"True and Simple"

"The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing." (Psalms 65:13) I think we try to make more out of it than we should. One of the messages I heard the other day, talked about how the Jews took each letter from the Ten Commandments and made that a law; six hundred and something little laws of man from ten laws of God; talk about stretching the truth, that's just nonsense. The Gospel Message is one of simplicity and truth, we either believe it for what it is, or we don't; there really isn't a whole lot of options. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." The law was given to show man how sinful he was, not to pile on more laws; just as the cross was complete to remove all of our sin, the law was complete to expose all of our sins. Then Jesus shows up, and He simplifies the law even more, stating, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these to commandments hang all the law and the prophets." In his Epistle, John takes this message of love and makes it the test of our true conversion, by stating, "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." It might seem too simple, but that's because it really is; we either love or we don't have love; and if we truly know God, then we will love one another. To the point of the text, there is several different ways that someone might apply this Scripture; but in the context of the Psalm, it speaks about how nature demonstrates the goodness of God, specifically how God waters and provides completely for all that He has made; and God does not make junk! We might make junk of what He has created, but everything that He has created "shouts for joy"; what else is there to do, but to praise Him? Sing praise to the LORD, for He has done a marvelous work in you! You know, there is something else to keeping the Gospel Message simple, and it was spoken by a man who was born blind...
"But this I know: I was blind, and now I can see!" (John 9:25b) NLT