manoftruth.net

From a purely spiritual standpoint, we are not being used by God. We are God’s expression. Do you understand the difference? It’s something we should always keep in mind. We may hear someone refer to themselves as a “channel for God”; or say, I became a child of God; or pray, “Come, Holy Spirit!” These are wonderful sentiments, head and shoulders above non-spiritual thinking, but they mislead us away from a clear understanding of our relationship to God. Why?

A channel has a separate existence from the one using it. The Truth is, we have no separate existence apart from God. We can only have the illusion that we are independent from the infinite, All. Never, at any moment can we have any existence or reality apart from the omnipresent. Impossible.

We cannot become a child of God. “In the beginning”, God made us. We never had an existence before we were God’s child, God’s image. We can realize it though; and we can begin to act from that consciousness—that’s the meaning of being “born again.”

“Come, Holy Spirit!” can imply that there was ever a moment that God as Spirit was not present. God is always and eternally present 100%, never less. That is what omnipresence    means. We never have to pray asking God to come. God is here. Always. Our need is to realize it, not to try and make it happen.

When we slip into the belief that God, or we ourselves, are persons, we begin to subtly fall away from the recognition that we are Soul’s expression, and into the belief that we are not already one with God. Persons can be separated, but God and His creation are one. Again, we need realization. We are not trying to make anything happen, we are working to know that it is already so. We are not trying to make two and two become four. The principle has already established the fact. We are trying to learn and apply it.

The following passages perhaps will help make this point clearer to you.

The first is from an article, “No Daymares in God’s Day!” (Kathryn W. Wood, October, 1977 issue of The Christian Science Journal).

Your need is to… awake from the belief that you are a mortal striving for success in competition with other mortals. You and all other ideas of God have your distinct place in God’s plan. A spiritual idea is not a medium through which Mind expresses itself, but is the direct reflection of this Mind.”

And here’s a passage where Mrs. Eddy discusses man’s identity. (In her thought, the word Soul, capitalized, is a synonym for God, indicating his activity of infinite expression through individual, spiritual ideas.)

SH 477:20-25 Identity, 29-478:2
Identity is the reflection of Spirit, the reflection in multifarious forms of the living Principle, Love. Soul is the substance, Life, and intelligence of man, which is individualized, but not in matter. Soul can never reflect anything inferior to Spirit.

Separated from man, who expresses Soul, Spirit would be a nonentity; man, divorced from Spirit, would lose his entity. But there is, there can be, no such division, for man is coexistent with God.

Metaphysical thinkers sometimes go to the other extreme and fall into the idea that “I am God,”  or “We are God.” We are NOT God, but we coexist with Him.

SH 361:16-20
As a drop of water is one with the ocean, a ray of light one with the sun, even so God and man, Father and son, are one in being. The Scripture reads: "For in Him we live, and move, and have our being."

I think the “drop of water” analogy falls short, because again, I think some people misinterpret it as saying “We are God”; but I do love the ray of light analogy, because the sun’s rays are not the sun, and yet, there can be no sun without its shining.

Mrs. Eddy rightly understood man as being God’s reflection. (Reflection is her word for man being made in God’s image and likeness.) Here’s one of the ways she expresses it:

SH 305:5-11
A picture in the camera or a face reflected in the mirror is not the original, though resembling it. Man, in the likeness of his Maker, reflects the central light of being, the invisible God. As there is no corporeality in the mirrored form, which is but a reflection, so man, like all things real, reflects God, his divine Principle, not in a mortal body.

When we go forth to do the work God has given us to do, we should watch our thought to be sure that we are acting from the understanding that in doing our work, we are acting as God’s expression, not as a person who is praying for God to somehow get into the picture, or to use us as a channel. As long as we are seeing God as person—as apart from us, we can never experience our at-one-ment with Him.

These verses from the Gospel of Luke appear in the Christian Science Bible Lesson for May 20, 2012 on the topic of Soul and Body. The message is simple: everything comes from God, and when we find His kingdom, we find everything we need along with it.

Click here to see the sheet music. You can download the song on the MP3s page.

Here is the scripture:

Luke 12:22 Take, 31
Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat;
neither for the body, what ye shall put on.  
But rather seek ye the kingdom of God;
and all these things shall be added unto you.

Certainly, one of the most well known scriptures regarding mental healing is this passage from Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Normally, I name my songs after the first few words of the passage I’m setting, but in this case I opted for the more famous phrase, "Be not conformed." It appears in the Christian Science Bible Lesson for May 20, 2012 on the topic of Soul and Body. This is a Song of Remembrance—learn the song, learn the passage.

Click here for the sheet music, or go to the MP3s page to download the song.

Here is the text:

Romans 12:1, 2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of 
God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye trans-
formed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove
what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

A few months after I became a Christian Scientist in 2007, I received a call from Lora Beth, my old Unity minister. Lora Beth said that Phyllis had died and asked if I would like to travel with her to help in Phyllis’ memorial service and play a few songs on my guitar. I was reluctant to attend a memorial service, strongly believing that there is no death, and I thanked her, but made an excuse to avoid the two hour trip to Phyllis’ family’s church.

But then I awoke in the early hours of the next morning with the question on my mind, Won’t you give a cup of water in Christ’s name? I instantly knew that I should go to the service and be a spiritual presence there. The next morning, I called Lora Beth back and accepted her invitation.

At the service, I led the congregation in singing a few songs and then Lora Beth asked me if I would like to say a few words about Phyllis. In my old church I was a chaplain, and regularly made calls to members of the congregation to pray with them. Phyllis was one of those on my call list and I had regularly prayed with her for a year or so. She had had cancer and during the time we were praying together, we regularly prayed against fear and the frequent pain she was experiencing from her chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and I often spoke to her of God’s love and her natural, spiritual perfection as His beloved child.

When I rose to speak at the service, I shared some of the ideas I had learned from reading and studying Christian Science—that God never gave her disease; that God only had good for her and that she was God’s perfect child, forever in His care. Her family was sitting down in the front row of the church. They were all “good Baptists” and as I shared that God never gave disease to Phyllis, but held her eternally in His Love and care, I could see in their faces the impact this beautiful Truth was having upon them; and as I have often seen since, the acknowledgement of God’s Love has a wonderful healing effect upon all people of whatever faith or religious practice.

At the reception after the service, several people came up to me and asked me to pray for them. Rather than vaguely say that I would, I asked each one, Would you like to pray right now? We held hands and bowed our heads together. I reassured each one of God’s love for them, and his promise of healing and salvation, and I spoke the Truths I’ve learned through Christian Science; and especially, I shared Mrs. Eddy’s inspired presentation of the 23rd Psalm.

That night as I gave thanks to God for my day, I was so grateful that I had been able to share a cup of water in Christ’s name; and the very next day, God gave me this wonderful song which I love to sing each time I give this testimony.

A dear Christian Science practitioner has dubbed this, “The Practitioner’s song”.

Here is the sheet music. The song is available for download on the MP3s page.

Here are the lyrics:

Can you find a word of kindness you can speak?
Can you find the inner strength to help the weak?
And forgiveness you can offer for their shame?
Can you give a cup of water in Christ’s name?

Can you offer them a smile as you pass by?
And encouragement to help someone to try?
Is there patience you can find within today?
Can you give a cup of water in Christ’s name?

Can you look and see the light of God that shines in every face?
Can you find the holy ground in any place?
Can you see the hand of God that’s fashioning the potter’s clay?
Can you give a cup of water in Christ’s name?

Can you find the wisdom not to speak in hurt?
Can you see beyond what circumstances were?
And when all have run is courage there to stay?
Can you give a cup of water in Christ’s name?

Can you keep your thought on God when troubles come?
Having faith for others when they’re finding none?
And see Love divine is guiding on their way?
Can you give a cup of water in Christ’s name?

Can you add some understanding to their faith?
In the midst of all confusion can you pray?
Can you see that God’s perfection’s there always?
Can you give a cup of water in Christ’s name?

The first time Jeremy heard God sing, we were in the old Ford, rocking back and forth with the wind. Snow pounded at the window to get inside, where it wasn’t much better than out there. I guess he was nine. I was seven, but I’ve always felt like the older sister, even though Jeremy was bigger.

I snuggled closer under his arm while we waited for Rita. She made us call her ‘Rita’ and not ‘Mom’ or ‘Mommy’ or ‘Mother,’ and that was fine with Jeremy and me. Pretty much anything that was fine with Jeremy was fine with me.

We’d been in the backseat long enough for frost to make a curtain on the car windshield and for Rita’s half-drunk paper cup of coffee to ice some in its holder up front.

Jeremy had grown so still that I thought he might be asleep, or half frozen, either one being better than the teeth-chattering bone-chilling I had going on.

Then came the sound.

It filled the car. A single note that made it feel like all of the notes put together in just the right way. I don’t remember wondering where that note came from because my whole head was full of it and the hope that it wouldn’t stop, not ever. And it went on so long I thought maybe I was getting my wish and that this was what people heard when they died, right before seeing that white tunnel light.

The note didn’t so much end as it went into another note and then more of them. And there were words in the notes, but they were swallowed up in the meaning of that music-song so that I couldn’t tell and didn’t care which was which.

Then I saw this song was coming from my brother, and I started bawling like a baby. And bawling wasn’t something you did in our house because Rita couldn’t abide crying and believed whacking you was the way to make it stop.

Jeremy sang what must have been a whole entire song, because when he closed his mouth, it seemed right that the song was over.

When I could get words out, I turned so I could see my brother. “Jeremy,” I whispered, “I never heard you sing before.”

He smiled like someone had warmed him toasty all the way through and given him hot chocolate with marshmallows to top it off. “I never sang before.”

“But that song? Where did you get it?”

“God,” he answered, as simply as if he’d said, “Walmart.”

I’d just heard that song, and even though it seemed to me that God made more sense than Walmart for an answer, I felt like I had to say otherwise. I was the “normal” sister, the one whose needs weren’t officially special.

“Jeremy, God can’t give you a song,” I told him.

Jeremy raised his eyebrows a little and swayed the way he does. “Hope,” he said, like he was older than Rita and I was just a little kid, “God didn’t give it to me. He sang it. I just copied.”

Excerpt from The Silence of Murder by Dandi Daley Mackall

You’re probably familiar with both Adam and Eve’s (Genesis 2), and Jesus temptations in the desert (Matthew 4). These temptations come from the accuser.

In Genesis it says that, "the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made." Gen 3:1 (KJV) In other words, the accuser is lying, but its difficult to pinpoint just what is wrong. It’s crafty and cunning—tricky and sneaky.

Where did those temptations of Jesus come from? Did they come from a personification of evil—from Satan, or the devil? No. The temptations came from his own mind—they were thoughts that went on in his own head. It’s no different with us. We hear thoughts telling us that we’re too much of this, not enough of that, that we’re victims or manipulators or incompetent or addictive or lazy or tired or anxious or angry or sad or depressed, etc. We hear these thoughts about others, too.

Any time we accept them, and don’t realize what they are and how they are operating, we side with our enemy! We are actively working against our own happiness! It is as though we’re on trial and get up on the stand and say, the persecutor is right! I am a bad person. I deserve punishment, but all the time, we’re innocent.

You can sometimes feel but I AM guilty of those things. I really AM a bad person, but this is never true! Why? Because you are God’s child, Soul’s expression. But how can you really be bad? If you’re God’s image, then is the God you’re reflecting bad? No! But we’ve believed what the accuser says of us and put ourselves in a prison. We’ve acted out the lies we’ve believed.

When someone cuts you off in traffic and you get angry, ask yourself, What is the accusation here? Are you accusing the driver of being rude, selfish, careless, out of control? Are you accusing yourself of being short-tempered, or a victim?

When you find yourself dealing with people that won’t let you have your own way, are you accusing them of blocking God’s will for you? Are you accusing yourself of being the victim, being deprived, being separated from what should be yours?

I’m sure you can think of a lot more examples!

Here are some common accusations we need to recognize and counter: I am a victim of another’s anger, insecurity, will, instability, carelessness, selfishness… I’m too tired, too old, too lazy, too sore, too selfish… I made a mistake when I… I shouldn’t have… I’ll never understand… I don’t have enough faith to… I can never forgive…

It will really help you whenever you lose your peace to ask yourself, What do I believe is going on here? What am I thinking? What am I accusing them of? What am I accusing myself of? And am I siding with my enemy against myself? Am I taking the side of my accuser?

Often, simply telling yourself, I’m not going to agree with my accuser; or I’m not going to "cast myself down"; or I’m God’s child—I’m not just a material being, separate from God! is enough to keep us from going down into a place where we don’t want to go.

There are a lot of references in Psalms about the "pit". That’s the way I think of what happens when we buy into these accusations. We find ourselves in a pit.

"He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made."  Psalms 7:15 (KJV)

Don’t agree with your accuser—stay out of the pit!

I’ve set this text to music several times. I just love the rejoicing after demonstration and this song exalts in it! The Psalm appears in the Christian Science Bible Lesson for May 13, 2012 on the topic of Mortals and Immortals.

Here’s the sheet music. Go to the MP3s page to download the song.

Here are the lyrics, adapted from Psalm 30:

Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing:
thou hast put off my sackcloth,
To the end that my glory may sing praises to thee,
and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. 
O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

This passage marks the conclusion of the Christian Science Bible Lesson for May 13, 2012 on the topic of Mortals and Immortals. It’s always good to especially consider the final words in any lesson. This is a Song of Remembrance—learn the song, learn the passage.

Click here for the music. Download the MP3 on the MP3s page.

Here is the text:

336:25–28    
God, the divine Principle of man,
and man in God’s likeness
are inseparable, harmonious, and eternal. 
The Science of being furnishes the rule of perfection,
and brings immortality to light.

I had not planned to write this song for the May 6, 2012 Christian Science Bible Lesson on Adam and Fallen Man, but was so moved by it during the service this morning that I ended up this evening writing it. I was just so struck by the line, "for the accuser is not there", and thought about living without the constant accusing thoughts of sin, sickness, death that mortal mind continually sends our way.

While walking my dog this afternoon, a bumble bee was buzzing around his head and he was curious but showed no fear or defensiveness and that line about the accuser was brought back to me. I saw in him the peace and harmony that arises naturally when fear and judgment are not there accusing us of vulnerability, danger, and negativity.

This is a Song of Remembrance—learn the song, learn the passage.

You can click here for the music. Go to the MP3s tab to download the song.

Here is the passage that concluded our lesson this morning:

SH 568:26–30    
A louder song, sweeter than has ever before
reached high heaven, now rises clearer and nearer
to the great heart of Christ; for the accuser is not there,
and Love sends forth her primal and everlasting strain.

The May 13, 2012, Christian Science Bible Lesson on the topic of Mortals and Immortals marks the beginning of my second year of writing Bible Lesson Songs! This passage from Science and Health is an important one. It promises that mortal consciousness will yield to the scientific fact and disappear.

This is a Song of Remembrance—learn the song, learn the passage.

Click here for music you can print. You can download the song from the MP3s page.

Here is the text:

295:11    
Mortals are not like immortals, 
created in God’s own image;
but infinite Spirit being all, 
mortal consciousness will at last
yield to the scientific fact and disappear,
and the real sense of being,
perfect and forever intact, will appear.