Do not put matter idols in the place of God. They are not up to the job!

[Don't put matter idols in the place of God. They're not up to the job!]
Metaphysical Application Ideas from Cedars Camps
for the Christian Science Bible Lesson on
“Matter” for March 18, 2012

by Dan Carnesciali, CS of St. Louis, MO (314.374.5616/dancarne@gmail.com)

 

 [These application ideas from a CedarS Camps' Resident Christian Science Practitioner are provided primarily to help CedarS campers and staff (as well as friends) see and demonstrate the great value of study and application of the Christian Science Bible lessons daily throughout the year, not just at camp! You can sign up to have them emailed to you free — by Monday each week in English; or by each Wednesday you can get a FREE TRANSLATION: in French, thanks to Pascal & Marie-Helene; in German, thanks to Helga and Manfred; or in Spanish, thanks to a team of Ana, Erick, Claudia and Patricio. YOU CAN ALSO SIGN UP for weekly emails from past CedarS staff of fun approaches & possible ways to teach lesson ideas to older and to younger Sunday School classes at www.cedarscamps.org/newsletters  Enjoy! Warren Huff, CedarS Director & editor of these notes with bracketed additions.]

 

Man's understanding of matter has been evolving.  The idea that matter is built from little building blocks was first proposed by Greek philosophers about 480 BCE. So, what is matter?  Here is the simple definition of matter from McGraw-Hill's Access Science: Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Online: “Matter may be defined as anything that occupies space, possesses mass, offers resistance and can be felt by one or more of our senses.  It is a general term for the substance of which all physical objects consist”. This Bible Lesson explores what is, what seems to be and what is not. Will you treat that which is not as substance? 

 

Golden Text: [“Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?” Prov. 23:5]

The world's concept of what is substantial [and valuable] is undergoing profound change. Take [the exchange medium of] money for example. How many of you make most of your purchases without cash? Books made of paper [including textbooks] are suddenly being replaced by [or losing market share to their] electronic versions. 

The question being asked of us is what we are going to think of as real or substantial [and lasting]. (The rest of the passage in context refers to money and how it can “fly away”.) Christian Science defines matter as a fleeting sense of reality which is a product of the material senses. Are spiritual things substantial [and lasting]? Are material things substantial [and lasting]?

 

Responsive Reading: [Don't put an idol in the place of God to save you.]

This text starts with a request to hear the Word of God which God is speaking to you. Heathen means someone who is not religious or not a believer. What the author is trying to convey by heathen is pagan, which is someone who believes in many gods [–in many “graven images” or obsessions] . Modern translations are a great aid and are available for free at blueletterbible.org and biblegateway.com. Look at how the New Living Translation presents verse 2. “This is what the LORD says: “Do not act like the other nations, who try to read their future in the stars.  Do not be afraid of their predictions, even though other nations are terrified by them.” Here is verse 5 in the NLT. “Their gods are like helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field!  They cannot speak, and they need to be carried because they cannot walk.  Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.” That is the essence of a good way to regard error and its [obsessions and] beliefs: they can't harm you or do you any good. An example of a belief is when I was in communist Russia in 1985. There was not much to eat, and really nothing that was fresh. One day, there were oranges imported from Morocco for sale from a street vendor.  Some Russian friends urged us not to eat them. We asked why. They said, “They have vitamin C and they will give you a cold.” In the USA we had an opposite belief that vitamin C would help you not get a cold. Both of those thoughts are “beliefs”.  When you are sick, there is a belief at work. Often the belief has the effect of separating you from what is true and good.  Beliefs can only hurt you if you believe them to be real, or you don't take away their seeming power. If you can't let them go, question their validity. When you question them, when you see right through them, they let go of you.

 

Section 1 – Only One Mind [- Don't rely on knowledge of matter to save you.]

What is science? Is it about proving what is true? Yes. The definition from the dictionary is: “a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws.” (dictionary.com) Science is also, “Knowledge attained through study or practice,” or “knowledge covering general truths of the operation of general laws, esp. as obtained and tested through scientific method [and] concerned with the physical world.”   Did you know that there are about 70 different “natural sciences?” (I didn't.) Here is a link to them. http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/science-definition.html The prophet Isaiah was asking about the nature of the universe. (B1) Today, there is a whole branch of science devoted to explaining the nature and origin of the physical universe. It is called cosmology. It is intent on discovering the forces or intelligence that evolved to create galaxies and this beautiful planet. Keep in mind the patterns of intelligence that exist throughout nature. Are they all accidental? Are none of them accidental? The [opening chapter of the} Bible says, “God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” (B3) We know God is Love and Mind. When Love and Mind looks at you, which is a pure expression of Godself, they see Love and Mind. Pause for a moment and feel God's presence. God is seeing Godself, which is you. God is expressing good (Godself), which is you. You are nothing less or more than the individual expression of the infinite nature of good. Mortal man looks at himself/herself and sees faults and lack. Mortal man sees a world in trouble and in decline. Here [in citation S5, 255:11] iswhy mortal man [ego, edging God out,] sees the world this way. “Mortal man has made a covenant with his eyes to belittle Deity with human conceptions. In league with material sense, mortals take limited views of all things.”  A covenant is a pact, an agreement. To belittle something is to minimize it, [to edge it out,] and see it as of little importance. (S5) With that view is it any wonder that you would feel adrift in a sea of commotion and confusion? What would you experience if you had entirely the opposite view? Let's say, “Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.” (B4)

 

Section 2 – Personal Struggle [- Don't rely on isolation & avoidance to save.]

[To wrap up his career safely Moses tried to run away from meeting the problems of his people enslaved in Egypt and live under the radar as an isolated shepherd. But God had other plans.]  “For I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, Who says to you, Fear not; I will help you!” (B5) Would you like to know that the power and presence of God-good is here right now? What can stop you? In the citations in the Bible, God gives Moses a mission to go before the most powerful man on earth at that time, Pharaoh of Egypt, and tell him to willingly let the children of Israel go. The children of Israel were slaves of Pharaoh. Moses tells God that maybe telling Pharaoh what to do isn't such a great idea. “And Moses said to God, Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” God replies, “I will surely be with you; and this shall be the sign to you that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain [Horeb, or Sinai].” (B6) (NIV) Is it any surprise how Moses responds? Because Moses responds from the center of human identity, the ego, which we can also call “mini me” or “puny me”, he answers with doubt. This is how the conversation goes: “They won't trust me. They won't listen to a word I say. They're going to say, 'God?  Appear to him?  Hardly!'  So God said, “What's that in your hand?” “A staff.” “Throw it on the ground.” He threw it. It became a snake; Moses jumped back-fast!  God said to Moses, “Reach out and grab it by the tail.” He reached out and grabbed it-and he was holding his staff again. “That's so they will trust that God appeared to you, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” God then said, “Put your hand inside your shirt.” He slipped his hand under his shirt, then took it out. His hand had turned leprous, like snow. He said, “Put your hand back under your shirt.” He did it, then took it back out-as healthy as before. “So if they don't trust you and aren't convinced by the first sign, the second sign should do it.” (B7)   (The Message) When I was young this story of Moses turning the snake into a staff and back again bothered me. I see now that the story illustrates states of thought and how those thoughts are in control or they are fearful. Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “Disease has no intelligence with which to move itself about or to change itself from one form to another. If disease moves, mind, not matter, moves it; therefore be sure that you move it off.  Meet every adverse circumstance as its master.” (Science and Health, 419:12) Moses had a pity party, so don't judge yourself if [–in the midst of “adverse circumstance”(s)–] you do that too. Just don't stay there. Move to mastery [–over every sinful thought, represented by the serpent, and over every illusion of disease, represented by the leprous hand.]  To move to mastery [like Moses did] you have to notice the origin of the thoughts coming to you and listen for and obey divine direction.

 

Section 3 – Food for the Soul [- Don't trust in merely material food to satisfy.]

The prophet Elisha attended a meeting of prophets. Someone, we don't know who, made a soup from fresh ingredients that he was able to find, including wild gourds. Nobody knew what kind of gourd it was, but they sliced it up into the pot and cooked it.  When the soup had been served and they started to eat, something was very wrong. The soup was probably very bitter and they may have immediately started to experience stomach cramps. They called out to Elisha yelling that death was in the pot. Nobody would eat the soup. Elisha asked for some grain to be tossed it into the pot. No harm came to anyone of them. Elisha could have said, throw soup out and start over. But, he didn't. Think about why he did that. This was a time of famine. Few of us know what it means to starve.  We hardly know what it means to be hungry. We have so much food. They may have had nothing at all to replace this food with. You know, there is always something to learn from a situation regardless of whether it is good or bad. In the middle of the famine, there were opportunities to witness God's love at work. Can you see how God worked through Elisha's ministry to bring the prophets together with each other in fellowship and into a better relationship with God? Imagine for a moment that Elisha listened for God's direction. Imagine how Elisha listened for an answer. As you have probably experienced, when you lean on Spirit you sometimes get responses that may seem wrong, but they are the right answer. It's easy to ask God why God didn't answer, when God did. Beware of how the human mind [edges God out and] rejects Spirit's answers.

 

Section 4 – Nature's Lesson [- Don't trust in money to save you.]

Hezekiah did not exercise wisdom when he [proudly] showed the Babylonian king all of his treasures. Isaiah prophesied that the day would come when all of Israel's riches would be carried away by the Babylonians. (B-13) Money is not evil.   For example, maybe you have donated money to help others. Was that money evil? When you use money to feed yourself, is that money evil? It is the “love of money” that the Bible say is evil. Hezekiah was in love with the things in the world. That was the problem. And it's tempting to think that way today, too [and to love things of worldly status and want to feature them in social media profile pictures as the MyBibleLesson cartoon suggests Hezekiah would have]. (B-14)   Mary Baker Eddy said, “All nature teaches God's love to man, but man cannot love God supremely and set his whole affections on spiritual things, while loving the material or trusting in it more than the spiritual.” (S14) Within you, waiting to be discovered is a deep spiritual intuition [about what to value and to trust in]. God has many ways to tell you every message that you need to hear. As Mary Baker Eddy says, “all nature” teaches God's love to us. Consider this example of a hawk guiding a man to safety. “In ‘Guideposts' (a non-denominational magazine published by a Christian faith-based non-profit organization founded by Norman Vincent Peale), Ronald Pinkerton describes a near accident he had while hang gliding. He had launched his hang glider and been forcefully lifted 4,200 feet into the air. As he was descending, he was suddenly hit by a powerful new blast of air that sent his hang glider plummeting toward the ground. ‘I was falling at an alarming rate. Trapped in an airborne rip tide, I was going to crash! Then I saw him–a red-tailed hawk. He was six feet off my right wing tip, fighting the same gust I was . . . I looked down: 300 feet from the ground and still falling. The trees below seemed like menacing pikes. I looked at the hawk again. Suddenly he banked and flew straight downwind. Downwind! If the right air is anywhere, it's upwind! The hawk was committing suicide. Two hundred feet. From nowhere the thought entered my mind: Follow the hawk. It went against everything I knew about flying. But now all my knowledge was useless. I was at the mercy of the wind. I followed the hawk. One hundred feet. Suddenly the hawk gained altitude. For a split second I seemed to be suspended motionless in space. Then a warm surge of air started pushing the glider upward. I was stunned. Nothing I knew as a pilot could explain this phenomenon. But it was true: I was rising.'”  (Craig Brian Larson, Contemporary Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers, and Writers, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, 1996, p. 112.)

 

Section 5 – A Healing Bible Message [- Don't trust in medicine to save you.]

The Bible teaches us many lessons about healing. In this section Jesus is at Simon Peter's house and learns that his mom is sick with a fever. Jesus heals her and she ministers to those that were at the house. That night, many people came to Jesus for healing. (B-18) When I was in high school I tried to understand that health is not a condition of matter, but of Mind. (S-22) However, I think I was thinking in the paradigm (model) that God was a force that could change matter instead of understanding that matter is a system of changeable beliefs. These beliefs appear as laws, but they are not. They are not fixed facts. They are links, or associations. Does that make sense? I have found that often the root cause of illness is a link to another error. This week, notice how often you or others don't question beliefs and the links between them. We say things like this. “Oh no, I think I am getting a cold.   Nancy shouldn't have come to school (or work). She should have stayed home. Now we are all going to get sick.” “I would run, but I can't because of my knees. My dad had knee problems.” Or, “I have bouts with depression because my grandmother did.”  Sometimes it is more subtle. “I am feeling terrible because I am stressed out by this test or by work. Stress is bad for your health.” We have to question these thoughts. Can stress make you sick? Even if studies say that stress is bad for your health, is it true? Is stress the problem, or is it the thought? (S-19) I enjoyed the Daily Lift by Rob Gilbert about the power of thought to change the body. It relates a healing of a cancer by a person who is not a Christian Scientist that came about when they prayed with this passage. “Become conscious for a single moment that Life and intelligence are purely spiritual, — neither in nor of matter, — and the body will then utter no complaints. If suffering from a belief in sickness, you will find yourself suddenly well.” (S-23)   The Daily Lift is here: http://christianscience.com/prayer-and-health/inspiration/your-daily-lift/2-20-help-is-just-a-thought-away. A friend of mine who is not a Christian Scientist was diagnosed with cancer several years ago. I shared the Daily Lift with her it resonated deeply with her.

 

Section 6 – Good Times [“Only God can bring us gladness…give us peace” Hymn 263]

“God is the king of the whole earth. Make your best music for him!  God rules the nations.  He sits upon his holy throne.” (God's Word Bible) This passage in Isaiah opens the second book of prophecy of Isaiah. Isaiah has just prophesied that Israel is going to be attacked by Babylon and taken into a national slavery. When this happens the best and brightest are taken captive by Babylon and relocated there. This is called The Exile. It is a sad experience for the nation of Israel. But, it had a purpose. Remember, there is always something to learn from every experience, good or bad. As result of the Exile, many books of the Old Testament came to be written. Scholars feel that this passage “Comfort ye my people” and the passages that follow it are prophecy of the coming of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, through which God redeemed the nation of Israel and humanity. God redeemed the nation of Israel. God purified it. “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.  Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation!  And look!  I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness.  Her people will be a source of joy.” (NIV) So, Isaiah prophesied change. He prophesied not a slight change but GREAT change. What is the typical response to change? Usually it is fear and anger. The Psalmist gives us a model worth considering. When earthquakes come and mountains crumble into the sea, we won't be afraid. “Let the oceans roar and foam.  Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! … Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” (NLT, B-22) Isn't it our destiny to understand and embrace Truth? The passage from Science and Health challenges one our most deeply held beliefs, which is that life is dependent (contingent) on matter. Mary Baker Eddy states that Jesus set in motion a reckoning of what is real, Spirit or matter. It will end when spiritual life is recognized as the only life and harmony reigns.  I hope that you found a few ideas that were helpful to you and that you help others by seeing them exactly as God sees them.

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[Helping Sunday School students see themselves as God sees them is ta goal of CedarS laboratory of camp activities as well as of the upcoming April 21^st Texas Regional Youth Conference . Please encourage all youth you know to register ASAP for the Conference at makingadifference2012.com — and to also enroll online for CedarS! Thanks in advance for telling “un-camped” children and families about CedarS being a loving and happy place for them to glimpse and demonstrate more of their spiritual natures!  Share info about video shows coming to your area as listed online!  If we aren't coming to your area, we'll gladly send anyone a DVD and info on CedarS financial aid forms; programs for all ages; 2012 session dates & rates; 2012 online enrollment; transportation… to help get them or anyone in your extended church family to camp!]

 

[YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO HELP US GET READY FOR A BEST SUMMER YET TO BLESS OVER 1000 YOUNG CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS!   Just click here to use a credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover card) or a virtual check to support spiritual growth, If you've been blessed by any of CedarS 3 weekly inspirational newsletters (our Mets or our PSSTs & PYCLs for Sunday School teachers).  International supporters can give to CedarS via PayPal using built-in currency exchange rates by filling in an amount under International Donors and clicking on the “Donate Online” button.  

 

[To send an actual check, please make it out to CedarS Camps and mail it to: 
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[You can also help CedarS share applicable principles of Christianity with our neighbors: Our Fall-season outreach led us to give tours of our new Bible Lands Park to show Bible-loving churches and youth groups of other denominations as well as our own how Christian Scientists love and “take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life.” (S&H497:3)  As shown in video clips we are currently working in our Bible Lands Park to expand our ability to share applicable New Testament insights by building a trail with activity, learning stations that follow Paul's teachings and trips from Antioch to Ephesus, Corinth, Athens, Rome … We welcome gifts to help us make these inspiring “Home Improvements” as weather and available manpower are now perfect for progress.]

 

 ^{[Camp Director's Note: This sharing is the latest in an ongoing, 11-year series of CedarS Bible Lesson “Mets” (Metaphysical application ideas) contributed weekly by a rotation of CedarS Resident Practitioners and occasionally by other metaphysicians.  (Ask and look for “Possible Sunday School Topics “and “Possible Younger Class Lessons” in subsequent emails.) These weekly offerings are intended to encourage further study and application of ideas in the lesson and to invigorate Sunday School participation by students and by the budding teachers on our staff. Originally sent JUST to my Sunday School students and to campers, staff and CedarS families who wanted to continue at home and in their home Sunday Schools the same type of focused Lesson study, application and inspiration they had felt at camp, CedarS lesson “mets “and Sunday School ideas are in no way meant to be definitive or conclusive or in any way a substitute for daily study of the lesson. The thoughts presented are the inspiration of the moment and are offered to give a bit more dimension and background as well as new angles (and angels) on the daily applicability of some of the ideas and passages being studied. The weekly Bible Lessons are copyrighted by the Christian Science Publishing Society and are printed in the Christian Science Quarterly as available at Christian Science Reading Rooms or online at eBibleLesson.com or myBibleLesson.com. The citations referenced (i.e.B-1 and S-28) from this week's Bible Lesson in the “Met” (Metaphysical application ideas) are taken from the Bible (B-1 thru B-24) and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy (S-1 thru S-30). The Bible and Science and Health are the ordained pastor of the Churches of Christ, Scientist. The Bible Lesson is the sermon read in Christian Science church services throughout the world. The Lesson-Sermon speaks individually through the Christ to everyone, providing unique insights and tailor-made applications for each one. We are glad you requested this metaphysical sharing and hope that you find some of the ideas helpful in your daily spiritual journey, in your deeper digging in the books and in closer bonding with your Comforter and Pastor.]}

 

[Enjoy!    And, please contact us for more info to inquire about a custom CedarS experience  at 636-394-6162  (or email to office@cedarscamps.org]

Possible Sunday School Topics by Merrill Boudreaux

for the Christian Science Bible Lesson: “Matter“

for classes on Sunday, March 18, 2012

 

P.S.S.T. – Golden Text –

What senses will you use to gain a right view of your world, physical/material or spiritual? How far can material eyes see? Eye as a spiritual element means what? How far, how deep can the spiritual sense of eye see?

 

P.S.S.T. –  Responsive Reading –

How about hearing? Compare the material versus spiritual sense of hearing. Use the Responsive Reading to trace actions of individuals relying on material senses versus those who are living with God or relying on spiritual sense. Look to S&H, 209: 31-32 for the definition of spiritual sense.

 

P.S.S.T – Section 1 –

Three things: One, who made it all?

                         Two, how does God behold it?

                         Three, of what are we taught of the Lord?

As Christian Scientists when we behold man, what do we see? S3. 
On what do we rely to assure this is so? “…the laws of God and His government of the universe, inclusive of man.” S2. 
What is outside of God who is All? S4.

 

P.S.S.T. – Section 2 –

Using the spiritual sense you are always guided to be in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing. Imagine, God is holding your hand right now and will never let you go. Read the experience of Moses in citation S7. Discuss the back-story of Moses' life: placed as a baby in a basket and set loose in the river; his rescue by Pharaoh's daughter, his rise to power, his flight into the wilderness, and now his return to confront Pharaoh. Where was God during each stage of Moses' progress? Could Moses ever be outside of or separated from God? You can read what the physical senses were saying to Moses, but since every step is preparatory for the next, Moses was assured and could pray with the Psalmist in citation B8, “In God…”.

 

P.S.S.T. – Section 3 –

Read the story in II Kings, citation B10, that illustrates the importance of holding to spiritual sense when the physical or material senses would argue for life in matter, for death in matter. How did Elisha know what to do to correct the problem? All of the S & H citations in this section tell us what the Christian Scientist, Elisha, knew.

 

P.S.S.T. – Section 4 –

What is the result of using physical/material versus spiritual eyes in citation B12? To what does the Bible story in citation B13 point, praise: for material treasures/possessions, or holding on to peace and truth in my days? See also citation B14. What does every Christian Scientist know? (S17) That's you also.

 

P.S.S.T. – Section 5 –

In citation B16 is a wonderful prayer, should one ever feel depressed or concerned about what he knows or can do? How did Jesus heal Peter's wife's mother? Did he give her medicine? Why or why not? Look to citations S 21 & S 22 for your answer. Jesus mentally reversed the physical or material testimony and relied on the divine Principle of science to overturn the condition. How long did it take Jesus to do this? See citation S23. Time, whether long or short has no part to play in healing.

 

P.S.S.T. – Section 6 –

There is comfort again in this section. Of what can you be assured?

          B19   God is all and reigns over all

          B21   You can afford to be glad and rejoice

          B22   Regardless of the physical/material sense claims, God is

                   exalted or above that testimony. 

What is your charge in this week's lesson? (S25) What a glorious result: Life understood and harmony obtained. Why is this so? You should respond with a resounding “…there is no matter…” (S27) 
An acquaintance often said:

                   What's the matter?     

                   Nothing's the matter.

                   There is no matter.     

                   That ends the matter.

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