Category Archives: hearing God

The Power Of Hearing Your Name

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

Sometimes I tell God; “Lord, I love you,” and then I hear these words in my spirit; “I love you, Steve Simms.”  Am I crazy?  Not according to the Bible. Four different people, in chapters 9 & 10 of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, acts of God, alternative lifestyle, Amazing Grace, Ananias, ancient history, Apostle Paul, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, church history, conversion, Cornelius, courage, Damascus, disciple making, disciples, discipling, early church, Gentile, gift of God, glory, God, God's government, guidance, hate, hate speech, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, Jewish, kingdom of God, lifestyles, Mary Magdalene, miracles, movement, mystery, mysticism, normal Christianity, Oh my God, Paul of Tarsus, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, repent, revelation, Roman, salvation, spiritual, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, Syria, The Salvation Army, The Voice, tradition, vision, worship | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

How To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day . . .

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Steve Simms

According to his own words, here’s the best way to celebrate Patrick, the mighty man of God who brought Christ to Ireland and transformed a nation: 1)  See your sins in the Light, experience godly sorrow for them, then go … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, Acts 5:29, acts of God, alternative lifestyle, Amazing Grace, ancient history, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, blessings, challenges, Christ, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, college, courage, East Nashville, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, holy, Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, house church, Ireland, lifestyles, miracles, multi-racial, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, non-traditional church, normal Christianity, organic church, participatory church, popular culture, prayer, proof of God, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, resurrection, salvation, Scriptures, shamrock, simple church, Spirit-led, St. Patrick's Day, tebow, tebowing, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Tim Tebow, Uncategorized, voice of God, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

I Deal In Idealism (Asking “Why Not” Instead Of “Why”?)

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Steve Simms

I deal in idealism.  I guess this George Bernard Shaw quote (often mistakenly attributed to Robert Kennedy) says it best: “Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.” … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, compassion, conscience, consciousness, crying, deciision making, download, dream, feelings, George Bernard Shaw, guidance, hearing God, hope, human rights, ideal, idealism, meaning, moral principles, morality, morals, motivation, mystery, mysticism, non-material reality, nonviolence, peace, Quotations, quote, Quotes, recovery, revelation, Robert Kennedy, self-help, sobriety, stuff, supernatural, thoughts, trust, values, vision | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Meeting God’s Gathering (Ekklesia) Instead Of Religion’s Church

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Steve Simms

One night I wandered into a group gathered in a college dorm and heard regular people sincerely telling how Jesus had changed their lives.  Later the group joined hands in a large circle, pulled me in, and began to talk … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christianity, church, church history, church structure, compassion, conversion, disciple making, disciples, discipling, early church, ekklesia, evidence for God, freedom, gift of God, gifts of the Spirit, God's government, Greek, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, Holy Spirit, hope, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, improvisation, kingdom of God, life, lifestyles, meaning, movement, Music City, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, non-material reality, non-traditional church, nones, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, outreach ministry, participatory church, peace, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, recovery, religion, revelation, right conduct, salvation, simple church, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, stumble upon, testimonies, The Salvation Army, the way we do church, Time magazine, voice of God, What is church?, Why be a Christian?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Drenched With God / Soaked With HIs Presence

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Steve Simms

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you . . .”  As I read those words yesterday morning, the picture of a man drenched with water popped into my mind.  I’ve always thought about the Holy Spirit … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts, acts of God, Bible, Christian, Christian history, Christianity, church history, early church, evidence for God, General Linda Bond, gifts of the Spirit, glory, God, having a form of godliness, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, Holy Spirit, kingdom of God, movement, mystery, mysticism, New Testament, normal Christianity, Oh my God, organic church, powerhouse, presence of Christ, presence of God, quench the Spirit, religion, revelation, sermons, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, supernatural, The Salvation Army, tradition, voice of God, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Christian Rap — We’ve Gotta Live In The Spirit

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Steve Simms

(An original Christian rap.) Words are okay, but the Gospel’s a new way, of livin’. It’s not enough just to hear it, we’ve gotta live in the Spirit. We need to follow & obey the One who is the Way, … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian, Christian community, Christian rap, Christianity, church, church structure, discipling, East Nashville, gifts of the Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, lifestyles, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, normal Christianity, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, quench the Spirit, recovery, religion, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, What is church?, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Pro Choice Or No Choice? Popular Culture’s Conflicting Concepts

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Steve Simms

The term pro choice and the phrase the right to choose are widely used in American society while at the same time popular culture preaches the concept that people have no choice but to obey certain cravings, compulsions, orientations, and/or … Continue reading →

Posted in addiction, adult language, adultery, American, choice, Christianity, conscience, free will, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Joshua, juddgment, judgments, lifestyles, making decisions, moral principles, morality, morals, pro choice, religion, right and wrong, right conduct, self-help, spiritual disciplines, Uncategorized, values | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Joy Of Judgment

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Steve Simms

Judgment has gotten a such bad rap.  It is almost universally portrayed as a bad thing.  Even Jesus’ words; “Judge not, lest you be judged,” are falsely used in an attempt to silence all judgment and to say that every … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, books, boundaries, challenges, disciple making, fear, feelings, God, godly sorrow, guidance, guilt, harmful habit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John F. Kennedy, joy, juddgment, judgments, King David, life, lifestyles, morality, morals, Music City, Nashville, New Testament, organic church, Paul of Tarsus, peace, popular culture, prayer, Quotations, quote, Quotes, recovery, religion, right and wrong, right conduct, salvation, sobriety, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, thoughts, trust, Uncategorized, values, voice of God, wake-up call, words | Tagged , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

3 Questions For The American Church

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Steve Simms

1:  Which set of words bests describes a typical American church service: A) Lesson, lecture, liturgy, program, study about God, sermon, ritual, religion, boring, dull, routine, passive, solemn, humanly controlled; or B) Experience, encounter, presence of God, demonstration, manifestation, awe, … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, change, Christianity, church, church structure, early church, East Nashville, freedom, hearing God, house church, joy, mystery, mysticism, non-traditional church, organic church, presence of God, religion, sermon, simple church, sin, Spirit-led, spiritual, tradition, Uncategorized, words | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Who Dat? The Voice (It’s Really 3 Voices)

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Steve Simms

Who dat talkin’ in my head?  It is important to understand that the voice that speaks in every human mind has three sources.  (It’s really 3 voices.) If we miss this point we falsely think that our own thinking is … Continue reading →

Posted in addiction, alternative lifestyle, brain chemistry, brain research, conscience, demons, ethics, evil, free will, God, harmful habit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, joy, moral principles, morality, morals, mystery, mysticism, positive thinking, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, The Voice, thinking, thoughts, voice of God, Who dat talkin?, Who dat?, words | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments