Monthly Archives: May 2016

A surprising (perhaps miraculous) confirmation of nonviolence

Posted on May 31, 2016 by Steve Simms

Yesterday was Memorial Day and though out the day I thought about nonviolence and wondered why we humans glorify and celebrate the use of violence and war, generation after generation. Today I felt pompted to pick up the book, When The … Continue reading →

Posted in book, colony of heaven, combat, done you wrong, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, God's army, Heaven, Heaven's agenda, human rights, I'll fight, kingdom of heaven, Memorial Day, military, narrow way, nonviolent direct action, nonviolent resistance, on earth as it is in heaven, Quench not the Spirit, rights, Salvation Army, Sermon on the Mount, spiritual combat, spiritual warfare, spiritual weapons, stop the violence, turn the other cheek, Uncategorized, violence, violence epidemic, war | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Humanity is not just a manatee named Hugh

Posted on May 31, 2016 by Steve Simms

If someone kills a man to save a child, he is called a hero. However, nowadays, if he kills a gorilla to save a child, he’s harshly criticized. CBS News wrote: “The killing of a gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo … Continue reading →

Posted in abortion, animal rights, brainwashing, choose life, culture, culture wars, end of life, eternal life, evolution, evolution of life, human life, human rights, institutional racism, life is like, life matters, nationalism, natural selection, PETA, protest, purpose driven life, purpose of life, racism, respect for life, right to life, source of life, stop the violence, theory of evolution, Uncategorized, value of life, violence, violence epidemic, violence in society, war, wasting your life | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Heroes left out of Memorial Day

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Steve Simms

Are there others who should be remembered on Memorial Day? Have we forgotten about some of the world’s greatest heroes? On Memorial Day we remember those who fought with violence, death and destruction. Perhaps we should also remember those who … Continue reading →

Posted in abolitionism, abolitionists, anti-slavery, anti-war, celebration, communism, Corazon Aquino, India, Jim Crow, Lech Walesa, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, nonviolence, peace, prayer, Prince of Peace, racism, Roman Empire, spiritual warfare, Uncategorized, violence, waging peace, war, William Lloyd Garrison | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Should cat owners have the right to chose to declaw?

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Steve Simms

(Some of the comments on this post have made me wonder: If cat fetuses were declawed in their mother’s womb, would that make the act less cruel and barbaric?) Should declawing cats be illegal? A cat owner’s right to choose is under attack … Continue reading →

Posted in a woman's right to choose, adopting cats, anti-abortion, Bernie Sanders, cat owners, cats, choice, ethical decision making, ethics, Hillary Clinton, immorality, kittens, moral choices, moral decision, moral failure, moral foundations, moral laws, moral principles, moral relativism, moral restraints, morality, morals, people and cats, PETA, prenatal, prenatal rights, prolife prochoice, right and wrong, right to abortion, right to life, Uncategorized, womb, women's rights | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Are you light-hearted?

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Steve Simms

Christ-followers are Called to be light-hearted, Full of inner brightness, Radiating love, hope, and joy, Shinning like beacons in the night. However, too often our hearts Have absorbed the darkness Of our distressed and discouraged world. Rather than dancing lights, … Continue reading →

Posted in #Boundless2015, 1 Corinthians 14:26, Beyond Church, Bible, body of Christ, burning heart, Christ, Christian community, church, darkness and light, ekklesia, faith, God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, heart-felt, heart-felt love, heart-felt worship, I saw the light, Jesus in my heart, light, light hearted, light of Christ, light of the world, light shinning in darkness, New Testament, night stalkers, organic chruch, Quaker light, shine the light, shined in our hearts, speaking from the heart, spiritual darkness, the light came on, Uncategorized, walk in the light, you are the light | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Self-fulfillment is a fantasy (a recipe for misery)

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Steve Simms

Self-fulfillment is a fantasy. Our self-desires are never fully fulfilled. Self always seeks something more. Even when self gets what it wants and the “rights” that it demands, it immediately cries out for more. Self is continually discontented and constantly … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian spirituality, crucify yourself, deny yourself, desires, flesh, flowing in the Spirit, Follow Me, Galatians, Holy Spirit, human rights, I am crucified with Christ, in the Spirit, rights, Salvation Army, self, self-denial, self-destructive behaviors, self-discipline, self-focus, self-importance, self-indulgence, self-mastery, self-regulation, self-restraint, self-sacrifice, self-surrender, self-will, self-worth, selfish desires, selfishness, spiritual formation, spirituality, take up your cross, Train yourself unto godliness., Uncategorized, works of the flesh | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gloria Gaither reviewed “Beyond Church”

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Steve Simms

In the current issue of Homecoming Magazine, Gloria Gaither reviewed Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible — Ekklesia. Here are some excerpts from Gloria’s Library column: “The way we worship and get our souls fed is changing. Oh, I … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Acts, Because He Lives, body of Christ, book of Acts, church, church meetings, family of God, Gospel, Gospel music, Greek New Testament, Greek word, I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God, kingdom of God, music, organic church, participatory church, persecution, simple church, Southern Gospel, Sweet Sweet Spirit, Uncategorized, Western Christianity, Western culture, Western society, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Preaching’s not enough says a $1.00 book . . .

Posted on May 21, 2016 by Steve Simms

We must go beyond preaching! Wow! Such power, conformation, and fireworks from a book I found for $1.00 at at Book Warehouse in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It doesn’t look too impressive, but I’m so glad I bought Discovering Who We Are … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative to preaching, body of Christ, Christian community, Christian leadership, church community, church leadership, communication, community building, Holy Spirit, how the body of Christ functions, how to create community, lay testimonies, leadership training, media, personal testimony, preaching, Salvation Army, salvation testimonies, servant leadership, simple church, spiritual gifts, testimonies, testimony, Uncategorized, word of their testimony | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Your cheatin’ heart will tell on you (don’t follow your heart)

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Steve Simms

  We humans continually hustle to hide the hurt and hideousness of our cheatin’ heart behind religion, self-righteousness (self-justification), and/or rebellion. We deny the scathing seriousness of our sin and the evil nature of our heart, even though the Bible … Continue reading →

Posted in Amazing Grace, broken heart, brokenhearted, burning heart, cheap grace, country music, Create in me a clean heart, from the heart, grace, hard-hearted, heart is deceitful, heart is desperately wicked, heart-felt, heartbreak, heartfelt, human heart, Jeremiah, Jeremiah 17:9, love God with all your heart, next heart beat, sinful heart, speaking from the heart, the door of your heart, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Are we the walking brain-dead — mindless media zombies?

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Steve Simms

Could our media be polluting our minds and turning us into the walking brain-dead, who mindlessly mimic media messages. Advertisers seem to think so. Advertisers have made TV networks, cable companies, Netflix, YouTube, Google, and Facebook some of the wealthiest … Continue reading →

Posted in abc, American media, Bramwell Booth, cable companies, CBS, choice, electronic media, facebook, garbage in garbage out, influence of words, media circus, moral choices, morality, netflix, PBS, persuasion of media, positive thinking, power of choice, prochoice, right and worng, TV, TV network, TV series, Uncategorized, YouTube | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments