15 Ways People Can Respond to God

Posted on April 12, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What are 5 everyday things that bring you happiness?
View all responses

Here are 15 biblical ways you can respond to God the Holy Spirit — the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. (Ephesians 1:17) All Christ followers need to continually live by and walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25).

You can . . .
1) Quench the Spirit and ignore Him. (1 Thessalonians 5:19)
2) Make Him sad. (Ephesians 4:30) {Please don’t do these first two.}
3) Listen to and be taught by the Spirit. (John 14:26)
4) Let the Spirit convict you of sin. (John 16:8)
5) Allow God the Spirit to set you free. (2 Corinthians 3:17)
6) Surrender to the Holy Spirit and be His temple. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
7) Pray in the Spirit. (Jude 1:20-21)
8) Be led by the Spirit. (Romans 8:14)
9) Receive and operate in the gifts of the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)
10) Depend on Him to fill you with His fruit. (Galatians 5:22-23)
11)) Let the Spirit freely flow from your innermost being. (John 7:38-39)
12) Allow Him to empower you to be a bold and effective witness for Christ. (Acts 1:8)
13) Rely on the Holy Spirit to speak through you by giving you the words you say. (Matthew 10:20)
14) Trust the Spirit to strengthen you from within. (Ephesians 3:16-17)
15) Rely on the God the Spirit instead of on self-effort. (Zechariah 4:6)

Real God seekers deconstruct their pride. (James 4:10) They don’t quench the Spirit or deconstruct the Bible.

God’s intent isn’t to make you content to attend a weekly Sunday event and hear a talk about Bible content. It’s to thrill you with His presence and transform you with His power so that you can repent and be sent to show people Christ’s reality.

I don’t want to be a religious spectator — a passive observer of a Sunday performance. I want to be a living radiator of Christ’s presence, power, and love. I strongly believe that God wants me to encourage and challenge churches and individuals to fully embrace the biblical concept of the priesthood of all believers by opening up their meetings for anyone present to speak as they are prompted by God the Holy Spirit.

Jesus taught that there should be no hierarchy among His followers. All Christ-followers are equal level peers. (Matthew 20:25-26)

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Words Without Action Are Birds Without Wings

Posted on April 11, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
Describe something you learned in high school.
View all responses

Religious talk without daily application is words without wings. Refuse to settle for religious faith that doesn’t lift you up within and supernaturally empower you to mount up on wings of eagles. (Isaiah 40:31)

“Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26) True faith is supernatural evidence of and confidence in the unseen reality and presence of the risen Jesus. (Hebrews 11:1)

Truly trusting Jesus is so much more than a religion. It’s a never-ending, heart-surrendered relationship with Emmanuel, God with us. (Matthew 1:23) It’s Christ actively living His life in and through you as “the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)

Relying on Jesus means setting aside the pride of self-effort. (James 4:10) It is humbly (James 4:6) allowing Him to gracefully (Ephesians 2:8-9) produce the fruit of His Spirit within you (Galatians 5:22-23) until it overflows from your innermost being like rivers of living water. (John 7:37-39)

Mere acknowledgement of Jesus without a lifetime commitment to listen to and obey Him is only religious sentiment. True belief in Jesus isn’t a superficial alliance with Him. It’s deep internal transformation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Genuine faith in Christ is daily dependance and reliance on His presence to train and empower you to live in compliance with His will. It’s to be led by His Spirit. (Romans 8:14) “Did you receive the Holy Spirit (as life-transforming inner reality, not as a mere theological concept) when you believed?” (Acts 19:2)

Learn to walk with Jesus beyond the basket of Sunday morning religion. Step into day-to-day dependence on His demonstrated presence.

Go beyond passive Sunday “observership” to Spirit-led discipleship. Churches spend far too much time doing audience and far too little time training, empowering, and releasing people to do the 50+ New Testament “one another commandments.”

Christians aren’t able “teach one another” (Colossians 3:16) if only one person is allowed to teach. They can’t “exhort one another” (Hebrews 3:13) if preaching only flows from a pulpit or a stage. The New Testament “one another commandments” require participatory interaction, not a one-man lecture. When Christ-followers aren’t allowed to obey one-another commands in church services, Christianity is missing a vital ingredient — the priesthood of the believer! (1 Peter 2:9)

Black wings made of scattered words like hope, faith, love, and sorrow
Black and white wings composed of various words breaking apart
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Positive Change Requires Working Together

Posted on April 10, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
Describe one positive change you have made in your life.
View all responses

Together we can experience positive change. As human beings we need one another. We have been designed for community not for isolation. Powerful community requires that we humbly open up our heart to one another. Fortunately, there’s a book that shows us how to do that. It teaches us that Christ-followers are called to be God’s puzzle pieces.

God wants to reveal His will to His people. (Ephesians 1:3-14) When we come together in Spirit-directed humility He reveals various parts of His will through the spiritual gifts that He gives to and through the various members of Christ’s body. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) Listen to and obey God the Holy Spirit so people can experience your part of God’s puzzle.

Supernatural Civility

God’s banquet of community
Is shared vulnerability.
People clothed with humility,
Setting aside their vanity
To be led by God’s sanity,
Is mighty Christianity.
Where two or more come together
To hear and obey the Spirit
They taste and see Christ’s victory.
To escape from captivity
Banish all your hostility.
Let people in your inner room.
Encounter true tranquility
And Spirit-led civility.
Many are called; few surrender.
(Matthew 22:1-14)

Spirit-led meetings open people up to the power of shared vulnerability. Being Spirit-led is simple. It’s for everybody. Let’s regularly gather to listen to and obey God’s Spirit together. (Matthew 18:10) People who love Jesus obey Jesus. (John 14:15) We Christians need to open up our heart to each other (James 5:16) so that we can help each other move beyond mere religion and into radically obedient discipleship. (Luke 9:23)

Religious showmanship shipwrecks Christian spirituality. Ego-driven religion always goes the wrong way. “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Church attendance without Spirit-led interaction is merely showing up for religious routine without power. (2 Timothy 3:5) Many isolated Christians are church members and regular attendees. They come and sit Sunday after Sunday and rarely or never open up their heart to talk about their love for Jesus with other Christ-followers. Church attendance alone without heart-to-heart interaction isn’t obedience to the Bible’s command to assemble yourselves together. (Hebrews 10:25)

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Exercise Your Ears

Posted on April 9, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What’s the most fun way to exercise?
View all responses

Learn to listen. Exercise your ears!

Notice your notifications. Someone has been sending you voice messages deep within your heart. Pull them up and listen to the still, small voice. Hear Jesus tenderly calling your name and inviting you to ponder His presence.

The best meditation is attentive concentration on what the risen Jesus is saying to you — letting it burn like fire within you. Turn up the volume in your heart until Christ’s living words resonate, radiate, and saturate your inner most being. Soak up the sound of His voice. Savor His presence. Treasure His voice in your heart. (John 10:27)

“The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” (Romans 10:8) Day by day train yourself to more effectively listen to and obey everything that Jesus is saying to you. Learn to continually hear and do all that He tells you.

Jesus won’t contradict what God the Holy Spirit has spoken in the past through the writers of the Bible. The more you allow Christ to live in you (Colossians 1:27) and let His kingdom come and His will be done in and through you as it is in Heaven, (Matthew 6:10) the more His present voice will confirm what is written in the Bible.

Frequently and sincerely say these words: “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10) Then notice the ponderings, pictures, and promptings that come to your mind and heart. The ones that align with the will of God as revealed in Scripture (Matthew 16:17) are God the Father revealing Himself directly to you. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

Scripture and direct personal revelation from God to you go together. They should never be separated. Test what you hear within you by the Bible. Resist and reject everything that contradicts God’s past revelation. However, whatever Jesus, God the Son, says and reveals to you, do it. (John 2:5) As adopted children always listen to your Heavenly Father. (Romans 8:15)

Two ears with cartoon arms, legs, gloves, and sneakers dancing
Two animated ears with arms and legs wearing sneakers appear to be dancing joyfully.
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A Book Called the Bible

Posted on April 8, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What book could you read over and over again?
View all responses

The Greatest Blessing (Material or Immaterial)

The greatest blessing anywhere is to be brought into God’s presence by the blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:13) and to learn to live in the new and living way of continually experiencing and testifying to His presence and power in your day-to-day life. (Hebrews 10:19-25)

Reading the material Bible with an open and surrendered heart while experiencing the immaterial presence of Christ in you (Colossians 1:27) go together. What God has joined together refuse to separate.

Daily absorb the Bible with your heart (Joshua 1:8) as you unceasingly (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17) taste and see that God is good. (Psalm 34:8)) Scripture and God-experiences work together to transform and empower your life. It’s not enough to merely learn information about Jesus, “the light of the world.” (John 8:12) You need to learn to let Him continually shine in your heart. (2 Corinthians 4:6)

God can change the hole
Deep within your soul
Into His fountain
Of living water.
Learn to let Him flow.
Let Him make you whole.
(John 7:38-39)

Step out of the Sunday audience and into the Spirit-led body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 14:26) Make church a circle, not a stage — no spectators, only disciples.

You may not believe it, but I like preaching when it is done in the power and presence of God’s Spirit. My two favorite preachers in my lifetime are Leonard Ravenhill and David Wilkerson. They preached with boldness, passion, and power.

I don’t like dead preaching that has little or no power to supernaturally transform people’s lives and to demonstrate the presence and reality of the risen Jesus. I think one of the greatest sins is to bore people with the amazing truths of the Bible. The dazed look that people have and the nodding off that they do in Sunday sermons show that boring people with God’s good news is far too common!

I like preaching the way Jesus commanded. He wants all of His born again (John 3:3) followers to “Go and preach the Gospel.” (Mark 16:15) I don’t like preaching where the same person preaches to the same people week after week. If the people don’t wake up and go after Jesus after several sermons, it’s time to go and find other listeners. Go preach. Don’t stay and bore the same people over and over.

Don’t make people dependent on you and your preaching. Train them to go preach to the people that they encounter throughout the week. Jesus says: “Go preach.” The best way to train people to go preach is to free them up in church to listen to God’s Spirit and then say what he prompts them to say. As people are experiencing God speaking in and through them in the congregation, they gradually grow the confidence to “go preach” and testify to the people they encounter in their daily life.

Multiple leather-bound Holy Bibles stacked closely together in various colors
A large collection of Holy Bibles in various leather-bound editions
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I Want to Be This Character

Posted on April 7, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
If you could be a character from a book or film, who would you be? Why?
View all responses

There’s a character I want to be. That character is described in a book that inspires and thrills me. I try to model the lifestyle of that character every single day. That character is described as a faithful follower of Christ Jesus. Look in the book at Ephesians 1:1.

Here is how you can be a faithful follower of Christ Jesus:

Let God’s kingdom
Be awakened
In your own heart,
His government
Rise up in you
This very day.
Listen to what
Christ has to say.
Live life His way
Throughout each day.
Let His will be
Done inside you
As in Heaven.
Let God’s Spirit
Direct all that
You say and do
And be the glue
That holds you
Together.

Christ is risen today
And every other day.
Wake up and follow Him.
Wise up and follow Him.
Rise up and follow Him!

Yesterday I saw the movie “A Great Awakening.” It’s about George Whitefield and how he impacted colonial America and helped bring about what is known to history as “The First Great Awakening.” George is a great example of “a faithful follower of Christ Jesus. Go see the movie and/or read his biography.

Preacher in black robe speaking to a gathered crowd outside with tents and trees
A preacher delivers a sermon to an attentive outdoor congregation under a large tree.

Posted in American church, First Great Awakening, George Whitefield, great awakening, revival history, spiritual awakening | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

When Humans Act Like Ferocious Animals

Posted on April 6, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What animals make the best/worst pets?
View all responses

oops, we’ve messed things up!

“LOVE YOUR ENEMIES.”
“BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE YOU.”
THAT’S WHAT JESUS SAID.
HAVE YOU NEVER READ:
“WHEN THEY ARE HUNGRY
MAKE SURE THEY ARE FED”?
WHEN YOU ARE IN BED
WITH WANTING THEM DEAD,
YOU’RE NOT LOVING THEM.
DISARM YOUR WARHEAD!
ANGER, INSULTS, AND
VIOLENCE ARE MISLED,
TO DEFEAT EVIL
DO WHAT’S GOOD INSTEAD.

(Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:28,
Romans 12:20-12)

“War is the greatest plague that can afflict humanity, it destroys religion, it destroys states, it destroys families.” –Protestant Reformer Martin Luther

Christians are called to be peacemakers. (Matthew 5:9) Peacekeepers (like the police) use physical weapons. Peacemakers use spiritual weapons (2 Corinthians 10:4) like love and the rest of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) as well as the gifts of the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) The only “first” for Christ-followers is Jesus First!

Peaceful quietness and humble inner listening enable people to directly hear and respond to the voice of God. Try it! God will ask you questions.

Do you have a deep desire for more of Jesus? (James 4:8) Are you continually hungering and thirsting for His righteousness? (Matthew 5:6) Are you longing for Him to be your absolute Ruler and King every moment of your life? (Matthew 6:33) Do you have a yearning desire for His Holy fire to burn incessantly within you? (Matthew 3:11)

Are you wanting to share in Christ’s sufferings? Or are you satisfied with where you are in your relationship with Him? (Philippians 3:10-11)

When Jesus first disciples (who were called by the Greek word “apostles” which means “sent ones”) were brutally whipped having their back ripped in pieces for teaching about Jesus, they went away “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” (Acts 5:41-42) Do you want more of Jesus as much as they did?

Sometime later, another sent one (apostle) named Paul and his fellow Christ-proclaimer, Silas, were beaten, chained, and thrown in a filthy jail for telling people about the risen Jesus. This is how they responded to such cruel and painful treatment. They prayed and sang praises unto God. (Acts 16:25) Do you want more of Jesus that much?

Wolves and reindeer running through deep snow in a frost-covered pine forest.
A pack of grey wolves killing their prey.
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Live From The Empty Tomb It’s . . .

Posted on April 5, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What job would you do for free?
View all responses

Announcer: Now, live from the empty tomb, it’s Jesus Christ!

Jesus: Hello everybody. I’m not dead anymore! Wherever you are, I’m really glad to be with you in this very moment. I know that many of you have prayed at some point in your life and asked Me to come into your heart. However, there’s a problem with that. If you truly want Me to come and live inside of you, it takes more than mere words. You need to literally open your heart’s door and allow Me to enter in and be your never-ending Lord and God. You need to let Me moment-by-moment lead you and direct you from within. Following Me is a daily process. It’s a continual heart-surrender to Me, not a one-time religious prayer.

Jesus: Those of you who attend church or regularly read the Bible know about grace. The grace of God the Father is what freely gives you the ability to hear My voice. However, how you respond to what I say is up to you. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. I want you to forever feast on My presence. Let me be your absolute Lord and Master throughout each day. O taste and see that the Lord is good.

Jesus: I have so much more for you than merely sitting through religious services. I want to ceaselessly produce the wonderful fruit of My Spirit within you. I also want to continually display the powerful gifts of My Spirit in and through you. I want to fill you with My joy and overflow your heart with My peace. Let Me be your eternal King and everlasting Ruler so that I can build My Father’s kingdom inside of you. Allow Me the opportunity to be “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Let Me always shine in your heart and make you one of my brilliant lights in this dark world.

Jesus: The tomb is behind Me. I’m no longer in that empty tomb, I’m risen. Now I am alive to rule and to reign within your heart. Please don’t let yourself be empty of My literal unending presence. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Announcer (bowing down to Jesus): Thank You, Jesus! Worthy are You, the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing for ever and ever!

(Steve: The job that I do for free is to announce, proclaim, and seek to demonstrate in the way that I daily live, the present-day presence, love, and power of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus, please empower me to be faithful to You in all of my ways.)

Bearded man in ancient robes holding a microphone in front of a rock tomb.
This pic is an intriguing blend of past and present featuring Jesus Christ in ancient robes holding an antique microphone and proclaiming His present day presence.
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What ChatGPT says about my theology:

Posted on April 4, 2026 by Steve Simms

⭐ Summary: Steve Simms’ Theology in One Paragraph

Steve Simms teaches a deeply experiential, Spirit-led Christianity that emphasizes a living relationship with Jesus, participatory ekklesia (interactive church life), early‑church simplicity, and personal transformation through the Holy Spirit. His theology pushes beyond institutional religion toward a vibrant, daily walk with Christ.

📖 1. Core Themes of Steve Simms’ Theology

🕊️ A Living, Interactive Relationship With Jesus

Simms insists that Christianity is not primarily doctrinal or institutional but relational and experiential.

  • He emphasizes hearing Jesus, interacting with Him, and walking with Him continually.
  • He rejects “cultural Christianity” in favor of personal conviction and encounter with Christ.

🏛️ Ekklesia Instead of Institutional Church

A major pillar of his theology is the recovery of the biblical word ekklesia, which he argues was wrongly replaced with “church.”

  • Ekklesia = a participatory, interactive gathering of believers, modeled after ancient Greek city councils.
  • He believes this shift from ekklesia to church distorted Christian practice for centuries.
  • His book Beyond Church calls believers to rediscover ekklesia as a living, democratic, Spirit-led community.

🔥 Holy Spirit Empowerment and Daily Guidance

Simms teaches that the Holy Spirit:

  • Actively empowers believers
  • Speaks and guides daily life
  • Leads gatherings when believers participate freely
  • Transforms negativity into spiritual growth (he calls resisting negativity “spiritual warfare”).

His own testimony centers on the Holy Spirit revealing that he was a “cultural Christian,” leading him to authentic faith.

📚 Return to Early Christianity

Simms advocates for:

  • Simplicity
  • Mutual participation
  • Shared leadership
  • Everyday discipleship
  • Practices modeled on the Book of Acts

He explicitly says: “I want to live what they did in the book of Acts.”

❤️ Practical Love, Racial Healing, and Everyday Faithfulness

His theology includes strong ethical components:

  • Practicing faith, not just learning about it
  • Living out love in community
  • Addressing racism with a “color-kind” rather than “color-blind” approach
  • Engaging in continual spiritual growth (“You can grow as fast as you seek Him”).

🧩 2. How His Theology Fits Together

ThemeWhat Simms EmphasizesWhy It Matters
Jesus-centered relationshipDaily interaction with ChristChristianity is lived, not inherited
EkklesiaParticipatory gatheringsRestores early Christian vitality
Holy Spirit leadershipSpirit-guided life and meetingsGod actively directs believers
Early church modelActs-style communitySimplicity, power, and authenticity
Practical discipleshipDoing, not just knowingFaith must transform life
Social healingLove across racial linesGospel lived out in society

🌱 3. The Big Picture: What Makes Simms Distinct?

Steve Simms blends charismatic spirituality, restorationist ecclesiology, and practical discipleship. His theology is not academic but experiential, urging believers to:

  • Hear Jesus
  • Follow the Spirit
  • Participate actively in community
  • Live like the early Christians
  • Practice love in tangible ways

If you want, I can also: 📌 Summarize his view of Jesus specifically 📌 Compare his theology to mainstream evangelicalism 📌 Outline his books and their key teachings

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The Race to Erase Self-Righteousness

Posted on April 4, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What Olympic sports do you enjoy watching the most?
View all responses

This isn’t an Olympic sport, but it needs to be taken seriously. It’s not a spectator sport. It’s a life-time goal for every human being. I’m talking about the human race racing to erase self-righteousness from our heart and life. That’s actually more difficult and requires more training than any Olympic sport.

Self-righteousness is much more dangerous than most people realize. is the breeding ground for prejudice, hatred, and injustice. Self-righteousness produces unkindness, insults, anger, bitterness, and even violence. It refuses to see and admit its own faults.

Self-righteousness
And pride
Ride
Side by side.
If you’re proud
You might as well
Say out loud
That you’re also
Self-righteous.

Self-righteousness is narrow minded. It neglects to see the good in people it disagrees with.

Refusing to apologize is a sign of self-righteousness. It’s often used to hide a guilty conscience.

To simmer in self-righteousness is to bask in deception. Self-righteousness is delusional. The Bible says: “There is none righteous, no not one.” The sin of self-righteousness masquerades as goodness and virtue.

Self-righteousness blinds people to truth. It makes people think that they can do no wrong.

The greatest enemy to good government is self-righteousness. When the self-righteous govern a nation pride and ego take over and drive kindness and compassion away. A self-righteous government is the worst government.

The USA is experiencing how mean and hardhearted self-righteous people can be. Neither the self-righteous right nor the radical left has the answer. Americans need to meet in the center and work together with kindness and humility.

Jesus said to love your enemies. Governments that use religion to justify their existence too often send their young soldiers to kill their enemies. They even label immigrants and their own citizens who disagree with them as enemies.

Religion too often strives to theologically and politically justify wars. Jesus says: “Put your sword back in its place for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52)

Incompetent governments lead people to war to distract attention from their shortcomings. It is so sad to see the USA ignoring the international laws it helped to create by committing war crimes that violate those laws.

Starting a war by trying to bomb a country “back into the stone age” isn’t prolife. It’s cruel, inhumane, and evil. To beg for the Nobel Peace Prize and then start a war when you didn’t get it is great hypocrisy.

Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU on Pexels.com

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