What does “Jesus is Lord,” mean?

Posted on June 28, 2020 by Steve Simms

For many Christians, Jesus is merely a subject of systematic theology, instead of the living Lord who they humbly obey. Until our desires, feelings, and opinions have been freely surrendered to the authority of the risen Jesus, we won’t understand His Lordship.

To say, “Jesus is Lord,” while following your own desires, feelings, or destructive thoughts and behaviors is a contradiction. Jesus wants to disconnect us from harmful and/or destructive thoughts and behaviors, but too often we keep trying to hook up with them again.

Academic Christianity makes church a school and Jesus a lesson. It puffs up the mind, but leaves the heart anemic. Jesus didn’t die and rise again to be a visitor in your heart, but to take it over and fill you with passion and strength to obey Him daily.

Christianity’s not an entitlement program with benefits to suit your fancy. It’s a call to surrender your desires, feelings, and opinions to Jesus. Conforming to religious expectations isn’t the same thing as daily following and obeying the risen Jesus.

Whether you’re right or you’re wrong, if you don’t show love, you’re off target. The risen Jesus calls His followers to love people who hate. Our current situation is revealing the church’s failure to train Christians to love all people and to bless those who curse us.

Christ, living in me, makes me love everybody. (I don’t agree with everybody but I want health, happiness and well being for all.)

If there’s a hot spot in your heart for the living Jesus, now is the time to log on and stay logged in 24/7/365. (If not, get one.)

Dim light can be dangerous because it makes people think they see better than they really do. History shows that when Christianity gets entangled with politics, rather than bringing politics up, it gets pulled down. When political views become a greater focus than love for Jesus, Christians turn against each other. If you can’t or won’t see things from another point of view, you’ll be stuck with your own.

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Beware of backwards Christianity

Posted on June 26, 2020 by Steve Simms

Too often we get Christianity backwards. We expect Christ to follow and bless our desires, feelings, and opinions.

If asking Jesus into your heart doesn’t lead to following Him instead of your own opinions and desires, you’ve stopped short of Christianity. We humans like to follow our invisible thoughts, feelings, and desires, but the invisible Jesus calls us to follow Him instead.

To follow the living Jesus, it’s important that you don’t go faster than He does. To follow the living Jesus, we need to: 1) Become aware of His presence, 2) Hear His voice, 3) Do what He says.

Your own desires can deceive you. People may mislead you. But if you follow “Christ in you,” He’ll lead you to true freedom. People who are convinced they’re right, often have no scruples about doing wrong, to defend what they think they’re right about.

The greatest freedom isn’t found in pride and confrontation. It’s found in humble and loving obedience to the living Jesus. If you follow people who wallow in arrogance, you’ll gradually embrace their hollow pride.

Say and do what’s right, with kindness and compassion, whether anyone follows you or not. Before you follow your heart, make sure it’s telling you the truth. It’s an expert at leading you astray. Jeremiah 17:9

When I let the living Jesus tell me what to do and do what He tells me (even when I don’t want to), He steps in with miracles.

Hype and emotion don’t necessarily equal truth. They can easily sweep us away from wisdom and into blind acceptance of deception.

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Awake to the “fake take” — we’ve all got truth and error

Posted on June 26, 2020 by Steve Simms

Ego often trips up love and shoves out kindness. It’s easy to allow the dictatorship of the mind and our pride, to bully us into suppressing the compassion of our heart.

Self-forgetfulness opens the door to pure joy. Self-focus entangles us in much misery. Humans have the capacity to see God’s beauty in every person’s heart, but our pride often overrides that capacity.

Fear, anger, and pride say, “Shut your heart down.” God says, “Keep it open.” Pride produces self-embellishment that shades truth with error galore.

Awake to the “fake” take. Every human believes both truth and error. We need to overcome the fake in us before we can in others.

Christians are called to speak truth in love. We’re not told to be hostile toward people because we fear their political views. Unfortunately, politics is often more about power than it is about truth and justice. The early Christians didn’t focus on politics, but rather on the invisible kingdom of God. Search: The Joy Of Early Christianity book.

The far left produced Communism; the far right, Naziism. Democracy tends to be centrist.

Christianity and sunshine are about so much more than politics. Both can transcend politics and stir the human heart with awe. I loved how in the Jesus Movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s, radical hippies and conservative evangelicals came together to follow the living Jesus. If a political position is hindering your love for all people, run to the living Jesus and let Him fill your heart with love.

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Race-based or prenatal–abuse is wrong

Posted on June 26, 2020 by Steve Simms

Let’s admit and renounce all injustice, past and present. Abuse is wrong, whether it’s race-based or prenatal.

The Bible says, “Humble yourself.” An observation: Refusing to wear a mask in a pandemic isn’t an act of humility. If we want Christian values, a great place to start is with this one: “Bless those who curse you.”

If masks are a “government overreach,” segregation was an atrocity and slavery a holocaust, and statues that honor either are hurtful. Racist behavior has been made illegal, but we haven’t yet transcended it and embraced loving, heart-felt equality.

Unlike a mask, skin color can’t be pulled off. To consider any color less acceptable is cruel.

I believe in the worth and equality of all human life, from the womb to the tomb, without class or supremacy. Planned Parenthood has been the major modern actor in voter suppression. Without it there would many million more registered voters.

Too often we humans want to justify, and categorize injustice against others, but we don’t want to let it touch our heart.

History: Too often we embellish what we like and ignore or deny what we don’t.

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Historical observations about Confederate Statues

Posted on June 24, 2020 by Steve Simms

There are about 700 Confederate monuments in the United States. Most of them are on public land and were erected in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Some were put up in the mid 1900s as a backlash to the Civil Rights Movement. Confederate statues were erected by segregationists who wanted to enforce Jim Crow laws.

Confederate statues were set up to honor men who:

  • Gave up on the concept of peaceful protests and turned to violence instead.
  • Established autonomous zones and forced out American authority.
  • Disrespected the American Flag by taking up arms against it.
  • Said that non-Southern, American lives didn’t matter and could be legally killed.
  • Said that blacks were inferior people and could legally be human trafficked.

Many people today are saying that Confederate monuments need to be kept in place because we can’t change history. However, we can change our understanding of history. My book, Off the RACE Track–From Color-Blind to Color-Kind gives many fresh insights into American history. It’s available at this link.

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Christi-vanity & ego-gelicalism

Posted on June 23, 2020 by Steve Simms

Pride plus Christianity equals Christi-vanity. Christi-vanity is not essential. Humility is. “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Christi-vanity is void of heart-felt humility, meekness, sorrow, mourning, apology, and repentance. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”

Christi-vanity tends to pridefully look down on humanity. The risen Jesus compassionately shows people love and mercy. Christi-vanity tends to promote self-focus. However, Jesus taught that a Christ-follower “must deny himself.”

I can sometimes be an ego-gelical. I need this Scripture to help me avoid Christi-vanity: “Consider others better than yourself.” Christi-vanity is tricky. I have to be on constant guard. Sometimes I catch it sneaking up inside me and making me proud.

Christi-vanity and ego-gelicalism are much easier to see in other people than in myself. Lord, help me see my own sin!

John the Baptist gave the key to avoiding Christi-vanity. He said: “He (the living Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease.”

The Christi-vanity prayer is Luke 18:11. “God, I thank You that I am not like other people–robbers, evildoers, adulterers.”

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NASCAR takes a bold stand with #ISTANDWITHBUBBA

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Steve Simms

Concern for racial justice and freedom from the scourge of racism is breaking out all over. Even NASCAR drivers and crews are standing for racial healing on their race track!

A noose was found on Sunday in the garage stall of NASCAR’S only full-time Black drive, Bubba Wallace. Today on the Talladega, Alabama track, NASCAR drivers boldly stood and marched in solidarity with Bubba! Before the race, the hashtag, #IStandWithBubba, was painted on the infield grass and is trending on social media. (It’s been reported that the noose was on the end of a rope for opening the garage door and probably wasn’t put there as a hate crime.)

I wrote a book about practical ways to stand with Bubba. It’s called: Off the RACE Track–From Color-Blind to Color-Kind and is available at this link.

Check out my new book, “Off the RACE Track–From Color-Blind to Color-Kind.
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History’s fables, fibs, & facts

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Steve Simms

Too often, fibs have taken the meat off of the ribs of history and fables have taken us away from the tables of truth. History that ignores and/or hides disturbing details is more a collection of tales than of reality. It’s important to sort thru fables and fibs of history and try to discover facts.

Talking about racism brings it to the light for healing. Silence enables it. When people have nothing to hide or protect, they’re usually not defensive about open discussion of racism.

Truth has the tendency to turn the fables on you and make you uncomfortable. Fables that make us feel proud are usually preferred and defended over facts that make us uncomfortable.

In a land of fables, facts and fiction are meshed. To untangle them without friction requires compassion, humility and honesty.If you won’t let facts dismantle fiction, your life will go the way the fables are turned.

National fables are a pride-producing mixture of facts and fibs. Because truth deflates fables, loyalty refuses to see reality. For the whole story, we may need to add statues of: abolitionists, leaders of slave rebellions, resistant and runaway slaves, and racial terror victims.

Surrendering to the risen Jesus demythologizes minds and hearts thru supernatural insights, forever changing our perspective. The “army rising up to break every chain,” may not look like some singers of the song, “Break Every Chain,” think it will.

To be trusted when you’re innocent is a privilege that shouldn’t be based on color. We all need to respect the authority of both police and public health officials. To disrespect one is as bad as disrespecting the other.

Learn more about the fibs, fables, and facts of American history. Check out my book, Off the RACE Track.

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The best streaming service

Posted on June 21, 2020 by Steve Simms

The best streaming service is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Continually streaming Him will make you pure in spirit. Live streaming the risen Jesus, in the human consciousness, is the most underutilized resource on earth.

Some Christians try to download Jesus and then cloud storage Him for the future. I prefer to continually live stream Jesus. Ever since the living Jesus came streaming into my life, I’ve been aware of His presence carrying me, regardless of my circumstances.

I like to binge stream the living Jesus. I never want to stop! When people learn to stream Jesus, life soars with God’s glory! I’d rather stream Jesus than anything available online.

When Jesus is live streaming in your consciousness, people will notice the gleam of His glory shinning thru you. Begin to stream Him now! When your stream of consciousness overflows with awareness of the risen Jesus, life becomes a continually joy! Live streaming the risen Jesus 24/7/365 is an amazing way to live.

If Jesus is living in you, let Him show His compassion and presence thru you. America (and the world) desperately needs to see Him. The cross and empty tomb invite you to stream the living Jesus within you. Click play.

Get more from streaming–more hope, more joy, more strength, more inspiration. Let Jesus stream within you, day and night

The Holy Spirit can’t be regulated. To try to do so is to distance from His presence. When “in the flesh,” we see from our human perspective; when “in the Spirit,” from God’s perspective.

What you stream within you is much more important than what you stream on a device. Stream against the current of anxiety, anger, and tormenting thoughts. Let the risen Jesus carry you upstream to peace, love, and joy.

Biblical Christianity is about humility. It’s not about pride. Spirit-led, Bible-based prophets get much more persecution than they do honorarium checks. However, no human praise or political point of view can compare with the glory of God.

Many things try to stop you from live streaming Jesus–pride, anger, fear, hate, depression, self-righteousness. Don’t let them. Step beyond religion and go with His inner flow.

There’s a Healer who
Connects people heart-to-heart.
Listen to the living Jesus,
Not to divisive politicians.

In every heart
Let Jesus stream.
That’s the hope
That is my dream!

When I want peace
Without alarm,
When I want peace
With all its charm,
All I have to do is stream
And let the living Jesus
Freely flow from within me.

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Vibrant with the living Jesus

Posted on June 19, 2020 by Steve Simms

When Jesus introduced Himself to me, it wasn’t about theology. He made my blind eyes see. Church, without the actual presence of the risen Jesus, is like licking a picture of an ice cream cone.

There’s no reason for awe and heart-felt appreciation to be rare in life. The living Jesus can make every moment inspiring. Pure joy isn’t logical. It’s spiritual–an inner gift from the living God.

The boundaries of reality are not our five senses (or even scientific equipment). There is much that can only be perceived within.

I like to think about Jesus, but mostly I like to feel His presence with all of my being. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” When my heart melts and swoons in the presence of the risen Jesus, I’m overcome with indescribable peace, and joy. When I focus my heart on the living Jesus, He makes me tingle with amazement and totter with awe.

The living Jesus makes me vibrant from the inside out. I love to let His living water flow thru me.

Many Christians think it’s fine to notice and follow their whims and emotions, but odd to notice and follow inner prompts by the living Jesus. Being quiet and still has a way of making people aware of the conscious presence of God. “Be still and know that I am God.”

A thought that you regard as ordinary and ignore, might be the very voice of the living God speaking within you. Often our troubling and/or unkind thoughts are so loud within us that we don’t notice God’s comforting thoughts calling us away from them. However, when the resurrection of Jesus moves beyond an abstract concept to a personal reality, your life will never be the same!

Every person radiates the amazing wonder of human life, but we often fail to see and appreciate it. When you look beyond what you disagree with and dislike, and glimpse into someone’s heart, you notice yourself reflected there.

Christianity without an energizing relationship with the living Jesus, becomes dependent on institutions and religious professionals. There’s a big difference between following Jesus living inside you, and following a preacher’s teachings about Him. Being captured by the gravitational pull of the joy of the Lord, will let you orbit happiness everyday.

The more I connect with the living Jesus, the more I want good things for all people. When we, humans, begin to show and tell people that we care about them, and do that more than we criticize them, the world will be a different place.

You don’t need church authorization to follow and obey the risen Jesus. Every time you place a religious expert between you and God, you make Christianity more complicated that it’s supposed to be. When deaf to God’s sounds and blind to His insights, it’s easy to ignore His presence.

Modern Christianity doesn’t need more sermons or more hype or more political favor. It needs more of the life of the risen Jesus.

To know about Jesus only thru words, and not continually experience Him as the living Word, falls short of biblical faith. Words matter. They can lie, bully, and insult, or speak truth, encouragement, and compliments. However, true Christianity is much more than words.

Want more? Check out my book: The Joy Of Early Christianity at this link.

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