Why is it that people delight in making even the simplest thing complicated?  Why, I believe if you gave engineers the task of making a square block, they could make a two thousand step operation out of it. And in doing so, there would be at least a thousand places where a defect could occur.  Let me give you a recent example.

A couple weeks ago I needed to replace the coach door lock on our ministry’s motor home, so I called the factory and ordered a new one.  The original one operated both by the front electric door lock and by key, but they said the new replacement lock would not operate by the electric system, and the old lock was no longer available.  Not only did the new lock not operate like the old one, but it wouldn’t even fit right.  I called the factory back and they said it would work as they sent it, but it did not, and in the process, broke a piece on the frame on the screen door as well. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper.

Their engineers could not figure how to make the new replacement lock work with the electric lock system.  Why not? They get paid a six-figure income to design this stuff.  So…this ole country boy decided to “git ‘er done” as they say.  In less than one hour I modified the new lock to do the job the old one had done and the factory wanted to know how I accomplished it, seeing I’m not an engineer. Here’s how I did it: I looked at it as a blank slate, knowing what it needed to do, and immediately it became clear what would have to be done to make it happen. It turned out to be so simple, but you know, the engineers wanted to make it as complicated as possible and in doing so they overlooked the simplicity of the solution.  It cost no money to solve the problem.  I simply cut and reshaped a couple of the pieces that are already there, which brings me to the lesson of today’s article.

Everything God tells us to do is SIMPLE: He says do this, and such-and-such will happen.  What’s so hard about that?  Well, we MAKE it hard by adding all these theories and doctrines of men.  God’s Word to me is like pure water, and what man adds makes mud out of it.  We can keep adding more and more, hoping to get back to the pure water, when all the time the solution is to remove the mud and let the water just be water as it was created to be.

It is written in 1 Peter 2:24 and Isaiah 53:5 that we were (and are) healed by the stripes of Jesus.  Ok, then we are, right?  Well, according to most, only if we hold our mouth right, and don’t have unforgiveness, or sin in our lives, and if we pay our tithes, and are properly submitted to our Pastor, wear the correct clothes, belong to the right church,  and believe and say the right things….(taking a DEEP breath)…are taking our place of authority, defying the devil, obeying the laws of Moses, keeping the Sabbath and Holy Days, and saying all our Hail Mary’s and being sure to use all our coupons before they expire, recycling and reducing our carbon footprint, and being politically correct.  So why aren’t they healed?  They dotted all their “I”s and crossed all their “t”s, and still NOTHING.  No wonder people say all this God stuff doesn’t work.

The solution to the problem is simple: separate God’s Word from all the hoopla.  Stop “over-engineering” the Word of God.  It DOES work when used as directed, using GOD’S directions that is, and not man’s doctrines.  I’m a simple man at heart.  Give it to me simple in terms I can understand, and I can accomplish most anything.  But in reading the book “How to be healed in three thousand easy steps”, I’m sure to mess up somewhere along the way, even if the book is correct. Keep it simple, that’s all I ask.

God’s Word is simple and to the point.  It doesn’t need “interpretation”. Yes is yes, no is no, believe is believe, and Thou Shalt Not still means Thou Shalt Not. No magic ingredients needed to get the Word to do what God says it will do.  It is complete and accurate as written, and even though man wrote it, God dictated it.  It’s HIS plan of salvation, and if you’ll notice, He didn’t ask us how to “git ‘er done”.  The God who created all the universe and keeps it running, is STILL on the Throne, and He said in Isaiah 55:11 one of the most wonderful promises I’ve ever seen in the Word of God: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. There you have it right from God’s own mouth.

Why do we stumble at what Jesus said in Mark 11:22-24? If God is who He says He is, then, why do we let life’s little (or big) problems bother us?
Mar 11:22  And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
Mar 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Is that simple enough, or do you need someone to “interpret” it for you?  Read it enough times for it to sink in, and do accordingly and you will enjoy the benefits thereof.  God would like to “unclutter” your life today and take you back to the basics.  Forget “religion”, He wants a “relationship” with you.  You don’t need to go through the middleman, the door to the Throne Room is wide open, and you don’t need an appointment or union representative or lawyer to accompany you. You are welcome anytime day or night.  He desires to be your heavenly FATHER.  That means YOU can’t be the Father, but only a Daughter or Son. But goodness, what a JOY it is to be loved by our heavenly Father.  Knowing no matter what obstacles I face in life are NO PROBLEM whatsoever to my heavenly Father, I don’t have to worry or fear about anything.  He is for me and not against me.  He is not mad at me, nor is He disappointed in me, and to Him, I’m as pure as His Son Jesus, because Jesus paid the price to make me that way.

One evening I was preaching in Nebraska, telling the people how God loved them as much as He loves Jesus, when He interrupted me and corrected me by saying, That’s not entirely correct, Jerry.  I said, How so, LORD? He replied, Did I sacrifice YOU to save my Son Jesus? I said, No, LORD, You sacrificed Jesus to save ME. He said, Then whom did I place the greater value upon? I just stood there in awe and cried as the realization hit me.  He really, really values me and loves me, doesn’t He? And it isn’t just ME He loves and values, but YOU and all mankind, wherever we live, black, white, red, green, purple, male, female, Greek, Jew, bond or free.  So then, who are His Sons and Daughters?  It is written in Matthew chapter twelve,

Mat 12:46  While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
Mat 12:47  Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
Mat 12:48  But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
Mat 12:49  And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
Mat 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Needless to say then, GOD WILL TAKE GOOD CARE OF HIS FAMILY. What is YOUR part?  Just make sure YOU are part of His family.  God already chose YOU.  Will you choose HIM to be your heavenly Father and let Him love you and bring you up in His household?  He doesn’t need your help, only your presence at His table.  You don’t even have to help clear the table or do the dishes afterward.  You’re not the hired help, you’re FAMILY. You are cordially invited right now to know how simple it is to please God.  Just call upon Him.  You’ll see, He isn’t hard-hearted or difficult to understand at all.  So as they say here in the Ozarks:
Y’ALL COME!  KICK YOUR SHOES OFF.  STAY A WHILE.