Responsive Reading: I Chronicles 16 : 8, 9, 11, 12, 31

8.     Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.

9.     Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.

11.     Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.

12.     Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

31.     Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth.

1. II Corinthians 5 : 17

17     Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2. Acts 9 : 1-15, 17, 18, 20-22

1     And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

2     And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

3     And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

4     And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5     And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

6     And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

7     And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

8     And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

9     And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

10     And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

11     And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

12     And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.

13     Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:

14     And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.

15     But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

17     And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

18     And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

20     And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

21     But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?

22     But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

3. Colossians 1 : 1, 2 (to :)

1     Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

2     To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse:

4. Colossians 3 : 1 (to 2nd ,), 11, 15, 17

1     If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,

11     Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

15     And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

17     And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

5. Philippians 4 : 6, 7

6     Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7     And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

6. Romans 11 : 36

36     For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

1. 8 : 3-12

We never need to despair of an honest heart; but there is little hope for those who come only spasmodically face to face with their wickedness and then seek to hide it. Their prayers are indexes which do not correspond with their character. They hold secret fellowship with sin, and such externals are spoken of by Jesus as "like unto whited sepulchres ... full ... of all uncleanness."

If a man, though apparently fervent and prayerful, is impure and therefore insincere, what must be the comment upon him?

2. 324 : 19-31

Paul was not at first a disciple of Jesus but a persecutor of Jesus' followers. When the truth first appeared to him in Science, Paul was made blind, and his blindness was felt; but spiritual light soon enabled him to follow the example and teachings of Jesus, healing the sick and preaching Christianity throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and even in imperial Rome.

Paul writes, "If Christ [Truth] be not risen, then is our preaching vain." That is, if the idea of the supremacy of Spirit, which is the true conception of being, come not to your thought, you cannot be benefited by what I say.

3. 326 : 20-7

Working and praying with true motives, your Father will open the way. "Who did hinder you, that ye should not obey the truth?"

Saul of Tarsus beheld the way — the Christ, or Truth — only when his uncertain sense of right yielded to a spiritual sense, which is always right. Then the man was changed. Thought assumed a nobler outlook, and his life became more spiritual. He learned the wrong that he had done in persecuting Christians, whose religion he had not understood, and in humility he took the new name of Paul. He beheld for the first time the true idea of Love, and learned a lesson in divine Science.

Reform comes by understanding that there is no abiding pleasure in evil, and also by gaining an affection for good according to Science, which reveals the immortal fact that neither pleasure nor pain, appetite nor passion, can exist in or of matter, while divine Mind can and does destroy the false beliefs of pleasure, pain, or fear and all the sinful appetites of the human mind.

4. 3 : 22-26

Are we really grateful for the good already received? Then we shall avail ourselves of the blessings we have, and thus be fitted to receive more. Gratitude is much more than a verbal expression of thanks. Action expresses more gratitude than speech.

5. 20 : 27-4

St. Paul wrote, "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us;" that is, let us put aside material self and sense, and seek the divine Principle and Science of all healing.

If Truth is overcoming error in your daily walk and conversation, you can finally say, "I have fought a good fight ... I have kept the faith," because you are a better man.

6. 340 : 23-29

One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, "Love thy neighbor as thyself;" annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry, — whatever is wrong in social, civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed.

7. 570 : 14-18, 23-25

Millions of unprejudiced minds — simple seekers for Truth, weary wanderers, athirst in the desert — are waiting and watching for rest and drink. Give them a cup of cold water in Christ's name, and never fear the consequences. … Those ready for the blessing you impart will give thanks. The waters will be pacified, and Christ will command the wave.

8. 45 : 16-21

Glory be to God, and peace to the struggling hearts! Christ hath rolled away the stone from the door of human hope and faith, and through the revelation and demonstration of life in God, hath elevated them to possible at-one-ment with the spiritual idea of man and his divine Principle, Love.