Bible Lesson 11/27/16

BIBLE, NECROMANCY, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Ancient and Modern Necromancy, Alias Mesmerism and Hypnotism, Denounced:

I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil (Romans 16).

omnipotence--The king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee:  thou shalt not see evil any more (Zephaniah 3).

light--The night is far spent, the day is at hand:  let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light (Romans 13).

resistance--Get thee hence Satan:  for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve (Matthew 4).

authority--What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out (Luke 4).

darkness--Let the lying lips be put to silence (Psalm 31).

victory--The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing (Zephaniah 3).

References

Holy bible (King James version).  (n. d.).  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Publishing Society.

Bible Lesson 11/20/16

BIBLE, SOUL, BODY, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Soul and Body:

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God (Psalms 42).

Zion--Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined (Psalms 50).

heritage--The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places (Psalms 16).  Soul, or God, is the only truth-giver to man (Eddy, 1906, p. 72).

food--Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink (Daniel 1).

salvation--Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked (John 5).

perfection--O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together (Psalms 34).

new man--The divine Mind is the Soul of man, and gives man dominion over all things (Eddy, 1906, p. 307).

References

Eddy, M. B.  (1906).  Science and health with key to the scriptures.  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Board of Directors.

Holy bible (King James version).  (n. d.).  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Publishing Society.

Bible Lesson 11/13/16

BIBLE, IMMORTALS, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Mortals and Immortals:

That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been (Ecclesiastes 3).

discernment--For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edge sword, . . . and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4).

power--The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength (I Samuel 2).

peace--The calm and exalted thought or spiritual apprehension is at peace (Eddy, 1906, p. 506).

Christ--The Christ-element in the Messiah made him the Way-shower, Truth and Life (Eddy, 1906, p. 288).

freedom--Man is immortal and lives by divine authority (Eddy, 1906, p. 76).

rest--Man in the likeness of God as revealed in Science cannot help being immortal (Eddy, 1906, p. 81).

References

Eddy, M. B.  (1906).  Science and health with key to the scriptures.  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Board of Directors.

Holy bible (King James version).  (n. d.).  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Publishing Society.

Bible Lesson 11/6/16

BIBLE, ADAM, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Adam and Fallen Man:

God hath made man upright (Ecclesiastes 7).

peace--Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright:  for the end of that man is peace (Psalms 37).

knowledge--But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it (Genesis 2).

disobedience--She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat (Genesis 3).

hands--And he laid his hands on her:  and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God (Luke 13).

righteousness--The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life (Proverbs 11).

light--Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us (Psalms 4).

References

Holy bible (King James version).  (n. d.).  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Publishing Society.

Bible Lesson 10/30/16

BIBLE, PUNISHMENT, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Everlasting Punishment:

With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer (Isaiah 54).

God--The Christian Science God is universal, eternal, divine Love, which changeth not and causeth no evil, disease, nor death (Eddy, 1906, p. 140).

man--Divine Love corrects and governs man.  Men may pardon, but this divine Principle alone reforms the sinner (Eddy, 1906, p. 6).

reformation--Justice requires reformation of the sinner.  Mercy cancels the debt only when justice approves (Eddy, 1906, p. 22).

purification--Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin (Psalms 51).

recompense--Practice not profession, understanding not belief, gain the ear and right hand of omnipotence and they assuredly call down infinite blessings (Eddy, 1906, p. 15).

forgiveness--Thou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive (Psalms 86).

References

Eddy, M. B.  (1906).  Science and health with key to the scriptures.  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Board of Directors.

Holy bible (King James version).  (n. d.).  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Publishing Society.

Coming to Grips

HOMOSEX, REALITY, WRITING

What’s my reality? What do I want to write about? I have never wanted to be a fiction or play writer. I don’t want to play with writing, or with communication. I do want to write. I want to write my vision of reality, my understanding of reality. If I could communicate reality to you, I would. If I knew how to, I would tell you the truth about the world we live in. Or, maybe I will simply communicate my truth to you, with the understanding that it is mine and not necessarily yours. I understand that you have your own truth to live. I also understand that we have to live together in this world, like it or not. Us living together is the nature of things. Us living together is a kind of reality too. How we manage to live together in this limited time and space is our reality.

I am a homosexual. I took the stand a long time ago that, if I were to be sexual, I would be homosexual. This is not some noble pose. Nobility’s got nothing to do with it. Pride’s got nothing to do with it. I’m not necessarily proud to be a homosexual. I like homosexual sex. I find men and boys very sexually attractive and I always have done. Homosexuality is not a recent discovery, epiphany, or conversion for me. I have lived with it for most of my life. I didn’t turn 22 and decide that I wanted to have sex with men. I learned about sex from Rusty Barnes when I was 10 years old, and I’ve been interested in doing it with other males ever since.  Homosexuality came easily to me. It was not a mystery. It was one of the early facts of my life. It was not a moral issue for me, unless being true to oneself is considered a virtue. I don’t want to make more out of being a big homo than it deserves. I do kind of want to keep my homosexuality in its place. I don’t want to be overwhelmed by it, and I don’t want to exaggerate it. It’s just sex after all. Everybody needs to calm down about this whole sexual thing. But, I do want for you to explore its significance with me.




Photo:  Morkel Erasmus/Shutterstock.com

Bible Lesson 10/23/16

BIBLE, PROBATION, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Probation After Death:

The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8).

Enoch--By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; . . .  For before his translation he had this testimony, the he pleased God (Hebrews 11).  Universal salvation rests on progression and probation, and is unattainable without them (Eddy, 1906, p. 291).

crucifixion--There is a cross to be taken up before we can enjoy the fruition of our hope and faith (Eddy, 1906, p. 9).

resurrection--If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain (I Corinthians 15).

ascension--After the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God (Mark 16).

demonstration--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 (Romans 12).  Every step towards goodness is a departure from materiality, and is a tendency towards God, Spirit (Eddy, 1906, p. 213).

enlightenment--Now are ye light in the Lord:  walk as children of light (Ephesians 5).

References

Eddy, M. B.  (1906).  Science and health with key to the scriptures.  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Board of Directors.

Holy bible (King James version).  (n. d.).  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Publishing Society.