Tell the Truth

Archive for January, 2010

304:17-18
Divine Principle is the Life of man.

Divine Principle is the Life of man. The harmony of human life is dependent upon the extent to which man understands and demonstrates divine Principle. Happiness is not a matter of chance; every one of us determines it for himself.  Max Kappeler

Note: The Dhammapada is a Buddhist scripture.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. It is founded on our thoughts. It is made up of our thoughts. If one speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows one, like a shadow that never leaves.

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. Psalms 36:9 (KJV)

When we look at our problems in light of the Truth of God, we see what we need to see and learn what we need to know. It is like X-ray vision. It shows what cannot be seen through human eyes. It goes beyond the surface into the heart of things.

Below are some ideas that came to me from this week’s Christian Science Bible lesson on Love.

Here’s a suggestion for working with these ideas. It has helped me take them beyond the intellect. You may find it a helpful way to work.

Think of a situation that you’re struggling with or concerned about. Read the following statements slowly and thoughtfully with your problem in mind. Allow these divine ideas to transform your thinking about the situation.

Because God is Love—

• I do not attack others in word of thought
• I am not judgmental
• My thoughts bathe all in beauty and light
• I am corrected and governed aright
• I am helped on toward righteousness, peace and purity
• I have the solvent for every stubborn error
• I can love my enemies
• I never lose sight of loveliness
• I am inspired
• The way is illumined before me
• The way is prepared before me
• I am led and the way is opened
• I am preserved
• Human hatred cannot reach me
• I am forgiven, healed and redeemed
• I am comforted
• Nothing can separate me from God’s love
• I can meet disease fearlessly
• I am given power over every physical action and condition
• I can unclasp the hold and destroy disease, sin and death
• I am patient in suffering and am kind
• I do not envy others their blessings
• I do not put myself first—I am not proud
• I do not behave inappropriately or in bad taste
• I do not seek good at the expense of others
• I am not easily provoked
• I do not think evil of others
• I rejoice in the truth
• I can bear my trials
• I believe in the good
• I expect good
• My love never fails
• I see other’s needs and supply it
• I seek my own in another’s good
• Might, immortality and goodness shine through all
• There is no lack—I have enough; I am enough
• Every situation can be redeemed

The Truth will set us free! This week’s Christian Science Bible lesson was on Truth. After beginning my reading this morning this song just popped into my head. (Note: This is a revised version.)

I want to be a temple of Truth,
A sun in the sky that shines for You.
I want to be a child of the light,
A beacon of hope that shines in the night.

I want to be a temple
And ever Spirit-led,
The Truth, a candle burning,
In my heart the wine and bread.

I want to be a temple of Truth…

I want to be a temple
Where holiness may fall.
Where only Love is spoken
And the Truth my All-in-all.

I want to be a temple of Truth…

Click below to listen, or click this link to see the music.

Because God is Mind—

• I have the power to change and adapt
• I am interested and engaged in life
• I have an abundance of creative ideas
• I can understand ________________
• I see the light
• I can know anything I need to know
• I know how to correct any mistake
• I have the guidance I need
• I can communicate well to others
• I can hear what others are saying to me
• I can make things happen
• Only Mind is the cause and creator

Because God is Spirit—

• I am a spiritual, not material being
• I have strength and vitality for living
• I can exclude anything unlike God, good from my thinking
• I bring new creative ideas to birth
• I can remove all obstacles in my path
• Order is unfolded in my life
• Only the spiritual has substance
• Spirit is my supply
• I am pure and only have the things of God
• I reflect God’s qualities and activity

Because God is Soul—

• My identity is in God—not in material history
• I am creative in my own individual way
• I travel from sense to Soul—I am on a spiritual journey
• I can understand spiritual things and how they apply to me
• I can master the material senses
• I can know joy, happiness and satisfaction in my life—I am never depressed
• I am free in the Spirit

Because God is Principle—

• Harmony is my natural state
• I fit into life and have positive relationships with others
• My life expresses order and right relationship
• There is a perfect place for me
• I can demonstrate Principle in my life and affairs
• God governs my life—I am never out of control
• God is ever operative—God governs all

Because God is Life—

• Good and only good is unfolding in my life
• I am healthy and whole
• God is my life and my life is God
• Good multiplies in my life and everywhere
• I AM—forever

Because God is Truth—

• I live only in Truth
• Error is destroyed in my thinking
• I can never be apart from Christ, Truth
• I can only be conscious of Truth
• God’s Truth, spiritual Truth is all that is real
• God is the basis for my living and being
• I can always hear the voice of Truth in any situation
• Truth is my salvation

Because God is Love—

• I am loving and my life is filled with loveliness
• I am kind, and give and receive kindness
• I am considerate of others, and others are considerate of me
• I can trust life to bring me nothing but good
• There is a purpose and plan for my life
• My good is inexhaustible
• All my needs are being met
• Every situation can be redeemed

My newest song was written for the opening of this Sunday’s service at Unity Church of Knoxville.

We’re going to have a good time.
We’re going to have a good, good time.
We’re going to have a wonderful time.
The signs are oh, so clear!

We’re going to have a good time.
We’re going to have a very good time.
We’re going to have a wonderful time.
The Spirit of Love is here!

Once we were walking in darkness.
Now we are children of light.
Once we were stumbling in shadows.
Now we are seeing with spiritual eyes.

We’re going to have a good time.

Once we were lost in confusion
Without an answer in view.
Once we were living with out hope
Then we discovered the Spirit was true.

We’re going to have a good time…

Click below to listen or click here to see the music in pdf format.

I was in the car with two of our young children last week and they had picked up some new terminology in school. One said something and the other one said “Oh, God damn it!” I asked if they knew what they were saying. No, they just heard it on the playground and thought it was cool. I told them it meant they wanted God to take all of their toys and break them. They wanted God to come into their body and make it puke. They wanted God to take all their friends away so they would never see them again. That’s what it means. And they said “Whoa! We take it back. We don’t want that to happen.” So think about what you are asking God to do if it isn’t surrendering to divine reality. Watch where the mind is going. Rather than traveling down the path of pain and suffering, ask God to bless reality and show the way to change. Be willing to do whatever it takes with conviction so that it will all work out beautifully. Ernest Holmes put it this way: “Mankind has learned all that it needs to through pain and suffering.” There is no need for more.

Dr. James Golden writing in The Practitioner’s Handbook

Pul. 10:28-11:1

Speak out, O soul! This is the newborn of Spirit, this is His redeemed; this, His beloved. May the kingdom of God within you, — with you alway, — reascending, bear you outward, upward, heavenward.

Matt 8:23-27 (KJV)

23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

Why did Jesus rebuke his disciples for their lack of faith? They obviously had faith in Jesus or they would not have awakened him. No, he was not rebuking them for not having a personal faith in him, but for their lack of faith in themselves and their ability to apply the Truth and demonstrate it. They lacked faith in Principle—a Principle that always destroys error.

Matt 21:21 (KJV)

Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, …. ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.