de Gaulle or de Bible?

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Steve Simms

de Gaulle or de Bible?

Charles de Gaulle said: “Church is the only place where someone speaks to me and I do not have to answer back.”

Here’s what de Bible says about that: “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.” –1 Corinthians 14:29-30.

de Gaulle said:  “I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.”

Perhaps church meetings are “too serious a matter to be left to” ministers.  Has something been lost?

LOST! Deep in the pages of the Bible
A powerful way to encounter God
By meeting in unprogrammed community
To be led by the presence of the living Jesus.
FOUND! “When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation . . .” 1 Corinthians 14:26

(Experience this every Sunday morning at 10:45 at The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., Nashville, Tennessee 37207.)

Posted in Bible, France, French history, lost and found, Nashille, prophets, Quotations, Salvation Army, simple church | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Olive the reasons I took my picture with an olive.

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Steve Simms

Olive pic

Here are olive the reasons I posed for a picture with an olive.

I needed to liven up my picture, so I put an olive in it! “Even when seen from near, the olive shows a hue of far away.”  –Richard Wilbur

“Everything has two sides — the outside that is ridiculous, and the inside that is solemn.” “We have been so blinded by thinking and feeling that we have never seen the world.” –Olive Schreiner

I’ve always liked green olives! Now I have a pic to prove it. “Peace puts forth her olive everywhere.” –Shakespeare

“I am like a green olive tree in the house of God” –Psalm 52:8

“Who we really are shows up between extending the olive branch and waiting to see if it is received.” –Bonnie Lyn Smith

“Some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root.” –Romans 11:17

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”  –Habakkuk 3:17-18

The freedom of the Spirit at The Salvation Army Berry Street in Nashville, Tennessee releases much creativity and joy. Come and see.

The end. Now olive you alone.

Posted in Bonnie Lyn Smith, Habakkuk 3:17, olive branch, olive oil, olive puns, Olive Schreiner, Psalm 52, Quotations, Richard Wilbur, Romans 11, symbol of peace, Though the fig tree does not | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

American money says “In God we trust,” but do we?

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Steve Simms

America’s official motto is “In God we trust.” It’s even printed on American money? Do we trust in God?

In God we trust

Do we really trust . . .
In the Deity or in the dollar?
In God or in government?
In faith or in feelings?
In the living Christ or in contemporary culture?
In supernatural insight or in intellectual self-assessment?
In our Creator or in our cravings and compulsions?
In the Almighty or in the military?
In Jesus or in human justice?
In experiencing God or in being entertained?
In Spirit promptings or in church programs?

Posted in church programs, experiencing God, faith, God and country, God on money, government, justice, military, Spirit-promptings | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Has Hell Hacked Your Head & Heart? Get Protection!

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Steve Simms

Has hell hacked

You’ve heard about Hell’s Kitchen, but what about Hell’s hackers?

Who or what has hacked your heart and/or head?
(A new report accuses Russia of hacking a White House computer network. What about your necktop computer [mind]? Has it been hacked? With a sophisticated hacker, you might not even know it!)

Hackers:
1) Breach your security system.
2) Gain access to your personal data
3) Monitor your behavior.
4) Take control of your operating system and use it against you.

Hell has its hackers that are:
1) Continually trying to overcome your resistance to their access.
2) Constantly attempting to steal your identity.
3) Ever trying to obtain greater ability to see into your thoughts, emotions, and moods.
4) Always seeking to gain unknown control of your head and heart.

So what kind of antivirus protection and security system do you have on your head and heart? Most people have none — zero! And then they wonder how they got so taken over by self-destructive obsessions, worries, compulsions, fears, addictions, desires, torments, etc.

Get protection!

* Disconnect from destructive networks.
* Deny access to dumbness and/or manipulation.
* Don’t watch or listen to decadence.
* Connect with carriers of contagious health, happiness, and hope.
* Continually download uplifting thoughts and emotions.
* Make the living, resurrected Christ your inner security system.
* Make spiritual warfare on selfishness and pride.
* Saturate yourself with the Bible.

Posted in antivirus, Hell, internet security, protection, security system, White house hacked | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Secret 2 releasing the power of the 1st Century A.D. Christ-followers

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Steve Simms

NBC’s new miniseries, A.D.–The Bible Continues, airing on Sunday nights, is focusing attention on the early Christ-followers. Would those first Christ-followers recognize what we call “church”?

Did the first Christians start recovery groups?
–The first Christ-followers met in Christ-led recovery groups where they encouraged and supported one another in their new lifestyle of following and obeying the living, resurrected Jesus. (See 1 Corinthians 14:26.). Gradually those spontaneous, early, Christ-led recovery groups were formalized, rigidly structured, and put under the strict control of an individual called a “priest” or “clergyman.” Eventually the people were no longer allowed to speak in the meetings, but required to passively sit and listen to the same “clergyman” talk week after week.
–Perhaps it’s time for Christian gatherings to go back to the future!

When you come together Bible

Popular recovery groups, such as AA and NA are based on the 12-step model and are led by personal promptings rather than by pre-planned programs. I found two quotes in Mark Batterson’s book, The Circle Maker, that help illustrate this.
–“If you respond to God’s promptings ‘this is crazy’ will turn into ‘this is awesome.'”
–“I’ve forgotten most of the sermons I’ve ever heard and that’s a little depressing as a preacher.”

If you would like to see a Christ-led recovery group in action, visit The Salvation Army Berry Street in Nashville, TN 37207 on Sunday mornings at 10:45.

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 12 step group, AA, back to the future, celebrate recovery, Christ-centered recovery, Christian recovery, church history, NA, Nashville, organic church, recovery groups, Salvation Army, support groups, The Bible Continues | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A.D. — The Fire of First Christianity

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Steve Simms

NBC has a new miniseries called A.D. The Bible Continues.  It is based on the first 10 chapters of the book of Acts; the story of the first Christ-followers and their faith, passion, and sacrifice.

AD

I saw the first episode on Easter Sunday, which was the set up for the series. The disciples were afraid and scattered after the crucifixion and trying to decide what to do. The next episode will begin with the Resurrection and go into the bold and radical, early days of Christianity. The weak and fearful disciples will become champions for Christ and “turn the world upside down.” You need to see this.

I love the book of Acts. It moves me to my bones. It shakes the complacency out of me. It causes me to want to experience the type of Christianity that the early disciples did. A couple of years ago, I read through the book of Acts, ten times in a row.  So I’m thrilled that it is coming to TV.

–“People are hungry for stories of faith. People are hungry for hope. ‘A.D.’ is a great big feast that we believe will satiate that hunger.” –Roma Downey

Watch it if you dare!

Here are my thoughts after watching NBC’s A.D.’s 2nd episode:
How did the first Christ-followers overcome . . . A crucified Savior — Scared & shaken-up disciples — A violent & hostile Roman government — An angry religious establishment — Accusations of body snatching?
–There was only one way — the power and presence of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ!

Posted in Acts of the Apostles, book of Acts, early Christianity, early church, entertainment, first Christians, Mark Burnett, Roma Downey, TV | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lay Down The Lies & Live In The Light

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Steve Simms

Steve and William B.

Living by lying,
Masquerading with myths,
Drama-dancing with deceit,
While covered in conceit,
Leaves life lost and lousy.
The Bible lights up the truth;
No masks, no cover-up;
No revisionist history;
Sin without spin;
Heroes with huge holes;
Honesty real and raw.
“O wretched man that I am;
Who shall deliver me?”
“Have mercy on me a sinner!”
“I know that within me,
That is within my flesh,
Dwells no good thing.”

Light lets you live and grow
But where can you find light
In a world with so much show?
With so many lite groups,
Where can you find
A light group;
A safe place to be you
To be open and honest?
Find a place where
The living Jesus Christ leads,
And people open up
To His leadings.

There is such a place in Nashville, Tennessee at The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St. 37207 gathering on Sunday mornings at 10:45. Come see!

Posted in conceit, deceit, have mercy on me a sinner, healing, honesty, light of the world, Nashville, O wretched man that I am, poem, recovery, revisionist history, Salvation Army, truth | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dirt Writer, Adultery, & Getting Stoned

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Steve Simms

Dirt Writer, Adultery, & Getting Stoned

–Jesus writing in the dirt . . .
I just experienced the Holy Spirit as teacher. I picked up my Bible to do my daily reading. I read 5 verses and then was captivated by something in the 6th verse of John 8: “Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger.” And for the first time in 45 years of regular Bible reading I realized that what He wrote wasn’t important enough to be included in the Bible, so the important thing must be the fact that He bent over and marked in the dirt. But why did He do that?
–A woman had just been dragged in front of Him who some people had caught in the act of adultery. He was told that Moses’ law says to stone such a woman to death and then asked what He thought about it.
–So, in such a crisis, why would Jesus bend over and write in the dirt words that weren’t important enough for Scripture at such an important moment? Surely, as God in the flesh, He could have immediately come up with some nice words to say.
–His simple action did several things: 1) It gave Him time to listen to God; 2) He disarmed the anger by responding in humility; 3) He distracted the crowds’ attention from the situation; 4) He made people curious about what He was doing; 5) He broke eye contact with the crowd; 6) He allowed time for God to work by shifting the atmosphere of the moment from intellectual questioning to the working of the Holy Spirit.
–After writing a bit, Jesus stood up and said the famous words: “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” Then He bent over and wrote some more.
–I felt like God told me to stand up and then bend over and pretend to write on the floor. So I did. In that position just about all I could see was the floor. I would have been very vulnerable to people who were trying to trick me. However, I could have seen people’s feet walking away.
–And the people did walk away from Jesus until only the woman and Jesus remained. Even His disciples drifted away. After He saw all those feet walk away, Jesus looked up at the woman and spoke to her (implying that He was still bent over writing while he was talking to her). He sent her away forgiven with the commission to go and sin no more.
–I think that I need to write in the dirt more — to humbly bend; to not try to immediately fix a situation with my own words; and to allow the Holy Spirit the time and the freedom to work while I scratch away.

Read more in my book: Beyond Church — An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible,  available at Amazon.

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Posted in Bible teaching, Christ writing in dirt, dirt writer, Holy Spirit teaches, humility, Jesus Christ, Quotes, stoning, what did Jesus write in the dirt | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Empty Tomb Can Fill You Up!

Posted on April 4, 2015 by Steve Simms

The empty tomb  can fill you up!  If your life is running on empty . . . the empty tomb can overflow you with hope.

Easter = Jesus on the loose! Jesus living & untombed is Jesus uncontained by human agendas and programming.

Because of Easter there’s no need
To buy drugs and alcohol . . .
Instead you can get
Intoxicated on and addicted to
The living, resurrected Jesus Christ!

Who let Jesus out? Who? Who?

Another question: How did a lowly carpenter of a despised people living under Roman occupation become the most influential person in human history?
Answer: Easter.

Easter unscrambled these letters! Can you solve this anagram? (They spell 2 words.)
E U I E S L S V J S

If you life is like a scrambled egg, the living, resurrected Jesus can unscramble you!

Jesus risen icon

Easter — What a great morning for passionate, unrestrained, all out worship of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ.
(Or any Sunday at 10:45 at The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., Nashville, 37207.)

Posted in anagram, egg, Jesus on the loose, Jesus on the move, running on empty, unscramble | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Will We Let Jesus Rise In Our Lives & In Our Churches?

Posted on April 4, 2015 by Steve Simms

A question for the day after Good Friday: Will we allow Jesus to rise in our lives and in our churches? Let Jesus rise! Don’t keep Him shut up in the tomb of tradition! Let Easter happen in you and in your church!
–Let Jesus rise and take 24/7/365 control of your life!
–Let Jesus roll away the stone of formal religion and take control of your church meetings
That’s what the Resurrection is all about — allowing the living Jesus to take the wheel!

Are you bad enough to need Good Friday? Good people have no need for Good Friday. Only people bad enough to deserve God’s judgment need Christ’s sacrifice and forgiveness.
R U bad enough? (I am!)

Because of Good Friday we can come into the light and be open and honest. Christ has paid for our wrong doing. If you truly believe that, you no longer feel the need to cover up and be dishonest — no urge to lie.

However, if you don’t believe that Christ’s sacrifice paid for your sins, you will keep on hiding them. You may play with religion, but you won’t allow the living Christ to rise in and take over your life. Do you believe?

The Lord has laid on Him

Posted in bad people, dishonesty, Do you believe?, good people, honesty, keeping Christ in the tomb, religion, walk in the light, What is the name of the Saturday after Good Friday, why we need Christ | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments