It is That Simple
with Larry Kutzler
The Simple Ideas of Profound Truths
Socialists Want to Change Us
I usually don’t watch news programs. One reason … too much banter about nothing. However, I did watch a news program interviewing Megan Romer, the co-chair of the Democratic Socialists of America, and I was amazed to hear, from her very own mouth, how her party wants to dismantle America. Both Democrats and Republicans should be worried about their agenda. Here it is … no borders, no Supreme Court, no Senate, no prisons, no ICE, no Pentagon, no police, and no deportations, ever again. So, what do you do with rapists, murderers, and violent crime offenders? She said if we get rid of the crimes of poverty, then crime will solve itself. No civilization will survive with this kind of governance. We do need change in America … this is not it. This is a threat to every American. It is That Simple.
The Poisonous Presence
The Prophet Isaiah says that evil is like hatching deadly snakes that are treacherous and hidden. Evil is like spiders’ webs, spun everywhere to catch their prey. When evil is digested it will be fatal. Whoever cracks snake eggs will hatch a viper, a dangerous predator. These poisonous snakes and spiders are violent and will clearly cause misery and death. Dangerous snakes and spiders strike quickly from unseen places and their venom will kill. Many Americans tolerant the co-mingling with poison because they are anesthetized by the venom of ungodly ideology, crass speech, and a hatred for God. The antidote for this poison is in the message of Jesus because He overcame and defeated evil. The Scripture tells us to resist evil, don’t digest it in any form. Treat it like any poison, and lock it out of your life. It is That Simple.
Our Complacency
Years before his passing, prophetic minister, Kim Clement, delivered a message that speaks with remarkable urgency today … challenging believers to shake off spiritual complacency. Clement said, “We should be embarrassed at our tolerance for spiritual lethargy, for passivity, for lack of passion.” This was the guy who said President Trump would be a two-term president, but following the 2020 election of Joe Biden, Reverend Clement lost some credibility, and many called him a false prophet. Oh, but wait, then came 2024 and guess what, Trump got his second term. Clement’s prophecy was correct, and so were his thoughts about our complacency. Jesus said the love of many will grow cold prior to His return, which means losing the desire for God. Pastor Adrian Rogers once said, “Revival is when God shows up.” Lord, show up in me. Amen. It is That Simple.
Insight From the Past
I read something from an author who had a timely piece on describing America. He said the courts oppose the righteous because of corrupt judges. Truth is not practiced in the common places where the masses congregate, places like the streets of our cities, and the laws have become dishonest. Then, he spoke about people who do what is right and stand against evil, but are cited as troublemakers, and evil goes unscathed. The author was right in describing America today. The author’s name is Isaiah, and his citation can be read in Isaiah Chapter 59. Isaiah made it clear to Israel, ‘truth is gone,’ but his words apply to America today. God’s Word is not dated, even when spoken in the past … it has application for future generations because evil never stays in the past. It is That Simple.
What is Right About You?
I have a friend whose ministry it is to ask one question, “What is right about you?” I know some people will say, “It’s Jesus, that’s what is right about me.” And, you know? They would be right. Yet, the question isn’t about the salvation relationship with Jesus … it is about how God created you. My friend says that everyone has something right about them, but sin has blinded them to it. However, sin may have damaged us, but the Good News is Jesus has removed the damage. He has redeemed us to understand our creation is unique. My friend helps people simply by getting them to understand they are made in the image of God. That is the beginning of our discovery … there is something right about you. So, what is right about you? Start discovering it. It is That Simple.
What is Right About You?
I have a friend whose ministry it is to ask one question, “What is right about you?” I know some people will say, “It’s Jesus, that’s what is right about me.” And, you know? They would be right. Yet, the question isn’t about the salvation relationship with Jesus … it is about how God created you. My friend says that everyone has something right about them, but sin has blinded them to it. However, sin may have damaged us, but the Good News is Jesus has removed the damage. He has redeemed us to understand our creation is unique. My friend helps people simply by getting them to understand they are made in the image of God. That is the beginning of our discovery … there is something right about you. So, what is right about you? Start discovering it. It is That Simple.
Behind the Stories
Jewish actor, Leon Askin, played General Burkhalter as a blustering fool on the 1960s sitcom, Hogan’s Heroes. He played a puffed-up authority with zero competence, was constantly frustrated, constantly outsmarted, constantly humiliated by Allied prisoners who treated the whole war as an elaborate prank. For six years, Leon put on that Nazi uniform. He clicked his heels. He shouted in a German accent. He made audiences laugh, and every single performance was an act of revenge for Nazi atrocities. A beloved sitcom comedy that no one knew that besides Leon, all the main actors on the program were Jewish. I find stories like this fascinating … revealing there is always more to people’s stories than we know. The story behind Jesus is a Creator, who died as a Savior … His love redeems His beloved creation. It is That Simple.
Murder is a Crime Against God
Most of us know that murder is wrong on all accounts. That is why it is mentioned in the Big 10, because murder is a big problem among human beings. There are 15,000 to 17,000 murders every year in America, about 44 people per day. The United Nations tell us that number jumps to 14,000 murders every day around the globe. God knew that our reaction to others out of hatred, greed, jealousy, and power could result in murdering another human being. That is why it heads the list of the Second Five Commandments that deal with the treatment of others. Murder is ultimately a crime against God, not only because He said not to do it, but all humans belong to Him. Since He is the creator of all things, all humans belong to Him … period. It is That Simple.
Religious Roots
A root can be defined as: ‘the basic cause, source, or origin of something.’ When I was told about my ethnic roots, it turned out to be misinformation. I was told by my brother that I was Jewish, yet when my Ancestry.com results came back, it indicated I was not. That got me thinking about the roots of my faith journey. My discovery? The roots of my faith had little to do with Jesus, and had everything to do with the constructs of the denominational Church. This is the reason I keep my faith simple … no fancy theological words, concepts, or doctrines. My faith is in the root of Christ, where mercy and forgiveness are found. When we complicate faith, all it does is divide us from one another. Keep it simple … pursue the truth of Scripture. It is That Simple.
Human Wisdom is Foolish
The Apostle Paul makes the case that God can never be known through human wisdom. Paul points out that God has made human wisdom look foolish. How foolish? Well, think about the creation around us, and then think how foolish it is to believe it was an accident, or it evolved from the result of a ‘Big Bang.’ Think how foolish it is to live your whole life to simply end up in a grave, turn to dust, and be forgotten. How foolish it is not to know what happens after death? Think of the foolishness from those who say nothing happens but the grave, to those who think we get reincarnated to another life form. Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1) Human wisdom is foolish. It is That Simple.