Steve Simms's Blog, page 127

Jesus first! (Avoid “Christian factionalism.”)

When Christ-followers allow human opinions, policies, ideas, or governments to divide them and make them hostile toward each other, they abandon the unity of the Spirit. The result is Christian factionalism.

Human authority systems are unredeemable because they are operated by fallen human beings (and demonic principalities and powers pulling strings behind the scenes). Regardless of the ideology, manipulative methodology runs the show as what the world considers strength and greatness “lords it over,” puts self-interest first, and pulls rank on people. Jesus told His disciples not to function that way, not to be caught up in world systems.

Instead, the greatest of Jesus’ followers are called to take the position of the least and to be the servant of all — to be meek, poor in spirit, without titles, celebrators of being persecuted, blessers of those who curse them, directly being led by the Holy Spirit and letting Him freely flow from within them as rivers of living water producing an abundance of the fruit of the Spirit. In other words, as citizens of the kingdom of God, Christ-followers are supposed to live as salt — aliens and pilgrims “in the world, but not of the world” and to keep the living resurrected Jesus always first.

Even churches and religious institutions tend to support Christian factionalism. For example, church pastorization promotes it by focusing people’s attention on a local paster instead of on the risen Jesus. The truth is: Christianity needs to be demonstrated and radiated more than it needs to be legislated, evaluated, and speculated about.

Without the Jesus thrill ever alive and ringing in our heart, it’s easy to fall in line with the world and its chaos. We need continual spiritual awakening! For some practical ways to keep Jesus first, search for: The Joy Of Early Christianity book.

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“Pastorized” Christianity

The pastorization of Christianity has trained many Christians to trust a pastor more than they trust the Holy Spirit. Too many Christians talk more about their pastor than they do about Jesus.

Instead of leaving “the elementary teachings about Christ” and going “on to maturity” pastorization has focused on repeatedly teaching “the milk of the word” over and over again. Church needs more layitization — to drop titles and to see every Christ-follower as equally called by God.

Pastorization has made a solitary pastor the head of a congregation, but the Bible teaches that Jesus is the Head! Pastorized Christianity tends to exalt one man above everybody else whenever the body of Christ meets. It teaches that a one-man pastor is indispensable to a church and allows little or no room for apostles, prophets, evangelists, and teachers to be equal leaders in a church.

Pastorization tends to identify a church by one man and even call it “his church.” Pastorized Christians tend to have trouble trusting and obeying the direct leading of the Holy Spirit.

The prioritization of pastorization tends to take church control out of the hands of the risen Jesus. Pastorized Christians can have trouble trusting and obeying the direct leading of the Holy Spirit.

Pastorization isn’t the only model for Christianity in the New Testament. (See 1 Corinthians 14:26 and the 50+ New Testament one anothers.) There’s more to Christianity than pastorization. Search: Beyond Church Ekklesia.

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My heart continually cries out for REVIVAL!!!

The way of spiritual awakening is much simpler that we imagine. When Christ-followers humbly gather to expect and experience direct revelation and individual response — to receive the inner prompting of the Holy Spirit and to outwardly proclaim and do what comes to them (as described in 1 Corinthians 14:26) — members of the body of Christ will begin to learn to relinquish control from human authority to the actual Headship of the living Jesus and the glory of God will start to spontaneously manifest in and through ordinary, Spirit-prompted people. I’ve seen it happen hundreds of times, yet it’s very rare because Christians (just like ancient Israel) want a king — one man to be in control — instead of meeting under the direct and personal control of the risen Jesus.

The truth is that human organization gradually quenches the Spirit. That’s why Jesus told His disciples not to “lord it over people” with titles and a religious hierarchy. Only the living Jesus can lead us to spiritual awakening. Until we learn to listen to and obey Him, revival will remain a distant dream or a short-lived phenomenon instead of a daily way of living in the power and presence of God’s Spirit.

My heart continually cries out for the present-day members of the body of Christ to learn to gather for revelation and response. If yours does too, search for: Beyond Church Ekklesia. Learn how Jesus to let take the wheel and override human control of church meetings.

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Self-focus (like “hocus pocus”) makes happiness disappear

Self-focus
Like hocus pocus
Makes happiness
Magically disappear.

The greater your self-focus, the less will be your happiness. The more you define happiness, the harder it is to find. Happiness is discovered through simple joys, not by a detailed, self-focused plan.

Our self-focused desires are never fully satisfied. If we don’t learn to resist them, they will dominate and define us.

Self-focus entangles us in desire. Self-forgetfulness frees us to follow wisdom. When self-focus dominates your life, you stay stuck in your own feelings, desires, and opinions.

To be focused on self is to obscure everything else. Self-focus blurs reality. Truth is found beyond self.

When you lose yourself in serving others your desire-driven self-focus drifts away as you joyously spread kindness. Self-forgetfulness is a gift you give yourself because it frees you from the chains of self-focus.

Our conscience is designed to help us control our desires. Too often we let our desires drown out our conscience.

One of the greatest blessings in life is to forget about yourself and focus on the beauty and delight all around you. The grace that can make us citizens of the kingdom of God can also give us the desire and the power to deny self.

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Guard your mind and open your heart!

Too many people today have an open mind and guarded heart. I think we’d be happier if we opened our heart and guarded our mind. An unguarded mind will be tricked into making many harmful choices.

The mind is designed to analyze and protect us from falsehood; the heart to connect us with people. Too often we switch them out. When feelings override wisdom and logic a society crumbles into chaos. People have the right to choose to follow their feelings rather than reason and logic, but that often produces harmful results.

When we compel our mind to approve of what’s unreasonable, we short-circuit our ability to tell right from wrong. An open mind that tries to affirm and accept everything quickly becomes illogical. An open heart that embraces compassion for everyone soon overflows with kindness.

It’s hard to be happy if you ignore your ability to examine and reject harmful thoughts. It’s hard not to feel lonely and disconnected if you ignore your ability to open your heart to people.

True science follows reason and logic. When we put feelings first, we’re not “following the science.

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The ongoing Jesus thrill makes joy real!

Christians don’t need to imagine the thrill of encountering the risen Jesus. We’re invited to continually interact with Him. No one can thrill a human heart like Jesus. Let Him electrify you from within!

I love to see faces shining with the thrill of Jesus. It’s a sight the whole world should see. Don’t dim His light! Shine bright.

There’s too much unignited Christianity, limping along without the Jesus thrill. To settle for formal, no thrill Christianity is to miss out on “joy unspeakable and full of glory.” When people who have experienced the Jesus thrill are trained to passively sit thru a sermon and to avoid openly expressing their passion for Christ, their heart will tend to grow cold. If you find no daily thrill in knowing Jesus, perhaps you only think you know Him.

Every day the Jesus thrill keeps my heart on fire for God! When I call on Jesus, He thrills me with His presence and fills me with peace and joy. I choose to live happily, ever grateful to be alive. I want my life to reflect Jesus the way a calm lake so beautifully reflects the trees standing by its side, so I guard my mind and open my heart to Him!

Everyday Jesus shows me things that fill me with joyous amazement and peaceful gratefulness. It’s hard to follow and obey Him if you’re not thrilled about Him. A bored, uninspired Christian has lost contact with the electrifying presence of the living Jesus!

I love to be around people who have the Jesus thrill! They talk about Him with such passion and joy! Experience your own Jesus thrill. Check out The Joy Of Early Christianity.

What thrills you about Jesus?Christianity should beAn ongoing thrillBut we've turned itInto a Sunday morningReligious drill.When we let JesusThrill usAnd fill usWith His presenceWe become contagiousWith His glory.If church would be more revealingOf the presence of JesusIt would be incredibly thrillingAnd powerfully healing!Church without a thrillMakes the GospelLike a pill:Take it inAnd thenForget it.To "quench the Spirit"Is to concealOr to chillThe Jesus thrill.If Jesus doesn't seem realIt's because we'reOverlooking the thrillOf His glorious presence.Without passion,Fire and thrillAbout JesusA Christian's heartWill slowly chill.Christ-followersAre calledTo be God's light,Consistently doing rightIn an environmentOf wrongdoing,In the world but notConformed to it,Living with the insightOf a transformed perspective.Here's the deal.
The Jesus thrill
Is real,
Not hype.
Christ in you
Can ignite your heart.Open your heartTo feelThe thrillOf JesusEveryday!BitternessCannot coexistVery longWith ongoing prayerFor someoneWho has hurt you.[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://stevesimms.files.wordpress.co..." data-large-file="https://stevesimms.files.wordpress.co..." src="https://stevesimms.files.wordpress.co..." alt="" class="wp-image-32778" />Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Wanted: Electrifying Christianity

Modern Christianity has become a frill instead of a thrill. It should excite us to daily follow Jesus, not pamper us. If you can go through a day without being thrilled by Jesus, perhaps you’re not as close to Him as you need to be.

I’ve found the risen Jesus to be the greatest adventure guide on the planet! Every time I encounter someone who is sincerely and expressively thrilled about Jesus, they stir up His fire in me!

Jesus frequently gives His followers electrifying thoughts, but we usually dart away from them before we let them sink in. Thus, we miss out on the thrill of following Jesus.

Church should electrify people with God’s fire, not bore them with dull religious routine. Institutional Christianity too often unplugs the electrifying impact of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. When Christianity is confined to a well-planned church service, it loses the thrill of spontaneously following and obeying Jesus. When it is presented as blank and unexciting it distracts people from the daily adventure of walking with Him.

Sermons that generate no ongoing enthusiasm about God and no deep stirring in your heart have little lasting impact. My desire is to be a Jesus-led writer and to record what He prompts me to.

Jesus isn’t just a sweet religious feeling. He’s thrilling, healing, and revealing. If you continually set your heart to stream the risen Jesus, rivers of holy delight will overflow from within you.

Like in the Garden of Eden
Temptation falsely presents
Fulfilling
Our personal desires
As more thrilling
And more appealing
Than aligning
With our true identity
As a beloved being
Made in God’s image.

O that more Christians
Were so filled
Will Jesus
That they
Were visibly thrilled
Day by day!

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A casual decision to follow Jesus isn’t enough

Christians are called to a level of faith in Jesus that empowers them to relinquish all their rights to God. Press on! Discipleship is daily learning to freely relinquish your free will to the living, resurrected Jesus.

A casual decision to follow Jesus isn’t enough. Ask God to give you a burning, never-ending, deep desire to follow and obey Him.

True Christ-followers are no longer the center of their own life. They have relinquished that position to the risen Jesus. It’s essential that we relinquish the initiative and motivation in our life from our own will and desires to the prompting and direction of the risen Jesus.

For me the biggest battle in being a Christ-follower is trying to keep myself and my desires from interfering with God’s way. Being a Christ-follower requires that I relinquish the right to run my own life.

As humans we have the freedom to rebel against our Creator, but we don’t have the right to. People unwilling to be perceived as a fool for Christ resist His will when it doesn’t, please them or make them look good. When we relinquish our attachment to our self-image, we can bask in the glorious adoration of the risen Jesus.

When we let the thunder of God’s judgment cause us to relinquish our rebellion and to align with His will, we begin to hear His melodious peace resounding in our heart. If we won’t surrender the control of our life to Jesus, we’re trusting in our own feelings, desires and opinions instead of Jesus.

We can’t experience Christ’s Headship until we relinquish our headship. Too often a gathering of the body of Christ is like a chicken with its head cut off–disconnected from the active control of its Head, the living Jesus.

Here’s why I write. Words unwritten will never be read, but written words can inspire people till the end of time. Your insights matter. Write now. I’ve been encouraged and discipled by hundreds of Christ-followers who lived before I was born. I’m so glad they wrote for me!

Instead of being seen as religious heroes and celebrities, the early Christ-followers were seen as agitators and troublemakers. Beyond words, beyond comprehension, beyond human effort, beyond despair, beyond blame, beyond self-interest, with peace and trust in You, Lord, help me like John the Baptist, Elijah, and so many other of your servants, decrease so You can increase.

It doesn’t require
Great intelligence
To relinquish denial
Of the elephants
Hiding in your life.
It takes courage,
Honesty and humility.

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Communing & living as the Body of Christ

–Communing as the Body of Christ–
When people gather
To openly share
As prompted
By God’s Spirit
And spontaneously start
To pour out their heart
Together in prayer
They begin
To deeply care
For each other.
Why is this so rare?

To see, to care for, to embrace, to identify with, and to truly become the least of these is to prepare the way so that God can mightily move and ever increasingly manifest His glory amid our brokenness and poverty of Spirit. “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Obscurity causes our earthen vessel to be overlooked and fractures our pride so that the inner glory of God can shine unquenched and uninterrupted through the gift of holy meekness and self-detachment.

Following Jesus means keeping Jesus always first. It is to continually seek to fully surrender your will to His and to humbly obey Him as He reveals Himself to you through the Scriptures, your conscience, circumstances, His Holy Spirit promptings in your heart, and the testimonies and guidance of other Christ-followers. Be an all-out follower of the risen Jesus!

Christians in the New Testament would sometimes look to one person above the others in a congregation, but I don’t see that person having a solitary rank or solitary institutional power like a CEO. Individuals seem to have been followed because of their spiritual maturity, not because of institutional positional power. Also, Paul rebuked the Corinthians for exalting one spiritual leader above the others.

“A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” –Luke 22:24-27 NIV.

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Christians as God’s garden, not as a religious institution

Behold the Lamb of God by looking unto Jesus and seeing Him who invisible. Look beyond church! Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Comforter so perhaps we should look to the Spirit for comfort rather than to a religious leader.

Christians need to grow the fruit of God’s Spirit, not religious institutions. Make your life a fruit-of-the-Spirit-garden.

The only legitimate Head for any group claiming to be part of the body of Christ is the living, resurrected Jesus. Anyone or anything that interferes with you maintaining a direct relationship with Jesus is an idol. We need to point people to the risen Jesus, not to our favorite religious institution.

Christians should be disciples of the living Jesus, not disciples of a particular Christian leader. Just because some people use the title pastor (or other religious titles) doesn’t mean that they are reliable spiritual leaders. When modern Christian leaders cause people to look to them, they neglect to direct people’s attention to the living Jesus.

When Christians ignore and set aside their various church identities, they can enjoy the amazing unity of the Spirit. I love to hang out with Christ-followers who love to talk about Jesus without mentioning church affiliation. To identity with a particular church name is to disassociate yourself from the rest of the body of Christ. Identifying as someone who loves the risen Jesus is enough.

The organizational chart for the body of Christ is: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” All true Christians are united heart to heart, but institutional identity interrupts our unity. Christians can follow desires, feelings, opinions, a church, or a religious leader, but we’re called to follow the risen Jesus.

Daily reading the Bible with a humble, open heart, will help us avoid being deceived by another Jesus being preached by a misguided leader. It will keep us focused on the living Jesus.

There are tens of thousands of institutional hierarchies in Christianity. Every new one further divides the body of Christ. Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth: “I appeal to you . . . that there be no divisions among you.” Christians have been ignoring his appeal ever since. Today there are an estimated 45,000+ separate denominators.

If the living Jesus
Is unnoticed
And unseen
In your heart,
There’s probably
Someone
Or something
Standing between
You and Him.

The person
Who truly sees
How the Pharisees
Treated Jesus
Will be wary
Of religious
Institutionalism.
It can squeeze
The life-giving breeze
Of God’s Spirit
Out of us.

To shut down Christ’s
Inner living waterspout
Is to choose
To live without
His power.

Your life’s a garden
Where you can grow
The grapes of wrath
Or the fruit
Of God’s Spirit.

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