GET REAL!

GET REAL!
Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson on “REALITY” for March 23-29, 2009
By Carole Schierholz, CS of Tampa, FL [with additions by Warren Huff in bracketed italics]

Editor’s Note: The following application ideas for this week and the Possible Sunday School Topics that follow are offered primarily to help CEDARS campers and staff (as well as friends) see and demonstrate the great value of daily study and application of the Christian Science Bible lessons year-round, not just at camp! You can sign up to have them emailed to you free — in English by Monday each week, or by each Wednesday you can get a FREE TRANSLATION in French from Pascal or in Spanish from Ana. JUST SIGN UP at www.cedarscamps.org/newsletters

Hey, man, GET REAL! Has anyone ever said that to you or have you ever wanted to tell some one else to lay off the exaggeration, or embellishment, of a situation and just tell it like it is? I have. This week’s lesson is all about GETting REAL, checking out the light we see our world in; GETting REAL, opening our eyes about how we see things; GETting REAL concerning ourselves and others; GETting REAL, regarding health; GETting REAL, concerning how we maintain ourselves on a day-to-day basis; GETting REAL about the universe we live in. Let’s get started on the lesson for this week. It is on REALITY.

The Golden Text from James informs us of what is real – God gives us only perfect, only good gifts. He is “the Father of lights.” (The creator of the universe)

Let’s think about that. With light we can see to do things, go places, live. Light allows us to identify things, physically and mentally. In the comics, when we see a character with a light bulb over his/her head, we know that means they have had an idea dawn on them. So God being “the Father of lights” could mean the source of our ideas, spiritual concepts or understanding. So these ideas are REALITY and they never change from being good or perfect. So God’s gifts are ideas, spiritual ideas. The light God sheds stirs thought to see things as spiritual ideas, to GET REAL. Darkness is not a power. Have you ever heard of darkness refusing to go away when you turn on a light in your room? I haven’t either. Darkness is just the absence of light. So darkness, mortal thoughts cannot cast shadows on us or our thinking. When we have shadows, gloomy thoughts, we just need more or brighter light, spiritual understanding about God and our relationship to Him!
[No “variableness”–no flashing or flickering lights–means we need not experience fluctuation in the supply of, or demand for, an idea “from above.” Remember the advice from last week’s Golden Text to: “set your affections on”–cherish–such unchanging “things from above.”]

In the Responsive Reading, James gets REAL and declares God has made us of “the word of truth.” This would make us having and expressing, living God’s intelligence, substance, truth, and life. He bids us not to just hear these words and then go on our merry way thinking and acting in a completely mortal way, but to think and act as one who understands God’s perfect law of liberty. What would be God’s law of liberty to you? (Might it be living the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes?) If we do live this law of liberty we are told we “shall be blessed” in our deeds. If we forget who made us and don’t stay REAL in our thinking, we are deceiving ourselves and separating ourselves from this perfect law of liberty and its blessings.

An example of the blessings of the “law of liberty” is given. Jesus heals of their diseases those brought to him. Many were healed who touched but the hem of his clothing. Jesus knew how to GET REAL, how to cloth his thinking with REALITY. Those who touched what he was clothed in, mentally or physically, were restored to their God-given perfection. [You can choose to “hang out” with the Christ and to experience such a healing atmosphere of thought today: “The Great Physician liveth yet, thy friend and guide to be, The Healer by Gennesaret shall walk the rounds with thee.” CS Hymnal 96:3]

Section 1
To start this section we find that God “hath spoken” and His word creates. Isn’t what God creates all light, ideas, concepts? We are told in (B3) “For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth. (righteousness, judgment, goodness)…The Lord bringeth the counsel (concepts, thoughts) of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices (contrivances, schemes, strategy, deception) of the people of none effect (no law in those beliefs). (B4, B5) turns to seeking understanding by learning “thy commandments” (the Word of God given to Moses for self-government and true liberty) Isn’t that GETting REAL, walking (thinking) in the “light?” [See the Section 1 PSSTs that will follow for application ideas from B4 and B5 that will enable you to do things more quickly and accurately.]

In S&H citation 1 (S1) Mrs. Eddy instructs us, “All reality is in God and His creation….is good, and He makes all that is made.” S&H citation 3 (S3) points out God gives us the understanding to discern in consciousness all spiritual good, the light, which allows us to GET REAL and (S5) not accept the mortal concepts as real (S6) or as our thinking as we are the sons and daughter of God, having one Mind. Mrs. Eddy defines God and His creation in a way we can make Him/Her so useable and understandable in our daily life and thinking. REALITY becomes something so present and REAL, so comforting. These citations are a must-read. [and a must DO, so we are not foolish and forgetful readers, only intellectualizing what must be practiced. (RR and S4)]

Section 2
We are told to “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee….” (B6) We must GET REAL about who we are. We are the sons and daughter of God, His expression. This is the light we see, know and express. (B7) and (B8) tell the story of Jesus healing a blind man which he led out of the town (perhaps Jesus was lifting his thought out of mortal mind’s community of thought, leading him into new mental surroundings), Jesus spits on his eyes and puts his hands upon him and asks him if he sees anything. The blind man responded that he saw men as trees walking, so Jesus once again puts his hands upon his eyes and made him “look up.” He was healed and saw man clearly. Perhaps the demand to “look up” signified a shift in thought to a spiritual concept of life, seeing every man in a spiritual light. Jesus helped him GET REAL. (B9) urges us to see ourselves as perfect and be perfect as God is perfect. If we are not there yet, perhaps we too are seeing men as “trees, walking” or some other dimly-seen, false concept. (B8) GET REAL, man!

In citations (S7 & S8) we find that our spiritual understanding, our Christ-like understanding, is based on and in perfect God and perfect man. With this Christianly scientific understanding, we experience health, direction, fruitful activity, happy friendships, etc.. Citation (S9) warns against being “absorbed in material selfhood.” Hey man, GET REAL, why would you want to be or experience something less than good, something not intelligent, or true? Citation (S10) identifies concepts of the human mind which must give place to spiritual understanding, the light, God’s light. Here’s how to GET REAL: “Mortals must look beyond fading, finite forms, if they would gain the true sense of things.” Citation (S11) tells of the permanence of sight, hearing, all of the spiritual senses of man through spiritual understanding, in God’s light. It is by light that we see, therefore, GETting REAL, opens our eyes so we can see ourselves and man clearly.
[See Section 2 PSSTs that will follow for application ideas about cameras and cell phones from S9, S10 and the 2nd Commandment. Gratitude for ever-present good focuses light and enables us to GET REAL and avoid today’s addictions and compulsive “Crackberry” behavior of incessantly texting and connecting.]

Section 3
Citation (B10) starts off with “The law of the Lord” (the perfect law of liberty that) “is perfect, converting the soul…making wise the simple.” However, will it help us get rid of the secret faults, the laziness, the criticism, inferior or superior feelings which we see in ourselves? Citation (B11) tells us, “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me:” (B12) tells about a potter whose first pot was marred, so he made another good pot. We are as clay in God’s hands which are able to form us perfectly. Citation (B13) gives the steps we need to take to GET REAL. Replace those “secret faults” with the light, your perfection as the child of God, the God who knows you and your face, identity, without spot. As citation (B14) states, we must see the perfect man, “behold the upright,” GET REAL and we will find peace.

Citation (S12) explains God only makes us after His own substance, intelligence, Mind. With this light, GETting REAL, we subdue material selfhood’s false identification of us or anyone and realize and experience our “liberty.” (S13) Citation (S15) shows it takes the Christ, the spiritual understanding of our relationship to God, for us to be able to express forever our true spiritual identity with its love, wisdom, fruitful activity, grace, strength, etc.. GETting Real is progress toward the purity in which we see the light, God. Mrs. Eddy tells us without this progress, our bodies will express what governs and occupies our thought. We need to GET REAL and know God for us to be at peace. (S16)

Section 4
Citation (B15) begins the section with declaring God as perfect, as a rock, my strength, and power that “maketh my way perfect.” In citation (B16) John tells about Jesus healing the man at the sheep market by the pool of Bethesda, having five porches. We are told a great number of sick, diseased, blind, crippled, withered people who were on these porches waiting for the moving of the waters. “An angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water:” Whoever got into the water first was made whole. Jesus saw a man who had “an infirmity” (he was not walking) for thirty-eight years. Jesus asked him if he wanted to be made whole. Jesus did tell the man to, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.” And we are told, “immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked.” Could the five porches around this pool be symbolic of the five physical senses? What kind of evidence of the five physical senses did this man believe in? Jesus told him to Rise. GET REAL. Forsake that old way of thinking and walk. He did. What kind of evidence gathered from the five physical senses is the platform you stand on made up of? GET REAL! [See Section 4 PSSTs that will follow for application ideas about how you can use B16 so that no one can take away from you even simple things like a good parking place that is being perfectly timed to be available for you.]

Citation (S17) makes it clear, “The necessity for uplifting the race [and the economy] is father to the fact that Mind can do it:…” Citations (S17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22) are such powerful statements about GETting REAL and how to practice REALITY, you are encouraged to read, study and practice the steps therein. It is only by practice, over and over, that we become accomplished in any endeavor. This Truth needs to be practiced with every thought that comes to us from the five physical senses! GET REAL, it heals!!!

Section 5
This section informs us that God never changes and therefore, as the sons of God, we cannot be consumed. (B17) No matter what the trouble, God is a very present help in all kinds of dilemmas. We are instructed to “Be still, and know that I am God:” GETting REAL does still stormy, frightening thoughts. Whether the thoughts are roaring about financial, job, health and/or relationship woes, God has an answer. GETting REAL does quiet thought and allows us to stay tuned to God’s direction. (B19, B20) As we trust God in every need, this wisdom and knowledge gives stability to our moments, our thoughts, and this is the strength of our salvation. GETing REAL helps us maintain our peace and wholeness.

Citations (S23 & S24) state Mind is Principle, Love, and explain that God could cause nothing unlike its eternal self. This is REALITY, unchanged forever, indestructible. Regardless of the mortal error that seems so present, it yields to spiritual understanding as our spiritual understanding increases. “Real objects will be apprehended mentally instead of materially.” (S25) We need to GET REAL and stay undisturbed in the REAL, regardless of the material senses; for God is all power, unchangeable perfection. This practice will maintain us and unfold only good. (S26)
[See Section 5 PSSTs that will follow for application ideas about staying calm and safe in the midst of earthquakes, volcanoes, “Economic landslides” and all kinds of conflicts and troubles.]

Section 6
Citation (B21) encourages us to continue declaring REALITY step-by-step for we will see God and Her creation as we keep progressing. In citations (B22 & B23) John speaks of seeing a “new heaven and a new earth” which came as a result of loving Her/Him. This revelation was spiritually revealed by God who knows all of the “deep things of God.”

Citation (S27) encourages us to think deeply about God, regardless of what seems real to the five physical senses. This false sense will yield to REALITY when we continue to GET REAL. Citation (S30) enlightens the revelation of “a new heaven and a new earth” as the spiritual idea, man, and consciousness of REALITY. Mrs. Eddy tells us “This spiritual consciousness is therefore a present possibility.” We can strive to see ourselves and our whole universe in a new light. GETting REAL is our salvation and worth all of the practice it takes to see God’s universe as it was created, perfect, immortal, all harmonious, completely spiritual, good always right here, right now!

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Camp Director’s Note: This sharing is the latest in an ongoing, 8-year series of CedarS Bible Lesson “mets” (metaphysical application ideas) contributed weekly by a rotation of CedarS Resident Practitioners and occasionally by other metaphysicians. (To keep the flow of the practitioner’s ideas intact and to allow for more selective printing the “Possible Sunday School Topics” come on a following page or subsequent email.) This weekly offering is 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” 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, background and new angles on daily applicability to 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. B1 and S28) from this week’s Bible Lesson in the “met” (metaphysical application ideas) are taken from the King James Version of the Bible (B1-24) and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. (S1-30) 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!
Warren Huff, Camp Director, director@cedarscamps.org (636) 394-6162

Possible Sunday School Topics (P.S.S.T.) from CedarS by Tom Evans [bracketed italics by Warren Huff]
Ways for the student in you to: Get Real; Prevent identity theft; Hear angel messages & act on them; Become faster; Overcome worry;
for the Christian Science Bible lesson on “Reality” for Sunday, March 29, 2009

[A reminder in support of today’s email appeal to members by Nate Talbot to share the word about a gift from TMC: A great gift for C.S. youth from 12 to 30 will be to “Get Real!” at the Midwest Spiritual Activist Summit, May 8-10, 2009. Click for a video and online enrollment options. Let’s do all we can to get all eligible youth to this Summit or to the one in the Northwest on April 3-5 by spreading the word and helping to underwrite great lectures and attendance as needed.]

Golden Text (G.T.) for the Lesson on “Reality”
Is reality a gift? Can we lose it? What should we do with gifts from God? Jesus says “freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matt. 10:8, last week’s lesson) How do we share reality with others? If God is unchanging “with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning,” can we change our minds? If a person makes a decision, announces it to everyone he or she knows, and then realizes it is not the right thing to do, does the individual have to follow through with the original, wrong decision? (See “God’s Law of Adjustment” by Adam H. Dickey as sold in Christian Science Reading Rooms.) Realizing that God is unchanging good and has every good gift for us, helps us let go of our human decision-making and listen for God’s plan, which blesses all with no dark side–“no …shadow of turning.”
[Why not open and enjoy your “perfect gift from above” –the ultimate “REALITY” -“the spiritual record of creation … which should be engraved on the understanding and the heart ‘with the point of a diamond’ and the pen of an angel”? (S&H 521:14) Isn’t this spiritual record of creation from “the Father of lights” (G.T.) what we find in Genesis 1:26 where we are made in the “Divine Image And Likeness” (d.i.a.l.)? “Aren’t you glad you use d.i.a.l.?” How can you use this gift of your real identity? Does one lose what he doesn’t use? Be diligent to not let your spiritual identity be lost sight of or stolen!]

Responsive Reading
What does it mean to hear God’s angel messages, but not act on them? [What’s wrong with being a selective hearer or selective doer–choosing to ignore some messages like the “ANGELS. … counteracting all … sensuality”? S&H 581:4-6] Come up with other examples of “Doers” and “Hearers.” How is a “hearer only” fooling himself? [To avoid being an “April fool” and hypocrite,] are you ready to be a “doer” versus a “hearer only”? The Bible Lesson Committee chose the story of Jesus asking his disciples to get into the boat so they can heal people in Gennesaret right away. What does this say to you about the importance of acting on God’s angel messages without hesitation? In Gennesaret, people were healed when they asked Jesus if they could “only touch the hem of his garment” and did so. Is that all there is to it? Was it all in his clothes? Should I try to get my hands on the “Shroud of Turin”? [Or is another answer to be mentally “clad in the panoply of Love” by watching and praying “for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus”? (S&H 571:18, 497:25)]

A relevant tangent: Take a look at Matthew 14:22-33, “the rest of the story.” This is where Jesus walks on the water and Peter hops out of the boat to be a doer and give it a try himself. When Peter begins to sink, did he do something wrong? A speaker on this week’s Sentinel Radio Program pointed out that Peter was a professional fisherman before he was a disciple. He spent a good portion of his life on the water. Peter knew the laws of physics. Matter says people sink or swim in water. They don’t stand on it! He began to slip back into what mortal mind calls a “professional opinion.” What was Peter’s perception of reality? Did it change because he got out of the boat? Even though he freaked out, do you think his perception of reality after the walking on water experience was closer to perfection? Put yourself in Peter’s position. What was he seeing while standing on the water? What kind of thoughts try to creep in to make us sink when all is going well?

[How does a CedarS acrostic for F.E.A.R.–Forgetting Everything About Reality– relate to the Lesson theme and the forgetful hearer theme in the R.R.? We don’t easily forget friends. Why not choose wisely to hang out with-or “walk the rounds with” — your best friend, Christ– “thy friend and guide to be, The Healer by Gennesaret”? Hymn 96:3 Does this mean we shouldn’t hang out with friends who don’t live up to our highest sense of right? Jesus was described as the “friend of sinners” –but not the friend of sin. S&H 53:1 & Luke 7:34 Are you tempted to ignore danger signs you see and be too timid to give a loving warning to your friends? (Isn’t that hearing and not doing?) Who would be at fault if disaster strikes? See S&H 571:13 Isn’t it okay to breathe the “2nd hand smoke” of breathing in an “immoral atmosphere”? S&H 542:14]

Section 1
In this section God shines, He shows us light, He loves righteousness, He makes us and fashions us Himself, and “whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it.” What does this tell us about how things are, about reality? What’s it like? On whose authority is this the case? “He maketh the devices of the people of none effect.” What does this verse from Psalms mean by “devices”? IPods? Negative thoughts? Lies?

[Q. When do you need to make a “quick pick”? A. How about when you have a lot of test questions to answer in a short amount of time; when you need the right idea for an essay; when you need to make a fast decision about where to distribute the ball; or where to steer your bike, skateboard or car; … Q. When else do you have a “need for speed”? A. How about: every time your feet touch the track, the field or the court; to run down a deep lob or a long line drive; ... In citation B4 the Psalmist asks God to “quicken … me in the way.” (Ps. 119:37) That was also one of “Touchdown Tommy” Vardell’s prayers during the weeks before his time trials for the NFL Draft. His prayers were answered when he greatly reduced his time in the 40-yd. dash and instantly went from an average prospect to a top one. His quick work was also based in an understanding that speed comes from efficiency which is a spiritual idea, independent of size, weight, shoes, number of reps, … . Of course, the ultimate reality of “real speed is being there”– like Jesus was instantly at his destination when crossing the Sea of Galilee with a wooden boat full of disciple. (See John 6:21 and Chang’s example in Richard Bach’s 1970 book: Jonathan Livingston Seagull) But quickness alone is not enough. When does accuracy matter to you? Applying Ecclesiastes 3:14 (B5) led a 1995 Principia Girls Varsity Basketball team to an “Immaculate Quarter” in which they came back from a 15-point deficit to win a trip to the District finals. They had several steals, no turnovers and no long or short 3-point shots by knowing and doing this angel message: “whatsoever God doeth shall be forever; nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it.”(B5) How can you too demonstrate spot-on accuracy-the swish of perfection–every single time, like these girls and Jesus did? By being like them and like Jesus– perfect reflections of a perfect God,-“but the humble servant(s) of the restful Mind.” (S&H 119:32) Jesus and the girls felt no burden or stress, because there’s nothing more stress-free (or humble) than a reflection. (See John 5:30 & Matt. 11:30) Think about what is written on many side view mirrors: REAL OBJECTS ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR.]
What would happen if there were a minor blemish in one of God’s ideas (S&H marker 2)? What’s the real picture in the mirror? What is the true reflection of who we are? We can look away from the material picture and see what God sees in us. After all, if God is embracing us, He must see us as pure and unblemished (S&H marker 6). What does it take for God’s creation to be “wholly real”? What is “spiritual sense”? When someone understands a subject they are able to see clearly how to execute a principle. They can divide, apply the laws of thermodynamics, they can reason rightly. What does spiritual understanding give us the ability to do (S&H marker 4)? Where do we fit in the spectrum of God’s Ideas (S&H marker 6)?

Section 2
What is Isaiah talking about in marker 6? What are we looking for when we lift up our “eyes roundabout and see”? Name a Bible story where a person in the Bible did this (hint: chariots of fire). How many examples can you come up with? If you don’t see results immediately from prayer should you quit praying? Did Jesus ever have to be persistent in his prayers? (See B7) Should we be persistent in our prayers?
Is Mrs. Eddy saying that if you lose sight of perfection you must have never fully comprehended what you saw in the first place (S&H marker 8)? Why is it helpful to deny error (S&H marker 9)? Talk about “counterfeit” (the mortal picture plagued with problems) vs. “counterfact”(the divine, perfect, real). A bank teller learns to pick out counterfeit bills by handling loads and loads of the real thing-not by studying what is false.

[Mrs. Eddy’s invitation to picture “a new heaven and earth, inhabited by beings under the control of supreme wisdom” (S&H 91:2) may be one of “the glorious forms which we sometimes behold in the camera of divine Mind, when the mental picture is spiritual and eternal.” (S&H 264:5, S10) Photography literally means “drawing with light.” (Greek) Isaiah prophesizes that: “Gentiles shall come (be drawn) to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” (the B6 forecast of church growth) Q. How can you focus on being a divine photographer or light-writer this Spring? A. Challenge yourself to write in your heart spiritually-accurate pictures of: yourself; others; your church; the world; the economy–using the powerful, laser light of gratitude “that cometh down from the Father of lights.” (James 1:17, G.T.) Our heartfelt gratitude (shown by striving to live up to our perfect, unblemished heritage as children of God) is a purifying, powerful tool to focus memory on everything we love about reality. Mrs. Eddy says: “What is gratitude but a powerful camera obscura, a thing focusing light where love, memory, and all within the human heart is present to manifest light.” My. 164:10 According to Wikipedia, a camera obscura uses a pin-hole in one end of a box or room to let in light that strikes the opposite ” surface where it is reproduced, in color, and upside-down. … The image … can produce a highly accurate representation.” Can you see how making a gratitude list daily is like allowing a pin-hole of light to stream into your heart to focus you and your affection on what is real? It’s fun to know that gratitude changes upside-down, world views into right-side-up, highly accurate, divine representations-“the glorious forms which we sometimes behold in the camera of divine Mind.” (S10) How can we turn personal or church challenges, or even world economic woes, into glorious opportunities? Let’s consistently apply the Christian method of “gratitude in advance” (John 11:41) to overcome all our WORRIES (which are nothing more than ingratitude in advance). As we and our churches fulfill our mission “to live for all mankind” we will no longer be self-absorbed (S9). We and our churches will radiate light and “GET REAL” growth as our prayer is for “some daily good to do to Thine for Thee” (God)-not to Mine for Me. (CS Hymnal 253:7) A camp application of Science & Heath citation (S9) is that we see much more rapid growth and “discernment of man’s spiritual and eternal individuality” (S&H 91:16-19, S9) when campers and staff are free to listen and connect with each other and with God instead of being addictively “absorbed” or preoccupied with “incessant amusement, to be always fed, rocked, tossed, or talked to” by their electronic appendages. (S&H 62:8) Are any electronic gadgets or digital images attempting to preoccupy you or those you love? You can break this obsession and stop breaking the 2nd Commandment (to not have any graven images) when you see yourself and others in God’s likeness, DOING His will. “The earth-bound wake, God’s glorified! Who doth his will–His likeness still–is satisfied.” CS Hymnal 160:3]

Section 3
What do you make of Jeremiah’s time in the potter’s house (Bible marker 12)? God told Jeremiah to go visit the potter. Jeremiah was probably reminded of this experience with every pot he saw from that day on. Can you come up with a metaphor from your own experience?
Does imperfection come from God’s creation (S&H 14)? What about (come up with a physical ailment)? Come up with a treatment for the ailment as a class. How do we “lose sight of mortal selfhood”? Mrs. Eddy writes “The way to extract error from mortal mind is to pour in truth through flood-tides of Love. Christian perfection is won on no other basis.” (S&H 201, line 17) When I was in 2nd or 3rd grade my Sunday School teacher took me outside, had me put a handful of dirt (imperfect mortal thoughts) into a glass, and then ran a hose into the glass (pouring in Truth) until the water in the glass was clear. (Pouring in all that love helps us see the perfection that was always there — it purifies our view so we can “recognize the divine sonship.” S&H marker 15 )-Sunday School students like a little field trip every now and then! In marker 16 Mrs. Eddy quotes the following from the Bible, “acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace.” What does she mean by this?

Section 4
Will you be made whole? Are you ready to let go of material limitations, possessions, conceptions? Last week’s lesson included Jesus’ healing of the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath. The priests criticize Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. That’s two weeks in a row that Sabbath healing was in the lesson! In the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:17-18) Jesus says, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Is Jesus following the law? Whose law? What is he teaching us? [Applying ideas in John 5:7 (B16) has caused me expect to find the perfect parking place at the perfect time and to gladly give it to others upon leaving. Cobbey Crisler commented that “the theology of Jesus was not based on luck or on one’s place in line, but on LOGOS (the Word).”]
Look over section 4. What is the role of Truth in our lives? How about Mind? So, when mortal man saw a problem, what did Jesus see? Come up with some examples. How does Christian Science work as an “alterative”? Look up the word alterative. (See below.)
[Understanding the vocabulary in Science & Health on p.162 (S21) and applying it to my incapacitated body brought about a dramatic, landmark healing for me and I know it can do the same for you! “Christian Science brings to the body the sunlight of Truth, which invigorates (refreshes, revitalizes, stimulates, enlivens, energizes, animates, rejuvenates, strengthens) and purifies (cleanses, disinfects, sanitizes, decontaminates, filters). Christian Science acts as an alterative (a medicinal plant that causes a gradual beneficial change in the body, usually through improved nutrition and elimination, without having any marked specific action OR A medicine or treatment which gradually induces a change, and restores healthy functions without sensible evacuations), neutralizing error with Truth. It changes the secretions (emissions, discharges, oozings), expels humors 4) Medieval ones to be balanced: blood, yellow bile, phlegm, black bile see http://www.wsu.edu/~hanly/chaucer/coursematerials/humours.html), dissolves tumors (growths, cancers, lumps, swellings), relaxes rigid muscles (“thought-forces”), restores carious bones to soundness. The effect of this Science is to stir (rouse, wake up, budge, shift, get up, revive) the human mind to a change of base (basis, foundation, origin, heart, starting point), on which it may yield to the harmony of the divine Mind.”]

Section 5
Marker 18 in the Bible talks about being calm in the presence of the most terrible natural disasters and more. This week there was a great deal of volcanic activity near the capital of Tonga in the South Pacific. One news article was titled, ‘No living thing left’ as Tonga volcano erupts.” How can we use section 5 to pray for people who appear to be in the paths of destruction? Think about marker 20 in the face of an Economic landslide.
What is reality? Mrs. Eddy gives us some adjectives. Come up with your own. Can you recognize the “conflicting forces” that appear to be at work in our lives? List some so you can pray about them. Marker 25 says, “real objects will be apprehended mentally instead of materially.” So what? What’s the difference between mentally and physically apprehending something? Is this a big deal? Why? How can you prove marker 26? How do you know good still exists when you are depressed? How can you find the good already at work when the bad seems so real?
[At the supposed start of tornado season and in the midst of freak storms, we can feel confident. I’m reminded to be like the bird in a painting that won a wartime art contest to depict peace. Several peaceful pastoral scenes were beaten by a painting of a huge thunder storm surrounding a little bird standing under a big rock singing its heart out with joy. No matter the economic or atmospheric conditions facing us, we can be “undisturbed amid the jarring testimony of the material senses” (S26) and radiate the inner peace that allows us to joyously declare: “In God I have everything I need and I know it!” What “conflicting forces” (S25) are facing you? How can being like the little song bird help you?]

Section 6
When exactly is marker 21 in the Bible referring to? This week’s “My Bible Lesson” (published by the Christian Science Publishing Society via www.mybiblelesson.com) gives the following bible note for marker 23:
“THE HEBREWS thought of water as one of the basic elements of the universe. But it was also considered powerful, chaotic, and dangerous. The Revelator spoke of a new order with “no more sea.” Scholars believe this means that there would be no more threat to God’s authority or to His harmonious government of the universe.”
Now come up with your own interpretation for marker 23. What did John see?
What does the last Bible marker mean? Try using S&H marker 27.

How do we gain a clearer view of reality? Mrs. Eddy says perfection is grasped slowly in degrees. How do we see the full 360 degree panoramic view of perfection? How do we feel the warmth of reality one degree at a time in a cold material view of life? How do we crank up the heat in our seemingly cold lives? Mrs. Eddy says it is a real struggle to reach “the goal of goodness.” How can we more consistently seek to see reality? Have your student(s) reread marker 30 silently. Come up with some questions for the class. Summarize it. Rephrase it. Break it down into parts. Take them to the Island of Patmos (while still seated quietly) and make them stretch! Have fun talking about Reality!

Warren Huff, Executive Director The CedarS Camps
Website: www.cedarscamps.org
Email: warren@cedarscamps.org  Tel: (636) 394-6162