Happy Valentines Day! Accept the best gift of Love: the Mind of Christ!

[Happy Valentine's Day! Accept the lasting gift of Love: the Mind of Christ!]
Cedars Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson:
“MIND” for Feb. 14-20, 2011
by Dan Carnesciali, CS of Ballwin, MO (314.374.5616 dancarne@gmail.com) [w/ brackets by Warren Huff]

 

  [Editor's Note: The following application ideas for this week, and the Possible Sunday School Topics that will 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 thanks to Pascal, in German thanks to Helga or in Spanish thanks to a team of Ana, Erick, Claudia and Patricio. YOU CAN SIGN UP at www.cedarscamps.org/newsletters]

 

Divine Mind is the only Mind, so Mind is the only Mind we can have. Let this be our starting point [on Valentine Day] for all our efforts this week [to find the Ultimate Companion with no expiration date, “my best, my ever Friend.  When all material streams are dried (no candy or flowers, …), Thy fullness is the same; May I with this be satisfied, and glory in Thy name.” Hymn 224]. It is Mind that is praying, declaring, affirming, denying, and understanding. Yes, Mind is declaring itself to you. As we pray, let us have at all times that Mind of Christ [–who lived Love better than anyone else ever has.] Let us never come down from the wall into the valley of Ono (Oh no!) and have a discussion with error. When Christ, the Presence of God, comes into contact with evil it erases it, annuls it, destroys it, removes it, wipes it away, and dispels it. [Now that's what I call “Love from Above”-and from the inside out!] Healing is when the false sense of evil, or life in matter, fades away. It fades away because we are conscious that Our Mind is the Mind of Christ.

 

 Golden Text:

“Who hath known the mind of the Lord?” Who, besides Mind itself, can understand Mind? Isn't the human mind always going to be insufficient to know Mind?  Mind is conscious.  Mind adores itself. Mary Baker Eddy says that Spirit is the one Ego, which understands all things. (S&H pg. 250)   She says on pg. 216 of the textbook that, “The understanding that the Ego is Mind, and that there is but one Mind or intelligence, begins at once to destroy the errors of mortal sense and to supply the truth of immortal sense.” (S&H 216:11-14) Mind is the intelligence of the universe. Mind is the Creator of the universe. What Mind did not create, does not exist. What Mind conceives, exists.  

 

Responsive Reading:

God is blessing you and thinking about you constantly. God-good is everpresent and the blessings on you are more than can be numbered. Look for the qualities of healing in Ps 40:8, 10, 16. Healing qualities include: delight, faithfulness, salvation, love, gladness, and rejoicing. Maybe qualities are not the quite the correct term. They are activities. The covenant, which is an agreement between God and spiritual man, is mentioned several places in the Old Testament. Agreements define what both parties are obligated to do. God promises to care for us and give us life and health. And we promise to make God first in our life. Ultimately, everyone will have that Mind of Christ. To magnify God means that you get a larger and larger awareness of God's allness. You keep expanding your awareness until you are not conscious of anything else. Mind is all inclusive. Since Mind is infinite, the presence and activity of Mind naturally and necessarily precludes (logically and absolutely denies) the possibility of anything else. 

 

Section 1 – How Big is All?

This section continues the theme of the allness of God. The prophet Amos says that it is God that is the Creator, that declares Himself, and reveals Himself to man. (B1) The prophet Isaiah declares that before God there was nothing. After God there is nothing. God is declaring Himself to his creation. We are not the declar-ers. We are the witnesses! (B2) “Guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge …” (B3) (New International Version) God's way is perfect. To God, all is perfection. (To his reflection, all is perfection.) God is a buckler (a shield or panoply), so God protects you from the errors of evil. God is a rock and shields you from evil/hatred. God is strong. He has all the strength there is. From God's perspective, there's no power left over for evil. (B4) God's understanding of Himself is infinite. God knows Himself. This Self-knowledge is “how” we are known. God knows Himself and His allness so well that God knows the thoughts from you to God. (Your thoughts aren't up to chance, or from another mind.) (B5)

 

Section 2 – I AM the Lord, there is none else
Continuing the theme of law from the Responsive Reading, this section reminds us that God's thoughts are laws. The law of gravity operates the same in Manhattan, NY as in Ontario, Canada. It's a law that a fountain cannot pour out salt water and fresh water at the same time. God's law is like that. 

The words of Paul challenge us. Let us continually look for opportunities to live up to our words. (B6) Paul continues to be authentic. He admits that at times he has been wretched (despicable, contemptible, dejected). Who is it that can and shall deliver you from this mortal decline of mortal, dying thoughts? In Christianity, the savior is recognized as Christ Jesus. (B7) “For the law of Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made [you] free from the law of sin and death.” Law is changeless, universal, binding, absolute, authority, unopposable. (B8) See S&H 200:16-17 (to ;). Progress (forward movement) is God's law. So, incurability, chronic disease, staleness, and rigidity are not laws. Healing is then naturally God's law.

 

Section 3 – Wisdom of Infinite Mind

Paul, in his first letter to the Christians at Thessalonica wrote, “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the [Word] of God, which is at work in you who believe.” I capitalized the Word to designate that it is not the human mind, but the divine Message of God, Christ, which is at work in you, shining through you. (B9) Paul writes in the 3^rd chapter of Romans, “What if some don't believe.” Mary Baker Eddy points out in Science and Health, the modern meaning of the verb to believe has changed from biblical times. “The Hebrew and Greek words often translated belief differ somewhat in meaning from that conveyed by the English verb believe; they have more the significance of faith, understanding, trust, constancy, firmness. Hence the Scriptures often appear in our common version to approve and endorse belief, when they mean to enforce the necessity of understanding.” (488:7)  

 

We do have to be alert to intruding thoughts that would limit our demonstration. It would be ignorant not to be alert. What appears as a hidden or obvious obstacle is really temptation.   When an obstacle appears, calling itself fear, discouragement, depression, or isolation from God, it's a call for prayer. Truth brings intuitions so we can be wise, clear-minded and strong.  Evil has only the power you yield to it and the power you don't take away. Pray that obstruction, denial, bland disbelief and ignorance cannot impede healing. Evil and temptation are impositions on humanity–impositions in our thoughts and lives to be gotten rid of. Don't be in sympathy with error, or subject (below) to error, but in dominion (above) over error. (B10) Paul warns us not pray to God as if to a man, (who is not answering our requests for healing). God is not the problem. We are not the problem. The problem is the belief of duality.  Duality is the belief of good and evil, man with a mind and God with a Mind. (B11)  At the end of the Responsive Reading, Hebrews 8:11 talks about how one day we shall all know God. To Mind, you have always been at that state of Mind. You haven't been wandering in the desert, you have been in the promised land of Christian Science. “Through the understanding of God as an ever-present help, the sick are being healed, the shackles of sin are being broken, heavy burdens are being laid down, tears are being wiped away, and Israel is going up to possess the promised land of eternal, harmonious existence.” (My. 44:1) You might protest this, but what is Mind seeing?  How does Mind see Mind's relationship to you? (Not, how do you see your relationship to Mind?)

 

Section 4 – Taking up the Cross and Healing

In her published writings, Mary Baker Eddy mentions Jesus by name over 900 times! She mentions Jesus' willingness, unselfishness and boldness. She praises his willingness to proceed despite human hatred and our need to follow him as she did. When we hear that we need to take up the cross, do we think, “Ah, that's for someone else, not for me?”  Perhaps the cross needs to be redeemed. It expresses a willingness to stand up to evil, to accept God's direction.  Mrs. Eddy says, “The cross is the central emblem of history.” (S&H 238:31) Clearly, the cross is something we should continue to discuss and embrace. Embrace? Hymn 253 says, “I kiss the cross, and wake to know a world more bright. And o'er earth's troubled, angry sea I see Christ walk. And come to me, and tenderly, divinely talk.” Wouldn't we all like to know a world more bright and witness Christ walking over earth's troubled, angry sea? Kissing that cross is being more willing to deeply pray for healing and salvation of others. Sometimes I ask myself whether I am willing to give one minute to pray about an issue. The point is to sacrifice what we find dear, our time and attention, to the needs of the world.   It also means being willing to sacrifice labels we cherish about ourselves. Maybe we cherish a grumpy sense of ourselves or a critical sense of others. Whatever it is, let it go. (B14) A man, whose son suffered terribly from seizures, kneeled before Jesus and begged for healing. He said, “I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him.” Jesus replied, “You stubborn, faithless people!  How long must I be with you until you [understand]?  How long must I put up with you?  Bring the boy to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and the boy was made well. Are you willing to give a minute to be still, and commune with the great I AM? In those moments of communion, you will find the peace and strength to gain ground and deny the devil.

 

Section 5 – Equal to Every Emergency

God's wisdom and knowledge are your strength and stability. I don't know about you, but I could use more strength and stability. How do we experience more?  Before any activity prepare spiritually. That's what campers and counselors do at CedarS. It's pretty cool to experience. Before school, before work, [or a workout, game,] etc. pray about the activity. Temptation says what if we aren't prepared enough? What if we aren't good enough? As an individual (human), we may lack wisdom, humility, patience, etc. That's why it is wise not to start from that basis. In the Responsive Reading, it refers to putting the laws into their minds. God's laws are in Mind. They are universal, operative, immediate, and adequate. “Unfathomable Mind is expressed. The depth, breadth, height, might, majesty, and glory of infinite Love fill all space. That is enough!” (520:3)

Paul leaned on God in some pretty scary situations. When he was being transported as a prisoner from Crete to Rome, the ship he was on ran into a terrible storm. Paul told the guards that the ship would be lost, but everyone would be saved. God is always, always talking to us. When we are quiet, when we commune with God, we get the intuitions we need. God gave Paul faith in His power and presence.  You know Paul was praying. [The mind of Christ replaces worry, or ingratitude in advance, with gratitude in advance-as when Jesus stilled the storm with a simple “Peace be still.” Mark 4:39] When faced with a storm, know that God is not causing the storm. [Your best Valentine gift is the mind of Christ that lets the storm roar without you-see Hymn 148.] God didn't create the storm. He is not in the storm.  In this case the shrieking winds pushed the front of the boat onto the rocks. The waves started to break up the ship and the soldiers on board were ready to carry out the orders to kill the prisoners so they couldn't escape.  Acts says that the Centurion (Roman officer) gave the order that the guards shouldn't kill any of the prisoners so that Paul could be delivered to Rome. Everyone on board made it safely to land. What if Paul hadn't prayed?

 

It is a law of God that God is equal to every emergency. One time when I was driving on the highway the thought came suddenly to pray for safety. I did and moments later a car in front of me spun. The car didn't hit any other cars. It didn't hit the center barrier. The car ended up facing the wrong way. All the drivers gave this driver room and she was able to turn her car around and continue on her way. Of course, I don't take credit for her safety, but I did respond to God's call to pray.

 

Section 6 – Boldness

The apostles (early followers of Jesus who spread the gospel) were healers. Because the apostles were healing and declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Sadducees put them in prison. The Sadducees, who flourished from 1^st century before common [or Christian] era (BCE) to the 1^st century CE [Christian era], believed in a literal interpretation of the Bible, did not believe in the coming of the Messiah, or the Resurrection. You can see why the apostles were put on trial. When the priests asked for the prisoners to be brought before them, the captain of the Temple guard reported back to the priests that not only were the apostles not in jail, they were at the Temple preaching! What boldness. In Acts 4, when the apostles were threatened, they didn't pray for safety. They prayed for boldness. “Grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word …” (Acts 4:29 grant) Back in Acts 5, the apostles acted unwise humanly. But they followed God's demand for boldness. The priests were incredulous. “Didn't we tell you never again to teach in this man's name?” the high priest demanded. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about Jesus …” (NLT) Gamaliel, an expert in the law (religious law) and a member of the Sanhedrin or “Great Council,” spoke to his colleagues and urged restraint. He said that if the preaching were not of God, it would not amount to anything. If their preaching about Jesus was of God, then you couldn't overthrow it. The Bible says that the council accepted his advice and then had the apostles whipped. Did the beatings discourage the disciples? It convinced them that they were worthy of being called apostles of Jesus. “And every day, in the Temple and in their homes, they continued to teach and preach this message: ‘The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus.' ” (NLT) (B18) Let us have that Mind of Christ!  When you are faced with challenges, you can attempt to work things out at the mortal mind level, or you can work things out at the divine Mind level.  You always have a choice.   You always have a choice to choose God's thoughts. Feel the infinity of good within you which is the evidence of your oneness with infinite, ever-present Mind.

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 [CEDARS weekly “Mets” or Metaphysical Newsletters are provided at no charge to the 1,200 campers and staff blessed each summer at CEDARS–as well as to thousands of CEDARS alumni, families, Sunday School teachers and friends who request it, or who find it weekly on our website or through CS Directory. But, current and planned gifts are needed: to cover the costs of running this “free” service; to provide camperships to make inspirational opportunities possible for deserving youth; and to help our facilities keep pace with our mission.]

 

 [Thanks to a matching pledge, if CedarS can raise $50,000 by next summer for our “Adopt the Herd” Riding Fund, a donor will match those gifts to cover the needs of feeding, shoeing and caring for our large and cherished herd of horses!  OF COURSE, donations are always needed and welcome for camperships -especially for the “uncamped”–because without campers there would be no camp!  Funds are also being gratefully realized and spent to complete parts of CedarS Bible Lands Park (BLP) including our new Mediterranean Sea!  We're happy to share more details if you wish to help these divine ideas come to fruition!] 

[However it comes, your support is always very welcome and tax-deductible –but during the economic downturn, your generous, unrestricted gifts have been–and continue to be–more needed and appreciated than ever!  You can give charitable gifts to our 501C-3 tax-exempt, charitable organization in many ways.

1)   Thanks in advance for GIVING ONLINE! Just click here to use a credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover card) or a virtual check to make monthly and one-time donations to CedarS' Camperships, “Maintenance Musts”, “Mets”, Bible Lands Park, “Mediterranean Sea”, Unrestricted or Endowment Funds.  Our 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.

2)   Checks are also great and especially appreciated on a monthly basis! Please make them payable to “CedarS Camps” and mail them to: CedarS Camps Office, 1314 Parkview Valley, Ballwin, MO 63011;

3)   Please call Warren or Gay Huff at (636) 394-6162 to discuss gifts of IRAs, stocks, other securities or property you are considering giving in order to help underwrite CedarS spiritual growth and progress.

4)   CedarS can almost always use late-model mini-vans, Suburbans and trucks, with lower mileage, in good condition, either 4-wheel or 2-wheel drive. Please email office@cedarscamps.org or call 636-394-6162 to discuss your vehicle, its transfer and tax-deductible gift acknowledgement. 
5)  Many friends and churches have already made a profound impact on CedarS past, present and future by choosing to fund ongoing legacies of love and support. Tax-saving strategies for planned gifts and enabling wording for bequests, life income gifts, and beneficiary designations can be set up by CedarS Trustee Emeritus Bill Merritt who is a planned giving professional.]

 

[You can also help CedarS keep a 50^th season New Year's resolution to reach out to all the “un-camped” students enrolled in Christian Science Sunday Schools across the world.  In the United States they apparently outnumber Sunday School students who attend 1 of the 6 camps for Christian Scientists in North America by more than 2 to 1. Experience shows that “CS-camped” children who are given the laboratory experience of putting their training from their homes and Sunday Schools into joyous practice in a “24-7” Christian-Science-laboratory experience at camp want to continue to make Christian Science their own. Therefore, please tell all the “un-camped” families you know about our work; and if possible let us know about them and their email and/or other contact information. We will gladly send them–and you–a DVD, plus show host info for over 40 CedarS shows being scheduled and everything needed to help get “un-camped” students to camp — from info on our programs for all ages; to session dates and rates; to online enrollment info; to transportation;  to financial aid forms; and more as needed.]

  

 [Camp Director's Note: This sharing is the latest in an ongoing, 10-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 “Possible Sunday School Topics” come in a subsequent email.) 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” 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!    Warren Huff, Executive Director   director@cedarscamps.org]

 

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