Steve Simms's Blog, page 88

Testify! (Churches need to train people to do that!)

When Jesus people feel Jesus movement in their heart, they want to tell Jesus stories and sing Jesus songs!

I woke up early today with this Jesus Manifesto running through my heart, so I got out of bed to write it down. I went to check out a blog I follow and noticed that it is a perfect match for today’s post. Jesus is always amazing!

There’s an invisible unity
In the Jesus community.
Jesus-followers are connected
Through Jesus who’s resurrected.
May the name of Jesus
No longer be neglected,
But spoken and thought,
Written and taught
Everywhere.

The blog quoted this Scripture: “Have the same mind in you that was in Christ Jesus,” The Greek word translated as “mind” is “nous.” It means more than “intellect.” It means “perspective” or “viewpoint.” God wants us to see from Jesus’ point of view, not from our own — as Paul put it, to “look not at the things that are seen but at the things that are unseen.”

Most of what Jesus is doing (and has done) in the lives of His followers is unseen because it happens inside of them, in their innermost being. In order for us to “see” the incredible things that Jesus is doing in one another’s heart (and have the mind/perspective of Christ Jesus) we must be open, venerable, honest, and transparent with each other. Churches are full of miracles that Jesus has done and is doing in people’s lives, but we’re mostly unaware of those glorious miracles because of the silence of the sheep. It’s time to remove the religious vail of privacy that gags believers and hides Jesus’ inner miracles from brothers and sisters in Christ.

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” in order that they can overcome the devil by “the word of their testimony”! Any and every church service or Christian gathering should be a place that allows and encourages open-hearted sharing and personal testimony. May testimonies that will overcome the devil and reveal the miracles of Jesus no longer be omitted from worship services and Christian meetings!

The anonymity of being assembled as a passive audience annuls people’s freedom to testify when they gather for church services. Instead, lost in the crowd, they listen to a lecture and leave without experiencing the unity of the Spirit that is revealed through the transparent heart-to-heart connection that flows from hearing and sharing personal testimonies.

What Jesus is saying and doing inside of you is too important to keep secret. The light that God is shining in your heart should be shared, not kept to yourself. Tell your God stories so people can see His reality!

Come testify and hear testimonies on Saturday night, August 26, at 6:00 pm. at Storytellers Hideaway Farm and Museum in Bon Aqua, TN (just off the Dixon exit of I-40 near Nashville) at 9347 Old Highway 46, Lyles, TN,

Follow the expert called Jesus the Christ

True Christianity is more about Spirit-led experience than about expert explanations. Direct personal revelation from God Is much more powerful than the opinion of a religious professional. The only expert who can truly understand, encourage, heal, and empower you is the resurrected Jesus Christ.

According to Jesus, listening to religious experts often hinders people from entering into a heart-felt relationship with Him. “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”

In the Bible the experts of God’s law wanted the living Jesus neutralized so He couldn’t interfere with their plans and prestige. That history often repeats itself.

Direct interaction with the living Jesus is far more powerful than an inspiring talk about Him. When we ignore the living Jesus, we abandon the only expert who can guide us from guilt to glorious inner peace. If you’re not being transformed and thrilled by the stagnant waters of mainstream Christianity, open up and let God’s inner rivers of living water sweep you into Christ’s glorious presence!

The religious expert syndrome has falsely convinced many people that they aren’t qualified to read and understand the Bible by themselves. However, the only true Bible expert is the Holy Spirit. Open your heart to Him as you read the Bible and light will rush in!

The expertise of professional pastors is greatly exaggerated. I know. I’ve been one. But the expertise of the Holy Spirit can never be exaggerated! What happens inside of me when I listen to and talk with Jesus is so amazing, I can’t get enough!

“Expert opinions” about the Bible have held Christians back for centuries! The Bible is its own commentary. God’s Spirit is the only spiritual expert. If you allow the expertise of God’s Spirit to work in and through you day and night you’ll be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

A spiritual sleepyhead who hits the snooze button and resists waking up to God’s Spirit hinders God’s work in both himself and others. Try not to do that! I have friends who are excited about Jesus. I love to hear the thrill in their voice when they talk about Him!

I’ve learned much more from libraries than I have from lecture. My favorite library is the 66 books of the Bible! No matter how much I think I know about the Bible, I read it as a beginner, not as an expert!

Awakening to God’s Spirit!

God’s direct and personal revelation
Produces heart-to-heart connection
Called “the unity of the Spirit.”
God’s still small voice is speaking.
If we will humbly hear it
In the Scriptures and in our heart,
Rivers of love will flow
And all animosity will go,
As we daily grow
More excited about Jesus!

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The power of consistent Christ-connection

“The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” is the grace-filled fountain of life that will flow like rivers of living water from deep within Christ-followers who through ongoing humility and surrender train themselves not to hinder or hold it back. They work to remove every obstacle in their life and to prepare the way for the Lordship of the living Jesus so that He can manifest His grace by ruling and reigning in and through their innermost being and by setting them free from “the law of sin and death.” (See Romans 8:2.)

By cultivating and maintaining consistent, inner Christ-connection (abiding in the Vine) the power of sin and death is broken and replaced with the “glorious liberty of the children of God.” (As many as are led by the Spirit are the children of God.”) Abide!

The more you cultivate direct inner connection with the risen Jesus, the more real He will become to you! The comfort of direct inner connection with the living Jesus releases immeasurable joy! How’s your Christ-connection?

Make the selection
To always receive
A fresh injection
Of Christ-connection.

The best protection
For your heart
Is Christ-connection,
Surrendering your will
To His Lordship!

After posting this, I went to Twitter and had a new follower who I don’t know. He has this posted on his home page: “For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.”

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Heart cultivation

Cultivate thoughts, feelings, and desires that align with your conscience, encourage you, and give you peace. Weed out the rest!

The habits, attitudes, and desires that you daily cultivate will either open the gate to joy or shut you up in despair. Bring your heart out of the shadows and let the sunshine in.

An uncultivated heart is a undercurrent of emotional anarchy, but a heart that’s been cultivated to align and grow with God is a fountain of joyous life! The human heart isn’t designed to be a closet that you clutter with cravings and compulsions that cause you to violate your conscience. It’s an inner prayer closet where you can live in continual connection with the compassion and caring of Jesus Christ!

The fruit of God’s Spirit is gifts of grace that grow as you cultivate them within you. The fruit of God’s Spirit won’t grow in a hard, uncultivated heart.

If you won’t cultivate your heart to grow compassion, humility, and beauty, it will overgrow with tormenting feelings and desires that will overpower and control you. To grow inner peace work hard on heart cultivation so God’s seeds of grace can flourish within you.

When Christ-followers gather to cultivate open-hearted sharing, God’s light begins to brightly shine among them as they experience Christ’s town hall meeting (ekklesia) in action. If you will open your heart and let people see your brokenness, the brokenness in them will respond with compassion and your hearts will connect in caring community.

An untended heartGrows anxietyAnd insecurity.They take over like weedsChoaking out good seeds.Cultivate your heartAs long as it takesUntil all weeds are goneAnd it flourishes withHigh hopes and beauty.There's no debate.Your life will gravitateToward whatever stateYou cultivateAnd allow to growIn your heart.You heart is designedTo be God's garden.Not a plotThat you hardenUntil it growsOnly weeds.Open it upTo receiveGod's pardonAnd let Him growHis dazzling gardenWithin you.Fill your heart with delight.You can't cultivate your heartIf you hide it from your sight.To grow a heart full of delightIt's essential toStep beyond your fright,Walk in the light,Embrace unwanted insight,Look honestly at the blight,And work to make things right.[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-36761" />Photo by u7d05 u5fc3 on Pexels.com

Ministry naming rights belong to God!

21st century Christians need the revelation that it’s extremely misguided for God’s ministry to be named after yourself. Ministry naming rights belong to God.

So many “ministries” are named after ministers. Perhaps it’s time for “Deny Yourself Ministries.”

Be careful! It’s dangerous for someone to follow a minister who has a ministry named after himself.

Here’s why I believe “self-named” ministries are dangerous. True Christian ministries belong to Jesus, not to any individual. Putting our name on God’s work can cause people to give us credit for what God is doing. It can inflate our ego and make it more difficult to “humble yourself.” It can distract people from the name of Jesus. It’s much more powerful to operate in the name of Jesus than in my own name.

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“Upon This Rock . . .” — The Light Rock!

The Light Rock!
(Revelation Rock)

Direct revelation
From God
Is:
A flash of inner light
Full of God’s insight
That gives a blind heart
Supernatural sight.
It’s the rock foundation
The risen Jesus uses
To build His assembly
Of living stones
As a bright light
To every nation.

The Light Rock is more than “easy listening.” It’s listening that releases awe! Sometimes it’s delightful; sometimes it’s deeply convicting!

Direct revelation from God is the reception of His gift of truth and light that empowers us to perceive with His perception instead of with our own. It is to see and to understand something from God’s perspective.

There are two sides to God’s direct, personal revelation. 1) Conviction of sin, and 2) Astonishment about Jesus. You see them both in Peter’s interactions with Jesus, but that didn’t make Him the rock that Jesus uses to assemble His people together as living stones.

Peter, after fishing all night and catching nothing was both astonished and convicted when Jesus directed him to a huge catch of fish. He fell at Jesus’ feet and said: ““Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” Peter had encountered the light rock — supernatural revelation of the awesomeness of Jesus and of his own sinfulness.

Jesus once asked His disciples: “Who do you say I am?” Peter declared, “You are the Christ (the Messiah) the Son of the Living God!” Jesus replied, “This was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in Heaven.” Jesus then goes on to say that on this rock I will build My assembly (mistranslated as church in English Bibles–it was the proper name of the interactive town hall meeting in ancient Greek cities).” So, what is “this rock”? The largest institutional church in the world claims that the rock was Peter. However, from the context, I believe that the rock is what “flesh and blood” can’t reveal. I believe that the rock that the living Jesus is using to build His assembly of living stones today is the rock of direct, personal revelation from God that the Holy Spirit uses to call Christ-followers into deep, open, and honest relationship with Jesus and with each other. That is God’s Light Rock!

Christ builds His body on the rock of direct, personal revelation from God, not on religion or on preachers’ quotations! The purpose of preaching should be to lead people to receive direct revelation from God and personally encounter and surrender to the risen Jesus, not just to teach religious lessons.

What the living Jesus is telling you today is infinitely more powerful than any preacher’s quote that you post or read. Dare to listen to Jesus and to share what He tells you.

What the living Jesus is telling you today is infinitely more powerful than any preacher’s quote that you post or read. Dare to listen to Jesus and to share what He tells you. What have you allowed God to reveal to you in the last 24 hours? He has been giving me revelation about revelation.

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To “only imagine” isn’t enough!

It’s not enough to “only imagine.”
When Jesus speaks
He can’t be heard
By human ears.
They can only
Imagine.
But open hearts
Sense the soundings
Of His living word
Enlightening
Their surroundings
And changing them
From deep within
Through amazing
Revelations.

Go beyond imagination! Experience the everyday reality of the risen Jesus!

You don’t need to rely on your imagination. You can walk by Christ’s side throughout each day, surrounded by His glory, with His face ever before you and His presence always alive in you constantly empowering you to live now on earth as it is in Heaven!

Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit are not obtained by human effort or imagination but by a humble openness and by an inner hunger and thirst that is willing to receive direct revelation from God by seeing and hearing supernaturally. Human eyes and human ears can “only imagine” But what eye hasn’t seen, and ear hasn’t heard has been revealed to us by the Spirit (not by flesh and blood).

Human imagination should never be a substitute for supernatural revelation. To behold and experience righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit is to lose your appetite for the things of this world as you hunger more and more for the inner government of God, the Headship and Lordship of the risen King and Lord Jesus, in your daily life.

Revelation is God’s gift of supernatural perception that focuses a human heart on the presence and reality of the living Jesus. It’s not about right and wrong. It’s about rivers of Christ’s spiritual life flowing from deep within you! Direct revelation from the living God is infinitely more powerful than human imagination.

Jesus didn’t abandon His followers to “only imagine.” He returned in the person of the Holy Spirit to lead, comfort, protect, and to reveal and demonstrate His presence and power to His people!

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Declaration of Dependence

The risen Jesus is my Lord. I am daily dependent on Him. Apart from Him I can do nothing. He is my foundation, my strength, and my hope. I proclaim my dependence on Christ.

Jesus sets me free from my captivity to the control of self-focus. I am no longer driven by my desires, feelings, thoughts, and opinions. I continually celebrate my Christ-dependence and the care and compassion He shows to me. I rely on His presence living in and through me and directing me moment-by-moment. He never lets me down! Thank You, Jesus! I can never say it enough!

Independence from God leads to bondage to self-focus. To reject dependency on the living Jesus is to embrace dependency on habits, distractions, and substances. To “wait on the Lord” is to acknowledge and to fully submit to your dependence on Him.

The only dependency that doesn’t lead to bondage is dependency on the living Jesus Christ. Conscious dependency on the risen Jesus raises life to glorious levels! Christ-dependency brings freedom from every other dependency! Awareness of self-insufficiency opens the door to receive God’s help.

The more you depend on yourself the less you depend on God. Pride proclaims independence while it is enslaved to its own desires, feelings, and thoughts.

Revival occurs when Christians learn to depend on the present reality of risen Jesus, instead of on religious programs and hierarchies. The world’s greatest revolution is when someone shifts away from the rebellious independence of their self-will to daily dependence on and surrender to the living Jesus.

God’s looking for open hearts. Open your heart to and dependent on Him day and night. Help other people do the same!

Jesus said: “Follow Me.” He never said for us to be dependent on a program, a preacher, or a liturgy.

Give your alliance
To the risen Jesus,
Your compliance
To His will
And put your reliance
On His presence!

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An invitation to “Zoom” in on ekklesia!

My wife and I are overseeing a Zoom ekklesia experience the next 4 Mondays from 10:00 am to 11:30 Central Time. To participate in one (or all) of them go to: http://okmtraining.org and click on “Join A Class.” Then click on Beyond Church sign & up. You’ll receive the link Sunday night.

When you experience
The humble beauty
Of hearts open to God
And to other people
You encounter a love
That goes far beyond duty.

Conflict is a wake-up call to seek first the Kingdom of God and the literal and present moment Lordship and Headship of the risen Jesus. Tune your heart to hear Jesus speaking to you in order that He may be your Lord and Head — the one who you allow to direct and control your life moment-by-moment. When members of the body of Christ begin to let Jesus direct and control them, He begins to align their hearts with Him and with each other in supernatural unity.

A fresh rendition on the subject of benediction

God-given revelation
Will change your destination.
Open your heart to God
Without hesitation.

I don’t believe
In benedictions.
Worship should be
Without time restrictions.
Rejoice in the Lord always!

Here’s a prediction:
If churches would break their addiction
To an on-time benediction
And allow people to linger long
In heart-felt worship and song
Until they become fully aware
That Christ-purchased forgiveness
Makes them belong
In God’s presence
What miracles we would see!

A benediction too often means that church is over and it’s now okay to shift focus away from God to your own personal choices. It signals that it’s time to move on, but it’s never time to move on from God. No benediction should ever be used to shut down God-given revelation and heart-felt worship. Instead of a benediction, Christians need Christ-centered ignition!

Relationships are the Christian mission — “Love one another.” To move beyond superficial relationships to vibrant, intimate, and deeply caring relationships requires honest, heart-to-heart interaction. However, an audience gathered around social attraction and passive listening is almost never allowed to engage in humble, openhearted sharing.

Too often Christians either ignore the 50+ one another commandments in the New Testament or try to obey them in a forced, obligatory way. If only we would take the time and humility to gather to open our hearts to each other, we’d begin obeying those commandments out of love and compassion.

To beat the blues, follow the rhythm of God’s heartbeat! God gives us binary choices. We can live by the tree of life or by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We can obey Him or obey our own knowledge, thoughts, feelings, and desires.

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