Category Archives: thoughts

12/12/12 — 12 Out Of The Box Thoughts About Church

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Steve Simms

Here are 12 out-of-the-box thoughts about church on 12/12/12. 1)  Church is not God in a noose, but God on the loose! 2)  Church is not spectators sitting, but believers battling the forces of darkness! 3)  Church is not a … Continue reading →

Posted in agenda, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian community, church meetings, church program, church programs, creeds, denominations, do church, early church, followers of Christ, freedom, furnace, gifts of the Spirit, God on the loose, godly sorrow, guide, hype, ice maker, idealism, improv, improvisation, inner coach, lecture, message, miracles, moral failure, move of God, movement, non-church, people of God, power, powerhouse, preaching, Protestant, repent, repentance, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, seduction, sermon, sermons, service, shocking statements, sin, soul food, speaking out, spectators, Spirit-led, spiritual fire, spiritual training, spiritual transformation, spiritual warfare, still small voice, submission, supernatural, surrender, surrender to God, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, theology, thoughts, tradition, two or more, Western religion | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“I’ll Fight” — How To Be A Spiritual Soldier

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Steve Simms

A famous quotation by William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army, boldly repeats the words “I’ll fight!”  His wife, Catherine Booth, preached Aggressive Christianity. They challenged their followers to be spiritual soldiers, not passive spectators.  But how do you fight … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, army, be transformed by the renewing of your mind, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Bible reading, Bible type revival, blog, blog readers, Blood and Fire, blood of Jesus, burning heart, choice, Christian, Christian values, Christianity, church, combat, courage, creativity, darkness, demons, denial, devils, ekklesia, faith-based, fight the good fight of faith, flag, guidance, guide, Holy Spirit, I'll fight!, inner coach, inner peace, kingdom of God, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, makes change, meaning, media, media circus, military, moral failures, moral restraints, morality, move of God, movement, Music City, Nashville, New Testament, normal Christianity, obedience, organic church, out of the closet, soldiers, spectators, spirit, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, temptation, testimonies, testimony, the offensive, The Salvation Army, The Salvation Flag, thoughts, tradition, training, training camp, trials, truth, values, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Thanking God On Thanksgiving Day — 2012

Posted on November 22, 2012 by Steve Simms

Happy Thanksgiving 2102, everybody! (Let’s get started.) *Thank You, Lord for creating me and giving me life. Thank You for this beautiful world you have placed me in. (Sorry we humans have messed it up so much.) Thank You for … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, celebrations, church, comfort, community, compassion, confession of sin, conviction of sin, corps, creation, devotion, freedom, gift of God, God, God calling, God's protection, godly sorrow, guidance, happiness, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart care, human life, human nature, humility, inner peace, intellect, invisible, inward change, joy, kindness, life, Lord, love, meaning, mind, miracles, move of God, movement, mysticism, Nashville, non-traditional church, opportunity, organic church, participatory church, prayer, prayer without ceasing, presence of Christ, presence of God, purpose, recovery, relevation, religion, religious ceremonies, repent, repentance, revival, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, sin, spirit, Spirit-filled, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual disciplines, spiritual warfare, surrender, surrender to God, thanksgiving, thinking, thoughts, truth, voice of God | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

What Is The True Christian Church?

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Steve Simms

Many people ask the question:  What is the one true church?  And numerous organizations claim to be the one true Christian church.  For example, these groups make that claim: * The ancient churches that can trace their history to the … Continue reading →

Posted in ancient history, belief system, Biblical concept, branch, Catholic, Catholic mystics, Christ, Christ followers, Christian community, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian Scientists, Christian values, church fathers, church history, church meetings, Church of Christ, church programs, church roles, church structure, community, controversy, Creator, creeds, cults, denominations, early church, Eastern Orthodox churches, faith-based, followers of Christ, God, Heaven, institution, interdenominational, Irenaeus, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jjehovah's Witnesses, kingdom of God, Latter Day Saints, LDS, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, Mormon faith, Mormonism, Mormons, movement, organic church, organization, Orthodox, Protestant, Protestant Reformation, questions, Quotations, quote, Quotes, Roman Catholic, Spirit-led, spiritual, testimony, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, thoughts, values, What is the true church?, words | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Are Your Selfish Desires Evil?

Posted on August 26, 2012 by Steve Simms

Peter (who once was Jesus’ most impulsive disciple, but overcame it to become one of the most solid apostles) wrote that believers have “escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” Have you? Or have you bought the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Peter, alternative lifestyle, Apostle Peter, apostles, brain, brainwashed, brainwashing, challenges, Christ, Christ followers, Christian, Christian history, Christian values, compulsion, conscience, conversion, corrupt culture, deliverance, depravity, disciple making, disciples, escaped the corruption in the world, faith, free will, freedom, harmful thinking, holiness, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Take The Wheel, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, makes change, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, morals, obedience, pull of evil, Quotations, quote, Quotes, recovery, right and wrong, right conduct, right living, righteousness, selfish desires, sin, Spirit-led, spiritual formation, the Word, thoughts, values, wages of sin | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 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

Prayer That’s Not For Wimps

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Steve Simms

Here are two prayers that take great courage.  Most people, when things get desperate in their life, will pray to God for immediate help, however, only the bravest people will pray these two powerful prayers. The first one is a … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, answer to God, anxious thoughts, Bible, Biblical concept, Christian, Christian values, Christianity, commands, conscience, conviction of sin, courage, deeds, denial, God, God calling, God's authority, God-shaped vacuum, godly sorrow, hard-hearted, harmful habit, harmful thinking, hdden sin, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart care, humility, inner peace, Israel, King David, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, morals, obedience, offensive, prayer without ceasing, Psalm 139:23, Psalm 141:4, Quotations, quote, Quotes, recovery, Renaissance, repent, right and wrong, right conduct, right living, righteousness, self-destruction, self-will, sin, spiritual awakening, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, thoughts, values, voice of God, wake-up call | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Respecting The Human Right To Disagree And/Or Disapprove

Posted on August 12, 2012 by Steve Simms

A human mind will sometimes disagree with the thoughts of other people.  A human conscience will at times disapprove of the behavior of others.  This is a basic fact and a fundamental human right that is accepted and understood by … Continue reading →

Posted in adultery, alcohol, alternative lifestyle, and/or, answer to God, attitude, belief, belief system, Bible, Biblical concept, booze it up, boundaries, Chic-Fil-A, choice, compliance, contemporary, conviction of sin, corrupt culture, cravings, darkness, deeds, discipline, drinking, drunk, drunkenness, habit, hate, heavy drinking, lifestyles, love, modern myths, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, morals, myths, phobic, political correctness, popular culture, post-Christianity, reason, repentance, right and wrong, right conduct, right living, righteousness, Scriptures, sin, sobriety, thinking, thoughts, tolerance, Uncategorized, values, we have turned everyone to his own way | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Kind Of A Society Produces Frequent, Random Acts Of Mass Murder?

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Steve Simms

What’s going on in America?  Why are individuals frequently engaging in random acts of horrible evil as they commit the mass murder of innocent people?  Our nation uses violence against terrorism abroad, but produces individuals who commit acts of terror … Continue reading →

Posted in American, American history, anger, angst, conscience, conviction of sin, current events, darkness, demons, disdain, evil entities, evil spirits, hate, hate speech, history, human nature, meaning, meaninglessness, misery, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, morals, myths, natural laws, random, repentance, self-destruction, self-will, sin, sinner, tears, thoughts, Uncategorized, victims, violence | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Where Is Evil? In Bad People Or In Me?

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Steve Simms

When terribly evil acts are committed like a gunman randomly shooting strangers, most everybody is deeply saddened.  We are shocked and awakened to once again realize that there is real evil in the world.  And sometimes we think about it … Continue reading →

Posted in atrocities, Baghdad, boundaries, Christ, Christian, compliance, conscience, corrupt culture, cravings, cruel, cultural taboos, destructive actions, freedom, harmful thinking, hate speech, human nature, idolatry, judgment, Katrina, magnet, meaning, meaninglessness, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, morals, motivation, Paul of Tarsus, persuasion of media, political correctness, popular culture, pride, pull of evil, punishment, Quotations, quote, Quotes, repent, repentance, salvation, saved, Savior, seduction, sets the captives free, spiritual combat, spiritual warfare, temptation, thoughts, Uncategorized, values, victims, wrestling | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments