Independent Christian Science articles

“Improving Your Time”

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Recently it was necessary for me to appear in court as a witness to a traffic violation. I was concerned about going, because I had been to court previously and had waited more than six hours before the case was called. I wasn’t happy about the prospect of wasting another whole day.

That same week a friend gave me Mrs. Eddy’s article in Prose Works entitled, “Improving Your Time.” The article was very instructive on how to actually make the best use of our time. One of the instructions from the article said, “If one would be successful in the future, let him make the most of the present.” To me this meant to make every moment an opportunity to express the law of God that blesses all mankind, making every moment sacred and fruitful.

On the court day, I wasn’t worried any more. I knew that every moment belongs to God, and that He governs my activities in perfect harmony. Our case was the first to be called, and, amazingly, the person immediately pled guilty. I did not need to say a word, nor did the other witness. I left the court house with plenty of time to do the things I had planned for the day. I was certain that this was God’s doing.

The use of my time has since improved. I’m doing more thinking now than talking; and as a result, I have less to worry about. I concentrate on things that will improve my thinking and well being. Now I can see how important it is for me to make sure that my time is well spent in thinking more about how I can be a blessing to others, and asking God to show me what He wants me to do for the day, and what He wants for my life. Truly, time is hugely wasted until it is spent with God in loving, sharing, caring and in thinking holy thoughts.

Heart Speaks to Heart

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I want to share a blessing I had very recently. As you know, shopping for cars can be very overwhelming sometimes. At the dealership recently, not only was I able to find a very nice replacement car, I also had the opportunity to experience God’s ever-present love.

I was completing the documents and getting ready to make the first payment on my new car, when the gentleman in charge of the Accounting Department at the dealership approached me and asked me if I work for the church. He had noticed my reference on one of the documents I had completed. I said, yes. Then I asked him if he knew about our church. He said he didn’t, but said that he does know God, and he handed me a book from the shelf in his office. It was a book about God. I can’t recall the author, nor did I have time to read it. After a few seconds, he paused and turned to me and asked, “Benjamin, do you know God?” I said yes, I know Him and all He has done for us. Then he continued with his duties. When I asked him if I could now make my payment, he told me he had already paid my first payment and advised me not to tell anyone about what he had done.

As I got up to leave, he held my hand and blessed me in the name of God, and I returned the same blessing to him. It was a moment that reminded me of Mrs. Eddy saying that heart speaks to heart. It was a humble and blessed moment for us, and the blessings goes on to bless everyone around us through sharing our experience.

I’m grateful to God, whose love fills every space and every heart, and whose light cannot be hidden. It was a very brief moment, but surely was made possible by God. “To those leaning on sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings,” Mary Baker Eddy. “Ye are the light of the world,” Christ Jesus. May this light never be hidden. Amen.

It’s God Who Has Called Us!

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Are you feeling the pressure of erroneous suggestion challenging your faith and commitment to God and to serving Him? Well, you are not alone. We’ve all been there, and every follower of Christ must go through these trials. But when you have gone through it, you will be crowned with heavenly glory.

Just days ago, I had a revelation warning me to be awake to these evil suggestions that would test my faith in God and try to oppose all the positive steps and growth I have made. It would want to discourage me, and eventually extinguish the inspiration. We all need to be vigilant and to overcome these intrusions with the Truth, by constantly knowing that it’s God who has called us through His grace, and only to Him do we owe our dedication. We must know, even when mortal mind doesn’t see, that God sees aright and thinks aright about me and all His children. Now, that’s the victory over error!

It’s also important to understand that as our relationship with God and our commitment to knowing him better is becoming evidenced in our daily lives, error will not like it. It would try to use every avenue available to stop this wonderful growth. It would try to discredit it or destroy it. But it is our duty not to let it happen, and not let it take us away from our work for God. We must be vigilant at our post by constantly reversing this error as it comes, with the absolute truth about ourselves. Then will this error destroy itself, not us.

As you make progress, these trials will come, and that’s why in Science and Health Mrs. Eddy warns that, “If you launch your bark upon the ever-agitated but healthful waters of truth, you will encounter storms. Your good will be evil spoken of. This is the cross. Take it up and bear it, for through it you win and wear the crown.”

Throughout her mission Mrs. Eddy had many trials and storms, and one by one she overcame them all. Now, when I find myself surrounded by storms of doubt of the Truth, my faith in God will keep me strong, knowing very well that it’s God who has called me, and His Love will see me through.

The Youth

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There is a great desire for truth, but the search has led many people astray, away from God and what is right, and many are turning to self-destructive behavior. Surprisingly, only a few have turned to God, the source of all good. This desire is more evident among young people.

This is a call for all workers to raise our voices and let the world know that what they are looking for is already here! We must destroy the mesmerism some of the youths are under when they say they are all alone and no one could know what they are going through, or that they are too young to serve God, or even come to church. We must let the world know that God is not an alternative that you can go to when all else fails—God is the first and the last, and everything in between; He is the only truth there is. Whatever is deceiving man is a lie and cannot sustain.

A preacher from Germany, who visited my hometown in Nigeria a while ago, shared a story about a town he helped revive. A local minister had invited him for a special event. When he arrived at the church, there was not a single young person sitting in the congregation. He asked, “Where are the youths?” They told him that youths in this town don’t come to church anymore. “If the youths do not come to church, where do they go?” he asked.

After the service that evening, they drove about a mile to a very large building with a blinking sign saying “Disco.” Then the minister said to the preacher, “Here is where our youths are.” And to the minister’s surprise, the preacher stepped out of the car and rushed to the building. The security wouldn’t let him in, but he persisted until they let him in.

The inside was unbelievable. The music was loud, with smoke everywhere, so that no one could see or hear each other. He grabbed the microphone and he almost got thrown out. But his persistence paid off when he convinced the owner of the club that he came all the way from Germany for these young people, and since here is the only place he can find them, he was not leaving until he could speak to them. He asked if they could give him just fifteen minutes to speak to the young people, and it was granted him. Surprisingly, they listened, after a few boos and abuses were thrown at him. He spoke direct to them, like no one has ever done. He assured them about the love of God for all His children, especially the youth. He assured them that the lasting peace they’re all seeking can only be found in God. He could hear many of them crying in the audience, and some had already started leaving. They really accepted the truth. In his heart he knew he had planted a good seed, and God would take care of the rest. As the Bible says, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” (John 12:32).

A year later the preacher was invited to visit the same city. At the airport, his friend, the local minister, said he had a surprise for him. They drove to that same building, but this time there was another sign—a cross—and inside was an Evangelical Church. When he went inside, it was filled with people, mostly the youths, with vibrant energy to serve God. Many of them recognized him and came to hug him. They told him that after he left that night, they never went back to the club. The people had awakened to the truth, and error lost its power over the city and the young people. The youths rediscovered their place in God.

When man wakes up from his slumber, error loses its grip. Error has no power and no attraction. As Mrs. Eddy said in Science and Health, “There is but one real attraction, that of Spirit.” We must know that whatever seems to be holding our young people back will ultimately loosen its grip. We must oppose it with the Truth that sets all mankind free. This error has no power to persist, and it can’t have any influence over anyone.

We as Christian Scientists must help our young people understand that they are important to God. If one preacher can convert a whole city from darkness to light, from destruction to life, we today in Plainfield and all over the world are more than enough to turn a great number of people back to God, the only source of peace, life, and love. Mrs. Eddy wrote, “We, to-day, in this class-room, are enough to convert the world if we are of one Mind; for then the whole world will feel the influence of this Mind; as when the earth was without form, and Mind spake and form appeared.” (Mis. 279:27)

Love is the liberator.