Steve Simms's Blog, page 15

Vote With Your Lifestyle

Daily writing promptDo you vote in political elections?View all responses

You constantly cast your vote for the kind of country you want by the way you conduct your life day after day. The things that you say and do speak colossally louder than your minuscule message in a ballot box. If you want to vote for respect, show it. To vote for prosperity, do honest and helpful work for it. To vote for social justice, treat all people with fairness and kindness. To vote for law and order, obey the law and always do what is right.

People who call themselves letter people live a lifestyle that matches their letter. Shouldn’t Christians live a lifestyle that matches their Savior?

Christ-followers are called to be distinctive from whatever society and country we live in. Let God the Holy Spirit empower and disciple you to discipline your desires so that they no longer conform to the pride and self-focus of the world around you but are transformed (Romans 12:2) by His forgiveness and grace and by the purity of His presence. Then you will be voting with your lifestyle for the kingdom of God and demonstrating King Jesus’ mercy and healing to everyone.

Self-focused desires
Will draw us away
From what God requires
And trap us in pride.
(1 John 2:16-17)

When sin is denied
And self-justified
It’s not qualified
For God’s mercy.
If you won’t confide
The wrong you have done
You’ll be unwilling
To truly receive
The great forgiveness
And deliverance
That God has supplied
Through Christ crucified.
(1 John 1:9)

Forgive and you will be forgiven. (Luke 6:37) To forgive someone 70 X 7 times is supernatural. (Matthew 18:21-22) We need to see more miracles like that! Let “Christ in you” empower you to be that kind of miracle.

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How Do I Know Which Direction to Go?

Daily writing promptWhat gives you direction in life?View all responses

I believe what my conscience says, even when I don’t like what it tells me to do or not to do. It often disagrees with my thought, feelings, and desires. I argue with it and try to persuade it that it is wrong. Even though my life experiences have taught me that if I disobey my conscience, I’m going to bring negative consequences into my life, I still occasional do.

There may be short-term pleasure (and even some pride) in violating my conscience, but it’s never worth the long-term guilt and shame that my rebellion produces inside of me. Because of that I strive to force my will to obey my conscience. My conscience tells me to think about and do whatever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. (Philippians 4:8)

What is this entity called conscience that resides inside of me (and you, too)? Why does it try to tell me to do what is right and to avoid doing what is wrong? I believe that the human conscience is supernatural. Why? Because it disagrees with and works against human nature. Therefore, it must be above and beyond nature.

All humans are created in the image of God. However, we all in varying degrees have rebelled against and rejected God’s image in us. We have disfigured it, but we can’t completely get rid of it. I believe that our conscience is the remaining (but distorted) image of God within us.

Because we have twisted and distorted our conscience it’s not 100% reliable, but it can point us to truth. It can teach us to seek and recognize God and to listen to and obey His inner voice. Our conscience can help lead us to the kingdom (the inner government) of God. It can help lead us to the true Christianity that was experienced by the earliest Christ-followers which they described for us in the New Testament portion of the Bible.

Here’s an example of how their writings bring light to my heart and to my daily life. I believe that 1 John 2:12-14 tells us that true Christianity teaches and demonstrates by the way Christ-followers live, that:

* Sins are forgiven because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. He alone paid the penalty for our sins.
* The same Jesus who was in the beginning with God is God (John 1:1) and we can know Him heart-to-heart by having a never ending, surrendered, and glorious relationship with Him here and now.
* Believers can overcome the devil and his evil thoughts, feelings, desires, and temptations.
* Christ-followers can now personally know, relate to, surrender to, and live in the kingdom (under the inner and direct government) of God the Father, not just know about Him.
* The word of God comes alive in Christ-followers and makes them supernaturally strong as they continually listen to and obey His voice.

It’s supernatural (beyond nature) for people to bless those who curse them and to love their enemies. We need more of those kinds of miracles.

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“Love One Another”

Daily writing promptDo you have a quote you live your life by or think of often?View all responses

Love — how neglected and misunderstood it is. Love’s not an emotion; it’s unending devotion.

Love is patient, but it’s not complacent. It grieves when people embrace guilt producing and self-destructive behaviors.

Love’s not blind, but it is kind. It’s not about approving someone’s behavior; it’s about improving their behavior by speaking the truth with compassion.

Love’s not envious or devious. It celebrates when people do well and doesn’t try to undermine them. It’s not jealous or vindictive. It doesn’t boast and it’s not proud.

Love doesn’t dishonor people. It treasures them even when it disagrees with them. To love is to “consider others better than yourself.” It’s not self-seeking.

Love is slow to anger. It doesn’t keep a list of the ways that it has been wronged.

Love doesn’t delight in evil, no matter who does it or how strongly they attempt justify it. Love always celebrates objective truth and holds it far above people’s thoughts, feelings, desires, and opinions even when it knows it will be rejected for speaking up for righteousness.

Although people say that love is weakness, it never fails. It always protects, always trusts God, and always hopes for people’s healing, reconciliation, and heart transformation.

What’s love got to do with it? Everything! “Love one another.”

To hate is darkness.
But love is great light.
Hate causes blindness.
Love releases sight.
To behold God’s light
Look in people’s eyes
Notice His image
Looking back at you
Until His love shows
And freely flows
From within your heart.
(1 John 1:9-11)

Will you live within
The presence of God
Or attempt to hide
And hold to your sin?
(1 John 1:7)

You are now invited to enjoy a never-ending heart-connection with God because of what Christ has done. Comfortable Christians who refuse to deny themselves, who won’t consistently do what Jesus says, who compromise with the culture around them, and who want God’s blessings more than His ongoing presence, cannot produce a bountiful harvest of the fruit of the Spirit. (Matthew 13: 18-21) The first fruit of the Spirit listed is love. (Galatians 5:22-23)

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My favorite holiday is when the sun comes up and shines its light.

Daily writing promptWhat is your favorite holiday? Why is it your favorite?View all responses

If you refuse to do what’s right
You’ll love darkness more than light.
You’ll fade off into the dark of night,
And falsely think you’re out of God’s sight.
Darkness hides; light exposes.
Light enlightens; darkness confuses.
Light gives sight; darkness takes it away.
(John 3:19)

God is all light; He has no darkness. (John 1:5)
Allow no darkness to stay (1 John 1:5)
In your mind and in your heart. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
Avoid the deeds of darkness and expose them. (Ephesians 5:11)
Let God illuminate your path (Psalm 18:28)
And transform your darkness (Psalm 27:1)
Into His glorious inner light. (Matthew 4:16)
Then you can be light in the world (Matthew 5:14)
And follow Jesus away from darkness. (John 8:12)
Never let your inner light grow dark. (Luke 11:35)
Quench not the Spirit and God’s light will always shine. (1 Thessalonians 5:19)
No darkness can hide you from God. (Psalm 139:11-12)
Come now and let God’s light shine
On all you think, say, and do.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. (Matthew 5:16)
Never let your inner light become darkness. (Luke 11:35)
The Father of Light (James 1:17) wants you to be His child of Light. (John 12:36)
Turn away from darkness and live in the light. (Acts 26:18)
Continually devour the Bible with an open, humble heart. (Psalm 119:30)
Whenever we walk in darkness we lie and do not practice the truth. (1 John 1:6)
Wake up sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. (Ephesians 5:14)
When you’re hiding things and walking in darkness, you’re not following Jesus. (John 8:12)
Lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:12)
Let Jesus rescue you from the dominion of darkness and establish His kingdom within you. (Colossians 1:13)
Never stop praising the One who has called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)
Let the glory of God give you light and the Lamb of God be your lamp. (Revelation 21:23)
Darkness will never overcome the light. (John 1:5)
The Lamb of God is the light of the world. (John 8:12)
Is He your light 24/7/365?

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Camping on a Declaration and a . . .

Daily writing promptHave you ever been camping?View all responses

I’ve spent my adult life camping on a bold declaration about something that I can’t see with my eyes or touch with my hands. I’ve based my all on the content of this declaration. It’s about an invisible person.

God became flesh and lived among people. Now Jesus Christ, the eternal God-man, has nail holes in his hands and feet and a spear hole in His side. As I behold Him shinning radiantly in my heart I can only say, with awe, adoration, faith, gratitude, and surrender: “My Lord and My God.” (John 1:1-14, John 20:24-28, 2 Corinthians 4:6)

I’ve also camped out on this Bible-based prayer for direct and permanent Holy Spirit intervention in and thorough my life. Doing my best to stay always aware of, open to, and surrendered to the presence, power, and leadership of the Holy Spirit has led me to a wonderful life.

Lord, make me aware of Spirit-taught words. (1 Corinthians 2:13) Help me hear what the Spirit is saying (Revelation 2:7) and be unceasingly led by the Spirit, not by my self-driven desires and feelings. (Galatians 5:19-21) Help me be good fertile ground (Mark 4:1-20) where the fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) of the Spirit flourish in abundance. God, the Holy Spirit, (2 Corinthians 3:17) sent to me by God the Father, (John 14:26) I ask You in the name of Jesus, the God-man, (John 1:14) that You have Your way in and through me. I surrender my all to You.

God became flesh and lived among people. Now Jesus Christ, the eternal God-man, has nail holes in his hands and feet and a spear hole in His side. As I behold Him shinning radiant in my heart I can only say, with awe, adoration, faith, gratitude, and surrender: “My Lord and My God.” (John 1:1-14, John 20:24-28, 2 Corinthians 4:6)

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Times of Refreshing

Daily writing promptWhen do you feel most productive?View all responses

It’s amazingly refreshing when words of hope and encouragement, and insight and revelation, are flowing from within me. It makes me feel peaceful and productive. For years I have been waking up every morning with such a wonderful inner flow. I love to be quiet and focus on it. Then I write the words that come and grow within me. Later I pull them together as a blog post.

That hope-filled flow often continues throughout the day. Year by year those flowing words and the presence of Jesus (Colossians 1:27) that I sense with them (that is beyond words), fills me with what the Bible calls the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He produces the fruit of His resurrection life within me. The ongoing experience is truly indescribable. I feel Christ flowing as I am typing these words. O how Jesus loves you and me.

Stop and be still.
Let Jesus flow
Inside of you.
Then you will know
That He is God.
(Psalm 46:10
And John 1:1)

God’s intent
Is that we
Implement
What He says.
(James 1:22)

God’s desire for you is:
Don’t plateau;
Grow, grow, grow!

When my perspective
Becomes deceptive
I need for God
To be corrective
And redirective.
(Romans 8:14)

When I started devouring the Bible with a humble hungry heart I was soon convinced that God inspired and directed it because it worked in my life and released an inner flow within me. It still does like nothing else I’ve ever read.

When brokenness is allowed to draw us into greater surrender to and a deeper relationship with the living Jesus the outcome is an abundance of the fruit of the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18) Open up and let Christ’s rivers of living water (John 7:37-39) flow from within your innermost being.

It’s amazing how Christ’s inner flow inspires fresh insights in me from things other people write that match what I’ve already written. Right after I uploaded this blog post, I saw something that somebody wrote about not trying to fit in with other people. Then God used it to inspire this in me. Instead of trying to fit in, change your heart so that Jesus Christ can freely fit inside of you, powerfully flow through you, and continually lead you.

The flow keeps coming. I just made breakfast but before I could set down to eat this came flowing from within me: I’ve never believed that Jesus wants faith in Him to be institutionalized. I don’t believe that He wants religious institutions helping us honor Him with our lips while our heart is far from Him. (Matthew 15:8)

There’s more. Just after breakfast a short poem came to me for both a brother and sister who are graduating from high school soon. I wrote them on a card for each of them. Here are the poems:

Always follow Christ
And Light will appear.
Whether you are near
Or you’re far from here,
He’ll keep you from fear.

God’s word is near you,
Jesus within you.
Let Him work and do
The things He wants to.
Always see things from
His bright point of view.

“The kingdom of God is within you.” It may look crazy out there in the world that surrounds us, but in here (in my heart) I’m fighting to let King Jesus rule as “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)

Don’t write down what the preacher says and the pat yourself on the back for taking notes. If it aligns with the Bible, get up and do it day after day!

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I Prefer Words Over Emojis

Daily writing promptWhat are your favorite emojis?View all responses

I don’t want to have digital images or icons express my emotions and ideas. I prefer my own words instead. I’ve never liked to depend on someone or something to speak for me. I want to speak for myself from my heart. I don’t like to use store bought greeting cards or online emojis or programmed religious words. Instead, I treasure heart felt sincerity.

Speaking openly from the heart takes courage but for me it has always been worth coming out of the shadows and being humble, honest, and real with people. Here are some current original thoughts:

Opinions often oppose truth.

Truth aligns with
Reality.
It’s not for me
To invent it.

We can’t stop our sin
If we deny it
Or we excuse it.
We must confess it,
Renounce, reject it,
Fight and resist it.
It’s easier to
Surrender to it
And simply to say,
“I was born that way.”
Refuse to consent
To the wrongs you do.
Drive them out. Repent!
(2 Corinthians 10:4)

Look beyond
The outward view.
Follow Jesus
Leading in you.

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My Favorite Discussion Topic

Daily writing promptWhat topics do you like to discuss?View all responses

My favorite discussion topic is a very special person. He’s the most unique person in history. He is also the most famous and has probably been discussed and written about more than anybody ever.

Christ alone is my cornerstone and advocate. Jesus said that He wouldn’t leave His disciples as orphans, but that He will come to them. He told them that one day they “will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.” (John 14:19-20)

John, one of Jesus’ first 12 disciples, proclaims: “We have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” (1 John 2:1) We don’t have to go through preachers and religion to get to God. The risen, present Jesus, Himself, is “the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)

Open your heart and let “Christ in you” be your Bible reading guide. He’ll teach you true wisdom. (1 John 2:27)

Many Christians like to toss around the names of their favorite preachers, but few consistently proclaim that “Jesus is Lord.” Keep your eyes and your heart always fixed on and locked in on the living Jesus.

This is confusing: God said that He will share His glory with no one, (Isaiah 42:8) yet many preachers name ministries after themselves. It’s unscriptural and unspiritual to focus on preachers and their names. (1 Corinthians 3:1-5)

A study Bible is a muddy Bible. It’s muddied by mixing human opinions with God’s Word. When you read the Bible keep your heart open and receptive to the risen Jesus.

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The Risk to Confess

Daily writing promptDescribe a risk you took that you do not regret.View all responses

I’ve taken the risk to openly confess, apologize, take responsibility, and make amends for my wrongdoing many times. I’ve never regretted doing that. In fact, it has always relieved me of a load of guilt and shame. The AA 12 Steps teach that wisdom. Step 5 says: “We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” The Steps go on to talk about repentance: “We made direct amends,” to the people we have harmed. For great guilt relief, confess. Take the risk and do it now.

Every time you fall into a particular sin bring it into the light. The devil works in darkness, so he hates it when you shine the light on his evil by humbly telling a trusted Christ-follower about how you gave in to it. If every time you fall into that particular sin you confess it to that particular Christ-follower, the devil will soon realize that you are serious about living in Christ’s victory and will back off from tormenting you. Try it. It really works.

If you’ll open your heart
To humbly confess
And truly express
To the living God
Genuine remorse
For all you’ve done
That has produced guilt
You’ll experience
Cleansing forgiveness.
To deny your sin
Is to say that God
Who said, “All have sinned,”
Is a liar.
Unless you confess
You’ll stay ever stuck
In guilt and in sin
And darkness within.
(James 1:9-10)

If you sit and hear
A religious talk
But don’t learn to walk
Heart to heart with God
The words that you hear
Will soon disappear.
Some people do that
Throughout the whole year.
(Matthew 15:8-9)

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Actionless in Church (Silent-Group-Sit)

Daily writing promptWrite about a time when you didn’t take action but wish you had. What would you do differently?View all responses

I’ve spent many years as an attendee sitting actionless in church. I wish I had had the courage to speak up more often, but I let the religious system keep me silent and passive. Out of fear of being thrown out I conformed to the concept of silent-group-sit. However, once, as a young Christian I went beyond silent-group-sit. It was my last Sunday in a Presbyterian church before I moved away (so it wouldn’t matter if they threw me out).

I walked to the front after the sermon and knelt in prayer. When I opened my eyes, I saw that several people had joined me. I stood up, turned around, and with a humble and tender heart shared with tears how the living Jesus had recently changed my life.

Afterwards an elderly woman rushed feebly up to me and excitedly said something like: “I wish you had kept going. You reminded me of the way this church used to be when I was a little girl.”

Too many Christians are satisfied with the concept of silent-group-sit in church. They are content to sit and listen to a little bit of Bible information on Sunday instead of personally experiencing more of Christ’s inner transformation during the meeting. Are you?

So why are almost all church services based on silent-group-sit? When Christianity is focused on hearing the same person talk week after week, we tend to walk away from discipleship and heart-to-heart fellowship and shift into simple spectatorship. I think that we like to silent-group-sit so that we don’t have to deal with our deception.

As human beings our perspective is often deceptive. Living in this word that overflows with deception it’s easy to be convinced that we are right when we are wrong, that we are holy when we are not, that we are better people than we really are. Meanwhile God is waiting for His people to “turn from their wicked ways” so that He can heal our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14) It so easy to be Pharisees and to be convinced that we are righteous people who have no “wicked ways” and no need to repent. It takes courage to go Beyond Church.

Christ explained
Is info obtained.
Christ in you
Will change what you do.

Jesus wants you
To be energized
By His presence,
Not formalized.
Refuse to be
Institutionalized
By religion.

Jesus loves me
This I know
That’s why I believe
That the Bible’s so.

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