Justin Miller
jcrew1982.bsky.social
Justin Miller
@jcrew1982.bsky.social
Episcopalian, Father & Husband, Disney Addict, Bassist, Progressive, Runner, Trekkie, and Whovian. One impossible thing at a time.
John 8:21-32 - The Truth Will Set You Free

The Good News: Jesus offers an escape from cycles of shame and ego. The Truth is a person to follow who breaks the chains of the worldly system.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 8:21-32 - The Truth Will Set You Free The Set-Up: Jesus confronts the religious leaders, stating they are "from below" (ego, worldliness) while He is "from above" (the Source). He warns they wi...
substack.com
February 12, 2026 at 7:58 PM
John 8:12–20: Calling Witnesses

The Good News is that this Light isn't a spotlight of interrogation. Jesus says, "I judge no one." It’s a guiding light, a campfire in the wilderness, the glow that promises you are never truly alone, even when the religious institutions have run out of oil.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 8:12–20: Calling Witnesses The Set-Up Jesus is still in the Treasury of the Temple following the Feast of Tabernacles. The wicks are burnt out and the oil is gone. In the middle of the spiritua...
substack.com
February 11, 2026 at 8:28 PM
John 7:53–8:11 - Casting Stones

The Good News is that our Judge is also our Savior. He has every right to condemn us, but He chooses to disarm the situation, send the accusers home, and send us back into life with a clean slate.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 7:53–8:11 - Casting Stones The Set-Up It’s early morning in the Temple courts and Jesus is teaching. The scribes and Pharisees drag in a woman. The text says she was "caught in the very act of...
substack.com
February 10, 2026 at 4:47 PM
John 7:37–52: Drinking from Tap of Living Water

The Good News is that the tap is open. Living Water is available to flow directly from your own gut. The source has moved from the Temple altar to the human heart and is available to all.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 7:37–52: Drinking from Tap of Living Water The Set-Up It is the last and greatest day of the festival (Sukkot). For seven days, priests have been parading to the Pool of Siloam, drawing water i...
substack.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:36 PM
John 7:1-13 - Slipping into the Party

The Good News is that even when the authorities are hunting him and the crowds are whispering in fear, He is there. He walks right into the danger zone…to be present with his people. You can’t pressure him, but you also can’t keep him away.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 7:1-13 - Slipping into the Party The Set-Up Jesus is laying low in Galilee, because the Judean religious establishment wants him dead. It’s almost time for the Festival of Booths (Sukkot)—a mas...
substack.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:58 PM
John 6:60–71 — Should I Stay or Should I Go?

The Good News is that when you look at the world and realize it has nothing for you, Jesus is still there. He has the Words of Eternal Life. He is the only one who speaks the language your soul actually understands. You don't have to look anywhere else.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 6:60–71 — Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Set-Up Jesus has just delivered the "Eat my Flesh" sermon. The disciples—not just the Twelve, but the wider circle of followers—are murmuring: “This ...
substack.com
February 5, 2026 at 6:30 PM
John 6:52–59 - Gnaw on This

The Good News is that Jesus offers Himself completely - body and blood - so that He can live inside us. He wants to be the fuel that powers your being. It’s an invitation to the deepest, most radical kind of intimacy: mutual indwelling. He in you, and you in Him.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 6:52–59 - Gnaw on This The Set-Up As the crowd continues to “converse” with Jesus, they move from angry to disgusted. “The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us...
substack.com
February 4, 2026 at 7:29 PM
My call is to help the Church live more like Jesus: unafraid, authentic, disruptive in love, and deeply rooted in community.

This is the priesthood I seek. This is the Church I believe in. This is the Kingdom we are called to embody, loudly and together.
Unafraid, Unpolished, Unashamed: My Call to Authentic Priesthood
My call is to help the Church live more like Jesus -and more punk: unafraid, authentic, disruptive in love, and deeply rooted in community.
open.substack.com
February 4, 2026 at 12:14 AM
John 6:41–51 - Living Bread
The Good News is that this "Bread" isn't reserved for the holy elite; it is given "for the life of the world." It is available to the complainers, the skeptics, and the forgotten. The table is set, the bread is broken, and the invitation out to start eating the meal.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 6:41–51 - Living Bread The Set-Up Jesus continues his..discussion…with the crowd, who, specifically the religious gatekeepers, start grumbling. They don’t come after His theology instead, they ...
substack.com
February 3, 2026 at 4:48 PM
John 8:31–36: Freedom from Slavery

The Good News is that Jesus doesn't recoil from your slavery; He invites you to stop being a "slave" to the expectations of the world and start being a "son" or "daughter" in the House of God. Here you’re welcome. Here you’re family. No matter what.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 8:31–36: Freedom from Slavery The Set-Up Jesus is talking to a crowd who are just on the edge of believing in Him. He gives them the prerequisite for being a true disciple: “If you continue in ...
substack.com
February 3, 2026 at 1:18 AM
John 6:1-15 - Share your Sandwich

The Good News is that God is a master of multiplication. When we surrender our scarcity and give thanks, we tap into a Generosity that can feed the multitude. You don't have to feed 5,000 people; you just have to be willing to share your sandwich.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 6:1-15 - Share Your Sandwich The Set-up: Jesus crosses the Sea of Galilee, with a massive crowd in tow. They are hungry for the spectacle and, frankly, just hungry. Jesus goes up a mountain, s...
substack.com
January 30, 2026 at 5:11 PM
John 5:19-29 The Divine Apprentice

The Good News is that you don't have to wait for a political savior or change in legislation to experience Life. You can hear His voice, step out, and start living for the Kingdom of God today. Let’s get out there and do the work!

substack.com/@consistentl...
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 5:19-29 - The Divine Apprentice The Set-Up Jesus has just been accused of making Himself equal to God. Most people would backpedal, but Jesus digs in. He uses an analogy that Anthony Bourdain...
substack.com
January 28, 2026 at 3:43 PM
John 5:1-18

The Good News is that God is working right now. Jesus reveals that the Father is constantly active in the business of redemption.

The Good News is that the command to "Get Up" is valid 7 days a week. The Work of God is the healing of our lives, our communities, & that work never stops.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 5:1-18 The Set-Up Jesus walks into the Pool of Bethesda, which was essentially the overflow room for Jerusalem’s broken and forgotten. The legend there was unusually cruel: an angel stirs the ...
substack.com
January 28, 2026 at 12:03 AM
Looking at our streets today—at the protests, the grief, & the uncertainty—it is tempting to think, “The church can’t fix this.”

The truth is, the Church was built for times of crisis.

Timothy and Titus remind us that we don’t have to fix everything overnight. We are simply called to be present.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
Timothy and Titus The Set-Up Today is the Feast of Timothy and Titus, and honestly, it lands on a day where the air feels heavy. Those in Minneapolis know the sound of sirens and the tension in the ...
substack.com
January 26, 2026 at 4:02 PM
The State calls it "restoring order." The press release calls it "defensive measures." But anyone who has ever read the Gospels without the filter of Empire knows exactly what this is: it’s Rome protecting itself from the people.
January 24, 2026 at 11:00 PM
John 4:16–26
The Good News is that Jesus seeks out the ones the church ignores. The Good News is that you are the sanctuary. When you start living in "Spirit and Truth," you become the place where heaven meets earth. The well is open, and the water is free.
substack.com/@consistentl...
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 4:16–26 The Set-Up Jesus is sitting by Jacob's well in Samaria … and talking to a Samaritan woman … already a double scandal. She’s shocked he’s even asking her for water. But then the convers...
substack.com
January 23, 2026 at 7:38 PM
Vincent of Saragossa

The Good News is that while they broke Vincent’s body, they couldn't touch his joy. The Good News is that when the world tries to press you, grind you down, and torment you, the Spirit does its best work.

substack.com/profile/4765...
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
Vincent of Saragossa The Set-Up: Today we remember Vincent of Saragossa - deacon to Bishop Valerius in Saragossa, Spain, around 304 AD. Here’s the dynamic: Valerius had a speech impediment. He was ...
substack.com
January 22, 2026 at 1:56 PM
John 3:22-36
The Good News is that there is profound freedom in "decreasing." You don't have to maintain the image or carry the weight of the world. You can point to Jesus, do your work, and then happily step out of the frame, knowing the celebration is in good hands.
substack.com/@consistentl...
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 3:22-36 The Set-Up Jesus and John are each baptizing near one another - making John’s disciples a bit nervous and insecure so they run to John and share their concern in their dwindling numbers...
substack.com
January 21, 2026 at 8:49 PM
John 3:16–21

The Good News is that you don't have to be afraid of being seen. John 3:17 promises that the intent of the Divine is to rescue, repair, and restore you, not to discard you. You can step out of the shadows. The One who created the Kosmos loves you.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 3:16–21 The Set-Up John 3:16 is the neon sign of American evangelicalism. But the Greek word here is Kosmos. God didn't just love the "church" or the "believers." God loved the Whole Damn Syste...
substack.com
January 20, 2026 at 3:34 PM
“I would argue that God isn’t “inefficient” - instead, God uses what others’ might see as frivolous to create beautiful moments, demonstrate love, and embrace the Holy.”
"The Gospel of Inefficiency"
I would argue that God isn’t “inefficient” - instead, God uses what others’ might see as frivolous to create beautiful moments, demonstrate love, and embrace the Holy.
open.substack.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:44 PM
John 2:1-12
The Good News is that religion is supposed to be Wine—something that gladdens the heart, brings people together, and tastes like life. If your life often feels like a well drink at Happy Hour, Jesus is ready to transform it into something amazingly good, without the hangover.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 2:1-12 The Set-Up Jesus, Mary, and the disciples are at a wedding in Cana. This is a big deal - a multi-day celebration in community, and full joy. But then, the worst thing imaginable happens...
substack.com
January 16, 2026 at 2:02 PM
John 1:43-51

The Good News is that you don't have to fake anything to get Jesus's attention. He loves a "no deceit" attitude. He sees you exactly as you are- skepticism, ego, and all - and still invites you to His inner circle.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 1:43-51 Set-Up Jesus decides to head to Galilee - the working-class district. He finds Philip and gives him a simple command: “Follow me.” Philip doesn't hesitate and runs to find his friend N...
substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 2:22 PM
John 1:29–42
The Good News is that you are not stuck with your old name. Simon was a fisherman; Jesus made him a Rock. Whatever label has been slapped on you, Jesus looks at you and gives you a new name that speaks to your potential. You are seen, you are invited, and you are being rebuilt.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
John 1:29–42  The Set-Up John the Baptist has been out in the desert, screaming at the establishment, baptizing people in the river, and building a massive following.  Jesus walks by, and John poin...
substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 12:41 PM
Today is the Feast Day of Hilary of Poitiers - Patron Saint of Not Selling Out

Hilary spent his life dismantling bad theology and reminding the church that truth isn't decided by who sits on the throne. And for that, he was named a Doctor of the Church.
Consistently Upwards (@consistentlyupwards)
Hilary of Poitiers - Patron Saint of Not Selling Out Today is the Feast Day of Hilary of Poitiers - aka "Malleus Arianorum" - or the “Hammer of the Arians”. The Setup:  It’s the mid-4th century and...
substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Fixed it!

“No walls. No masters. Just one radical commandment to love your neighbor as yourself—no exceptions.
Remember your Baptism, pilgrim.”
January 12, 2026 at 11:34 PM