Responsive Reading: II Corinthians 4 : 8, 9; Romans 8 : 31, 35, 37-39

8.     We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9.     Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.

31.     What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

35.     Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

37.     Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38.     For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39.     Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1. Proverbs 11 : 3 (to :)

3     The integrity of the upright shall guide them:

2. Philippians 2 : 14, 15

14     Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

15     That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

3. Philippians 4 : 11 (for)-13

11     …for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

12     I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13     I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

4. Genesis 37 : 2 (Joseph) (to ;), 3, 4, 24 (to :), 28 (to :)

2     Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren;

3     Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

4     And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

24     And they took him, and cast him into a pit:

28     Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver:

5. Genesis 39 : 1, 3, 7, 8 (to 1st ,), 12, 19 (when)-20 (to 2nd ,), 21, 22

1     And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.

3     And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

7     And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

8     But he refused,

12     And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

19     …when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.

20     And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison,

21     But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

22     And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.

6. Genesis 41 : 1 (to :), 14 (to :), 15, 16, 28-30 (to 1st ;), 33, 37-40

1     And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed:

14     Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon:

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.

28     This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

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;

33     Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

37     And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

38     And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

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.

7. Genesis 42 : 3, 7 (to 1st ,)

3     And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

7     And Joseph saw his brethren,

8. Genesis 45 : 4, 5

4     And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

5     Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

9. I Peter 2 : 19-23

19     For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

20     For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

21     For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22     Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23     Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

10. Philippians 2 : 12, 13

12     Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

13     For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

11. Romans 8 : 28

28     And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

1. 115 : 15-16

Man: God's spiritual idea, individual, perfect, eternal.

2. 258 : 13-15, 19-24

God expresses in man the infinite idea forever developing itself, broadening and rising higher and higher from a boundless basis.

The infinite Principle is reflected by the infinite idea and spiritual individuality, but the material so-called senses have no cognizance of either Principle or its idea. The human capacities are enlarged and perfected in proportion as humanity gains the true conception of man and God.

3. 307 : 25 (The)-30

The divine Mind is the Soul of man, and gives man dominion over all things. Man was not created from a material basis, nor bidden to obey material laws which Spirit never made; his province is in spiritual statutes, in the higher law of Mind.

4. 90 : 24-32

The admission to one's self that man is God's own likeness sets man free to master the infinite idea. This conviction shuts the door on death, and opens it wide towards immortality. The understanding and recognition of Spirit must finally come, and we may as well improve our time in solving the mysteries of being through an apprehension of divine Principle. At present we know not what man is, but we certainly shall know this when man reflects God.

5. 228 : 11-19

The enslavement of man is not legitimate. It will cease when man enters into his heritage of freedom, his God-given dominion over the material senses. Mortals will some day assert their freedom in the name of Almighty God. Then they will control their own bodies through the understanding of divine Science. Dropping their present beliefs, they will recognize harmony as the spiritual reality and discord as the material unreality.

6. 262 : 9-16

We cannot fathom the nature and quality of God's creation by diving into the shallows of mortal belief. We must reverse our feeble flutterings — our efforts to find life and truth in matter — and rise above the testimony of the material senses, above the mortal to the immortal idea of God. These clearer, higher views inspire the Godlike man to reach the absolute centre and circumference of his being.

7. 517 : 30-4

Divine Love blesses its own ideas, and causes them to multiply, — to manifest His power. Man is not made to till the soil. His birthright is dominion, not subjection. He is lord of the belief in earth and heaven, — himself subordinate alone to his Maker. This is the Science of being.

8. 444 : 2-6, 10-12

In some way, sooner or later, all must rise superior to materiality, and suffering is oft the divine agent in this elevation. "All things work together for good to them that love God," is the dictum of Scripture.

Step by step will those who trust Him find that "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

9. 22 : 11-17

"Work out your own salvation," is the demand of Life and Love, for to this end God worketh with you. "Occupy till I come!" Wait for your reward, and "be not weary in well doing." If your endeavors are beset by fearful odds, and you receive no present reward, go not back to error, nor become a sluggard in the race.

10. 254 : 19 (the) -23

…the human self must be evangelized. This task God demands us to accept lovingly to-day, and to abandon so fast as practical the material, and to work out the spiritual which determines the outward and actual.

11. 183 : 21-25

Divine Mind rightly demands man's entire obedience, affection, and strength. No reservation is made for any lesser loyalty. Obedience to Truth gives man power and strength. Submission to error superinduces loss of power.

12. 202 : 15-23

Outside of this Science all is mutable; but immortal man, in accord with the divine Principle of his being, God, neither sins, suffers, nor dies. The days of our pilgrimage will multiply instead of diminish, when God's kingdom comes on earth; for the true way leads to Life instead of to death, and earthly experience discloses the finity of error and the infinite capacities of Truth, in which God gives man dominion over all the earth.

13. 571 : 15-19

At all times and under all circumstances, overcome evil with good. Know thyself, and God will supply the wisdom and the occasion for a victory over evil. Clad in the panoply of Love, human hatred cannot reach you. 

14. 452 : 10-15

When outgrowing the old, you should not fear to put on the new. Your advancing course may provoke envy, but it will also attract respect. When error confronts you, withhold not the rebuke or the explanation which destroys error. Never breathe an immoral atmosphere, unless in the attempt to purify it.

15. 261 : 4-7

Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts.

16. 451 : 14-18

Man walks in the direction towards which he looks, and where his treasure is, there will his heart be also. If our hopes and affections are spiritual, they come from above, not from beneath, and they bear as of old the fruits of the Spirit.

17. 21 : 9-14

If the disciple is advancing spiritually, he is striving to enter in. He constantly turns away from material sense, and looks towards the imperishable things of Spirit. If honest, he will be in earnest from the start, and gain a little each day in the right direction, till at last he finishes his course with joy.

18. 453 : 6-8

Right and wrong, truth and error, will be at strife in the minds of students, until victory rests on the side of invincible truth.