Steve Simms's Blog, page 110

Are there any “lay people”?

I don’t believe that there are any lay people. The Bible says that Christ-followers are “kings and priests.” The Protestant Reformers taught the priesthood of the believer (however, they weren’t very good at actually implementing it since they all established a clergy/laity system that continues till this day).

I’ve discovered that God’s ordinary people are eloquent and extraordinary! I was saved during the Jesus Movement and saw hundreds of ordinary people proclaiming and demonstrating the presence and power of the living Jesus. I was a team member on many “Lay Witness” Missions” and heard and saw everyday Christians spark church awakening after church awaking by simply sharing their salvation testimony.

I’ve heard too many ordinary Christians to count open their heart to God and passionately pray in a way that moved me in my innermost being. I’ve seen far more everyday Christ-followers operate in the gifts of the Spirit than I have clergy.

As a new Christian God gave me a vision of everyday Christians meeting together to all directly listen to and obey the risen Jesus. As the Jesus Movement began to die down, I moved around the country looking for a place that allowed “lay people” to speak out in church as prompted by God’s Spirit, but never found such a thing. Finally, God led my wife and me to start such gatherings.

For a year we met with two other couples in our home and followed the biblical pattern of 1 Corinthians 14:26. It was awesome! Then we found and joined a church that had an open mic and let anyone present speak. We loved that, but after a year they closed down the open mic.

After that we started a church in the old black neighborhood of Franklin, Tennessee. There anyone could share as led by God’ Spirit. What an awesome time of seeing God connect people heart-to-heart interracially. We even joined a black denomination.

Eventually The Salvation Army supernaturally opened a door for us and invited us to start a “nontraditional church” in an empty “corps” (church) building in inner city Nashville. That lasted for 10 years and in all that time we never had a sermon. However, we did experience the glory of God flowing out of ordinary people as they testified, shared Scriptures, gave short teaching, prayed, shared prayer request, confessed sins, flowed in spiritual gifts, started songs, and praised God. This was all strongly supported by many leaders in The Salvation Army. Finally, a new leader was put over Nashville who ordered us to follow the traditional sermon format. The pressure was so great we felt we had no choice but to resign.

Shortly after that God supernaturally opened a door for my wife and me and another couple to lead a ministry on the campus of a local auto/diesel college. We sit with a group of young men and encourage them to talk and share their heart and God shows up!

God recently led us to step out of the college ministry and last week was our last meeting. Now we are eagerly anticipating God’s next open doors. Like Simeon and Anna, as ordinary people we’re ready to speak up for Jesus and to encourage and empower other everyday Christians to do likewise.

Simeon and Anna spoke out during a religious ceremony in the New Testament because they recognized the living Jesus. May the same thing happen to us!

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Spirit-given & Spirit-taught words are seldom popular

Spirit-given (Mt. 10:19) and Spirit-taught (1 Cor. 2:13) words are powerful and burn in the heart of those who notice them. Being Spirit-led involves noticing, obeying, and speaking Spirit-given and Spirit-taught words, however, those words are seldom popular.

Spirit-given and Spirit-taught words are much more common than people think because they’re often mistaken for mere human thoughts. As a short paragraph or phrase the Bible calls them either a word of knowledge or a word of wisdom. In longer sections they are called prophecy. The Bible says that Christ-followers “can all prophesy.” One reason that prophecy, words of knowledge, and words of wisdom appear rare is that Christians have been trained not to notice them and/or to quench the Spirit and shut them down.

Being Spirit-led isn’t a methodology; it’s a relationship of surrender to the living Jesus. If following other people’s model for Christianity shuts down the Holy Spirit, then it’s a hindrance, not a help!

Biblical Christianity isn’t about a system of theology, a religious institution, or an organized approach to God. It’s about being led by the Spirit. (Romans 8:14.) Christians need to begin to implement what the Holy Spirit shows them instead of merely following methods taught by people.

I love to find and read Christian books that are full of Spirit-given & Spirit-taught words that burn in my heart. After the Bible, I mostly find them in books by Christians who have graduated into glory and who had an intimate relationship with the risen Jesus while they were on earth. Some of my favorite, are John Wesley, Catherine and William Booth, Watchman Nee, Mother Theresa, Marie Curie, George Fox, Catholic mystics, and Orthodox Monks. I also love Jesus-lead-us gatherings where Christians meet to all listen to and obey the risen Jesus.

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Church criticism without church hurt

Some people assume that when I criticize church, I speak from church hurt but that’s not true. My views on church came from daily experiencing the reality, presence, and glory of the living Jesus, years before I ever experienced “church hurt.”

Faith isn’t a Jesus jersey for religious spectators to wear to Sunday games. It’s daily dependence on the risen Jesus. It’s not enough to hang Jesus’ artwork in your heart. Let Him live and work in there and do a complete remodel. The world today needs to see lab Christianity, not museum Christianity.

Non-church Christianity is growing. More and more Christ-followers are assembling together without the umbrella of a religious organization.

Christians need more than history lessons about Jesus — memories and stories about Him taught through lectures in a museum-like environment. We need the acute awareness of His actual presence that daily arrests our attention & awakens our heart to never-ending adoration of Him.

A church should be more than a nursing home for sinners and a museum for saints. A museum is a habitat for memories, but a church should create an environment for present day experiences with the risen Jesus. The purpose of remembering Jesus in the past is to motivate and empower us to continually experience Him in the present.\

If Jesus isn’t an active part of your daily life, a dab of Sunday religion won’t revolutionize your life. It’s frustrating to analyze the Bible, but when you internalize it and let it mingle with your heart, it’s lifechanging.

“Assembling yourselves together,” (Hebrews 10:25) is much more than being in the same room with other Christians while watching a religious program.

When Christians
Are trained
To freely verbalize
Their love for Jesus
They internalize
His presence
And awaken
To His reality!You need to see Jesus
With spiritual eyes
Not just learn about Him
In a religious museum.It's time to internalize
The risen Jesus
In the now!
It's not enough
To merely memorialize
What He did
In the past.Look at Jesus
With eternal eyes
Open your heart
And internalize
His presence.Church should be
A lab that actively demonstrates
The presence of Jesus,
Not merely a museum
That commemorates
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Being face-to-face with the risen Jesus

When you truly
Experience God’s grace
Your heart will
Encounter Jesus
Face-to-face.

Life’s not about the circumstances you’re facing. It’s about who you’re facing! Keep your eyes on the risen Jesus. Once you’ve truly come face-to-face with Jesus you’ll never want to leave. Sunday sermons are quickly forgotten but face-to-face interaction with the living Jesus makes a lasting impact!

True Christianity is a life lived face-to-face with Jesus. Being face-to-face with Jesus should be a lifestyle, not a rare moment. Face-to-face interaction with Jesus is vital! Begin to live in the supernatural habitat of being face-to-face with the risen Jesus.

People shine the brightest when they’re living face-to-face with the risen Jesus. When you’re face-to-face with the living Jesus, your own desires melt away.

When a group of people gathers face-to-face with the risen Jesus it’s much more than a church service! You can actually see His glory shinning from their faces. There’s nothing wrong with sitting in rows to face a preacher, but it’s much more powerful to sit face-to-face with Jesus.

Religious talks about Jesus without face-to-face interaction with Him will keep you unaware of His presence. No church or religion should ever replace a face-to-face relationship with the risen Jesus.

I love to spend my days facing Jesus’ face and gazing into His eyes. Church has never been able to hold my attention, but I’m a huge fan of being face-to-face with the risen Jesus! I find church to be a poor replacement for ongoing spiritual connection with Jesus.

The key to Christianity isn’t going to church. It’s to keep your life facing Jesus and refuse to be distracted by the darkness around you.

Grace isn’t a once and done prayer. I need the presence and mercy of Jesus every day. If you turn your face toward temptation, you’ll eventually fall. If you keep your face set on Jesus, you’ll stand.

Until church becomes a place
Where people are trained
In face-to-face
Interaction with Jesus,
It will only be a tiny trace
Of what it could be.

The human heart
Has a longing
For belonging
That is only met
By surrender to God.

Your need to belong
Can’t be fully met
By just going along
And attending church.
To satisfy your
Hunger and thirst
Continually search
For more of Jesus.

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Great minds think! Try it. Put your brain to use

A person’s brain can be healthy, yet their mind be troubled by tormenting thoughts. Brian health doesn’t guarantee mental health. An unmanaged mind trends toward chaos. Inner peace requires mental and emotional discipline.

An aimless mind wanders like a stray dog — dazed, downcast, and despondent. You can manage your mind for beautiful well-being or allow it to wander aimlessly and pick up whatever it steps in.

Blaming your brain when you mismanage your mind is like blaming your legs when you miscalculate a step and stumble. More than a healthy brain is necessary for mental health. It also requires healthy thinking and a well-managed mind. Tormenting thoughts and feelings are the warning signs of a mismanaged mind.

The human brain is the world’s most incredible computer. The human mind is the operator and programmer of that computer. The human brain is made of physical material; the human mind isn’t. The human brain is confined to its programming, but the mind is free to reason, think, decide, feel, will, create, and perceive.

The brain can be dissected and analyzed by science, but the mind operates in ways that are beyond the material universe. The human mind is the consciousness that is able to manage, operate, and program the brain. Emotional well-being requires sentimental health — the mind’s effort and desire to resist destructive feelings and not let them overrun you.

You can make up your mind, but you can’t make up your brain. You can experience a weight off your mind, but not a weight off your brain. Something can blow your mind but if it blows your brain, you’re in deep trouble.

You can lose your mind, but you can’t lose your brain. It’s stuck inside your head. You can speak your mind, but you can’t speak your brain. Ideas sometimes spring to mind, but they don’t spring to brain.

To call something to mind is to transfer information from your brain to your consciousness. You can get something out of your mind, but you can’t delete it from your brain’s memory. Great minds think! Try it. Put your brain to use.

You can give someone a piece of your mind, but not a piece of your brain. You can get your mind around something, but you can’t get your brain around it. Just because you’re using your right brain doesn’t mean you’re in your right mind.

A group of people can experience a meeting of their minds, but they can’t experience a meeting of their brains. You can have a closed mind but if you’re brain closes down, you’ll be dead. You can control your frame of mind, but you can’t frame your brain.

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Be led by God’s love

I want
To be led
By God’s hands,
Not by my plans.

Try this in a church service: put down the program, scratch the schedule, and see what the living Jesus can do!

Anything that restricts the Holy Spirit’s freedom is a Spirit-quencher. Without heart-to-heart connection with the living Jesus (abiding in the Vine), church attendance has little impact on people.

Love’s not about agreement or approval. It’s about kindness and compassion.

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Make everyday a day of epiphany (and every church a place of epiphany)

A Christian’s heart should be full of fountains flowing and wide-open faucets running with rivers of Jesus’ living water. Is yours? If not, this might help:

January 6 is called “The Day of Epiphany” by traditional churches. It celebrates the wise men of the East encountering the living Jesus — the Creator in human flesh. The word “epiphany” literally means revelation or spiritual awakening. I believe that Christ-followers should experience continual spiritual awakening that grows from glory to glory! Anything less than that is substandard Christianity. Instead of celebrating a day of epiphany that happened 2,000 years ago, we need to embrace a lifestyle of epiphany — awakening and surrendering to the presence and reality of the living Jesus more and more every day!

Epiphany is the recognition of a godly thought or sensation that comes from beyond the human mind. It’s a supernatural aha moment. When that recognition happens in your life scoop it up. Hold it near and dear. Treasure it in your heart. Let it empower you to draw nearer and nearer to the risen Jesus. If you will notice and act on the thoughts that God puts in your mind, you’ll experience many powerful manifestations of His presence.

When Jesus died, the temple veil that separated humans from God was torn from top down. Because of Jesus, epiphanies are no longer rare. They happen throughout the day to those who are surrendered to the risen Jesus, but we often don’t recognize those supernatural thoughts and sensations for what they really are.

God’s epiphanies enter us from beyond our analysis and rational thinking. They need to be listened for rather than figured out. We need more than human wisdom. We need epiphany — direct insight from the living God.

Epiphanies happen to you. God is frequently sending you thoughts and sensations. Notice them and let the overwhelm you! If churches would become an open forum where everyday people could train to recognize and share their epiphanies, spiritual awakening would sweep our land. Unfortunately, much that’s done in modern Christianity seems to me to match the story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” much more than the “Day of Epiphany.”

For a real message from God, ask Jesus to talk to you and then be still and let the thoughts He puts into your mind touch your heart. Spirit-led (epiphany filled) Christianity cannot be contained in any church or religious organization. It blows the lid off! “Awake sleeper” from the daze of habitual religion to the glorious presence of the living Jesus!

To play is to engage in an activity without a practical purpose. Perhaps church attendance without a practical purpose is playing church. If we won’t even allow the risen Jesus freedom to actively work in church, no wonder we seldom see Him powerfully working in society.

No man no matter his title should ever be between you and God! Jesus said that Christians are brothers and sisters. No one of us should be exalted above the others. People who connect heart-to-heart with the risen Jesus are automatically connected to each other, but churches separate Christians from one another. You don’t need to belong to an institution to be a daily walker. You don’t need to belong to an institutional church to walk daily in God’s Spirit.

Christians are told to speak by God’s Spirit and not to rely on our preparation. Jesus said: “Do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time.” If those who preach don’t trust Jesus to “say whatever is given you at the time,” during a sermon, how could they do so, as Jesus commanded, when brought to trial and their life is hanging on what they say?

The Gospel needs to be shared from the heart in words given by the Spirit in the moment, not just from human study and analysis. Preaching without the passion of a heart on fire for God and connected to Christ’s presence is just a religious talk.

If pastors would study the Bible to be personally convicted and transformed by God, instead of to write a Sunday talk for other people, churches would experience much spiritual awakening. A sermon prepared by a human mind might reach a mind, but words shared directly from a humble Spirit-led heart will touch a heart.

Pastors have been trained to rely on human knowledge, study, and analysis for their sermons (and sometimes they even preach sermons they’ve copied from books or online) instead of relying on the immediate presence of God’s Spirit speaking directly through them. That leads to sermons without actual demonstrations of God’s presence and trains people to just be hearers of the word but not doers of the word. Enough Sunday morning talk! It’s time for Christians to walk the walk and live out what they’ve heard preached.

Church needs less playing and pretending and a whole lot more praying. (I often wonder why it’s so rare for Christians to trust Jesus to lead a church service without a human leader controlling things.) “You can all prophesy.” –1 Corinthians 14:31. Any Christian can speak by the Spirit. Perhaps pastors should demonstrate that in their sermons instead of speaking based on study. Study and sermon preparation is too often an excuse to not trust the Spirit to give words on the spot.

To praise Martin Luther for his criticism of church while condemning present day critics is hypocrisy. Any institution can benefit from openly and honestly examining sincere criticism.

EPIPHANY DISCOVERY!
A group of Christians can meet together and be beautifully led by God’s Spirit without one person controlling the meeting. It’s unbelief to think that Jesus can’t Himself lead a gathering of the body of Christ without a human leader controlling things.

Daily trust in,
Depend
And rely on
Jesus.

Be wise.
With your inner eyes
Look beyond
What you regard as ordinary
And experience the epiphanies
Of the Creator's cries
Within your heart.You don't have to be
On your knees
To experience God's epiphanies.
He has given you the keys
To His kingdom.
Everyday unlock your heart
To Christ's presence
And communication.
It's not about your expertise
Or your religious affiliation.We need the eye
Of the Magi
So God can lead us
By the sparkling
Glory of nature
To the Creator
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Hey there! Heightened awareness is calling

Stop and be aware
Of what’s in
Your mind and heart.
Is what’s there
Taking you where
You need to go?

What you choose
To be aware of
Can either abuse
Or enthuse.
It can tear you apart
Or fill you with joy.

Hey there.
Now I have your attention
And you’re aware
Of what I’ve written,
But are you aware
Of what God’s written
On your heart?
Have you heard Him
Say, “Hey there?”

The focus of your awareness determines your feelings. Fix your awareness on what produces empowering and encouraging feelings.

Your external awareness extends far beyond your body. Let your internal awareness reach beyond your feelings and desires. To live without ongoing awareness of awe, beauty, and wonder is to live in self-inflicted blindness. If your awareness of unmeasurable qualitative reality has been stolen, get it back while you still can.

It’s easy to use the ear buds of triviality to dull your awareness of the things that really matter. Denial strives for unawareness by playing inner hide and seek with reality. Life never requires that you follow your feelings and desires. You have a choice.

When people are acutely aware of the presence of the living Jesus, you see His reality manifesting in their behavior. If you’re unaware of the real presence of the living Jesus, your attention will become fixed on insignificant things. Bored Christians have lost their awareness of the presence of the risen Jesus.

There’s nothing purposeless about Jesus’ presence! When people are uncomfortable with the presence of God, they hide Him behind religion or even deny His existence.

When unaware of the presence of Jesus, Christianity depends on forms and formulas, rituals and religion, plans and programs. You can’t be aware of the risen Jesus and unresponsive to His presence at the same time. If you have no response, you’re unaware. If churches want people to be aware of the presence of Jesus, they need to allow time for Him to demonstrate His reality.

The living Jesus is beyond mental awareness. He can only be perceived by a humbly surrendered heart. To be unaware of Jesus is to be asleep to the thrill of living in His reality. Christ-awareness dispels self-awareness and captivates my attention with His glory. Revival is heightened awareness of the presence of the risen Jesus.

Knowledge isn’t awareness. Many people know a lot about Jesus yet remain unaware of His presence. The more I’m aware of Jesus the less I’m aware of my personal desires. To be comfortable with sin requires an ongoing effort to be unaware of God.

Persistently reading the Bible with an open heart (like a love letter) will cultivate an awareness of the presence of Jesus as will opening your heart to God and to other people. Frequent prayer will also help you stay aware of Jesus. The more I’m conscious of my weakness, the more I’m aware of my need for God.

Consecration to Christ begins with awakening to the awareness of the omnipresence of the risen Jesus. If we’re unaware of His presence, we won’t be fully dedicated to His service.

When your heart is cold
Dare to behold
The risen Jesus
And let Him unfold
Heaven’s glory
In your soul
And make you whole.

Beware
Of deception.
Stay aware
Of Jesus.

In a moment
I became aware
That Jesus Christ
Is everywhere.
Are you aware?

If you become aware
Of Jesus
And the glare
Of His glory
Your life
Will never be
A boring story.

Make it your mission
To ever raise awareness
Of the risen Jesus
In your heart.

To reject
What God directs
Is sin.

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Build better brain boundaries.

Brain boundaries are standards for what is allowed in your stream of consciousness. Wise brain boundaries improve mental health. If you don’t maintain uplifting brain boundaries, you’ll be harassed by downward spiraling thoughts.

A brain without boundaries, like a boat filling with water, struggles to stay afloat. Some plants aren’t fit for human consumption. Some thoughts aren’t either! Open your brain to what enhances your mental health. Close it to what degrades it.

Life goes much better when we refuse to think unhealthy and unwise thoughts. Deceptive thoughts that distort truth abound. Defend yourself against them and dispel them. The more comfortable you get with unwholesome thoughts the more your mental boundaries will recede. Without brain boundaries a human mind will gradually fill with trash.

Maintain wise brain boundaries. Protect your mind and defend your brain by courageously repelling all self-destructive, tormenting, and sinful thoughts. Welcome thoughts that build your mental health. Strongly resist and reject those that don’t.

When we’re unwilling to defend our brain by persistently rejecting unhealthy thoughts our mental health suffers. Fight for your rights! Your mind belongs to you. You have the right to resist and reject unwanted thoughts.

It’s important that you admit and expel any unwholesomeness that you’ve allow into your brain. You won’t feel fully forgiven until you’ve honestly admitted your guilt.

It's crucial
To get your mind
Out of neutral
So you don't coast
Into mental despair
And let thoughts
Bamboozle
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God’s inner choreography is contagious

I woke up this morning with these words on my heart: “Witness, testimony, and revelation are vital but neglected Christian concepts.”

Revelation is awakening to the awareness of God. Christ’s witnesses enthusiastically testify about what they have seen and heard Jesus do in their lives.

I believe those three concepts are God’s choreography of awakening that leads to contagious consecration and begins to produce and multiply a widely spreading move of God. We experience direct revelation from God, and then we can’t help but speak (witness and testify) about the things we have seen and heard.

(For those who have been influenced by the Wesleyan, Holiness, and Pentecostal movements: That’s what happened to John Wesley after his heart was strangely warmed. Let’s not just have his example as our heritage. Let’s cry out to God for direct revelation like Wesley did until we are gloriously witnessing and testifying about Jesus everywhere!)

No institution managed by people (including a church) is a rock. They’re all wobbly & subject to corruption. However, when human living stones allow Jesus to build their hearts together on the rock of personal revolution, the body of Christ comes into view and the gates of Hell tremble.

Direct personal revelation from God is the inner rock that amazingly aligns with Scripture and builds human lives on Christ’s solid foundation. Witness and testify about Jesus the solid Rock. If you’ve nothing to say you desperately need God’s revelation.

Repentance leads to revelation. Stop leaning on your own understanding and begin to focus on and obey the discernment of Christ in you and you will have much to witness and testify about.

God’s current day choreography will not contradict the cartography God revealed in the past to the writers of the Bible. Instead, it will beautifully align with it. Revelation that doesn’t align with the Bible isn’t from God but is a counterfeit.

Two widely known religious groups misuse and abuse the words witnesses and testimony. Both groups drastically depart from the Bible, yet they deceptively try to sound like biblical Christians. Both groups talk about Jesus, but they’re each referring to a completely different being than the Jesus of the Bible.

Many Christians today avoid using the words witnesses and testimony, so they won’t be confused with those two groups. However, we must never forget that Jesus said that when His followers are full of God’s Spirit, we will be His witnesses. The Bible also declares that the early Christ-followers overcame the devil by the word of their testimony.

Seek ongoing revelation and greater connection with and surrender to the risen Jesus. Make sure it aligns with the Bible. (If not it’s counterfeit.) Then boldly witness and testify about the things you have seen and heard the living Jesus say and do!

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