Taming the Mind: Setting Your Focus on Things Above

Our trust in God rules what we think and how we navigate life. But while the world trains critical thinking and innovation for top dollar, God calls us to something radically different: minds set on spiritual priorities.

What Does the Mind Encompass?

In the ReignMakers lens, the four elements of the mind are: Silence, Truth, Creativity, and Journaling.

The Concrete Problem:

Science, reason, construction—everything we deal with is concrete. It must be repeatable to be true. It must be measured, tested, confirmed. But faith challenges that.

These four elements shift the mind to stabilize on the spiritual realm, which is rightside up compared to the physical realm. Yes, I said it in reverse. We have to stop thinking of the physical realm as the ordered realm. It is secondary.

The Four Mind Elements:

SILENCE: In silence we surrender our control and let God answer. The mind races, analyzes, solves, controls. Silence forces it to stop, creating space for God's voice over our reasoning.

TRUTH: As we read His Word—because it IS God in print and voice—we're given a firm foundation. Truth humbles us as we wrestle with context we don't understand. Our intellect can't master God; we must submit to His revelation.

CREATIVITY: When God reveals our unique abilities and removes the corruption distorting our image, we connect to ourselves, God, and others authentically. Creativity isn't about art—it's about discovering how God uniquely designed you and letting that design flourish uncorrupted.

JOURNALING: Journaling etches the Word of God and our understanding of ourselves and our journey on our core center. This process rewires our nervous system, removing the scars of trauma and simplifying us. Writing solidifies transformation, making it permanent.

The Pride Problem:

The mind is the part of the heart that breeds pride and arrogance. It's not surprising that for it to be aligned with God, it must undergo the most forging.

Rightside Up vs. Upside Down:

We think the physical realm—what we see, measure, test—is primary reality. Wrong. The spiritual realm is rightside up. The physical realm is secondary, a shadow of eternal truth.

Until your mind accepts this inversion, you'll constantly try fitting God into physical realm logic. You'll demand proof before faith. You'll need to understand before you obey.

The Forging Process:

Taming the mind requires the most intensive forging because it's the seat of rebellion. Every other part of your heart can submit while your mind still argues, questions, demands evidence.

Silence shuts down the arguments. Truth establishes non-negotiable foundation. Creativity reveals authentic design beyond reasoning. Journaling rewires the nervous system permanently.

The Call:

Set your mind on things above. Stop treating the physical realm as primary. Stop demanding your intellect understand before you obey. Stop letting pride and arrogance rule your reasoning.

Surrender control in silence. Submit to truth you don't fully grasp. Discover the creative design God placed in you. Journal the transformation to rewire your core center.

Your mind won't surrender easily. That's why it requires the most forging.

High Five, ReignMakers!

#TamingTheMind #ThingsAbove #SpiritualPriorities #SilenceTruthCreativity #Journaling #RightsideUp #PhysicalIsSecondary #ForgingTheMind #SurrenderControl #ReignMakers

The Soul: Community, Piety & Paul's Radical Generosity

Discover how the soul connects believers through four powerful elements—and why Paul's imprisonment reveals the true meaning of generous, holy living.

Defining the Soul:

Soul is hard to pin down, so ReignMakers adopts it as the community bond existing between believers. Four connected elements define it:

God-focused principle: Piety Submission discipline: Confession (sins and faith) Man-focused principle: Generosity Proclamation discipline: Vocalizing/communicating Scripture

The Scripture (2 Timothy 1:7-10):

"God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace."

The Critical Phrase: "By the Power of God"

When I consider Paul's life, I shudder. But I understand why he lived without fear—it's clear in verse 8: by the power of God. More than anything, we must note that phrase.

Paul's Suffering:

Jesus says, "The one who suffers in my name is done with sin." Paul had a lot of world to work out of his nervous system. My guess about Paul's thorn? His temptation to return to the law. That's why he fought every Jew raising the issue, knowing how pervasive its poison.

PIETY (Verse 9):

Out of gratitude for being saved, the natural response is living a holy life. Holiness means "set apart." But from what?

• Distinguishing common use vs. special use
• Humans acting in obedience to God's call
• Distinguishing spiritual realm from physical realm

For me, it's the transition from common, corrupted, and discarded to goodness. We're perfected through abiding with the Trinity. When we abide, the devil must flee. In God's presence, we're set apart from all that destroys connection with God, ourselves, and others. That's the value of piety.

CONFESSION :

Confession: Discipline designed for you to become free from corruptions and barriers for evangelism

Paul's imprisonment came from preaching. His statement "me his prisoner" is personal testimony of belief and connection to the Trinity. His plea: that community would stand together declaring what matters—the Gospel's truth—not falling into the perception that imprisonment devalues person or message.

GENEROSITY:

Too often, especially in materialistic America, generosity equals money or tithe. Think much bigger. Generosity is time, resources, personality, ideas, and ability to contribute and impact.

Paul's Generosity:

• Gave up everything, including steady income, to serve as missionary
• Embraced pain and suffering over comfort—huge spiritual generosity into the church
• Wrote letters, prayed for churches, gathered tithe—no obligation required

The Key to Offering Your Soul:

Abide in God's presence to connect with Him, connect with yourself, and once stabilized, filled, disciplined, and optimized, follow your God-revealed calling and be generous serving in the darkest places.

#SoulConnection #Piety #PaulsGenerosity #ByThePowerOfGod #HolyLiving #Confession #VocalizingScripture #CommunityBond #FindYourCalling #ReignMakers.

The Heart of God: CNS Connection and Core Center Alignment

Redefining "Heart" (Lev - לֵב):

In Hebrew, Lev means "heart," but encompasses far more than the physical organ. It represents the center of a person's entire being—thoughts, will, emotions, intellect, and desire. It functions as the core control center from which choices, actions, and character flow.

The CNS Connection:

ReignMakers encourages visualizing the central nervous system (CNS) when discussing the core center transferring our imagery from the term "heart" to "CNS".

Four Elements of the Heart:

ReignMakers uses four elements to understand the heart: Simplicity, Mission, Gratitude, and Honor. Let's examine these through Philippians 2:5:

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."

This is as clear as language gets. Here's how Jesus modeled perfect core center alignment:

SIMPLICITY: Jesus never took His eyes or actions off God. Every choice kept Him in God's perfect plan, provision, and protection. No divided focus. No competing priorities. Just single-minded devotion to the Father.

HONOR: Jesus always honored God. Every action was in direct and immediate reverence to God. Not delayed honor. Not partial honor. Immediate, complete, unwavering honor in every moment.

GRATITUDE: Jesus constantly thanked the Father for providing. More than an attitude of gratitude—Jesus spoke His gratitude to all who would listen. He vocalized appreciation, making it public and contagious.

MISSION: We know without doubt that Jesus agreed wholeheartedly with God's mission. His will aligned perfectly with the Father's. No hesitation. No reservation. Complete alignment.

The Core Center Truth:

To have the heart of God is to connect with God—to align our core center with His plan. Our thoughts, will, emotions, intellect, and desires must sync with His.

The Process:

In order to give God our core center, we must abide in His presence so He can marinate us and transform us into a Damascus bride, connected to the Spirit.

Why "Marinate"?

Marinating isn't a quick dip—it's prolonged soaking that penetrates deeply, changing the substance from the inside out. You can't have Christ's attitude with a quick Sunday morning exposure. You need sustained proximity, deep abiding, continuous connection.

The CNS Perspective:

Your central nervous system processes everything—sensory input, emotional responses, decision-making, physical reactions. When Scripture commands us to have Christ's attitude, it's commanding comprehensive transformation at the core control center level.

This isn't behavior modification. It's CNS rewiring through sustained proximity to God.

Jesus' Four-Part Model:

Every thought (Mind/CNS processing) = Simplicity Every action (Body/CNS output) = Honor Every emotion (Soul/CNS feeling) = Gratitude Every choice (Heart/CNS direction) = Mission

Damascus men and women aren't born—they're forged through sustained abiding. Your CNS must be marinated in God's presence, allowing Him to rewire your core control center until your attitude matches Christ's.

The Invitation:

Give God your core center. Abide in His presence. Let Him transform you from the inside out—thoughts, will, emotions, intellect, desires—until your Lev beats in rhythm with His.

#HeartOfGod #CoreCenter #CNSConnection #ChristsAttitude #Simplicity #Honor #Gratitude #Mission #ReignMakers

Daniel's Core Center Purity: Proximity Through All Four Parts

Discover how Daniel's vegetable choice was far more than diet—it was a comprehensive strategy engaging heart, soul, mind, and body to maintain maximum proximity to God.

The Foundation (Matthew 5:8):

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Daniel's Choice (Daniel 1:8-14):

Daniel resolved not to defile himself with royal food and wine. He asked permission, proposed a ten-day vegetable and water test, and God granted favor. The result? Daniel and his friends looked healthier and wiser than all others eating royal food.

The Core Center Framework:

Before we break down Daniel's approach, remember the four parts and their corresponding God-focused principles:

Heart = Honor Soul = Piety Mind = Truth Body = Worship

Daniel's Four-Part Strategy:

HEART (Honor): Daniel kept himself as far from corruption as possible. Verse 8 shows his resolve not to defile himself. He adhered to Jewish tradition, read Jeremiah's prophecies about Israel's 70-year restoration, and shared Jeremiah's heart (29:4-7) to work hard even in Babylon so his witness would honor God. He kept focus on God's things, ready as prophecies unfolded.

SOUL (Piety): In ReignMakers lens, soul means community impact and visibility. Daniel's army was his three guys—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. His decision became a confession of faith and stand for piety, impacting his brothers. All were powerfully blessed with God's goodness. His request, clearly a religious practice, became spiritually impactful for his overseer too.

MIND (Truth): Daniel intentionally protected his mind by choosing water over wine. Is wine bad? No. But when engaging at optimum purity and piety levels, walk as far from the line as possible. For Daniel, this meant abstinence—easier than posting limits. It silences the flesh and temptations poisoning focus. Result? His wisdom and intellect far exceeded rivals.

BODY (Worship): The vegetable choice was an impact statement—outward expression of inward commitment. Every meal reminded Daniel his goal was proximity to God. To achieve closest connection, every aspect of his being, his entire heart, needed compliance. Daniel believed God is his true sustenance. God provided manna in the desert. God has always been Israel's provision—even in exile, that truth hadn't changed.

The Proximity Principle:

Daniel understood that proximity enables both spiritual AND physical impact. His willingness to take extreme core-centered measures to retain proximity should encourage us to hold tight to God's umbrella.

Why Extreme Measures?

Walking "as far from the line as possible" isn't legalism—it's strategic proximity. The closer you get to corruption's edge, the easier you slip over. Daniel chose the safest distance from defilement, maximizing his connection with God.

The Result:

God blessed Daniel's comprehensive approach. He didn't just look healthier—he glowed with God's presence. His intellect and wisdom surpassed everyone. Vegetables don't do that. Only God's presence does that.

The Takeaway:

Purity isn't one-dimensional behavior management. It's comprehensive proximity—engaging heart, soul, mind, and body to stay as close to God as possible. Daniel understood this. Do we?

#DanielsChoice #CoreCenterPurity #ProximityToGod #HeartSoulMindBody #ExtremePiety #WalkFarFromTheLine #ComprehensiveFaith #PurityNotBehavior #DanielAndVegetables #ReignMakers

Whole Heart Connection:

Discover what it means to love God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and body—and why proximity to God, not perfect behavior, transforms everything.

The Pharmacy Story:

Three decades ago as a new grad, I was consumed with passion for pharmacy—learning drugs, attending conventions, working residencies for peanuts. My heart, soul, mind, and body were fully engaged.

But I realized this passion was all about me—my success, my rewards, my honor. I was doing good things but glorifying myself, not God. The writing was on the wall: I was striving for excellence for my own rewards.

Jeremiah's Warning (9:23-24):

"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight."

This passage references all four components of the core center:

• Mind = wisdom
• Body = strength
• Soul = riches (community influence)
• Heart = understanding

The Golden Rule's Origin (Deuteronomy 6:1-6):

"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." God provides guidance for connection, protection, and blessing—like a dad sending instructions as his son drives to college.

By strapping Scriptures to their bodies, Jews connected with the Word. Creating reminder boxes, tying them on, talking about God—they aligned all four parts of their heart.

God's Consistent Heart:

God the Father in the OT has the same desire to connect that Jesus demonstrated in the NT. God's heart is unchanging—He demonstrates love heart, soul, mind, and strength in everything. Why? God understands true connection and desires that for humanity.

Highest Honor Redefined:

Honor in the physical realm is corrupted—associated with power abuse, arrogance, control. True honor comes from God's superior nature and absolute goodness.

Critical Truth: God doesn't need our submission, sacrifices, or good behavior. He wants us! God requires obedience because that keeps us safe and allows closeness.

The Trinity's United Heart:

• One Heart: Created together, participated in Gospel mission, connect with humanity with compassion
• One Soul: Dwell in community as three persons, perfectly united socially
• One Mind: The Word IS who they are (John 1:1-3), identical understanding of truth
• One Body: Identical in substance, capable of every expression

How to Love God Wholly:

• Heart: Ponder past passions and how you want to affect eternities
• Soul: Surround yourself with supportive people
• Mind: Engage with those who value your thoughts about God
• Body: Worship with people giving you space to learn connection

Why We Struggle:

Every part engages through the central nervous system. The fall corrupted our image of God and destabilized our nervous system. Episodes 7 and 14 deep dive into this.

Purity isn't behavior—it's proximity. Proximity to God purifies corruption, transforms character, reshapes hearts. Out of the heart come choices, actions, behaviors.

#WholeHeart #ProximityNotBehavior #CoreCenter #HeartSoulMindBody #HighestHonor #TrinityConnection #SpiritualMindset #AbidingInGod

God's Anger: Purification, Not Punishment

Does God get "pissed off"? Exploring Exodus 3:14 reveals a radically different understanding of divine anger—one focused on purification, not emotion.

The Verse That Confuses Us (Exodus 3:14):

"Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses."

Does this make you think God is an angry God who got pissed off at Moses? Is this really about God's emotions?

Fire's Purpose in Scripture:

When we examine fire throughout the Bible, it's about purification:

• Fire consumed sacrifices on the altar
• The column of fire kept Israel safe
• Isaiah's lips were cleansed by hot coals

What if God's appearance as a burning bush was to purify Moses so they could have a conversation—so they could connect?

Moses' Doubt:

In this passage, Moses was doubting he was the man God should use to save His people. But God saw his potential and was set on him. It can be argued God strategically placed Moses in a specific family for this purpose:

• His sister Miriam connected him with Pharaoh's daughter
• His brother Aaron was a leader in Israel

The Fire's True Purpose:

As God talked with Moses, the fire protected him from the severity of God. God also removed the corruption blinding Moses to his calling.

By burning off the corruption, God enabled Moses to connect with:

• His true self
• God Himself
• His people

God's Anger Reframed:

God's anger was not directed at Moses. It was righteous anger regarding the corruption—and it burned away the barriers preventing Moses from freeing God's people.

The Deeper Truth:

God is patient with us because He understands that corruption drives our choices, not our true nature. His "anger" isn't emotional retaliation—it's purifying fire that removes what separates us from Him.

Severity vs. Goodness:

Remember our umbrella principle: Under God's covering, we experience goodness. The fire doesn't consume us—it purifies us. Outside His covering, severity burns without protection.

Moses needed purification to handle the mission God prepared for him. The burning wasn't punishment—it was preparation. God's "anger" burned against the corruption preventing Moses from fulfilling his destiny.

The Pattern:

Throughout Scripture, when God's anger "burns," look deeper:

• What corruption is being addressed?
• What barriers are being removed?
• What connection is being restored?

God's fire purifies so we can connect—with Him, with ourselves, with our calling, with others.

Emotional God vs. Purposeful God:

We project human emotions onto God, imagining Him throwing divine tantrums. But God's actions are purposeful, not emotional. His "anger" is the necessary fire that burns away corruption so relationship can flourish.

For Deeper Study:

Read Hebrews 12:18-29 in today's workbook for a comprehensive look at God and fire, and how we approach Him not with fear of emotional outbursts but with reverence for His purifying presence.

The Takeaway:

God's anger burns against corruption, not against you. His fire purifies, protects, and prepares. He's removing barriers so you can connect with your true self, with Him, and with your purpose.

High Five, ReignMakers!

#GodsAnger #PurifyingFire #BurningBush #MosesAndGod #RighteousAnger #NotPunishment #SpiritualPurification #RemovingCorruption #GodsPatience #ReignMakers

The Stone the Builders Rejected: Spiritual Eyes vs. Earthly Focus

Jesus confronts the Pharisees' blindness in a stunning exchange that reveals the difference between earthly judgment and spiritual vision. Discover what they missed—and what we often miss too.

The Scripture (Matthew 21:40-42):

Jesus asks: "When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"

The Pharisees reply: "He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and rent the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share at harvest time."

Jesus' Response Shifts Everything:

"Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

The Pharisees' Blindness:

They have their eyes fixed on behavior. They're focused on an earthly kingdom, so their judgments have earthly impact. Eye for an eye. Because they're self-righteous, they seek destruction for everyone less righteous than themselves.

Jesus' Spiritual Vision:

Jesus, on the other hand, is looking through spiritual eyes. He's still giving them a chance to profess highest honor to God. It's crazy how much patience God has for us.

The Eternal Plan:

When we break this apart, God's plan has always been bringing humanity back into His presence. The world has been dealing with intermediary judges and justifying its behavior by blaming God for evil.

The Ultimate Irony:

When Jesus came, the Pharisees rejected His spiritual narrative, preferring an earthly kingdom. Even the Devil believed physically killing Jesus would end his struggle.

Unbeknownst to all: The crucifixion of the Son laid the foundation for reconnecting the Spirit to humanity and restoring God's eternal plan. The stone the builders rejected became the cornerstone!

The Critical Question:

When you study God's Word, are you focused on bringing "heaven on earth" or merely functioning in this world? Is the Bible a manual for good earthly existence, or more than that?

The Clarity:

Spiritual understanding of Scripture only comes from connection with the Trinity. You can read the same verses the Pharisees knew by heart and completely miss what God is saying if you're filtering through earthly priorities.

The Pharisees' Tragedy:

They knew Scripture inside and out but missed the entire point. They saw Jesus—the fulfillment of everything they studied—and rejected Him because He didn't fit their earthly expectations.

The Warning for Us:

How often do we read Scripture looking for earthly application—better relationships, financial success, comfortable living—while missing the spiritual reality God is revealing?

The same patience Jesus showed the Pharisees, He shows us. He's still giving us chances to shift our vision from earthly to spiritual, from behavior to connection, from earthly kingdoms to eternal reality.

Your Reflection:

• Are you reading Scripture for earthly tips or spiritual transformation?
• Do you filter God's Word through physical priorities or eternal ones?
• Have you rejected any "stones" because they don't fit your earthly expectations?

The Invitation:

Connect with the Trinity. Only through that connection will Scripture reveal its spiritual depth beyond earthly application.

High Five, ReignMakers!

#SpiritualVision #EarthlyVsEternal #RejectedStone #Cornerstone #PhariseesBlindness #SpiritualUnderstanding #HeavenOnEarth #TrinityConnection #BeyondBehavior #ReignMakers

Contending with God: When We Shatter Like Ice

Explore the sobering reality of what happens when we hurl ourselves against an immovable God—and discover why clinging to His umbrella changes everything.

The Scripture (1 Samuel 2:10):

"Those who contend with the LORD will be shattered; Against them He will thunder in the heavens, The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength to His king, And will exalt the horn of His anointed."

The Ice-Breaking Revelation:

Living in Colorado, I loved breaking ice in the streets. Nothing got damaged, but you felt powerful. For me, anger created adrenaline and the need to disperse that energy. Breaking street ice fit the bill perfectly.

Reading this verse, I realized: in those moments, I was contending with God.

When I threw ice against concrete, it shattered into pieces. The concrete—like God—remained unfazed. After hours of raging in the street, I left spent and spiritually humbled.

The Unmovable Foundation:

God is a firm foundation—fixed and unchangeable. Everything that hurls itself against Him will be destroyed. Like a ball bearing dropped on the anvil from our second podcast, the entirety of the energy is returned to the ball bearing.

God is unmoved by any action brought against Him. All energy coming against Him is returned upon the people contending with Him.

The Umbrella Principle:

Remember: goodness happens under the umbrella, severity outside of it. God is only safe for those who approach Him with honor and purity—we get bubble-wrapped for protection. Others break upon impact.

My Transformation:

Now that I cling to the post of the umbrella, I need ice less and less. Good thing—I now live in Texas!

I've learned to get sad instead of angry. I curl up in my bed and allow the Spirit to settle me down. The shift from rage to surrender, from shattering ice to resting in God's presence, has changed everything.

The Core Truth:

When we contend with God—when we rage against His will, His timing, His sovereignty—we're like ice hurled against concrete. We shatter. He remains.

The severity we experience isn't God actively punishing us—it's the natural consequence of throwing ourselves against an immovable foundation. We break. He doesn't.

Under the Umbrella:

Approach God with honor and purity, and you experience His goodness. You're protected, bubble-wrapped by His presence. Step outside that covering to contend with Him, and you experience severity—not because He's attacking you, but because you've removed yourself from protection.

The Choice:

Will you continue hurling yourself against God's immovable nature, shattering like ice on concrete? Or will you cling to the post of His umbrella, allowing the Spirit to settle your raging heart?

Today's Workbook Focus:

The full lesson explores Nebuchadnezzar's story—a powerful king who contended with God by declaring self-sufficiency and experienced devastating severity until he acknowledged Heaven's rule. His restoration came when he stopped contending and started honoring.

Your Reflection:

• When have you contended with God?
• What does your "ice-breaking" look like—what do you do when you rage against God's will?
• Have you learned to surrender instead of shatter?

High Five, ReignMakers!

#ContendingWithGod #Shattered #GodsFoundation #UnmovableGod #UnderTheUmbrella #SurrenderNotRage #SpiritualHumility #GoodnesAndSeverity #RageToRest #ReignMakers

Daniel's Diet: Proximity Over Performance

The common perception is that Daniel's success came from vegetables. But something far bigger is at play: proximity to God is the key.

The Scripture (Daniel 1:8-14):

Daniel resolved not to defile himself with royal food and wine. The chief official feared the king's reaction if Daniel looked worse than other young men. Daniel proposed a test: "Give us vegetables and water for ten days, then compare our appearance with those eating royal food."

The Deeper Truth:

Daniel's reason wasn't nutritional—it was purity. Nebuchadnezzar's table contained foods prohibited by Jewish law. Daniel didn't walk the line between compliance and compromise—he chose to walk as far away from corruption as possible.

Daniel's Understanding:

His success depended on God's blessing. To stay under the umbrella of God's blessing, he took every measure to remain holy—separated from the common. Daniel's vegetable choice was about securing God's presence, not health benefits.

The Result of Radical Purity:

Because Daniel chose the extreme path of purity to declare, proclaim, and demonstrate his faith, God was invited to dwell with Daniel in a powerful and visible way. Daniel glowed. His appearance surpassed others, and his intellect and wisdom were superior.

Vegetables don't do that. Only the presence of God can do that.

Spiritual Realm as Primary Lens:

This story emphasizes God's goodness when we choose proximity to Him over proximity to the world. When we prioritize spiritual connection over worldly convenience, God responds with visible blessing—not just internal peace, but external transformation.

Your Forge Challenge:

What one thing in your life—a common behavior among your peers—do you think separates you from God? Give up this behavior to the most extreme measure for a period of time.

The Impact Challenge:

Invite several friends to observe your life during this pursuit. Ask them if they notice God's blessing on you spiritually. Let others witness the transformation that comes from choosing proximity.

Personal Testimony:

I took this challenge myself. My issue: wasting time on YouTube and shorts—not a huge habit, but I sensed it held me down.

My Action: I removed YouTube from my phone's first page and buried it on the third page in a folder. The extra steps required to access it gave me pause to consider if this was really what I wanted to do.

The Impact:

It made a huge difference. It simplified my life, focused me on accomplishing what mattered, and I became more productive. Being productive lifted my mood, removed negative self-associations, and I felt more connected with God because I didn't have those images of fake fulfillment to dwell on.

The Principle:

Extreme purity creates space for extreme blessing. When you remove what separates you from God—even "small" things—you invite His presence powerfully into your life. Others will notice the glow.

The Question:

Are you willing to walk away from the corruption, or will you keep walking the line? Daniel chose radical separation. What will you choose?

#DanielsChoice #ProximityToGod #RadicalPurity #SpiritualTransformation #GodsBlessing #HolyAndSetApart #ExtremeFaith #VisibleBlessing #SimplifyYourLife #PurityChallenge

The Bell Curve Myth: Proximity Over Behavior

Understanding the bell curve changes everything about how we pursue God. This episode challenges the behavior-focused mindset and reveals why proximity—not perfection—is the goal.

The Ice Cream Survey:

Imagine 100 chances to choose chocolate or vanilla. Most people settle somewhere in the middle—a typical bell curve distribution. We often apply this to spiritual life, placing good and evil at extremes with most behaviors falling in between.

The Critical Question:

Simplicity from a Christian standpoint is absolute goodness. Most Christians believe the goal is moving closer to the "good side" of behavior. That's a great answer IF our goal was behavior.

But what if the goal is not primarily behavior? WHAT IF THE GOAL INSTEAD IS PROXIMITY?

Reordering Our Understanding:

We believe the world around us—what we experience with our senses—is the most real life gets. But what if the spiritual realm, the invisible realm, is actually the primary place we're to direct our focus?

The Perfection Problem:

God's standard is perfection at 100%. Every click toward evil decreases perfection. Here's the truth: God cannot move from perfection. We must move to Him. Since our behavior can never reach perfection, behavior isn't what allows connection with God.

Jesus' Clear Teaching (Matthew 5:43-48):

"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you... If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Aren't even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Jesus is crystal clear: EVEN TAX COLLECTORS DO THAT. Behavior can be faked. God doesn't care about what you're doing unless you're doing it FOR Him. God cares about character—true character, pure character. Real piety only comes from time with God.

God Knows Your Heart:

God feels what you feel, thinks what you think. He knows your motives—why you're doing what you're doing. He knows when you do good acts with bad intentions. He also knows when you don't do something and feel deep remorse.

Elijah's Storm Story (1 Kings 19:9-11):

After witnessing God's miraculous power, Elijah still experiences fear. He tells God: "I have been very zealous for the LORD... I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

Here's What's Key:

God senses what Elijah needs. His nervous system is amped up. To settle him down, God brings a storm and wild weather but doesn't reveal Himself there. God's goal is calming Elijah's system. When Elijah is quiet and able to truly hear, God shows up in a whisper.

The content? Good news. God is with Elijah, and other men share his beliefs and walk his journey.

The Takeaway:

God is always good. It's hard to believe His goodness when life is chaotic around us. But our answer must always be turning to God's abiding presence. Only there will we see beyond the storm.

Next episode: What it means to love God with our whole heart.

#ProximityNotBehavior #BellCurveMyth #SpiritualProximity #GodsPerfection #TrueCharacter #ElijahsStory #AbidingPresence #HeartOverBehavior #ChristianSimplicity #FaithOverWorks