Freedom, a Spiritual Quality
I’m sitting here on the 4th of July – better known as Independence Day. It’s dusk and the sound of fireworks are randomly exploding from all sides. The laughter of neighborhood children brings a smile to my face, as my two children are already fast asleep.
The word independence stays in my thought. What does it mean? Freedom! One dictionary definition says “freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.” Freedom from the control or influence of others means we’re upholding the first commandment, which reads “thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Or as I like to think about it “thou shalt not let anything else have power in your life except me, God, good.”
So, if we’re free from the control or influence of others, that means we don’t let anyone influence or control us but God. We refuse to let others control our moods, our actions, and even our reactions. What an incredible sense of freedom that must give us. What wonderful independence!
More and more I’ve been understanding the importance of this. Another way we seem to let people have control over us is when we’re looking to another to be our source of happiness, our source of fulfillment and love. The people we often look to for this is our spouse, our children and our parents.
While this may seem like a natural thing to do, it’s actually believing that God didn’t create us complete in the first place. That something was missing – happiness, love, completeness – and that we need someone to give us what was missing.
The more I’ve been able to stop thinking of people as my source of happiness, the more unconditional love I have for them. I’ve noticed the sense of condemnation and judging disappearing. Instead I’m able to see my family members as pure, innocent ideas of God on a more consistent basis.
This brings freedom to not only myself, but all those around me. It becomes obvious that I’m at peace and not looking for others to give me what may seem to be missing.
Knowing God made us in His image enable us to understand that we automatically come with everything we could ever need. Since God is all harmony, we automatically are created with unlimited amounts of harmony. This is true for every good, wonderful, satisfying quality you could ever think of.
As I’m finishing this article, the fireworks are booming all around and I’m really feeling the sense of freedom. I’m looking forward to being with each family member – knowing they are completely independent of my happiness. They are not my source, God is!
For more, visit www.GodDoesHeal.com
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Friday, March 02, 2007
The Lost Element of Healing
The Lost Element of Healing
by Julie Trevor-Roberts, CS
Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science, author of the best selling book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, publisher of The Christian Science Sentinel magazine, The Christian Science Journal magazine, Der Herald of Christian Science magazine, and founder of The Christian Science Monitor newspaper, also founded a church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist. This church was “designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing.” (Church Manual p17).
As a member of this church, I am one among thousands who are in communities just like yours who have discovered the “lost element of healing” and help bring this healing to families, local communities and to the world.
What is the “lost element of healing”? It is the Science of Christianity, also known as Christian Science. Mary Baker Eddy discovered there were divine laws behind the way Christ Jesus healed. Jesus says in John 14:12 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do.”
Right there he’s telling us, all of us, that if we believe in Christ Jesus we can not only do what he did, but even greater things. The question is how. How can we do the healing that Christ Jesus did?
Mrs. Eddy explains the Science of Christianity in her best-selling book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. It’s a book that has been studied by millions of people all around the globe for over a century. The book is 700 pages filled with healing truths about God and your true identity as the image and likeness of God (which of course we learn in Genesis 1).
For me, I’ve always been a “Cliffs Notes” kind of girl. (For those of you who aren’t familiar with Cliffs Notes, they are available in bookstores and are a series of booklets. In high school we would be assigned to read various works of literature. I would go to the book store and get the Cliffs Notes version of the required reading and study it because it was a summary of the book I was supposed to be reading. It explained the given text in easy to understand summaries.)
One day I prayed to God to give me the “Cliffs Notes” version of Science and Health. My desire was to know the basic, simple, easy to understand summary of this Science. Within minutes the answer came. It came in the form of four statements. Two were from the Bible and two were from Mary Baker Eddy’s writings.
First: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32
Second: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5
Third: “Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick.” Science and Health 476:32
Fourth: “Beloved Christian Scientists, keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease, and death cannot enter them. It is plain that nothing can be added to the mind already full.” My 210:2
Now, let me expand a bit. The first one talks about knowing the truth and it will make you free. The question is – what is the truth? The truth is what God knows. Mrs Eddy explains that Truth is a synonym for God. So, the more we know about God, the more we will be free. As God’s image, the more we know about God, it naturally means we will know more about our true identity as His reflection.
The second statement talks about having the mind which was in Christ Jesus. In other words it says to me “Think the way Christ Jesus thinks”. Oh! I get it! Think the way Jesus thinks. To get a better idea of the way Christ Jesus thinks, we can study the Sermon on the Mount. He talks about forgiving, not judging, not holding grudges, etc. If we’re not thinking along those negative lines, then we are thinking in terms of forgiveness, unconditional love. We are seeing ourselves and our fellow beings as the image and likeness of God.
The third statement talks about how we see our fellow man versus the way Jesus saw our fellow man. We see “sinning mortal man” and Jesus “saw God’s own likeness”. And “this correct view of man healed the sick.” What does it mean to see sinning mortal man? Well, don’t we end up going around holding grudges, being upset by other people’s actions, becoming irritated at things, thinking and talking about illnesses?
That’s not how Jesus saw us. He knew we were “God’s own likeness.” Genesis 1:27 tells us “So God created man in his own image.” Well, if we’re Gods image, we can only have those spiritual, God-like qualities such as harmony, wisdom, unconditional love, strength, honesty, integrity, joy, etc. And not just a little bit of these qualities here or there. Isn’t God unlimited? Isn’t God infinite? Then we, as His reflection, automatically have an unlimited amount of each and every good and wonderful quality! Woo hoo!!! That’s exciting! So, it’s our job to not only see ourselves this way, but to also know it’s true for our family, our neighbors and the entire universe.
The fourth statement talks about keeping our mind so filled with Truth and Love. Then, what happens when we do that? Eddy says “sin, disease, and death cannot enter them.” Wow. Wouldn’t you like those things to stay out of your thinking? Keeping my mind so filled with Truth and Love is easy when I’m truly living by Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7 in the Bible.
All four statements come down to knowing the Truth, thinking the way Christ Jesus thinks, knowing who God really is and who we are as His image and likeness. Knowing this enables me to be a better healer, a better Christian, a better citizen. This works not only for physical healings, but brings healing to all areas of your life. See how you too can take part in the “lost element of healing” and bring peace and freedom to the world. As each one of us takes a stand to know the Truth and behold that in our fellow man, the entire human experience will be lifted up to a more spiritual, peaceful existence.
by Julie Trevor-Roberts, CS
Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science, author of the best selling book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, publisher of The Christian Science Sentinel magazine, The Christian Science Journal magazine, Der Herald of Christian Science magazine, and founder of The Christian Science Monitor newspaper, also founded a church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist. This church was “designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing.” (Church Manual p17).
As a member of this church, I am one among thousands who are in communities just like yours who have discovered the “lost element of healing” and help bring this healing to families, local communities and to the world.
What is the “lost element of healing”? It is the Science of Christianity, also known as Christian Science. Mary Baker Eddy discovered there were divine laws behind the way Christ Jesus healed. Jesus says in John 14:12 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do.”
Right there he’s telling us, all of us, that if we believe in Christ Jesus we can not only do what he did, but even greater things. The question is how. How can we do the healing that Christ Jesus did?
Mrs. Eddy explains the Science of Christianity in her best-selling book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. It’s a book that has been studied by millions of people all around the globe for over a century. The book is 700 pages filled with healing truths about God and your true identity as the image and likeness of God (which of course we learn in Genesis 1).
For me, I’ve always been a “Cliffs Notes” kind of girl. (For those of you who aren’t familiar with Cliffs Notes, they are available in bookstores and are a series of booklets. In high school we would be assigned to read various works of literature. I would go to the book store and get the Cliffs Notes version of the required reading and study it because it was a summary of the book I was supposed to be reading. It explained the given text in easy to understand summaries.)
One day I prayed to God to give me the “Cliffs Notes” version of Science and Health. My desire was to know the basic, simple, easy to understand summary of this Science. Within minutes the answer came. It came in the form of four statements. Two were from the Bible and two were from Mary Baker Eddy’s writings.
First: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32
Second: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5
Third: “Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick.” Science and Health 476:32
Fourth: “Beloved Christian Scientists, keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease, and death cannot enter them. It is plain that nothing can be added to the mind already full.” My 210:2
Now, let me expand a bit. The first one talks about knowing the truth and it will make you free. The question is – what is the truth? The truth is what God knows. Mrs Eddy explains that Truth is a synonym for God. So, the more we know about God, the more we will be free. As God’s image, the more we know about God, it naturally means we will know more about our true identity as His reflection.
The second statement talks about having the mind which was in Christ Jesus. In other words it says to me “Think the way Christ Jesus thinks”. Oh! I get it! Think the way Jesus thinks. To get a better idea of the way Christ Jesus thinks, we can study the Sermon on the Mount. He talks about forgiving, not judging, not holding grudges, etc. If we’re not thinking along those negative lines, then we are thinking in terms of forgiveness, unconditional love. We are seeing ourselves and our fellow beings as the image and likeness of God.
The third statement talks about how we see our fellow man versus the way Jesus saw our fellow man. We see “sinning mortal man” and Jesus “saw God’s own likeness”. And “this correct view of man healed the sick.” What does it mean to see sinning mortal man? Well, don’t we end up going around holding grudges, being upset by other people’s actions, becoming irritated at things, thinking and talking about illnesses?
That’s not how Jesus saw us. He knew we were “God’s own likeness.” Genesis 1:27 tells us “So God created man in his own image.” Well, if we’re Gods image, we can only have those spiritual, God-like qualities such as harmony, wisdom, unconditional love, strength, honesty, integrity, joy, etc. And not just a little bit of these qualities here or there. Isn’t God unlimited? Isn’t God infinite? Then we, as His reflection, automatically have an unlimited amount of each and every good and wonderful quality! Woo hoo!!! That’s exciting! So, it’s our job to not only see ourselves this way, but to also know it’s true for our family, our neighbors and the entire universe.
The fourth statement talks about keeping our mind so filled with Truth and Love. Then, what happens when we do that? Eddy says “sin, disease, and death cannot enter them.” Wow. Wouldn’t you like those things to stay out of your thinking? Keeping my mind so filled with Truth and Love is easy when I’m truly living by Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7 in the Bible.
All four statements come down to knowing the Truth, thinking the way Christ Jesus thinks, knowing who God really is and who we are as His image and likeness. Knowing this enables me to be a better healer, a better Christian, a better citizen. This works not only for physical healings, but brings healing to all areas of your life. See how you too can take part in the “lost element of healing” and bring peace and freedom to the world. As each one of us takes a stand to know the Truth and behold that in our fellow man, the entire human experience will be lifted up to a more spiritual, peaceful existence.
Friday, February 23, 2007
The Sermon on the Mount Heals Lifelong Emotional Pain
The Sermon on the Mount Heals Lifelong Emotional Pain
I’ve been in a life-long quest to find freedom from the past. Ever since I was 14 years old I’ve been trying to heal a relationship with a close family member. When I was in college I finally came to see this person as Gods beloved child. However, the emotional distress this person was causing continued. It seemed that she consistently found ways to belittle me and degrade my choices and my family.
Recently I was asked to confront this person, along with a family counselor. I was told I had better go because this person really wanted to find a way to stop doing the things that were so hurtful. So I was supposed to go and tell her and the counselor what behaviors I wanted her to change.
I found in even thinking about having to confront her, I would get sick to my stomach. Of course I wanted her behavior to change, but I knew that if I actually told her the things she did that were hurting me, it would really hurt her (as there were so many things).
However, I came up with a list of things that were hurtful and needed to be changed. But, on the drive out of town to go to this meeting, it came to me to study the Sermon on the Mount. In it I found the answer to letting go of the past.
Jesus stressed over and over the importance of forgiveness. Forgive every single person of every single thing – and quickly. No holding grudges, no condemning or criticizing, no judging. He was very clear on this. Suddenly, I knew that if I was to bring up the past, it was directly against what Jesus taught about living a Christian life. It was my duty to forgive her immediately and let go.
This is what I had been trying to do for so long, but reading it in Jesus’ words, hearing it from his mouth finally made it clear. If I was to be a Christian, I had no choice but to let things go, forgive, and refuse to judge or condemn or criticize.
What a freeing thought. Christ Jesus commanded us to love our enemies, and even to pray for them! How can you pray for someone and be holding on to hurtful things at the same time. It was impossible!
From that moment on it became very clear that I could not go into the meeting with the list I had come up with (which was 4 pages long!). Instead I went to the meeting expressing gratitude for the progress this person has made and was able to make very general comments about letting go of the past and having us both only talk about loving things from now on.
A wonderful thing happened. For the first time ever, I was completely free from holding on to the past. Never before had I found a way to completely let go of the things that had happened in the past. Now, I was just free of it all. Before, it seemed like such a part of my identity, of who I was. But now I saw that it was my duty to stop holding on to painful things from the past because that wasn’t in line at all with Jesus’ teachings.
The process of letting go of the past was natural and quick. I’ve never felt freer. I felt free from the need to confront this person and point out how she nearly ruined my life. I felt free from the need to hold on to the hurtful things and continue to be hurt by this person. I felt free from the need to ever think about those things again. They were NOT part of me. I had to live by the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount and boy was it freeing!
If you’d like to learn more – see Matthew 5-7 in the Bible. Study it, ponder it, apply it to your life and see the tremendous healings that emerge.
also visit www.GodDoesHeal.com
I’ve been in a life-long quest to find freedom from the past. Ever since I was 14 years old I’ve been trying to heal a relationship with a close family member. When I was in college I finally came to see this person as Gods beloved child. However, the emotional distress this person was causing continued. It seemed that she consistently found ways to belittle me and degrade my choices and my family.
Recently I was asked to confront this person, along with a family counselor. I was told I had better go because this person really wanted to find a way to stop doing the things that were so hurtful. So I was supposed to go and tell her and the counselor what behaviors I wanted her to change.
I found in even thinking about having to confront her, I would get sick to my stomach. Of course I wanted her behavior to change, but I knew that if I actually told her the things she did that were hurting me, it would really hurt her (as there were so many things).
However, I came up with a list of things that were hurtful and needed to be changed. But, on the drive out of town to go to this meeting, it came to me to study the Sermon on the Mount. In it I found the answer to letting go of the past.
Jesus stressed over and over the importance of forgiveness. Forgive every single person of every single thing – and quickly. No holding grudges, no condemning or criticizing, no judging. He was very clear on this. Suddenly, I knew that if I was to bring up the past, it was directly against what Jesus taught about living a Christian life. It was my duty to forgive her immediately and let go.
This is what I had been trying to do for so long, but reading it in Jesus’ words, hearing it from his mouth finally made it clear. If I was to be a Christian, I had no choice but to let things go, forgive, and refuse to judge or condemn or criticize.
What a freeing thought. Christ Jesus commanded us to love our enemies, and even to pray for them! How can you pray for someone and be holding on to hurtful things at the same time. It was impossible!
From that moment on it became very clear that I could not go into the meeting with the list I had come up with (which was 4 pages long!). Instead I went to the meeting expressing gratitude for the progress this person has made and was able to make very general comments about letting go of the past and having us both only talk about loving things from now on.
A wonderful thing happened. For the first time ever, I was completely free from holding on to the past. Never before had I found a way to completely let go of the things that had happened in the past. Now, I was just free of it all. Before, it seemed like such a part of my identity, of who I was. But now I saw that it was my duty to stop holding on to painful things from the past because that wasn’t in line at all with Jesus’ teachings.
The process of letting go of the past was natural and quick. I’ve never felt freer. I felt free from the need to confront this person and point out how she nearly ruined my life. I felt free from the need to hold on to the hurtful things and continue to be hurt by this person. I felt free from the need to ever think about those things again. They were NOT part of me. I had to live by the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount and boy was it freeing!
If you’d like to learn more – see Matthew 5-7 in the Bible. Study it, ponder it, apply it to your life and see the tremendous healings that emerge.
also visit www.GodDoesHeal.com
Friday, January 19, 2007
How to Heal Depression Metaphysically
How to Heal Depression Metaphysically
Webster defines Depression as: “a condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal; sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason” “dullness or inactivity” And, Webster defines dejection as “depression or lowness of spirits”
If you’re depressed, you’re sad, you’re low in spirits – meaning you don’t feel very connected to Spirit, God. You don’t always have a reason for being sad, it’s just something that seems to pop up and doesn’t want to go away.
An opposite of sadness would be gladness – or gratitude. A hymn in the Christian Science Hymnal reads “Gratitude is riches, complaint is poverty.” Going by that guideline, how rich or poor are you? Don’t we inadvertently find ourselves complaining about things dozens of times a day?
But what if there seem to be a lot of things to complain about? Perhaps your kids really were being extra naughty today. Or, maybe your spouse wasn’t being respectful. Perhaps you are overwhelmed with bills to pay and little money to pay them with.
There are many things in our daily lives that can upset us and certainly cause depressed thoughts.
So how can we get out of the slump of depression? There’s the old saying “have an attitude of gratitude.” How many times does the Bible mention gratitude or thanks? Hundreds!!! We read over and over “praise God.” “Praise the Lord” “Give thanks unto our Lord”, etc. etc. The Bible stresses over and over in countless ways, the importance of gratitude.
How do we give gratitude in times of overwhelming sadness, when you don’t feel like you have much to be grateful for?
Here’s a sample gratitude list to help get you started:
Dear Lord,
Thank you, thank you for creating me in your image and likeness.
Thank you that, as your image and likeness, I automatically have an unlimited amount of every good quality imaginable.
Thank you that you gave me an unlimited supply of joy.
Thank you for giving me an unlimited supply of peace.
Thank you that as your image, I automatically have an infinite amount of wisdom.
Thank you that there is only one Mind, not many millions of minds at war with one another.
I am grateful, God, that you fill all space.
I am grateful that since you fill all space, and you are Love, then all space is automatically filled with Love.
Thank you God for talking to me every moment of every day.
Thank you for giving me the patience to be still and listen to you.
Thank you that my house is automatically filled with Love and harmony.
Thank you for showing me that supply isn’t just money.
Thank you for supplying me with joy, peace, intelligence, grace, love, wisdom, harmony, family, usefulness, etc.
Thank you for giving me an unlimited, infinite supply of each and every quality.
How’s that for a start? You can make your gratitude list as long as you like. Any time you’re starting to feel sad, depressed thoughts, take out that spiritual gratitude list and you’ll feel the spirit of Love fill your thought and the darkness automatically vanishes.
Finding out more about God and more about who you are as His image and likeness is a life-long journey. Without knowing your true relationship to God, it’s easy to feel lost and depressed.
Each time the overwhelming sadness starts to creep in out of no where, I have to take a “time-out” and focus on gratitude. The dark thoughts stay until I sit down and take time to be grateful for all the little things, and for all the spiritual qualities God gives me. Then, before I even finish my gratitude list, my thoughts are automatically replaced with light and Truth.
How exciting to be on this journey! Stand porter at your door of thought and as soon as you feel the dark thoughts creeping in, kick them out with a flood of gratitude and love. Welcome to mental freedom!
For more information visit www.GodDoesHeal.com
Webster defines Depression as: “a condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal; sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason” “dullness or inactivity” And, Webster defines dejection as “depression or lowness of spirits”
If you’re depressed, you’re sad, you’re low in spirits – meaning you don’t feel very connected to Spirit, God. You don’t always have a reason for being sad, it’s just something that seems to pop up and doesn’t want to go away.
An opposite of sadness would be gladness – or gratitude. A hymn in the Christian Science Hymnal reads “Gratitude is riches, complaint is poverty.” Going by that guideline, how rich or poor are you? Don’t we inadvertently find ourselves complaining about things dozens of times a day?
But what if there seem to be a lot of things to complain about? Perhaps your kids really were being extra naughty today. Or, maybe your spouse wasn’t being respectful. Perhaps you are overwhelmed with bills to pay and little money to pay them with.
There are many things in our daily lives that can upset us and certainly cause depressed thoughts.
So how can we get out of the slump of depression? There’s the old saying “have an attitude of gratitude.” How many times does the Bible mention gratitude or thanks? Hundreds!!! We read over and over “praise God.” “Praise the Lord” “Give thanks unto our Lord”, etc. etc. The Bible stresses over and over in countless ways, the importance of gratitude.
How do we give gratitude in times of overwhelming sadness, when you don’t feel like you have much to be grateful for?
Here’s a sample gratitude list to help get you started:
Dear Lord,
Thank you, thank you for creating me in your image and likeness.
Thank you that, as your image and likeness, I automatically have an unlimited amount of every good quality imaginable.
Thank you that you gave me an unlimited supply of joy.
Thank you for giving me an unlimited supply of peace.
Thank you that as your image, I automatically have an infinite amount of wisdom.
Thank you that there is only one Mind, not many millions of minds at war with one another.
I am grateful, God, that you fill all space.
I am grateful that since you fill all space, and you are Love, then all space is automatically filled with Love.
Thank you God for talking to me every moment of every day.
Thank you for giving me the patience to be still and listen to you.
Thank you that my house is automatically filled with Love and harmony.
Thank you for showing me that supply isn’t just money.
Thank you for supplying me with joy, peace, intelligence, grace, love, wisdom, harmony, family, usefulness, etc.
Thank you for giving me an unlimited, infinite supply of each and every quality.
How’s that for a start? You can make your gratitude list as long as you like. Any time you’re starting to feel sad, depressed thoughts, take out that spiritual gratitude list and you’ll feel the spirit of Love fill your thought and the darkness automatically vanishes.
Finding out more about God and more about who you are as His image and likeness is a life-long journey. Without knowing your true relationship to God, it’s easy to feel lost and depressed.
Each time the overwhelming sadness starts to creep in out of no where, I have to take a “time-out” and focus on gratitude. The dark thoughts stay until I sit down and take time to be grateful for all the little things, and for all the spiritual qualities God gives me. Then, before I even finish my gratitude list, my thoughts are automatically replaced with light and Truth.
How exciting to be on this journey! Stand porter at your door of thought and as soon as you feel the dark thoughts creeping in, kick them out with a flood of gratitude and love. Welcome to mental freedom!
For more information visit www.GodDoesHeal.com
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