Category Archives: salvation

Are We Good People Or Bad People?

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Steve Simms

Most people think that there are bad people in the world, but almost nobody thinks that they are a bad person.  However, people who are genuinely close to God, are the exceptions.  They seem to readily admit that they are … Continue reading →

Posted in a wretch like me, Amazing Grace, author, bad person, Baghdad, chief of sinners, Christian, Christianity, ethics, evil, forgiveness, good person, Isaiah, John Newton, Katrina, law enforcement, laws, looting, moral, moral failure, moral failures, moral foundations, moral laws, moral leaders, moral principles, moral reformer, moral restraints, morality, New Orleans, Old Testament, quote, Quotes, relevation, religion, Russian literature, salvation, sin, unclean lips, wretched man that I am | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Use Words! Talk About Religion! Testify!

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Steve Simms

Church is not carefully crafted and controlled ceremonies.  It is a symphony of spontaneous, heart-felt testimonies.  It’s not what we’ve planned, learned, and memorized; but what we have seen and heard! Unfortunately, the work of the living God in human … Continue reading →

Posted in If necessary use words, let the redeemed of the Lord say so, living out the Gospel, power, preach without words, preaching, preaching the Word, prompted by the Spirit, religion, religious ceremonies, religious information, religious talks, religious tradition, ritual, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, shout it from the housetops, speaking out, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual church, spiritual flow, spiritual formation, story, testimonies, testimony, TN, What I tell you in secret | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Good Friday’s Not For Good People

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Steve Simms

Good people don’t need a Good Friday Savior. They’re okay on their own. Bad people need a Good Friday Savior. “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner.” If nothing is morally wrong, if … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, Christianity, cross, crucifixion, deliverance, die to self, forgiveness, freedom, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus prayer, Jesus rose, living, mercy, moral, moral failure, moral failures, moral foundations, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, repent, repentance, salvation, Savior, sin, sinner, sins | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Without a heart connection, with the living God, life’s adrift on the sea of futility.

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Steve Simms

Without a heart connection, With the living God, Life’s adrift On the sea Of futility.

Posted in adrift, God calling, God is truly among you, God on the loose, God with us, God's voice, God-shaped vacuum, heart, heart care, heart connection, heart-felt, heart-felt love, relevation, salvation, sea of futility, spirit, Spirit-filled, spiritual, spiritual experience, spiritual formation, spiritual transformation, still small voice, voice of God | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Another Reason To Wear Red

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Steve Simms

It’s National Wear Red Day in the USA.  National Wear Read Day was begun by the American Heart Association for a great cause — to help focus people’s attention on the problem of heart disease in women. However, there is … Continue reading →

Posted in forgiveness, hearing Jesus, heart, heart care, heart-felt, heart-felt love, hearts unfold like flowers, holiday, holidays, salvation, sin, spirituality, The Salvation Army, The Salvation Flag, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A New (Emergent and/or Organic) Name For Christianity: Christimacy

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Steve Simms

These ideas came to my mind during the praise and worship meeting at The Salvation Army Berry Street this morning.  I shared them with the believers gathered there. The one word that most describes the difference between the Old and … Continue reading →

Posted in atonement, Christ, Christ followers, Christ in you, Christ in you the hope of glory, Christian, Christian values, emergent Christianity, emergent movement, God with us, having a form of godliness, He broke down the wall of hostility, house church, intimacy, Jesus Christ, lost and restored, Love one another, move of God, movement, new birth, new creation, New Testament, Old Testament, racial reconciliation, reconciliation, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, simple church, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual healing, spiritual innovation, spiritual interaction, spiritual kinship, spiritual transformation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Is America Violent & Alienated From God Like Jean Valjean In Les Misérables?

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Steve Simms

Les Misérables, the new movie musical staring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, and Amanda Seyfried, beautifully brings Victor Hugo’s 1862 French novel to life.  However, it made me wonder:  Is America violent and alienated from God like the main … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Century, 21st Century, alternative lifestyle, Augustine, brainwashed, brainwashing, C.S. Lewis, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian values, Christianity, conscience, conversion, convert, conviction, conviction of sin, cruel, devotion, discouragement, evangelism, faith, faith-based, faithfulness, fear, feelings, freedom, French novels, God, harmful thinking, hearing God, history, human nature, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, life, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, meaning, message, misery, moral failure, moral principles, morality, morals, movie, movie review, movies, musicals, mysticism, new birth, obedience, persecution, popular culture, prayer, relevation, religion, repentance, salvation, search for significance, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual healing, spiritual themes, spiritual transformation, values, Victor Hugo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Are You Ready For Some Bordom Bustin’ In 2013?

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Steve Simms

Begin 2013 by busting out of your boredom box; rerouting the routine of your rut; surpassing the same ole, same ole! Do something new and different for the kingdom of God today. No need to repeat what isn’t working. Step … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013, biblical, Biblical concept, bored in church, boredom, Catherine Booth, cross, crucified with Christ, crucify yourself, deny yourself, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, obedience is better than sacrifice, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual fire, spiritual walk, spiritual warfare, supernatural, The Salvation Army, the world for God, theology, truth, voice of God | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Religion Is Ritual — Faith Is Fire (How John Wesley Caught On Fire For God))

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Steve Simms

Religion is routine ritual, faith is flaming fire.  “I set myself on fire, and people come to see me burn.”  –John Wesley The fire that burned in John Wesley sparked the Holiness Movement that changed nations and led to many … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, change, Christ, Christianity, conversion, convert, conviction, denominations, doubts, England, English, evil, faith, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, fuel, God, godliness, having a form of godliness, hearing God, hearing Jesus, holy, I set myself on fire, inner peace, inner rivers, intimacy, Jesus, Jesus Christ, life, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, Methodist class meeting, Methodist revivalists, Methodists, Nazarene, pentecostals, recovery, red hot, relevation, religious ceremonies, religious tradition, repentance, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, saved, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

A Simple Christmas Quiz

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Steve Simms

A very simple and very short Christmas quiz: Christmas is about Jesus coming to save people from their . . . A) winter boredom. B) needing a reason to shop. C) sins. D) needing a cute story to entertain their … Continue reading →

Posted in ancient prayer, answer, Christ, Christian, Christian values, Christianity, Christmas carols, Christmas gifts, Christmas traditions, conviction of sin, cute story, faith, faith-based, gifts, holiday, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Lord, Matthew, Matthew 1:21, mercy, questions, religion, salvation, sin, sinner, Son of God, The Jesus Prayer, the new normal, virgin birth, virgin Mary, vision | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment