Steve Simms's Blog

Daily writing promptList five things you do for fun.View all responses

There is one thing that I do daily for at least five reasons: fun, inspiration, encouragement, hope, and strength. I devour a very special book. It’s actually a collection of 66 books written by around 40 different authors during a period of 1,500 years. It’s the Bible and you can also read it for those reasons and many more.

Don’t read the Bible like a textbook. Approach it as you would a love letter. Abide with it. Read the Bible really, really well by applying your heart to what it says. (Proverbs 23:12) Savor and absorb it day and night. (Joshua 1:8) Then it will become an inner well of wisdom and revelation (1 Corinthians 2:9-10) that will release rivers of glorious (2 Corinthians 3:18) living water within you. (John 7:38-39)

Here is how to apply your heart to the Bible’s wisdom. Daily allow the Bible to comfort you, encourage you, exhort you, challenge you, convict you of sin, call you to repentance, introduce you to humility, give you courage, direct you, disciple you, awe you with God the Father and the depth of His love, train you to follow and obey the risen Jesus who is God the Son, and fine tune your heart and your life to God the Holy Spirit.

A weekly dose of dished out religion is weak, but being a daily Bible absorbing disciple of Christ is dynamic! Attending a Sunday service provided for religious consumers is a far cry from daily following and obeying the risen Jesus. When you read the Bible let go and let God the Holy Spirit freely flow within you.

Daily writing promptIf you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?View all responses

One thing to understand is that true understanding requires humility. Pride prevents and distorts true understanding.

Self-focus will keep you from humbling yourself. (1 Peter 5:6) That’s why Jesus taught self-denial, daily cross bearing, and obedience to Him. (Luke 9:23)

Instead of merely trying to figure life out with human wisdom and logic, (1 Corinthians 3:18-20) true humility asks for, receives, and relies on divine wisdom, (James 1:5) and supernatural revelation directly from God the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:10) Humility sets aside self-focus and self-will (Luke 9:23) in order to be taught, led, and directed by the still small voice (1 Kings 19:12) of the Holy Spirit. (John 14:26) The only way to love your neighbor, the way you love yourself, (Mark 12:31) is to set aside the pride of self-focus and focus instead on your neighbor the same way Jesus humbled Himself and washed His disciples’ feet. (John 13:3-5)

Church attendance isn’t the goal of biblical Christianity. (Luke 9:23) When church became a mere provider of religious services to passive spectators instead of a gathering of Spirit-led Christ-followers, it got off track. The goal of Christianity is humble surrender and obedience to the living resurrected Jesus.

Assembling together with the body of Christ (Hebrews 10:24-26) requires openhearted vulnerability (James 5:16) and humble submission to one another. (Ephesians 5:21) It’s so much more than merely sitting together through a church service as passive sermon hearers. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Churches present Christians with two scenarios. Either attend an institutional church, or you will be self-led, deceived, and in rebellion. That’s a totally false dichotomy.

There is a third option. Be Spirit-led. (Romans 8:14) To assume that a Christian who doesn’t regularly attend a programmed church is in some way distanced from God is a superficial judgment.

The body of Christ isn’t found only in church buildings and human controlled services. It’s everywhere Christians are. The body of Christ is manifest any time Christians gather and connect heart-to-heart as they are led by God the Holy Spirit.

If the Holy Spirit wasn’t truly present to lead us, we would need to rely on religious institutions and professional Christians. But that’s not the case. God the Holy Spirit is very active in this world speaking to Christ followers and seeking to teach, direct, and prompt them from within.

The real danger for Christians isn’t a lack of church attendance. It’s quenching, ignoring, and/or disobeying the Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:19) It’s neglecting to assemble together to be led by the Spirit.

That kind of gathering doesn’t require a church building or a professional leader. It can happen anytime and anywhere that Christians begin to encourage one another, (1 Thessalonians 5:11) teach one another, (Colossians 3:16) and bear one another’s burdens. (Galatians 6:2) Let God the Spirit guide you to His assemblies throughout each day. (John 16:13-15)

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Daily writing promptWrite about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc. View all responses

What’s in a name? It’s what’s in your heart that matters! To be happier grow more gratitude.

Graze on gratitude.
Acquire the attitude
Of appreciation
By saying thank you
And taking actions
To express gratefulness.
Then you’ll spread happiness
Everywhere you go.
Apply thanksgiving
To all your living.
Make it your daily lifestyle
To say thank you with a smile.
In everything give thanks.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18-19)

“Victory rests with the Lord.” (Proverbs 21:31) Faith is the willingness to demonstrate trust in and reliance on the Lord (Psalm 20:7) by sincerely thanking Him (Psalm 100:4) for His victories in your life, even if you don’t yet see them! (Hebrews 11:1) Train your heart to trust in and rely on God.

Church attendance isn’t the goal of biblical Christianity. (Luke 9:23) Google: Beyond Church: An Invitation to Experience the Lost Word of the Bible–Ekklesia.

Daily writing promptWhat’s your dream job?View all responses

I ask God to give me the insight to make disciples. The abandoned art of disciple making draws out the purposes of a person’s heart. (Proverbs 20:5) Disciple making redirects people by training them to fully surrender to Jesus so that He can live inside of them, be their absolute Lord and their God, and direct them in all they say, think, and do.

Jesus made disciples. Then He told His disciples to go and make disciples. Disciples are made by training people to deny themselves and to take up their cross daily by dying to their own thoughts, opinions, feelings, and desires. Then they can connect heart-to-heart with the risen Jesus and be supernaturally empowered to faithfully follow and obey Him.

Instead of making disciples who daily do the word, lukewarm Christianity makes weekly audiences full of religious spectators. It trains people to be passive hearers but not wholehearted doers of what they hear. Dare to go beyond dry religion and be a disciple who daily and devotedly does what Jesus says to do! True Christianity makes disciples who continually experience the reality of “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” as they radically follow and obey Him throughout each day!

Christians are called to be led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14) not to rely on religion. (Mark 7:13) Without the spontaneity of the Holy Spirit Christianity shifts into human control, formalism, and institutionalism. (Romans 8:14)

When Christians ignore the living water of God the Holy Spirit, discipleship is dry docked. True Christianity makes disciples who continually experience the reality of “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” as they wholeheartedly and radically follow and obey Him throughout each day! I see in Scripture, in history, and in my personal experience that the more people are surrendered to God and His will as sold-out disciples, the more they connect with one another. When people try to come together without God they create a Tower of Babble.

Daily discipleship! That’s why the first Christians were full of joy. Google: The Joy of Early Christianity.

Daily writing promptWhat makes a good leader?View all responses

Good leaders care about the people they’re leading. They don’t just see them as human resources to use in order to accomplish their goals. They connect heart-to-heart with their followers. They have fellowship with them.

Fellowship (1 Corinthians 1:9) is Spirit-led (Romans 8:14) heart-to-heart connection with God the Father, with God the Son (1 John 1:3) and with people. (1 John 1:7) It’s not just religious socializing or hanging out. It’s caring tenderhearted interaction. (Colossians 3:12)

Fellowship is gathering together to mutually support one another by exhorting one another, (Hebrews 10:24-25) encouraging each other, building one another up, (1 Thessalonians 5:11) teaching each other, (Colossians 3:16) and bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) as prompted and guided by God the Holy Spirit. (John 16:13 It’s described in 1 Corinthians 14:26)

Fellowship also involves confessing your sins to one another and praying for each other. (James 5:16) It’s worshipping God together (Psalm 95:6) in Spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) It’s loving God and loving all people. (Mark 12:30-31) Find fellowship!

Be kind to the poor. (Proverbs 19:17) Kindness and gentleness are part of the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) It’s hard not to see poor people as a threat as if they are our enemies. Love your enemies is a command from Jesus. (Matthew 5:44) People who refuse to show kindness to the poor and love to their enemies are breaking the commandments and quenching the Spirit. But how can we show love and kindness like that? Only through dynamic fellowship with God.

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Daily writing promptIf you could un-invent something, what would it be? View all responses

Hardheartedness doesn’t rock! A proud and hard heart makes Jesus both mad and sad. (Mark 3:5) How does your heart make Jesus feel? (Proverbs 16:5)

There is hardness in your heart when you are:

Proud,Bitter,Selfish,Envious,Boastful,Dishonest,Unkind,Self-righteous,Cynical,Ungrateful,Focused on self-protection,Name calling,Blaming others,Condemning people,Unwilling to say, “I’m sorry.”Unforgiving,Vengeful,UncaringInsensitive,Stone-faced,Feeling like you’re a robot,Unloving,Refusing to cry,Seldom smiling,Unrepentant.

People look at your outward appearance, but God looks at your heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) He wants to heal the hardness in your broken malfunctioning heart. (Psalm 147:3) Let Him remove any stoniness from your heart and make you compassionate and tenderhearted. (Ezekiel 36:26) Sincerely and fully open your heart to God and allow Him to purify you from within (Hebrews 10:22) and to fill you with His Joy. (John 15:11) A joyful heart is good medicine. (Proverbs 17:22) Throughout each day let Jesus train and empower you to be humble and joyful in heart. (Matthew 11:29)

If churches would train people to daily:

Love Jesus,Love like Jesus,Listen to Jesus, andObey Jesus,

This world would be a better place!

Daily writing promptCan you share a positive example of where you’ve felt loved?View all responses

I’ve felt — and consistently feel — so intensely loved by God that I seek to settle for nothing less than His will for me. (Matthew 6:33) Being consciously aware of God’s fervent and sacrificial love for me has made my life about the great pursuit of putting my all into pressing closer and closer toward Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:14) and the purifying fire of His Spirit. (Matthew 3:11-12)

Jesus came for us all (John 3:16) to set us free (John 8:32) from our pride (James 4:6) and our sin (Matthew 1:21) so that we can be empowered (1 Corinthians 4:20) to humble ourselves, seek His face, turn from our wicked ways, (2 Chronicles 7:14)) and be continually led and directed by His Spirit (Romans 8:14) instead of by our own feelings, desires, and opinions. (Luke 9:23)

The way to get to know Jesus isn’t by watching, supporting, and being a fan of a streaming series about a fictionalized Jesus. It’s by opening the door of your heart to the living resurrected Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:20) and allowing Him to come in, live within you, (Colossians 1:27) and take direct daily control of your life by His Spirit. (Romans 8:14)

Daily writing promptWhere can you reduce clutter in your life?View all responses

Perhaps the greatest source of clutter in life is self-focus. It clutters our mind and our heart with our own thoughts, feelings, and desires until we have little room for anything else. How can we escape from the clutter of self-focus? Discipleship is the key. Here are a few of the liberating dynamics of discipleship:

Commit to the Lord whatever you do and always allow Him to establish your plans. (Proverbs 16:3) Follow Jesus, not your own desires. (Matthew 4:19)Ask God to give you a Bible verse. (Psalm 119:11) When a Scripture comes to your mind write it down. Read it, ponder it, and quote it. (Joshua 1:8) Do what it says to do, throughout the day. (Matthew 7:24) Let it work deep inside of you. (1 Thessalonians 2:13) Allow the Holy Spirit to teach you how to He wants you to apply it in your daily life. (1 Thessalonians 5:19) Be a doer of the word and not just a hearer. (James 1:22-25)Protect your heart from unforgiveness (Ephesians 4:32) and bitterness. (Hebrews 12:15) Don’t ever go to bed angry. (Ephesians 4:26)Control your thoughts. (Philippians 4:8) Strive to make every thought you have obey Jesus. (2 Corinthians 10:5) Always seek first the kingdom of God — God’s invisible (Luke 17:20-21) inner governance of your life — and His right living. (Matthew 6:33)Look unto Jesus. (Hebrews 12:2) Train yourself to stay focused on the risen Jesus throughout each day. Listen to Him speak to you (John 10:27) and do what He says. (John 2:5) Learn to keep the presence of “Christ in you,” (Colossians 1:27) in your conscious awareness and to let His words burn in your heart. (Luke 24:13-35)Make demonstrating God’s love your goal. (1 Corinthians 14:1) Love one another, (John 13:34) even your enemies. (Matthew 5:43-48)Deny yourself by keeping your focus off of what you want. Take up your cross daily by choosing to die to your own desires. and follow Jesus by hanging out with Him and obeying Him day and night. (Luke 9:23)Find many more of the dynamics of daily discipleship by reading the Bible every single day. Let it burn in your heart (Luke 24:32) by reading it like a love letter directly from God to you. Avoid analyzing it and picking it apart as if it was a scholarly textbook. It’s not. (Hebrews 4:12)[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-45913" />Photo by * Dou011fukan * on Pexels.com

Daily writing promptWhat is your favorite animal?View all responses

I love doves because they represent the Holy Spirit. When God the Son — Jesus — was baptized, God the Holy Spirit came on Him like a dove, and God the Father spoke: “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17)

The Practicality of the Fruit of the Spirit

Confrontation without communication causes conflict. Before you criticize people compassionately listen to them. Hear where they are hurting and then speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15) Express the firmness of truth with gentleness, kindness, and self-control, instead of with harsh words. (Proverbs 15:1) If you’re patient with people, you can calm a quarrel (Proverbs 15:8) by faithfully demonstrating (1 Corinthians 2:4-5) God’s goodness, peace, and joy. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

My Joy Poem

God the Holy Spirit
Often releases a
Yahoo and a Yippee
Deep down inside of me
Supernaturally.
That’s the joy of Yahweh!
The joy of the Lord is
My strength! Hallelujah!
(Nehemiah 8:10)

Daily writing promptIn what ways do you communicate online?View all responses

Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love is where
Christ’s light is shined.
(2 Corinthians 4:6)

I want a church where I can see Jesus freely working in and through everyday people, not just hear another lecture about Him. Here’s the poem I wrote about how church can shine:

Church should be so much more
Than a preacher preaching,
And a congregation
Passively listening —
The singing of some songs
Money dropped in a bag,
And a quick departure
As we try to make sure
We get to lunch on time.
I believe that’s only
A weak caricature
Of what God really wants
Christ-followers to do
When they come together: (1 Corinthians 14:26)
Encourage one another. (Thessalonians 5:11)
Teach and admonish one another. (Colossians 3:16)
Speak truth to one another. (Ephesians 4:24)
Submit to one another. (Ephesians 5:21)
Confess your sins to each other
And pray for one another. (James 5:16)
Bear one another’s burdens. (Galatians 6:2)
Be at peace with one another. (Mark 9:50)
Rejoice with those who rejoice
And weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15)
Worship in Spirit and truth. (John 4:24)
(Search for: Beyond Church Ekklesia.)

If Christians will praise and adore the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and put our focus on His presence instead of on a preacher in a pulpit, we will participate in the power of His Spirit (Acts 1:8) — “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27) We will taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8)

Let Jesus put His shine on your face. Let Him polish your heart with His presence. Let Him radiate His love by your words and demonstrate His mercy through your actions. If there is a God, you’re going to have to answer to Him when you die. Why not get started now?

Don’t just hear about religion in a church service. Let the risen Jesus Christ live inside of you and radiate His presence everywhere you go!