JUNE 27, 2018
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FROM THE BIBLE
AND
SCIENCE & HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES
BY MARY BAKER EDDY
PSALMS
37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God:
JAMES
1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
II CORINTHIANS
4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
18 … we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
SH 380:28
Nothing is more disheartening than to believe that there is a power opposite to God, or good, and that God endows this opposing power with strength to be used against Himself, against Life, health, harmony.
SH 322:26-29
The sharp experiences of belief in the supposititious life of matter, as well as our disappointments and ceaseless woes, turn us like tired children to the arms of divine Love.
SH 167:7
Our proportionate admission of the claims of good or of evil determines the harmony of our existence, — our health, our longevity, and our Christianity.
SH 261:4
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.
MATTHEW
17:14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief:
21 … this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
SH 455:3-5
A mental state of self-condemnation and guilt or a faltering and doubting trust in Truth are unsuitable conditions for healing the sick.
SH 394:10
The admission that any bodily condition is beyond the control of Mind disarms man, prevents him from helping himself, and enthrones matter through error. To those struggling with sickness, such admissions are discouraging, — as much so as would be the advice to a man who is down in the world, that he should not try to rise above his difficulties.
SH 410:29-30
Christian scientific practice begins with Christ’s keynote of harmony, “Be not afraid!”
SH 207:10-13
Evil is not supreme; good is not helpless; nor are the so-called laws of matter primary, and the law of Spirit secondary.
SH 367:30-4
Because Truth is infinite, error should be known as nothing. Because Truth is omnipotent in goodness, error, Truth’s opposite, has no might. Evil is but the counterpoise of nothingness. The greatest wrong is but a supposititious opposite of the highest right. The confidence inspired by Science lies in the fact that Truth is real and error is unreal.
SH 494:10
Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need. It is not well to imagine that Jesus demonstrated the divine power to heal only for a select number or for a limited period of time, since to all mankind and in every hour, divine Love supplies all good.
MATTHEW
26:36 ¶ Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
45 … Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
JOHN
14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
16:33 … In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
SH 265:23-24
Who that has felt the loss of human peace has not gained stronger desires for spiritual joy?
SH 47:31
During his night of gloom and glory in the garden, Jesus realized the utter error of a belief in any possible material intelligence. The pangs of neglect and the staves of bigoted ignorance smote him sorely. His students slept. He said unto them: “Could ye not watch with me one hour?” Could they not watch with him who, waiting and struggling in voiceless agony, held uncomplaining guard over a world? There was no response to that human yearning, and so Jesus turned forever away from earth to heaven, from sense to Soul.
II SAMUEL
22:7 In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me:
22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, …
31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
PROVERBS
3:5 ¶ Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
SH 66:10-11, 6-9 (to 1st .)
Trials are proofs of God’s care.
Trials teach mortals not to lean on a material staff, — a broken reed, which pierces the heart. We do not half remember this in the sunshine of joy and prosperity.
SH 384:3-8 (to 1st ,)
We should relieve our minds from the depressing thought that we have transgressed a material law and must of necessity pay the penalty. Let us reassure ourselves with the law of Love. God never punishes man for doing right, for honest labor, or for deeds of kindness, …
SH 410:14-20
Every trial of our faith in God makes us stronger. The more difficult seems the material condition to be overcome by Spirit, the stronger should be our faith and the purer our love. The Apostle John says: “There is no fear in Love, but perfect Love casteth out fear. . . . He that feareth is not made perfect in Love.”
ROMANS
12:2 … be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13 Bless them which persecute you:
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
EPHESIANS
4:17 …walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
14 … tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
JEREMIAH
29:11 … I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
SH 254:10-12
When we wait patiently on God and seek Truth righteously, He directs our path.
SH 387:27
The history of Christianity furnishes sublime proofs of the supporting influence and protecting power bestowed on man by his heavenly Father, omnipotent Mind, who gives man faith and understanding whereby to defend himself, not only from temptation, but from bodily suffering.
SH 390:4-9
We cannot deny that Life is self-sustained, and we should never deny the everlasting harmony of Soul, simply because, to the mortal senses, there is seeming discord. It is our ignorance of God, the divine Principle, which produces apparent discord, and the right understanding of Him restores harmony.
LUKE
21:9 …when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified:
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences;
25 ¶ and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:
28 … when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
PHILIPPIANS
4:1 … stand fast in the Lord, …
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
ISAIAH
26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
SH 234:9-12, 26-27, 31-32
We should become more familiar with good than with evil, and guard against false beliefs as watchfully as we bar our doors against the approach of thieves and murderers.
You must control evil thoughts in the first instance, or they will control you in the second.
Evil thoughts and aims reach no farther and do no more harm than one’s belief permits.
SH 254:2-6
Individuals are consistent who, watching and praying, can “run, and not be weary; . . walk, and not faint,” who gain good rapidly and hold their position, or attain slowly and yield not to discouragement.
SH 444:10
Step by step will those who trust Him find that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
SH vii:1-2
To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings.
Supplemental Reading
“Overcoming Discouragement”
By Lloyd B. Coate
Christian Science Sentinel
September 18, 1926
Who has not heard the lamentation, “There is no use in my trying any longer; I may as well give up”? Fear is a component part of all forms of discouragement and anxiety… Worry is a close companion of fear and discouragement. The fear of not being able to earn a livelihood not only has hindered the demonstration of needed supply in the family, but has often been the cause of sickness and suffering. A physician who had practiced medicine for almost half a century once remarked, “Fear, worry, and discouragement have caused more sickness than anything else.” This coincides with what Mrs. Eddy teaches on pages 391, 392, and 411 of her textbook, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.”
Discouragement is a suggestion of so-called mortal mind, a suggestion that God, divine Love, cannot or will not preserve the health of His children and provide a way for the supply of daily food and clothing. Discouragement may thus be said to result from a lack of confidence or a loss of confidence in God, infinite good. Whence come the tormenting suggestions of discouragement and limitation? Inasmuch as nothing but good can emanate from God, the suggestions of fear, worry, limitation, and sickness must have their origin in so-called mortal mind. Mortals have tried to overcome such suggestions by resorting to material means and by relying upon this false mind, but such efforts always end in failure. The time will come in the experience of each one when he will realize that only through absolute reliance on Christ, Truth can the evil suggestions of mortal mind be destroyed—proved unreal.
The Scriptures are full of promises showing that God intends that men shall live, enjoy health, be happy, and possess all that is necessary to meet their needs. In defining his great mission. Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Jesus proved that it is our right to be abundantly well, abundantly happy, and to have an abundant supply to meet our every need. Even before the Christian era Isaiah had taught Israel not to fear or be discouraged, since God would strengthen, help, and uphold men. To counteract the suggestions of discouragement the Psalmist wrote: “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” Bless the Lord, . . . who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction.”
Christ Jesus told his disciples that if they had faith as a grain of mustard seed, they would be able to surmount mountains of error and trouble, and cast them into the sea; that is, they would be able to reduce both sin and disease to nothingness, thus proving the suggestions of the carnal or mortal mind to be illusions, possessing neither power nor intelligence. Jesus knew that doubt is a suggestion of mortal mind; hence he taught his disciples the necessity of refusing to entertain it.
Doubt is the very opposite of the true essence of prayer, for it is a lack of confidence in God, good; and for this reason, it is to be denied and resisted. If it were more generally understood that doubt and discouragement are suggestions of the devil (evil), professing Christians would be more alert to obey the admonition of James, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Christian Science teaches us to resist every suggestion that would rob us of health, happiness, and right supply. If error argues a lack of confidence in our own ability, we need to know that it is God who heals, and not mortal man.
Jesus did not claim to do anything in his own name, but always in the name of his Father. The Master understood the Science of being. He knew that spiritual man is the reflection of God. It was this understanding that enabled him to do his mighty works; and it is this same spiritual understanding that enables Christian Scientists to heal the sick to-day. If doubt, fear, worry, or any other form of evil knocks at the portal of consciousness, it can be overcome by understanding that evil suggestions do not have their origin in the divine Mind, and, therefore, have only a fabulous existence, even though they may seem real to erring human thought. Through the understanding of the law of God, good, it is possible to overcome all suggestions of sin, inharmony, and disease.
In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus overcame the worst form of discouragement. He proved the suggestion that God had forsaken him in the most trying hour of his career to be but the lying suggestion of mortal mind. By understanding God aright and the relation that man holds to God, Spirit, Jesus won the victory over human hate and the grave, thus proving that God, divine Principle, does sustain and maintain His own image and likeness. After this demonstration Jesus said to Mary, “Woman, why weepest thou?” He also rebuked the unbelief of Thomas, and gave Peter a higher sense of the ministry of love.
The question how to turn to God understandingly is answered by the revelation of Christian Science, which was the outcome of Mrs. Eddy’s consecrated life of prayer from early childhood. She writes in the Christian Science textbook (p. 260), “Science reveals the possibility of achieving all good, and sets mortals at work to discover what God has already done; but distrust of one’s ability to gain the goodness desired and to bring out better and higher results, often hampers the trial of one’s wings and ensures failure at the outset.” Christian Science routs discouragement, not through human will power, not through a false optimism, but through an intelligent understanding of the law of God.
One of the greatest lessons Christian Scientists have to learn is to have patience to grow into a better understanding of God. They have also to learn not to have patience with the suggestions of fear, worry, and discouragement that seek admission to consciousness, but to be more alert in exercising man’s God-given right of dominion over all erroneous suggestions If we do not at once overcome and destroy the suggestions of sin and disease, both practitioner and patient need to be firm in the consciousness that God, good, is the only Life. We should be firm in our declaration of the Science of being, that the real man always has been and always will be God’s perfect image and likeness, spiritual and not material. We should deny every suggestion that disputes God’s perfect creation. We need to know that with God there are no incurable diseases, and that “with God all things are possible.”
One who had passed through sore trials in the way of sickness, sorrow, and lack once said, “I always face difficulties, knowing that God is bigger than the problem.” Even a glimpse of the spiritual understanding of God’s allness will sustain. In proportion as we understand that God is omnipotent and omnipresent we realize that discordant and unhappy suggestions are illusions of mortal mind, and then they are no longer able to delude us.