Freedom to Speak Truth

Posted on October 12, 2026 by Steve Simms

When truth is
Set aside
And denied
People hide
Behind lies
And their pride
Keeps them trapped
In falsehood.

False perception
Is deception.
See how Christ sees.

Christianity isn’t about political agreement. It’s about heart-to-heart connection, compassion, and the commitment to be Christ-like. When we want to believe our thoughts, feelings, and opinions more than we want to know the truth, we dive into deep deception.

USA beware. A government (right or left) that insults, threatens, and tries to intimidate people who disagree will eventually lock them up. There’s no freedom without the freedom from the fear of disagreeing.

Jesus still has many followers in the USA who haven’t bowed their knees to political idolatry. Be courageous. Be one of them.

The new religion of “Trumpianity” is dangerous. It’s a mixture of Trump and Christianity. Stick with biblical Christianity.

Go beyond Churchianity, Liberalanity, and Trumpianity. Deny yourself, daily embrace the crucifixion of your own will, and humbly seek to be continually governed from within by the love, mercy, and righteousness of God’s kingdom.

Holy Spirit, help me reside and abide in Your rivers flowing from deep within me. Enable me to continually hear You bearing witness with my spirit that I am one of God the Father’s children, so that my heart will always tenderly say, “Abba Father.” Help me lay down all resistance to Your will and wholeheartedly obey You as You lead, guide, and direct me according to Your love, plans, and desires. Keep me ever focused on and surrendered to Christ, living in and through me as my hope of glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Pexels.com
Posted in American church, American politics, Christian living, Christian nationalism, Christian rap | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ignored Christian Values

Posted on October 11, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What’s one thing you know now that would have saved your younger self a lot of pain?
View all responses

Are You Ignoring These Christian Values?

The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
* Love,
* Joy,
* Peace,
* Patience,
* Kindness,
* Goodness,
* Faithfulness,
* Gentleness,
* Sefl-control.
The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12)
* Poverty in spirit,
* Mourning,
* Meekness,
* Hunger and thirst for righteousness,
* Mercy,
* A pure heart,
* Peace-making,
* Being persecuted.
Focusing on These Things (Philippians 4:8)
* Truth,
* Honesty,
* Justice,
* Purity,
* Loveliness,
* Good news,
* Virtue,
* Praiseworthiness.
Discipleship (Luke 9:23)
* Self-denial,
* Cross-bearing,
* Obedience to Jesus.
Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-48)
* Refusing to hate,
* Refusing to call people names,
* Healing broken relationships,
* Forgiving everyone,
* Sexual purity,
* Refusing to divorce,
* Refusing to swear,
* Turning the other cheek,
* Going the second mile,
* Freely giving,
* Enemy love,
* Blessing those who curse you,
* Doing good to people who hate you,
* Praying for people who persecute you.
Humility (James 4:6)
Godliness (1 Timothy 6:8)
Contentment (1 Timothy 6:6)
Repentance (Matthew 4:17)
Being Spirit-led (Romans 8:14)

My list of ignored Christian values is not complete. Can you find more mentioned in the Bible? Please list any you find in the comments. Thank you.

Man holding sign reading “ARE YOU IGNORING TRUE CHRISTIAN VALUES?” on busy city street
A man holds a provocative sign about Christian values amid a busy urban marketplace.
Posted in Beatitudes, biblical Christianity, Christian values, fruit of the Spirit, love your enemies, Sermon on the Mount | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Make Your Life A Movie About Kindness

Posted on October 10, 2026 by Steve Simms

Let’s rewind from name-calling. It’s time to be kind to each other.

You have the right to disapprove of my lifestyle and my beliefs about morality and religion. I respect your right to disagree with my attitude and my actions. I will nonetheless be kind to you and honor you as a fellow human being made in the image of God.

However, if you disapprove of the choices and lifestyles promoted by the “radical left,” there’s a good chance they will call you a “hater.” If you disagree with the arrogant attitude and actions of the “self-righteous right,” they are likely to call you a “socialist” or a “communist.” If you do both, both sides will insult you.

The results of insults are even more insults that produce more and more divisiveness, disdain, and anger. Ever-increasing insults will eventually lead to violence.

Love and kindness are the answer. That’s why Jesus commanded us to “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27-28)

That’s why the Bible says: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:20-21)

Search the Bible and begin to experience Christianity as described in its pages. Avoid churchianity, trumpianity, and liberalanity.

Photo by Mary Nouri on Pexels.com
Posted in be kind, kindness, love your enemies, political kindness, Random acts of kindness | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Beyond Routine

Posted on October 9, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
Tell us about your morning routine.
View all responses

Live can easily drift away from joy into systematic routine. Here’s an example of how spontaneity in life is often pushed aside and replaced with routine. “Most churches have developed well-meaning formational programming that is long on information and study and short on transformation.” –JD Walt

To move beyond mere religious routine and information into daily experiencing God’s presence and transformation, let the risen Christ be your curriculum. Let your life, mind, and heart be your classroom. Allow the risen Jesus to teach you through what He says and does, both in you and around you.

Read the Bible over and over. As you read, notice what Christ says directly to you. Let the words burn in your heart and draw you into deeper and deeper surrender to Him. The more you ponder the Bible with an open heart, the more you will recognize His voice speaking within you.

Listen to the still, small voice of your conscience and learn to recognize when Jesus is speaking directly to you. Observe your surroundings and notice that the things you call coincidences are often Jesus working right in front of your eyes.

Train yourself to continually rely and depend on Jesus living in you. Set aside your own opinions, feelings, and desires so you can listen to, trust, and obey what He says to you. If you’re unwilling to let Jesus correct and redirect you, you’ll rarely notice His voice.

Humbly and openly testify about the things you are seeing and hearing Jesus say and do. Gather regularly with other spiritually hungry Christians and openly share with one another how God is speaking and working in and through each other.

For a guidebook to help you understand and do all of this, google: “Beyond Church–An Invitation to Experience the Lost Word of the Bible–Ekklesia.”

Photo by Jakub Zerdzicki on Pexels.com
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Beyond “Churchianity” to the Love of Jesus

Posted on October 8, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What’s the best way to meet new people while traveling?
View all responses

If you’re a genuine Christian, Jesus is closer to you than you can imagine. He lives inside you, even when you don’t perceive His presence. (1 John 4:4) Your body is His temple. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Train yourself to be continually aware of, awake to, and attentive to “Christ in you.” (Colossians 1:27)

Don’t just ask Jesus for things. Seek to know Him better and better. Open your eyes and ears and begin to notice and respond to what He is doing and saying within and around you.

Allow Christ’s rivers of living water to flow from your innermost being. (John 67:38-39) Let Him lead you throughout each day by the inner promptings of His Spirit. (Romans 8:14)

Christians are supposed to so powerfully demonstrate Christ’s presence and love that people want to become Christians. (Matthew 5:16) Letting people see Christ living and producing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) in and through you is how to show people the Savior!

Disagreeing with someone about morals isn’t judgment. It’s freedom of conscience. Demonstrating Christ’s love isn’t about approval. It’s about kindness, compassion, mercy, and forgiveness. Let Jesus train you to humbly speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15)

Stick with biblical Christianity. Beware of churchianity and Trumpianity.

Posted in Christ in you, churchianity, God's love, perfect love casts out fear | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Have You Experienced These 3 Loves?

Posted on October 7, 2026 by Steve Simms
A Bouquet of 3 Loves
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A Bouquet of 3 Loves

Posted on October 7, 2026 by Steve Simms

Jesus told His followers to have a strange bouquet of three loves. As Jesus described them, those three loves are individually rare and seldom seen together as a bouquet. How many of the three do you have?

1) All-out love for God: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 12:30)

2) Neighbor love: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 12:31) Focus on your neighbor’s needs and well being as much as you focus on your own.

3) Enemy love: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27-28)

Love never justifies, excuses, or applauds wrongdoing, self-destruction, impurity, or whatever else the Bible calls sin. It compassionately speaks against those things with mercy, forgiveness, and an invitation to the healing of repentance.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Pexels.com
Posted in Love one another, love the Lord your God, love your enemies, love your neighbor as yourself | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Experiencing Christ Beyond Religious Legalism

Posted on October 6, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What’s the most underrated life skill?
View all responses

Studying, analyzing, and trying to explain God’s law doesn’t produce life. The Bible says that it produces death.

Jesus calls us beyond a legalistic approach that tries to understand God, systematize and rationalize theology, and institutionalize faith. Instead, He offers “whosoever will” the opportunity to come and have a never-ending, heart-to-heart relationship with Him.

Jesus wants to give you “peace that passes understanding,” and “joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Are you consistently experiencing those gifts day and night?

Peace that passes understanding is deep, inner tranquility that can’t be explained, analyzed, or figured out. It bypasses the mind and can only be experienced, savored, and enjoyed deep inside your heart.

Joy unspeakable and full of glory is delight that spontaneously flows from God through a human heart. It is so beautiful and pure that no words can explain it.

You can’t simply think your way to genuine, unshakable inner peace and joy. They are produced by humbly and consistently surrendering your thoughts, feelings, and desires to the living Jesus Christ and allowing Him to do His will in and through you throughout each day.

Photo by Salvatore Scuderi on Pexels.com
Posted in Christian spirituality, Christianity, legalism, Mere Christianity, true religion | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Encouraged by Numbers

Posted on October 4, 2026 by Steve Simms

Since 2014, my wife Ernie and I have been seeing three or more of the same number in a row — 333, 777, 111, 5555, etc. — several times a day. We see them on digital clocks, signs, television, odometers, phones, computers, and in books and magazines. It happens far too many times to be a coincidence.

We don’t intentionally look for them. We suddenly notice them and are continually surprised to see them. Here’s an article I wrote when we first started seeing them.

We were seeing the same number repeated so many times that we began to try to figure out what it meant. It finally came to us that it means alignment with God. We began to notice that we would see aligned numbers at the very moment we started to feel discouragement, disappointment, or doubt. Now, every time we see three or more numbers aligned, we feel greatly encouraged as if God is telling us, “I’ve got this under control,” and “You’re right where you’re supposed to be

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My “Magic” Moment

Posted on October 3, 2026 by Steve Simms
Daily writing prompt
What’s a moment in your life that made you feel truly alive?
View all responses

The moment I first felt truly alive was the moment I woke up to the presence, power, and love of the risen Jesus. I was a freshman in college and reluctantly visited an enthusiastic gathering of Jesus Freaks in the lobby of my dorm. They talked about Jesus like He is real, living, and present today. As they did, something happened within me and in a moment, I suddenly became aware of Christ living in and around me. A passionate love for Him filled my heart and I have never been the same. Fervent adoration for Jesus has never left me!

You can’t sleepwalk with Jesus! Wake up and continually let Him demonstrate His presence within, though, and around you.

Stop offering yourself as a slave to impure thoughts. Open your heart to God, surrender to the presence of Christ in you, and be led by His holy thoughts and inner promptings.

Reject the devil’s thoughts of accusation, temptation, intimidation, and frustration. Keep them out of your mind.

Embrace God’s thoughts of revelation and inspiration. Let them be your constant meditation. Fill your heart with adoration of His majesty.

I wrote this poem the night I first encountered the living Jesus: 

Today I saw the Son
Rising from the water, 
Now wine,
And felt His warmth
Caressing me, 
As I disrobed 
And submerged.
Photo by Thomas Parker on Pexels.com

Posted in Christ in you, Jesus freaks, Jesus Movement, salvation, salvation testimony, this magic moment | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment