mastheadLogo01

History:

REALITY - 09/28/14

Public write access is disabled. Please login or register
Last post
A T M

A T M
404 posts
---
Location:
n.a.
09/22/2014 16:03

Get Going!

GT “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion;
put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city.”

I really like how this lesson starts out - A real call to action!

First thing in the morning I need to establish that God is my strength for the day and I have the Christ-consciousness. This is how I am clothed.

Man is holy because the God of Heaven made him this way.




 
Gary

Gary
431 posts
---
Location:
n.a.
09/26/2014 07:55

Re: Get Going!

I found the definition of Zion in S&H to be very helpful with this. Isaiah is calling on Zion to put on it's strength. The first part of that definition is "spiritual foundation and superstructure; inspiration; spiritual strength." So, is my foundation spiritual? Do I rely on inspiration to guide me? Or am I filled with human beliefs and ambition? Without a spiritual foundation and inspiration, Zion becomes the second part of the definition: "emptiness; unfaithfulness; desolation."

A church that is built on a spiritual foundation is a strength to its members and its community. Filled with divine Love and guided by inspired thought, it can accomplish incredible good for mankind. If it is a mere human organization, it will be empty, unfaithful, and desolate.

May I be always awake to the demands of God in every activity of this church, and find my strength in service to him, and my joy in another's good.




 
Andrew

Andrew
1128 posts
---
Location:
n.a.
09/26/2014 08:22

Re: Get Going!

So, is my foundation spiritual? Do I rely on inspiration to guide me? Or am I filled with human beliefs and ambition?

If the one who is asking these questions is also answering them, it is a slippery slope.




 
Gary

Gary
431 posts
---
Location:
n.a.
09/26/2014 19:26

Re: Get Going!

Yet it is a useful exercise to regularly examine one's thoughts and motives. Do I have a personal agenda regarding my church? my job? my wife? etc., etc. Self awareness is a necessary precursor to self-immolation.

We have not all ascended yet.




 
MaryBeth

MaryBeth
795 posts
---
Location:
n.a.
Editor
09/26/2014 21:18

Re: Get Going!

"put on thy strength, O Zion"
It has always been helpful to me to realize what an important part weakness plays in becoming strong – “out of weakness were made strong.” (Hebrews) Only an empty vessel can be filled. Somewhere along the way I learned the importance of flipping the tables on weakness for it is only when we feel entirely helpless without God – His strength is able to enter and take charge. The following quote from Mrs. Eddy is one of the highest tributes to this state of being, “As Mary Baker Eddy I am the weakest of mortals, but as the Founder of Christian Science, ‘I am the bone and sinew of the world.’” (Emma C. Shipman Reminiscences)

Edited by MaryBeth - 09/26/2014 21:19




 
Andrew

Andrew
1128 posts
---
Location:
n.a.
09/27/2014 07:46

Re: Get Going!

Self awareness is a necessary precursor to self-immolation.

I don't think this is Science. I would suggest that it is God-consciousness that is precursor to self-immolation. Mrs. Eddy never used the term self-aware. A Concordance look-up of self is very interesting. This one might better apply to dissuade one from relying on self-awareness: "mortal existence is a state of self-deception."

Further, in Spiritual Footsteps it is recorded that Mrs. Eddy rejected fine meals because she detected the thought of the preparer, that it was self-conscious instead of God-conscious. Self-conscious indicated the human mind, and she knew the danger. The human mind defies God while praying to Him and can be easily manipulated by "the dark side" so-to-speak. When the human mind talks about the spiritual, it has not a clue. It is in way over its head. Mrs. Eddy's revelation is not a self-help system. It is way beyond that. In the presence of Science, we are walking on holy ground.

Edited by Andrew - 09/27/2014 08:28




 
sunnybird

sunnybird
31 posts
---
Location:
n.a.
09/27/2014 09:26

Re: Get Going!

True, Mrs. Eddy did not use the words "self-awareness" but she did use the words "mental self-knowledge" when referring to the concept of "anatomy". She states:

Anatomy, when conceived of spiritually, is mental self-
knowledge, and consists in the dissection of thoughts to
discover their quality, quantity, and origin.
Are thoughts divine or human? That is the
important question. This branch of study is indispen‐
sable to the excision of error. The anatomy of Christian
Science teaches when and how to probe the self-in‐
flicted wounds of selfishness, malice, envy, and hate. It
teaches the control of mad ambition. It unfolds the
hallowed influences of unselfishness, philanthropy, spir‐
itual love.




 
Andrew

Andrew
1128 posts
---
Location:
n.a.
09/27/2014 17:47

Re: Get Going!

Anatomy, when conceived of spiritually, is mental self-
knowledge, and consists in the dissection of thoughts to
discover their quality, quantity, and origin.
Are thoughts divine or human?

Keyword is "spiritually." In Science Spirit relates to God only, not as in the common usage of today, some vague feeling sort of thing. "Perfect Principle and idea, perfect God and perfect man"(SH) - from this starting point we can discern whether thoughts are human or divine, and not otherwise.
In Science, what is self-knowledge except the knowledge that there is no self apart from God? Man is image or reflection. In contradistinction. self-awareness cultivates a self apart from God, and makes it impossible to be obedient to the One Self.

Is this discussion important? Yes, hugely so. The tendency of sliding into New Age thought, out of Science, is very aggressive at this point in history. Apparently it is the strategy in Boston, to make Science more palatable to the world. It does, in fact, hide Science from the world!




 
MaryBeth

MaryBeth
795 posts
---
Location:
n.a.
Editor
09/27/2014 21:32

Re: Get Going!

Thank you Sunnybird - perfect and applicable quote from Mrs. Eddy. Well said!



 
A T M

A T M
404 posts
---
Location:
n.a.
09/28/2014 09:00

Re: Get Going!

When the human mind talks about the spiritual, it has not a clue. It is in way over its head. Mrs. Eddy's revelation is not a self-help system. It is way beyond that. In the presence of Science, we are walking on holy ground.


This idea expressed above feels right to me. If "self-awareness" is something that one does apart from God, then it is doomed from the start. God alone is unfolding his perfect idea in each of us. We readily admit we of ourselves can do nothing - so it holds true here as well. We can't make ourselves better. Truth expels the error because it IS Truth.