‘ALIGN WITH THE DIVINE: Discovering the New Heaven and Earth from Within’ (Pt III)

‘ALIGN WITH THE DIVINE: Discovering the New Heaven and Earth from Within’ (Pt V)

Bishop Jim’s insightful messages help others find THEIR METRON through M~otivation E~nlightenment T~ranscendence R~enewal O~utreach and N~etworking * Learn more: www.bishinthenow.com [http://www.bishinthenow.com/] * Follow Jim Swilley on Youtube to see the videos live Sundays at 11:11 am – https://www.youtube.com/bishinthenow [https://www.youtube.com/bishinthenow] In this deeply reflective conclusion to the “Align With the Divine” series, Bishop Jim Swilley explores what true spiritual alignment actually looks like when life becomes painful, confusing, and deeply human. Using Jesus’ interactions with Peter after betrayal and with Mary and Martha after Lazarus’ death, he teaches that alignment is not perfection or emotional denial — it is learning to embrace the full reality of your humanity while remaining grounded in what is authentically true within you. The message centers on foundations: storms reveal what your life is built on, and genuine faith survives not because it avoids questions, but because it has been tested. Through stories about renovating his parents’ home, reflections on aging, grief, friendship, Carol Burnett, and even wrestling with modern deconstruction theology, Bishop Jim emphasizes that alignment means integrating every part of your journey — mistakes, doubts, pain, joy, relationships, and spiritual experiences — into a whole and healed self. MAIN TAKEAWAYS 1. STORMS REVEAL FOUNDATIONS Bishop Jim centers much of the message around Jesus’ teaching about building a house on the rock versus sand. > “The idea is adversity reveals your foundation.” — Bishop Jim Swilley Referencing Matthew 7, he explains that rain, wind, and floods expose whether something is authentically built to last. Alignment is not avoiding storms; it is discovering what remains standing afterward. Scripture References: * Matthew * Luke ---------------------------------------- 2. ALIGNMENT MEANS EMBRACING HUMANITY AND DIVINITY TOGETHER One of the strongest themes throughout the teaching is that spirituality should never require suppressing human emotion. > “I am sick and tired of people taking some Bible verses and telling people not to have human emotions.” — Bishop Jim Swilley He argues that grief, fear, anger, disappointment, and uncertainty are not evidence of weak faith. They are part of being human. Jesus Himself experienced emotional intensity when Lazarus died. This becomes central to his interpretation of Jesus “groaning in the spirit” in John 11. Scripture Reference: * John ---------------------------------------- 3. “GROANING IN THE SPIRIT” WAS EMOTIONAL AGITATION, NOT CALM SPIRITUALITY Bishop Jim digs into the Greek language behind John 11:33 and explains that Jesus’ groaning was more than sadness. > “The Greek root literally translated means to snort with anger or to express indignation, outrage, and deep agitation.” — Bishop Jim Swilley Rather than presenting Jesus as emotionally detached, he presents Him as fully immersed in the pain and tension of the moment. This becomes a metaphor for alignment: * feeling fear while still believing, * grieving while still hoping, * questioning while still remaining spiritually rooted. ---------------------------------------- 4. RELATIONSHIPS ARE PART OF SPIRITUAL ALIGNMENT Much of the sermon reflects on the importance of authentic relationships — particularly Jesus’ relationship with Peter and Lazarus. > “What really matters is the relationship that you have and that you maintain.” — Bishop Jim Swilley He highlights: * Jesus asking Peter “Do you love me?” * Martha confronting Jesus after Lazarus’ death * The value of longtime friendships that survive storms Scripture References: * John * John ---------------------------------------- 5. ALIGNMENT INCLUDES YOUR ENTIRE STORY — EVEN THE BROKEN PARTS One of the defining statements of the message: > “Make peace with every bit of your life, including your mistakes and your foibles and the things that you messed up that you can’t fix.” — Bishop Jim Swilley He teaches that spiritual maturity is not pretending the painful parts never happened. Instead: * regrets, * failures, * rejection, * unanswered questions, * trauma, * and transformation all become threads in the tapestry of your identity. ---------------------------------------- 6. FAITH THAT SURVIVES QUESTIONS IS STRONGER THAN BLIND CERTAINTY A major portion of the teaching wrestles openly with theological deconstruction and modern skepticism. Bishop Jim acknowledges: * problems with organized religion, * hypocrisy within evangelical culture, * intellectual critiques of scripture, * and the rise of ex-pastors becoming atheists. Yet he arrives at a deeply personal conclusion: > “The winds and the rains and the storm already tried it… and baby it’s still standing.” — Bishop Jim Swilley His argument is not rooted in dogma, but experience. Faith survives because something deeply authentic remains after every question has been asked. ---------------------------------------- KEY SCRIPTURES REFERENCED * Matthew — The wise man builds on the rock * John — Lazarus, Mary, Martha, and Jesus groaning in the spirit * John — Jesus asking Peter “Do you love me?” * Isaiah — “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me…” ---------------------------------------- FINAL THOUGHT The ultimate message of this teaching is that alignment is not becoming less human — it is becoming fully integrated. The storms of life do not destroy what is real; they expose it. Faith, identity, relationships, grief, questions, and hope all coexist in the same sacred space. > “You are aligned with your foundation, with what’s been shaken and tried in the fire… You are exactly where you’re supposed to be.” — Bishop Jim Swilley

‘ALIGN WITH THE DIVINE: Discovering the New Heaven and Earth from Within’ (Pt IV)

Bishop Jim’s insightful messages help others find THEIR METRON through M~otivation E~nlightenment T~ranscendence R~enewal O~utreach and N~etworking * Learn more: www.bishinthenow.com [http://www.bishinthenow.com/] * Follow Jim Swilley on Youtube to see the videos live Sundays at 11:11 am – https://www.youtube.com/bishinthenow [https://www.youtube.com/bishinthenow] In this Pentecost Sunday message on Metron Live, Bishop Jim Swilley reframes Pentecost as a celebration of inclusion, liberation, diversity, and spiritual alignment rather than religious legalism. He argues that the Holy Spirit dismantles barriers of gender, nationality, race, and exclusion, pointing to Acts 2 as proof that God’s spirit is poured out “on all flesh.” Swilley contrasts the expansive, freeing nature of the Holy Spirit with fear-based religion, nationalism, and judgmental Christianity, emphasizing that true spirituality should make people more compassionate, more authentic, and more open-hearted. The core of the teaching centers on “alignment with the divine” through understanding the seasons of life: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Swilley teaches that many people mistake seasonal transitions for spiritual failure, when in reality they are simply moving through different phases of growth, rest, manifestation, or release. He encourages listeners to stop comparing themselves to others, discern their current season, and live authentically without shame or regret. The message closes with a call into spiritual alignment, freedom, and peace, reminding listeners that abundant life comes from being fully present and fully themselves. MAIN TAKEAWAYS PENTECOST IS ABOUT INCLUSION, NOT EXCLUSION Swilley explains that Pentecost was never meant to become a system of legalism or external holiness rules. Instead, it represents the breaking down of barriers between people, cultures, genders, and nations. > “The true message of Pentecost is inclusion, diversity, Universalism… deliverance from xenophobia.” — Bishop Jim Swilley THE HOLY SPIRIT CANNOT BE CONTROLLED The message repeatedly emphasizes that the Holy Spirit is beyond human categories, institutions, and prejudice. > “The Holy Spirit is beyond your genitalia. It’s beyond your sexual orientation. The Holy Spirit is beyond your racial prejudices.” — Bishop Jim Swilley ALIGNMENT MATTERS MORE THAN STRIVING Swilley teaches that many people are exhausted because they are forcing manifestation instead of aligning with their current season. > “If you’re trying too hard, you might need to just focus more on the alignment.” — Bishop Jim Swilley LIFE HAPPENS IN SEASONS The sermon outlines four spiritual life cycles: * Winter — reflection, healing, rest * Spring — new ideas and preparation * Summer — growth, action, manifestation * Fall — harvest and letting go He stresses that no season is permanent and none are failures. STOP COMPARING YOUR JOURNEY One of the strongest themes is learning to discern your own timing instead of measuring your progress against someone else’s life. > “Your prayer wasn’t answered? It’s not the season yet.” — Bishop Jim Swilley SPIRITUAL MATURITY BRINGS PEACE Swilley describes spiritual maturity as reaching a place where you stop obsessing over control, appearances, judgment, and external validation. > “Abundant life really is just living the life that you want and being happy with it.” — Bishop Jim Swilley SCRIPTURES REFERENCED * Acts 2 — The Day of Pentecost * Joel 2:28 — “I will pour out my spirit on all flesh” * Matthew 13:38 — “The field is the world” * John 16:7 — “It is necessary that I go away” * Isaiah 33:6 — “Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times” * Psalm 1 — Fruit brought forth “in his season” * Ecclesiastes 3 — Seasons and times * Galatians 3:28 — “Neither male nor female” * 2 Corinthians 3:17 — “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” * Philippians 2:12 — “Work out your own salvation” * Psalm 30:5 — “Weeping may endure for a night” * Psalm 112:7 — “Not afraid of evil tidings” * Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 — “Two are better than one”

‘ALIGN WITH THE DIVINE: Discovering the New Heaven and Earth from Within’ (Pt III)

Bishop Jim’s insightful messages help others find THEIR METRON through M~otivation E~nlightenment T~ranscendence R~enewal O~utreach and N~etworking * Learn more: www.bishinthenow.com [http://www.bishinthenow.com/] * Follow Jim Swilley on Youtube to see the videos live Sundays at 11:11 am – https://www.youtube.com/bishinthenow [https://www.youtube.com/bishinthenow] In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Metron, Bishop Jim Swilley explores what it truly means to “align with the divine” by reframing adversity, suffering, and spiritual growth. Broadcasting from the new Metron Live studio, Bishop Swilley blends spirituality, personal storytelling, scripture, meditation, and even quantum physics to challenge traditional ideas about God, demons, spiritual warfare, and victimhood. His central thesis is that hardship is not punishment from an external enemy, but often a signal that we are out of alignment with our higher consciousness and deeper truth. Rather than seeing life’s struggles as attacks from the devil or tests from God, Swilley teaches that adversity itself becomes the teacher. Drawing from The Bible, particularly Isaiah 30:19–21, he argues that every inconvenience, setback, and painful experience can become a doorway into wisdom, growth, and transformation if we ask, “What is this teaching me?” instead of “Why is this happening to me?” The message ultimately becomes a call to reclaim personal agency, rethink inherited beliefs, and consciously align thoughts, words, and energy with love, healing, and abundance. ---------------------------------------- MAIN TAKEAWAYS 1. ADVERSITY CAN BE A TEACHER INSTEAD OF A PUNISHMENT Bishop Swilley reframes suffering through Isaiah 30, explaining that “the bread of adversity” and “the water of affliction” are not evidence of spiritual warfare, but opportunities for awareness and growth. > “Your teachers are the stuff that happens to you.” — Bishop Jim Swilley Instead of asking: * “Why is this happening to me?” He suggests asking: * “What is this teaching me?” Scripture Reference: * Book of Isaiah 30:19–21 * Book of Hebrews 5:8 ---------------------------------------- 2. ALIGNMENT MATTERS MORE THAN SPIRITUAL WARFARE Swilley openly rejects the idea that believers are constantly fighting demons or external evil forces. He argues that most spiritual conflict originates internally through misaligned thinking, fear, shame, and self-sabotage. > “The adversary is you. It’s your thoughts that haven’t come into alignment yet.” — Bishop Jim Swilley He contrasts traditional teachings about “fighting the devil” with the idea that life reflects our beliefs, expectations, and emotional alignment. Scripture Reference: * Book of Genesis 3 * Book of Romans 12:2 ---------------------------------------- 3. JESUS TAUGHT CONSCIOUSNESS, ALIGNMENT, AND INNER TRANSFORMATION Throughout the teaching, Swilley connects the words of Jesus Christ with modern concepts found in quantum physics, emphasizing ideas like: * observer effect * energy * vibration * agreement * consciousness * manifestation He repeatedly points back to Jesus’ teaching that: > “The kingdom of God is within you.” Scripture References: * Gospel of Luke 17:21 * Gospel of Matthew 18:19 * Gospel of Mark 11:23–24 ---------------------------------------- 4. YOUR WORDS AND PERSPECTIVE SHAPE YOUR REALITY A major thread in the message is the power of perception and speech. Swilley teaches that reality is responsive rather than rigid, and that what we repeatedly think and say influences the life we experience. > “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” — Bishop Jim Swilley He warns against victim mentality and self-fulfilling negativity while encouraging listeners to intentionally focus on possibility, gratitude, and abundance. Scripture References: * Book of Proverbs 18:21 * First Epistle to the Corinthians 2:9 ---------------------------------------- 5. HEALING OFTEN COMES THROUGH REINTERPRETING THE PAST One of the most emotionally resonant sections of the episode centers on trauma, memory, and healing. Swilley suggests that while we cannot literally change the past, we can transform how we understand it. > “You can’t change what happened, but you can change how you observe what happened.” — Bishop Jim Swilley This becomes the foundation for emotional healing, freedom from shame, and breaking cycles of inherited pain. ---------------------------------------- NOTABLE QUOTE > “If life keeps making you madder and madder, you’re spiraling downward. If instead you’re getting smarter and smarter, your adversity has become your teacher.” — Bishop Jim Swilley

‘ALIGN WITH THE DIVINE: Discovering the New Heaven and Earth from Within’ (Pt II)

Bishop Jim’s insightful messages help others find THEIR METRON through M~otivation E~nlightenment T~ranscendence R~enewal O~utreach and N~etworking * Learn more: www.bishinthenow.com [http://www.bishinthenow.com/] * Follow Jim Swilley on Facebook to see the videos live Sundays at 11 am – https://www.youtube.com/bishinthenow [https://www.youtube.com/bishinthenow] In this deeply personal and emotionally transparent episode of Metron Live, Bishop Jim Swilley continues his series “Align With the Divine: Discovering the New Heaven and Earth from Within” by weaving together themes of authenticity, grief, self-acceptance, spirituality, and alignment. Speaking candidly about his first Mother’s Day since his mother’s passing, Swilley reflects on caregiving, healing complicated family dynamics, and the peace that comes from living without regret. He expands the conversation into a broader spiritual teaching about what it means to truly live “in alignment” — not by conforming to external religious expectations, but by embracing one’s authentic self. Through scripture, personal testimony, and cultural observations, he argues that divine manifestation comes from inner congruence, transparency, joy, and self-love. MAIN TAKEAWAYS 1. ALIGNMENT BEGINS WITH AUTHENTICITY Swilley repeatedly emphasizes that spiritual alignment cannot happen while someone is pretending to be someone else. He connects emotional, spiritual, and even physical health to authenticity. > “There is nothing in this world more important than authenticity. Being who you are and loving who you are.” — Bishop Jim Swilley He argues that much suffering comes from living disconnected from one’s true identity, whether through people-pleasing, religious fear, suppressing gifts, or denying one’s orientation or calling. ---------------------------------------- 2. THE “GLORY OF THE LORD” COMES FROM WITHIN One of the central theological themes is that divine revelation is internal, not external. Using Psalm 24 and Isaiah 40, Swilley reframes traditional scripture imagery: SCRIPTURES REFERENCED * Psalm 24:7 * Isaiah 40:3–5 * Psalm 103 * John 10:10 * John 16 * Ezekiel 18 * 2 Corinthians 5:19 He teaches that: * You are the gate. * Your heart is the door. * Alignment reveals the divine already present within you. > “You’re not trying to get it. You’re trying to reveal it. It’s all in you already.” — Bishop Jim Swilley ---------------------------------------- 3. GRIEF CHANGES WHEN YOU’VE FULLY LOVED SOMEONE A major emotional thread throughout the message is Swilley’s reflection on caring for his mother through her final years. He speaks honestly about the exhausting reality of caretaking and how thoroughly walking someone “to the gate” changes grief. > “When you’ve been a very thorough caretaker, it changes the way you grieve someone’s departure.” — Bishop Jim Swilley Rather than feeling unresolved regret, he describes feeling gratitude, peace, and completion. ---------------------------------------- 4. “TRAIN UP A CHILD” MEANS DISCOVER WHO THEY ALREADY ARE Swilley revisits Proverbs 22:6 and challenges traditional interpretations. Instead of forcing children into conformity, he argues parents should nurture a child’s innate gifts and identity. > “Find out what’s wonderful about your child and play to that strength.” — Bishop Jim Swilley He critiques religious environments that attempt to suppress individuality instead of cultivating it. ---------------------------------------- 5. HAPPINESS IS NOT SELFISH — IT’S ESSENTIAL Swilley strongly connects joy to health, spirituality, and manifestation. He warns that prolonged unhappiness can become physically destructive and says people must either change harmful situations or change their relationship to them. > “You cannot be healthy if you’re unhappy.” — Bishop Jim Swilley He repeatedly encourages listeners to: * Follow their bliss * Stop living by external expectations * Embrace freedom * Let go of shame ---------------------------------------- 6. RELIGION OFTEN REWARDS PERFORMANCE OVER TRUTH One of the more striking sections involves Swilley recounting a conversation with late prophetic minister Kim Clement during the 2008 U.S. election. Swilley uses the story to illustrate how many religious leaders feel pressured to tell followers what they want to hear rather than speaking honestly. > “So much of church world is just BS. It’s a big masquerade party.” — Bishop Jim Swilley This becomes part of his broader argument that alignment requires radical honesty. ---------------------------------------- 7. JESUS LEADS PEOPLE TOWARD THEIR TRUEST SELVES Swilley closes by presenting a radically inclusive interpretation of Jesus. He portrays Jesus not as someone obsessed with moral policing, but as someone who liberated people into fuller humanity. > “You can’t follow the real Jesus and not become the real you.” — Bishop Jim Swilley ---------------------------------------- KEY QUOTE > “If you can get all of your allness to align, the glory of the Lord will just automatically be revealed.” — Bishop Jim Swilley ---------------------------------------- OVERALL THEME This episode is ultimately about liberation: * liberation from shame, * liberation from religious performance, * liberation from inherited expectations, * and liberation into authenticity. Swilley frames alignment not as becoming more religious, but as becoming more fully yourself.

‘ALIGN WITH THE DIVINE: Discovering the New Heaven and Earth from Within’ (Pt I)’

website www.bishinthenow.com [http://www.bishinthenow.com/] +Youtube – BishInTheNow [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKVarHLn86kbo7TgvvBynWA] Bishop Jim’s insightful messages help others find THEIR METRON through M~otivation E~nlightenment T~ranscendence R~enewal O~utreach and N~etworking Watch the video on Facebook:   Here [https://www.facebook.com/metroncommunity/videos] Watch the video on Youtube :   Here [https://youtube.com/live/ESRDcnPlqnk] Follow Jim Swilley on Facebook to see the videos live Sundays at 11 am – https://www.youtube.com/bishinthenow [https://www.youtube.com/bishinthenow] In this deeply personal and spiritually expansive teaching, Bishop Jim Swilley introduces a new series titled “Align with the Divine: Discovering the New Heaven and Earth From Within.” Using stories from his recent family experiences, encounters in New York, and reflections on Pentecostal spirituality, Bishop Swilley explores the power of alignment — the harmony between thoughts, words, actions, spirit, soul, and body. He argues that inner peace and manifestation come not from striving or controlling outcomes, but from authentic self-acceptance and releasing the need for external validation. The message blends scripture, mysticism, emotional healing, and practical wisdom into a powerful meditation on living without internal conflict. MAIN TAKEAWAYS ALIGNMENT IS HARMONY BETWEEN YOUR INNER AND OUTER LIFE Bishop Swilley defines alignment as living in integrity where your thoughts, words, and actions work together instead of against each other. He references a quote often attributed to Gandhi: > “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.” — attributed to Mahatma Gandhi He explains that misalignment creates internal conflict, which eventually manifests as external conflict. Authenticity becomes the key to peace. > “You cannot be inauthentic and in alignment.” — Bishop Jim Swilley REVELATION’S “NO MORE SEA” REPRESENTS THE END OF SEPARATION Using Book of Revelation 21:1, Bishop Swilley offers a symbolic interpretation of the “new heaven and new earth.” > “I saw a new heaven and a new earth… and there was no longer any sea.” — Revelation 21:1 He teaches that in the ancient world, the sea represented fear, division, boundaries, and the unknown. The “new earth” is a consciousness without separation. > “The sea represented division. It represented the unknown. It was a border. It was a boundary.” — Bishop Jim Swilley MANIFESTATION FLOWS BEST WITHOUT ANXIETY Drawing from Epistle to the Philippians 4:6-7, he teaches that peace and manifestation come through non-anxious living. > “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” — Philippians 4:6 He reframes manifestation as clarity and flow rather than force. > “Manifestation has to come out in clarity.” — Bishop Jim Swilley THE MORE HE ACCEPTED HIMSELF, THE MORE THE WORLD CHANGED AROUND HIM One of the strongest sections of the teaching centers on Bishop Swilley’s journey after publicly coming out. He contrasts the hostility he experienced years ago with the peace and acceptance he now encounters. > “Because I’m so okay with it on the inside, I believe people are picking up and they’re okay with it on the outside.” — Bishop Jim Swilley He shares touching stories from his son’s wedding and a surprising conversation with a Church of God pastor in New York to illustrate how alignment changes energy and interactions. “HOLD ON” AND “LET GO” ARE BOTH NECESSARY One of the most memorable metaphors comes from his Pentecostal upbringing. He recalls altar workers shouting contradictory instructions during prayer meetings: > “One person saying, ‘Hold on, hold on, hold on,’ and another saying, ‘Let go, let go, let go.’” — Bishop Jim Swilley He says both were right. > “I’m holding on and I’m letting go simultaneously.” — Bishop Jim Swilley This becomes the central spiritual principle of the message: trust deeply, but release attachment to outcomes. PEACE WITH YOURSELF CREATES PEACE WITH OTHERS Swilley emphasizes that much suffering comes from trying to control or change other people. Alignment means accepting both yourself and others as they are. > “The more you are at peace with yourself, the more you’re going to be at peace with everybody else.” — Bishop Jim Swilley He teaches that stress, agendas, and unresolved internal conflict block creativity, abundance, and joy. KEY SCRIPTURES REFERENCED * Book of Revelation 21:1 — “A new heaven and a new earth” * Epistle to the Philippians 4:6-7 — “Be careful for nothing” * First Epistle to the Thessalonians 5:23 — Spirit, soul, and body * Epistle to the Hebrews 4:12 — Dividing soul and spirit * Book of Proverbs 25:11 — “A word fitly spoken” * Gospel of Mark 11:24 — “Believe you receive when you pray” MEMORABLE QUOTES > “When you stop bleeding, you stop attracting the sharks.” — Bishop Jim Swilley > “The conflict is where the energy is.” — Bishop Jim Swilley > “You want it, and you’ll be okay without it.” — Bishop Jim Swilley > “You can’t be at peace with the world until you’re at peace with yourself.” — Bishop Jim Swilley > “The agendas are the dams.” — Bishop Jim Swilley