Listen To The Christ, a four-page booklet by Martha Smock
No doubt this short message from Martha Smock was originally written for DAILY WORD, where she was editor for thirty-five years. Among the hundreds of messages she wrote, Unity chose to publish this one as a booklet, probably because of it's simplicity and the power it has to shift our mind of worry to one of serenity.
Martha asks:
- do you feel unworthy, inferior and do you tell yourself that you do not have what it takes to succeed in life?
- are you anxious and worried about others, the dear ones in your life?
- have you been going through a time of darkness?
Her answer is direct and clear: turn to the loving Christ and hear Him saying, "Peace! Be still!" to the surging waves of emotion that would overpower you.
Can a booklet as simple as this change a life? It can, if it is available to you when you most need it. That is why I've assembled this page of resources for easily disseminating Martha Smock's Listen To The Christ:
- The Listen To The Christ booklet, downloadable and printable on four pages, for you to carry in your pocket or purse. Read it every day for a month and discover how your life has changed.
- A Sunday service bulletin insert, downloadable and printable on a single page, front and back, that spiritual leaders can give to their congregations on Sunday morning and refer to in their lesson.
- A zip file of the original graphics, clipart and text from this booklet that you can paste directly into your own Sunday service bulletin, handout or website.
- The full text of Listen To The Christ on this page so that Martha's message will be picked-up by Google and other search engines.
It's my hope that you will print out Martha's message and read it every day for a while. Then give it to a friend. I ask spiritual leaders to include it in your Sunday service bulletin and to consider using it as the backdrop for your lesson. Take this opportunity to download and disseminate Martha's loving message to us. Share this with your friends. Make a donation to DAILY WORD for the faithful work they do, carrying on Martha's beautiful message.
Download and Share with your congregation
Click here to download the original booklet in PDF format. Read this booklet every day for thirty days and Martha's message will change your life.
Click here to download a Listen To The Christ bulletin insert for your Sunday service. The original booklet is four pages in length. Print out this PDF file on both sides (duplex, long edge binding) and that will give you a single 8.5" x 11" page. Fold this page and insert it into your Sunday bulletin.
Click here to download a zip file of the graphics for creating your own bulletin insert. This zip file has four bitmap image files, corresponding to the four pages of the booklet and it has the a few other graphic files. Download this file if you want clip art for inserting Martha's booklet directly into your own bulletin or some other handout you are creating.
Click here to download a rich-text file of the booklet text. Open this file with your word processor and then copy/paste the text into whatever document your are creating.
Listen To The Christ
“IN THE world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Not I will; I have. Christ in you has overcome the world. Listen to His voice.
When your life is upset, turned around by change or any circumstance that seems threatening to your peace of mind—to your very existence—listen to the voice of Christ saying, "Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (John 14:27). "Lo, I am with you always" (Matt. 28:20).
Christ is your center, your anchor, your unchanging life. Christ in you says: "I am your center of peace. I am that in you which is strong and steadfast. I am the overcoming power in you. I show you the path of life. I am the way, the truth, and the life. You can meet changing conditions and circumstances, you can rise up with courage and faith, you can go forward with confidence and joy. In me you can do all things."
Turn to the loving Christ and hear Him saying, "Peace! Be still!" to the surging waves of emotion that would overpower you. In Christ you are calmed and quieted, you rest in His presence and feel strengthened and upheld. Remember that though things change, God is changeless, enduring. God's love is eternal.
When you are depressed or down in spirit, when you feel unworthy, inferior, when you tell yourself that you do not have what it takes to succeed in life, there is that in you which you sense but may not hear because you do not want to hear. But strong and persistent the voice is speaking. Something in you knows and has always known that there is yet more in you. You are dissatisfied and discouraged not because of what you lack but because of what you have not yet expressed.
There is yet more in you. Do you know how remarkable you are? Do you know that you are so much more than you believe yourself to be, that however small or great your accomplishments, there is yet more in you to be expressed? You are a spiritual being. As a spiritual being you have divine potential, you have the capacity to add to the joy and gladness of life. You have the capacity to express love to others and to relate to others in love and understanding. You are an important part of life and you are needed where you are.
Do not hold back in fear. Do not listen to the doubts and arguments of the limited personal self. Do not listen to the voice of pessimism. Do not listen to those who would discourage you. Listen to the inner voice which always assures you that you can do more, be more, express more, that you are meant for joyous, radiant, successful living.
Listen to the truth. The truth is that you are free from the bondage of the past. You are forgiven the mistakes of the past. The truth is that you can begin again.
When you are anxious and worried about others, when the needs of dear ones seem great, when there seems little you can do, listen to the loving Christ. “I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one" (John 17:23). The Christ in you beholds the Christ in others; beholding the Christ, you know that there is no need too great, no problem too complicated, no condition incurable or impossible. The Christ in you reminds you that with God all things are possible.
Have you been going through a time of darkness? Listen to words of light. "I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness" (John 12:46). "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).
"You are the light of the world" (Matt. 5:14). The light of Christ shines through you to bless the world. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). Not to the personal self but to the Christ self is glory given. Your purpose is to live the truth.
Listen to the voice of Christ that says, "You did not choose me, but I chose you"(John 15:16). Do you think that you are unimportant, unneeded? You are here by divine appointment. You are an important part of God's plan, of God's creation. You have your unique role to fill.
What have you been chosen to do? You have been chosen to give expression to God, to the Christ qualities. You have been chosen to be a part of the flow of life. You have been chosen to contribute to the good, the happiness, the well-being of the world. You have been chosen to express your particular abilities and talents. You have been chosen to be a light in the world.
Listen to the Christ.
UNITY SCHOOL OF CHRISTIANITY
Unity Village, MO 64065
Printed U.S.A. 479 L toC-8593-5M-6-86 C
