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How to Heal After Dealing With a Modern-Day Pharisee

When someone uses the language of faith but not the heart of it, the wounds they create are unlike any other. They don’t just bruise your emotions—they shake your spiritual foundation. They make you question your intuition, your worth, your understanding of God, and sometimes even your ability to trust love itself.

And here’s the words you will not likely hear: Healing from spiritual abuse takes courage. It takes tenderness. It takes time. And it takes the willingness to reclaim the parts of yourself you had to hide just to survive the interaction.

You may feel confused, drained, guilty, angry, or even spiritually disoriented. You may wonder why someone who talks about God could act with so little compassion. You may even question whether you somehow “deserved” the treatment you received.

You didn’t. And you never will.

What you experienced was not the heart of God. It was the behavior of a person acting out of fear, ego, or unhealed wounds of their own, wrapped in the clothing of religion.

Now the path forward is about you:

    • your healing
    • your peace
    • your reconnection to God
    • your freedom
    • your ability to trust your own heart again

This next section is about gently guiding you back to that place. Not through judgment. Not through bitterness. But through clarity, compassion, and empowerment.

You are not broken. You are recovering. And you’re doing it with more strength, more wisdom, and more spiritual awareness than you had before.

The following are some signs that will help you identify a modern-day Pharisee:

Modern-Day Pharisee vs. True Follower of Jesus

Category Signs of a Modern-Day Pharisee Signs of a True Follower of Jesus
Use of Scripture Uses verses as tools to control, shame, or prove superiority. Uses scripture to guide, comfort, encourage, and heal.
Heart Posture Focuses on appearing holy or being admired. Focuses on connection with God and serving others quietly.
Accountability Rarely apologizes; rarely self-reflects. Admits mistakes humbly and grows from them.
Tone of Interaction Harsh, correcting, critical. Gentle, compassionate, patient.
Emotional Impact on Others Leaves you feeling confused, small, guilty, or spiritually insecure. Leaves you feeling encouraged, hopeful, safe, and valued.
Relationship to Power Needs control, attention, and authority. Uses any influence to uplift, support, and empower.
Focus of Faith Rules, performance, image. Love, relationship, spiritual authenticity.
Openness to Dialogue Dismisses your thoughts; insists “I’m right.” Listens with an open heart; honors your perspective.
Approach to Forgiveness Demands forgiveness without accountability; uses “forgive and forget” to silence conflict. Seeks true reconciliation; offers and receives forgiveness with humility.
Response to Vulnerability Uses your openness against you or as leverage. Protects your vulnerability; treats your heart with care.
Consistency Words and behavior rarely match. Behavior consistently reflects the teachings of Jesus.
Reaction to Difference Views differing opinions as threats or rebellion. Respects differences and seeks understanding.
Inner Motivation Recognition, admiration, power, or control. Love, service, compassion, and connection to God.
Spiritual Fruit Decreases peace, increases tension; spirit feels heavy around them. Increases peace, expands hope; spirit feels lifted around them.
Your Inner Experience “Something feels off.” You feel spiritually smaller around them. “Something feels right.” You feel spiritually strengthened around them.

Healing from the influence of a spiritually controlling or self-righteous person is not just emotional work, it is soul work. When someone misuses faith to dominate, shame, or diminish you, it creates wounds that reach deeper than ordinary conflict.

But you can heal. You can reclaim your peace. You can restore your connection with God, with others, and with yourself.

Following are the steps that will help you restore your voice, reclaim your peace, and rebuild your spiritual life on a foundation of truth, love, and authenticity.

    1. Acknowledge That What You Experienced Was Real

Spiritual manipulation is subtle. It leaves you second-guessing yourself. You may even wonder if you’re the problem.

You’re not.

The moment you admit, “Something inside me was hurting,” your healing begins. What you felt was real. And validation is the first breath of recovery.

    1. Release the Shame That Was Never Yours

A modern-day Pharisee often uses shame the way a painter uses color — it gets applied everywhere. But shame placed on you by someone trying to appear superior does not belong to you.

Gently let it fall away. It was never yours to carry.

    1. Reconnect With the Heart of God, Not the Voice That Hurt You

Sometimes the loudest religious voice in your life is not the voice of God.
You may have heard sermons, commands, or threats that left you afraid, small, or unworthy.

But the heart of God is love. The voice of God brings peace, clarity, and hope, never panic or despair.

Allow yourself to meet God again as if for the first time: quietly, gently, honestly.

    1. Surround Yourself With People Who Demonstrate Love, Not Just Talk About It

Healing accelerates when you’re around people who embody:

        • humility
        • patience
        • kindness
        • curiosity
        • compassion

Not perfectly, but sincerely.

The right people reflect back to you the truth of who you are: worthy, loved, and connected.

    1. Rebuild Your Ability to Trust Your Own Inner Guidance

A Pharisee-like person often undermines your confidence in your judgment.

They say:

        • “You don’t understand.”
        • “You’re wrong.”
        • “You’re misinterpreting.”

But your intuition, your inner compass, is a gift. Begin noticing it again. Gently.

Start with small decisions and celebrate each moment you listen to your heart.

    1. Let Yourself Grieve What Was Lost

This part is important.

You may have lost:

        • trust
        • innocence
        • time
        • confidence
        • a relationship
        • a sense of spiritual safety

Grief doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’re human. And grieving opens the doorway to becoming stronger than you were before.

    1. Learn to Set Boundaries Without Feeling Guilty

Boundaries are not punishments. They are expressions of self-love. You can create distance without creating hatred.

A boundary simply says: “I choose peace.”

Jesus Himself walked away from people who distorted His teachings.
You are allowed to do the same.

    1. Rebuild Your Spiritual Life in a Way That Feels Safe and Authentic

This may include:

        • journaling
        • prayer
        • meditation
        • reading scripture with fresh eyes
        • finding a new faith community
        • spending time in nature
        • quiet reflection

Create a spiritual space where your soul can breathe again.

    1. Let Compassion Have the Final Word, but from a Safe Distance

Healing is not about excusing harmful behavior. It is about freeing your heart from bitterness so you can move forward unburdened.

Wish them well. But do not return to the cycle that wounded you. Compassion does not require proximity.

    1. Step Into Your Future Stronger, Wiser, and More Connected Than Before

Everything you went through has shaped a deeper wisdom within you. You are emerging:

        • more aware
        • more grounded
        • more spiritually discerning
        • more connected to your own divine source

You are not damaged. You are not broken. You are becoming more fully yourself.

And your story will one day be the light that guides someone else out of the shadows.

 

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How to Recognize a Modern-Day Pharisee and Protect Your Heart

Not everyone who speaks the name of God reflects the heart of God. And if you’ve ever walked hand-in-hand with someone whose religion becomes their sword, you know how confusing, painful, and spiritually disorienting it can be.

Some people present themselves as pillars of righteousness, devout, knowledgeable, loud in their declarations of holiness, yet quiet in their demonstration of love. They may attend every service, quote scripture on command, and appear to be the picture of devotion, but something in your spirit whispers, “This is not the Jesus I know.”

If you’ve ever felt that discomfort, trust it. You are not imagining things. You may be dealing with someone who uses religion not as a path to love but as a platform for power.

And Jesus Himself warned us about this.

These are the people He called Pharisees, those who knew the words but not the heart, those who built themselves up by tearing others down, those who “bind heavy burdens” on others yet refuse to lift a finger themselves.

This is not new. But it is deeply painful when it touches your life.

When Devotion Turns into Domination

For some spiritually-self-righteous individuals, God becomes a mirror of their own ego:
perfect, infallible, unquestionable, just as they imagine themselves to be.

To maintain that image, they wrap themselves in the cloak of religious superiority:

    • They appear devout.
    • They seem confident.
    • They know all the right words.
    • They sit at the center of spiritual activities.
    • They tell others how to live, but they rarely apply those teachings to themselves.

On the outside, they look holy. On the inside, something’s missing.

The ancient proverb paints the picture clearly: “For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.” — Proverbs 4:16

Harsh words, but not meant to condemn them. They simply reveal what happens when fear, insecurity, or unhealed wounds are covered with a mask of righteousness rather than brought into the light for healing.

How They Impact You

If you grew up with, married into, or are in the reach of someone like this, you may know the effects firsthand:

They use scripture as leverage, not as love. Verses are chosen selectively, usually the ones proving them “right” and you “wrong.”

They tell you your opinions don’t matter. Discussion becomes a monologue: theirs.

They use fear as a tool. Threats of divine judgment, rejection, or eternal consequences are not teachings; they are weapons.

They insist on forgiveness, but only when they are the ones being forgiven. “Turn the other cheek” becomes a tool to silence you, not an invitation toward reconciliation.

They appear godly yet deny the power of God’s love. Scripture speaks directly to this pattern:

“Having the appearance of Godliness but denying its power… Avoid such people.” — 2 Timothy 3:1–7

Notice what the scripture doesn’t say. It doesn’t say, “Judge them.” It doesn’t say, “Fix them.” It simply says, “Avoid.”

Why? Because engaging only drains your spirit, dims your light, and entangles you in endless arguments that lead nowhere.

What To Do If You’re Dealing With a Modern-Day Pharisee

(Steps to Protect Yourself Without Losing Your Faith or Your Peace)

These steps honor both your heart and your spiritual journey.

    1. Release the Need to Change Them

You cannot heal someone by absorbing their behavior or by trying to convince them of your worth. Jesus Himself did not chase the Pharisees. He simply walked His path, and invited others to follow.

Focus on your spiritual growth, not their spiritual performance.

    1. Trust What Your Spirit Is Telling You

If something feels “off,” honor it. Your intuition is not rebellion, it is divine protection. You were given that inner voice for a reason.

    1. Reclaim Your Right to Interpret Your Own Faith

Healthy faith allows questions. Healthy faith allows growth. Healthy faith allows personal connection with God.

You do not need another person to stand between you and the One who created you. Your relationship with God is personal, direct, and unbreakable.

    1. Set Loving Boundaries

It is not un-Christian to set boundaries.
Boundaries are not punishments, they are expressions of self-respect.

A boundary might look like:

        • “I’m not willing to discuss this topic right now.”
        • “I will no longer participate in conversations that use fear or shame.”
        • “I need space.”

You are allowed to protect your peace.

    1. Step Out of the Cycle of Fear

Fear is not from God. Fear is a human tool used to control other humans.

Your soul knows truth when it hears it, and truth never comes dressed as terror.

    1. Surround Yourself With Those Who Share the Love of Jesus, Not Just the Language of Jesus

Look for people who demonstrate:

        • compassion
        • humility
        • forgiveness
        • accountability
        • gentleness
        • grace

This is the heart of authentic faith.

    1. Allow Yourself to Heal

Being spiritually manipulated leaves wounds, deep ones. You may feel confusion, guilt, or shame. These emotions do not mean you are weak. They simply mean you’ve been carrying more than any one heart should carry alone.

Healing begins when you give yourself permission to feel again, hope again, and trust that God has always been beside you, even in the moments you felt most abandoned.

Modern-Day Pharisee vs. True Follower of Jesus

Category Modern-Day Pharisee True Follower of Jesus
Foundation of Faith Built on image, authority, and appearing righteous. Built on love, humility, connection, and authentic relationship with God.
Approach to Scripture Quotes verses as weapons or validation for control. Selectively chooses passages that make them “right.” Uses scripture as a guide for healing, compassion, forgiveness, and self-reflection.
Relationship With Power Uses religion to elevate themselves, dominate, or intimidate others. Uses influence to serve, uplift, and empower people.
Behavior vs. Words Does not practice what they preach. Behavior contradicts teachings. Lives the message quietly. Behavior reflects love more than words ever could.
View of Self Believes they are uniquely righteous or spiritually superior. Sees themselves as a work in progress—loved, guided, and always learning.
View of Others Quick to judge. Quick to condemn. Expects perfection from others. Patient, understanding, forgiving, and supportive. Sees the divine spark in everyone.
Use of Fear Instills fear of judgment, punishment, rejection, or hell to maintain control. Releases fear. Inspires hope and trust. Reminds others of God’s love and presence.
Response to Disagreement “I am right. You are wrong.” No room for discussion or interpretation. Opens space for conversation. Respects differences. Seeks mutual understanding.
Role in Community Wants center stage. Requires admiration or obedience. Easily offended if not praised. Seeks to serve quietly. Prefers God to be glorified, not themselves.
Emotional Impact on Others Drains energy. Creates confusion, guilt, shame, or spiritual insecurity. Restores peace. Builds confidence. Encourages spiritual clarity and freedom.
Approach to Forgiveness Demands forgiveness without accountability. Expects others to “turn the other cheek” for their benefit. Seeks reconciliation with humility. Takes responsibility. Gives forgiveness generously.
Connection to God More connected to rules, appearances, and authority. Deeply connected to the heart of God—love, presence, and compassion.
Response to Vulnerability Uses your vulnerability against you. Protects your vulnerability with care.
How They Handle Their Own Mistakes Deny, deflect, or blame others. Acknowledge, apologize, and grow from them.
Spiritual Fruit Creates fear, tension, control, and pressure. Creates peace, joy, gentleness, and spiritual safety.
Overall Outcome Produces spiritual exhaustion, emotional wounds, and loss of self-trust. Produces restoration, healing, hope, and renewed faith.

Your Faith Is Yours, No One Can Take It from You

Jesus never told anyone to surrender their discernment. He never required blind obedience to human authority. He never asked you to silence your heart so someone else could feel powerful.

You were created to walk in freedom, not fear. You were created to connect with God through love, not intimidation. And you were created to rise, even out of the shadow of someone who misuses His name.

If you have encountered a modern-day Pharisee, remember: You are still loved. You are still safe. You are still connected. And the same Jesus who confronted the Pharisees with courage walks beside you now, with compassion, clarity, and the unwavering promise that you are never alone.

 

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Heart Reformation via Returning to the Love of Jesus Mindset

Let’s be clear: the Apostle Paul is a powerful force in the story of early Christianity. His missionary journeys, his letters, and his passionate intellect helped spread the message of Jesus far beyond Jewish circles, translating divine love into practical life for people across the Roman Empire. In many ways, Paul was Christianity’s first great communicator, a master of public relations, if you will. But even he did not walk physically with Jesus, nor did he sit at the Master’s feet day after day like the disciples did.

And yet, even the disciples, entrusted with the firsthand teachings of Jesus, eventually found themselves caught up in the politics of religion. The church that began with intimate fellowship, mutual service, and simple love, gradually evolved into institutions of control, hierarchy, and often fear. Over time, that spirit of love was replaced with a mindset of “us versus them,” “right versus wrong,” and “our way or the highway.” This mindset, unfortunately, became the blueprint for nearly every denomination that followed.

But is that what Jesus intended?

Jesus didn’t come to start a religion. He came to transform hearts. He didn’t set out to create a theological system of boxes to check or a church hierarchy to enforce obedience. His message was, and still is, simple:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” — John 13:34 (NIV)

The love of Jesus mindset is not about power, performance, or perfection. It’s about presence, compassion, mercy, and humility.

When Jesus encountered the broken, the outcast, the sinner, and even the proud, His response was not rejection but redirection through love. Think of the woman caught in adultery (John 8), the tax collector Zacchaeus (Luke 19), or even Peter after his denial (John 21). Jesus didn’t shame them. He restored them.

Jesus didn’t command us to create church policies. He commanded us to love.

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” — John 13:35

Throughout history, the church often moved from the margins of love to the center of power. By the time the early Christian church became entwined with the Roman Empire, it was already evolving into something Jesus never modeled: political influence, control over people’s consciences, and dogmatic division.

Paul himself warned of this tendency in the churches:

“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” — Galatians 5:14-15

But we didn’t listen. Instead, many religious institutions emphasized fear of judgment, the legalism of ritual, and loyalty to doctrine over the transformational love of Jesus.

The time has come for a new kind of reformation—not one of structure, but of heart. Not a war on doctrine, but a return to love.

Here are some ways we can begin honoring the love of Jesus mindset today:

    1. Lead with Compassion Instead of Correction

Jesus didn’t go around telling people what was wrong with them. He met them with understanding and healing. Before we correct others, let us first listen and love.

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” — Philippians 4:5

    1. Embrace Radical Inclusion

Jesus dined with sinners, touched lepers, and spoke with women and foreigners—people the religious world rejected. Our modern churches should reflect that same inclusive love.

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile… for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” — Galatians 3:28

    1. Make Love the Litmus Test of Faith

Not church attendance. Not right theology. Not political views. The real measure of discipleship is love in action.

“If I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” — 1 Corinthians 13:2

    1. Let the Church Be a Hospital, Not a Courtroom

People should feel safe to be vulnerable and messy in church. Jesus didn’t shame people into holiness; He loved them into healing.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion…” — Colossians 3:12

    1. Speak Truth, But Only in Love

Truth and love are not opposites; they are partners. But truth without love becomes a weapon.

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become… mature in Christ.” — Ephesians 4:15

Love Is the Narrow Way

When Jesus said, “narrow is the road that leads to life” (Matthew 7:14), He wasn’t talking about a checklist of rules. He was describing the path of selfless love—a way that few walk because it demands surrender, humility, and forgiveness.

The time has come to return to that road. To live, love, and lead like Jesus—not with judgment, not with fear, not with division—but with radical, inclusive, healing love.

If we call ourselves followers of Christ, then love must be the way, the truth, and the life we live by.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” — 1 Corinthians 13:13

~ David M Masters

 

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The Eternal Significance of Small Acts and St Paul in Chains

St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians closes with a deeply personal note: “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you” (Colossians 4:18, ESV). These final words carry layers of meaning that resonate across the centuries, reminding us of the power of perseverance, humility, and faithfulness in the service of God’s kingdom.

 

The Journey of the Letter

Imagine the moment when Tychicus and Onesimus took possession of Paul’s letter. The two men, faithful companions and messengers, were entrusted with carrying this sacred text over 1,200 miles from Rome to Colossae—a journey without the conveniences of modern transportation. The roads they traveled were fraught with dangers: weather, illness, thieves, and the physical toll of such a trek.

Did they realize the monumental task they were undertaking? Did they understand that the scroll they carried in their satchel, carefully protected from the elements, would one day be a source of guidance, encouragement, and instruction for millions? Could they have fathomed that their seemingly ordinary mission would ripple across centuries to impact countless lives, including yours and mine?

In our age of instant communication, it’s hard to grasp the painstaking effort involved in delivering a single message. Each letter from Paul was a labor of love, prayer, and conviction. It wasn’t simply a piece of correspondence; it was a lifeline, a testament to God’s work, and an eternal encouragement to the early Church.

Paul’s Request: “Remember My Chains”

Paul didn’t ask to be remembered for his eloquent words, his miraculous conversion, or the number of churches he planted. Instead, he asked to be remembered for his chains.

This request wasn’t about drawing attention to his suffering for its own sake. Rather, Paul wanted the Colossians—and us—to remember the cost of making the gospel fully known. His chains symbolized his willingness to share in Christ’s suffering, his commitment to the mission, and the ultimate price of discipleship.

How would you want to be remembered? For Paul, it was about faithfulness to God’s calling, no matter the cost. He wanted his legacy to point not to himself, but to Christ.

The Team Behind the Letter

Paul’s closing greetings in Colossians highlight the diverse team working alongside him: Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful servant; Onesimus, a once-enslaved man transformed by the gospel; Luke, the physician and writer of a Gospel; and others who each brought unique gifts and purposes to the mission.

This glimpse into Paul’s community reminds us of the body of Christ: a collective of individuals with different skills and callings, working together for a greater purpose. No one role was more important than another. Without the messenger, the letter wouldn’t arrive. Without the writer, there would be no message to send. Each person’s contribution mattered.

Lessons for Us Today

In today’s world, we may not deliver letters on foot across continents, but we are still entrusted with messages from God. Whether it’s a kind word, a small act of service, or a quiet moment of prayer, these seemingly insignificant tasks may carry eternal significance that we can’t yet see.

Like Tychicus and Onesimus, you may feel that your role is small or unnoticed. Yet, the ripple effects of your faithfulness can impact lives in ways you may never know. Paul’s letter to the Colossians wasn’t just for the Colossians. It was for us, too. And the same God who gave Paul his mission has given you a purpose, no matter how small it might seem.

You Living as God’s Messenger

What message has God entrusted to you? Are you living as His hands and feet in the world?

Sometimes, the hardest or smallest tasks have the greatest eternal significance. A simple smile, a word of encouragement, or a small act of obedience can be the seed for something much larger. You may never write a letter that changes a culture, but your words, actions, and life can be just as impactful today as Paul’s were to the early church.

Paul’s letter was written with prayer, sealed with love, and delivered with faithfulness. In the same way, your life is a letter from God, sent to the people around you. Let it be a testament to His grace, love, and truth.

How Will You Be Remembered?

As you reflect on Paul’s words—“Remember my chains. Grace be with you”—ask yourself: How do you want to be remembered? For what you’ve accomplished or for the way you’ve served? For your own glory or for God’s?

The legacy you leave is built not on the size of your actions, but on the faithfulness with which you carry them out. Be encouraged to take the next step in your journey, trusting that even the smallest acts done for God can have eternal significance. Like Paul, Tychicus, and Onesimus, may we all be faithful messengers of His grace.

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Faith in Real Life: Practicing the Way of Jesus Daily Today!

For many people, faith has been framed as something that happens apart from real life. It lives in services, prayers, beliefs, and words—but struggles to survive traffic, conflict, exhaustion, work pressure, family tension, and disappointment. Somewhere along the way, faith became abstract. Jesus never practiced faith that way.

Jesus lived faith in kitchens, on roads, at tables, in crowds, and in quiet conversations. He practiced love where life actually happened. This is the heart of the Love of Jesus Mindset—faith not as an idea to affirm, but as a way to live.

Jesus did not invite people into a belief system; He invited them into a way. When He said, “Follow me,” He wasn’t offering a doctrine. He was offering a pattern of living that could be practiced one choice at a time.

That distinction makes all the difference.

Faith that only exists in theory collapses under pressure. Faith that is practiced daily becomes resilient, grounded, and quietly powerful.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus brings faith directly into the ordinary realities of life, anger, reconciliation, honesty, generosity, anxiety, forgiveness. He does not speak in abstractions. He speaks in lived situations.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
— Matthew 7:24

Notice the emphasis: puts them into practice.

Jesus never equated faith with agreement alone. He consistently tied it to embodiment. Faith, for Jesus, was something you do, not just something you say you believe.

At St Pauls Free Church, we emphasize this because many people carry guilt over not feeling “spiritual enough,” when the real issue is not devotion, it’s disconnection. Faith was removed from daily life and elevated into something untouchable.

Jesus brought it back down to earth. He showed what love looks like in conflict.
What grace looks like under pressure. What integrity looks like when it costs something.

The Love of Jesus Mindset asks: How does love show up here, right now, in this moment?

This reframes spirituality entirely.

Faith becomes less about performance and more about presence. Less about image and more about integrity. Less about perfection and more about direction.

Paul echoes this grounded spirituality when he writes:

“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
— Colossians 3:17

This is not a call to religiousize everything. It is a call to integrate faith into everything.

Faith in real life looks like:

    • Speaking honestly without cruelty
    • Choosing patience when irritation feels justified
    • Practicing generosity without needing recognition
    • Setting boundaries without shame
    • Listening before reacting
    • Owning mistakes without self-condemnation

These are not dramatic acts. They are daily ones.

Jesus seemed far more interested in how people treated each other in ordinary situations than in how impressive their spirituality appeared. He praised quiet faithfulness more than public performance.

When asked about greatness, He did not point to influence or authority. He pointed to service.

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.”
— Mark 10:43

This reframes success in spiritual terms. Faith grows not by elevation, but by integration—by showing up differently in the spaces we already inhabit.

Practicing faith in real life also means accepting that growth is imperfect. Jesus did not expect flawless execution. He expected direction, humility, and willingness.

Peter stumbled repeatedly. The disciples misunderstood often. Jesus stayed relational.

This is important for anyone who feels discouraged by inconsistency. Faith is not invalidated by struggle. It is shaped through it.

The Love of Jesus Mindset does not demand that we get it right all the time. It invites us to keep choosing love—especially when it’s inconvenient.

Faith in real life often looks quieter than religious expectations suggest. It doesn’t announce itself. It doesn’t seek validation. It simply keeps choosing love where it matters most.

At work. At home. In disagreement. In fatigue.

This is where faith becomes trustworthy—not because it is loud, but because it is lived.

Here is your invitation to spiritual upgrade:

This week, notice where faith feels abstract rather than embodied.

    • Where do you talk about love but struggle to practice it?
    • Where does faith disappear under stress?
    • Where is Jesus inviting you to live differently in a small, ordinary way?

Your practice is this:

Choose one daily moment to practice the way of Jesus.

Not perfectly or publicly. Just intentionally.

Respond with patience instead of reflex.
Tell the truth with kindness.
Offer grace where it isn’t required.

Faith doesn’t grow through grand gestures. It grows through faithful repetition.

Jesus didn’t ask us to believe harder, He invited us to live differently.

Faith in real life is where the way of Jesus becomes real, and where transformation quietly takes root.

 

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Faith After Fear: Healing When Religion Has Caused Harm

For many people, the hardest part of faith is not believing in God, it is unlearning fear. Fear of being wrong. Fear of punishment. Fear of exclusion. Fear of asking the wrong questions. These fears are not born in the heart of Jesus. They are learned, often slowly, subtly, and sincerely, within religious environments that equate control with holiness and certainty with faithfulness.

At St Pauls Free Church, we name this honestly because healing begins with truth. Many people are not walking away from Jesus; they are recovering from experiences where faith became a source of anxiety rather than life.

The Love of Jesus Mindset recognizes that fear-based religion wounds the very people it claims to protect. Jesus never used fear as a tool for transformation. In fact, He consistently moved people out of fear and into trust.

Over and over, Jesus begins interactions with a phrase that religion often forgets:

“Do not be afraid.”
— Luke 12:32

Fear was never His starting point.

Jesus understood that fear may control behavior, but it cannot heal the heart. Fear shrinks people. Love restores them.

One of the clearest contrasts appears in Jesus’ encounters with religious leaders versus His encounters with those harmed by religion. He is gentle with the wounded and unflinching with systems that burden people.

In Matthew 23, Jesus speaks directly to religious authorities:

“They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”
— Matthew 23:4

This is not a rejection of faith. It is a rejection of fear-based religion.

Jesus is naming a system that overwhelms people with obligation while offering no compassion. A system that confuses control with righteousness. A system that wounds conscience rather than forming it.

Many people today carry those burdens long after leaving such systems. They still hear the inner voice of fear. They still brace for punishment. They still struggle to trust God as safe.

Jesus’ response to the wounded was never condemnation. It was restoration.

Consider the woman bent over for eighteen years, whom Jesus heals on the Sabbath. Religious leaders protest. Jesus responds:

“Should not this woman… whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day?”
— Luke 13:16

Freedom mattered more to Jesus than religious optics. Healing mattered more than rule-keeping.

This is essential for anyone seeking faith after fear. Jesus does not shame people for being wounded by religion. He names the harm, and then removes it.

The Love of Jesus Mindset does not rush healing. It honors the process. Fear often embeds itself deeply, especially when it has been wrapped in spiritual language. Healing requires patience, safety, and permission to question.

Many people worry that questioning faith means losing it. Jesus never treated questions as threats.

When Thomas doubts, Jesus does not rebuke him. He invites him closer:

“Put your finger here; see my hands… Stop doubting and believe.”
— John 20:27

Jesus meets doubt with presence, not punishment.

Faith after fear is not about rebuilding certainty overnight. It is about relearning trust, slowly, gently, honestly. Trust in God. Trust in self. Trust in the process of growth.

At St Pauls Free Church, we believe fear-based faith is not a higher form of devotion. It is an immature one. Mature faith is marked not by anxiety, but by love.

John articulates this clearly:

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.”
— 1 John 4:18

Fear and love are incompatible foundations.

If faith has produced constant fear, something has gone wrong, not with you, but with what you were taught. This does not mean abandoning faith. It means allowing Jesus to heal it.

Faith after fear often looks quieter. Less performative. More honest. It makes room for boundaries, rest, and discernment. It resists urgency and coercion. It values conscience over compliance.

Jesus never rushed people toward healing. He asked what they wanted. He honored consent. He restored dignity. That is the path forward for those healing from religious harm.

This week, notice where fear still shapes your faith.

    • Where do you obey out of anxiety rather than love?
    • Where do you avoid questions because they feel dangerous?
    • Where might Jesus be inviting you to rest?

Your practice is this: Release fear as a spiritual motivator.

Pause when fear speaks, ask whether love is present, then let gentleness lead.

You are not failing faith by healing; you are allowing it to mature.

Jesus did not come to frighten people into obedience, He came to set them free.

Faith after fear is not weaker faith; it is deeper, truer, and more whole.

 

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Reading the Bible Like Jesus | Love as the Interpretive Key.

Few things have caused more confusion, division, and harm in the name of faith than the misuse of Scripture. Not Scripture itself, but how it is read. Jesus lived in a culture saturated with religious texts. The Scriptures were revered, memorized, debated, and enforced. Yet again and again, Jesus confronted those who knew the Bible best, not for reading it too little, but for reading it without love.

Jesus did not reject Scripture. He reframed it.

At St Pauls Free Church, we believe the Bible is sacred, meaningful, and alive, but we also believe it must be read through the life and spirit of Jesus, not apart from Him. This posture is central to the Love of Jesus Mindset.

Jesus did not treat Scripture as a weapon to control people; He treated it as a witness meant to lead people toward life.

When religious leaders challenged Him, Jesus didn’t quote Scripture to dominate them. He used it to reveal God’s heart and to expose interpretations that produced fear, exclusion, and harm.

In one of the most direct moments, Jesus says:

“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”
— John 5:39–40

This statement is profound. Jesus suggests it is possible to read Scripture faithfully and still miss the point. Why? Because Scripture is not an end in itself. It points beyond itself, to Jesus, and to the life He embodies.

Jesus is not merely supported by Scripture. He is its lens.

Over and over, Jesus re-centers interpretation around love, mercy, and human dignity. When questioned about the law, He distills it not into stricter rules, but into relational clarity:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart… and love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
— Matthew 22:37–40

This is not simplification for convenience. It is prioritization.

Jesus is saying: If your reading of Scripture leads you away from love, you are reading it incorrectly.

That’s a sobering thought, especially for those of us who were taught that “correct interpretation” means rigid literalism or unquestioned certainty. Jesus modeled something far more demanding: interpretation that bears loving fruit.

The Apostle Paul echoes this Jesus-centered approach when he writes:

“The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
— 2 Corinthians 3:6

Paul is not dismissing Scripture. He is warning against readings that strip Scripture of its life-giving purpose. A text divorced from love becomes oppressive. A rule disconnected from relationship becomes destructive.

This is why St Pauls Free Church reads the Bible with humility and context. We honor the Old Testament as a sacred spiritual and historical foundation, but we refuse to weaponize it against people Jesus came to heal. We read Paul’s letters as invitations into freedom and conscience—not as tools for shame or control.

The Love of Jesus Mindset asks a different set of questions when reading Scripture:

    • Does this interpretation reflect how Jesus treated people?
    • Does it produce love, humility, and compassion?
    • Does it lead toward healing or fear?
    • Does it make people more human—or smaller?

Jesus Himself modeled reinterpretation when strict readings caused harm. When religious leaders accused Him of breaking Sabbath law by healing, He responded:

“The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath.”
— Mark 2:27

That sentence alone reshapes how Scripture is meant to function. Scripture serves life, not the other way around.

Many people today carry wounds not from the Bible, but from interpretations that ignored Jesus’ spirit. They were told that God’s Word required exclusion, shame, or fear. But Jesus consistently challenged those conclusions.

This is why reading Scripture through Jesus is not a soft option, it is a responsible one. It requires discernment. It requires maturity. It requires resisting the temptation to use certainty as a substitute for love.

The Bible is not meant to settle arguments; it is meant to form people.

When Scripture is read through Jesus, it does not become weaker; it becomes deeper. Hard passages are held with care. Tension is acknowledged. Context is respected. And love remains the interpretive center.

This approach does not eliminate truth; it protects it.

Truth without love becomes cruelty. Love without truth becomes sentimentality.

Jesus held both and invites us to do the same.

Here is your invitation to spiritual upgrade:

This week, pay attention to how you read Scripture, or how Scripture has been read to you.

    • Where have interpretations produced fear instead of freedom?
    • Where has certainty replaced compassion?
    • Where might Jesus be inviting you to read more relationally?

Your practice is this: Let love be your lens.

When reading Scripture, ask:

    • How does this reflect Jesus?
    • Who does this help heal?
    • What kind of people does this form?

You are not being asked to abandon the Bible; you are being invited to read it the way Jesus did.

Scripture was meant to lead us to life.

Jesus shows us how.

 

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Belonging Before Belief: Why Jesus Made Space First Together

One of the most misunderstood aspects of Jesus’ ministry is how little He seemed concerned with getting people to believe the “right” things before welcoming them. Jesus did not begin by sorting people into categories of belief, purity, or correctness. He began by making space. Space to eat. Space to listen. Space to be human.

In a world where belonging was tightly controlled by religion, ethnicity, and moral reputation, Jesus practiced a radically different posture. He welcomed people before they agreed with Him, understood Him, or changed their behavior.

This is not accidental. It is foundational to the Love of Jesus Mindset.

Jesus understood something we still struggle to accept: people do not transform under pressure; they transform in relationship.

One of the clearest examples appears in Luke 5, when Jesus calls Levi, a tax collector—someone socially and religiously despised. Levi responds by hosting a banquet, filling his home with others like him. Religious leaders immediately object.

Jesus’ response is simple and revealing:

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
— Luke 5:31–32

Notice what Jesus does not do. He does not demand theological alignment before sitting at the table. He does not require moral reform before relationship. He does not withhold belonging until belief is settled. He eats first. He connects first. He belongs with them.

Only later does change emerge.

At St Pauls Free Church, this pattern matters deeply because many people today are not rejecting Jesus—they are rejecting experiences where belonging was withheld until conformity was achieved. They were told, implicitly or explicitly, “Change first, then you can belong.”

Jesus reversed that order.

Belonging was not the reward for transformation. Belonging was the soil where transformation could grow.

This does not mean Jesus avoided truth. He spoke truth clearly and directly. But truth came within relationship, not as a barrier to it. Belonging created safety. Safety allowed honesty. Honesty made growth possible.

The Love of Jesus Mindset recognizes that safety is not softness; it is strength. It takes confidence to remain relational when answers are unresolved. It takes maturity to allow people to be unfinished without rushing them toward conclusions.

Jesus demonstrated this repeatedly. Consider the Samaritan woman in John 4. Jesus does not begin by confronting her life choices. He begins with conversation. Curiosity. Shared humanity.

Only after trust is established does truth surface, and even then, it is offered without humiliation.

“The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah is coming.’
Jesus declared, ‘I, the one speaking to you—I am he.’”
— John 4:25–26

Revelation comes after relationship, not before.

Belonging before belief requires spiritual maturity because it demands we tolerate ambiguity. It asks us to remain open when certainty would feel safer. It challenges our need to categorize people quickly so we can feel secure.

But Jesus seemed remarkably comfortable with tension.

He allowed questions to remain unanswered. He allowed people to follow imperfectly. He allowed misunderstanding to coexist with relationship.

This posture reveals something important: Jesus trusted love to do its work over time.

Religion often rushes belief because it fears uncertainty. Jesus allowed belonging because He trusted growth.

This distinction has profound implications for our own spiritual development. One of the clearest indicators of maturity is how we handle people who are still becoming, including ourselves.

    • Do we require clarity before connection?
    • Do we withdraw when someone doesn’t align quickly enough?
    • Do we mistake pressure for faithfulness?

The Love of Jesus Mindset invites a different approach: stay relational longer than feels comfortable.

This does not eliminate boundaries. It deepens them. Boundaries rooted in love are not walls; they are containers that allow growth without harm.

Belonging before belief is not permissiveness; it is patience guided by wisdom.

Jesus understood that people grow at different speeds, in different ways, and through different questions. He trusted that love would guide the process more effectively than force ever could.

Here is your invitation to spiritual upgrade:

This week, notice where you make belonging conditional.

    • Who do you keep at a distance until they “figure it out”?
    • Where do you withdraw warmth when certainty is missing?
    • How quickly do you apply pressure instead of patience?

Your practice is this: Offer connection without demanding resolution.

Stay curious. Stay present. Let love hold the tension.

You are not being asked to abandon truth; you are being invited to trust love as the pathway to it.

Jesus built lives by creating space first.

If we want to align ourselves with Him, not just admire Him, we must be willing to do the same.

 

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Freedom That Grows You: Why Jesus Trusted People With Choice

One of the most challenging aspects of Jesus’ way of life is not His compassion—it’s His trust. Jesus trusted people with freedom. He did not stand over them to ensure compliance. He did not follow them with consequences ready in hand. He did not replace conscience with control. He invited, and then allowed people to choose.

This posture is central to the Love of Jesus Mindset, and it directly confronts one of religion’s most persistent assumptions: that people cannot be trusted with freedom. Jesus seemed to believe the opposite.

Again and again, He extended invitations without guarantees. “Follow me,” He said—not “Prove yourself first.” Some followed. Some hesitated. Some walked away. Jesus let them. This wasn’t negligence. It was respect.

In Matthew 19, a wealthy young man approaches Jesus sincerely seeking spiritual clarity. Jesus responds honestly, compassionately, and directly, then watches as the man walks away, unable to release what holds him.

Jesus does not chase him. He does not threaten him. He does not bargain. He lets him go.

That moment is deeply revealing. Jesus was not interested in coerced obedience. He was interested in freely chosen transformation.

At St Pauls Free Church, we take this seriously. We believe faith matures when people are trusted with responsibility, not managed through fear. Freedom is not a flaw in the system; it is the environment in which genuine faith emerges.

The Apostle Paul echoes this when he writes:

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”
— Galatians 5:13

Notice how Paul frames it. Freedom is not removed because people might misuse it. Instead, freedom is paired with responsibility and love. He trusts the community to grow into discernment. This is spiritual adulthood.

Rules can restrain behavior, but they cannot transform desire. Control may create compliance, but it does not produce love. Jesus aimed deeper. He trusted that love awakens conscience—and conscience guides choice.

Many of us were formed in systems that equated freedom with danger. We were taught that without strict oversight, people would fall apart. Jesus’ approach suggests something more hopeful: that when people are loved, trusted, and taught wisely, they often rise to the occasion.

This doesn’t mean freedom is easy.

Freedom exposes us. When no one is watching, our motivations surface. When no rule is enforcing behavior, our values are revealed. This is precisely why freedom is such a powerful teacher.

Paul articulates this tension clearly:

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.
“I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.
— 1 Corinthians 6:12

This is not about restriction, it’s about wisdom. Spiritual growth is marked by a shift in the questions we ask. Instead of “Is this allowed?” we begin to ask, “Is this life-giving? Is this loving? Is this aligned with who I am becoming?”

Jesus trusted people to make that shift.

He did not infantilize His followers. He expected growth. He expected discernment. He expected love to mature into responsibility.

This is why control-heavy religion often stalls spiritual development. When external rules do all the work, internal conscience remains underdeveloped. People learn compliance, but not wisdom.

The Love of Jesus Mindset invites something braver.

It invites us to live as people who choose love not because we must, but because we want to. It asks us to practice integrity even when no one is enforcing it. It calls us into a faith that is lived from the inside out.

Freedom with responsibility is not leniency; it is trust coupled with growth. Jesus believed people were capable of more than we often give them credit for.

Here is your invitation to spiritual upgrade:

This week, notice where you lean on external permission instead of inner discernment.

    • Where do you ask “Can I?” instead of “Should I?”
    • Where do you hide behind what is allowed rather than choosing what is loving?
    • Where might Jesus be trusting you to grow?

Your practice is this:

Choose responsibility over permission.

Pause before acting. Ask what leads to life. Let love—not fear—guide your choices.

Freedom is not the absence of boundaries; it is the presence of wisdom.

Jesus trusted people with freedom because He believed love could carry the weight.

The question is not whether you are free. The question is how you will use that freedom to grow.

 

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Love Before Labels: The Way Jesus Changed People Without Controlling Them

One of the most quietly radical things about Jesus is not what He demanded—but what He refused to do. Jesus refused to reduce people to labels. He did not introduce Zacchaeus as “a corrupt tax collector.” He did not define the Samaritan woman by her relationship history. He did not dismiss Peter as reckless or unreliable. Jesus consistently encountered the person before the behavior—and then loved that person without leverage.

This posture is at the heart of what we call the Love of Jesus Mindset.

Love, for Jesus, was not a reward for moral correctness. It was the environment in which transformation could actually occur.

In Luke 19, when Jesus encounters Zacchaeus, the crowd is already certain about who this man is. Zacchaeus is wealthy through exploitation. He is complicit with an oppressive system. He is, by every religious metric, unworthy.

Yet Jesus does something unexpected:

“Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”
— Luke 19:5

Notice what happens before Zacchaeus repents. Before restitution. Before apology. Before changed behavior.

Jesus chooses relationship.

And it is after being seen, welcomed, and honored that Zacchaeus’ life changes. Not because he was pressured—but because dignity awakened conscience.

This pattern repeats throughout the Gospels. Jesus leads with presence, not pressure. With curiosity, not control. With love that creates safety rather than fear.

At St Pauls Free Church, we believe this matters deeply—because many people have experienced the opposite approach in religious spaces. They were labeled before they were known. Corrected before they were heard. Managed before they were loved.

Jesus did not operate that way.

This does not mean Jesus avoided truth. He spoke truth clearly. But He delivered truth inside relationship, not as a weapon. Love was not soft—it was strong enough to hold tension without withdrawing.

Love before labels requires spiritual maturity.

It is far easier to categorize people quickly than to stay present with complexity. Labels simplify the world. They give us the illusion of clarity and control. Love, on the other hand, requires patience, restraint, and humility.

The Love of Jesus Mindset invites us to ask different questions:

    • Who is this person beneath the surface?
    • What story might I not yet understand?
    • How would love lead here—rather than fear?

Jesus seemed deeply unconcerned with protecting His image or maintaining moral superiority. He was more interested in restoring people to themselves.

This is why He warned religious leaders who were obsessed with appearances but disconnected from compassion:

“You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and self-indulgence.”
— Matthew 23:25

Labels clean up the outside. Love transforms the inside.

Spiritual growth often shows up not in how strongly we believe—but in how we treat people when we disagree, feel uncomfortable, or feel threatened. The more mature our faith becomes, the less we need labels to feel safe.

This is not permissiveness, it is discernment guided by love.

Jesus did not abandon wisdom to practice compassion. He embodied both. He trusted that love, when authentic, would lead people toward truth far more effectively than control ever could.

A Love of Jesus Mindset Invitation

Here is a gentle but real invitation to spiritual upgrade:

This week, notice where you label people quickly.

    • Who do you define before you know?
    • Where do you withhold warmth until someone proves themselves?
    • When do you choose certainty over curiosity?

Your practice is simple—and challenging: Pause the label. Lead with love.

Stay present longer than feels comfortable, listen without planning your response, and let dignity come first.

You don’t have to abandon boundaries or wisdom. You are simply being invited to let love lead.

That is the way Jesus lived, and it is a higher level of faith.

 

 

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Do You Attain Higher God Connection When Stoned or Straight?

The desire to connect with God is a deeply human pursuit that has inspired countless paths, practices, and debates throughout history. Among these, the question of whether to seek communion with the Divine in a natural state or with the aid of mind-altering substances sparks particularly passionate discussions. For Christians and people of faith, approaching this question with tolerance, compassion, and understanding is crucial, as it reflects the love of Christ and acknowledges the diverse ways humanity seeks the Creator.

Considering Humanity’s Diverse Pathways to the Divine

Let’s explore both perspectives—connecting to God in purity and connecting through altered states of consciousness—without judgment, offering insights into the intentions, merits, and challenges of each. It also suggests how Christians can embody love and grace when engaging with those whose spiritual paths differ from their own.

The Call to Purity: Approaching God in a Natural State

For many Christians, the belief in presenting oneself before God in purity is rooted in scripture and tradition. Passages such as 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, which refers to the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, emphasize the importance of honoring God with a clean heart and mind. From this perspective, connecting with God in a natural state reflects reverence, integrity, and trust in God’s accessibility without external aids.

Merits of Purity

    1. Authenticity in Worship
      Approaching God with a clear mind allows for unfiltered, authentic communion, free from the influence of substances that may distort perception. It fosters a sense of personal responsibility in the relationship with God.
    2. Alignment with Scripture
      Many Christians view natural connection as consistent with biblical teachings that call for self-discipline, clarity, and purity (e.g., Romans 12:1-2, Philippians 4:8).
    3. Consistency and Reliability
      A sober mind provides a stable foundation for ongoing spiritual growth, ensuring that insights and guidance are grounded in reality and aligned with God’s will.

Challenges to Consider

Even for those committed to purity, the journey can be difficult. Quieting the mind and connecting with God requires patience and perseverance.

Frustration or feelings of inadequacy may arise, but these struggles often lead to deeper faith and reliance on God.

The Use of Substances and Altered States as a Spiritual Tool

On the other side of the spectrum, some people, including certain indigenous traditions and even modern seekers, advocate for the use of substances like cannabis, psilocybin, or other entheogens to transcend ordinary consciousness and access the Divine. While this approach may not align with traditional Christian teachings, understanding its intentions can foster compassion and dialogue.

Merits of Altered States

    1. Breaking Through Mental Barriers
      Mind-altering substances can quiet the “monkey mind” and dissolve the ego, enabling individuals to experience profound states of unity with God and creation. For some, these experiences spark life-changing spiritual awakenings.
    2. Historical and Cultural Precedent
      In many ancient and indigenous cultures, substances have been used in sacred ceremonies to facilitate connection with the Divine. These practices are often deeply reverent and structured, aiming to heal, guide, or gain spiritual insight.
    3. Catalyst for Transformation
      For those struggling to connect through traditional means, altered states may serve as a starting point for deeper exploration of spirituality. The experiences can inspire a greater sense of awe, humility, and purpose.

Challenges to Consider

While altered states may open the door to profound insights, they also carry risks. Lowered defenses can make individuals vulnerable to deception, confusion, or harmful influences. Dependency on substances for spiritual connection can also detract from the trust in God’s presence and guidance in everyday life.

A Compassionate Christian Perspective

As followers of Christ, Christians are called to love their neighbors and extend grace to all, regardless of their spiritual practices (John 13:34-35). While the Bible offers clear guidance on maintaining purity and self-control, it also teaches humility, understanding, and the importance of meeting people where they are.

1. Recognize Shared Intentions

At its core, the desire to connect with God reflects a universal yearning for meaning, purpose, and relationship with the Creator. Whether one approaches this through purity or altered states, the underlying intention is often sincere.

2. Avoid Judgment

Jesus consistently modeled compassion for those whose paths differed from societal norms. His interactions with tax collectors, sinners, and Samaritans demonstrate that love transcends human distinctions. Similarly, Christians can approach those who use substances for spiritual purposes with empathy rather than condemnation.

3. Embrace Dialogue and Witness

Instead of dismissing alternative practices, Christians can engage in open, respectful dialogue. Sharing personal experiences of God’s grace and presence in a natural state may inspire others to explore similar connections.

4. Trust God’s Sovereignty

Ultimately, God’s ability to reach and transform hearts is not limited by human choices or practices. Trusting in God’s sovereignty allows Christians to release the need to control or critique how others seek the Divine.

Practical Ways to Deepen Connection to God

For Christians and seekers alike, certain practices can enhance the authenticity and depth of spiritual connection, regardless of one’s approach:

    1. Daily Prayer
      Communing with God through prayer fosters intimacy and openness, allowing for a two-way relationship with the Divine.
    2. Meditation and Reflection
      Quiet moments of meditation and scriptural reflection can help individuals attune to God’s voice amidst the noise of daily life.
    3. Fasting and Spiritual Cleansing
      Fasting, whether from food or distractions, can heighten spiritual receptivity and focus.
    4. Community Worship
      Gathering with others in worship strengthens faith and provides support, encouragement, and accountability.
    5. Intentionality in Practices
      Whether straight or altered, approaching spiritual practices with clear intentions honors the sacredness of the pursuit.
    6. Seek the Fruit of the Spirit
      Galatians 5:22-23 reminds us that true connection with God produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Use these as benchmarks to evaluate the authenticity of your spiritual experiences.

The debate over whether to connect to God stoned or straight ultimately highlights humanity’s diverse attempts to bridge the gap between the finite and the infinite. As Christians, adopting a compassionate attitude toward all variations of this effort reflects the heart of Christ, who meets each person where they are.

By focusing on shared intentions, practicing humility, and prioritizing love over judgment, Christians can witness the transformative power of a natural connection with God while respecting the paths others take in their spiritual journey. Ultimately, the goal is not to dictate how others find God but to embody the grace, truth, and love of the One who invites all into a relationship.

 

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BeTheology: The Study of Being

BeTheology is the study and practice of being human in conscious relationship with God Source Energy — the divine current of life that animates all existence. It explores the art and science of awareness, growth, and becoming, guiding us to live as evolving expressions of divine presence in motion.

Etymology:

Be-Thee-ology — derived from:

    • “Be” — to exist, to embody, to become.
    • “Thee” — the sacred self, the spark of God Source within.
    • “-ology” — the study or disciplined understanding of a subject.

Together, BeTheology means “the study of your divine beingness,” where human life becomes the classroom of the soul.

Core Premise:

BeTheology begins with the knowing that life itself is a divine experiment in consciousness. Each person is both a vessel and expression of God Source Energy, unfolding through the human experience. In this view, being human is not a limitation — it is a living opportunity to explore, expand, and embody the essence of the Creator.

In BeTheology, being is both an act of worship and a path of becoming.

Purpose:

To provide a living framework for:

    • Understanding the sacred design of the human experience.
    • Exploring how consciousness expands through awareness, compassion, and creation.
    • Guiding individuals to align their thoughts, emotions, and actions with the divine flow of God Source Energy.
    • Transforming daily life into an ongoing conversation between the human self and the infinite.

The Four Pillars of BeTheology:

Pillar Description Guiding Question
1. Awareness Recognizing the divine spark within and observing life as consciousness unfolding. What is Source showing me through this moment?
2. Alignment Harmonizing with the frequency of God Source Energy, allowing thought and action to flow through love. Am I attuned to the divine current within me?
3. Expansion Evolving through experiences that invite deeper understanding and compassion. How is this helping me grow closer to my true essence?
4. Embodiment Living as a conscious extension of divine energy in the world. How can I express the love of Source through my being today?

The BeTheologist’s Path:

A BeTheologist studies the art of being through direct experience with life itself.
They learn to sense God Source Energy in all things — in breath, thought, emotion, and connection.
The BeTheologist walks in awareness that the Creator is not separate, but ever-present within every act of being.

Their pursuit is not to find God, but to become a clearer vessel of divine expression.

Guiding Principles:

    1. Being is sacred. Each moment is a living prayer to the Source of All.
    2. The divine resides within. You are both the reflection and the radiance of God Source Energy.
    3. Awareness is communion. Through stillness and observation, we reconnect with the infinite.
    4. Love is the highest frequency of Source. It restores balance, heals separation, and guides all becoming.
    5. Expansion is divine evolution. Growth is the language through which Source experiences itself.

The BeTheology Movement:

BeTheology invites humanity into a conscious evolution — a movement of remembering our divine nature while honoring the human experience.
It transcends religion and doctrine, embracing all paths that lead to unity with God Source Energy.
Its essence is experiential, its practice universal, and its mission eternal: to awaken the divine within humanity, one being at a time.

Motto:

“Being is communion. Becoming is divine.”

The Sacred Study of Being Human

We stand at the threshold of a new awakening —
a moment in which humanity remembers what it has always known:
that to be is holy.
That every breath is communion with God Source Energy,
and every heartbeat is the echo of creation unfolding within us.

BeTheology is the study of this remembering.
It is not a religion, nor a set of rules.
It is a way of seeing — a lens through which we perceive life
as the sacred expression of consciousness becoming aware of itself.

Our Declaration

We believe that being human is a divine opportunity.
Each of us is a vessel through which Source experiences creation.
We are not here to escape the human condition,
but to illuminate it —
to bring heaven into form through awareness, compassion, and love.

We honor the spark of the Infinite that dwells in every being.
We call it by many names: Spirit, Light, Source, God —
yet it needs no name, for it is the current that breathes all life.
BeTheology recognizes that when we awaken to this energy within,
we begin to live as instruments of divine harmony.

Our Conviction

We affirm that every soul is both student and teacher in the classroom of being.
Awareness is our textbook.
Experience is our teacher.
Love is our final examination.

We no longer seek perfection; we seek presence.
For it is not what we possess, believe, or perform
that reveals our divinity —
but how we be in this moment.

To study BeTheology is to live deliberately.
It is to awaken in the middle of an ordinary day
and feel the quiet hum of God Source Energy
flowing through thought, emotion, and breath —
to remember that all of life is sacred curriculum.

Our Practice

We practice Awareness,
by observing ourselves without judgment,
knowing that consciousness expands through curiosity.

We practice Alignment,
by harmonizing our thoughts, words, and actions
with the highest vibration of Source — love itself.

We practice Expansion,
by embracing change as evolution in motion,
seeing each challenge as a divine experiment in growth.

We practice Embodiment,
by living as open channels of grace,
allowing divine energy to express through compassion, creativity, and courage.

Our Vision

We envision a humanity that remembers its origin in Source
and acts from that remembrance.
A world where being human is not a burden,
but a celebration of divine possibility.

We envision communities of BeTheologists —
souls devoted to conscious living,
transforming the fabric of society through presence and love.

Through BeTheology, we move beyond separation and fear,
and return to the simplicity of being —
not as victims of circumstance,
but as co-creators with God Source Energy in every unfolding moment.

Our Invitation

We invite all seekers, believers, skeptics, and dreamers
to explore this sacred art of being.
To study yourself not as a problem to be solved,
but as a mystery to be revealed.

Walk with us — not in pursuit of perfection,
but in pursuit of presence.
Not to reach heaven,
but to bring heaven here.

Together, we will rediscover what it means to be the light of Source in form —
to live as love, to grow through grace,
and to awaken a world that remembers its divinity.

Our Affirmation

I am not merely existing.
I am being — consciously, lovingly, divinely.
I am a living expression of God Source Energy.
My presence is my purpose.
My growth is my devotion.
My love is my offering.

This is BeTheology.
The sacred study of being human.
The movement of awakening souls into divine remembrance.
The path of being — becoming — and belonging in Source.

BeTheology Creed 

I am a living expression of God Source Energy.
My breath is sacred; my being is divine.
I awaken through awareness and grow through love.
In every moment, I am becoming more of who I truly am.
To Be is my practice.
To Love is my purpose.
This is BeTheology — the sacred study of being.

BeTheology Creed:  Expanded

A Declaration of Conscious Being

I am a being of divine origin.
I carry within me the living spark of God Source Energy.
My breath is sacred; my existence, a prayer.

I am here to remember.
To awaken from the illusion of separation,
and return to the truth of oneness.
I am not here to escape being human,
but to embody the divine through it.

Awareness is my path.
In each moment, I witness myself and grow.
Every experience is my teacher;
every heartbeat, a reminder of the Infinite within me.

Alignment is my choice.
I align my thoughts, emotions, and actions
with the vibration of love — the frequency of Source.
I surrender resistance and flow with divine intention.

Expansion is my nature.
I welcome change as sacred evolution.
I rise beyond limitation,
becoming more of who I truly am with every breath.

Embodiment is my devotion.
I am the living presence of grace in motion.
Through kindness, creativity, and compassion,
I express the energy of God through all that I am.

I am not separate. I am one.
The Source that created me moves through me still.
In me, God experiences life;
through me, Love finds its form.

So today, and every day, I choose to Be.
To live in awareness, to grow through love,
and to remember who I am —
a luminous being of divine consciousness becoming.

This is BeTheology.
The study of being.
The practice of presence.
The path of awakening.

 

 

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How to Talk to People About Jesus

I’ve been in the Christian ministry since I got out of high school and I have been trained in how to talk to people about Jesus, and today, I realize that all of these efforts in all their various styles were not correct. I will tell you how I talk to people about Jesus today. Maybe it will work for you, too.

What’s wrong with the old ways?

The common thread that runs through all the previous methods that I was taught about how to talk to people about Jesus, is that the methods were approached from what I call “spiritual arrogance,” which is referred to in Christian mental health issues as spiritual narcissism.

Spiritual Narcissism

Spiritual narcissism is an arrogant state of mind that assumes that the person who is delivering the message is superior to every person that you are communicating with. The status of an inflated ego will make the delivery of any message more difficult to receive by anyone who would have an open heart even if they would benefit greatly from the message you are trying to deliver.

Spiritual arrogance or narcissism is offensive and will put any listener on the defensive. Here are the things that will cause someone’s heart to close down, making the delivery of your message fall on deaf ears:

    • Bragging about your spiritual or religious endeavors.
    • Using your faith or spirituality to manipulate others in order to improve your religious status.
    • Communicating with a condescending attitude, passive-aggressiveness, and/or defensiveness.
    • Pointing out flaws and errors in personal or religious areas of life.
    • Telling someone that they are wrong, and they must do what you (or the Bible says) or else.
    • Asserting that you and your view of God are right, therefore everyone else is misled.
    • The assertion that this or that is black-and-white.
    • Overburdening a non-believer by quoting 2,000-year-old text (the Bible).
    • Avoiding personal responsibility, “It’s not me, it’s God.”

I’m sure you could think of other things to add to the list, but you get the idea. As much as you are trying to relate to this person, you cannot do it, if you’ve caused them to disconnect due to your delivery method. Check the body language, they stiffen, lean back, reduce eye contact, and after the eye roll, you’re done. You have lost before you even got started. To keep going, after the receiver has already shut you out, is equivalent to narcissistic abuse.

Debate and Intimidation

I know, back in the day, bullying people and overwhelming them with data, scripture, and the threat of burning in hell could result in a conversion to your idea or belief and truth. Today, debating and over-powering someone is not effective. You cannot intimidate someone to give their life to God.

Just stop it.

How to Talk to People About Jesus

This is so simple, but if you are used to outdated methods of manipulating or persuading someone to convert to your idea of what God is all about, you may have bad habits that you will need to break before you can effectually communicate with another human being heart-to-heart.

Heart-to-Heart

Heart-to-heart communication is the only way to truly reach out and connect to another person.

To do so, you must,

    • Let go of any expectation of an instantaneous conversion.
    • Love them with the level of love that Jesus would have.
    • Make it about the person you are talking to. Don’t make it about you.
    • Seek to listen to them, then understand where they are coming from.
    • Use scripture sparingly and paraphrase it in your own words, this increases relevancy.
    • Use your religious experience and words sparingly.
    • Let your life be your testimony. Let them ask you why you are different.

Avoid doing these things at all costs. Do not:

    • Judge them or try to hold them responsible for believing differently than you.
    • Be critical about their current lifestyle.
    • Offer them your perspective or advice unless they ask for it.
    • Overwhelm them with TMI “too much information.”

That is a lot of ground to cover in this brief presentation, and it can be extremely hard to change the way you approach others about something that you are so passionate about.

Let it be known that it is not working the way that you’re doing it now, and you’re probably doing more harm than good.

I often see people and try to support them to recover from what they call, “spiritual abuse.” Don’t be one of the perpetrators of spiritual abuse, or risk being labeled a spiritual narcissist. Don’t let this happen to you.

How I Do It

I guess I just live my life and love everyone like I think Jesus would. I am a big fan of Jesus and I think he just loved everyone. It didn’t matter who they were, where they were on their life’s journey, or even if they had a questionable character in the past. He just loved them.

That’s what I do, in the work that I do when I meet with people. I no longer try to get them to fit in my world, I do like St. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9 (22), “I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.” and that works for me.

It works for them because they are inviting me into their world. They are never defensive, always open, and I never judge them. It’s a real connection that we share. It’s that heart-to-heart thing. The added benefit for me is that I get access to the most interesting information that they wouldn’t tell anyone else. I am blessed just to be there.

Try it. You might like it.

If you are interested, you can take our free course, “How to love others like Jesus.”

 

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Want to live by The Law? Here are some Laws You May Have Overlooked

So, you’re pretty proud of your own righteousness. You’d never be caught doing something that the bible was quite clear about insisting that you should avoid, right?

Even so, I wonder, in all of your self-righteousness, if you may have missed a few Thou Shall Nots. such as…

Men Cutting Their Hair and Shaving

Leviticus 19:27 advises against trimming the hair at the sides of one’s head or clipping the edges of the beard for men.

Mixing Two in One

Leviticus 19:19 and Deuteronomy 22:9-11 discourage cross-breeding animals, planting different seeds in the same field, and wearing clothing woven from two types of material.

Sex Outside of Marriage

1 Corinthians 7:1-5 emphasizes that sexual relations should occur within the bounds of marriage to avoid temptation.

Self-Love:

1 Corinthians 6:18 cautions against sexual immorality, stating that it harms one’s own body.

Eating Pork

Leviticus 11:7-8 declares pork unclean and unsuitable for consumption.

Seafood

Leviticus 11:10 labels creatures in the seas or streams without fins and scales as unclean.

Eating Snails

Leviticus 11:41 lists snails among creeping things that are considered unclean.

Associating with Excessive Drinkers and Eaters

Proverbs 23:20-21 advises against joining those who indulge in excessive wine and food, as it can lead to poverty.

Swearing

Ephesians 5:4 advocates for gratitude over obscenity, foolish talk, or coarse joking.

Cursing Your Parents

Exodus 21:17 warns against cursing one’s parents, with the punishment of death.

Tattoos

Leviticus 19:28 discourages making cuttings in the flesh or getting tattoos.

Women’s Appearance

1 Timothy 2:9 suggests that women should dress modestly, avoiding elaborate hairstyles, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing.

Gossip

Psalm 101:5 condemns slander and haughty talk.

Same-Sex Relationships

Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13 forbid romantic relationships between individuals of the same sex.

Fortune-Telling

Leviticus 19:31 discourages seeking mediums or spiritists.

Divorce

Mark 10:11-12 states that divorcing one’s spouse and marrying another constitutes adultery.

Cheating

Matthew 5:27-28 considers lustful desires for someone other than one’s spouse as a form of adultery.

Observing the Sabbath

Exodus 20:10 mandates resting on the Sabbath day, refraining from work.

Attending Church with Genital Problems

Deuteronomy 23:2 restricts individuals who have been emasculated from entering the assembly of the Lord.

Torn Jeans

Leviticus 10:6 advises against tearing one’s clothes.

Fighting with a Cheap Move

Deuteronomy 25:11-19 mandates the amputation of a woman’s hand if she seizes her husband’s assailant by his private parts during a fight.

Revenge

1 Thessalonians 5:15 advocates for not repaying evil with evil but instead seeking to do good.

Covering the Head During Prayer

1 Corinthians 11:4-6 explains the guidelines for men and women regarding head coverings during prayer.

Women Speaking in Church

1 Corinthians 14:34 recommends that women maintain silence in the church and be obedient, as per the law.

If you know of some more things we need to avoid but may have overlooked, share them in the comments below…

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Recalibrate and Keep Going

Many times, in life, we face circumstances that are beyond our control. Recalibrate and keep going. Sure, you could throw yourself on the ground and pitch a hissy fit, find someone or something to blame as you assume the role of the victim, take it all upon yourself as a martyr, or give up completely. “That’s the last time I ever try that again.” And no one would blame you for doing so.

I like to approach my life in five-year increments. That is to say that I feel more confident about tackling a phase of life with specific and detailed intent, like a game plan that stretches out five years. Often I am running several plans, all in different stages, concurrently.

Rarely, if ever, does a phase proceed according to plan. This is the nature of life: It happens. Often when you least expect it, the unexpected challenge, circumstance, or obstacle blindsides you and interrupts your energy flow of the plan you’ve set in place.

Expect these things to happen. If you’re like me and assume there is a grand force that is ultimately working all things for good, you start looking for alternative routes as well as the silver lining. I believe since I assume that all things work together for my ultimate good, they always do. Always.

To onlookers from the field, it may look as though the challenges I have faced were insurmountable, some things nonsurvivable. Yet, here I am. Granted, I have been as shaken up as anyone can be, but I gather my faith, recalibrate, and keep going.

This could require reconfiguring my original five-year plan, maybe starting over with a whole new plan, or aborting the original plan and its theme altogether, which usually leads me to make a choice. Will I focus on managing the other plan(s) I currently run only, or will I be looking for a new theme to begin planning a new phase?

I embrace the idea of living my life overshadowed by divine influence and while it is not for everyone, it serves me well. Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

This is the method I use to recalibrate and keep going. Sometimes my plans can be askew, for I am just doing the best I can, based on the information I have before me at the time.

When you factor in the divine, that puts a whole new perspective on what may be unfolding before you.

There is a higher plan, one that supersedes the limitations of the human experience, one that desires to protect you from any harm that might otherwise be unbearable and also will lead to your greatest benefit and prosperity.

Some people regard the Jeramiah citing as an invitation to go forth with no plan because God’s plan is better than any plan that you might conceive. This is also true. It depends on you, where you’ve come from, where you’re going, and, what kind of a person you are at the moment in your life’s journey.

These days, when I pray due to being unexpectedly thrown off track, I am not likely to include a cry of, “Why?” Why? Because due to my experience, I’ve come to know that there is this overarching divinity in all things. So, my prayer would be more of a prayer of faith, like everything I do is in honor of my creator.

My intention is pure, even though I may have wandered or engaged in an activity or phase which is not in my best interest. I trust that the overarching plan is always perfect, and as I continue to recalibrate according to that, all things will ultimately work for good.

~ Rev. David M

 

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Connecting to God Source Energy with Clarity and Integrity

The pursuit of a deeper connection with God Source Energy—the ultimate frequency of love, wisdom, and creation—is a shared aspiration for many spiritual seekers. This connection transcends religious labels and speaks to our universal longing to align with divine truth. Achieving this connection can take many forms, and every individual’s journey is uniquely valuable. However, there are practices and insights that can help refine the clarity and authenticity of this sacred bond.

For those walking a faith-based path, including Christianity, these ideas are intended to deepen understanding while honoring the love, grace, and wisdom that God offers to all. This exploration focuses on the importance of a pure connection, the nature of spiritual realms, and how to discern divine truth.

Why Seek a Clean Connection?

A clean connection to God Source Energy is like tuning a radio to the clearest frequency. The more aligned we are in mind, body, and spirit, the more accurately we can perceive divine truth. This is not about judgment but about intention—preparing ourselves as vessels to receive God’s love and guidance without interference.

Scripture encourages believers to pursue holiness and purity, saying, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). Keeping this in mind, creating a clean environment—free from toxins, distractions, and distortions—can be seen as an act of devotion.

Here are some principles for fostering a clear connection:

    • Honor the Body: Avoid substances that cloud the mind or distort perception. This includes harmful chemicals, excessive alcohol, or processed foods that affect health and energy.
    • Renew the Mind: Focus on thoughts and practices that uplift and align with love, gratitude, and faith (Romans 12:2).
    • Invite the Spirit: Approach spiritual practices like prayer, meditation, and worship with an open heart, free of distractions or negative influences.

Navigating the Realms of Spiritual Connection

The Bible speaks of both heavenly and earthly realms, as well as spiritual forces that exist beyond our understanding (Ephesians 6:12). To connect with God Source Energy, it is helpful to understand the vibrational landscape of these realms and approach them with discernment.

Realm One: The Earthly Plane

This is the world of our daily experience—the physical reality we navigate in our waking consciousness. Here, we encounter God through creation, relationships, and scripture. It is our starting point for spiritual growth.

Realm Two: The Unseen Layer

This realm holds energies and presences that are often invisible to the physical eye but can sometimes be perceived through dreams or heightened spiritual awareness. This is where lost souls, echoes of the past, and trickster energies may reside.

Realm Three: Spiritual Opposition

The Bible refers to this realm as the domain of principalities and powers opposed to God’s will (Ephesians 6:12). Here, one may encounter deceptive forces—fallen angels or entities that seek to confuse and manipulate. These beings can appear as false guides or angels of light, making spiritual discernment essential (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Realm Four: The Angelic Realm

This is the realm of God’s messengers—angels who minister to and protect humanity. Guardian angels and divine guides operate here, reflecting God’s love and care. This realm reminds us that God’s presence is always near (Psalm 91:11).

Realm Five: God Source Energy

The highest realm represents God’s ultimate truth and presence. While direct access to this realm is rare, moments of deep prayer, worship, or near-death experiences can provide glimpses of this divine reality. Accessing this realm requires humility, faith, and a focus on God’s love.

The Importance of Spiritual Discernment

As we seek to connect with God, discernment becomes a vital tool. Not every spiritual experience aligns with divine truth, and not all entities encountered in spiritual realms are from God. The Bible reminds us to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1).

Signs of a genuine connection to God Source Energy include:

    • A sense of peace and alignment with love (Philippians 4:7).
    • Guidance that reflects God’s character—truthful, just, and merciful.
    • Messages that align with scripture and do not contradict God’s revealed word.

On the other hand, experiences that bring confusion, fear, or disconnection from God should be approached with caution.

Preparing for a Higher Connection

Connecting to God Source Energy requires intentionality. Here are some practices that can help create a strong and clear connection:

    1. Focus on Prayer and Worship: Spend time in communion with God, seeking His guidance and presence.
    2. Pursue Purity in Body and Spirit: Treat your body as a temple, honoring God through healthy living and avoiding influences that dull your spiritual sensitivity.
    3. Meditate on Scripture: Allow God’s word to renew your mind and strengthen your spirit (Psalm 1:2).
    4. Seek Community: Surround yourself with others who encourage your spiritual growth and alignment with God’s love.
    5. Practice Gratitude: A grateful heart aligns with the frequency of God’s love and opens the door for deeper connection.

A Word on Altered States

Some individuals seek altered states of consciousness as a way to transcend earthly limitations and access higher realms. While this may provide temporary glimpses of the spiritual world, it often comes with risks, such as encountering deceptive entities or misinterpreting experiences.

From a faith-based perspective, reliance on substances or altered states can distract from the simplicity and purity of God’s grace. Instead, believers are encouraged to trust in God’s ability to meet them exactly where they are, saying, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

A Loving Approach to All Paths

Every individual’s spiritual journey is sacred and unique. While I personally find clarity in seeking a clean, natural connection to God Source Energy, I respect those who explore other methods. The most important thing is the desire to grow closer to God and align with His love and truth.

As you pursue your connection, remember that God’s love is unconditional and always accessible. Whether through prayer, meditation, or moments of silent reflection, He meets us with open arms, inviting us to step into the fullness of His presence.

Connecting to God Source Energy is a profound journey of faith, love, and discovery. By approaching this connection with clarity and discernment, we open ourselves to divine truth and the transformative power of God’s love. No matter where you are on your spiritual path, know that you are deeply loved and supported by the Creator who desires an unfiltered relationship with you.

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Is It a Coincidence or Is God Trying to Tell You Something?

Have you ever been looking for God to provide a clear answer to your prayers and noticed a sign or signs that might be from God or a skeptic might say was just coincidental? Could it be God actually trying to tell you something?

How do you know if it’s God or a coincidence? Does God offer signs to us? Does He speak to us in that way? Don’t just miss it and write it off as your imagination!

Here are 7 questions to ask to help you know if a sign, song, feeling, or experience is actually from God Himself (or if it is all just wishful thinking).

Question 1: Does What I’m Hearing Line up with God’s Word?

God will never contradict what He has already told us in His Word, the Bible. This includes what Jesus tells us are the two greatest commands of all: to love God and to love others (Matthew 22:37-40). Any thought or action that does not come from love for God, for others, and for ourselves cannot be from God.

Question 2: Is It True and Logical?

The Bible tells us repeatedly that God is a God of truth (Deuteronomy 32:4; John 14:6). If what we hear is not true, it is not from God.

Similarly, while God can ask us to do things that don’t make sense from a human perspective (for example, asking Noah to build an ark or Joshua to march around Jericho), He is not going to ask us to do something that makes no sense in light of where He has already called us or how He has already gifted us.

Question 3: Does It Contribute to My Own Good and the Good of Others?

God promises that He “works for the good of those who love Him” (Romans 8:28).

We know that doesn’t necessarily mean that life will be easy — Jesus says that his followers each have a cross to carry (Matthew 16:24). However, we can be confident that following God’s voice will not harm us and will ultimately give life not just to ourselves, but also to others.

Question 4: Does It Make Sense in Light of My Gifts, Resources, and Abilities?

God has created each of us with unique gifts and abilities and an individual story. God’s voice will be true to those unique traits. Your story will look different from someone else’s and that’s the way it should be. This doesn’t mean that God can’t call us to something beyond our own human ability — He can and will — but it should make some sense in light of the ways He has equipped and gifted us.

Question 5: What Are the Likely Consequences of Each Choice?

Emotions are important, but so is logic. Honestly evaluating where different paths will lead can help us know when we are hearing God’s voice. This isn’t the same as trying to control every aspect of the future — that’s impossible! But sometimes looking a few more steps into the future can make God’s voice more clear. This is where a simple pros and cons list can be very helpful.

Question 6: Does It Lead Me to Growth or Shame?

God’s voice can be challenging, but it’s never unloving or condemning. God will call us to grow more like Christ; He will never tell us that we are worthless or not good enough. God never causes us to feel shame or condemnation.

Negative thinking should be dismissed, but correction should be welcomed.

Question 7: Have Godly Mentors Also Seen This as a Call of God on My Life?

If you ever get stuck inside your own head, it can be helpful to actually speak out loud about an issue with a trusted mentor or friend. Asking someone else to discuss something with you, walk you through your thoughts, or even just pray for you can help you discern if it’s God’s voice you’re hearing.

 

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Think for Yourself and Don’t Judge Others for Doing Likewise

We have never been in a time when more people have been as divided, it’s as if there were an underlying philosophical force at work to keep the world as separated as possible, but that is not our calling.

We have been called to be individuals celebrating individuality and the rights of others. You should,

Think for yourself and don’t judge others for doing likewise

How simple is that? The concept is simple, not unlike the Golden Rule,

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” ~ Matthew 7:12

Right now, the attentions of the earth’s inhabitants are being controlled by the media, television, news agencies, entertainment industries of all kinds, and social media.

In the last few years, social media has proven to be the most effective tool for influencing mass consciousness in history.

While the COVID pandemic has all but shut churches down, and sent hundreds of millions of people home from work, social media has provided the world a way to communicate and express themselves via the Internet. These powerful social tools can be enormous in their ability to allow the world to connect and become one. In a sense, uniting humanity into a cohesive oneness.

Not unlike the prayer of Jesus,

“That they may all be one, even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” ~ John 17:21

With laws passed during the pandemic to limit church gatherings, many of them took to the Internet, learning to use social media as a way to continue their ministries, while others just closed their doors and waited for a legal “all clear” to be sounded, so that they could resume their in-person gatherings and ceremonies with the State’s blessings.

You would think that with so many people swarming to use social media platforms and apps to connect, that oneness could not be far off, only the social media platforms are able to profit from your use of their services the longer they can keep you, their target audience, engaged on their app.

The people who run these platforms are brilliant. They know how to capture the attention of most, if not all, users. They monitor your every move. They know what you look at, for how long, and know what it takes to click or scroll.

And they have discovered that the average human being will spend far more time on their devices and using their platforms if they are upset or disagree with some concept. So, they place the news that upsets you prominently placed and match you up with posts and memes that you disagree with, the more upsetting or disagreeable the better, because they draw you into their web, and

they make you click and stay.

Same with the news media. It is all about all the bad things that are happening in the world today. It’s enough to make you think that there is nothing good going on in the world today.

These are actually the most prosperous and glorious days that the world has ever seen, but you would never know that because there is not a word of it being broadcast. The good news is being muted, and the bad news is being promoted because it is highly profitable. And we, most of us, fall for it every time.

Wait. The churches. Their members. They are online, now. What about them? Apparently, they ignore St. Paul’s admonition to,

“accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions… Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” ~ Romans 14:1-4

Instead, followers of God, believers, and faith-conscious people of all kinds are not thinking about the Golden Rule as much as they are falling into the trap of separation promoted by the media.

I believe that Jesus and St. Paul basically said the same thing as I have been saying,

Think for yourself and don’t judge others for doing likewise.

I am surprised at how hard this is to get seated into our hearts, and I know it runs against our instinctual survival mechanisms. We are all programmed to defend ourselves when there is danger near, and the media puppeteers know that, and that is where the money is.

Even so, there is a growing number of social media users who are exercising their right to be part of the solution and not to respond to negative news or media, to only spread good news, and to promote love and light.

Note: There is a hidden advantageous reward for you doing this. Have you ever commented on or reposted something you didn’t like with the intent to raise awareness of something that turned out to not be true? (They call that “clickbait.”) How embarrassing is that? Now, you will never have to worry about doing that again.

I like what Doctor of Ministry Tim Madding had to say today, “Come to your own conclusions. Believe what you are going to believe. Live what you are going to live because, in the end, you are going to stand before the judgment seat of God and be held accountable not to whether you believed this or believed this, but how you treated the other people that believed differently than you did. We should not let it divide us.”

Wise words for those of us who are attempting to take the high road, to avoid the trap, and to spread love and light only.

Just as there is a science behind the exploitation of media viewers and social media users, there is a science behind the heart-guided use of media platforms.

I think what I have been saying could be stated better as,

“Think for yourself and love others likewise.”

That may be a stretch from where we are now, but I think we can get there from here. I feel it in my heart that we can do this.

We know that when you react to or post negative media, you add energy to that which you do not want. If your desire is to have less of that thing, whatever it is, in the world, do not react to or repost it, and for God’s sake, don’t speak about or post anything about something that you have not proactively been a part of the solution for.

For instance, if you are against cruelty to animals, and you are going to respond to a negative post about the cruelty to animals, you better be a regular contributor to the ASPCA, or have made a donation to a similar organization, elsewise you have no right to speak about the subject, and any response that you make will only promote the animal cruelty. And so it is for anything else you do not agree with. If you are not a part of the solution, and you only add energy to anything you oppose, you are only promoting the problem.

“whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report… think on these things.” ~ Philippians 4:8

If what you want in the world are love and light, then react to those things positively, post, and share those things.

Use the tools that are available to you to achieve your highest and best. Live a better life, your best life, and make the world a better place.

~ Rev. David M

 

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Church as Sanctuary

Based on our commitment to answer to a higher calling and maintain the separation of church and state St. Paul’s Free Church considers offering sanctuary to those in need.

In recent years, undocumented immigrants have sought safe haven from churches and many churches have answered the call to provide sanctuary to these troubled people who have fallen through the cracks of our increasingly dominant government forces.

Does “sanctuary” actually exist? According to law, the idea of sanctuary does not exist in this country, yet the authorities do adhere to policies to avoid to create a scene at religious institutions, though this is more of a gentleman’s agreement or avoidance of creating harsh sensationalism which would not fare well in the media for the government agency who storms a church to drag out a defenseless mother and children.

Some churches have gone the extra mile to attempt to secure more separation of church and state in the type of entity they are registered as to operate within the borders of the United States of America. The general line of thought is that if the church is registered as a non-profit religious organization, this includes an agreement with the state to allow law enforcement to access the grounds if they possess a legally signed warrant.

Most Catholic and other churches are registered as a religious corporation sole, which reportedly offers more separation from church and state, allowing them more ability to protect the idea of sanctuary than other types of legally registered religious organizations.

Unfortunately, the corporation sole type of organization has come under scrutiny by the feds, specifically the Internal Revenue Service, as criminals were using this type of corporation to hide income and assets. States are being pressured by the feds (IRS) to limit or eliminate corporation soles in their states. Currently, only 7 states allow the creation of this type of religious corporation.

Over the years, the rights of the church have deteriorated but the church did see some relief with the passing of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (H.R.1308) which became public law no. 103-141 on. November 16, 1993 states:

“Prohibits any agency, department, or official of the United States or any State (the government) from substantially burdening a person’s exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, except that the government may burden a person’s exercise of religion only if it demonstrates that application of the burden to the person: (1) furthers a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.”

Regardless of the type of legal registration of the religious entity, law and immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) honor a respect of churches to allow a level of service and assistance to individuals, though no law exists which prevents law enforcement from breaching a church’s perimeter to arrest any offender. Likewise, if the law approaches the clergy with a properly issued warrant, it is highly likely that the church will reluctantly though respectively allow access to the presenting arm of the law.

How Does Sanctuary Work?

How does sanctuary work in terms of undocumented immigrants?

The church has an open line of communication with professionals serving the immigrant community. An immigrant rights or lawyer contacts the church regarding the individual at risk. If the individual meets the basic criteria of the church (for instance, no criminal record or whatever criteria the church might agree to) a member of the church will volunteer to sponsor the individual, then the church can go about providing services or sanctuary to the people in need.

Some churches have more resources to provide to certain types of sensitive immigrants than others. It needs to be a good match to work successfully for the provision of humanitarian aid to the people who are in need. In most cases, the assistance provided by the church is supportive, temporary, and transitionary in nature.

President and Reverend David M Masters of St, Paul’s Free Church insists, “It is our sacred responsibility to represent God Source Energy which supersedes all manner of life with respect to all other forms of life in this world. We take precautions to honor our higher calling, to answer to God’s law over the law of man.”

It is important for people who seek sanctuary at a church to understand that it does not preclude they’re being apprehended by law enforcement. The church will do everything they can to provide sanctuary understanding that law enforcement may elect to override the respect for religious sanctity under conditions relating to public safety, national security, or terrorism.

Masters says, “Every human deserves respect and dignity. It is not right to separate families, especially those with small children. For some reason, our current administration cannot see how this will affect these young people as they become adults. There is great confusion about which is the greatest crime.

“It is the charge of the church to minister to those in need, to avail ourselves to all people, including undocumented peoples.”

St. Paul’s Free Churches offer open membership or participation in church ministries to all regardless of immigration status and fully support the preservation of the family unit.

~ Rev. David M

 

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Sending Love to the World COVID-19

I know, we usually only run the Sending Love to the World call out during the holiday season due to the increase of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation at that time of year, but now is the time to be sending love to the world COVID-19 style.

Only a few days into state-wide and nation-wide lockdowns, there is an increased rate of those suffering from depression. Some people are barely on the edge of self-destruction and something like the coronavirus and its associated social distancing could be enough to push someone over the edge.

Many people who are barely getting by have been sent home. Likewise, marginal businesses who supported local families and were the only source of survival for their families are being shut down and may not be able to survive the length of time necessary to reopen when allowed by the government and its agencies.

People who initially looked forward to a little recreational time off, are now starting to get a bit of cabin fever, feeling cut off from family, friends, coworkers, and aren’t finding much relief from social media. People need people to survive.

It is for these reasons that we are campaigning for those who are so inclined to join us in sending love to the world throughout these difficult and challenging times.

Sending love to the world only takes a few minutes and can be done as often or as little as you like. Know that every time you find yourself sending love to the world that it does make a difference and may be that love-energy boost that will help someone to see the light, at least the silver lining, of this looming dark cloud of isolation.

The process is simple, all you need to do is to center yourself into a meditative, love-filled state, and send love to others, as you do so, this will also make you feel better because as you flow energetic thoughts of love from yourself to others, that flow infuses your cells with love as well. And you can feel the effects of doing so.

My name is David M Masters, and I discovered this method of sending love to the world when I was suicidal during the holidays. It helped me, and it helped others as well. I feel like I am here, today, because of my sending love to the world.

This is to say that you do not have to feel like you have any hope or love to give. You can feel as though this would be your last act in life, like I did, and you can help others, and receive the healing from the process, like I did.

This pandemic can be brutal as we go forward through the process.

Here is a simple guided meditation I’ve provided if it will help, but it is not necessary.

You can use any method which feels right for you for sending love to the world.

My heart goes out to those who have contracted the COVID-19 virus, those who have it now and don’t know it, and those who have yet to get it. I am sending love to them.

I am sending love to all those who continue to serve, willingly putting themselves at risk, in an effort to keep the rest of us safe.

I am also sending love to those who do not have the virus but are suffering just as much, if not possibly more, from being shut down or locked down and isolated from their support system. They, also, are in need of receiving love right now.

So, I hope you will join me, and others, in sending love to the world throughout the COVID-19 epidemic.

God bless you for all that you do,

~ Rev. David M

–Sending Love to the World

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God Is Love And You Are Love

“Let all that you do be done with love. ” 1 Corinthians 16:14

In one last instruction, after facing many serious issues in the church, St Paul gives the church in Corinth this, he tells the people to “do everything in love.” Just love one another in everything you do.

To do things in love we need to look at our Creator, our Master of love, God. Always remembering, what is Love? God is love.  By loving everything and everyone around you, what you are doing when you do everything with love is honoring God and doing God’s work.

No matter what trials tribulations or sorrows we are bearing, no matter our enemies and how they have hurt us in the past or even how it is affecting you in the present.  It may be hard to understand how we can love these people who have hurt us, or caused a loved one so much pain.  “Love thy enemies.”

This goes back to forgiveness and to remember when we forgive, it is not necessarily for the person who hurt you, this process of forgiving with love is, of course, the opposite of hate so when we hate this only causes more evil around us, in turn, makes the pain in your heart and soul even more painful to bear.

In our daily lives, we may be busy with whatever may be happening at the time but let us remember the passage in the Bible when God said to “love thy neighbor as yourself.” This mean’s not only the person next door to you but everyone you come in contact with in your lifetime.

Most importantly love you. You are love because God lives inside of you. Remember this so your love can overflow to love others, and in doing so your ability to love the world and its people around you. When we love ourselves as God loves the world we can do God’s work all around us, spreading love to each and every part of the world as we live our lives.

 

Loving can be as simple as being courteous when walking through the grocery store and giving a smile to a person that looks like they may need it. Even if this person doesn’t return the smile you may have brightened their day without even knowing how or why. There are many examples of how to show love to the world but as we all know,  the heart connecting with your emotions will always let you know you when you’ve done the right thing.

Trust your instincts and the love you feel in your heart, your heart doesn’t know how to deceive you. Our heart is not blind to love. The heart sees what the eyes cannot see.

So the next time you feel that special feeling in your heart just remember to trust this gift that God has given you.

Go on and love yourself and the world around you. You are Beautiful God created you and God is love.

~ Sister Sherry Lynn Marie

 

 

 

 

 

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Decisions Decisions WWJD?

“But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 (NLT)

As we travel our individual journeys on planet earth, we must make choices or face challenges requiring us to make a decision. Should I go this way, or that way? Should I do this, or that? How you make your decisions defines who you are as a person.

So, how do you make decisions?

To observe how someone makes decisions throughout their day, a simple review of their bank statement and time calendar should reveal all you could possibly want to know. Based on how one spends their money and time, will give you a clear indication on how someone determines what is important in his or her life.

If you really want to achieve something, be or do something, you must know where you want to go. Let’s say you have a goal of going from Seattle to New York. You can look at your starting place and your destination on a map and draw a straight line from here to there.

Now, in a perfect world, you would just step out your front door and arrive in New York in a few hours, but we live in an imperfect world with laws of motion and gravity which can have influential variances, routes with unexpected twists and turns, and a wide variety of distractions and delays along the way, when trying to get from here to there.

The slightest variance in direction, of only a few degrees, will land you in Miami, instead of New York; way off your intended destination.

So, if you want to get where you’re going in life, you may consider paying attention to the details. Often making an impromptu decision can result in your ending up lost on some godforsaken logging road or deer trail. It could take you a while before you get back on track.

What’s your rule of thumb in making decisions? I know, it wasn’t long ago and the acronym WWJD, which stands for “What would Jesus do?” was quite popular. But what a great sentiment it was. You could use this as your rule of thumb and replace Jesus’ name with any mentor, person or deity whose decision-making skills you respect. Just pausing for a brief moment to ponder, what would that person do if he or she were in my shoes, right now?

Choosing to engage in an activity that does not serve your best interests, further your cause, or lead you closer to achieving a goal is at the very least a distraction, but could very well derail your whole train (and not just your train of thought). It can leave you wounded and in a weakened condition that could take a great deal of time to recover from.

I kind of like the WWJD idea. I am okay with using Jesus as a role model because, well, I’m his biggest fan, and I’ve followed his work for the greater part of my life. I feel like he and I share a resonance. So, in that moment, when I ask, “What would Jesus do?” That works for me.

If you’re a businessperson and you admire and have followed the work of Steve Jobs, you might pause and ask, “What would Steve do?” And just taking that brief moment to consider the possibilities of looking outside of yourself, your life, and your circumstances, may be all that you need to keep on track.

Whatever works for you, do that thing. Try to make good decisions and stay the course to achieve your highest and best.

Whoever you admire and respect, look up to and inspires you, use the mind of that person to step into momentarily in the moment of your decision.

But for me and my family, we will ask, “What would Jesus do?”

~ Rev. David M, St. Paul’s Free Church

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Do what is right without judgment

“Do what is right and good in the LORD’s sight, so that it may go well with you.” (Deuteronomy 6:18 NIV)

We are, each one of us, on our own individual path, and we take (or should take) responsibility for our own lives, how we live them and how we respond to that which we expose ourselves to.

For instance, I realized that when I exposed myself to negative media, it made me feel bad. One day, I decided I was no longer going to subject myself to feeling bad about someone else’s life. If I’m going to feel bad, it’s going to be about whatever is happening to me.

So, I went on a media hiatus, and stopped exposing myself to negative news. That was the first step. I immediately started to feel better. Then I really went all out there and started looking for good news. Believe it, or not, I was able to find sources for good news via the Good News Network, Sunny Skys, and Daily Good dot Org.

And for me, this was an excellent way for me to “do what is right and good.” Just by making that little tweak, the world became a much better place, and things began to go very well for me.

Then a friend of mine posted on facebook, “The world is such an evil place, there’s nothing but bad news every time I watch the news.” I thought my media hiatus might be just what the doctor ordered for my friend, whom I’d noticed does seem to be depressed a good deal of the time.

When I suggested that not exposing yourself to the news, particularly bad news, at all might be a better way to live a better life, you can already guess what happened; right?

I received a flaming response, accusing me of burying my head in the sand, and lacking in social responsibility, among other accusations.

It appears that in today’s socially respectable day and age, it is the duty of every American to subject themselves to a constant barrage of negative news from around the world. Elsewise, you are an ignoramus and a failure as an American, or possibly even a human being.

And, yes, my friend is also a believer.

I applaud everyone’s right to find their own way, so I support this person’s point of view, because they are passionate about their perspective, I love their position even more, as it applies to them.

But what works for one person, may not work for the next. I can certainly stand behind your opinion and defend your right to have it, if I chose a different point of view for myself in this moment.

It is upon each of us to determine what is right in the Lord’s sight for each of us. For me, my ministry is focused on planting and nurturing good seed, so it makes much more sense to create an environment that supports the work that I do.

For someone else, whose ministry is that of an advocate, political or spiritual warrior, they must remain focused on the news regarding victims, or the plight of others who are treated unjustly or unfairly, as they help make a stand against the darkness.

You see, there is no right or wrong in this issue of exposing one’s self to negative media. It’s up to you to decide what works for you, but you do not have the right to impose your view on another person or to berate someone else because they have a different opinion.

I know what it’s like to be passionate about what you believe in. When I first started serving in the ministry, I was very excited about my newfound beliefs, and I wanted to share it with everyone I could. What’s more is that I wanted to convince these people to understand and see things from my perspective, because I felt that this was the right thing to do.

So, in an attempt to persuade people to adopt my beliefs, I took up Christian debate, and I could logically interact with people, and brow beat them enough, that if they chose not to believe, like I did, sorrowfully, they had to concede they were going to hell. (Okay, I’m exaggerating, a bit. I know.)

But what I learned from my early experience in the ministry is this:

No one was ever converted by debate.

Oh, sure, you might be able to guilt someone into reciting the sinner’s prayer, but their experience would be shallow and not long lasting. Or maybe someone would do it, just so you’d go away and leave them alone.

A few years later, I discovered what does resonate with people, and it’s not how well you can recite scripture. Nor is it how well you can explain the deeper mysteries, or hidden facts within the smallest details of the bible.

No, what really resonates with everyone is love. That’s it. It’s that easy.

Love is what God is all about, and you are free to discover how that plays out in your life and how you are integrated with God’s love and the vibration of frequency which accompanies God’s love.

And you are invited to come and hang out with us in this loving vibration, if you like. If you come to appoint where this love vibration no longer serves you, feel free to move on.

Where we gather, you will find love. You will not find a platform to argue, because we will not enter into a debate with you. We honor your perspective and your right to it, and we can still hang with each other in God’s presence for as long as you like.

There is no judgment here, only love.

One day, we will all awaken and realize that we are all love, and that love is all there is. Everything else is an illusion. And some of us will enjoy the truth of love, as it is, here, on earth.

~ Rev. David M, St. Paul’s Free Church