One with his Abba “Daddy”! You’ll enjoy this even more if you’re feeling vulnerable to attacks from a devilish, divisive virus! (Devil or diabolos means to try to throw in 2 opposite directions at the same time.)
Cobbey Crisler on Jesus “acing” his long isolation tests & healing all, Matt. 4:1-11 before verses 17, 23 (in citation B3):
[W. Before the Matthew 4:17 and 23 verses in this week’s lesson is what enabled Jesus to heal everyone.]
[Cobbey:] “There is what we might call an identity-crisis test in Chapter 4 (of Matthew). The Anglo-Saxon word “tempt” has almost picked up a theological meaning. It really means “test.” That’s what the word means. It’s a test. (Verse 1) So, “Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness” to be tested on the fact that had recently been revealed (directly from God in Matthew 3:17 (and Mark 1:11) that Jesus was God’s “Beloved Son”).
Verse 23. And “healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” Here are human problems that had defied solution, and Jesus solved them all based on his concept of theology, namely the kingdom. Remember a kingdom is not chaos. It’s an ordered government of heaven and harmony at hand.”
“Book of Matthew, Auditing the Master, A Tax Collector’s Report,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
LEARN HOW TO THINK & ACT WITH UNCONDITIONAL LOVE—LIKE JESUS DID!
Application insights from www.christianscience.com a series of podcasts by Bible scholar Barry Huff and former Christian Science lecturer Susie (Rynerson) Jostyn. You can hear nine-part, (TMCYouth) audio series of podcasts on the spiritual basis of the Beatitudes at https://www.christianscience.com/youth/sunday-school-teachers/the-beatitudes/the-beatitudes-podcast
Two Beatitudes in Section 7 from citation B23/Matthew 5:6 Beatitude #4 (length 4:32):
Hungry? bring out the spiritual importance of Christ Jesus’ promise, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.” Part 5 of 9 of the Beatitudes audio series.
https://www.christianscience.com/media/youth-media-except-images/audio/beatitudes-podcast-series/the-beatitudes-blessed-are-they-who-hunger-and-thirst-after-righteousness
And Matthew 5:8/ citation B23/ Beatitude #6 (length 4:29):
Take a closer look at “pure in heart”—what it means to be pure, other Bible uses of the phrase, and the full promise of this beatitude.
https://www.christianscience.com/media/youth-media-except-images/audio/beatitudes-podcast-series/the-beatitudes-blessed-are-the-pure-in-heart
AUDIO EXAMPLE of HOW YOU CAN BE FREED from FEELING TRAPPED & FROZEN WHEN “LOVE … LEADS THE WAY” (cit. 27/454:19)
as related in a 7-26-21 PRAC TALK by DAVID PRICE, C.S.
(Click on link below to hear it (NO text copies are available for these audio-only talks)
7-26-21 Prac Talk by David Price, CS – CedarS Camps
You might love hearing past and future “Prac Talks” every day
by clicking on: Inspirational Articles – CedarS Camps
GIVE THE BEST GIFT OF HEALING EVERYTHING THAT APPEARS “LAME!”
Cobbey Crisler on Acts. 3.1-8/cit. B25 and “Look on Us” a poem by Ken Cooper) in which Peter lifts up a lame man who leaps as prophesied in Isaiah 35:6
[Cobbey:] “Acts, Chapter 3, we find that the introduction of the public lecture and ministry technique is increasing. We’re now going into a renewed phased; it’s becoming part of church activity.
And “Peter and John together give a combined lecture” beginning in Chapter 3.
Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
And first, preceding that, look what else identifies the church? Right. “Coming to the temple.”
Probably, as the Anchor Bible suggests at the second daily hour of prayer, which is three P.M.
There at the temple – now notice the juxtaposition here of the “physical structure that’s represented the worship of one God, the temple here, and outside it, a man needing help.
Religion had not been able to address itself to his problems, as yet. “He had been lame from the moment of birth, and every single day, his outlook was merely to survive through other’s charity.”
Acts 3:2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
So, Peter and John were just two other faces. And they walked by, and “he asked for alms.”
Now, for some the highest view of religion is social service and would give such alms. And often such alms are helpful and humanitarian. He didn’t ask for healing. Perhaps he might have given up on that, or considered it just wasn’t possible.
“But, Peter, fastening his eyes upon him” – now that kind of focus is something, probably, more than physical, wouldn’t you say?
Acts 3:4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
You remember when the woman who had the infirmity of eighteen years? Jesus looked on that woman, and everyone else had looked on that woman, …
How did Jesus look at people? How did he see them that enabled him to get such tremendous results – just the opposite of the human sympathy that religion had felt was virtually the highest contribution it could make to the ills of mankind?
If Peter and John, having witnessed Jesus healing in many cases, “fastens his eyes upon him on John, said, Look on us.” (Acts 3:4)
Now, immediately, he got his attention. Now, to study the sequence that led to the healing that the text often gives you. What’s needed in human mentality to bring the healing into the experience of the individual?
“Look on us,” is apparently requirement one – away from the alms, the masses, the crowds, the helpless condition – “look on us.”
You know the story about – if you want the donkey to move, you have to get his attention first. You know (the story), you hit him between the eyes. You know, in a way, this is getting the attention of the patient.
“Look on us.” “He gave heed unto them….” (See below) So, we have the condition of what? Receptivity and expectation, expecting to receive – there are your two words. (He was) expecting to receive something of them.
Acts 3:5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
“Then Peter said, Disabuse yourself of any hope that I’m going to hand you out the coin of the realm, but what I have I’m going to give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6)
Peter, to encourage his thought and the possibility of it, for that man had sat there daily in that condition, to help him separate himself from that condition, he “takes him by the right hand, lifts him up: and immediately on his feet, he feels his feet and ankle bones receiving the strength” – simply an endorsement of what Peter and John had already seen was there. (Acts 3:7)
So, I thought you might be interested in seeing this first, specific miracle, so-called, that occurs after Jesus’ departure – the first specific one. We’d been told that “signs and wonders” had occurred. (Samples below of “signs and wonders wrought by the apostles)
Acts 3:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
Here’s how the Anchor Bible has described the concept of miracle: “Of course, one may assume such miracles cannot occur, but it cannot be doubted that they were of decisive importance to primitive Christianity. We shall not be able to understand the latter unless we take the accounts of these healings seriously.”
The first thing this man does, before he even walks, is what? In verse eight? (“his feet and ankle bones” — Murmurs) Before he walks, “he leaps.” (See below, paraphrased) Not that’s even harder than walking for someone who has been in that condition. (Laughter) “He leaping up stood, and walked…” – those are three different things requiring his feet and ankle bones to support that activity — “leaping first, standing, walking and entering into the temple,” a relationship now between church and mankind healed, a church that can bring results! (See below)
Acts 3:8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
“Walking, and leaping, and praising God.” (See above)
Remember this is the same temple the man at the pool of Bethesda enters after Jesus had healed him. (See John 5:7-9)
And also, this – if we’re going to understand the scripture in terms of prophecy – if God indicates to humanity through His inspired word through prophecy that this is exactly what humanity should be doing – increasing their understanding of divinity to such a point that these obstacles, these ills that have plagued mankind for centuries unchallenged, should be wiped out of human experience.
Well, I don’t think the mention of the word, “leaping” in verse eight is a coincidence. (See below, repeated here for convenience)
Acts 3:8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
Turn to Isaiah 35, verse 6, Isa 35:6 and you will see that prophecy embraces healing the sick. [W: Note that Isaiah 35 was divinely given in a Bible opening by CedarS Founder Ruth E. Huff, to be the purpose of CedarS to put into practice daily as outlined below.] …
Isa 35:6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
Every day of our worship in the week, be it one day or more, if we were hearing the prophets about healing the sick and then walking away and forgetting it, wouldn’t we be more or less in the same category as those who ignored prophecy in the days of Jesus?
Isa 35, verse 3, actually in a form of command – it says “strengthen ye the weak hands, confirm the feeble knees.” (See below)
Isa 35:3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
And Isa 35, verse 5, talks about “the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.”
Isa 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
And then in Isa 35, verse 6, “shall the lame…” do what? “Leap as an hart….” (See below)
Isa 35:6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
The contrast between lame and leaping, even greater than lameness and walking.
Now, that becomes/is a prophecy. We can’t ignore it. The fact that we perhaps aren’t doing that kind of healing work has no relationship to the fact that prophecy says it will be done and implies that it should be done.
And Isa 35, verse 10, shows you the results when humanity begins to comprehend the scope of prophecy. And it begins to look very close to the definition of church, doesn’t it? “The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (See below)
Isa 35:10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
It’s a collective thing, isn’t it? Collectively together, you and I, can obliterate sorrow and sighing and ills of mankind’s experience. And the church is designed to get us together to accomplish that result.
And what are we doing about the very instrument will bring it about? Are we supporting it? Or are we finding that we have grave doubts about the church?”
“After the Master What? – The Book of Acts”, by B. Cobbey Crisler**
