Models of excellence

Wednesday, 6/10/15 Readings, 2nd Church Berkeley
SH James 5:10
10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
SH Gen. 41:1-3 (to 1st ;), 4, 8, 14-16, 25 (to 1st ,), 26 (to 1st ;), 27 (to 1st ;), 29, 30, 33-36 (to 1st ;), 39, 40, 45 3rd and
1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. 2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. 3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; 4 And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. 8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. 14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. 16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. 25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, 26 The seven good kine are seven years; 27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; 29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: 30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; 33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. 35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; 39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: 40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
SH Luke 8:40 (to 1st :)
40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him:
SH Luke 10:38-42
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
SH John 13:3-5, 12-15
3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. 5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
SH 4:5-9
To keep the com-
mandments of our Master and follow his
example, is our proper debt to him and the only
worthy evidence of our gratitude for all that he has
done.
SH 51:23
He was inspired by God, by
Truth and Love, in all that he said and did. The motives
of his persecutors were pride, envy, cruelty, and vengeance,
inflicted on the physical Jesus, but aimed at the divine Prin-
ciple, Love, which rebuked their sensuality.
SH 54:13-17
In witness of his divine com-
mission, he presented the proof that Life, Truth, and
Love heal the sick and the sinning, and triumph over
death through Mind, not matter. This was the highest
proof he could have offered of divine Love.
SH 329:5-12 2nd A (to 1st .)
A little leaven leavens the whole lump. A little under-
standing of Christian Science proves the truth of all that
I say of it. Because you cannot walk on the
water and raise the dead, you have no right to
question the great might of divine Science in these direc-
tions. Be thankful that Jesus, who was the true demon-
strator of Science, did these things, and left his example for
us.
SH 494:5-11
Is it not a species of infidelity to believe that so great
a work as the Messiah’s was done for himself or for God,
who needed no help from Jesus’ example to
preserve the eternal harmony? But mortals
did need this help, and Jesus pointed the way for them.
Divine Love always has met and always will meet every
human need.
SH 407:24
Let the perfect model be
present in your thoughts instead of its demoralized op-
posite. This spiritualization of thought lets in the light,
and brings the divine Mind, Life not death, into your
consciousness.
SH 247:15-18
Immortal men and women
are models of spiritual sense, drawn by perfect Mind
and reflecting those higher conceptions of loveliness
which transcend all material sense.
SH 248:8-18, 19-32
Immortal Mind feeds the body with supernal
freshness and fairness, supplying it with beautiful images
of thought and destroying the woes of sense which each
day brings to a nearer tomb.
The sculptor turns from the marble to his model in
order to perfect his conception. We are all sculptors,
working at various forms, moulding and chisel-
ing thought. What is the model before mortal
mind? Is it imperfection, joy, sorrow, sin, suffering?
Have you accepted the mortal model? Are you repro-
ducing it?
Do you not hear from all
mankind of the imperfect model? The world is holding
it before your gaze continually. The result is that you
are liable to follow those lower patterns, limit your life-
work, and adopt into your experience the angular outline
and deformity of matter models.
To remedy this, we must first turn our gaze in the right
direction, and then walk that way. We must form perfect
models in thought and look at them continually,
or we shall never carve them out in grand and
noble lives. Let unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice,
health, holiness, love – the kingdom of heaven – reign
within us, and sin, disease, and death will diminish until
they finally disappear.
SH 259:26
Immortal
ideas, pure, perfect, and enduring, are transmitted by
the divine Mind through divine Science, which corrects
error with truth and demands spiritual thoughts, divine
concepts, to the end that they may produce harmonious
results.
SH 360:13-18
Dear reader, which mind-picture or externalized thought
shall be real to you, – the material or the spiritual?
Both you cannot have. You are bringing out
your own ideal. This ideal is either temporal
or eternal. Either Spirit or matter is your model. If you
try to have two models, then you practically have none.
SH 261:8-11
The effect of mortal mind on health and happiness is
seen in this: If one turns away from the body with such
absorbed interest as to forget it, the body
experiences no pain.
SH 409:23-26
This
mortal is put off, and the new man or real man is put
on, in proportion as mortals realize the Science of man
and seek the true model.
SH 249:1-4
Let us accept Science, relinquish all theories based on
sense-testimony, give up imperfect models and illusive
ideals; and so let us have one God, one Mind, and that
one perfect, producing His own models of excellence.
Hymns: 52, 217, 115
James 5:10
Gen. 41:1-3 (to ;), 4, 8, 14-16, 25 (to ,), 26 (to ;), 27 (to ;), 29, 30, 33-36 (to ;), 39, 40, 45 3rd and
Luke 8:40 (to :)
Luke 10:38-42
John 13:3-5, 12-15
SH 4:5-9
SH 51:23
SH 54:13-17
SH 329:5-12 2nd A (to 1st .)
SH 494:5-11
SH 407:24
SH 247:15-18
SH 248:8-18, 19-32
SH 259:26
SH 360:13-18
SH 261:8-11
SH 409:23-26
SH 249:1-4

2 thoughts on “Models of excellence”

  1. It’s interesting to see what subjects are on others’ thoughts.
    This week both our readings included James 5:10 at the outset and also S&H 261:8-11.
    You will find my post as “Patience and Endurance.”

    1. Hi Robbie, I just got an email notification of your comment. Thank you. I enjoy your readings also and appreciate your sharing them.

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