Joel Goldsmith says we are hypnotized or mesmerized by the ‘world-thought’ system (that includes religious thought), and the only way to live as God intended, is for us to break free from it’s influence on our expectations.

As you mentioned, Michele O’Donnell has seen hundreds of people immediately healed when they ‘unplug’ from the negative beliefs of our culture by seeing themselves through the eyes of God.

We must first know the true nature of God before we can see ourselves as He truly sees us; otherwise, we will still see ourselves through religious eyes - as victims of our culture or our god.

The best & quickest way to accomplish this disconnect from the Matrix is my current search. I will share what I find in a subsequent post.

Neo

Re-read the story of the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, and it’s a beautiful picture of this concept. That woman fully expected that when she touched Jesus’ clothing, she would be healed. Jesus commended her for this, saying, “Daughter, YOUR faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

So, if what we expect determines what we experience, then the real challenge is how we get to the place — whatever place — that we can open ourselves, even give ourselves fully to a new possible outcome.

With so many voices surrounding us, I think the best solution is Michele’s approach… got to first unplug from the Matrix before we can see how “duped” we’ve allowed ourselves to become.

“Heal my expectations.”

But, the point of my article is that our life experience is the direct result of what we believe, especially our beliefs about God and about us. Those who ‘know’ God as Disciplinarian and man as fallen and in need of correction, will experience this cycle of discipline. As you pointed out, this was constantly the experience of those in the Jewish religion as recorded in their writings, and is still their belief to this day. This erroneous belief is what caused disagreements between Jesus and the Pharisees.

My own life used to be an experience of sin/repentance cycles, because I used to know God as rewarder/punisher. But, the fact remains that those like myself who know God as Love and Goodness, and understand the full meaning of the Good News (Gospel) that Jesus presented, have a life experience free of disciplinary actions or suffering.

I am aware that this is not a popular viewpoint among Traditionalists, Evangelicals or Fundamentalists, but the fact remains that the traditional Christian view of God (as well as the Jewish view) does not produce the Life that God intended for mankind - the Abundant Life that Christ restored to humanity.

The Christian view of God is really no different than the pagan gods who must be appeased or obeyed in order to avoid punishment or discipline. No matter how it is redefined, spiritualized, or justified, a God who inflicts suffering on mankind still makes Him the source of evil, and the Abuser of His own creation.

So, it is to our advantage to shed religious views of God as rewarder/punisher (disciplinarian) in favor of God as Blesser and Lover, so we can experience the Abundant Life that Jesus died to procure. We live what we believe.

I reiterate the quote from above: “When man ceases to accept suffering as from the hand of God, he will cease to experience it.” (Michele O’Donnell)

Christ has set us free to live in the law of the Spirit of Life where we are declared righteous; or we can live in the cause/effect, reward/punishment Law of sin & death, where we need discipline and correction. It’s our choice. I choose Life, rather than Law.

Now, after getting to know who God really is, I understand why accusing God of being the progenitor of suffering is an insult to His true nature. Any so-called parent who first injures his child, and then claims it was done in love is seriously deranged, whether the abuser is human or divine. That form of abuse is ungodly by anyone’s definition. Anyone who believes that God abuses His children for some higher purpose, does not really know God - or the Good Shepherd.

I have also learned that consistent with His grace and His love for man, God always appears to us according to our own individual perception of His character. When i was a legalist, God was my judge. As I grew in knowledge and grace, God became less judgmental and more caring.

But, now I know God as always Love and goodness and Life - abundant Life. But, sometimes the old ideas creep back in and I find myself briefly anticipating a harsh response from God due to my actions. Then, I am reminded of His unconditional Love and how that characteristic alone can never allow Him to do anything but good and blessing for me. Then, my heart is flooded with gratitude, and my experience becomes more peaceful, joyful and loving as well. I never experience God ‘breaking’ me nor ‘chastising’ me nor bringing ‘trials & tribulations’ my way anymore. So, God appears to me as the God of Love and Peace and Joy that He truly is.

God hasn’t changed - He never can change His true nature. But, since our perceptions are all different, He appears to us what we perceive Him to be. Therefore, it is to our advantage to know the true nature of God, rather than some religious idea of God. Because, we get what we expect from God. “According to your faith (beliefs) be it done to you” (Matthew 9:29)

[This is the basis for all of Jesus' miracles, from something as simple as changing water into wine, to raising the dead. Jesus got what He expected to get - what He 'saw' the Father do; all of it based on His knowledge that God is always Good. Jesus never told someone that they couldn't be healed because God was using their affliction to 'break' them or to teach them something. In fact, so many people in that culture were sick, crippled and oppressed because of their religious concept of God - a false perception of His Father that Jesus was sent to correct. "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father."]

Even Quantum Physics says that sub-atomic particles become whatever the observer expects to see. “Reality as we experience it is constantly being created freshly at every moment, out of this pool of possibilities.” (Dr. Jeffrey Satinover) In our Creator’s universe, the observer ‘creates’ the object observed. We create our own life experience, including our ‘relationship’ with God. How we ’see’ God will determine how we think He sees us - in need of ‘correction’ or righteous and loved. That is what is so incredible about God.

“When man ceases to accept suffering as from the hand of God, he will cease to experience it.” (Michele O’Donnell)

I pray that you may embark on your own journey to knowing the true nature of God.