On Day 108, the Gentle Healing Group will begin reading NTI Acts. One fun and informative way to read NTI Acts is to read it along with watching the movie, Acts, by Visual Bible. The movie stars Bruce Marchiano, James Brolin, Jennifer O’Neil and Dean Jones. It is directed by Regardt Van Den Bergh.

This movie’s script follows the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible exactly. There isn’t a single word added to the script for dramatization. Since the NIV Bible is the one I read when scribing NTI, that means this movie depicts the scenes I read about as I received the interpretation.

Another great thing about this movie is that the scripture reference appears as captions on the screen. That means you can watch the movie, stop it, and then read the corresponding interpretation from NTI.

This movie is not required  for Gentle Healing. However, if the idea of the movie interests you, I recommend ordering it now so you will have it by the time we start reading NTI Acts.

If you get the movie, I recommend using it this way:

1. Look at the tip to see what that day’s reading is.
2. Watch the portion of the movie that corresponds to that day’s reading. (For example, on Day 108 watch Acts 1. Stop the movie when the scripture caption moves to Acts 2.)
3. Read the tip.
4. Read the daily reading in NTI.

This will add a few additional minutes to your Gentle Healing routine, but it will help bring the Bible stories alive, and it will enhance your experience of the reading and the tip. The DVD has a great feature that allows you to easily select the chapter you want to listen to each day.

If you choose to order the movie, be sure to get the DVD mentioned above. There is more than one movie about Acts.

Today’s reading says that we define ourselves by mind-made laws and by our relationship to mind-made laws.

What are these mind-made laws?

The “laws” cannot be listed, because they vary by individual. They make up the filter of the individual mind.

A few examples might be:

• People should be honest.
• I shouldn’t eat so much.
• She shouldn’t talk so much.
• Telemarketers should respect my privacy and quit calling on the phone.
• My neighbor’s dog shouldn’t bark.
• It shouldn’t snow in April.
• People shouldn’t cut in and out of traffic.
• People shouldn’t be racist.
• I should keep my house cleaner than I do.
• Children should respect their parents.
• Etcetera, etcetera, and etcetera.

Laws like these serve the ego in two ways:

1. They give us a sense of identity.
2. They provide a basis for judgment and separation.

As long as we believe mind-made laws, we are limited to a self and a world that is seen through the filter of these laws, which means we remain unaware of reality.

Today’s reading suggests that we let the Heart lead ahead of the mind. It suggests we follow intuitive guidance instead of living by mind-made laws. This is another way of asking us to live by trust (reliance on intuition and universal spontaneity) instead of thinking, since thinking is the obstacle that blocks our awareness of reality.

What mind-made laws do you notice in your mind? Are you willing to let them go? Are there any you feel compelled to hold onto? If so, why? What do you think you lose by giving up those laws?