Category Archives: surrender to God

From Hinduism to Jesus Christ

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Steve Simms

I recently helped Tapan Saha write his testimony about finding Christ.  Tap is a soldier (member) of The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center in Nashville.  Here’s his story: I was born to a Hindu family in East Pakistan.  I … Continue reading →

Posted in Albany, alternative lifestyle, Amazing Grace, bell ringer, Bengali, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian values, church, comfort, compassion, disciple making, East Pakistan, evangelism, faith-based, Greek Orthodox Church, Hindu, Hinduism, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lifestyles, makes change, ministry, move of God, Muslims, new birth, New York, salvation, Salvation Army Corps, selling books, share cropping, spiritual, spiritual formation, surrender to God, testimony, The Gideons International, The Southwestern Company, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Are You In A Mess?

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

It doesn’t matter what you think or feel or if you live life with a thrill.  What matters is reality.  A life aligned with your own opinions and feelings will wilt and wallow in messy confusion.  A life aligned with … Continue reading →

Posted in adventure, alternative lifestyle, attitude, belief, belief system, Christ, Christian, comfort, compliance, compromise, conscience, contemplation, countryside, deception, deciision making, depression, dishonesty, feelings, happiness, honesty, humility, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Take The Wheel, love, moral principles, moral restraints, morals, obeying orders, off the road, opinion, Quotations, quote, Quotes, repent, repentance, right and wrong, right conduct, surrender, surrender to God, truth, values | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Watching Your “Old Man” Die

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Steve Simms

Three quotes from Paul of Tarsus:  “You have put off the old man with his deeds.”  Colossians 3:9  And, “I die daily.”  1 Corinthians 15:31  And, “I am crucified with Christ.”  Galatians 2:20 Believers are called to die to self … Continue reading →

Posted in afflict the comfortable, Apostle Paul, Bible, biblical, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian values, Colossians, crucify yourself, denial, die to self, Galatians, hearing God, hearing Jesus, I am crucified with Christ, life, lifestyle Christianity, live to please God, normal Christianity, Paul of Tarsus, put off the old man, religion, repent, repentance, self-denial, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual athletes, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, spiritual walk, spiritual warfare, surrender, surrender to God, true Christian life, trust | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The “Forgive Yourself” Myth

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Steve Simms

“Love yourself–accept yourself–forgive yourself–and be good to yourself.”  –a quote from popular American speaker and writer, Leo Buscaglia.  However, Jesus said:  “Deny yourself.”  Here’s why the popular idea of “forgiving yourself” is a myth: *  You are not the judge.  … Continue reading →

Posted in accept yourself, Against You only have I sinned, American, belief, Bible, boundaries, brokenhearted, brokenness, change, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, comfort, compassion, condemnation, confession, conscience, conversion, conviction of sin, corrupt culture, courtroom, deception, denial, deny yourself, devotion, disciple making, evil, false assurance, gift of God, God, God calling, God-shaped vacuum, godly sorrow, harmful habit, harmful thinking, hearing God, hearing Jesus, How do you plead?, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judge, judgment, justice, Les Brown, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, love yourself, moral principles, morality, morals, motivational speaker, myths, natural laws, pull of evil, Quotations, quote, Quotes, recovery, repent, repentance, right and wrong, right conduct, right living, self-esteem, self-focus, self-forgiveness, self-image, self-will, shame, sin, spiritual formation, surrender, surrender to God, wages of sin | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Life’s Biggest Problem? Self!

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Steve Simms

Life’s biggest difficulty isn’t overcoming negative circumstances.  It is getting free from bondage to self.  Self-interest, self-promotion, self-fulfillment, self-esteem, self-protection — these things get in our way and hold us in bondage to the torment of our own thoughts, feelings, … Continue reading →

Posted in anxious thoughts, brain chemistry, brokenness, Christian values, Christianity, comfort, crucified with Christ, denial, feelings, followers of Christ, harmful habit, harmful thinking, immaturity, ineffectiveness, inner peace, Jesus Christ, lifestyles, making decisions, morality, obedience, obeying orders, personal pleasure, philosophy, right conduct, right living, self, self-control, self-denial, self-destruction, self-discipline, self-esteem, self-help, self-image, self-produced, self-will, Spirit-led, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, surrender, surrender to God, thoughts, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

War Of The Wills

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Steve Simms

There are two wills at war in the world — the human will and God’s will.  It is a real war not just an illusion. We humans were created with free will — the ability to make our own choices … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, answer to God, apart from me you can do nothing, belief, belief system, Bible, choice, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, compliance, compulsion, conviction, conviction of sin, corrupt culture, cravings, deciision making, devotion, disciple making, discipline, discipling, faithfulness, free will, freedom, God, God's authority, God's government, God-shaped vacuum, hearing God, hearing Jesus, How Evil Works, human nature, inward change, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, power of the cross, prophet, Quotations, quote, Quotes, recovery, religion, repent, repentance, right and wrong, right conduct, right living, self-denial, self-will, spiritual combat, spiritual warfare, surrender to God, the cross, trust, we have turned everyone to his own way | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Olympics — Thoughts For Spiritual Athletes

Posted on July 29, 2012 by Steve Simms

Life’s not about achievement.  It’s not about how many medals you (or your country) win.  Life’s about aligning yourself to God and to His will. That’s what matters most in the long haul. “If Christians were putting into their spiritual … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 9:25, 1 Timothy 4:7, alternative lifestyle, ancient Olympics, asceticism, ascetics, athletes, attitude, belief, belief system, burning heart, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, courage, disciple making, discipline, discipling, glory, God, godliness, guilt, guts and glory, I Corinthians 9:25, I Timothy 4:7, idealism, inward change, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus is Lord, life, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, Lord, monastery, monastics, mystery, mysticism, Olympic athletes, Olympic medals, prayer, presence of Christ, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religious ceremonies, right conduct, sacrifice, saved, Savior, self-discipline, self-help, soul, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual walk, spiritual warfare, surrender to God, tebow, tebowing, training, Warren Wiersbe, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Inner Peace In A Troubled World?

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Steve Simms

Can you have inner peace in a troubled world?  This video uses 4 hand signs and creative sign language to show you how. The icon in the video is from the Abbey of Gethsemani, a Trappist monastery in Kentucky where … Continue reading →

Posted in Abbey of Gethsemani, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian values, Christianity, church, church history, congregational, creativity, cross, deny yourself, hand signs, hearing God, hope, inner peace, inner rivers, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, meaning, miracles, monastery, monks, mystery, mysticism, new birth, peace, power of the cross, salvation, saved, Savior, silent retreat, spiritual formation, surrender to God, video, YouTube | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

In a country where you can get shot along with 70 others while going to a movie . . . we desperately need God.

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Steve Simms

A quotation from the ancient prophet, Isaiah: “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”

Posted in Christian values, Christianity, church, comfort, compassion, conviction of sin, corrupt culture, faith, God, God-shaped vacuum, His story, injury, injustice, Isaiah, justice, Lord, meaninglessness, morality, morals, political issue, popular culture, revelation, revival, salvation, search for significance, searching for significance, sinner, soul, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual warfare, surrender to God, values, violence, violent streak | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Guilt-Free Living

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Steve Simms

Guilt-free living is amazing . . . Knowing you are forgiven, Keeping a clean conscience, and Living in freedom from the control of cravings and compulsions. Guilt-free living comes through daily following and obeying the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. “What … Continue reading →

Posted in addiction, addictions, alternative lifestyle, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, boundaries, brokenness, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian organizations, Christian values, church, clear conscience, community, conviction of sin, ethics, faith-based, forgiveness, godly sorrow, guidance, guilt, habit, healing, heart care, Jesus, Jesus Christ, life, lifestyles, missional, moral principles, morality, morals, non-church, organic church, recovery, relational church, repent, repentance, revelation, revival, salvation, search for significance, searching for significance, shame, show and tell, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, support group, surrender to God, The Salvation Army, values | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments