Theme: Assurance
Hymn 93
William P. McKenzie
Happy the man whose heart can rest,
Assured God's goodness ne'er will cease;
Each day, complete, with joy is blessed,
God keepeth him in perfect peace.
God keepeth him, and God is one,
One Life, forevermore the same,
One Truth unchanged while ages run;
Eternal Love His holiest name.
Dwelling in Love that cannot change,
From anxious fear man finds release;
No more his homeless longings range,
God keepeth him in perfect peace.
In perfect peace, with tumult stilled,
Enhavened where no storms arise,
There man can work what God hath willed;
The joy of perfect work his prize.
Readings from the Bible.
Isaiah 32:16‑18 judgment
judgment shall dwell in the
wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. And the work of righteousness shall be peace;
and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable
habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;
Jeremiah 32:36‑41 now
now therefore thus saith the
Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be
delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine,
and by the pestilence; Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither
I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I
will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one
heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and
of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with
them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my
fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them
good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with
my whole soul.
Acts 17:24‑28
God that made the world and
all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in
temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he
needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And
hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the
earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their
habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him,
and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live,
and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For
we are also his offspring.
Colossians 3:12‑17
Put on therefore, as the
elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of
mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one
another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so
also do ye. And above all these things
put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in
all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all
in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
I Thessalonians 1:1‑6 Grace
Grace be unto you, and peace,
from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our
prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love,
and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our
Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word
only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye
know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the
Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
Hebrews 6:10‑15 God
God is not unrighteous to
forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in
that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew
the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not
slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises. For when God made promise to
Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying,
Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he
obtained the promise.
Hebrews 10:16‑25,35‑37
This is the covenant that I
will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into
their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and
iniquities will I remember no more. Now
where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter
into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an
high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and
our bodies washed with pure water. Let
us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful
that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to
good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner
of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day
approaching.
Cast not away therefore your
confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye
have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall
come will come, and will not tarry.
Readings from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.
15:25
Christians rejoice in secret beauty and
bounty, hidden from the world, but known to God. Self‑forgetfulness, purity, and affection are
constant prayers. Practice not
profession, understanding not belief, gain the ear and right hand of
omnipotence and they assuredly call down infinite blessings. Trustworthiness is the foundation of
enlightened faith. Without a fitness for
holiness, we cannot receive holiness.
69:13
Spiritually to understand
that there is but one creator, God, unfolds all creation, confirms the
Scriptures, brings the sweet assurance of no parting, no pain, and of man
deathless and perfect and eternal.
168:15‑17 np
Because man‑made systems insist that man
becomes sick and useless, suffers and dies, all in consonance with the laws of
God, are we to believe it? Are we to
believe an authority which denies God's spiritual command relating to perfection,‑‑an
authority which Jesus proved to be false?
He did the will of the Father. He
healed sickness in defiance of what is called material law, but in accordance
with God's law, the law of Mind.
I have discerned disease in the human mind,
and recognized the patient's fear of it, months before the so‑called disease
made its appearance in the body. Disease
being a belief, a latent illusion of mortal mind, the sensation would not
appear if the error of belief was met and destroyed by truth.
Here let a word be noticed which will be
better understood hereafter,‑‑chemicalization. By chemicalization I mean the process which
mortal mind and body undergo in the change of belief from a material to a
spiritual basis.
Whenever an aggravation of symptoms has
occurred through mental chemicalization, I have seen the mental signs, assuring
me that danger was over, before the patient felt the change; and I have said to
the patient, "You are healed,"‑‑sometimes to his discomfiture, when
he was incredulous. But it always came
about as I had foretold.
I name these facts to show that disease has a
mental, mortal origin,‑‑that faith in rules of health or in drugs begets and
fosters disease by attracting the mind to the subject of sickness, by exciting
fear of disease, and by dosing the body in order to avoid it. The faith reposed in these things should find
stronger supports and a higher home. If
we understood the control of Mind over body, we should put no faith in material
means.
176:21
Should all cases of organic disease be
treated by a regular practitioner, and the Christian Scientist try truth only
in cases of hysteria, hypochondria, and hallucination? One disease is no more real than
another. All disease is the result of
education, and disease can carry its ill‑effects no farther than mortal mind
maps out the way. The human mind, not
matter, is supposed to feel, suffer, enjoy.
Hence decided types of acute disease are quite as ready to yield to
Truth as the less distinct type and chronic form of disease. Truth handles the most malignant contagion
with perfect assurance.
202:31‑8
Common opinion admits that a man may take
cold in the act of doing good, and that this cold may produce fatal pulmonary
disease; as though evil could overbear the law of Love, and check the reward
for doing good. In the Science of
Christianity, Mind ‑‑omnipotence‑‑has all‑power, assigns sure rewards to
righteousness, and shows that matter can neither heal nor make sick, create nor
destroy.
If God were understood instead of being
merely believed, this understanding would establish health.
223:7‑24
Matter does not express Spirit. God is infinite omnipresent Spirit. If Spirit is all and is everywhere, what and where is matter? Remember that truth is greater than error,
and we cannot put the greater into the less.
Soul is Spirit, and Spirit is greater than body. If Spirit were once within the body, Spirit
would be finite, and therefore could not be Spirit.
The question, "What is Truth,"
convulses the world. Many are ready to
meet this inquiry with the assurance which comes of understanding; but more are
blinded by their old illusions, and try to "give it pause." "If the blind lead the blind, both shall
fall into the ditch."
The efforts of error to answer this question
by some ology are vain. Spiritual rationality and free thought
accompany approaching Science, and cannot be put down. They will emancipate humanity, and supplant
unscientific means and so‑called laws.
455:17‑2
The student, who receives his knowledge of
Christian Science, or metaphysical healing, from a human teacher, may be
mistaken in judgment and demonstration, but God cannot mistake. God selects for the highest service one who
has grown into such a fitness for it as renders any abuse of the mission an
impossibility. The All‑wise does not
bestow His highest trusts upon the unworthy.
When He commissions a messenger, it is one who is spiritually near
Himself. No person can misuse this mental power, if he is taught of God to
discern it.
This strong point in Christian Science is not
to be overlooked,‑‑that the same fountain cannot send forth both sweet waters
and bitter. The higher your attainment
in the Science of mental healing and teaching, the more impossible it will
become for you intentionally to influence mankind adverse to its highest hope
and achievement.
459:24
To mortal sense Christian Science seems
abstract, but the process is simple and the results are sure if the Science is
understood. The tree must be good, which
produces good fruit. Guided by divine
Truth and not guesswork, the theologus
(that is, the student‑‑the Christian and scientific expounder‑‑of the divine
law) treats disease with more certain results than any other healer on the
globe. The Christian Scientist should
understand and adhere strictly to the rules of divine metaphysics as laid down
in this work, and rest his demonstration on this sure basis.
494:30‑24
Our Master cast out devils (evils) and healed
the sick. It should be said of his
followers also, that they cast fear and all evil out of themselves and others
and heal the sick. God will heal the
sick through man, whenever man is governed by God. Truth casts out error now as surely as it did
nineteen centuries ago. All of Truth is
not understood; hence its healing power is not fully demonstrated.
If sickness is true or the idea of Truth, you
cannot destroy sickness, and it would be absurd to try. Then classify sickness and error as our
Master did, when he spoke of the sick, "whom Satan hath bound," and
find a sovereign antidote for error in the life‑giving power of Truth acting on
human belief, a power which opens the prison doors to such as are bound, and
sets the captive free physically and morally.
When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts
you, cling steadfastly to God and His idea.
Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in your thought. Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your
clear sense and calm trust, that the recognition of life harmonious‑‑as Life
eternally is‑‑can destroy any painful sense of, or belief in, that which Life
is not. Let Christian Science, instead
of corporeal sense, support your understanding of being, and this understanding
will supplant error with Truth, replace mortality with immortality, and silence
discord with harmony.
Silent prayer followed by the audible repetition of the Lord’s Prayer.
Hymn 354
Benjamin Beddome – Adapted
'Tis God the Spirit leads
In paths before unknown;
The work to be performed is ours,
The strength is all His own.
Supported by His grace,
We still pursue our way;
Assured that we shall reach the prize,
Secure in endless day.
God works in us to will,
He works in us to do;
His is the power by which we act,
His be the glory too.
Sharing of experiences, testimonies and remarks by members of the congregation.
Hymn 381
William P. McKenzie
What brightness dawned in resurrection
And shone in Mary's wondering eyes!
Her heart was thrilled with new affection,
She saw her Lord in life arise.
She knew the Christ, undimmed by dying,
Alive forevermore to save;
Creative Mind, all good supplying,
Had triumphed over cross and grave.
With hope and faith, like exiles yearning
For homelands loved through patient years,
The hearts of men are homeward turning
To God Who giveth rest from fears.
Assured and safe in Love's protection,
Great peace have they, and unsought joy;
They rise from sin in resurrection,
And works of love their hands employ.
