Steve Simms's Blog, page 9

I Feel Inner Peace

Daily writing promptWhat positive emotion do you feel most often?View all responses

Through the decades I have come to have inner peace — a sense of joyful contentment — in my life. It hasn’t come all at once, but little by little. It hasn’t happened easily. I’ve kicked and screamed along the way, but through it all I’ve gradually surrendered more and more of my life and will to the reality, presence, and authority of the risen Jesus and felt His supernatural peace gradually growing within me.

We humans don’t need a hypothetical Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4) who we only suppose, or a merely historical Jesus who we only remember, (Hebrews 13:8) or a rhetorical Jesus (Galatians 1:6-9) who we only talk about. We need the living, resurrected Jesus — God who became a human being to die for our sins — (John 1:14) to rule and reign as Lord and King within us. (Luke 9:23) When I let King Jesus have His way in me and mold my thoughts, feelings, opinions, and desires, He brings His energy (Acts 1:8) and changes me “from glory to glory” into His image. (2 Corinthians 3:18) The peace of Christ is truly the “peace that passes understanding.” (Philippians 4:7)

The brilliant sunrise
And the morning moon
Call me to make room
For a closer walk
With the risen Christ
So Jesus can tune
My heart to God’s will.

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." data-large-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." src="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." alt="" class="wp-image-44276" />Photo by M Venter on Pexels.com

I Plan My Goals by Listening to a Voice in My Heart

Daily writing promptHow do you plan your goals?View all responses

People say, “Listen to your heart,” and “To your own heart be true.” However, many different voices speak in my heart. Some offer good and true advice. Others offer bad and deceptive guidance. My goal is to listen to and be led by one particular voice in my heart — the music of God’s voice.

A saint is someone who is continually led by God’s Spirit. (To be led by the Spirit is to tune your heart to the music of God’s voice and move in step with it.) A saint overflows with the joy, the fruit, and the gifts of the Spirit.

The Orthodox and Catholic churches call certain dead Christians saints, but the Bible says that all Christians are called to be saints–God’s holy people. (Romans 1:7) When a saint goes marching into a place, he or she carries the actual presence of “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27) A saint’s message isn’t presented with mere human wisdom but with demonstrations of the Spirit’s presence and power that radiate God’s supernatural revelation. (1 Corinthians 2:4-10) Saints are ordinary people who follow and obey the risen Jesus with their whole heart.

Instead of praying and talking to the official church saints, I let the saints talk to me. I’ve read hundreds of books by holy and devoted Christ-followers (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant) from across the centuries. I love to let the saints talk to me, however, I always check what they say with the Bible.

“In truth, all human beings are called to be saints.” –William Stringfellow

“We can, if we will, become a saint, for God will never refuse to help us to do so.” –John Vianney

“Saints live not after the fashion of the world. The dignity of the saints is so great because they are not of this world, but ‘of the household of God.’” –St. Thomas Aquinas

“Be often reading the lives of the saints for inspiration and instruction.” –Philip Neri

“Never say, ‘What great things the saints do!’ but ‘What great things God does in His saints!’” –Philip Neri

“Maybe more than anything else, to be a saint is to know joy. Not happiness that comes and goes with the moments that occasion it, but joy that is always there like an underground spring no matter how dark and terrible the night. To be a saint is to be a little out of one’s mind, which is a very good thing to be a little out of from time to time. It is to live a life that is always giving itself away and yet is always full.” –Frederick Buechner

“Sanctify yourself and you will sanctify society.” –Francis of Assisi

Here’s a poem that came to me:

There’s more to see than
Religious routine.
We need a new scene.
I want to see Christ
Actively working
Among His people
To make our hearts clean
And cause us to lean
And to rely on
His presence unseen.

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." data-large-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." src="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." alt="" class="wp-image-44270" />Photo by Kendall Hoopes on Pexels.com

Lighting Up For Life, Not Just For Emergencies

Daily writing promptCreate an emergency preparedness plan.View all responses

This morning I walked out into the slowly disappearing darkness. There as I stood between the dim early morning moonlight and the newly rising sunlight I heard an inner voice say, “It’s all My Light.” I love to let the risen Jesus shine His light within me. (2 Corinthians 4:6-7) He’s “the way, the truth, and the life,” (John 14:6) and “the Light of the world,” (John 8:12) not just for emergencies. He’s the Rock of revelation to light your way day after day.” (John 16:17-18 and 1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

Through the inner government of Christ Jesus — the kingdom of God — the Lord is uniting His followers in one mind, one purpose, and one voice. (Romans 15:5) This is not happening through human legislation, executive orders, or religious organizations. It’s occurring from the inside out. It’s all about location, location, location!

Where is the kingdom of God being built? God’s kingdom is being built in every human heart that is being fully surrendered to King Jesus. God’s kingdom doesn’t come with observation. No one is able to say “Here it is!” or “There it is!” because the kingdom of God occurs inside of people. (Luke 17:20-21) It doesn’t have a physical location — no man-made throne or capitol building to point to. “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Because King Jesus lives inside of His faithful followers, God’s kingdom doesn’t need a human hierarchy, dignified titles, or outward rules to be able to effectively govern. King Jesus governs directly from within — “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27) As the Good Shepherd, (John 10:10) He inwardly leads His followers. (Romans 8:14) Christ’s sheep recognize, listen to, and obey His inner voice. (John 10:27)

What’s first in your heart? (Matthew 6:33) The kingdom of God or the kingdom of self? Loyalty to the risen Jesus or loyalty to a particular religious institution, to a favorite preacher, to a political leader, to a human ideology, or to a certain country? If you won’t allow Christ to establish and maintain His inner kingdom and to continually rule and reign inside of you as the Absolute Ruler over your thoughts, desires, feelings, and actions, you won’t be any good at helping His kingdom come in your community and your country.

Lighten your load with God’s Light. Christianity is so much more than merely passively sitting and listening to a religious talk. Let God’s light clearly and consistently shine in your heart. Google: Beyond Church Ekklesia.

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." data-large-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." src="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." alt="" class="wp-image-44260" />Photo by Vlad R on Pexels.com

Quit — To Give Up, To Break Your Word, To Refuse To Hang In There

Daily writing promptWhat is a word you feel that too many people use?View all responses

Perseverance and faithfulness are rare qualities. It’s easy to quit — to run away — to say that you’ll hang in there some other day. The Bible talks about people who have “a form of godliness” but are “denying the power thereof.” They are still attending a religious meeting now and then but their heart is far from God. (Matthew 15:8) They have basically quit pursuing His presence and seeking His kingdom (His inner government of their life). (Matthew 6:33)

Don’t quit on God. Refuse to exchange an effectual, fervent faith that continually burns in your heart for occasional religious activities. Passively sitting is quitting.

It’s vital to stay
Surrendered to God —
To yield to Christ’s way
Patiently each day
And not run away.
Discipleship is
More than words you say
Or the way you pray.
It’s persistently
Being Spirit led —
Refusing to stray.
Let Jesus in you
Be more than hearsay.
Make Him your mainstay!
Patiently be Christ’s
Faithful protege.
(Galatians 5:1)

Safe Sermon-Hearing

Daily writing promptWhat brings you peace?View all responses

Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets.” (Matthew 7:15) If you are going to listen to sermons do it safely.

Always search the Scriptures to see if what is being preached aligns with them. When Paul (who wrote much of the New Testament) preached, people responded in two different ways. People in the city of Thessalonica passively listened, however, people in Berea “were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed.” (Acts 17:11-12) Trust the ancient Scriptures, not the shallow lip-cures of modern preachers.

Jesus said: “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.'” (Matthew 15:7-8) If the words of the Bible aren’t burning in a preacher’s heart, be careful. (Luke 24:32)

2. Always test the spirit of someone who is preaching to you. Here’s how Jesus’ disciple John said to do that: “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” (1 John 4:1-3) If someone preaches “another Jesus” (Galatians 1:6-9) that doesn’t match the Jesus of the Bible, he or she is (intentionally or unintentionally) a false prophet. Don’t continue to listen to their sermons.

You can also test the spirit of a preacher by looking at his or her character and lifestyle. If a preacher isn’t living according to the Bible and daily demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit watch out. (Galatians 5:22-23) If a preacher isn’t living a life that is being led by and aligned with God the Holy Spirit, beware.

3. Use discernment. “O taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8) How does a sermon set with you? How does it “taste”? If something seems off base, that may be God the Holy Spirit warning you to avoid deception. This experience of the Spirit’s warning is a spiritual gift called “discerning of (or distinguishing between) spirits.” (1 Corinthians 12:10)

Avoid deception. Practice safe sermon-hearing!

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." data-large-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." src="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." alt="" class="wp-image-44241" />Photo by Israel Torres on Pexels.com

I Admire Peacemakers

Daily writing promptWhat profession do you admire most and why?View all responses

I admire peace makers in the tradition of Jesus, William Lloyd Garrison, Ghandi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. who boldly speak the truth as drum majors for justice, yet do so with kindness, compassion, and mercy. (Garrison and King are among my Top 10 Greatest Americans.) Jesus proclaimed, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

It takes rare courage to be a peacemaker. It’s not easy to boldly confront in love, injustice that is disrupting people’s peace and replacing it with cruelty — things like slavery and other forms of human trafficking, unfair laws, authoritarian government, discrimination, racism, violence, war, torture, economic oppression, etc.

Jesus taught and demonstrated a peacemaker lifestyle. He said: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Even with His dying breath, Jesus asked God to forgive those who crucified Him. However, few people who call themselves Christians actually follow those words from Jesus. I look up to people who do them. To profess those words is easy, but to literally live them out is quite rare. Anyone can make such a verbal profession. I greatly admire the few who apply those words in their daily life.

I believe that loving your enemies is so contrary to human nature that it requires supernatural power. I believe that Jesus offers that kind of mercy and truth power to people. When I see people humbly speaking the truth with love and compassion, I see Christ working supernaturally in and through them (even if they don’t claim to be Christian).

If you have a desire for peace, that’s a gift from God. Open your heart to the desire for inner peace and for relationship peace that turns enemies into friends. The best place to begin peace making is to make peace with God by humbly acknowledging and turning away from your rebellion against Him and receiving the forgiveness, healing, deliverance, and restoration that Jesus purchased for you on the Cross by entering into a life-long personal relationship with Him as your Lord and God.

The most important thing for a relationship with Jesus is one-to-one interaction with Him. Without one-to-one interaction with the living Jesus, going to church is just superficial religion.

Let Jesus give you peace even in the midst of life’s trials, tests, and trauma:

When a trial
Lasts a while
Keep your dial
Set on faith.
Every mile
Of the way
Rely on
Jesus and
You’ll find rest
In your test —
Peace from God
That even
Makes you smile
In your trial.
(James 1:2-4)

I Want to Help People Purchase Mental Wealth

Daily writing promptIf you were going to open up a shop, what would you sell?View all responses

There are many thieves that constantly strive to steal our mental wealth — the riches of inner peace, contentment, satisfaction, joy, appreciation, gratitude, harmonious relationships, and self-control. Most of us humans have never learned to successfully set up a security system to fully protect our inner wealth. Instead, we’ve allowed ourselves to be robbed blind of various aspects of our mental health.

The first step to getting our mental wealth back is to recognize what we have lost. If we don’t know what we’ve lost, we won’t know what we need to get back. Many people proudly say: “I’m good! I’ve not lost any mental health!” But their personality and insecurities say the opposite.

The Bible gives some very practical information about how to safeguard, defend, and secure your mental wealth: “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

For Christians the real battle isn’t physical. It’s not an external fight. We’re not called to fight against people, political ideologies, or world views. We’re called to an internal fight — within our own heart, mind, and soul. We don’t use human weapons or physical weapons. We use spiritual weapons that have divine power to demolish the internal strongholds and arguments that try to keep us from a growing, surrendered, personal, intimate relationship with the living God. We don’t try to take over a nation’s government. We fight to take captive all the thoughts within us and make them all be obedient to the risen Jesus Christ.

Some powerful but inner weapons are direct, personal revelation from God (listening to His internal voice), surrendering to and obeying His inner presence by doing His will instead of our own, being consistently led by the Spirit, and persistently resisting temptation, the devil, and wrongful (impure) thoughts, desires, and feelings. These mighty weapons are too often ignored.

The rock of direct personal revelation from God is higher than I am! The rock of Spirit-given revelation (1 Corinthians 2:10) brings supernatural light and divine insight. Spirit-spoken words burn in the heart. (Luke 24:32) They enable us to say, “I was blind but now I see.” (John 9:25) Refuse to settle for the pebble of mere human teaching and mental analysis of Scripture. Ask God to give you the giant, life-empowering rock of miracle producing inner revelation. (John 16:15-19)

Words only heard or read
Without revelation
Are spiritually dead.
They’re just thoughts in the head.
Being fed mental bread,
Alone is not enough.
We all need to hear words
That are directly said —
Spoken within the heart —
From the true mouth of God.
Learn to be Spirit-led
And revelation fed!
(1 Corinthians 2:10)

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." data-large-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." src="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." alt="" class="wp-image-44211" />Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

It’s Vital That I Carry Awareness

Daily writing promptWhat is the most important thing to carry with you all the time?View all responses

I want to always be awake to and aware of how fortunate I am to have so much that is good in my life. I live in a world full of the beauty of nature, and I have eyes and ears to appreciate it. I live in a body that is incredibly made, and it mostly works well and enables me to do so many wonderful things. I have a mind that I can use to reason and understand so much about the world. I have the ability to interact with, communicate with, and enjoy the presence of other people. I have consciousness — I’m aware that I exist and that a universe exists in addition to me.

I want to keep my consciousness alert so that I can experience the fullness of being alive on planet earth and be continually grateful for my existence. I’m aware that I’m alive. How magnificent is that! And yet it’s very easy to slip into taking my marvelous consciousness for granted.

It’s amazing that a world full of life exists, but it’s far more amazing that human beings are aware of it, can appreciate it, can analyze and understand it, and can even explain it to each other. It’s astonishing that you can look at these marks on a screen and be conscious of the thoughts that I was thinking as I put the marks into a certain order. But that’s happening right now as you read this blog post.

I want to keep my conscious awareness active and focused on things that truly matter. I want to stay focused on “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” — the things that the Bible calls “the fruit of the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22-23) I want to be consciously “led by the Spirit.” (Romans 8:14) The most important thing for me to carry with me all the time is the awareness that I am in the presence of the risen Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:20)

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." data-large-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." src="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." alt="" class="wp-image-44202" />Photo by VISHNU P V on Pexels.com

I Want My Blog & My Books to Help People “Worglee”

Daily writing promptWhat change, big or small, would you like your blog to make in the world?View all responses

I coined a word in my book, “Mindrobics–How to Be Happy For the Rest of Your Life” (in addition to the title). (It’s now out of print.) The word is “worglee.” Worglee is the opposite of worry. To worry is to anticipate, fear, or dread something bad. To worglee is to excitedly and hopefully anticipate and expect something good.

James, in James 1:1-4, tells Christians to “count it all joy” when you face troubles and trials. Now that’s worglee. That’s courageously daring to believe that even through your trials, God is making you “mature and complete.” That is excitedly and hopefully anticipating how God is working all things together for your good. (Romans 8:28)

It’s not easy to worglee, but it’s powerful. Worglee requires that you actively apply the Bible’s self-management methods that can help you renew your mind (Romans 12:2) and bring every thought into obedience to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5) Here are a few:

* Repenting, (Acts 3:19)
* Humbling yourself, (Philippians 2:3)
* Avoiding and resisting temptation, (1 Corinthians 10:13)
* Drawing near to God, (James 4:8)
* Being radically honest with other people, yourself, and God. (Ephesians 4:25)
* Being led by God the Holy Spirit, (Romans 8:14)
* Putting God’s desires above your desires, (Luke 9:23)
* Thinking uplifting thoughts, (Philippians 4:8)
* Setting your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2)
* Confessing your faults to someone, (James 5:16)
* Encouraging other people, (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
* Devouring the Bible, (Joshua 1:8)
* Cultivating an attitude of gratitude. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
* Praying unceasingly with an open heart, (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
* Rejoicing in the Lord always, (Philippians 4:4)
* Praying in tongues, (Acts 2:4)
* Obeying the inner government (kingdom) of God as your first priority, (Matthew 6:33)
* Consistently hearing and obeying the inner promptings of “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)

Here is my author page: https://amzn.to/3UXxD7n

This is the Alternative Universe I Want to See

Daily writing promptDescribe your life in an alternate universe.View all responses

Many people live and act like there is no alternative. They’re stuck in a pattern of dull repetition — each day following the routine of the day before. This is especially true for Sunday religious services. Week after week, year after year, church is basically the same format endlessly repeating itself. However, God has an alternative (although it’s very difficult to find people who are willing to put His alternative into practice).

When Christians meet together to allow and to encourage each person present to literally meet with and obey the inner promptings of God the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:26) — to encounter His presence, (James 4:8) to hear His voice, (Revelation 3:22) to say and do what He tells them to, (Romans 8:14) and to worship the Father in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24) — they experience rivers of living water flowing from within them (John 7:38-39) and demonstrations of the Spirit’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4) Then their faith is built on nothing less than the power of God instead of on the religious routines of human wisdom. (1 Corinthians 2:5) Then they receive supernatural power to be Christ’s witnesses. (Acts 1:8)

Now is the time for Christ-followers to move beyond mere religious motions and sentimental emotions (2 Timothy 3:5) into gathering together to let God the Holy Spirit personally conduct worship gatherings the way a symphony conductor leads and directs his orchestra. My soul is thirsty for that! Where can I go to find people who are willing to meet with the risen Jesus and to actually allow and encourage people to obey the inner nudgings God’s Spirit? (Psalm 42:2) Google: Beyond Church Ekklesia.

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." data-large-file="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." src="https://hopethoughts.com/wp-content/u..." alt="" class="wp-image-44191" />Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com