What happens when we die?

I’m realizing today that we aren’t meant to live here on earth forever. But we are meant to see, know and demonstrate the kingdom of God here and now. All of the things pertaining to heaven can be experienced here and now – abundance, vitality, health, harmony, love, affection, home, companionship.

Mary Baker Eddy writes in her book Miscellaneous Writings (which can be purchased here) “Pure humanity, friendship, home, the interchange of love, bring to earth a foretaste of heaven. They unite terrestrial and celestial joys, and crown them with blessings infinite.”

The kingdom of heaven is here and now and when we are governed by God, by our spiritual sense, we will experience this heaven here and now (spiritual sense counteracts the material senses). But that doesn’t mean we stay on earth forever. Jesus, Elijah, Enoch are all recorded to have ascended. Others move on to another phase of existence through what mortals term death. But “to the real man the and the real universe there is no death-process.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures) Eddy also states “Death is not a stepping-stone to Life, immortality and bliss”.

Jesus said “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom that has sent”. (John 17:2-3) And “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life”. (John 6:47)

Therefore we can be free from the belief in death here and now by knowing that life is eternal for us and everyone. And that death is not a gateway to eternal harmony, but that heaven and harmony can be demonstrated here and now since “In him we live and move and have our being”.

God sees and knows life as seamless, continuous since God is the only Life and is never interrupted. It is only to mortal apprehension that we seem to live where good and evil both reside and when we die we then experience immortal bliss. This is an incorrect theological concept and is not in accord with Scripture. Death (which does not proceed from God) is not the gateway to harmony. Harmony must be demonstrated here and now for the Kingdom of Heaven is within you.

“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, the kingdom of God cometh not with observation; Neither shall they say Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21)

So let us experience and demonstrate the allness of Spirit, God, and the kingdom of heaven here and now. We don’t have to wait. And we must annihilate the belief that death will bring us into more spiritual being. This prevents us from doing our work right now and being loyal and faithful today. This truth “will master either a desire to die or a dread of the grave”.

For more reading on eternal life:

Unity of Good by Mary Baker Eddy p.37

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy p. 289-292

Christian Healing

Why is Christian healing so rarely thought of as a possibility? People usually turn to God when there is nowhere else to turn to. Why don’t we turn to God first?

It seems as though healing was an essential part of Jesus’ mission and preaching and teaching “salvation”. Salvation was not only the saving from sinful thoughts and activities, which cause us to feel separate from God, but also from physical illness and disease.

It seems as though half of Jesus’ mission has been lost. Christianity isn’t following exactly what Jesus taught or what the early disciples established as the Church.

The Church was full of activity and life, self-forgetfulness and love, and the healing of physical ailments as well as the putting off of the “old man” and putting on the “new man”.

So entrenched are we in materiality that we are unwilling to rely on Spirit, which is our creator, for life, health and happiness.

The biggest difference in what seems to be going on is the belief that God created matter. God never created matter and could never create it because it is limited, imperfect, subject to failure and destruction. How could the infinite, all perfect God ever create matter? It is impossible; it is the opposite of God’s very being, existence, and nature. Spirit created all in it’s own likeness (see the first chapter of Genesis). Therefore all has been created spiritually, including mankind. We are already whole and complete and inseparable from God. And in Christian or spiritual healing we are simply realizing that fact. And realizing that God, divine Mind, absolutely governs and controls every function of the body because all life, activity and being is actually in Spirit and is spiritual. Therefore there isn’t a faculty of life that doesn’t have its substance in Spirit and can therefore never be disrupted, obstructed, or destroyed.

We must awake from the belief that we live in a material world. As we do this, as we realize that we “live, move, and have our being” in God/Spirit, limitations will just fall away; peace and happiness will be calmly felt; and health will be stable and secure.

Christian/spiritual healing must be realized and recognized in health-care. Insurance companies and government must allow the fulfillment of Christ’s mission and activities. We must realize there is something bigger and greater at work than ourselves. God is the creator, not man. The fulfillment is not another savior, but man in the image and likeness of God/Spirit; and reflecting God’s divine and spiritual nature; reflecting God as the spiritual creator.

Little Children

I was getting out of my car and realized I didn’t have one of my mittens. Immediately I got the sense not to worry, that All is well. I knew that all is Spirit and spirit’s ideas (including my warm, fuzzy mittens) and that everything was taken care of. Well it was hard to fight off the feelings of panic and worry – scrounging around my car looking for it; wondering if I’d drop it at the last stop I was at. But I stood firm and knew that I was getting the sense of peace that all really is well and I didn’t need to worry about it but could go on joyfully, confidently.

When I walked into the library (the stop I was making), I thought “how am I going to work when I keep thinking about my mitten?” I knew I felt the mitten and I were safe and secure so that safest and securest place I could think that it could be was still at home! I sent my husband and message and asked if it was in the garage where the car would be. And he responded it was!

I felt so happy that my little mitten was safe. And I felt such a sense of God’s dear, tender Love. I knew that Love was taking care of me and that I was her childe and even my little mitten (which represented such comfort, coziness, and joy to me) was taken care of.

I looked out the library window and saw a mom and dad holding hands with their little girl as she crossed the street. And I could just see how wonderful and tender that little girl was – so full of joy and innocence. And how God was taking care of her every need – even the comfiness of her mittens.

I could see so clearly how much God loves and adores little children – their incredible innocence and purity – and new it was God’s delight to take care of them and meet their every need. “Fear not little flock for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”.

I then realized that we are each the little child of God’s. And that God loves, adores, and cares for each one of us – every human need. And the only thing that would make us seem older is worry, fear, doubt, and false responsibility.

I knew that God is the Father and Mother of each one of us and none of us have to worry or be bogged down by fear. If it is true about a mitten than it is certainly true about a house or job or our own children.

God is the dear ever-present Love, which is loving each one of us. And we are so safe and secure and taken care of right now. God takes care of every need we have, including physical health. God is Love and that Love permeates and radiates all this moment – tenderly wrapping up and embracing each one of us. God is Love therefore we don’t need to be sick, worried or afraid. God’s kingdom is perfect because it is spiritual and it is right here and now. There isn’t another power which can oppose us or destroy our being. God is all power here and now – “God is all and there is none else”.

So let’s forsake our “grown-up” nature and let our loving Father-Mother God take care of us. And follow Jesus’ advice that the world needs us now more as children than as men (Miscellaneous Writings pg. 110).

Luke 10:21

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

Luke 18:16

But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.