What is Christmas to you? Is it buying presents for others? Is it a time to visit family and friends? Often holidays can be quite a burden on many of us. Sometimes it can bring up very unhappy memories we would like to forget.
I use to have a hard time during the Christmas season. Often I would get sick. However as I prayed about this I began to realize that Christmas is about celebrating the life of Jesus. As I began to focus on the life of Jesus instead of unhappy memories my Christmases have been happier ones.
Three things that stand out to me are:
1. Light. Jesus is the light that was brought to end the darkness in the world. How did he do this? By the life that he lived. He showed man that there was a better way to live. Instead of hating we can love. Instead of suffering with disease we can be made well. Instead of a life of fear and doubt we can have happiness and certainty. Every where Jesus went things changed for the better. He said we can also let our lives be a light to others by living what he taught.
2. Wonderful Councilor. How did Jesus council us. He did it with his teachings. His Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapters 5-7 is a guide to live our lives. The guide says how we can be blessed and how we can pray for ourselves and the world.
3. Prince of Peace. How was Jesus a prince of peace? He brought peace to his disciples when he quieted a violent storm while they were at sea. He brought peace to a woman whose only son had died. He was her means of support. He healed her son. He brought peace to a man who was very troubled by many demons. Jesus healed the man of his insanity and we are told the man sat at Jesus feet clothed and in his right mind.
This holiday season you can have peace. Jesus left us this peace by the life he lived and taught us to follow. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (Matt 14:27)
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Election Day
Tomorrow is Election Day in the United States. All citizens who are registered to vote have the right to elect the candidate of their choice. This seems simple enough. However both parties are trying to influence our vote by pushing their candidate. Some of the ads are good but some are lies about one of the candidates. Let’s be sure we let God decide our vote. Pray to God for a righteous government and for a leader that follows principle rather than politics.
We can pray that the voting will be fair and honest and that the candidate that is right to govern our nation will be elected. The Bible tells us “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isa 9:6)
Our job is not to react to the election process. One person cannot change our country for good or for evil. Our prayers for our country both now and after Election Day will keep our country and all the countries of the world in peace and prosperity.
We can pray that the voting will be fair and honest and that the candidate that is right to govern our nation will be elected. The Bible tells us “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isa 9:6)
Our job is not to react to the election process. One person cannot change our country for good or for evil. Our prayers for our country both now and after Election Day will keep our country and all the countries of the world in peace and prosperity.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Jesus’ Guide for Lasting Happiness the Beatitudes
1. God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven.
Do you rely on God for everything in your life? Is God your top priority?
2. God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort.
How often do we turn to God when everything else fails? Our loving God always is caring for us. Life is God we can never be separated from the loved ones who have passed on.
3. God blesses those people who are humble. The earth will belong to them.
We need to let go and trust God. We need to get rid of our self importance. There is one ego and that is God.
4. God blesses those people who want to obey him more than eat or drink. They will be given what they want.
Do you think the riches of the world bring happiness? How often the more we get from the world the sorrier we feel. Where are your priorities are is it in things or in serving God?
5. God blesses those people who are merciful. They will be treated with mercy.
Can you forgive your ex husband or wife. Are you angry with one of your neighbors? We must forgive that is the only way these hurts can be healed.
6. God blesses those people whose hearts are pure
Is our heart and soul pure or is it a mixed bag. Are you lusting after women in your heart? Do you watch sensual images?
7. God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children.
Are there other ways than war? Can you be the peacemaker in your family? Can you make peace with someone who has treated you badly?
8. God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven.
Are you persecuted for your religious beliefs or for being honest in the face of dishonesty? God is with you. He will defeat your enemies. You can only be blessed for doing good.
Do you rely on God for everything in your life? Is God your top priority?
2. God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort.
How often do we turn to God when everything else fails? Our loving God always is caring for us. Life is God we can never be separated from the loved ones who have passed on.
3. God blesses those people who are humble. The earth will belong to them.
We need to let go and trust God. We need to get rid of our self importance. There is one ego and that is God.
4. God blesses those people who want to obey him more than eat or drink. They will be given what they want.
Do you think the riches of the world bring happiness? How often the more we get from the world the sorrier we feel. Where are your priorities are is it in things or in serving God?
5. God blesses those people who are merciful. They will be treated with mercy.
Can you forgive your ex husband or wife. Are you angry with one of your neighbors? We must forgive that is the only way these hurts can be healed.
6. God blesses those people whose hearts are pure
Is our heart and soul pure or is it a mixed bag. Are you lusting after women in your heart? Do you watch sensual images?
7. God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children.
Are there other ways than war? Can you be the peacemaker in your family? Can you make peace with someone who has treated you badly?
8. God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven.
Are you persecuted for your religious beliefs or for being honest in the face of dishonesty? God is with you. He will defeat your enemies. You can only be blessed for doing good.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Understanding Heart
Each week Christian Scientists study a weekly Bible Lesson. This week the subject is Mind. When Mrs. Eddy uses the capital Mind it is referring to God. She refers to God in this way, “GOD. The great I AM; the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting, all-wise, all-loving, and eternal; Principle; Mind; Soul; Spirit; Life; Truth; Love; all substance; intelligence. God is one God, infinite and perfect, and cannot become finite and imperfect.”
In section 2 of the Bible Lesson, there is the story of Solomon. He takes over as king of his nation at a very young age. He prays for wisdom to govern his nation. Instead of treasures or power he wants an understanding heart to judge the people. Perhaps that is a good lesson for us to follow. We need to pray for more understanding of God. We need to let God be the lead in our lives. All things are possible when we turn to God instead of to ourselves or others for advice or council.
Since God is Mind then God knows our needs every moment. When we have an understanding heart we are receptive to God. This requires humility and unselfishness on our part. We are then able to listen to God and make decisions that will bless ourselves as well as others.
In section 2 of the Bible Lesson, there is the story of Solomon. He takes over as king of his nation at a very young age. He prays for wisdom to govern his nation. Instead of treasures or power he wants an understanding heart to judge the people. Perhaps that is a good lesson for us to follow. We need to pray for more understanding of God. We need to let God be the lead in our lives. All things are possible when we turn to God instead of to ourselves or others for advice or council.
Since God is Mind then God knows our needs every moment. When we have an understanding heart we are receptive to God. This requires humility and unselfishness on our part. We are then able to listen to God and make decisions that will bless ourselves as well as others.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Healing Bad Relationships
Do you feel angry about how someone has treated you? Perhaps you’re ex husband or wife left you hurt and bitter. Maybe you just can’t get along with someone in your family. What can we do about it?
1. Evil is never a person. God is love and he made his child only loving and kind.
2. God loves you. All the good you can get comes from God. No person can give you love or can take it away.
3. What God says is always loving and kind. If God has not said it nothing has been said so you cannot react.
4. Jesus said the kingdom of God is within us. This kingdom is peace, love and joy. It is ours and can never be taken from us.
5. Claim who you are the perfect child of God. You are at one with all of His blessings today.
1. Evil is never a person. God is love and he made his child only loving and kind.
2. God loves you. All the good you can get comes from God. No person can give you love or can take it away.
3. What God says is always loving and kind. If God has not said it nothing has been said so you cannot react.
4. Jesus said the kingdom of God is within us. This kingdom is peace, love and joy. It is ours and can never be taken from us.
5. Claim who you are the perfect child of God. You are at one with all of His blessings today.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Memorial Day
Let’s always remember those who served and gave their lives for their country. These brave men and women should always be remembered. However I firmly believe these brave solders do not want us to mourn over them but to remember the wonderful qualities of God that each of them expressed fully in their lives while they were with us. Some of these qualities are courage, strength, perseverance, integrity, and discipline. These are qualities that come from God and can never be lost.
Mary Baker Eddy in her main book, Science and Health says, “Man is not the offspring of flesh, but of Spirit, — of Life, not of matter. Because Life is God, Life must be eternal, self-existent. Life is the everlasting I AM, the Being who was and is and shall be, whom nothing can erase.”(289:31-2)
Mary Baker Eddy in her main book, Science and Health says, “Man is not the offspring of flesh, but of Spirit, — of Life, not of matter. Because Life is God, Life must be eternal, self-existent. Life is the everlasting I AM, the Being who was and is and shall be, whom nothing can erase.”(289:31-2)
Monday, May 19, 2008
God is with us in our work place
There is no limitation with God when we trust our care with Him. It was a Sunday morning where I worked as the day supervisor of nurses at a Christian Science Care facility. We had about 32 patients to care for. Normally we had six or seven nurses on staff on Sunday but this day only I and one other nurse arrived. The other nurses had all called in sick.
My first thought was how I am going to take care of all these patients. This Bible verse came to thought “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” I knew that I was about God’s business and He was the one performing it. Since all of those patients were loved by God He certainly would give them all the proper nursing care they needed.
When I told the night supervisor that there were just two of us working she volunteered to stay for an extra four hours after her shift had ended. Two nurses were on their way to church and said when they got back from church they would also help.
I refused to be afraid. I kept praying that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”(Rom. 8:28) I also affirmed that it was not physical care that was needed for the patients but peace and the presence of the love of God. A calm presence was maintained on the floor and everyone felt it.
The day went very smooth and all the patients got all the care they needed. Mary Baker Eddy said in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “The calm and exalted thought or spiritual apprehension is at peace.” (506:11-12)
My first thought was how I am going to take care of all these patients. This Bible verse came to thought “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” I knew that I was about God’s business and He was the one performing it. Since all of those patients were loved by God He certainly would give them all the proper nursing care they needed.
When I told the night supervisor that there were just two of us working she volunteered to stay for an extra four hours after her shift had ended. Two nurses were on their way to church and said when they got back from church they would also help.
I refused to be afraid. I kept praying that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”(Rom. 8:28) I also affirmed that it was not physical care that was needed for the patients but peace and the presence of the love of God. A calm presence was maintained on the floor and everyone felt it.
The day went very smooth and all the patients got all the care they needed. Mary Baker Eddy said in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “The calm and exalted thought or spiritual apprehension is at peace.” (506:11-12)
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Loving All Your Neighbors
God is Love. He loves all of His children impartially and without reservation. “God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.”(Gen. 1:31) He does not know man as white or black, Jew, Christian or Muslim, male or female or even as gay or straight. Man is His perfect idea. Man is here only to love one another and to do nothing else.
Recently in California the Supreme Court ruled in favor of gay marriage. Many in the gay community were encouraged by this ruling. Those opposed felt horrified that such a ruling could take place, believing that gay living is against the Christian principles they were taught.
Jesus once had an adulterous woman thrown down at his feet by a mob. They screamed that their law said she must be stoned to death. Jesus calmly replied to them, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (John 8:7) Each person in the mob was moved by Jesus’ remark, “convicted by their own conscience,” to quietly walk away “one by one.” Jesus finally told the woman to go and not sin again.
How often we hear stories of gays being harassed by an angry mob or being cast aside by their own families. Jesus pointed out to us “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven” (Luke 6:37).
When I first met the woman who is now my wife, she told me she had a few friends that lived a gay lifestyle. When she wanted me to meet them, I refused. I felt they were different than me. It disturbed me that two people of the same sex would have a relationship together. However, I have always been attracted to my wife’s wonderful quality of caring for others. She never put labels on people, especially her friends. She loved them because of the qualities they expressed. It did not matter whether they were straight or gay, white or black, Christian, Jew or Muslim.
When I was in high school, I was with a friend driving around in New York City when he saw a gay man and stopped the car. My friend got out of the car and slapped and pushed the man while I sat watching in the car, doing nothing to help the man. This has always bothered me. I knew that feeling prejudiced against any group of people was wrong. If I wanted to heal the problems of the world (and I did!) I needed to start with my own thinking about others.
Soon after I began to pray about this, I came across this statement in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick.” I began to examine my thinking in light of this statement. I saw that I had no right to judge another’s behavior. My duty was to love everyone I came into contact with, in spite of their behavior, and that includes those who call themselves gay. God made man in His own image and likeness, pure and perfect. If I was seeing a sinning, lustful person, then I believed that God made a mistake. God does not make any abnormalities. Man is the perfect idea of God and I could see and witness nothing else. All that I can ever see is God and His idea, man. I made it a goal to hold firmly to this truth about God and man. My prejudiced ideas about gays began to fade. I started to see the spiritual qualities my wife’s friends expressed, such as kindness, gentleness, and grace. I began to be more receptive to socializing with more of her friends. Later, I began to get calls in my practitioner work from people that called themselves gay.
Jesus pointed out that we must love our neighbor as ourselves. He ate with sinners, touched and healed persons with contagious diseases, and even forgave those who crucified him.
Let us pray that we can love all our neighbors. Let us put no labels on man but love him like God does. Mary Baker Eddy once said, “Students are advised by the author to be charitable and kind, not only towards differing forms of religion and medicine, but to those who hold these differing opinions. Let us be faithful in pointing the way through Christ, as we understand it, but let us also be careful always to "judge righteous judgment," and never to condemn rashly.”(444:13-19)
Recently in California the Supreme Court ruled in favor of gay marriage. Many in the gay community were encouraged by this ruling. Those opposed felt horrified that such a ruling could take place, believing that gay living is against the Christian principles they were taught.
Jesus once had an adulterous woman thrown down at his feet by a mob. They screamed that their law said she must be stoned to death. Jesus calmly replied to them, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (John 8:7) Each person in the mob was moved by Jesus’ remark, “convicted by their own conscience,” to quietly walk away “one by one.” Jesus finally told the woman to go and not sin again.
How often we hear stories of gays being harassed by an angry mob or being cast aside by their own families. Jesus pointed out to us “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven” (Luke 6:37).
When I first met the woman who is now my wife, she told me she had a few friends that lived a gay lifestyle. When she wanted me to meet them, I refused. I felt they were different than me. It disturbed me that two people of the same sex would have a relationship together. However, I have always been attracted to my wife’s wonderful quality of caring for others. She never put labels on people, especially her friends. She loved them because of the qualities they expressed. It did not matter whether they were straight or gay, white or black, Christian, Jew or Muslim.
When I was in high school, I was with a friend driving around in New York City when he saw a gay man and stopped the car. My friend got out of the car and slapped and pushed the man while I sat watching in the car, doing nothing to help the man. This has always bothered me. I knew that feeling prejudiced against any group of people was wrong. If I wanted to heal the problems of the world (and I did!) I needed to start with my own thinking about others.
Soon after I began to pray about this, I came across this statement in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick.” I began to examine my thinking in light of this statement. I saw that I had no right to judge another’s behavior. My duty was to love everyone I came into contact with, in spite of their behavior, and that includes those who call themselves gay. God made man in His own image and likeness, pure and perfect. If I was seeing a sinning, lustful person, then I believed that God made a mistake. God does not make any abnormalities. Man is the perfect idea of God and I could see and witness nothing else. All that I can ever see is God and His idea, man. I made it a goal to hold firmly to this truth about God and man. My prejudiced ideas about gays began to fade. I started to see the spiritual qualities my wife’s friends expressed, such as kindness, gentleness, and grace. I began to be more receptive to socializing with more of her friends. Later, I began to get calls in my practitioner work from people that called themselves gay.
Jesus pointed out that we must love our neighbor as ourselves. He ate with sinners, touched and healed persons with contagious diseases, and even forgave those who crucified him.
Let us pray that we can love all our neighbors. Let us put no labels on man but love him like God does. Mary Baker Eddy once said, “Students are advised by the author to be charitable and kind, not only towards differing forms of religion and medicine, but to those who hold these differing opinions. Let us be faithful in pointing the way through Christ, as we understand it, but let us also be careful always to "judge righteous judgment," and never to condemn rashly.”(444:13-19)
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Valentine’s Day
It is Valentine’s Day. Time to get that special someone candy or flowers. Is that all we can do? Perhaps this year we can commit ourselves to learning more about love and sharing this love with others.
Jesus told us that the two great commandments were” thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: and Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matt. 12:30, 31)
There are three commands of us Jesus is making here.
1. We must love God. This should be easy. God is love and he gives us everything good in our lives. So maybe that first Valentine should be sent to God. Mary Baker Eddy says in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures “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.”(3:22-24)
2. We must love ourselves. This sometimes might not be easy. However God loves us so there must be something in us worth loving. As the child of God we are pure, innocent, unselfish gentle, and confident. Why? Because that is the way God made us. If at present you are struggling with self- worth this is a lie. God made you perfect. He made you complete. Everything in you came from God. The more we love the qualities of God in us the more we will see it in others.
3. Love your neighbor. Love that special someone not as that cute guy or girl but the qualities of God they express. Get rid of me first thinking. Be a giver not a getter. Give a valentine of unselfishness, gentleness and consideration. Look for the good and value the good in your special someone. Avoid being critical, envious or jealous. “Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts.”(261:4-7)
Have a happy Valentine’s Day! Fill your heart full of the love of God and share it with others. .Give your special someone your unselfish love and devotion, and you will find it will mean more to them then any box of chocolates or even long stem roses. Be who you are the beautiful, good, and pure child of God. This will make your Valentine’s Day be every day of the year for your love is genuine and real.
Jesus told us that the two great commandments were” thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: and Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matt. 12:30, 31)
There are three commands of us Jesus is making here.
1. We must love God. This should be easy. God is love and he gives us everything good in our lives. So maybe that first Valentine should be sent to God. Mary Baker Eddy says in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures “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.”(3:22-24)
2. We must love ourselves. This sometimes might not be easy. However God loves us so there must be something in us worth loving. As the child of God we are pure, innocent, unselfish gentle, and confident. Why? Because that is the way God made us. If at present you are struggling with self- worth this is a lie. God made you perfect. He made you complete. Everything in you came from God. The more we love the qualities of God in us the more we will see it in others.
3. Love your neighbor. Love that special someone not as that cute guy or girl but the qualities of God they express. Get rid of me first thinking. Be a giver not a getter. Give a valentine of unselfishness, gentleness and consideration. Look for the good and value the good in your special someone. Avoid being critical, envious or jealous. “Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts.”(261:4-7)
Have a happy Valentine’s Day! Fill your heart full of the love of God and share it with others. .Give your special someone your unselfish love and devotion, and you will find it will mean more to them then any box of chocolates or even long stem roses. Be who you are the beautiful, good, and pure child of God. This will make your Valentine’s Day be every day of the year for your love is genuine and real.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Praying About Gang Violence
Recently my Christian Science branch church voted to have a pray vigil once a month on the gang violence in our community. We are also in April 2008 going to have a Christian Science Lecture on the subject.
From my Christian Science study on this subject these are some ideas that came to me.
1. Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “Evil has no reality. It is neither person, place, nor thing, but is simply a belief, an illusion of material sense.”(71:1-4) From this statement I realized that there are no evil persons called gang members. There is no evil place where they hang out since all space is filled with God and His goodness.
2. God made man in His own image and that is only good. Since God does not commit violence then His idea man is incapable of committing violence.
3. Man does not need to be in a gang to be safe, his protection comes from God. The Bible says The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”(PS. 121:7, 8)
4. Since God made man he did not make man of a color or a creed. We are all the sons and daughters of God
5. Is healing of gang violence possible yes. All things are possible to God. I know of two instances.
The first was a Principal at a public school that prayed that God was the only Mind.. Through his prayer he was lead to tell leaders of various gangs in his school that they were all brothers because they all prayed the Lord’s Prayer which begins “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”(Matt. 6:9) This hit home in their thought. The boys realized that they indeed all had one father. They began to see good in each other and instead of being enemies many of them became friends. They could not harm their brother.
The other instance took place at a prison. Three gangs were about to have an all out war. A man at the prison who was studying Christian Science asked if he could be a mediator between the gangs. He prayed to see each of these men as the children of God. He realized that no child of God wished harm to another child of God. He knew that right in the midst of that prison God’s love was there. He stopped a riot from taking place and gained respect of all the gang members.
The power of prayer is so powerful. I know right now the boys can feel this prayer. They can feel the love of God in their lives instead of hate. Evil has no power but to destroy itself. It cannot harm those boys nor can it touch any innocent member of our community. “Love is the liberator.”(225:21-22)
From my Christian Science study on this subject these are some ideas that came to me.
1. Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “Evil has no reality. It is neither person, place, nor thing, but is simply a belief, an illusion of material sense.”(71:1-4) From this statement I realized that there are no evil persons called gang members. There is no evil place where they hang out since all space is filled with God and His goodness.
2. God made man in His own image and that is only good. Since God does not commit violence then His idea man is incapable of committing violence.
3. Man does not need to be in a gang to be safe, his protection comes from God. The Bible says The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”(PS. 121:7, 8)
4. Since God made man he did not make man of a color or a creed. We are all the sons and daughters of God
5. Is healing of gang violence possible yes. All things are possible to God. I know of two instances.
The first was a Principal at a public school that prayed that God was the only Mind.. Through his prayer he was lead to tell leaders of various gangs in his school that they were all brothers because they all prayed the Lord’s Prayer which begins “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”(Matt. 6:9) This hit home in their thought. The boys realized that they indeed all had one father. They began to see good in each other and instead of being enemies many of them became friends. They could not harm their brother.
The other instance took place at a prison. Three gangs were about to have an all out war. A man at the prison who was studying Christian Science asked if he could be a mediator between the gangs. He prayed to see each of these men as the children of God. He realized that no child of God wished harm to another child of God. He knew that right in the midst of that prison God’s love was there. He stopped a riot from taking place and gained respect of all the gang members.
The power of prayer is so powerful. I know right now the boys can feel this prayer. They can feel the love of God in their lives instead of hate. Evil has no power but to destroy itself. It cannot harm those boys nor can it touch any innocent member of our community. “Love is the liberator.”(225:21-22)
Thursday, January 24, 2008
You Are Not An Alcoholic
Yes, you heard it right, you are not an alcoholic. Perhaps for years you have struggled with alcoholic problems with very little success. You are obedient and go to an AA meeting each week. Good for you for doing this. However Christian Science can help you find a permanent solution to addiction.
To start with you have to change the way you have been thinking about yourself. You are God’s perfect child. Why because God is love and He created you in His own image and likeness. There is nothing God has made that is not perfect. Jesus told us this. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”(Matt. 5:48)
You need to stop believing all the history about addiction. You are not part of a family of alcoholics. You are the child of God and so is every member of your human family. There is nothing that can be past down to you because your life is spiritual and not material. You are not made up of blood and bones but of spiritual ideas. Some of these spiritual ideas are unselfishness, kindness, purity and integrity. Can purity be drunk of course not?
Perhaps the reason you started to drink was to be more socially acceptable. However you have always been acceptable to God because you are His adorable darling. He accepts you just the way you are. How can God not love what He created?
Maybe you drink because you think you are more relaxed. Is there something to fear? If you think this then there is a time when God is not with you. This is a lie God is always with you every minute. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”(Isa. 41:10)
You need to destroy the power of the addictiveness of alcohol. Alcohol is not your God and you do not need to bow down and worship it. Mary Baker Eddy in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures says, “You must control evil thoughts in the first instance, or they will control in the second.”(234:26-27) You can control it, when you see that addiction is not a stimulus but an aggressive suggestion that there is a power besides God. You do not need it for your life. Life is God always has been and always will be. You do not need to be dependent on anything but the presence and the power of God.
A speaker at my Christian Science Association a few years ago said this startling statement about alcohol. She said if Jesus could turn water into wine why cannot you turn wine into water. You can when you cease to believe that it has a power over you. You will not be lured by its desire because your thought will be focused on the things of God and not of the things of the world.
AA is wonderful because by saying I am Bill I am an alcoholic it was the first step at facing down alcoholism. Now take the next step by saying with absolute affirmation I am Bill the perfect child of God now and forever. “Citizens of the world, accept the "glorious liberty of the children of God," and be free! This is your divine right.”(Science and Health 227:24-26)
To start with you have to change the way you have been thinking about yourself. You are God’s perfect child. Why because God is love and He created you in His own image and likeness. There is nothing God has made that is not perfect. Jesus told us this. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”(Matt. 5:48)
You need to stop believing all the history about addiction. You are not part of a family of alcoholics. You are the child of God and so is every member of your human family. There is nothing that can be past down to you because your life is spiritual and not material. You are not made up of blood and bones but of spiritual ideas. Some of these spiritual ideas are unselfishness, kindness, purity and integrity. Can purity be drunk of course not?
Perhaps the reason you started to drink was to be more socially acceptable. However you have always been acceptable to God because you are His adorable darling. He accepts you just the way you are. How can God not love what He created?
Maybe you drink because you think you are more relaxed. Is there something to fear? If you think this then there is a time when God is not with you. This is a lie God is always with you every minute. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”(Isa. 41:10)
You need to destroy the power of the addictiveness of alcohol. Alcohol is not your God and you do not need to bow down and worship it. Mary Baker Eddy in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures says, “You must control evil thoughts in the first instance, or they will control in the second.”(234:26-27) You can control it, when you see that addiction is not a stimulus but an aggressive suggestion that there is a power besides God. You do not need it for your life. Life is God always has been and always will be. You do not need to be dependent on anything but the presence and the power of God.
A speaker at my Christian Science Association a few years ago said this startling statement about alcohol. She said if Jesus could turn water into wine why cannot you turn wine into water. You can when you cease to believe that it has a power over you. You will not be lured by its desire because your thought will be focused on the things of God and not of the things of the world.
AA is wonderful because by saying I am Bill I am an alcoholic it was the first step at facing down alcoholism. Now take the next step by saying with absolute affirmation I am Bill the perfect child of God now and forever. “Citizens of the world, accept the "glorious liberty of the children of God," and be free! This is your divine right.”(Science and Health 227:24-26)
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
We Are All Brothers
Recently, we celebrated Martin Luther King’ day. What a man to pay tribute too. One thing I can remember that in his dream speech he said that some day men of all races would put away their differences and walk together as brothers. I had an experience in my life in learning how a man of another race was my brother.
The year was 1968, and there were many racial tensions going on in this country. I was in boot camp in the United States Air Force. My new roommate was an African American man from the Deep South. When we first met neither one of us had much to say to each other. I felt uncomfortable living with him and I think the feeling was mutual. I realized early on that this situation needed prayer.
The Bible states, “Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? (Mal. 2:10) I began to see that I did not need to feel uncomfortable with this young man. God was my father and he was also his father so there were no differences between us. I then needed to love him as a brother and as the child of God.
Soon I had an opportunity to share my love with him. One day our drill instructor reprimanded my roommate during an inspection because his white underwear had turned blue because he washed it with his black socks. I volunteered to wash his clothes for him so it would not happen again. He then said he would help me make my bed because my bed never passed inspection.
We began to form a friendship together. I loved the qualities of God he expressed such as kindness, humility, and unselfishness. These qualities had nothing to do with what color man is. One day he open up to me and told me I was the first white man to treat him kindly. He introduced me to one of his black friends and we became friends as well.
Once during in the middle of the night an African American man sabotaged my foot locker by poring shaving cream all over it right before our inspection. Of course the next day I was reprimanded by our drill instructor. The man brag to his black buddies on what he did to me. To my surprise, the other black men did not take his side. They told him I was their brother and an act against me would be an act against all of them as well.
God had brought us together. There was love between us. Even though we were of a different race we were brothers. I never saw my roommate again but will always remember the love in his heart.
Mary Baker Eddy in her main work Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures says, “With one Father, even God, the whole family of man would be brethren; and with one Mind and that God, or good, the brotherhood of man would consist of Love and Truth, and have unity of Principle and spiritual power which constitute divine Science.”(469:30-5)
The year was 1968, and there were many racial tensions going on in this country. I was in boot camp in the United States Air Force. My new roommate was an African American man from the Deep South. When we first met neither one of us had much to say to each other. I felt uncomfortable living with him and I think the feeling was mutual. I realized early on that this situation needed prayer.
The Bible states, “Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? (Mal. 2:10) I began to see that I did not need to feel uncomfortable with this young man. God was my father and he was also his father so there were no differences between us. I then needed to love him as a brother and as the child of God.
Soon I had an opportunity to share my love with him. One day our drill instructor reprimanded my roommate during an inspection because his white underwear had turned blue because he washed it with his black socks. I volunteered to wash his clothes for him so it would not happen again. He then said he would help me make my bed because my bed never passed inspection.
We began to form a friendship together. I loved the qualities of God he expressed such as kindness, humility, and unselfishness. These qualities had nothing to do with what color man is. One day he open up to me and told me I was the first white man to treat him kindly. He introduced me to one of his black friends and we became friends as well.
Once during in the middle of the night an African American man sabotaged my foot locker by poring shaving cream all over it right before our inspection. Of course the next day I was reprimanded by our drill instructor. The man brag to his black buddies on what he did to me. To my surprise, the other black men did not take his side. They told him I was their brother and an act against me would be an act against all of them as well.
God had brought us together. There was love between us. Even though we were of a different race we were brothers. I never saw my roommate again but will always remember the love in his heart.
Mary Baker Eddy in her main work Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures says, “With one Father, even God, the whole family of man would be brethren; and with one Mind and that God, or good, the brotherhood of man would consist of Love and Truth, and have unity of Principle and spiritual power which constitute divine Science.”(469:30-5)
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