july 5th, 2023

From The Bible

Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
(Deuteronomy 7:9)

I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. ...

O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. ...

The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. ...

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
(Psalms 89:1, 8, 9, 11, 15)

¶ And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. ...

And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
(Matthew 8:5–10, 13)

And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
(Luke 17:5, 6)

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, ...

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; ...
(Hebrews 10:19, 22, 23 (to 1st ;))

... when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band. ...

And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. ...

Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. ...

And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, ...

And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; ...

And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Cæsar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. ...

And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. ...

And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land: And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
(Acts 27:1 when, 4, 9–11, 13, 14 (to ,), 18, 20–25, 33–36, 41–44)

And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. ...

In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:
(Acts 28:1–5, 7–9)

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; ...

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. ...

Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
(I Timothy 1:1; 6:12, 19)

 

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

The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God, — a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 1:1–4)

The Hebrew and Greek words often translated belief differ somewhat in meaning from that conveyed by the English verb believe; they have more the significance of faith, understanding, trust, constancy, firmness. Hence the Scriptures often appear in our common version to approve and endorse belief, when they mean to enforce the necessity of understanding.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 488:7)

Faith, if it be mere belief, is as a pendulum swinging between nothing and something, having no fixity. Faith, advanced to spiritual understanding, is the evidence gained from Spirit, which rebukes sin of every kind and establishes the claims of God.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 23:16)

“The prayer of faith shall save the sick,” says the Scripture. What is this healing prayer? A mere request that God will heal the sick has no power to gain more of the divine presence than is always at hand. The beneficial effect of such prayer for the sick is on the human mind, making it act more powerfully on the body through a blind faith in God. This, however, is one belief casting out another, — a belief in the unknown casting out a belief in sickness. It is neither Science nor Truth which acts through blind belief, nor is it the human understanding of the divine healing Principle as manifested in Jesus, whose humble prayers were deep and conscientious protests of Truth, — of man's likeness to God and of man's unity with Truth and Love.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 12:1)

Inspired thought relinquishes a material, sensual, and mortal theory of the universe, and adopts the spiritual and immortal.

It is this spiritual perception of Scripture, which lifts humanity out of disease and death and inspires faith.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 547:28–32)

Jesus demonstrated this, healing the dying and raising the dead. Mortal mind must part with error, must put off itself with its deeds, and immortal manhood, the Christ ideal, will appear. Faith should enlarge its borders and strengthen its base by resting upon Spirit instead of matter.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 430:2–7)

The Apostle James said, “Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.” The understanding that Life is God, Spirit, lengthens our days by strengthening our trust in the deathless reality of Life, its almightiness and immortality.

This faith relies upon an understood Principle. This Principle makes whole the diseased, and brings out the enduring and harmonious phases of things. The result of our teachings is their sufficient confirmation. When, on the strength of these instructions, you are able to banish a severe malady, the cure shows that you understand this teaching, and therefore you receive the blessing of Truth.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 487:25–6)

Implicit faith in the Teacher and all the emotional love we can bestow on him, will never alone make us imitators of him. We must go and do likewise, else we are not improving the great blessings which our Master worked and suffered to bestow upon us.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 25:26–31)

Every trial of our faith in God makes us stronger. The more difficult seems the material condition to be overcome by Spirit, the stronger should be our faith and the purer our love. The Apostle John says: “There is no fear in Love, but perfect Love casteth out fear. . . . He that feareth is not made perfect in Love.” Here is a definite and inspired proclamation of Christian Science.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 410:14)

The relinquishment of all faith in death and also of the fear of its sting would raise the standard of health and morals far beyond its present elevation, and would enable us to hold the banner of Christianity aloft with unflinching faith in God, in Life eternal. Sin brought death, and death will disappear with the disappearance of sin. Man is immortal, and the body cannot die, because matter has no life to surrender. The human concepts named matter, death, disease, sickness, and sin are all that can be destroyed.

If it is true that man lives, this fact can never change in Science to the opposite belief that man dies.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 426:23–2)

All that we term sin, sickness, and death is a mortal belief. We define matter as error, because it is the opposite of life, substance, and intelligence. Matter, with its mortality, cannot be substantial if Spirit is substantial and eternal. Which ought to be substance to us, — the erring, changing, and dying, the mutable and mortal, or the unerring, immutable, and immortal? A New Testament writer plainly describes faith, a quality of mind, as “the substance of things hoped for.”
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 278:28)

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. 495:16–20)

When we come to have more faith in the truth of being than we have in error, more faith in Spirit than in matter, more faith in living than in dying, more faith in God than in man, then no material suppositions can prevent us from healing the sick and destroying error.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 368:14)

Truth and Love come nearer in the hour of woe, when strong faith or spiritual strength wrestles and prevails through the understanding of God.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 567:3–6 Truth)

The highest prayer is not one of faith merely; it is demonstration. Such prayer heals sickness, and must destroy sin and death.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 16:2–5)

Jesus said: “These signs shall follow them that believe; . . . they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Who believes him? He was addressing his disciples, yet he did not say, “These signs shall follow you,” but them — “them that believe” in all time to come.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 38:10–14)

We must have faith in all the sayings of our Master, though they are not included in the teachings of the schools, and are not understood generally by our ethical instructors.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 429:27)

The author has healed hopeless organic disease, and raised the dying to life and health through the understanding of God as the only Life. It is a sin to believe that aught can overpower omnipotent and eternal Life, and this Life must be brought to light by the understanding that there is no death, as well as by other graces of Spirit. We must begin, however, with the more simple demonstrations of control, and the sooner we begin the better.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 428:30–6)

Christian science hymnals

O for a faith that will not shrink, / Though pressed by every foe; / That will not tremble on the brink / Of any earthly woe;

A faith that shines more bright and clear / When tempests rage without; / That when in danger knows no fear, / In darkness feels no doubt;

O, give us such a faith as this, / And then, whate'er may come, / We taste e'en here the hallowed bliss / Of our eternal home.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 205)

It matters not what be thy lot, / So Love doth guide; / For storm or shine, pure peace is thine, / Whate'er betide.

And of these stones, or tyrants' thrones, / God able is / To raise up seed—in thought and deed— / To faithful His.

Aye, darkling sense, arise, go hence! / Our God is good. / False fears are foes—truth tatters those, / When understood.

Love looseth thee, and lifteth me, / Ayont hate's thrall: / There Life is light, and wisdom might, / And God is All.

The centuries break, the earth-bound wake, / God's glorified! / Who doth His will—His likeness still— / Is satisfied.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 513)

Through the love of God our Saviour / All will be well; / Free and changeless is His favor; / All must be well; / Precious is the Love that healed us, / Perfect is the grace that sealed us, / Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us; / All, all is well.

Though we pass through tribulation, / All will be well; / Ours is such a full salvation, / All must be well; / Happy still, in God confiding, / Fruitful, when in Christ abiding, / Holy, through the Spirit's guiding; / All, all is well.

We expect a bright tomorrow, / All will be well; / Faith can sing through days of sorrow, / All must be well; / While His truth we are applying, / And upon His love relying, / God is every need supplying, / All, all is well.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 350)