Healthy Food for Thought

Posted on September 27, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What are your best healthy eating habits?
View all responses

What’s the healthiest food for thought? I believe it is whatever is true, honest, just, pure, and lovely. I feed my mind with hope, love, encouragement, kindness, compassion, goodness, and a big helping of joy for dessert.

When people are driven, dominated, and compelled by desires, feelings, and opinions, they ignore conscience, kindness, compassion, and mature thinking. Proudly boasting that they are free, they are slaves blown about by the deceptive winds of whims, emotions, and wants.

There is a better way to live — the way of true freedom. Falsehood enslaves you in deception, but honesty will set you free. When you remove feelings and desires from the driver’s seat of your life and replace them with the humble, self-denying search to align your thoughts, words, and actions with truth-telling rather than with pride, your feelings and desires can no longer control you. You will be able to feast on hope! Begin today to feed your mind with healthy food for thought.

Six people hold a sign reading “WE CHOOSE HEALTHY FOOD FOR THOUGHT!” at a farmers’ market
Six community members celebrate fresh, local food at the Harvest Hills Farmers’ Market.
Posted in inner peace, mental health, mental health note, positive attitude, positive thinking | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Joy of Discipleship

Posted on September 26, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What are some life hacks that you practice?
View all responses

In the light
Life is bright.
Be made new.
Learn to see
Things from God’s
Point of view.
His insight
Brings joy.
(2 Corinthians 4:6)

Jesus said that His disciples would have joy and that their joy would be full. (John 15:11) The Bible says that Christ’s disciples “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” (1 Peter 1:8)

Jesus defined discipleship when He said: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves, and take up their cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23) That, although it doesn’t sound like it, is the key to joy.

“Deny themselves:” Self-focus leads to the unhappy conditions of pride and/or self-pity, not to joy. Continually shift your focus away from self so God’s joy and the rest of the fruit and gifts of the Spirit can freely flow from within you.

“Take up their cross daily:” Let your struggles, frustrations, pain, and suffering daily deepen your fellowship and heart-to-heart connection with the risen Jesus. (Philippians 3:10) Let them cause you to hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6) and to seek the kingdom (the inner government) of God like never before. (Matthew 6:33)

“Follow Me:” Train yourself to consistently be aware of and obey the inner voice of “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27) Be led by the Spirit, (Romans 8:14) not by your own thoughts, feelings, desires, and opinions. Let God the Holy Spirit ignite the words of the Bible to continually burn in your heart. (Luke 24:32)

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels.com
Posted in cost of discipleship, discipleship, happiness, joy of the Lord, joy unspeakable | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Metal Keys, Key Cards and Electronic Keys

Posted on September 25, 2026 by Steve Simms

The key to keys is that they are designed to let people in and keep people out. They are practical, not theoretical.

Keys are designed to be used in your daily life. They’re not supposed to be continually researched, examined, analyzed, and studied.

When you check into a hotel and are given your key card, you go to your room and use it to unlock the door. You don’t search the internet to learn all you can about the history, kinds, and styles of keys.

The key to understanding Christianity is that it’s like a set of keys. You are supposed to use its wisdom, revelation, and guidance in your daily life to unlock and lock things.

The Bible is the handbook designed for you to use to unlock your heart. Use it to consistently open your life to the presence, power, and reality of the living Jesus. Don’t just leave the Bible’s words on a shelf or in a church building.

Carry the Bible’s instructions in your heart everywhere you go. Let its words constantly burn in your heart. Then you can use its teachings like keys to lock destructive thoughts, words, memories, and temptations out of your life. You can use it to renew your mind and to lock your focus and attention on the risen Jesus.

Begin now to use the wisdom, revelation, and guidance that God the Holy Spirit is speaking through the Bible and in your heart. Listen to what He is saying in your conscience and use it to unlock the beautiful life that Jesus died on the Cross to give to you.

Wooden key rack with labeled keys, car fobs, hotel card 402, gym and office access cards
A handcrafted wall organizer keeps household keys, vehicle fobs, and access cards neatly arranged.
Posted in Bible study, Bible teaching, Bible verses, Biblical principles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Without Love We Become False Prophets

Posted on September 24, 2026 by Steve Simms

Be aware
Of Christ’s presence.
Beware
Of false prophets.
Christ in you
Will heal your soul.
False prophets
Will deceive you.

Jesus warned against false prophets. But Christians mostly ignore His warnings and act like anyone called a pastor or preacher, and anything called a church, is worthy of respect.

Jesus said the way to experience and live in His life is narrow, and few people find it. Unfortunately, Christians tend to believe the way to God is wide and merely attending “the church of your choice” will get you there.

The truth is that false prophets are many, but people who humbly surrender to and continually obey the actual presence of the living resurrected Jesus are few. If you’re listening to anyone talk about Jesus Christ without searching the Scriptures for yourself to see if what he or she is saying aligns with the Bible, you are most probably being deceived.

False prophets, intentionally or unintentionally, promote deception. They wear religious and even political disguises that make their falsehoods appear appealing. They promote themselves and their authority. True prophets humbly point people to the risen Jesus.

Discernment is essential. Instead of blindly believing what a preacher proclaims, search the Bible with your heart open to the discerning voice of God the Holy Spirit. Without the fruit of the Spirit demonstrated in the character, words, and lifestyle of a preacher or leader, and his or her teaching being clearly aligned with the Bible, he or she is a false prophet.

Person holding sign reading “WITHOUT LOVE WE BECOME FALSE PROPHETS.”
A person holds a handwritten sign calling for love amid a sweeping desert landscape.
Posted in deception, discerning of spirits, false prophets, spiritual discernment, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Being Spontaneously Spirit-Led

Posted on September 23, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
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There’s nothing so spontaneous as being spontaneously led by the Holy Spirit. Obeying inner promptings from God produces amazing results. When a prompting comes to you that aligns with the love and character of Jesus Christ and with the overall redemptive theme of the Bible, be spontaneous. Activate your faith by humbly obeying what God says in your heart.

Being Spirit-led is beyond belief. It requires active participation with and surrender to God the Holy. Try it and see!

Passive faith is unbelief.
It’s dead, mere words without works.
It doesn’t give true relief
From the guilt and shame of sin.
Real faith fills the heart with love
And does what Christ says within.
If you don’t want faith that’s dead.
Let Jesus live inside you.
Begin to be Spirit-led.

When Christians replaced gathering to obey the Bible’s 50-something “one anothers” (Hebrews 10:24-25) with a one-man pastor controlling all the others in a church service, they abandoned the leadership of God the Holy Spirit freely distributing His gifts through all the people present. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11, & 1 Corinthians 14:26)

Let God the Holy Spirit erupt like a volcano within you. Let Him ignite the presence and power of “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Photo by Artem Podrez on Pexels.com

Posted in Christian spirituality, faith without works, led by the Spirit, Spirit-led, spontaneity | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

My Self-Care Is to Rely on Jesus

Posted on September 22, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
How do you make time for self-care?
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Rely on the risen Jesus without reservation. Keep your heart full of hope (Romans 8:14) while cultivating and maintaining a deep awareness of your great need for His sacrifice on the Cross and His supernatural presence and healing power day by day.

If you forget that you still desperately need the forgiveness, power, and healing that come from Christ’s blood and His presence in you, you will drift away from daily reliance and dependence on Him. (Mark 2:17) Seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness won’t be your moment-by-moment first priority. (Matthew 6:33) You will become lukewarm. (Revelation 3:16)

Jesus put it this way. “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Until you acknowledge that truth deep in your soul, you will rely on self-effort and human pride. Until you will, like Paul, sincerely say, “O wretched man that I am;” (Romans 7:24-25) rather than relying on the presence of “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” you will depend on self-reliance, other people, and various things. All of that will eventually let you down.

When I stay aware of the wretchedness within my heart, that awareness keeps me seeking the presence and power of Jesus day and night. I cry out, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” And with hope, I rely on Him.

Photo by Ivan S on Pexels.com
Posted in Christian spirituality, inner healing, self-care, self-denial, self-reliance | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Corruption isn’t Christian

Posted on September 21, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What’s a place you visited that felt like home?
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Corruption isn’t Christian. It should never feel like home. To be comfortable with corruption is to be captive to deception.

If you’ll meditate
On the risen Christ
And not hesitate
To do what he says,
He will saturate
You with his pure love
And you’ll radiate
His living presence.

True Christianity radiates love and humility. Counterfeit religion focuses on blame and pride.

Christians like to say, “See you in church.” But when they’re looking over the backs of the heads of the people seated in front of them to focus on a pulpit and a mere human pastor, are they really seeing each other? Are they really seeing Jesus and true Christianity?

When a church values weekly attendance more than moment-by-moment Christ-dependence, it has departed from the Gospel. The good news is that because Jesus died to pay for your sins and rose again, you can now rely on Christ living in you to carry you through all that you’re going through.

Learn to live in Christ’s resurrection life before you die in your body. Don’t sit around and hope for Heaven. Let Jesus Himself live in and through you while you’re still visiting planet Earth. Let Him direct your every thought, word, and deed. It’s not enough to affirm a church’s doctrinal statement that’s sometimes called a creed.

Corruption is not Christian. The desire to impose Christian values does not justify even one little lie. To tell any lie, big or small, is to deny Christian values: “Speak the truth in love.”

Be honest. If you aren’t certain enough to bet your very soul and eternal destiny on something, don’t risk lying by stating it as a fact. Simply say, “I’ve read that . . .” or “I believe that . . .”

Telling lies (even accidentally) denies Christ! He is the way, the truth, and the life. Align your life with Him, not with dishonesty.

White House with banner reading “CORRUPTION ISN’T CHRISTIAN; TELLING LIES DENIES CHRIST!”
Protesters gather outside the White House beneath a banner condemning corruption and dishonesty.
Posted in American politics, faith and politics, faith in politics, government corruption, politics and religion | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Earlier You Discipletize Your Life, The Better

Posted on September 20, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What’s one thing you wish you had started doing earlier in life?
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Jesus doesn’t want His followers to monetize their faith the way prosperity preachers do. (Matthew 6:24) He wants them to let Him “discipletize” their faith. (Matthew 28:19-20)

Jesus wants His people to prioritize listening to (John 10:27) and obeying His inner promptings (John 14:15) throughout each day. He calls them to be actively and continually led by His Spirit. (Romans 8:14)

Are you willing to follow Christ’s call to full surrender and radical discipleship? (Luke 9:23) Straight is His gate and narrow His way, and few are willing to follow it. (Matthew 7:13-14) Will you?

To be merely be baptized in water without being baptized and discipletized by God’s living water–the Holy Spirit–freely flowing from within you like rivers of living water, is to miss the point of Christianity. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

The body of Christ doesn’t consist of multitudes of independent religious organizations, institutions, and churches. It consists of the worldwide followers of the risen Lord Jesus, connected heart-to-heart to Christ and to one another, who are being discipletized by living in faithful, ongoing obedience to Him. When a church values weekly attendance more than moment-by-moment Christ-dependence, it has departed from the Gospel.

Six people holding a banner reading, "ARE YOU ALLOWING THE RISEN JESUS TO DAILY DISCIPLETIZE YOU?"
Six people hold a faith-centered banner inviting viewers to consider daily discipleship.
Posted in cost of discipleship, discipleship, radical discipleship, self-denial | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

My Life-Long Companion (And Best Friend)

Posted on September 19, 2026 by Steve Simms

I love to follow Jesus in the “footsteps of the faith.” He is my life-long companion. I highly recommend that you join

Jesus came to build His followers together in Spirit-led discipleship (Matthew 28:19-20) and mutual ministry to one another. (Hebrews 10:24-25) His intention isn’t to build and maintain a religious “institutional ship” that is anchored in self-righteous rules, heady theology, and man-made traditions. (Mark 7:13)

When you talk to people, you don’t focus on vocabulary, grammar rules, and parts of speech. Instead, you merely open your mouth and let words flow from within you as you speak.

Do the same with Jesus. Don’t focus on one man’s teachings, religious traditions, and systematic theology. Instead, open your mouth and let Jesus fill it. Let the life, words, and Spirit of Christ, living in you, freely flow directly from God the Father through your heart. Testify. Be a living demonstration of Christ’s presence and power in all you say and do. “Follow in the footsteps of the faith . . .” (Romans 4:12)

Photo by Alina Kravchuk on Pexels.com
Posted in faith, faith healing, faith in God, faith walk, faith-based, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Exchanged Life That’s Nonfiction

Posted on September 18, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
If you had to switch lives with a fictional character for a week, who would you choose?
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I am living a switched-out life. This is not a fictional statement. It’s a nonfiction moment-by-moment reality. I have laid down my life of pride and self-focus and allowed a new life to live within me. The life that I am now living is the life of Christ in me the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Paul, in the Bible, asks his fellow Christians, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Thefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) He states, “Those who are led by the Spirit are the children of God.” (Romans 8:14)

Christianity isn’t Bible knowledge or self-effort. It’s about surrendering to life-exchange. Christ gave His life for me so I could escape from my life of bondage and allow Him to freely live His life in and through me. Throughout each day I seek to “Prepare the way of the Lord,” and to “Make straight paths for Him,” (Matthew 3:3) so I can keep my old life from quenching His Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

Like King David, I ask God to keep me in His will. “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thought. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

“Christianity today is so subnormal that if any Christian began to act like a normal New Testament Christian, he would be considered abnormal.” –Leonard Ravenhill

Smiling shopkeeper standing behind a bookstore counter beneath “LIFE EXCHANGE” sign
A smiling shopkeeper welcomes visitors in a warm community bookstore marked “LIFE EXCHANGE.”
Posted in Bible verses, Christ in you, Christianity, faith in God, Real Christianity | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment