Sacrament

This weeks Christian Science Weekly Bible Lesson, (mybiblelesson.com), subject Sacrament, has some terrific ideas on healing.  This passage from James is really timely! 

"THE BIBLE Section 4

12 | James 5:14, 15 (to ;), 16 The 
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; 

16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

I have been diving into various bible commentaries regarding the Bible Lesson and I found this one from Dr. Barclay.
     “For many centuries the Church consistently used anointing as a means of healing the sick.  In fact it is important to note that the sacrament of unction, or anointing, was in the early centuries always designed as a means of cure, and not as a preparation for death, as it now is in the Roman Catholic Church.  I was not until A.D. 852 that the sacrament of unction did, in fact, become the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, administered to prepare for death.  

    The Church has always cared for her sick; and in the Church there has always resided the gift of healing.”      

                           The Letters of James and Peter, William Barclay

Healing through prayer in reliance upon God, one supreme infinite good, is achievable today as it was in the early Church.  Marker number 17 from the Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy states:

     "17]  136:1–5 Science, Theology, Medicine    

Jesus established his church and maintained his mission on a spiritual foundation of Christ-healing. He taught his followers that his religion had a divine Principle, which would cast out error and heal both the sick and the sinning."

Spiritual healing practiced today based on the teachings of Jesus are relevant and timely for all of life's challenges.  

Superiority of Spiritual Power

In this weeks Weekly Bible Lesson published by the Christian Science Publishing Society healing inspiration and guidance can be found.  So much of the media is focused on disasters and the contentious, loud and insulting commentary surrounding the very emotional discourse, I found myself reacting to the constant fear, anger and outrage.  

I realized that I must turn off the human divisiveness and turn up God's voice.  In section III:

“There is divine authority for believing in the superiority of spiritual power over material resistance.

A miracle fulfills God’s law, but does not violate that law. This fact at present seems more mysterious than the miracle itself. The Psalmist sang: “What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? Thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back? Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams, and ye little hills, like lambs? Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.” The miracle introduces no disorder, but unfolds the primal order, establishing the Science of God’s unchangeable law.”  
Science & Health 134:28-8

www.mybiblelesson.com

With the Gulf Oil Spill, economic swings and shifts and world wide violence, an affirmation of God's true power must be declared and defended.  God's law, the law of the Christ, is in operation and that law that parted the Red Sea is operating right now in the Gulf of Mexico, in my city, my county and my own home.  

The true authority for all human activity does not come from human reasoning, activity or logic but rather from God, divine Mind.  One God, one Mind, governing the entire universe, particularly mankind.  Whatever the material evidence may predict, deduce or conjure, God has a remedy to solve mankind's most challenging and pressing needs.

  

Lift off--and rise above turmoil

Lift off and rise above turmoil

God-based confidence

God-based confidence

God-based confidence

God-based confidence

Take Up Permanent Residence

“God is Love.”  I take up permanent residence in His life of love and permanent obedience to the law of Christ, all is well.  I know that there are no limits to God’s ever present care, prosperity, wealth, treatment, kindness, forgiveness.  

I am humbled in him; I am his servant of good.  

I am in His Love, because I serve God.  I am not separate from God as He is Mind and I am at-one-with this Mind.  The Christ is in me operating fully engaged in all that I am; protecting, supplying and guiding each and every member of my family.  

Life is Love and I am in this Life.  

God my biggest Advocate

God dear heavenly Father/Mother, help me! 

As I began my morning, I found myself embroiled in conflict, self-criticism, doubt, persecution, and anxiety.  

My head that morning was filled with such garbage that I was angry and critical.  I was in an internal battle of hugeness brought on by human reasoning, human opinion and past mistakes; arguing against all hope, joy and faithfulness!  

So, I turned to God for help.  Why God? 

It sure seemed that help that morning was far away and the hope for rescue small.  But, I have learned to turn to prayer in the most trying of times and lean on my heavenly Father/Mother God.  I have seen that if I put my trust in God, completely, fully, He will respond.  

  

God did answer quickly, my sincere calling out to him, with a scripture from Romans, written by Paul, I found in the Christian Science Weekly Bible Lesson. (see mybiblelesson.com lesson on Man) Paul’s words from Romans spoke loudly and directly to me.  

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”  

As I read in the scripture what Paul had to say, his wisdom clearly struck a good chord within me.  I realized that the love of God, Christ, was ever present.  No hardship, misinformation, mistake, hatred, spite, envy, fear not a personal battle of any kind could separate me from the love of God and his infinite blessings.  

I could see all these evil suggestions waging war in my consciousness, working to destabilize me, were of no consequence.  Simply, no one of them however terrifying, upsetting or persistent, could separate me from the love of God.  

Why?  Because, God had already acquitted me so knowone else could condemn me!  

Nothing could or would  separate me from the Christ as I live in Christ.  All is well and I am in his good care and company.  

All is well as God is right here, right now!

The story board fraught with misinformation cannot injure, deter, keep from or misinterpret, God’s infinite, blessings.  

“Not even the grudging, jealous angels can separate us from the love of God, much as they would               
    like to do so.”  the Letter to the Romans, REVISED EDITION, William Barclay, p.118

Whatever someone says cannot separate me from Christ. I cannot be influenced by “grudging, jealous angels” nor can any other person affect my good and perfect Christ like nature given to me by God.  I will not, nor can any other harbor violent enmity, spiteful or malicious attitudes toward me.  

Whatever my enemies may think, feel, say or speak about me, God is All, Love.  Love protects guides, supplies all that I need and any unfavorable, pernicious, injurious statements, thoughts or speech cannot keep me from my success in my Father/Mother’s business.  

God is my biggest advocate, loving, supporting and providing me with all that I need.  Evil in any form or consciousness, has no power over me.  My confidence in Christ was renewed.

Christ walks with me and I love and treasure His blessed hand in all that I do.