Steve Simms's Blog, page 295
March 3, 2017
ITM: Invisible Things Matter Most
Invisible things matter: “We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Invisible things matter: You can’t see hope but you can’t live without it.
Invisible things matter: You can’t see joy but boy it’s important!
Invisible things matter: You can’t see honesty but without it deception prevails.
Invisible things matter: You can’t see fun but everybody wants it.
ITM: You can’t see inner peace but it’s a priceless treasure.
ITM: You can’t see love but you’ll be very lonely without it.
ITM: You can’t see faith but it releases so much good into the world!
ITM: You can’t see your soul but it the most important part of you.
ITM: You can’t see the living, resurrected Jesus but He’s the only one who can save you from yourself, your bad choices, and your sins.
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March 2, 2017
Sports referees, overseers, elders & ekklesia
Ekklesia has overseerers (like sports referees); not a one-man overlord. (Guides by the side; not one sage on a big stage.) Overseers are those who the body recognizes as mature Christ-followers.
Christ-followers are beginning to clamor. They want to go beyond church glamour and back to the simple Greek New Testament concept of ekklesia!
Overseers don’t use an office, a title, or positional authority, however, the body sees the risen Jesus living in and through them. The New Testament calls them elders. Ekklesia trains people to follow & obey the risen Jesus. The risen Jesus enlightens the Bible; the Bible aligns us with Jesus. More @ http://amzn.to/2mIQhP0
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March 1, 2017
Release God’s showers through everyday people!
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Here’s why we need to go beyond church as usual! The shower head in this picture has 42 nozzles. If we block 41 of them, we won’t get much of a shower.
Now think of a church service with 42 people. If we block 41 of them and only let one of them speak week after week, perhaps we are missing out on a lot of what the Holy Spirit wants to do.
The body of Christ has too many blocked arteries not flowing with the Spirit. Are you a blocked artery in the body of Christ, stifling the Spirit’s flow?
There is a place where you (and everybody present) can flow in the Spirit! It’s called The Salvation Army Berry Street. Here’s what Daniel Schuler wrote about it:
–There is a light that shines in deepest darkness. The light cries out to all to “Come and see.” The light radiates from a place where saints and sinners alike gather. Some come out of an unquenchable curiosity. Others are attracted to the warmth of the light. They come and warm themselves in the compassionate love that permeates the place.
–Still, others are attracted to the joyous celebratory sounds that float from the place like a beautiful aroma, for there is always a celebration of life, and peace, and fullness, because It’s a place of intense worship and praise for the giver of life.
–The sick and afflicted come for the healing balm that soothes their souls. It is a place of joyous koinonia where people come to be a part of something greater than themselves.
–A place of ekklesia, and academia where those who wish to enlarge their understanding come to feast on the only thing that will satisfy; the living Word of God.
–A place where deep cries out to deep and the very soul of mankind longs for the creator like a deer panting for water, and fervent prayers are lifted to the Father with great expectations. What is this place? This is my place of worship. This place is Berry Street.
Come see for yourself on Sundays at 10:45 am., 225 Berry St., Nashville, TN 37207. Read more about it at this link.
February 28, 2017
got excitement? (True Christianity does.)
What is the most exciting thing on earth? It’s gotta be true Christianity.
Can anything be more exciting than the living God becoming a human, paying the price for our sins, rising from the dead, and coming to live in whosoever will through the person of the Holy Spirit?
What can be more exciting than:
* Being gloriously set free from your sins, cravings, & addictions;
* Hearing God’s “still small voice;”
* Watching God do miracles through your obedience:
* Engaging in spiritual warfare;
* Seeing people supernaturally healed;
* Watching broken hearts be mended, right in front of your eyes;
* Rejoicing and celebrating God’s victories with other people;
* Experiencing full and complete forgiveness for your sins;
* Having the risen Jesus living inside of your body;
* Sharing the world’s best news with others;
* Having Jesus walk with you through life’s pains & struggles;
* Getting victory over a tormenting thought, attitude, or habit;
* Being filled with “joy unspeakable and full of glory;”
* Having peace beyond human understanding;
* Seeing God do more than you could ever ask or think;
* Having a beautiful future in the most amazing paradise ever?
So why do many people believe that Christianity is boring? It may be because we have hidden the light of our excitement under a bushel basket. Or just maybe, that we’ve never really experience the excitement of true Christianity in our own life.
Are you really excited about the most exciting thing in the world?
The most exciting “leaks” are to leak God’s love everywhere you go!
It’s more important who rules in your heart, than who rules in your country. No-ing yourself is every bit as important as knowing yourself.
If you are unaware of the tremendous excitement of true Christianity here are two things that will make you aware of it. 1) Get the book Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible; 2) Visit The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., Nashville 37207 on Sundays @ 10:45 am. — where everyday people show & tell what God has done.
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February 27, 2017
Let’s meet . . .
Let’s meet as a bouquet of Christ-followers, all radiating His glory together.
Let’s meet like a box of chocolates, all sharing Jesus’ sweetness with one another.
Let’s meet as a bunch of grapes, all clustered & connected to Christ the Vine.
Let’s meet under the Headship of Christ, not under the headship of a mere human.
Let’s meet to share the fruit of the Spirit & the gifts of the Spirit together.
Let’s not meet to reside in ready-made ritual, but to obey the Spirit together.
Like a group following a tour guide, Jesus wants us to follow Him, not a program.
Jesus never said, “Follow a program.” He said, “Follow Me.”
Who’s your leader? “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.”
“Let us keep in step with the Spirit,” even when He steps outside our comfort zone.
True Christianity is the world’s most exciting thing. Why is it presented as boring?
Being enthralled with Jesus unravels self-entanglement.
To be elated with the risen Jesus is to be free from self-focus.
If you don’t like where you are, stop retracing the steps that got you there! Instead begin to get in step with the risen Jesus.
The risen Jesus can release utopian hope to those living with a dystopian worldview.
Ekklesia is a group of people who meet in step with Jesus. Learn more at this link.
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February 25, 2017
Avoid fake news about greatness
Genuine greatness doesn’t put a nation first. “The nations are like a drop in a bucket.” Real greatness is built on faithfulness to the living God and to His eternal principles.
True greatness holds all nations (even your own) accountable to God’s righteousness. Authentic greatness is based on faithfulness to God first. It is built on honesty, humility, compassion, integrity, servanthood, sacrificial love, and justice for all.
Search for real greatness. Avoid fake news about what makes greatness. “Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised!”
What’s it take to be great? “The greatest among you must be a servant.” To be great, ya gotta love! “The greatest of these is love.”
Jesus first! Christ-followers are called to always put the risen Jesus first! Jesus put it this way: ”‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The key to greatness:
Believe enough
To leave the stuff
That holds you in bondage,
And then follow and obey
The risen Jesus.
Uncharged batteries are dead.
Unconnected ones are powerless.
Connect to the risen Jesus and charge up!
To be great we need to let Jesus lead His body. Church has focused on training a few preachers to lead. Jesus wants to train all believers to live out God’s greatness in daily life. Is God greatness showing through your lifestyle? Church asks us to attend, give & pray. Jesus calls us to “shout from the housetops.”
The Bible teaches how to daily live out God’s greatness. It releases deep faith and obedience to Christ, into those who read it with an open heart.
Here are some examples of people who lived for true greatness. Check out my top 10 greatest Americans.
Can church train Christ-followers to avoid fake greatness and to live out true greatness? Yes. Here’s how.
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February 23, 2017
A fruit of the Spirit smoothie
Sensing Jesus’ presence is much more powerful than just listening to someone talk about Jesus being present. Virtual reality can be fun; but Jesus reality is healing & life transforming.
“Self-focus” never satisfies, but “Christ-focus” is continual joy! Set pride aside & let the risen Jesus be your guide.
Shrink self.
Obey Jesus.
Live in victory.
Let God whip up a fruit of the Spirit smoothie in your heart!
Church trains you to shut your mouth. God says “Open your mouth & I will fill it. There should be no “gag order” on the people of God.
To silence Christ-followers in church tends to also silence them in daily life. “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” Before we can “shout it from the housetops” we need to learn to speak up in church. Letting people speak up in church trains them to speak up for Jesus in daily life.
The Spirit is our power source. If we shut Him down by silencing people, we’re left with human programs. When the Spirit says “Speak up,” fear or protocol shouldn’t keep us silent.
Ekklesia is people meeting under the direct leadership & control of the risen Jesus. “The ekklesias of God are instructed by Christ.” –Origen 230 AD (What about today?) However, requiring silence in church puts a lid on people’s giftings and shuts them down. Let’s go back to before church & experience ekklesia! http://amzn.to/2mhIpmO. That church attenders swap churches so much in USA says some are looking for ekklesia.
Ekklesia
Lets you be a
Full participant
Not just a recipient.
When we confine worship to a humanly designed program we miss out on Divine choreography. If we let a worship meeting get out of human hands & into God’s hand, glory falls.
Who is the best leader to follow? The living, resurrected Jesus! When human leaders step aside & give up control to Jesus, His leadership manifests.
Most church bulletins leave out the most important name of all: Jesus Christ. Perhaps a “church” with only one speaker is like a “choir” with only one singer. Nations last for years, decades, or centuries. Jesus reigns forever! If Jesus rose, like Easter celebrates, why don’t we let Him be the leader in church?
If a behavior’s causing you pain, don’t try to medicate it away. Stop doing it! If happiness isn’t happening in your heart, don’t give up — give your all to Jesus! Much of the good that is done in the world is motivated by love for the risen Jesus!
The Bible is an amazing read. It’s so much more than “human writes.” The best opinion poll ever? The Bible. It’s God’s opinion! Open it & see. Christianity is supposed to be more than casual religion & occasional church.
February 22, 2017
Hang your hang-ups on the Cross
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You’ve looked to many things for happiness. Why not pursue the risen Jesus? Don’t be afraid to read the Book that makes fear disappear! Here’s why the “World English Bible” never mentions church: http://amzn.to/2me8rYd.
Without intimate heart connections with the living Jesus & with one another, church is just another meeting. But there’s tremendous power in small, Jesus-led groups, “where two or three gather in My name.”
Beyond religion taught by man, there’s faith revealed directly by Jesus. (Gal. 1:12) When Christ-followers meet & rely on the Spirit, an invisible Leader takes over.
Be solar powered — soak up the Sonshine! The risen will Jesus refract the light of faith right in front of your spiritual eyes.
Hope in the risen Jesus is infinitely more reasonable than hope in a lottery ticket. To hope in the lottery instead of hoping in Christ, is to choose preposterous odds. His truth needs no validation–no name dropping–no appeal to hierarchy.
We can hang all our hang-ups on the Cross and be set free! (The picture on this post is the Berry Street Cross. Drive by and see it for yourself @ the corner of Berry & Meridian streets in East Nashville — 225 Berry St., Nashville 37207.)
Don’t just talk to God. Listen with your heart and let Him talk to you
February 20, 2017
“God loves everybody,” but what’s that mean?
Some folks talk about God’s love to try to justify their rebellion against His love. They say things like, “Love wins,” and “God loves everybody,” but what do they mean? Is God’s love a blind sweetness that ignores our faults, condones our rebellion, and approves our wrongdoing? Surely not.
God loves you (and everybody) so much He doesn’t want you (or anybody) to obey self-destructive desires. He has so much better for you.
Life works better when we follow God’s love instead of following our own desires. Try it and see. To stop rebelling against God’s love is to discover incomprehensible peace & joy.
God loves everyone, but everyone doesn’t cherish, honor, and obey God. To do what I want to, when I want to, is to reject God’s love.
When you love God, you put God ahead of self. You obey Him rather than your own desires.
February 19, 2017
It’s time for Bible based reformation!
Some people claim to “demythologize” the Bible. I want the Bible to demyth me!
The Bible is like 3D movie glasses. It makes the living Jesus jump off the pages.
The Gospels show Jesus’ earthly lifestyle. Let’s live like He did. The Bible’s red letters are what Jesus said. Let’s believe His words and do them.
The book of Acts shows how early Christ-followers functioned. Let’s apply it.
Let’s let the Epistles, New Testament letters, align us with the truths about Jesus. The Bible’s “one anothers” instruct us to minister to each other. Let’s obey them. Let’s give up our religious agenda and let God’s glory flow through ordinary people.
The Bible is our God-given hand book. Let’s be faithful to it. 1 Corinthians 14:26 gives Christ-followers hands on experience ministering to one another.
The best comfort food isn’t loaded with sugar or grease. It’s the Bible! -Jer. 15:16 Let’s reform church (and our lives) by aligning our beliefs & practices closer to the Bible.
God’s will is not being done “on earth as it is in Heaven.” That’s why Jesus prayed. And that’s why we have the Bible, to help us align our thoughts and actions to God’s will (repentance).
500 years after the Reformation, Western Christianity is in decline. It’s time for a new reformation? If Luther could reform the way church is done, we can too.
Let’s remember the Reformation’s 500th by reforming church to 1 Corinthians 14:26. Let’s give up our agenda and let God’s glory flow.
Christ called for followers. We cry out for leaders. Perhaps we need to follow Him! Jesus said “Follow Me.” It’s easier to follow religious men than to follow Jesus.
