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APPLICATION GEMS TO STRENGTHEN FAITH IN OUR IMMORTALITY AND DISPEL FALSE ALARMS OF THE ILLUSION OF MORTALITY!
Let God Expressed Meekly/Mightily in you sparkle brightly with new insights from Cobbey Crisler & others as inspired by The Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson on
“MORTALS AND IMMORTALS”
for November 13, 2022
(Cobbey’s insights are shared with the blessing of Janet Crisler janetcrisler7@gmail.com)
by Warren Huff, CedarS Executive Director Emeritus, warren@cedarscamps.org
The Golden Text and Responsive Reading (as always) give us a road map to the Bible Lesson and to how we can apply it to advance our own spiritual progress. I am reminded every fall of a timeless anniversary of my 2010 life-saving and life-changing healing of a large cancerous growth.
I gave an audio version of this complete and quick healing and also shared many more convincing examples in a May 1, 2022 inspirational conversation at the end of Arden Wood’s Annual Meeting. Such precious proofs are why our “good fight(s) for the true faith” are worth fighting for and are appropriate to be “declared … well before many witnesses.” (I Timothy 6:12, Golden Text)
While the struggle make our demonstrations may well seem long and hard, knowing that each challenge is just an illusion (as two GEMs elaborate on) gives us a proper, long-range perspective of “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, (that) worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (Responsive Reading, II Corinthians 4:17)
Here’s wishing you and yours many a “good fight for the true faith” and daily “higher proofs rather than professions of Christian power.” (citation S27, 233). These are gifts from God that “give to the world convincing proofs of the validity of the scientific statement of being.” (See Ret. 93 and the last GEM on citation S32.)
BRING the CARE of the GOOD SHEPHERD to ALL YOU DO; BE AT ONE with God!
Cobbey Crisler on John 10:7-10 (cit. B13 & bonus verses) plus S&H 315:3-7.
[Cobbey:] “Chapter 10. Not too many of us keep sheep anymore. So, this is a lost simile on the twentieth century. Should we be keeping sheep in the real meaning of it? What could you and I do more about our job, our home, our world, our political situation, our community, and church, if we introduced more of the shepherd motive into all of them?
John 10:13 shows the difference between the shepherd-motive and the hireling’s motive who was working just for pay. “The hireling fleeth, because that’s all he was working for is money.” Where’s the difference? “He doesn’t care.”
Let’s ask ourselves the question, do we care? If we care, that’s the shepherd motive. Jesus cared. He walked in the midst of the dissolute, the despairing, the injured, the grieved, and the broken in heart as well as in body. And nobody knew why he did it. The upper classes, those who didn’t have similar problems, wondered why he was with the publicans and sinners. But he said that “the whole didn’t need a physician” (Matt. 9:12; Mark 4:23; Luke 5:31).
He apparently contemplated an Israel in prophecy which the existing Israel, the establishment, had not remotely seen.
He saw the Israel in prophecy which is exactly in accord with Jeremiah’s prediction of the new covenant and Isaiah’s. The new Israel would be composed of those whose needs had been met, where the recipients were, no class, no mass, no private sector, no ghetto, but receptivity gathering the sons and daughters together. They are gathered to prove what is possible on earth as in heaven. The shepherd motive of caring brings us into that new Israel.”
“Jesus says that he is the Shepherd and he also says he is the door. It may look like he is confused. Let me give you an example of how he isn’t. When my wife and I were in Israel, we stopped in a place between Jerusalem and Bethany. I saw what I thought was an unattended flock of sheep. There was also a rock wall with one door or gate. It was an almost complete square. As I wandered around, I was suddenly surprised by the shepherd whom I had disturbed. He rose up. He was stretched across that entry way, getting a few winks.
Right there I had illustrated what Jesus meant in John 10: 2, 11, 14, “I am the shepherd” and in John 10: 7, 9, “I am the door.” Now there was no confusion at all. With the sheep inside an enclosure and the only possible entrance of wild animals or thieves being that door, you had to get through the shepherd in order to get to the sheep. The shepherd was also the door.
John 10:27, 28 (B7) “My sheep hear my voice… and they follow me.” In Mary Baker Eddy’s poem, “Feed My Sheep”, there is the statement, “I will listen for Thy voice.” [Hymn 304] While we were down in that area of Beersheba, we saw many sheep all mixed together. I said to Janet, ‘I wonder how the shepherd is ever going to sort out his sheep. They’re all just mingled together.’ … It wasn’t very long before our shepherd separated himself from the crowd, walked away – never looked over his shoulder at the mixed-up sheep— but made some kind of identifying click or clack of his tongue or voice.
“Do you know that every one of his sheep separated themselves from that flock and followed him?! He never doubted. He never looked back. The sheep did their job. The sheep knew his voice. “I will listen for Thy voice.” These lessons are things that in the busy moments of our own twentieth century we need to contemplate. They’re not just symbols. They’re not done just as ancient history. They’re attitudes. They’re states of mind and thought. This is something we often need to consider.” In John 10:30 (cit. B7, and expounded on in cit. S6, 315:3-7, 32-7) is Jesus’ great statement, “I and my Father are one.” If this is from the Aramaic, then, the Aramaic word would give the meaning, “I and my Father are in accord.”
“Book of John, A Walk with the Beloved Disciple,” B. Cobbey Crisler**
FIND ONENESS with God “as a humble ray of sunlight that is one with the sun”
from cits. B7, John 10:30 & S6, 315:3 & S7, 361:16 as sung in “I and My Father” Music Video on YouTube
Below is a YouTube link to an inspiring song by a CedarS mom and award-winning Country Music artist, Cherie Brennan. It emphasizes the “I and my Father are one” mindset of Christ Jesus and mentioned in this week’s Bible Lesson citation B7, John 10:30 & S6, 315:3. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZMNlpZavkA
You can learn more about Cherie and buy her CD “You are Loved” (“I and My Father” is the 4th song) on her website through Spotify at: https://open.spotify.com/album/3Ii5CBrdNs6f8Y3t4l5XHl
Or, on Watchfire Music by CedarS friend, Peter Link, — LISTEN TO A SAMPLE of “I and my Father are one” SUNG by Mindy Jostyn and BUY IT and the SHEET MUSIC for SOLOISTS at: https://watchfiremusic.com/shop/recordings/songs/i-and-my-father-are-one-2/
When an ILLUSION makes it appears that YOUR “BACK’S AGAINST the WALL,” PRAY a W.A.L.L. TREATMENT! —or C.A.L.L. treatment to know “who you gonna call?” (SH, 495:20, cit. S16)
On page 495, lines 14-24 Mary Baker Eddy gives you (and the whole world) four powerful (and memoizable) sentences to guide your thoughts to healing when you are tempted to believe in the reality of some illusion or ghost of fear or doubt that seems to be in your face.
W.A.L.L. Treatment (SH 495:14) These four sentences begin with the letters W, A, L, L—hence the W.A.L.L. treatment. This was a memory aid that came to me and has made it easier for me to remember the whole paragraph and use it often as a cornerstone for healings.
- “When the illusion…
- Allow nothing but his likeness to abide in your thought.
- Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your clear sense and…
- Let Christian Science, instead of corporeal sense, support your understanding…” (cit. S16)
Or it could be called the C.A.L.L. Treatment (SH 495:14) A different acronym/memory aid can be made by using the first letters of the directive verbs in each of these same four sentences. They are Cling, Allow, Let and Let again—hence the C.A.L.L. treatment. This alternate memory devise came to me when tempted to be afraid of some illusion or lingering “ghostly” belief from the past, present or future (like Scrooge was in “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens). Mary Baker Eddy unknowingly answered in-advance and brilliantly the question “Who you Gonna Call?” (from the 1984 movie “Ghostbusters” soundtrack song by Ray Parker Jr.). She treated all such “ghosts” as illusions in her ultimate, metaphysical “Ghostbuster” treatment that has served as a cornerstone for thousands of healings. –“When the illusion… tempts you,
- Cling Steadfastly to God and His idea.
- Allow nothing but his likeness to abide in your thought.
- Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your Clear Sense and calm trust…
- Let Christian Science instead of Corporeal Sense, support your understanding of being and…” (cit. S16)
(Reread carefully and consider memorizing the FULL, 10-line Christian Science treatment in Science and Health, page 495:14-24. Also of note are the four pairs of consecutive words (which I capitalized, highlighted and bolded above) all begin with C and S!
LISTEN TO “WITH DRUGS, OR WITHOUT” — or read this classic GEM of an article that was inspired by the sentence in Science and Health on page 230 (line 3, between lines 1 in citation S17.) Milton Simon wrote it in the February 1949 Christian Science Journal with the title of “WITH DRUGS, OR WITHOUT.” It clearly shows the importance of waking to see disease as only an illusion to cast it out. (It’s also featured on Disk 9 of Anthology of Classic Articles II.
Click to HEAR it at: https://journal.christianscience.com/audioplayer/shareview/7zh9chpc2o
Or click to read it at: https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/7zh9chpc2o?s=e
JSH-Online is the official website of The Christian Science Journal, Sentinel, and Herald.
APPLY for YOU & YOURS Paul’s Answered Prayer (AP) History of RAISING THE DEAD!
What cannot God do! Cobbey on Acts 20:6 -12/cit. B18
[Cobbey Crisler:] “Chapter 20, Verse 6. They’re getting ready to sail. Paul separates from them. At Troas, “We abode seven days.” Paul, and maybe Luke, were there seven days.
[Verse 9.] You know how long-winded Paul could be. And I hope I’m not repeating his example here, and I don’t want to find any Eutychae here in the audience, because “Eutychus, fell into a deep sleep.” Anyone here feel like entering into that condition? I hope not because “Eutychus sank down and fell from the third loft.”
Verse 10. If that wasn’t enough of a problem, “Paul ran down and fell on him as well, but announces, “Don’t trouble yourselves, his life is in him.” This looks like it may not have been as instant resuscitation or healing. It could have involved broken bones and everything.
[Verse 11.] Paul goes back, continues talking, breaks bread, and eats.
Verse 12. “At dawn they bring the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.” The man was alive and healed, no broken bones, apparently. There is, again, a major healing that we see.”
“After the Master, What? The Book of Acts,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
WRAP-UP THIS LESSON BY SHOWING THYE “CONVINCING PROOFS … WE SHOULD GIVE TO THE WORLD” OF THE VALIDITY [of our faith in] “THE SCIENTIFIC STATEMENT OF BEING” (see Retrospection & Introspection, p. 93: 17 & cit. S32, 208)
Mary Baker Eddy on Paul’s words in Athens (Acts 17:28):
“St. Paul said to the Athenians, “For in Him we live and move and have our being.” This statement is in substance identical with my own: “There is no life, truth, substance, nor intelligence in matter.” It is quite clear that this great verity has not yet been fully demonstrated, but it is nevertheless true. If Christian Science reiterates Paul’s teaching, we, as Christian Scientists, should give to the world convincing proof of the validity of this scientific statement of being. Having perceived, in advance of others, this scientific fact, we owe to ourselves and to the world a struggle for its demonstration.”
“Retrospection and Introspection,” by Mary Baker Eddy, page 93: 17
COBBEY CRISLER’S INSIGHTS ON THE CONTEXT OF PAUL’S WORDS TO THE ATHENIANS in ACTS 17 (quoted in citation S32, 208:5 & 428:15 and 596:7-10): ENGAGINGLY SHARE YOUR CHRISTIANITY SO WITH YOUR AUDIENCE!
[Cobbey on Acts 17:] “Well, now Paul is heading for the cultural capital of civilization, Athens. And you can’t even go to modern day Athens without appreciating somewhat of what Paul saw, looking around at the remnants of that great city and “the columned buildings that were dedicated to so many gods. It must have moved Paul.” …
“And so, he opens his mouth and begins right away to talk in Athens. Now this is a tough area in which to introduce Christianity, except at least they were willing to listen because everybody talked about anything. I mean there were a lot of weirdo sects and ideas that they welcomed without question in Athens because everybody liked to dispute these ideas anyway.
“He’s in the market, the agora, as well as in the synagogue. He runs into Epicureans; he runs into Stoics.” Now Tarsus where Paul came from happens to be a Stoic stronghold. So, he must have been certainly aware of that philosophy…
“They bring him to Areopagus, the hill of Mars or Aries, and they asked him to explain what he has to say.” …
Acts 17:22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
Paul, standing there, shows how a lecture can be tailor-made to any environment. And, it’s better than uniformity if you want to get the ear of the locals. And in this way, you will find at no point does Paul mention the Old Testament. Why? (Pause) What would that mean to the Athenians? (See below, Acts 17:23, paraphrased)
Instead, he kind of says, “On my way to the forum…you know. In other words, here I was, and I saw something you had back here. And, it says TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.” (See Acts 17:23 …
“Would everybody be listening? It relates. He’s picked up something locally. And, would you also be listening if he said “That monument you put ‘TO THE UNKNOWN GOD’, I want to tell you a little something about him. He’s unknown to you, but here’s some information that might be helpful… “And then, in Acts 17, verse 24, he describes “that God who made all, and therefore, couldn’t dwell in temples made with hands.” …
We’re reminded of whom? Yes, but since Jesus, we heard that from Stephen, remember? As Saul, himself, he had heard that.
“He dwelleth not in temples made with hands.” (repeated paraphrased)
What do you think that comment does when you’re looking at the Parthenon and buildings like it? “God doesn’t dwell in all of this. He made everything. How can you contain Him?” … Very interesting point.
Have we even arrived at that point today in our thinking? … I doubt the Athenians had either.
“The search where God is…” will end up with the conclusion in the last line of Acts 17, verse 27, “that He’s not very far from every one of us.” And then Paul very cleverly introduces lines from local poets: “In him we live, and move, and have our being” and “for we are also his offspring” – parts of poems we have identified, and they even know the authors. (See below, partial)
Acts 17:28 (quoted in cit. S32) For in him we live, and move, and have our being**; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
“After the Master, What? The Book of Acts,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
**AGAIN, Mary Baker Eddy on Paul’s words in Athens (cit. B15, Acts 17:28):
“St. Paul said to the Athenians, “For in Him we live and move and have our being.” This statement is in substance identical with my own: “There is no life, truth, substance, nor intelligence in matter.” It is quite clear that this great verity has not yet been fully demonstrated, but it is nevertheless true. If Christian Science reiterates Paul’s teaching, we, as Christian Scientists, should give to the world convincing proof of the validity of this scientific statement of being. Having perceived, in advance of others, this scientific fact, we owe to ourselves and to the world a struggle for its demonstration.”
“Retrospection and Introspection,” by Mary Baker Eddy, page 93: 17
