Every Thanksgiving every Christian Science church has a special service of prayer and gratitude of blessings.
Our service contains a reading from the Bible and Science and Health prepared especially for the occasions. After the reading those present in the congregation are invited to stand up and share what they are grateful for. You can find a church in your area in your telephone directory or on line on my website www.davidgshields.com.
So my question to you is what are you grateful for? I am sure you can think of at least one thing you are grateful to God for. Mary Baker Eddy in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures says, “Are we really grateful for the good already received? Then we shall avail ourselves of the blessings we have, and thus be fitted to receive more. Gratitude is much more than a verbal expression of thanks. Action expresses more gratitude than speech.” (3:22-26)
Here is part of my gratitude list:
1. I am grateful to God who cares for me and loves me always.
2. I am grateful that the healing power of God heals all diseases
3. I am grateful that all things are possible to God and therefore nothing is impossible for me.
4. I am grateful that only good is going on and evil has no power but to destroy itself.
5. I am grateful Jesus Christ came to the world and told us that his peace would always be with us.
6. I am grateful that Mary Baker Eddy discovered Christian Science
7. I am grateful that God is with everyone when they open their heart to His blessings
8. I am grateful for a wonderful home, wife, family and friends
Monday, November 19, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
God Is Our Protection
In the state of Maryland there is a law that states that all children should be vaccinated before they are allowed in school. According to the Washington Post on November 14, 2007, “The parents of more than 2,300 Prince George County students who failed to get needed vaccinations could face fines of $50 a day and up to 10 days in jail if their children do not meet the state's immunization requirements, county officials said yesterday.”
ABC News has on the Web an opinion poll of what people think of being forced to have their children vaccinated. Of the comments I read, most everyone seemed to be fearful either that children can catch a disease without vaccination or can have a terrible after affect from being vaccinated.
However, it has been my experience the God is the best source of protection. When I was a child I never received any vaccinations. Yes, I had some childhood diseases but through prayer and the help of a Christian Science Practitioner these diseases were met quickly without any after affects.
When I went into the military service, my aunt who was an experienced Christian Science Practitioner advised me to take all the shots that the military service required.
I remember the first time I had to take a shot I was afraid. My aunt had me study this quotation from the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy’s writings, “neither red tape nor indignity hindered the divine process.” (Unity of Good 11:23-24)
The divine process was that all that was going on was God and His idea. I was God’s idea and He was always watching over me. I did not have to fear that a shot could protect or cause and after affect. I knew that a shot had no more power than I gave it and I refused to give it power. God was the only power and He was the one that protected me from disease and nothing else. I took those shots with no fear. I never had any side affects.
God is right there with your children. The Bible promises us this protection. “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.” (Ps. 91:4-6)
God’s love is with you at all times no matter if you decide to take vaccinations or not. God is guiding you and if you listen to God you can never be harmed and neither can your children.
ABC News has on the Web an opinion poll of what people think of being forced to have their children vaccinated. Of the comments I read, most everyone seemed to be fearful either that children can catch a disease without vaccination or can have a terrible after affect from being vaccinated.
However, it has been my experience the God is the best source of protection. When I was a child I never received any vaccinations. Yes, I had some childhood diseases but through prayer and the help of a Christian Science Practitioner these diseases were met quickly without any after affects.
When I went into the military service, my aunt who was an experienced Christian Science Practitioner advised me to take all the shots that the military service required.
I remember the first time I had to take a shot I was afraid. My aunt had me study this quotation from the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy’s writings, “neither red tape nor indignity hindered the divine process.” (Unity of Good 11:23-24)
The divine process was that all that was going on was God and His idea. I was God’s idea and He was always watching over me. I did not have to fear that a shot could protect or cause and after affect. I knew that a shot had no more power than I gave it and I refused to give it power. God was the only power and He was the one that protected me from disease and nothing else. I took those shots with no fear. I never had any side affects.
God is right there with your children. The Bible promises us this protection. “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.” (Ps. 91:4-6)
God’s love is with you at all times no matter if you decide to take vaccinations or not. God is guiding you and if you listen to God you can never be harmed and neither can your children.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Receptive Thought
In reading the Christian Science Bible Lesson today, I have been pondering the bible story about the woman who comes to Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus tells her, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to dogs”. (Matt. 15:26) The women could of reacted when Jesus told her she was a dog. The Jews and the Canaanites had a history of not liking each other. The Jews thought of the Canaanites as dogs because they considered them heathens. However, the women believed Jesus could heal her daughter and replied “Truth, Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table”. (Matt. 15:26) She was persistent and wanted to work with Jesus no matter if her stature was accepted in his community or not. Jesus saw her receptivity and his heart went out to her. He healed her daughter. He realized that he was not there just to heal the children of Israel but to anyone who honestly came to him for healing.
From this story I have been pondering, am I receptive to those coming to me for healing. Who is the sincere seeker for Truth? How much are we willing to work to receive our healing? Here is a small list for the receptive thought of patient and the practitioner
The Christian Science Practitioner
1. Are we willing to work for patients who know nothing about Christian Science?
2. Should we worry if the patient will be paying us?
3. Should we care if the patient is going down a list of practitioners each day for healing?
4. Do we care if the patient likes us as individuals?
5. Are we willing to help the sinner with his disease?
6. Should we expect our patient to study the Bible and Science and Health?
The Patient
1. Are you just seeking to have your body healed?
2. Are you willing to pay for your healing?
3. Is healing your main objective or is it spiritual growth?
4. Are you willing to work out your own salvation by changing long beliefs about yourself or others?
5. Do you give up on a practitioner after one treatment?
6. Are you willing to dig deep into your Bible and Science and Health? For example are you willing to read 50 pages of Science and Health per day?
7. Are you willing to stop sinning?
8. Are you willing to fight it out through Christian Science even if there are not results within a short period of time?
9. Are you looking for God to heal you or the practitioner?
From this story I have been pondering, am I receptive to those coming to me for healing. Who is the sincere seeker for Truth? How much are we willing to work to receive our healing? Here is a small list for the receptive thought of patient and the practitioner
The Christian Science Practitioner
1. Are we willing to work for patients who know nothing about Christian Science?
2. Should we worry if the patient will be paying us?
3. Should we care if the patient is going down a list of practitioners each day for healing?
4. Do we care if the patient likes us as individuals?
5. Are we willing to help the sinner with his disease?
6. Should we expect our patient to study the Bible and Science and Health?
The Patient
1. Are you just seeking to have your body healed?
2. Are you willing to pay for your healing?
3. Is healing your main objective or is it spiritual growth?
4. Are you willing to work out your own salvation by changing long beliefs about yourself or others?
5. Do you give up on a practitioner after one treatment?
6. Are you willing to dig deep into your Bible and Science and Health? For example are you willing to read 50 pages of Science and Health per day?
7. Are you willing to stop sinning?
8. Are you willing to fight it out through Christian Science even if there are not results within a short period of time?
9. Are you looking for God to heal you or the practitioner?
Monday, November 12, 2007
You Are Perfect and Upright
Mary Baker Eddy states in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “The parent of all human discord was the Adam-dream, the deep sleep, in which originated the delusion that life and intelligence proceeded from and passed into matter.” (306:32-2) How can we wake from that dream?
1. We must quit believing that we were born in matter in the first place. We are not the children of mommy and daddy. We are the children of God
2. Our life is not the accumulative result of events in it. Wake up out of thinking that our present problems have something to do with the mistakes of our past.
3. Stop dreaming about a future where your life will be so much better. There is nothing better in your life than what is going on right this very moment.
4. The apostle Paul said “now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (II Cor. 6:2) So right now we have everything we need. Right now we are the perfect child of God
5. God loves you and you can feel this love right this very minute. Wake up and stay awake. You are needed by God. You are chosen by God to be about His business.
1. We must quit believing that we were born in matter in the first place. We are not the children of mommy and daddy. We are the children of God
2. Our life is not the accumulative result of events in it. Wake up out of thinking that our present problems have something to do with the mistakes of our past.
3. Stop dreaming about a future where your life will be so much better. There is nothing better in your life than what is going on right this very moment.
4. The apostle Paul said “now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (II Cor. 6:2) So right now we have everything we need. Right now we are the perfect child of God
5. God loves you and you can feel this love right this very minute. Wake up and stay awake. You are needed by God. You are chosen by God to be about His business.
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