Wednesday Readings for November 30th, 2022

From The Bible

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
(Proverbs 30:5)

Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.
(Psalms 119:114)

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
(Joshua 1:9)

My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
(Psalms 144:2)

... O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. ...

Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
(Psalms 17:1 O, 8)

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. ...

In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. ...

He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. ...

He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. ...

It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. ...

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
(Psalms 18:2, 6, 16, 17, 19, 32, 35)

And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. ¶ And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.
(Exodus 2:1–10)

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
(Deuteronomy 33:27)

But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.
(Psalms 94:22)

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
(Psalms 121:1–8)

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. ...

Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. ...

... ¶ Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. ...

There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. ¶ Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? ...

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. ...

... ¶ Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. ¶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
(Daniel 3:1, 2, 4–6, 8, 9, 12–14, 16, 17, 19–27)

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
(Psalms 27:1–5)

And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. ...

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. ...

I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. ...

Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
(John 10:23–26, 28, 30, 31, 39)

Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazon–tamar, which is En–gedi. And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. ...

... Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. ...

Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to-morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you. And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. ...

And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.
(II Chronicles 20:2, 3, 15 Thus, 17, 18, 29, 30)

As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. ...

And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
(Ezekiel 34:12, 23)

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
(I Peter 5:6, 7)

SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES by MARY BAKER EDDY

Trials are proofs of God's care.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 66:10–11)

To fear sin is to misunderstand the power of Love and the divine Science of being in man's relation to God, — to doubt His government and distrust His omnipotent care.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 231:21–25)

What God cannot do, man need not attempt.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 231:7–8)

Scripture informs us that “with God all things are possible,” — all good is possible to Spirit; but our prevalent theories practically deny this, and make healing possible only through matter. These theories must be untrue, for the Scripture is true.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 232:9–13)

JAPHET (Noah's son). A type of spiritual peace, flowing from the understanding that God is the divine Principle of all existence, and that man is His idea, the child of His care.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 589:8)

To decide quickly as to the proper treatment of error — whether error is manifested in forms of sickness, sin, or death — is the first step towards destroying error. Our Master treated error through Mind. He never enjoined obedience to the laws of nature, if by these are meant laws of matter, nor did he use drugs. There is a law of God applicable to healing, and it is a spiritual law instead of material.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 463:21–28)

Every mortal at some period, here or hereafter, must grapple with and overcome the mortal belief in a power opposed to God.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 569:3)

... God, the divine Principle of harmony, is ever with men, and they are His people. Thus man was no longer regarded as a miserable sinner, but as the blessed child of God. Why? Because St. John's corporeal sense of the heavens and earth had vanished, and in place of this false sense was the spiritual sense, the subjective state by which he could see the new heaven and new earth, which involve the spiritual idea and consciousness of reality. This is Scriptural authority for concluding that such a recognition of being is, and has been, possible to men in this present state of existence, — that we can become conscious, here and now, of a cessation of death, sorrow, and pain. This is indeed a foretaste of absolute Christian Science. Take heart, dear sufferer, for this reality of being will surely appear sometime and in some way. There will be no more pain, and all tears will be wiped away. When you read this, remember Jesus' words, “The kingdom of God is within you.” This spiritual consciousness is therefore a present possibility.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 573:15 God)

... we can become conscious, here and now, of a cessation of death, sorrow, and pain. This is indeed a foretaste of absolute Christian Science. Take heart, dear sufferer, for this reality of being will surely appear sometime and in some way. There will be no more pain, and all tears will be wiped away. When you read this, remember Jesus' words, “The kingdom of God is within you.” This spiritual consciousness is therefore a present possibility.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 573:26 we)

The very circumstance, which your suffering sense deems wrathful and afflictive, Love can make an angel entertained unawares.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 574:27–30)

Truth is affirmative, and confers harmony.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 418:20–21)

Your true course is to destroy the foe, and leave the field to God, Life, Truth, and Love, remembering that God and His ideas alone are real and harmonious.

... Meet every adverse circumstance as its master. Observe mind instead of body, lest aught unfit for development enter thought. Think less of material conditions and more of spiritual.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 419:4, 16)

Mind produces all action. If the action proceeds from Truth, from immortal Mind, there is harmony; but mortal ...
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 419:20–21 (to mortal))

... “acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace.” Be watchful, sober, and vigilant. The way is straight and narrow, which leads to the understanding that God is the only Life.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 324:12–15 acquaint)

Understanding the control which Love held over all, Daniel felt safe in the lions' den, and Paul proved the viper to be harmless. All of God's creatures, moving in the harmony of Science, are harmless, useful, indestructible. A realization of this grand verity was a source of strength to the ancient worthies.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 514:26–31)

To be “with the Lord” is to be in obedience to the law of God, to be absolutely governed by divine Love, — by Spirit, not by matter.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 14:9)

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.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 495:14–20)

Science reverses the false testimony of the physical senses, and by this reversal mortals arrive at the fundamental facts of being. ... No! for matter can make no conditions for man.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 120:7–9, 11–12)

To understand God strengthens hope, enthrones faith in Truth, and verifies Jesus' word: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 446:20)

Step by step will those who trust Him find that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 444:10)

You render the divine law of healing obscure and void, when you weigh the human in the scale with the divine, or limit in any direction of thought the omnipresence and omnipotence of God.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 445:15)

To understand God strengthens hope, enthrones faith in Truth, and verifies Jesus' word: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 446:20)

The understanding, even in a degree, of the divine All-power destroys fear, and plants the feet in the true path, ...
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 454:5–7 (to 2nd ,))

Let us rejoice that we are subject to the divine “powers that be.”
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 249:8–9)

... supreme harmony, that God, the divine Principle of harmony, is ever with men, and they are His people. Thus man was no longer regarded as a miserable sinner, but as the blessed child of God.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 573:14–18 supreme (to .))