Master-ful GEMs to bless you and yours and the whole, wide world!

GEMs from the Master to follow to bless you and yours – and the whole, wide world!
insights from Cobbey Crisler, Ken Cooper & others from the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson on

“Christ Jesus”
for Sunday, February 28, 2021

shared by Warren Huff,
CedarS Executive Director Emeritus warren@cedarscamps.org

[CedarS "Met" Note: The audio link: Christ Jesus" Met by Craig Ghislin, CS – CedarS Camps was sent Monday in our email of its online version, "Follow The Master".]

Golden Text GEM#1: “Then Jesus said to those Jews which believed on him, if ye continue in my word, John 8:31 “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

Continue in Greek is meno – Abide; remain; continue to be present;

Word in Greek is logos – the sayings of God; the oral precepts given by God; Old Testament prophecy given by the prophets; in John the essential Word of God

know in Greek is ginosko – to distinguish what is real from what is not; to perceive, understand, discern, distinguish; to perceive with the mind; to have a clear perception of truth

truth in Greek is aletheia – reality; what is real and factual and actual, not counterfeit; no error, no lie, no falsity, no variance

What does it mean to “know the truth?” to acknowledge it! Admit God's word to be true! Admit God's promises as proved to all by the Master Christ Jesus to be provable and sure!

GEM#2: Apply God promise of being upheld to all who serve to the delight of God’s soul! “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” (Isaiah 42:1, citation B2)

Cobbey Crisler on Isa. 42:1 (citation B2) (plus applicable verses that follow)
“Chapter 42:1 is a prophesy of a servant who should come, the “elect of God” who would have “the Spirit of God upon him.” [W: In Verse 6 there’s a shift from God calling this elect servant in the third person, to God calling YOU and holding your hand, and keeping YOU, to give YOU “for a covenant of the people, for a light to the Gentiles.” You will notice in Verse 7 – and in Isaiah 61:1 – what the assignment of this servant (YOU) would be, “To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, [and] them that sit in darkness out of the prison house (W: or out of a lockdown, shelter-in-place or quarantine).”

[Cobbey again:] “Isn’t it interesting that the prophet Isaiah foresees this prophesied individual in the terms of “a servant” when the Greek word most often in the New Testament for healing has the classical Greek meaning of “to serve.” You remember how Jesus defined his ministry in those terms, “I came not to be ministered unto but to minister” [Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45]. Healing is serving by definition in Greek. Serving whom? God and man.”
­“Heal the Sick”: A Scriptural Record,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**

[Warren:] These prophesies in Isaiah foretell not only the coming of Christ as God’s healing servant, but also promise that YOU are this called and healing servant who will be upheld. That is a promise of protection that is well worth specifically affirming in your prayer walks and watches— not only for yourself, but also for all our brave workers in health care, in-person education, judicial and law enforcement, food supply, and other essential lines of service. All the dear ones who seek to restore freedom and harmony to our communities, to our country, and to our whole world have been clad in Love’s complete protection as they (you, we) have “pictured this heaven and earth, inhabited by beings under the control of supreme wisdom” (SH 91:2).

GEM#3: "Think again" that "at hand" are NOT a pile of problems, but heaven!
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 the heavenly harmony that heals EVERY PERSON and EVERY ISSUE! (cit. B3, Matt. 4:23) Right before Jesus's statements in in verses 17 and 23 of Matthew, he modeled for us how to get through any wilderness testing experience of "loneliness, darkness doubt" as Mary Baker Eddy defines the limited sense of "Wilderness" in her Glossary chapter of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (p. 597:16) Jesus overcame feeling isolated and ALONE, by instead 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.)

Click on BONUS GEM Facet: Follow Jesus in reciting God's Promises when "Tempted in all things…" – CedarS Camps for insights from Cobbey Crisler on Jesus “acing” his long isolation tests and healing all, Matt. 4:1-11 before verses 17, 23 (in citation B3):
[Below is a "teaser" from Cobbey on what oreceeded Jesus' mavelous words and works:]
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**

GEM#4: Daily commit to gladly obey each Commandment to feel harmonious wholeness within and to express “the whole of man in His image & likeness.” [Ex. 20:1+, cit. B6; SH 361:6+, cit. S10]

Jesus says the greatest of the two great Commandments is to “love God with all your heart… soul & … mind” (Matt. 22:37). It’s lived by whole-heartedly putting into practice the 1st 4 Commandments, summed up below:
#1. Celebrate examples of God’s unfailing, freeing love if ever tempted to be worried!** Click on each # below for elements of a Barry Huff podcast series on The 10 Commandments at ChristianScience.com. It starts with https://www.christianscience.com/youth/resources-lists/sunday-school-teachers-teaching-resources/the-first-commandment-animated-tr
#2. Quit thinking most about material things and bodies that will never be “up to the job” of being God.
#3. Don’t say O.M.G. (“Oh, My God!”) unless you are praying God’s name and expecting a quick answer!
#4. Remember—give loving attention to—God’s Genesis 1 Sabbath & work out from perfection, not up to it!

Jesus says the second great Commandments is to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39). It’s lived by whole-heartedly putting into practice the rest of the Commandments, summed up below:
#5. Respect and obey all RIGHT authority figures and boundaries in your life.

#6. Refuse (re-fuse) to get angry, make fun of or put anyone down! (unchecked superiority leads to killing Matt.5:21+)

#7. Seek deep satisfaction in all God’s given and keep your promises (unchecked lust leads to adultery Matt.5:27+)

#8. Stop trying to GET happiness & instead try to GIVE it! (fulfill your “reason for existing… to impart…” My. 165)

#9. Stop saying what’s not REALLY true of others or of you (bear true witness— “tell …the whole truth… so help me God!”)

#10. Feel & say of others’ good “Thank You God! That’s Mine Too! (TYG! TMT! Is more powerful than TNT!)

**I’ve found it helpful to know that Jews combine our 1st and 2nd Commandments as their 2nd Commandment. They regard the preceding verse not only as the 1st Commandment, but also as a divine reminder of how God saved them – delivering them out of slavery in Egypt: “I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage” (Exodus 20:2 & Deuteronomy 5:6).

We can daily live-out the healing power of the 10 Commandments as we live-up to the truism that “to whom much is given, much is expected.” With all my heart I praise and thank God daily as I mentally review the many prayer-based healings God has given me. With ALL glory to God, these demonstrations of divine power (as shared in GEM#1 talk links above) have come to me in the form of:

• my yielding to divine Mind’s harmony 12 yrs. ago for a rapid dissolving of a cancerous growth;
• an instantaneous healing of a broken arm (later x-ray verified before playing D-1 football);
• a $100k gift offered a few minutes after I knew the need & was truly grateful in advance it was met;
• God filling Mediterranean Ski Lake w/60 mil. gal. of holy water 6 days before CedarS 50th opening;
• a divine drenching of a wildfire (Hope for all wildfires since “Impossibilities never occur.” SH 245:27)

“What cannot God do?” [These testimonies & others to be shared with the Christian Science periodicals.]

GEM#5: Cherish a Christly compassion to heal, feed others and demonstrate dominion!
Cobbey Crisler on Matt. 14:14 (cit. 8) and beyond:
Matthew 14: “(Verse 13, before the verse in the lesson). Jesus hearing that John the Baptist had been beheaded, decides to make himself scarce, leaves into a desert place apart.
(Verse 14). “But the multitudes followed him.” Instead of saying, “Look, will you let a man be alone for once,” he turned around with compassion and healed their sick.”
Verse 15-20). And out comes the famous loaves-and-fishes incident in which everyone is fed, with a balance left over despite the fact that we’re dealing with thousands of people. …
And, right after this (Verses 24-33) we have the walking-on-the-sea incident.
“Book of Matthew, Auditing the Master, A Tax-Collector’s Report,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**

GEM#6a: Peter is given a foundational role in church when he declares Jesus to be the Christ.
Cobbey on citation B9, Matt. 16:13-19 (+bonus to 23) also citations S6, S7 & S8, p. 136-137
Verse 13 of Matthew 16 has a very important question that Jesus raises himself. He says, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?" Do you think he was interested in the answer? He wouldn't have raised the question otherwise.

(Verse 14). He gets the answer right away. They all say he’s some old prophet reincarnated. You can almost take your choice of prophets.

(Verse 15). Putting ide the general point of view, the average point of view, he says."But whom do you, my immediate students, say that I am?"

(Verse 16). Peter, once again, raises his hand, and says, "You are the Chris the Son of the living God.”

Remember what that would mean to a first century Jew. You are the Christ." The Christ was the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah. “You are the Messiah.” Where do you find the

Messiah? In the Old Testament. "You are the Old Testament prophesied Messiah." Was Jesus pleased with that answer? Yes.

(Verse 17)."He said, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona." He says two specific things. One, "That he didn't get that because a human had given it to him. He had gotten it directly from God." Jesus considered that he was prophesied about in Scripture.

(Verse 18). The second point is "that on that rock he would build his church." It is interesting the use of the two Greek words for "rock" there. Petros in Greek is "rock." But it's not the real Greek word for "rock." It's kind of a nickname. The Greek word is petra which is feminine. Petros is masculine. It shows that the church is founded on petra which is the bedrock and it has a feminine context. Petros, Peter, is like a chip off the rock. Petros in Greek is almost the equivalent of "rocky" in English. It's a nickname. The church is founded on the bedrock, or petra. What bedrock is he talking about?

Peter has just said, that he has recognized that Jesus was prophesied in the Old Testament. Is that important to the church? Because this is the first time Jesus ever mentions the word "church." He was probably waiting until the receptivity among his hearers warranted its mention. That receptivity would not be proved until whatever is necessary to be seen was introduced into the conversation. Peter apparently brings in that necessary ingredient by saying, "You are the prophesied Messiah." In effect, you are not a temporary phenomenon. You were appointed by God to do your job.

[Bonus beyond the end of citation B7:]
“But what exactly does Peter mean by "your job?" Every Jewish child was brought up on the Scriptures. Brought up to consider that the Messiah was to come. But what kind of Messiah? What kind of Messiah did they expect?

The Jews expected a king, a political leader. How about a Messiah who would suffer and end up on a cross? I think about as accurate as we can be on the subject from this vantage point in the twentieth century is to give you an example. For instance, we even have modem Jewish scholars today writing things like this. "In Jewish Messianic thought of the Targum (a book or division of the Old Testament in Aramaic), there is no room whatsoever for a suffering and dying Messiah."

The Jewish Encyclopaedia reads on this same subject, "The Messiah was expected to attain for Israel the idyllic blessings of the prophet. He was to defeat the enemies of Israel, restore the people to the land, reconcile them with God, and introduce a period of spiritual and physical bliss. He was to be prophet, warrior, judge, king, and teacher of Torah (the Pentateuch). The early sources do not mention a suffering Messiah. How did Jesus look on the cross to a Jewish nation that had been brought up to regard a Messiah who would be victorious over eve0thing, not be crucified as a criminal."

So, you can see what Jesus was faced with on the cross. That was a pretty lonely position, among other things. Understanding who Jesus was to become is the one obstacle between Jesus and the formation of his church. So, for the first time, when Peter says, "You're the Messiah," it looks good as far as the progress of the church is concerned. But, let's analyze what goes on and discover what Peter meant by that.

(Verse 21). Notice, right after Peter says, "You're the Messiah," Jesus tells his disciples for the first time what? "That he must go unto Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and be raised again the third day."

How did that look for what they had been brought up to regard as the Messianic fulfillment?

(Verse 22). Not very good, not even to Peter. "Peter rebuked Jesus and said, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee."

Peter has just taken a good portion of Scriptural prophecy and run the vacuum cleaner over it. What did Jesus have to say?

(Verse 23). Here's the same man that had said (in Matthew 16:18) "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church." now saying, "You are an offence unto me: Get thee behind me, Satan, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." That's the very opposite of what he just said before.

It's what Peter said that represented the rock upon which the church would be built in the first instance. It's what Peter said in the second instance that was Satan's attempt to distort and discount Scriptural prophecy.

So, perhaps, the greatest threat facing the church is the attempt to distort the role of its founder in Scriptural prophecy and the role of the church itself in the fulfillment of Scriptural prophesy. Because when Jesus says to Peter, "Thou art an offence unto me," that Greek word "offence" is skandalon, or our scandal. But it also has a meaning in Greek of "stumbling block." Do you see the play on words again? Peter was called petros, which was identified with the rock, only so long as he identified himself with the rock. When he did not, the rock became a stumbling block instead.”
“Book of Matthew, Auditing the Master: A Tax Collector’s Report,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**

GEM#6b: Hear on YouTube two custom Ken Cooper monologues related to Peter in this week’s Bible Lesson. They’re called “Thou Art the Christ” and “Peter’s Repentance”.

[Ken wrote:] “The experiences of a fisherman named Peter provides a great example of the impact of Jesus Christ on those that follow the Master. Peter’s life was changed completely when this man Jesus of Nazareth simply said to him and his brother “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”. Peter became a first-hand witness for three incredible years of being with Jesus, and no doubt shared that knowledge later with Paul. These three changed the history of the world. But the Christ never changed, it was revealed. Although Paul was not with Jesus as was Peter, he recorded in his letter to the Hebrews “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever”. [Golden Text, Hebr. 13:8] It was this underlying principle of the Christ that shaped their lives, a Science that was proved by Jesus yet waited to be discovered by our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy.

This Christ is being continuously revealed to us, because “Christ is the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness.” (SH 332:9-11 Christ.) The voicing of good is the Word itself, demonstrating the inseparability of God and man, the Oneness of Father-Mother-man. Jesus saw this so clearly that he knew “I do nothing of myself, but as my Father hath taught me”. Webster defines “teach” as to inform, instruct, direct, show. Christ is the revealing of what God is by being what God is. This is the Christ in action.

This too is what Peter saw. “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This was the mission of Jesus, to make the Christ manifest to man, and Jesus’ response made it also Peter’s mission. Peter witnessed the Christ in action in the three years he had with Jesus, and he also demonstrated that same Christ for all of us. The monologue of Peter in “Thou Art the Christ” shares his experience, and the impact on his life. Indeed, while his life may well encapsulate what our lives seem to experience, we can also feel that Jesus’ love for him was also part of his unconditional love for everyone, not just then but also now.

In the further monologue, “Peter’s Repentance” we share further in his experiences, doubts, and final commitment, – the realization that we have to love one another if we are to love and follow what Jesus did, not in a passive way, but actively. To “Feed my sheep” is to demonstrate Jesus Christ glorified when we also share and are obedient to that same command to Peter. “Saw ye my Savior” (Hymn 299) is asking us to see what Peter saw and shared, for when we feel the power of the Word, we experience the Christ voicing good, rejoicing in our discipleship, bearing our witness to God. This is the rock upon which our Church stands.

Our church is also “the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” [Golden Text, Hebr. 13:8]
As Mary Baker Eddy writes, it proceeds from Divine Principle, and cannot be shaken. It gives full glory to Jesus Christ. And we are all one.”

“PDF copies (color and B&W) are available as Downloads on the upper right of CedarS online metaphysical article for this week.”

GEM#7: Follow Jesus in treating yourself and ALL as “born from above!”
Cobbey Crisler on John 3:1, 2 (cit. B12) & “The rest of the story” & chapter BONUS
“John 3:1 begins with an introduction to "Nicodemus." Nicodemus was a rather cautious man that ran around back alleys after twilight. He didn't want to be seen by his daytime friends. Sort of like one of those captions in the Charlie Chaplin movie, where Charlie was a waiter during the day, but dressed up in the finest tuxedo at night. The caption simply said, "Charlie's friends of the evening didn't know Charlie's friends of the day." I think this is probably true of Nicodemus.

“John 3:2, "He comes to Jesus by night.” He's in a rather awkward position because he is a member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of Jews, that later convicts Jesus. If what he says is accurate, it is an unfortunate commentary on the motives that led to the crucifixion of Jesus. If he is really speaking for the Sanhedrin when he says, "We know that thou art a teacher came from God,” then that is a tremendous commitment. If we know that you are a teacher come from God, where is the evidence? What evidence do they use as proof? Such semeia, or signs, or significant results, can’t happen unless God is with you.

[W: “The rest of the story” BONUS from Cobbey:]
John 3:3, “Jesus makes this comment, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” You know how popular that particular verse has become in our century. Yet it’s based on a misapprehension of the original word. We really don’t find John here using the Greek word “anothen” here in the sense of “again”. It can suggest the idea of “again.” But John uses it more in these terms, “from above."

"Anothen” means "from above." Now look at that statement that Jesus is making,

"Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom, or dominion, of God." This is a theological breakthrough that’s incalculable. You can’t see the kingdom, which, by the way, he told us was not only within, but here, right here. It wasn't a future far-off thing. "But to see it one must be born from above.” This is a definition of nativity which sounds totally impractical for us as human beings, and yet it's apparently something that Jesus based his whole theology upon. And he got the results from the concept that man is born from above.

“We ran into that in the first chapter of John, Verses 12 and 13, when he said, "We all, if we will receive it, have the authority to become the sons of God.”[RR] But to be God's son means you've got to cut the animal connection, those links or roots in "blood, will of the flesh, and will of man.” Sever those links.

“A nativity higher, is that practical?

“John 3:4. Nicodemus wonders about that himself. He even goes to the extreme of saying, "How do you do that? Do you climb back into your mother’s womb, and get born all over again?” This is obviously a negatively impossible event, so Nicodemus is somewhat laughing up his sleeve.

John 3:5. Then Jesus says, "Except a man be born of water, which was the usual way by which children were born in the presence of water, "and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." The normal, natural biological birth is not going to do anything. In order to enter the kingdom or dominion of God, something about nativity has to be understood. A nativity that is higher and not tied into biology. Why?

“Because of John 3:6 one of the most practical statements ever made in the Bible, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh.” And it's not going to rise any high­er than its source. Should we be doing something about recognizing origin in Spirit? Is this what is behind the meaning, again, logos? Get to the meaning. Nativity in Spirit. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh.” It's never going to go anywhere else. That's pretty clear cut.

“We've got to get out of that concept of flesh. Again, is this really practical theology? Or is it, again, pie in the sky? If we have any concept of arising at some spiritual goal, then we've got to start as if we originated there.

John 3:9, "Nicodemus says, How can these things be?"

John 3:10, "Jesus said, You're a teacher in Israel, and you haven't grasped these things?" Think of the average point of view when you've been dealing with the Bible all your life. Then in John 3:13 he makes one of those magnificent statements that requires almost a lifetime search.

"No man hath ascended up to heaven." Isn't that what practically every religion puts in the heart of its communicants? Doesn't everybody want to get to a destination labeled heaven? "Ascended up to heaven," but no one gets there, except "he that came down from heaven.” The same thing, "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit," (John 3:6). You can't get there via flesh.

“Apparently this critical awareness of man's nativity as God's child free from "blood, will of flesh, lust of the will of man," is not just a nice theory. Jesus is introducing it as the prerequisite for comprehending the kingdom of God and seeing it here and now. The son of Man sees it humanly, "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the son of Man which is in heaven.” Is it possible for humanhood to experience the kind of harmony on earth as it is in heaven? There is the major challenge.

“It's almost the same question that God asks Job 38:33, after all the mental argument is through for forty chapters or so, when God says to Job, "Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?" Imagine being able to express the dominion of heaven right on earth. Is that possible for the son of Man? Or must we wait for some future event where we float up to the sky on a pink cloud somewhere with a harp from Angel Rent-A-Harp, Incorporated? That's a problem. We often try to rent a harp instead of earn it.

“How practical this is, "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man already there." Never moved. That claim, then, of heavenly nativity. It has to have something that is of major importance, John including it, and giving it so much space.”

In John 3:27, John the Baptist is confronted again. John, using communication terms, says, “A man can receive nothing, except it be given to him from heaven.” That’s almost the same concept in a way. Receptivity is what’s already been communicated to us. We’re not doing the communicating. We’re tuning in to what’s been communicated.”
“Book of John, A Walk with the Beloved Disciple,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**

GEM#8: Claim wisdom from above!
Cobbey Crisler on John 7:14-18 (cit. B13, also in Mark 6.2+):

“Verse 2 of Mark 6 (is like verse 15 of John 7: “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?”) In Mark, see the play on word, “What wisdom is this which is given to him, that even mighty works are wrought by his hands?” That’s what a carpenter does. There’s really kind of an insidious thing there. How can he, a manual laborer, accomplish something that is out of the manual realm? And using those terms to answer itself or presume to answer itself.

Verse 3 of Mark 6 shows us that his home town is quite an obstacle. “Is not this the carpenter?” Let’s remember, the word “carpenter” here may not be “carpenter,” whether it refers to Jesus or Joseph. It’s tekton. That’s actually part of our word “architect.” In the ancient world, it could mean “architect.” It’s also been used for “physician,” “ship builder,” “sculptor,” and any craftsman of considerable skill. To narrow it down to “carpenter” is something that we have read into the text.”
“What Mark Recorded,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**

GEM#9: Find your way to the Father – only by following the Master!
[Cobbey:] Chapter 14 of John begins with a discussion, a dialogue between Jesus and some of his disciples.

John 14:5, "Thomas asks about the way."

In John 14:6, Jesus responds, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me."

John 14:8. Philip says, “We'll settle everything right now with you, Master, if you just shew us God," a minor requirement. Imagine that this is going on the night of Gethsemane. With what Jesus has to look forward to, look at the questions he's being asked!

“John, the Beloved Disciple,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**

GEM#10: Keep calling! No gap called blindness in allowed in God’s wholeness!
Cobbey Crisler on Mark 10:46-52 (B16) blind Bartimaeus healed (Jer. 31:8)
“In Chapter 10 of Mark, Verse 46, “They come to Jericho; and the healing of blind Bartimaeus” who [in Verse 47] calls and calls and all of his friends and neighbors tell him to keep quiet, “Quiet, you’re bothering Jesus.” Here’s the man with the need that Jeremiah [31:8] had said would be attracted by the New Covenant. The blind would come and be attracted Jeremiah had said. So, they told him to keep quiet in Verse 48; didn’t have much effect on him; he kept calling. [In Verse 49] Jesus heard through the crowd and healed him. Notice that he uses in Verse 52, “thy faith hath made thee whole”— the wholeness of man. The concept of the wholeness of man under the wholeness of God doesn’t allow for a gap called blindness.”
“Heal the Sick”: A Scriptural Record,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**

GEM#11: "Aren't you glad you use D.I.A.L.? Don't you wish everyone did?" (a CedarS T-shirt theme in ‘90s)

A blast from the past: Lesson application ideas for the Bible Lesson on "Man" for March 5-11, 2007 by Corde Hanzlik, C.S. of Austin, TX (with continued, daily thought-cleaning power as claimed in each shower & handwash, as pictured online in an upper right Download)
…
[Corde:] “We're not advocating the use of Dial soap, but the use our spiritual status — walking in the Spirit — in all we do! [See citations S20 (332:9), S9 (94:1) & S29 (259:6) this week in 2021 & in 2007 citations B#22, Gal. 5:25). Using D.I.A.L. as an acrostic for Divine Image And Likeness sheds new light on this old ad message, that was a CedarS metaphysical theme with a T-shirt version in the 1990s. Since this week's lesson on man defines us many times (citations B#2, S#5, S#6, S#9, S#16, S#17, S#24, S#26) as "the image and likeness of God," we have divine authority to feel the stress-free worth of being the very image and likeness — the reflection — of God! We must be very worthy with God as our constant source who is always taking knowledge of us! The Golden Text says so. Do we always remember this point? It is always the spiritual man — the "D.I.A.L." — that we must know. There is a comparison in the Responsive Reading. Are we the "strange children" or the ones with dominion, as cornerstones, happy? We "shew forth all" and are God's marvelous works — moment by moment — by reflection! Thank you, God!”

GEM#12: Prove nothing’s impossible when you totally deny every lie & affirm every truth of the case. Cobbey Crisler on the same case of epilepsy that’s healed in citation B9, Luke 9:38-43, Matt. 17:14-21 & originally in Mark 9:17-29 where Jesus 1st addresses the parent thought):
[Cobbey:] “We have healings throughout Mark which require your study. We have an epileptic child healed in the next few verses, 17 through 29.
Verse 21. Jesus recognizes that the first patient is the father and his thinking. [“and he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.”… ]
Verse 23. He turns and deals with the father, his parental thought. [“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe: help thou mine unbelief.”]
Verse 25-27. Jesus then deals with the young man.
Verse 29 says, “This kind of healing.” Because the disciples had failed, this healing required two things, “prayer and fasting.” You can say this in another way using two other words: “No” and “Yes” [as Mary Baker Eddy titled one of her works on scientific, mental healing.] Fasting is what we say “no” to and prayer is what we’re affirming. Once again, we see that we are given the rules of healing.”
“What Mark Recorded” by B. Cobbey Crisler**