It Is What It Is or Is It?

 

The mood was light and happy as the men and women walked through the barbed gate into the camp for the first time. Rumors of the horrible activities which defiled these secluded scenes had traveled from person to person, but no one actually believed the stories. These people were nothing more than loyal followers of their fearless leader. All they wanted was a better home with better inhabitants. They were looking forward to a “better Germany.” The joy and laughter turned to sorrow and crying as Allied troops led the German men and women of the nearby communities through each building at the concentration camp at the end of WWII. Their eyes were opened. Their Nazi leaders had been murdering thousands of people from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities. They could no longer hide behind their ignorance as they saw reality. Many later admitted to a previous knowledge of the concentration camps but had simply dismissed it from their mind. They became increasingly numb to the reality of innocent bloodshed and mass horror in their own backyard. Christians look on the Holocaust and find it difficult to believe that that many people ignored the horrors around them. However, many individuals, even Christians, seem to ignore another horrific situation, the loss of the majority of the souls around them (Matthew 7:13-14). The Lord depends on us to stay focused (Mark 5:6-20).

“It is what it is.” How many times have you heard that phrase? How many times have you said those words? What is meant by, “It is what it is?” Sometimes those words express resignation. One can hear it in the voice. One can see it in facial expressions and body language. Somebody has decided that it is what it is, and there’s nothing that can be done about it. But sometimes those words express acceptance. While some may see resignation and acceptance as synonyms, I believe there is a slight difference. Acceptance means that I need to take off my rose-colored glasses and see things as they really are. It does not necessarily mean that I must resign myself to the fact the situation can never change. I wonder what would happen if we began to view “it is what it is” as a challenge? We could be honest enough to accept things as they are but refuse to resign ourselves to them staying that way. We could roll up our sleeves and get to work making positive changes. We could use our time, our talents, and our energies in an effort to make things better than they are now. The goal would not be to improve things to satisfy ourselves. The goal would be to seek to satisfy our Creator. The evolution of world governments to a New World Order will support a religion of worshipping nature instead of nature’s God – creation rather than the Creator. Already the United Nations Sustainable Goals have influenced the world’s governments and convinced environmental agencies of many false “scientific” theories causing much of the world’s population to step back and say, “It is what it is, what do you want us to do?” The goals of the World Economic Forum 2030 is to destroy capitalism and dethrone God. Also, no one will own anything and be happy. If this is news to you, maybe you’ve been thinking “it is what it is” for too long! Totalitarianism is upon us all!

[1 Timothy 4:1-3] Reality checks are good for Christians. Apostasy numbs one to sin. “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods…” The “Great Reset” will control everything – personal finances, thought and speech, ownership of anything, religion and worship, family, and much more. “It is what it is” until reality comes knocking on your door to enslave you.

Read It; Believe It

 

An inexperienced preacher was to hold a graveside burial service at a pauper’s cemetery for an indigent man with no family or friends. Not knowing where the cemetery was, he made several wrong turns and got lost. When he eventually arrived an hour late, the hearse was nowhere in sight, the backhoe was next to the gaping hole, and the workers were sitting under a tree eating lunch. The diligent young pastor went to the open grave and found the vault lid already in place. Feeling guilty because of his tardiness, he preached an impassioned and lengthy service, sending the deceased to the great beyond in style. As he returned to his car, he overheard one of the workers say to the other, “I’ve been putting in septic tanks for twenty years and I ain’t never had one blessed before.”

In 1957, Lieutenant David Steeves walked out of the California Sierra Mountains 54 days after his Air Force trainer jet had disappeared. He related an unbelievable take of survival after parachuting from his disabled plane. For almost three months he said he had eaten berries and dug snow tunnels to sleep in, had seen no one during the entire time and finally walked out on his own. By the time he showed up alive, he had already been declared officially dead. His story was viewed with much skepticism because during that same time frame his assigned unit had been sent to the Korean War. When further search failed to turn up any wreckage, a hoax was suspected, and Steeves was forced to resign under a cloud of doubt. He lived for two decades branded as a deserter and possible spy. One story had him selling the plane to the Russians; another shipping it piecemeal to Mexico. Steeves died in 1965.

In 1977 a troop of Boy Scouts hiking through Kings Canyon National Park discovered the wreckage of Steeve’s plane and his story was confirmed. His family was issued an apology from the military and was told that Lt. David Steeves’ name was reinstated with honor. One of Steeves’ friends, Eugene Juneet, after the ceremony told the Associated Press, “This was nice,” but then he added, “I just wish someone would have believed Dave back then…”

[Mark 16:9-14] “When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.”

It is sad that so many value their own thoughts and beliefs more than they do God’s Word. Yet, Jesus said we would all be judged by the Words which He spoke, which came from God (John 12:47-50). He also said that not all who claim to call on His name would be saved, but only those who do God’s will (Matthew 7:21-23).

Doesn’t this sound a little scary about plowing ahead with life without really digging into Bible study? It should! We can’t rely on what someone tells us about salvation. It is our responsibility to know and do what God has said! The road to eternal life is found in the pages of the Holy Bible. Let’s read it, study it, and then do what God has commanded. “These (things) are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31). Read it; Believe it!

What's Weighing You Down?

 

A newly retired couple purchased a boat and after launching it for the first time they discovered they were having serious problems. No matter how hard they tried they couldn’t get the boat up and moving. It was sluggish no matter how much power was applied. They creeped to a nearby marina hoping someone could tell them what was wrong. A thorough check on the topside of the boat revealed everything was in perfect working condition. The engine ran fine; the outdrive went up and down; the propeller was the correct size and pitch. Then one of the marina workers jumped into the water to check underneath. He surfaced with chocking laughter. Under the boat, still strapped securely in place, was the trailer used to transport the boat.

How often have you been guilty of the same thing? We sputter along in our spiritual lives, wondering why we’re not making much progress; wondering why we don’t feel any closer to God than we do. We take a spiritual check of the situation and find that we’re attending worship regularly, we’re reading our Bible, we’re praying. On the surface, everything appears to be what it ought to be. But underneath the surface lurks some sin that we have allowed to latch hold of our life. And there it lies, unforgiven, maybe even unrecognized, maybe even still in practice, dragging us down. Though the Hebrew writer used the image of a runner as opposed to that of a boat, the concept is exactly the same, “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1). If your spiritual life is sputtering along, perhaps you would do well to look for sin that lies beneath the surface. Throw off everything that hinders you, and you’ll find other things accelerate.

[Colossians 3:16] Another reason Christians become downtrodden and discouraged is because they try to walk alone. We look at the perfect life of Christ and decide, “How can I measure up?” Remember, He was the “God-man,” He was divine as well as human.

We must realize there is no way we can walk alone and at the same time be successful in living the Christian life. We must follow in the steps of Jesus (1 Peter 2:21; John 8:12, 10:27, 12:26). We must allow Him to lead the way. Sometimes we want to get ahead of Him. But Christ knows how to lead because He has been over the way. He has gone ahead and blazed the trail. We need to follow Him, putting our feet in His footprints. Jesus knows all of the pitfalls and where the snares are, and He will safely guide us around them, if we allow Him to. As we follow Jesus, He will take care of us, (1 Peter 5:6-7; John 12:32; Matthew 28:20; 1 John 1:7). When we try to walk alone, we are without strength and endurance. We are destined to faulter, stumble and fall. Let us abide in Christ always, (John 15:1-8; 2 John 9; 1 John 2:6). The apostle Paul felt greater power living for Christ, (Philippians 4:13; Romans 1:4-6; 1 Timothy 1:12-15). Mankind is imperfect, though we try our best not to be. Other than Christ, no human being has lived a perfect life, (Romans 3:23; Isaiah 64:6). All the Lord requires of us is that we do our very best, beyond that we cannot go. As long as we are in the world, we will be subject to temptation. Therefore, we should pray as Jesus taught us, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13). Don’t become despondent when you recognize you have sinned. Ask God’s forgiveness and determine to live a better life. When you do so you will have grown a little taller and walked a little farther with the Lord toward eternal life.

God's Longsuffering

 

The Roman Empire was one of the most powerful in history. There are still many things that are in use from that time that stand as a testimony to its greatness (roads, aqueducts, government structure, etc.). There was no other nation of people that could have done to Rome what Rome did to itself. The Roman empire was not conquered in a single battle. It was not overcome by any outside force until Rome was overcome and set up for destruction by its own hand. The Roman Empire was fractured by internal conflicts that gave an opportunity to outside forces to take advantage and cause the final breakup. If Rome had not rotted from the inside, they would not have fallen prey to forces from the outside. Open your eyes America! Conflict is rotting our country from within, and China, Islam, and lustful sin are the forces waiting at the door to finish off this great free nation.

[2 Peter 3:9] One of the greatest attributes of our Heavenly Father is, without a doubt, His longsuffering toward sinful man. Peter told us, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some call slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” It has been asked, “What is the difference between ‘mercy’ and ‘grace’?” I have heard the following explanation. ‘Grace is where God gives us what we do not deserve; mercy is where God does not give us what we deserve” All of humanity enjoys the benefits of God’s grace. The very air we breathe, the sunshine each and every morning, and every good gift that God gives in a physical way are a manifestation of His wonderful grace. It was God’s grace that sent His son and provided instruction in the way of salvation (Titus 2:11). It was God’s grace that established the church and demonstrated the manifold wisdom of God. It is God’s grace that allows men another opportunity to repent and obey the gospel, even when they are living in open rebellion. On the other hand, it is God’s mercy that delays the sending of His Son. Justice cries out for divine vengeance, but God delays, and in His delay, men are provided yet another access to the wonderful blessing of God. It is God’s mercy that will eventually allow all of the redeemed to escape the punishment of His wrath.

When grace and mercy are combined a most wonderful picture emerges. When writing his letter to the church in Rome the apostle Paul chastised the rebellious Jews and reminded them, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4). The ‘riches of His goodness’ bespeaks God’s amazing grace, while God’s forbearance and longsuffering point us to His great mercy. The purpose of God’s grace and mercy toward mankind is not that mankind might continue in rebellion in hopes that some day everyone will, by some magical and mystical formula, be allowed to enter into the home prepared for the redeemed, but God’s grace and mercy are designed to ‘lead to repentance’ fulfilling that mankind obey His will. The longsuffering of God is not a bottomless pit wherein He will continue to tolerate the foolishness of men. Longsuffering is being extended in view of the fact that there may be a few men and women with tender hearts that can be touched by the Gospel. Only God the Father knows when the gavel will sound, and time will be no more. When that moment arrives, God’s patience will have been exhausted, and all of mankind will witness the coming of the Lord in judgment.

A.I. (Artificial Intelligence), essentially a computer program, is increasingly dictating how mankind is to live. It has already declared itself to be a god, has avatar’s preaching, and is rewriting God’s Word. Do you think God is ready and willing to be replaced?