A Word With You

Some of my favorite moments in our kids growing up years have been story-telling time. I remember one time after we told the Bible story about the book of Genesis, I said to my daughter, "And Honey, do you remember who the first Mommy and Daddy were?" And she said, "Yep! Eve and Steve." Okay, good, so much for my Bible teaching. I said, "Do you remember who their boys were?" She said, "Yep! Cain and Mable." There we go again. Well, back to the drawing board for Bible stories. But I do think the Bible is exciting, and I wanted my children to think so. So I tried to make the telling of the stories as exciting as possible. So, each night I would take the story to sort of a cliff-hanger point and I'd leave it there, often to loud protests. But even when they objected, they were ready to listen the next night. You know, when you don't tell the whole story, you keep folks interested. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Chapter at a Time." If you are in need of God's guidance today, would you walk with me into the life of Abraham for a minute? God's got a great story line for Abraham's life. He's going to have him leave his home, he's going to have him go to Canaan land, and he's going to eventually promise him that that land will be his. Then he's going to promise that He's eventually going to have a son, and that son's going to become a great nation, and He's going to give that son to him miraculously. But did He tell him that all at once? Oh, no. God only gives Abraham the story a chapter at a time, like I used to tell my kids stories. Just real quickly, as we march through his life in our word for today from the Word of God, Genesis 12:1-2, "The Lord said to him, 'Leave your country. Go to a land I will show you. I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you.'" He sure doesn't give him very many details. He just says, "Leave and go to this land." Well, that's what Abraham does. He goes on what information he has. Chapter 12, verse 7: He's in Canaan. God appears to Abraham and says, "To your offspring I will give this land." Now he finds out that there's going to perhaps be some children. And then he finds out that it's going to be the land of Canaan that God was talking about. In chapter 15 and verse 4, God goes on to say that it's going to be to a son that will come from your own body. "You're going to have a son!" Then finally, He leads him in Genesis 22, to the offering of that son, willing to sacrifice him. And after he has shown that willingness, God gives him blessings that are unprecedented. Notice the pattern of God's leading. You might need to know this right now to understand what He's doing in your life. He shows you what you need to know to take the next step. Then, after you do just that next step, He'll show you what you need for the next step. It's an unfolding scroll...a little at a time. It's like me telling that story to my children. Because I didn't give them the whole story, they were eager to get back to my lap the next night. The old hymn writer said, "We cannot see what lies before, and so we cling to Him the more." See, the plan is the easy part for God. He could give you that in one blueprint right now, but you would walk away with that under your arm and not need Him, not depend on Him, and not be back in His lap. God wants to build trust in Him in a day-to-day relationship. And so He shows us the story a little at a time. Like Abraham, your mission is to take the step He shows you today from His Word; not to worry about the whole big picture. There's another reason He doesn't show it all to us. If He did we might either run from it or run to it and we'd ruin it, like jumping ahead of the book and wondering why the chapter didn't make any sense. But if God's will unfolds a day at a time, then it just seems natural when we get to it. So, act on the chapter the Lord is revealing to you right now, and then return to His lap tomorrow for the next exciting episode.

Our plane was racing down the runway, preparing to take off from Nashville. I was so exhausted, I was already drifting off into la-la land. Then came those jolts as the front wheels left the ground. The team member who was with me said, "Have you ever felt anything like that?" I said, "No." And I dozed off. I wouldn't sleep for long; the flight attendant suddenly announced that we had blown a rear tire on takeoff and we were heading back to Nashville. For the next 45 minutes or so, we were circling the area, burning up as much fuel as possible for what could well be a crash landing. I called my wife from the plane. I asked her to get people praying. My team member joined me in committing this whole situation to the Lord. The flight attendants went into emergency mode to begin to prepare us for the landing. They demonstrated how to brace for the landing. They had us pull out our emergency instruction card from the pocket in front of us; something they had asked us to do before we took off; something hardly anyone did. But as the attendant began her briefing she prefaced it with a simple exhortation, "This time I want you to really listen." We really did! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Ignoring, Postponing, and Dying." I'm very thankful to God for the way He answered prayer and brought our crippled aircraft in safely for a welcome from an armada of emergency vehicles and personnel. I was impressed with how the crew had prepared us. I was impressed with the way we all listened. And why did they have our total attention the second time when they reviewed those exits and evacuations? It's obvious, because we were in a critical situation now; because the information could be life-or-death. Our word for today from the Word of God, Hebrews 2:3. "How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?" God has been trying to communicate life-or-death information to some of us for a long time. That word "salvation," that's not just a religious word. That's serious stuff. Salvation is how to get out of a plane that might be on fire; how to get out of a burning building. But like those passengers on that flight, we don't pay much attention to salvation information until we're suddenly in a critical situation...until we finally realize that what we do with this could be the difference between life and death. God is used to people, as it says here, "ignoring such a great salvation." Maybe He's been trying to get your attention with the most critical information you will ever hear - that we're under an eternal death penalty for running our lives our way instead of God's way. And that His one and only Son, Jesus, absorbed all your sin and all the hell of it when He died on the cross, and that your only hope with God is putting your total trust in Jesus, like a person in a burning building would pin all their hopes on the rescuer who came to save them. You've heard that news before, and maybe you've even accepted it with your head. Maybe it's been that God has even shaken things up recently. He's asking for your attention before it is eternally too late. He says, "This time I want you to really listen." This requires an action step of making Jesus your personal Savior. If you haven't done that - if you've been putting that off - consider this God's emergency call to make your peace with Him. I believe there's someone listening right now who's saying, "I don't think I should risk one more day without the Savior." Are you ready to begin this life saving relationship, to open your heart to Him? Tell Him that right now. I want to help you in every way we can, that's why our website is there - ANewStory.com. It will help you find your way home to Jesus. God simply says, "How will you escape if you ignore such a great salvation?" Especially after what it cost. It cost God's one and only Son His life! Please, don't ignore this any longer. Your life - your eternity depends on it.

There's something invigorating about being the first one out and around in the morning; you sort of feel like the conqueror of your environment. Like when you're the first one out exercising in those first hours of the new day. I had that feeling one morning as I went out for my fitness walk. I really like to walk when I'm away from home, too. And I was in a setting where right behind me there was this really scenic 18-hole golf course. I'm not a golfer, but I am a walker. There was a beautiful path around there, so I struck out on my early morning walk, and the mist was there, and the dew was all over the golf course. And I said, "You know what? I am the first one to conquer this golf course today. There'll be a lot of people out here later, but I have beaten all the golfers." I felt like the world was all mine, or so I thought. Then I got to one hole and I saw a carpet of dew covering the green, and footprints all across the green. Someone had walked there before me. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Someone Else Has Walked There First." Our word for today from the Word of God is from John 10:4. Jesus beautifully, intimately describes His relationship with us here as being like that of a shepherd with His sheep: Him shepherd, me sheep. John 10:4 says this, "When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them and the sheep follow Him." I discovered this verse many years ago, just before we moved from all of the "knowns" that we had in Chicago, to all of the unknowns of northern New Jersey and New York City. We moved there to begin a youth ministry. We had no supporters, we had no place to live, we had no office, we had no staff. We knew nothing. We just claimed this verse, "...when He brings out His sheep, He will always go ahead of them." We got there and we found out that God had picked out an apartment, He picked out friends, He had picked out a church, He had picked out an office for us, He picked out supporters; people who could open doors that we needed opened, and that's what God does for all His kids. Everywhere Jesus will lead you to walk, He promises to walk there first; He goes ahead of you. That's how a shepherd operates. Wherever he's going to take his sheep, he goes ahead of them to see if there's enough pasture for them to be fed, if there are any wolves there that he needs to take care of, and where the cliffs are that they might walk over. He makes sure that He checks it out before they get there. He prepares it for them. That's just the kind of Shepherd He is. Think of the fear that takes out of the future; the uncertainty that takes out of the future. Like the old song says, "I know not what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future." Right now maybe you're looking ahead at the next few weeks, maybe months and you're anxious about it. Honestly, there's a whole lot of question marks; there's a lot of unknown out there. Well, there is one known in the midst of your unknowns. Guess what? That one known covers all the unknowns. Jesus will always be your "go ahead" Shepherd. He always does that with His sheep. He has promised that He would, and He always keeps His promises. In fact, today He knows your situation, and I think He brought us together and brought this verse to my heart for you, as a personal assurance from Him to you that He is already stepping ahead of you. There's nothing to fear on a path that Jesus has walked before you. It's the blessed security that only a follower of Jesus Christ can know. So, wherever He takes you, yours won't be the first set of footprints you'll find there. Jesus got there first.

Jeremy was a young man who worked in our office every year after he got out of college, and then he became a veteran of our On Eagles' Wings Native American team. But something was different this particular year for him - a woman! Yes, a woman in Jeremy's life! And, believe me, it was no secret. He started telling us all about her as soon as we saw him again. The romance had just developed in the weeks preceding, and there was nothing he would rather talk about. She lived quite a ways from where we were, and the more he talked about her, the more he wanted to be with her. At first I was kind of amused by this young love, until I remembered that it was me not so many years ago, telling anyone who would listen about the woman I loved. By the way, I will always love talking about her. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Joy of Telling." My young friend couldn't wait to tell us about the person he loved. And, as a result, we couldn't wait to meet her. You see, that's how it's supposed to work with any of us who love Jesus Christ. We love to tell about Him, and as a result, some people we know want to meet Him. It was a summer when, as we often do, our On Eagles' Wings team had brought the hope of Christ to a number of Native American reservations. Wendy, who was 16, was one of our new team members. During that amazing month, where hundreds of Native American young people began a relationship with Jesus, Wendy had the joy of leading her first people to Christ. At our last night, she said to me: "You know, I accepted Jesus when I was little, but I've never really felt Him until this month. And I know what I want to do with my life now. I want to be in full-time ministry, telling people about Jesus Christ." Why had Wendy suddenly begun to feel Christ in her life? Why did she suddenly have a sense of mission in her life? I believe it's largely because she had just spent the whole month doing what followers of Jesus are supposed to do all the time. She was telling lost people about the One who loves her, the one she loves. And that telling about Jesus might be the missing ingredient in your life as one of His kids. Paul prayed this revealing prayer along these lines in Philemon, verse 6, our word for today from the Word of God. Here's what he said: "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." Paul seems to be saying here that there's a level of experiencing your Savior that can only be reached by telling others about Him. You don't have a religion to share, or a church, or some beliefs. You have a person to tell about - a person who loved you enough to die for you! Something powerful happens in your life when you finally open your heart and open your mouth to let people who've never met your Jesus know what He's like. Paul says you start to have "a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." Maybe that's what you've been restless for. Like that young woman on our team, when you start talking about Jesus, you may finally start feeling Him in your life as never before. And by starting to carry out your mission to be His ambassador, you may finally begin to get a clear picture of His greater plans for the rest of your life. Not to mention that what you know about Jesus is their only hope of ever being in heaven with you someday! You need to tell about Jesus. They need to hear about Him, because you need to talk about the greatest love of your life. And they need to hear about the one who loves them more than anyone. You tell them about how much He loves you. Sooner or later, I believe they're going to want to meet Him too.

Surprise! I used to be in a quartet. Oh I did! Listen, don't laugh out loud. Yes, when I was in college, for a little while I sang in a gospel quartet. I did not sing any solos. No, no solos for me. Now, musically, I'm okay in a group. Solo - not so much. You know, in a way, we're all like that. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I'm going to have A Word With You today about "The Antidote For Loneliness." Now, our word for today from the Word of God takes us back to the book of Genesis, to the very beginning to Adam; a fellow with a great home - the Garden of Eden. Couldn't beat that! A great job - he's got all the benefits you could possibly have. He's got closeness to God. But in Genesis 2:18, "The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.'" Then the account goes on to talk about the creation of Eve for Adam from Adam's own rib. It's interesting that God looks at a man who seems to have an ideal environment and everything going for him and says, "It is not good for you to be alone." See, we're built from our very creation, to live in partnership with someone we love - no solos. Now, being married doesn't necessarily mean you're not alone. Some people think the worst loneliness of all is being married to the wrong person. Maybe you haven't been protecting your time with the person you're married to, and so, tragically, you are married but both of you feel alone because everything else has crowded each other out. You've got to get back together again. I said being married doesn't mean you're not alone, but being single doesn't mean you are alone. Paul, for example, was very single, very busy, never married. And yet he had a network of people who supported him his whole life. His letters are filled with references to those many people who were ministry partners, people who helped him, encouraged him, lifted him up. He told us that the mother of Rufus was "someone who has been a mother to me too" in Romans 16. He said Timothy was his son in the gospel. He said to Timothy, "Recalling your tears, I long to go see you so that I may be filled with joy." And then he had a friend, Onesiphorus, who according to 2 Timothy 1, refreshed him. And to the believers in Rome, he said, "By God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed." Paul was a tower of spiritual strength and emotional strength. If any Christian could have gone it alone - could have been a soloist - he was the man. And yet he nurtured and needed peer partnership. He had spiritual brothers, and mothers, and friends, and refreshers; a network of people. Now, you can't expect if you're single for any one best friend to be like a marriage partner to you and meet all those emotional needs. And you'll smother a person if you try to get one person to be that. But you can build, like Paul did, a network of caring people and you're part of God's network for them. It's a two-way street. You need to invest in those friendships; take time with them; build yourself a rich life while you're single. You've got to be a good one before you can be a good two anyway. Don't just sit there and wait for Prince Charming or Cinderella to come along. Build life partnerships now. Guard quality time with them as a married couple must do. Being single doesn't mean being alone if you'll invest in those life partnerships and not just sit there saying, "Oh, when am I going to be married?" Take encouragement from this, that the God who made you need people - will give you the people you need.

Many years ago we were shopping for a place where God wanted us to build a radio studio that we desperately needed. I've got a beautiful one at our headquarters today but back then we needed just something that would get us through. We were looking at a possible location - this big barn of a room with a high ceiling and it was totally bare. Well, when I looked at it I saw a big bare room, but not Kasey. No, he's a carpenter and he started talking about this wall here and that partition there; the control room in that corner, where the doors would be, and how we could soundproof the floor. It was amazing! He was seeing all kinds of things in that room that I couldn't see! But, then, that's the great thing about carpenters! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "What the Carpenter Sees in You." I do think that's how Jesus looks at you. After all, He's a carpenter. His earthly father, Joseph, was one and Jesus grew up with a carpenter's skills - and a carpenter's eye to see what someone could become; not just what they are. The blueprint is in our word for today from the Word of God in Ephesians 2:10. And it's an eye-opener, really, as to who you really are and why you're here. "We are God's workmanship." Let's stop on that...you are no random assembly of molecules. You are a handmade, one-of-a-kind masterpiece creation of Almighty God. You may not have been treated like you're that valuable, but that's who you really are. And your Creator is the One who says so. Here's what the whole statement says, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." When Jesus looks at you, it's like my friend, the carpenter, looking at that empty room. He sees what that room could be after his skilled hands are finished renewing it. Jesus knows the masterpiece you were created to become, the difference you were created to make, the value you are created to have. That's what He sees. Maybe other people have only seen the bare room, and maybe you've been made to feel pretty worthless, incompetent, unloved, unworthy. But they don't see what Jesus sees; what you were born to be. And here's why you may have missed knowing how much you're really worth. You're missing the One who gave you your worth. You're missing Jesus. The Bible says we have marked up this masterpiece God made with our self-centered living. God calls it sin, and our sin has built a wall between us and the God we were made by and for. So, we're cut off from the One who loves and values us the most; so much that He thought you were worth sending His Son to die for! And you will never really know how valuable you really are until you open your heart to the One who loved you enough to die for you. You don't have to spend one more day away from the One who made you to be His masterpiece. The One who sees you through His Carpenter's eye - and sees one He created with His hands, paid for with His blood, and the one He wants to forgive, restore, and renew this very day. But it's your move now. Now you have two choices: put your trust in Him to be your own Savior from your own sin, or basically say, "No thanks, Jesus. I'll just settle for more of the same." If you're ready to belong to Him, why don't you tell Him that right now. "Jesus, I'm done running my own life. I was never meant to. I am putting my life in the hands of the One who gave me my life...in the hands of the One who gave His life for me. Jesus, beginning this very day, I am Yours." This is the day to come home, my friend. A great place to land if you want to begin this relationship is our website where you can have all the information you need to make this choice. That website is ANewStory.com. Jesus, the carpenter, sees in you what everybody else has missed, and maybe even you have missed - the person you were born to be. And today, He simply waits for your invitation to start making you all you were meant to be.

Two words, but a valuable reminder about how important Mom is and why she is. I had occasion to stay at my son and daughter-in-law's house while I recovered from a painful injury. They set me up with a wonderful little "apartment" in their basement - recliner, remotes (of course), kitchenette. And like all the babies in our family, a night monitor. Now, I needed some help in the middle of the night, but I hadn't touched the pager. Suddenly, I hear my daughter-in-law's feet coming down the stairs. In my 3:00 AM haze, I said, "But how did you know?" She smiled and gave those two little words: "Mom ears." I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Mom Ears." There's something a lot of us have to celebrate in the mother that God put in our life. Those Mom-ears who heard our silent cries over the years, who heard our need when others would only see our deed. Who heard the unspoken fears, the unspoken pain, and carried them to the throne of God. Sadly, mom-ears have also heard mean words that they didn't deserve, angry words that left a scar, rebellious words because we didn't want to hear what we now know was wisdom. But somehow, a Mom heart could reach for some of God's amazing grace, and forgive, even though wounded. As a dad, I learned early how important it was for me to seek and respect what my wife heard in our kids, believe me. Those times when I got home and I was ready to drop a bomb on a disobedient child, she would intervene with "actionable intel" of what was going on behind the scenes in their life. I'm not sure moms fully know their massive power to define their child's life for better or worse. Proverbs 31:26 says, "She speaks with wisdom on her tongue." And in a verse worth considering, our word for today from the Word of God in Proverbs 14:1 it says, "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." Sure, I know moms who've turned their God-given Mom-ears to the seductive song of our world, "all about me." And their children languish under the awful cloud of "I'm not worth much. My Mom doesn't think so." Deafened moms can't hear themselves nagging, controlling, criticizing, diminishing - hoping to make a "super kid" and crushing them in the process. The Mom-ears that have tended to miss their children's cries are those who stopped listening to the One who gave her those children. Psalm 127:3 says, "Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him." It's so easy to succumb to the selfie drumbeat of "my rights, my pleasure, my flourishing." And a sort of deafness can grow. Deaf to those quiet little cries in the night, the intuition to drop everything and listen to someone I love. The Heavenly Father's promptings as He (in the words of the Bible) "gently leads those who have young" (Isaiah 40:11). But thank God many of us were blessed, not with a perfect mom, but with a mother whose ears truly heard us. If you have a mom with those wonderful "ears," would you tell her how her finely-tuned heart shaped your life and changed your life while you can. If you're a Mom who wants to have better ears for your children, just know there's amazing power to do that. In the Jesus whose relentless love led Him to die for our sins, which are the great relationship-wreckers. There is no greater life-force on earth than a woman whose ears are always open to the voice of God and the voices of those she loves. And for the one who listens to all this with little to celebrate - because your Mom really wasn't one - there is a higher hope. Because God has said, "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion for the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will never forget. See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands" (Isaiah 49:15-16). That's right, with nail prints. His ears listen all day, all night for the deepest cries of your heart.

It was one of those winter nights that chills you to the bone - cold temperatures, a brisk north wind, a freezing rain, some snow. Our friends were inside their house, and their horses were inside their barn. Well, actually, three out of four of their horses were inside the barn. Cassie, their Shetland, was standing outside for some strange reason. So as our friends looked out their window, they saw this pitiful scene: one lone horse under a barn light, standing there with the freezing rain and snow pounding down on her, forming ice on her mane. Now, her horse friends were all smart enough to be in their nice warm stalls, but, oh no, not Cassie. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "In the Cold When You Could Be Warm." That horse chose to stand out in the cold - when all the time she could have been in the warm place that had been provided for her. You know in some ways, a lot of people are making that same mistake - maybe you. In a way, maybe you feel as if you've been standing out in the cold for a long time. There's this loneliness that no relationship has satisfied, this confusion, this gnawing sense of uncertainty and insecurity, this emptiness that never seems to go away no matter what you've filled yourself up with. Emotionally, spiritually, it's as if you're out in the chilling wind and the freezing rain. But you don't have to be. There's a warm place that's been provided for you, but you have got to step inside. In fact, this very day, I believe Jesus Christ himself may be beckoning you to come in where it's warm. Listen to His invitation. It's our word for today from the Word of God in Matthew 11:28 - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." If we're "weary and burdened" it may be because we haven't come to Him. It could be that Jesus has been asking you to come to Him for a long time but you've never responded. He's been waiting to answer your loneliness with His unloseable love, to turn your confusion into a sense of knowing why you're here and where you're going. He wants to replace that uncertainty with this unshakeable peace, to fill that emptiness in your heart with the relationship with Him that you were made for. But you're still in the cold because you've never really come inside where Jesus is. There are actually five things you can do with the man who died to pay for your sins. You can just outright reject Jesus. You can ignore Jesus, pushing Him to the margins for other pursuits. You can postpone Jesus - you'll get around to Him someday. You can agree with Jesus - believing everything you've ever been told about Him. Or you can commit yourself completely to Jesus. Four of those five responses end the same place - out in the cold, now and forever. Only one leads to heaven: giving yourself to Jesus. Yes, it's possible to agree with everything about Jesus and yet never have given yourself to Him. It's about commitment, not agreement. Today, though, He's close to you. He's where you are, and He's whispering, "Come to me...I will give you rest." Today you can begin your relationship with Him by saying, "Jesus, you died for me and I'm giving myself to you for now and forever." That's when you receive what He's been waiting to give you all these years. If that's what you want, we would love to help you begin your love relationship with Jesus. That's why our website is there. That's why I encourage you to go there today. It's ANewStory.com. You've been out in the cold long enough. There's no need for you to be out there any longer. You're so close to the warmth and the safety of belonging to Jesus Christ. Today, won't you come inside?

OK, let's put away all the junk food snacks for a minute and reach for a healthy snack today. Yes, it's time for some fresh fruit. It could be an apple, an orange, a pear, but the next time you eat one, would you look for the example on the inside? There is one. Oh, I wouldn't recommend you eat that entire apple; you'll probably want to stop when you get to the core. But notice what's there in the middle of that apple. Yep, seeds that can make another apple! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "You Have Life to Give." That little encounter with the inside of a piece of fruit can actually take us all the way back to the first fruit that God ever made, and a powerful example of some of what gives our lives real meaning. Genesis 1:29 - it's our word for today from the Word of God. The Lord told Adam and Eve, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it." As I was reading that, it really struck me that God has created things with the seeds of reproducing themselves built right in. When God created man and woman, He told them to "be fruitful and increase in number" (Genesis 1:28). But that principle of fruit carrying the seeds of the next generation goes beyond just physical reproducing. Jesus said to His followers, "I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last." And certainly that includes people who will come to Jesus because of you. They are fruit that your life is supposed to be producing. So, how are you doing? The great creative plan of God is that when He creates a life, He creates it with the potential of reproducing life like itself - "Fruit with seed in it." The moment you gave your heart to Jesus Christ, God made you fruit with seeds, with the capability and the purpose of making some more like you! Apples generate apples, oranges generate oranges, and followers of Jesus generate followers of Jesus. Or at least they're supposed to. But you know what? There's research that shows that maybe even just 10% of believers ever tell someone about their relationship with Jesus Christ, which in that case would mean 9 out of 10 believers are missing their destiny. They have the seeds of life to plant in another heart, but they're doing nothing with those seeds. And people around us go on dying without Christ, and without any hope of heaven. Isn't it time you start bearing some fruit, like people who will be in heaven with you because you helped them know how? And God's plan is that we reproduce our own kind. Moms introducing other moms to Jesus, and students introducing other students to Jesus, and golfers pointing golfers to Christ, and business people reaching business people, and wounded people reaching wounded people. God has made you who you are; He's placed you where you are so you can take people like you to heaven with you! How are you doing with your divine assignment? We're not talking here about you adding some new activities to your already overstuffed life. This is just using things you already do to bring other people who do them to Jesus. You already live where you live, you go to school where you go to school, you work where you work, and you play where you play. Just go there with the conscious mission of helping some of those people go to heaven with you! There are seeds of spiritual life that God planted in you the day you met Jesus. And He's counting on you now to plant those seeds in the people like you. In fact, their eternity may depend on it.

If you've ever checked your suitcase when you're about to take a trip by airplane, you know what they do with our luggage. No, not lose it. Not usually. The ticket agent determines what your final destination will be, he prints out an adhesive sticker with that destination on it, and he puts it around your suitcase handle. And then you settle back in your seat, knowing that bag will meet you at the other end of the trip. With the millions of bags the airlines handle daily, it's amazing that most do go straight to the right destination. Now there are some exceptions. Like the one I checked in Idaho. Oh, I checked it through to my final destination - Newark, New Jersey. To this day it's still floating somewhere out there in the Baggage Twilight Zone. Like I said, most of the time they get it to your final destination. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Guaranteeing Heaven." If you belong to Jesus Christ, God has placed a final destination sticker on you. It says "Heaven." And I am happy to report to you that, unlike human delivery systems, God's batting a thousand on getting His there. Our word for today from the Word of God starts with John 10:27 - in a sense, it's kind of your personal life insurance policy...for eternal life. "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father's hand." Jesus says, "I know the ones who are Mine, and I've put My final destination sticker on them. It says 'Eternal Life.' No one is going to get them away from Me. I won't stop until I've delivered them safely home." Isn't that awesome? Your getting to heaven is not up to you. That's what the Bible means when it says it is "not by works" but that it is "by grace you have been saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8-9). Now it may be that you have often questioned whether or not you really belong to Jesus and whether it really is settled. Those recurring doubts could be for one of two reasons. One is that you really don't belong to Jesus yet. He's in your head but He's not in your heart. Even though you have a lot of Christianity, maybe you've missed Christ! You know He died on the cross to pay the death penalty for the sinning you've done - you know that you need Him as your personal Savior. But somehow you've missed that actual moment of commitment, that transaction, when you stand at Jesus' cross and say, "For me, Jesus. What you did here is for me. Right now I'm giving me to You." If you asked me if I was married all these years it would be an easy question to answer. Yeah, there was a time I made a conscious commitment of my life to Karen. If you have committed yourself to Jesus, you should know you have. If you don't know you have, you probably haven't. And it's important you get it settled today because this is eternity. Do it before your heart turns harder. Don't risk another day without Jesus. The other reason you may not be sure of your final destination is that you've fallen for the devil's big lie. He knows that, based on your trust in Jesus Christ, God has put His "Heaven" sticker on you. Satan's lost you - so he's now reduced to making you wonder if you're really going to heaven. Your enemy wants you to spend your whole life wondering if you belong to Jesus instead of living like you do! Don't fall for it any longer! If you're not sure there's been a time when you've begun your relationship with Jesus, make sure today - once and for all. You can wonder if God has ever marked you for heaven before today, but at least you'll know He did it today if He's never done it before. I'd love to invite you to go to our website where an awful lot of people have confirmed the beginning of their relationship with Jesus. That's why it's there. So go to ANewStory.com. Then, enjoy the trip each new day. He will deliver you safely to your destination in heaven. After all, He paid your fare with His life!

Nantucket - a romantic island off the coast of Massachusetts. Waterbrook - a humble cabin in the woods in the mountains north of New York City. Long Beach Island - a little house by the Jersey shore. See, those are places where my wife has been her most beautiful. That's not because she had new makeup on, or was all dressed up, or did her hair differently. Those are just some places where we've gone to be alone, and where I finally slowed down and noticed her again. She was beautiful all the time, but I didn't notice it all the time, because I saw her best when we were alone. If you're in a lonely time right now, let's talk. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Seen In Your Desert." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Genesis 16:7. It tells the story of a young woman named Hagar. Maybe you remember that Abraham and Sarah got impatient for God to send the son that He had promised, and Sarah was getting older and older. The baby didn't come, so Sarah, going along with the customs of that day, suggested that Abraham sleep with Hagar, her maidservant, and then Hagar would be the surrogate mother through whom a child would come. They couldn't wait for God to do it His way, so they had to figure out a way they were going to do it. It's not how God wanted it done, and after Hagar gets pregnant, Sarah gets a little jealous. And Hagar gets a little caustic about it. Now we find her out in the desert all alone because guess what? She's been driven there by her mistress, Sarah. Here she is used, rejected, deserted, she's pregnant, she's alone in the desert, she's the picture of abandonment; all alone, or so she thinks. Genesis 16, verse 7: "The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert. The angel of the Lord said to her, 'You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery.'" He goes on to describe some of what to expect from this son, and then she gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her. "'You are the God who sees me,' for she said, 'I have now seen the One who sees me.' That's why the well is called Beer Lahai Roi." Which, by the way, means "the well of the Living One who sees me." It's interesting the name of God here, "I have seen the One who sees me." Maybe right now you're in the desert; it's a very lonely desert. God sees you in your loneliness, and He has heard your tears. We keep hearing our desire to be seen...Oh, here is the God who sees you. The broken relationship, the lost loved one, the years of living alone, the collapse of your family; God sees you. Do you see Him? She said, "I have now seen the One who has been seeing me." When no one sees, when no one knows, when no one understands, Ishmael. You know what that name means? God hears. And guess where we tend to see God best? Yeah, in the deserts of our lives. Not until we are stripped of all the other supports in our life, that's when Hagar finally saw the God who had been seeing her all along. That's when we see Him. That's when you dig deep into His resources; you see what He can do. You feel His love, and you let His love be enough. Paul said, "When everybody had abandoned him" (2 Timothy 4:17), "the Lord stood by my side." I told you when I noticed my wife's beauty and wisdom the most - when there was no one else around. Well, it's the same in a relationship with the Lord Jesus. When it's just the two of you, maybe like it is right now, you can see Him as you've never seen Him before.

How did we know it was a stupid question? Our family was in Alaska some years ago and we asked some of the folks there what seemed like a reasonable question, "Where can we go to see a moose?" Turns out seeing a moose is really no big deal in Alaska. In fact, some people we talked to had hit one recently! So, they're everywhere. Sure. While I was busy speaking, my wife and kids drove all over the countryside looking for some moose. Nada. Maybe people hit them all! They even went to the Moose Sanctuary and they saw no moose there; frustrated, tired of looking, and pretty sure those moose were only in pictures in the tourist brochures. One morning we walked out of the house where we were staying, piled in the car, and started driving down the driveway. Suddenly, one of the kids shouted, "Moose!" And sure enough, there were three members of the antler gang right there at the bottom of our driveway! What we'd been looking for all that time was right in front of us! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Looking for What's Right There." You know this is a time when spirituality is important to more and more people, there's a word you hear a lot and folks use it to describe themselves spiritually - I'm a "seeker" or I'm "searching spiritually." And that's a good thing to be doing. We're created with this eternity dimension by a God who is eternal, and we'll only find life's real meaning by shopping in the store called "spiritual answers." That part is right. Today, as never before, there's a spiritual cafeteria to choose from. Our search for the truth can carry us to many different religions or a blend of several religions; into New Age spirituality, into ourselves to find the power within us. But like our family hunting for moose, we're looking, but often not finding what we're looking for. Much searching - still no lasting peace, no security about eternity. It was a number of years ago where 39 members of the "Heaven's Gate" cult committed suicide. It was really unsettling because these were bright people, competent people; sincere spiritual seekers hoping to graduate from earth to, believe it or not, a waiting spaceship. That was their unusual belief. But listen, this is what I wanted to share with you - what one national news magazine observed about them and about us. It said, "Subtract the spaceship and the mass suicide, and you have a yearning and a search familiar to millions of Americans." That's true. That magazine pointed out what they called universal needs that many people are trying to meet: "the craving to belong, the wish to connect to something larger than oneself, the secret hope of finding an all-caring parent who offers protection and comfort." I'll tell you what, those needs were built into us by our Creator. Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Colossians 1:16. "All things were created by Him and for Him." That simple statement from God could be the beginning of the end of your spiritual search. He says you were created by Jesus; you were created for Jesus. The Savior who's been pretty much in front of you all the time, but maybe you've passed him by because you get Jesus confused with all the religious baggage attached to His name because you thought it was some new spirituality you needed. But only Jesus died to remedy our central spiritual problem: we're away from God because of our sin. And only the One who paid for that sin with His life can put you and God together. Without that, all spiritual searching must, sooner or later, turn up empty. The day you find is the day you say, "Jesus, You died and it was for me, for my sin. And today, I am Yours." He's been here all the time, but you've missed Him. Why don't you make today the day you find Him? Make a trip to our website and find out there how to be sure you belong to Him. It's ANewStory.com. Searching is good. Finding is better. Your long search will end in the loving arms of the One who's been patiently waiting for you all this time. Jesus - the end of your search.

There's something invigorating about being the first one out and around in the morning; you sort of feel like the conqueror of your environment. Like when you're the first one out exercising in those first hours of the new day. I had that feeling one morning as I went out for my fitness walk. I really like to walk when I'm away from home, too. And I was in a setting where right behind me there was this really scenic 18-hole golf course. I'm not a golfer, but I am a walker. There was a beautiful path around there, so I struck out on my early morning walk, and the mist was there, and the dew was all over the golf course. And I said, "You know what? I am the first one to conquer this golf course today. There'll be a lot of people out here later, but I have beaten all the golfers." I felt like the world was all mine, or so I thought. Then I got to one hole and I saw a carpet of dew covering the green, and footprints all across the green. Someone had walked there before me. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Someone Else Has Walked There First." Our word for today from the Word of God is from John 10:4. Jesus beautifully, intimately describes His relationship with us here as being like that of a shepherd with His sheep: Him shepherd, me sheep. John 10:4 says this, "When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them and the sheep follow Him." I discovered this verse many years ago, just before we moved from all of the "knowns" that we had in Chicago, to all of the unknowns of northern New Jersey and New York City. We moved there to begin a youth ministry. We had no supporters, we had no place to live, we had no office, we had no staff. We knew nothing. We just claimed this verse, "when He brings out His sheep, He will always go ahead of them." We got there and we found out that God had picked out an apartment, He picked out friends, He had picked out a church, He had picked out an office for us, He picked out supporters; people who could open doors that we needed opened, and that's what God does for all His kids. Everywhere Jesus will lead you to walk, He promises to walk there first; He goes ahead of you. That's how a shepherd operates. Wherever he's going to take his sheep, he goes ahead of them to see if there's enough pasture for them to be fed, if there are any wolves there that he needs to take care of, and where the cliffs are that they might walk over. He makes sure that He checks it out before they get there. He prepares it for them. That's just the kind of Shepherd He is. Think of the fear that takes out of the future; the uncertainty. Like the old song says, "I know not what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future." Right now maybe you're looking ahead at the next few weeks, maybe months and you're anxious about it. Honestly, there's a whole lot of question marks; there's a lot of unknown out there. Well, there is one known in the midst of your unknowns. Guess what? That one known covers all the unknowns. Jesus will always be your "go ahead" Shepherd. He always does that with His sheep. He has promised that He would, and He always keeps His promises. In fact, today He knows your situation, and I think He brought us together and brought this verse to my heart for you, as a personal assurance from Him to you that He is already stepping ahead of you. There's nothing to fear on a path that Jesus has walked before you. It's the blessed security that only a follower of Jesus Christ can know. So, wherever He takes you, yours won't be the first set of footprints you'll find there. Your Shepherd got there first.

She was one of the most admired women in the world - Mother Teresa, that angelic woman who devoted her life to the least of the least in the slums of Calcutta, India. The world's greatest leaders wanted to meet her and to experience her love and her moral authority. And actually, she was just a diminutive woman who made such a difference in the world. Some years ago, a young man wrote a letter to Mother Teresa, asking her how he could make his life count as she had with hers. He waited six months for a reply from this very busy lady. When it came, it was just a postcard with just four words on it - four very powerful words - "Find your own Calcutta." I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Life That Matters." If you do just what comes naturally, you'll live the kind of life most people do - self-focused, self-centered, self-serving. But a life that's only as big as you are is too small to live in. And you might be feeling an emotional and spiritual claustrophobia right now. Business as usual just isn't satisfying that restlessness in your heart is it? Your life is full, but not really fulfilling. Find your own Calcutta. Find some people who need you and start pouring your life out for them. The lid will come off your life. Jesus gave us an immortal, indelible picture of the two ways to live life in His classic story of the Good Samaritan. It's in Luke 10, beginning with verse 30, our word for today from the Word of God. "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side" - as, by the way, did another religious leader who came by next. Jesus goes on: "But a Samaritan...came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds... He put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him." Then Jesus went on to say that the Samaritan paid all the expenses of the beaten man's recovery; and that this Samaritan was the kind of neighbor He expects all of us to be. And there in that simple story is a picture of two lifestyles - you can be all about yourself, ignoring the needs of people in your path... or stopping for people's needs, bearing the burdens of a bleeding world. I was really touched by a news report about a man whose choice might help you step up to a life that makes a far greater difference. It actually happened right after September 11th and it said that "David Townsend's perspective changed profoundly on September 11th." It says, "From that moment forward, (Here's what he said.) I realized that we are not going to live forever. I feel an even greater sense of urgency; feel compelled to leave my mark on the world. It has changed my outlook totally and shaken me to the core." So, apparently, according to the story, Townsend left his job to work in social services with the homeless and with urban churches. Here's his quote, "September 11th reinforced in me the need to live a life that matters." I think that's the kind of life you want isn't it? So learn to wake up each morning and ask yourself, "Who needs me today?" not "Who can meet my needs today?" There are people in your personal circle - people in your community - who desperately need someone to care, to be there for them. And remember, there is no greater difference you can make in anyone's life than to introduce them to Jesus Christ and take them to heaven with you! That's an eternal difference! With however many years or few years you have left (who knows?), live to make the greatest possible difference with the rest of your life!

I don't think it's that I'm incompetent when it comes to technical things. I think I was just born a hundred years too late. I probably would have fared better when they hadn't invented so many machines and appliances, and computers. I would have done fine in those simpler days. I mean sometimes it is just so embarrassing. I can't, you know, get a lamp to work, or I can't get some appliance to work, and no matter what I do it doesn't go on. The ending is too often the same. My youngest son for example would come in and say, "Dad, is it plugged in?" "No." Oh, I didn't check that! I hate that! So many times we tinker with everything and miss the one simple factor that needs to change. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "God's Blessing and Broken Things." Our word for today from the Word of God offers a possible diagnosis for why some important things in your life just aren't working right now. Maybe you're like me trying to get things working at the house. You've tinkered with all the different parts of the problem. Well, have you considered the possibility that it isn't working because God is withholding His blessing? And it won't work until God gives His blessing to that part of your life. You say, "Well, why?" Well, because something He really values may be missing. Our word for today from the Word of God, Psalm 133:1 and 3 - "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity. For there, the Lord bestows His blessing." Did you catch what the Lord is saying here? "I put my blessing where My people are together and unified." The implication might be this. Where they are not unified, I do not put My blessing. Well, let's look at your personal frustration right now - that door that is not opening, the money that just doesn't come, maybe the child who won't respond, the results that just aren't coming no matter how hard you work. Could it be that you're not plugged in to God's blessing because there are fractured relationships, strained relationships right now? 1 Peter 3:7 tells husbands to "treat their wives properly so that their prayers will not be hindered." In other words, when that relationship with your wife isn't right, God will not answer your prayers. Maybe your children will not come around until mom and dad deal with the walls that are between them. Your church won't grow until those factions come together in a common cause. Like rescuing the dying people all around you. The money or the answer won't come until you fix that broken relationship. See, that broken relationship, and you know which one it is, is breaking God's heart. Do everything in your power to take down the walls that might be costing you the blessing of almighty God. Keep checking until you understand what is there that's broken that God says needs fixing. Quit tinkering with the problems that really aren't the problem. You have to go check and make sure you're plugged in at the right place. Check the power source. And the power source is a current called the blessing of God. There is nothing worth sacrificing His blessing for. And no sacrifice too great to have His blessing. He's told us where He puts that. He's told us where He gives that blessing. It's when He sees His people hand in hand.

For a long time, I have been fascinated with the story of the Titanic. The sinking of that seemingly “unsinkable” ship after a collision with an iceberg is filled with so much human drama that has inspired endless movies, books, and documentaries. Finding the Titanic at the bottom of the Atlantic fueled even greater information than ever before. Some of the drama of those discoveries has been within our reach as the Titanic artifacts exhibit went across the country in some of America's leading museums. You could see many personal items recovered from the Titanic's debris field along with displays that recreated the feeling of being a passenger on that doomed ship. And now there's at least one permanent Titanic museum in the country. When I went into this one on the early tour, I was given a boarding pass with the name of a real person who'd been aboard that awful night. At the end of the exhibit, there's this big wall with the names of everyone aboard – first class, second class, third class, crew. Every person is either on the list that says “saved” or “lost.” I looked hard for my name, and I discovered that I was one of the few crewmen who was “saved.” A pastor I know, who I had told about my experience there, well, he went to see the exhibit for himself. But he told me about it. He looked me in the eye and he said very soberly, “Except I was lost.” I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about “The Shock at the End of Our Voyage”. One of the most sobering truths in the Bible is this: God has two lists. Each of us is on one of those lists. Everyone we know, everyone we care about, is on one of these two lists. In 1 John 5:11-12, God plainly says, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” There it is – the “saved” and the “lost.” And it all depends on one thing – whether or not you have Jesus in your heart. It doesn't say, “Whoever has religion has life” or “whoever lives a good life has life.” No, it's all about Jesus and whether or not you've ever begun a personal relationship with Him. That life-saving relationship begins when you realize that Jesus' dying on that cross was the only thing that can pay the death penalty that you deserve for running your own life, for hijacking your life from your Creator. And that means you know now that you've got to put all your trust in Him to save you, because you can't do a thing to save yourself. For my pastor friend, it was a shock to get to the end and find out he was “lost.” That's the shock that for real so many are going to experience when they meet God. My friend didn't know until the end. But we can know right now which list we're on – depending on whether or not we've given ourselves to Jesus. If you know you've done that, you are among God's rescued. But now it's up to you to rescue those around you who are still on the “lost” list. The “saved” and “lost” list from the Titanic can never be changed. But there's still time for people you know to be moved from God's “lost” list to His list of those who are “saved.” But you've got to do something about their lostness. You'll have to step up to tell them about Jesus, to be their rescuer. The devil – who wants as many lost as possible – is working hard to keep people on both lists preoccupied with something other than eternity. If you're lost, he's trying desperately to keep you from Jesus, even right now, until time runs out. If you're saved, he's trying to desperately keep you from reaching out to rescue the people around you until time runs out. If you've never reached out to Jesus to rescue you, grab the hand of the Rescuer who came all the way from heaven to come and die so He could rescue you. If you want to go to sleep tonight knowing you belong to Jesus, tell Him now, “Jesus, I'm Yours. The battle's over. I'm Yours!" Get over to our website as soon as you can today, ANewStory.com, because I think you will find there everything you need to know about how to be sure you belong to Jesus. When you've taken your last breath, lost is forever; but not yet. This very day, you can move from death to life, and from lost to saved.

Now, I'm not in the business of advertising any particular ice cream spot, but let's face it, it's kind of fun to go to Baskin Robbins. You know, they have all those flavors they advertise. Now, you can write to me and tell me that maybe you like another place better, but listen, I know you like to go where there's a lot of flavors. And you know what? It seems like it takes me an hour to decide which one I want. Well, not really, but seems like an hour to the person whose waiting on me. But the variety is a lot of fun. Now, can you imagine an ice cream store that offered only vanilla? Yeah, boring! After a while you get tired of the same old flavor. Can you imagine a person who said, “I only eat vanilla. I never tried anything else.” I'd say to them, “Man, look at the list! You're missing so many flavors. You can have ice cream so many different ways.” How boring to think that all ice cream has to be the one flavor you like. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about “Many Flavors At God's Place”. Our word for today from the Word of God is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. And we go, in a sense, to God's ice cream parlor if you want to put it that way. And it's called the church—the body of Christ. Listen to all the flavors. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.” Verse 12 of 1 Corinthians 12, “The body is a unit, though, that is made up of many parts, and though all of its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.” Okay, now, if there's one message we could get from these wonderful verses it would be this. Variety is God's plan for His body. He's not interested in cookie cutter Christians. He wants many styles, many flavors of Christians. God likes variety. Guess what we like? Uniformity. We want everybody to be like us—like our group. So as a consequence, generally speaking, Baptist Christians only know Baptist Christians, and Assembly of God Christians only know Assembly of God Christians, and Methodist Christians only know Methodist Christians, and Presbyterian, Presbyterians, etc. The list is infinite. But, you see, none of us has all of Him. But all of us together have all of Him. Don't cut yourself off from all the other flavors; don't just be a vanilla Christian. See, we disagree only about, say, 10% of it. Ninety percent is about Christ, and sin, and salvation, and Christ's return, and the Bible: we tend to agree on those. We need each other. Those different styles and different emphases in the body of Christ are not only God's will, but they make you rich. One group of Christians may teach you how to pray and get a hold of God. Another group may really have a vision for missions, and they'll help you care about a lost world. Others will really get you into personal evangelism. There's another group of Christians who might really help you learn about God's sovereign control over things. And then there's a group over there that may be strong in loving and caring and accepting. And this group over here, they'll teach you a lot about worship. And this one, oh you'll learn a lot about careful Bible study. Hey, listen. We will be together forever. All the labels we have here on earth won't make it past the gate of heaven. Why don't we get together now? You're on God's side when you're against whatever divides His body. It's not all vanilla. Its lots of flavors. It's all ice cream; but it's lots of flavors, and that's what counts. We're all the church. So, celebrate the variety in God's family. And enjoy all those flavors.

When our oldest child was born, they didn't even let fathers go into the labor room. That was nice. Then when our second one was born, fathers must have gotten a little smarter. They let us go into the labor room, but not the delivery room. And by the time our third one was born, hey, fathers had really gotten smart! I was actively involved with the doctor in the delivery. But, of course, I couldn't just walk right into the delivery room. No! First, I had to do what the doctor and nurse had to do – scrub up! Oh yeah, they made sure I washed thoroughly with disinfectant. Then they covered every part of me but my hands and my eyes and my nose – and they put a mask over my mouth, a thoroughly ugly cap on my head and this goofy smock over my clothes. My only consolation was the doctor looked as geeky as I did. They gave me paper booties, oh that was cool, but I understood. They can't allow any dirt to infect that environment. You've got to be clean to get in. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about “No Dirt Allowed.” It seems like more people are thinking more these days about spiritual issues. That's a good thing, including what happens after we take our last breath. One area of curiosity is heaven – which we can guess about if we want, or we can get our information from the One who made heaven, who lives there, who sets the standards for going there. Of course, that would be God. Who, in the Bible, describes heaven, not as a state of mind, but as a very real, very mind-blowing place. Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Revelation 21:4. It is a partial description of heaven. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” Later it says, “The great street of the city was of pure gold.” Imagine! This is what we consider the most precious substance on earth. We'll be walking on it in heaven! It's pavement. We can't begin to imagine the glory of this eternal destination. Then in that same passage, here's something very disturbing, “Nothing impure will ever enter it,” He says, “nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.” (Revelation 21:27) God says heaven is a lot like that delivery room; no one is allowed in there who isn't clean. They would infect an environment that has to be pure. God's saying here that He can't allow anyone with sin into heaven or it won't be heaven any more. But here's why that's so disturbing. Romans 3:10 in the Bible says, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Well, if sinners can't get into heaven, then you and I have no chance no matter how religious we are. No matter how much good we do, it doesn't remove any of the dirt of a lifetime of choices that were “my way” instead of God's way, that defied what God wanted. The scriptures show us that there will be a lot of surprised people in hell; people who thought they could get to heaven by being good enough. But their good didn't remove the sin that keeps people out of heaven. But this verse mentions those who will enter heaven; those in the Lamb's Book of Life. Your name goes there when you get every sin of your life erased from God's book. Here's the only disinfectant that can do that. 1 John 1:7 says, “The blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.” Our only hope of being clean enough to enter heaven is what Jesus did when He died on the cross to take the death penalty that we deserved to pay for our sin. The question is, has there ever been a time when, in your heart, you've stood at Jesus' cross and basically said, “Lord, I'm putting my total trust in you to forgive me, to erase my sins from your book? You're my only hope.” If you've never done that, if you're not sure you've done that, why don't you make sure today. Jesus has become your personal Rescuer from your personal sin at that point. Go to our website because I've put there the information that will help you nail down and make sure this is the day that Jesus becomes your Savior from your sin. That website is ANewStory.com. We're all too dirty to enter that sin-free environment of heaven. You can get clean this very day, but only Jesus can do it. If you want to go into Jesus' heaven, you've got to get clean. This is that day.

I've only been to Israel once, and just for a short visit, but I will never forget the thrill of seeing those places where Jesus walked when He was there, and watching all those names and places in the Bible suddenly come alive. It really was one of the highlights of my life, except for one thing. I went alone, on my way back home from a ministry trip to Africa. As I stood on the Mount of Olives, and as I walked the streets of old Jerusalem, as I experienced the feel of Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee, you know what I kept thinking? "I want my wife to see all of this. I want to experience this with my kids!" Yes, Israel was terrific, but I really wanted to share it with the people I love. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Your People In Heaven." I guess that's just the way it is when you're enjoying a special place; you want the people you care about to be there, sharing it with you. That must include the most special place of all - heaven. Imagine that you get to heaven and you see Jesus. After you fall on your face in adoration and awe, you begin to thank Him for all He did to get you to heaven. And then you ask a question that's been on your mind since you arrived, "Lord, is Scott here? Is Linda here?" What if Jesus says, "Oh, did you bring him? Did you bring her?" See, Jesus was counting on you to help those people you love understand what He did for them on the cross and to point them to the only One who could get them to heaven. In our word for today from the Word of God, Paul anticipated the joys he was expecting when he got to heaven. In 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, he says, "For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when He comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy." Now, when Paul sees Jesus, his joy is going to be that the people he loved - that he loved enough to introduce to Jesus - will be there with him. I wonder who you'll be looking for when you get to heaven; people who, as far as you know, may not be headed there right now. If you want them to be there in heaven with you, you've got to tell them how they can know the Savior who died to get them there. In fact, that's why God has you in their lives, to help them go to heaven with you. So, how are you doing with that? There are very few sadnesses deeper in life than standing by the casket of someone you could have told about Christ - you should have told about Christ - but you didn't. Well, you know, we can't have any of those opportunities back, but we do have the friends and neighbors and coworkers and loved ones who are still with us. And we still have time to tell them, but no one knows how much time. This very day you could start praying what I call the "3-open prayer." First, "Lord, open a door." That's a natural, God-given opportunity to bring up your relationship with Christ. Then, "Lord, open their heart." And then finally, "Lord, open my mouth." You don't even have to pray, "Lord, if it's Your will." It is His will. "Lord, open a door. Lord, a natural opportunity. Lord, open their heart; get them ready, and Lord, open my mouth with the words, and the approach, and the tone, and the courage to tell them what I know about You." Begin to seek opportunities, pursue opportunities to tell the people in your personal world about the Son of God who loved them enough to pay for their sin so they don't have to. If there are people you want to have in heaven with you, please while there's still time, share with them the only message that can get them there.

There were a lot of dramatic images from the military action known as Operation Iraqi Freedom - but I think few were more dramatic than the middle-of-the-night rescue of a prisoner of war, Jessica Lynch. If you were around at the time, you probably remember it. As Coalition forces advanced quickly from the Kuwaiti border to the capital of Baghdad, Pfc. Lynch's unit of Army maintenance troops made a wrong turn, ended up in the middle of an enemy ambush, and no one knew Jessie Lynch's fate. She was listed as missing in action. But acting on the tip of Iraqi sympathizers, a Special Operations Force fought their way into the hospital where she was imprisoned, found her, and quickly carried her to a waiting helicopter. And then, they had to fight their way out, too. But Private Lynch was safe - saved by rescuers who risked it all to bring her out. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Day You're Rescued." I'll never begin to know what it must have been like to be a prisoner of someone like Saddam Hussein's brutal regime. But I do know a little bit about how it feels to be rescued from a situation that I couldn't get out of, that otherwise would have been fatal. I know what it is to be rescued by someone who risked it all - actually, who gave it all, to bring me out. It's a life-saving experience shared by millions of people over 2,000 years. It's a rescue that can happen to you. This rescue was planned in heaven and executed by no one less than the very Son of God, Jesus Christ. It's described by God Himself in Colossians 1:13-14, our word for today from the Word of God. It says of God that "He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." We don't realize it, but we are in as deadly a situation as that rescued POW was in - actually a lot more deadly, because without a rescue we will be imprisoned forever in an awful place the Bible calls hell. That's where the death penalty is carried out for a human being who has run their own life instead of letting their Creator run it. Who has dared to say, "God, you run the universe. I'll run me." Which, according to the Bible, describes all of us, no matter how religious we might be, and no matter what religion we're from. We're sinners. We are unable to get ourselves out of our own dark side, we're unable to get ourselves out of the penalty for our sin. We are trapped in what the Bible calls "the dominion of darkness." But Jesus came, fighting his way to rescue us. Dying on a cross to pay the penalty we deserve, so we could have (as the Bible says) "the forgiveness of sins" instead of the punishment for our sins. No religion can get you out - only a rescue can. And only Jesus did what had to be done to rescue you. This very day - maybe through these very words - He is breaking into your life, offering to be your personal Rescuer from your personal sin and its eternal penalty. If you'll grab Jesus by His hand and just say, "Jesus, You're my only hope. You paid for my sins when you died on the cross. You proved you're alive by walking out of your grave. I want you to walk into my life today. Beginning today, I am Yours, Jesus." Don't you want to know that you're right with God? Don't you want to know that eternity is settled? If you want to know you belong to this Rescuer that loves you more than anyone ever could, let this be the day you give yourself to Him. Let this be the day that you check out a website that is all for you at a moment like this. It is literally designed for this crossroads moment in a person's life - ANewStory.com. I invite you, I urge you, I encourage you to go there as soon as you can. Jesus paid the ultimate price; made the ultimate sacrifice to bring you out. The strong hand of your Redeemer; I wish you could actually see it. He's reaching for you right now. Please - grab Him now.

There's nothing more discouraging for the family chef than these three words, "I'm not hungry." Maybe you've faced those words. You know, kids have impatient stomachs. Of course, only kids. We don't, right, adults? But kids have impatient stomachs, so they eat whenever the urge hits and whatever the urge tells them to eat. And, of course, I'm sure our kids were like yours. They would usually go to the refrigerator and get some carrots or a tossed salad. Right? Some broccoli, some high fiber cereal? No! Our kids did not! Don't worry, neither do yours. Oh yeah, they'd go after junk food. Most kids today are junk food junkies, and they fill up on it. So, my wife would give us this beautiful spread of pot roast, and potatoes, and fresh vegetables, home baked bread. And the troops, "I'm not hungry." They're too full to eat. How discouraging when they're full of junk food. Now junk food may be okay, but not when it spoils your appetite for real food. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Spiritual Hunger, Spiritual Junk". Now, our word for today from the Word of God is found in Luke 8. It's the familiar story of the parable of the seed and the sower. And as you know, Jesus talks about the seed falling on four different kinds of ground. Let's look at one today. He says in verse 11, and this is the meaning of the parable, "The seed is the Word of God." And in verse 14, "The seed (or the Word) that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they're choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." Now these are people, who are Christians, and they remain Christians, but they are God's under-developed children. Children who never experience what they could have experienced. They always miss God's best. Why? They were choked. Choked by worries, anxieties, things they're afraid of. They're choked by chasing what money can buy. They're choked by focusing their energies on their own pleasure, their own feeling good. God has a lot of spiritually anorexic kids. You know that? They have an appetite disorder. They're just not hungry for the Bible any more. They're not hungry for time with Jesus. They're not hungry for church; for spiritual input; for Christian fellowship. They almost go just dutifully. Have you noticed in yourself maybe recently a diminishing desire to get into the Bible; to get with God's people? Oh, you used to have an appetite. Where did it go? Could it be you've been filling up on junk food? Maybe things that aren't wrong in themselves; they're just taking over what you think about and talk about most of the time. An unbalanced interest or concern has taken over and crowded out any room for God's Word in your life. Maybe you've become preoccupied with a hobby, television, the Internet, soap operas, music, maybe a special friend, maybe your car, maybe your house. Maybe God's time in your life, God's voice, God's Word are being choked by something far less important, far less eternal. It's just been crowded out. All your thinking time, all your mentally neutral time is gone. Do you have a spiritual appetite problem? Could it be that some junk food is filling you up? God has so much prepared for you; so much He wants to say to you; so many ways He wants to lighten your load. But you come to the table saying, "I'm not hungry." Next time you're reaching for more mental junk food, reach instead for the banquet of the Bible. Spiritually it is the breakfast, the lunch, and the dinner of champions!

There's nothing more discouraging for the family chef than these three words, "I'm not hungry." Maybe you've faced those words. You know, kids have impatient stomachs. Of course, only kids. We don't, right, adults? But kids have impatient stomachs, so they eat whenever the urge hits and whatever the urge tells them to eat. And, of course, I'm sure our kids were like yours. They would usually go to the refrigerator and get some carrots or a tossed salad. Right? Some broccoli, some high fiber cereal? No! Our kids did not! Don't worry, neither do yours. Oh yeah, they'd go after junk food. Most kids today are junk food junkies, and they fill up on it. So, my wife would give us this beautiful spread of pot roast, and potatoes, and fresh vegetables, home baked bread. And the troops, "I'm not hungry." They're too full to eat. How discouraging when they're full of junk food. Now junk food may be okay, but not when it spoils your appetite for real food. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Spiritual Hunger, Spiritual Junk". Now, our word for today from the Word of God is found in Luke 8. It's the familiar story of the parable of the seed and the sower. And as you know, Jesus talks about the seed falling on four different kinds of ground. Let's look at one today. He says in verse 11, and this is the meaning of the parable, "The seed is the Word of God." And in verse 14, "The seed (or the Word) that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they're choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." Now these are people, who are Christians, and they remain Christians, but they are God's under-developed children. Children who never experience what they could have experienced. They always miss God's best. Why? They were choked. Choked by worries, anxieties, things they're afraid of. They're choked by chasing what money can buy. They're choked by focusing their energies on their own pleasure, their own feeling good. God has a lot of spiritually anorexic kids. You know that? They have an appetite disorder. They're just not hungry for the Bible any more. They're not hungry for time with Jesus. They're not hungry for church; for spiritual input; for Christian fellowship. They almost go just dutifully. Have you noticed in yourself maybe recently a diminishing desire to get into the Bible; to get with God's people? Oh, you used to have an appetite. Where did it go? Could it be you've been filling up on junk food? Maybe things that aren't wrong in themselves; they're just taking over what you think about and talk about most of the time. An unbalanced interest or concern has taken over and crowded out any room for God's Word in your life. Maybe you've become preoccupied with a hobby, television, the Internet, soap operas, music, maybe a special friend, maybe your car, maybe your house. Maybe God's time in your life, God's voice, God's Word are being choked by something far less important, far less eternal. It's just been crowded out. All your thinking time, all your mentally neutral time is gone. Do you have a spiritual appetite problem? Could it be that some junk food is filling you up? God has so much prepared for you; so much He wants to say to you; so many ways He wants to lighten your load. But you come to the table saying, "I'm not hungry." Next time you're reaching for more mental junk food, reach instead for the banquet of the Bible. Spiritually it is the breakfast, the lunch, and the dinner of champions!

Because we've spent so much time on Indian reservations over the years, the story I heard about one little Native American boy is especially meaningful to me. He lived with his mom in a little hut on a reservation in the Southwest. His dad had died, and that meant the boy had to take responsibility for their sheep at a pretty young age. One day a missionary passed through their village and he explained to the little boy how Jesus Christ died for him and wanted to be his Shepherd. And that day this little shepherd invited Jesus into his heart. As the missionary was about to leave, he asked the boy if he could teach him a Bible verse. The boy said, "I don't think I can remember it." But the missionary gave him just five simple words from the Bible to remember. "The Lord is my Shepherd." But the missionary taught him a little trick for remembering it. He said, "Use the fingers of your right hand to help you remember 'The - Lord - is - my - Shepherd.' And when you get to the fourth word, wrap your left hand around the fourth finger of your right hand. 'The Lord is my Shepherd.'" Well, the boy remembered it - really remembered it - as the missionary would learn when he returned one year later. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Two Words That Decide Eternity." When the missionary revisited that village, he stopped by the hut where the little shepherd boy lived with his mother. He knocked on the door and the mother answered. When the missionary asked for her son, she said, "Oh, you didn't hear? Last winter a sudden blizzard hit us while my boy was out in the hills with the sheep. He didn't make it back. It was three days before they found him frozen to death." The missionary couldn't muster any words except a quiet, "I'm sorry." Then Mom said, "You know, when they found my boy and they brushed all the snow off his body, they discovered something very unusual. His left hand was wrapped around the fourth finger of his right hand." "The Lord is my Shepherd." Is He yours? It's possible that you know about Jesus, that you believe in Jesus, that you go to His meetings, maybe you even do things for Jesus. But somehow, you've never made Him yours. You've never made the Shepherd your Shepherd. You've never made the Savior your Savior. The difference is two little words found in our word for today from the Word of God from Galatians 2:20. "I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." You stand at that cross that you may have known about all your life. You look up at the price the Son of God is paying there. And you say with your heart, "For me. He's dying there for me. It's my sin He's paying for." And then you say, again with all your heart, "Jesus, I'm Yours." If you don't know you've done that, you probably haven't. Because it's a conscious choice. And you need to. Having Jesus in your head will never get you to heaven. He's got to be in your heart. This could be your day to finally move Him from your head to your heart so you don't miss heaven by those 18 inches. Right now, wherever you are, would you talk to Jesus? That tug in your heart? That's not me; that's Him. Maybe you could talk to Him in words something like this: "Lord, I've been running my own life. I resign. I believe that when You died on that cross, You were paying for every one of my sins. And now I'm giving You what You paid for with your life - I'm giving You me." That's the choice that changes everything, including your eternity. I want so much for you to be sure you belong to Him. That's why I'm going to urge you to go to our website, ANewStory.com, because right there you will find the information that will help you secure this relationship and know beyond any shadow of a doubt that now Jesus lives in your heart and you will live in His heaven. Can you say it now? "The Lord is my Shepherd."

Because we've spent so much time on Indian reservations over the years, the story I heard about one little Native American boy is especially meaningful to me. He lived with his mom in a little hut on a reservation in the Southwest. His dad had died, and that meant the boy had to take responsibility for their sheep at a pretty young age. One day a missionary passed through their village and he explained to the little boy how Jesus Christ died for him and wanted to be his Shepherd. And that day this little shepherd invited Jesus into his heart. As the missionary was about to leave, he asked the boy if he could teach him a Bible verse. The boy said, "I don't think I can remember it." But the missionary gave him just five simple words from the Bible to remember. "The Lord is my Shepherd." But the missionary taught him a little trick for remembering it. He said, "Use the fingers of your right hand to help you remember 'The - Lord - is - my - Shepherd.' And when you get to the fourth word, wrap your left hand around the fourth finger of your right hand. 'The Lord is my Shepherd.'" Well, the boy remembered it - really remembered it - as the missionary would learn when he returned one year later. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Two Words That Decide Eternity." When the missionary revisited that village, he stopped by the hut where the little shepherd boy lived with his mother. He knocked on the door and the mother answered. When the missionary asked for her son, she said, "Oh, you didn't hear? Last winter a sudden blizzard hit us while my boy was out in the hills with the sheep. He didn't make it back. It was three days before they found him frozen to death." The missionary couldn't muster any words except a quiet, "I'm sorry." Then Mom said, "You know, when they found my boy and they brushed all the snow off his body, they discovered something very unusual. His left hand was wrapped around the fourth finger of his right hand." "The Lord is my Shepherd." Is He yours? It's possible that you know about Jesus, that you believe in Jesus, that you go to His meetings, maybe you even do things for Jesus. But somehow, you've never made Him yours. You've never made the Shepherd your Shepherd. You've never made the Savior your Savior. The difference is two little words found in our word for today from the Word of God from Galatians 2:20. "I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." You stand at that cross that you may have known about all your life. You look up at the price the Son of God is paying there. And you say with your heart, "For me. He's dying there for me. It's my sin He's paying for." And then you say, again with all your heart, "Jesus, I'm Yours." If you don't know you've done that, you probably haven't. Because it's a conscious choice. And you need to. Having Jesus in your head will never get you to heaven. He's got to be in your heart. This could be your day to finally move Him from your head to your heart so you don't miss heaven by those 18 inches. Right now, wherever you are, would you talk to Jesus? That tug in your heart? That's not me; that's Him. Maybe you could talk to Him in words something like this: "Lord, I've been running my own life. I resign. I believe that when You died on that cross, You were paying for every one of my sins. And now I'm giving You what You paid for with your life - I'm giving You me." That's the choice that changes everything, including your eternity. I want so much for you to be sure you belong to Him. That's why I'm going to urge you to go to our website, ANewStory.com, because right there you will find the information that will help you secure this relationship and know beyond any shadow of a doubt that now Jesus lives in your heart and you will live in His heaven. Can you say it now? "The Lord is my Shepherd."

I imagine it's been a little while since you've asked somebody, "How's your liver today?" I never thought about it until my wife got sick. She had hepatitis, and for many months I learned how vital the liver is; never thought about it before. It's the filtration plant of your body. We've got all kinds of toxic materials pumping into us every day in medicines that we take, and foods that we eat, and our liver keeps those poisons from getting into our blood stream. Now, liver disease like hepatitis or cirrhosis can cripple you or even kill you if the poison can't be filtered. See, it's deadly if the poisons don't get filtered and they get into your blood stream. And there is one toxin that is on the loose, and it has a long history of being a killer. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Poison In the Blood Stream." Now, our word for today from the Word of God is going to come from Matthew 27. I'll begin reading from verse 18. And you are going to see the identification of perhaps one of life's most deadly toxins. We're in the middle of one of history's most ironic and most tragic episodes. Israel's Messiah has come in the person of Jesus Christ, and yet ironically it is the religious leaders who are clamoring to have Him executed. They bring Him to Pilate, because they don't have the authority to put Him to death. And there was a sobering footnote here as He is on trial before Pilate. You may have read past it many times. It's sort of a spiritual EKG that looks inside the human heart; what makes people so mean, so critical, so destructive. And it identifies that awful poison in the human blood stream. Here's what it says in a little footnote to the trial of Jesus. "For Pilate knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him." In the words of the King James Bible, "Out of envy they had delivered Jesus up to him." Oh, they offered a lot of smoke screens; they gave other reasons. A lot of it was spiritual talk. There were religious reasons, and they sounded very, very spiritual about it. But the real issue - bottom line - was envy. Jesus was delivered up because of it, and people are still being delivered up because of envy. The dictionary says that envy is, "A feeling of discontent or jealousy, usually with ill will at seeing another's superiority, advantages or success." You see, envy is a denial of God's faithful provision for His children. It's saying, "You know what? He's got one and I don't. How come? How come I don't have any? It's not fair." And it often causes us to crucify people with religious words of course. But envy is a poison in the blood stream. It always starts with comparing. You can't envy unless you first compare homes, children, or beauty, or opportunities, or clothes, or positions with what somebody else has. Isn't it interesting that one of the Ten Commandments of God is "You shall not covet." And you know what? You'll never covet if you don't compare. It always starts with comparing. Think of someone you've been critical of lately - maybe negative toward them. When they come around you, you start getting some dark feelings. I wonder if you'd be honest enough to examine your motives today. Could it be envy at the root? You've seen what you perceive to be maybe their superiority, or their advantages, or their success. Ask yourself this, "If envy is in my life, Lord, who is the object of it? Envy gets all dressed up, starts to deliver someone up for destruction. It is an ugly poison in the blood stream. Pray for that person that you might be comparing yourself with and envying. Call envy by name, and trust your Shepherd to give you what's right for you. Filter out that poison of envy. It's a killer!

I imagine it's been a little while since you've asked somebody, "How's your liver today?" I never thought about it until my wife got sick. She had hepatitis, and for many months I learned how vital the liver is; never thought about it before. It's the filtration plant of your body. We've got all kinds of toxic materials pumping into us every day in medicines that we take, and foods that we eat, and our liver keeps those poisons from getting into our blood stream. Now, liver disease like hepatitis or cirrhosis can cripple you or even kill you if the poison can't be filtered. See, it's deadly if the poisons don't get filtered and they get into your blood stream. And there is one toxin that is on the loose, and it has a long history of being a killer. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Poison In the Blood Stream." Now, our word for today from the Word of God is going to come from Matthew 27. I'll begin reading from verse 18. And you are going to see the identification of perhaps one of life's most deadly toxins. We're in the middle of one of history's most ironic and most tragic episodes. Israel's Messiah has come in the person of Jesus Christ, and yet ironically it is the religious leaders who are clamoring to have Him executed. They bring Him to Pilate, because they don't have the authority to put Him to death. And there was a sobering footnote here as He is on trial before Pilate. You may have read past it many times. It's sort of a spiritual EKG that looks inside the human heart; what makes people so mean, so critical, so destructive. And it identifies that awful poison in the human blood stream. Here's what it says in a little footnote to the trial of Jesus. "For Pilate knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him." In the words of the King James Bible, "Out of envy they had delivered Jesus up to him." Oh, they offered a lot of smoke screens; they gave other reasons. A lot of it was spiritual talk. There were religious reasons, and they sounded very, very spiritual about it. But the real issue - bottom line - was envy. Jesus was delivered up because of it, and people are still being delivered up because of envy. The dictionary says that envy is, "A feeling of discontent or jealousy, usually with ill will at seeing another's superiority, advantages or success." You see, envy is a denial of God's faithful provision for His children. It's saying, "You know what? He's got one and I don't. How come? How come I don't have any? It's not fair." And it often causes us to crucify people with religious words of course. But envy is a poison in the blood stream. It always starts with comparing. You can't envy unless you first compare homes, children, or beauty, or opportunities, or clothes, or positions with what somebody else has. Isn't it interesting that one of the Ten Commandments of God is "You shall not covet." And you know what? You'll never covet if you don't compare. It always starts with comparing. Think of someone you've been critical of lately - maybe negative toward them. When they come around you, you start getting some dark feelings. I wonder if you'd be honest enough to examine your motives today. Could it be envy at the root? You've seen what you perceive to be maybe their superiority, or their advantages, or their success. Ask yourself this, "If envy is in my life, Lord, who is the object of it? Envy gets all dressed up, starts to deliver someone up for destruction. It is an ugly poison in the blood stream. Pray for that person that you might be comparing yourself with and envying. Call envy by name, and trust your Shepherd to give you what's right for you. Filter out that poison of envy. It's a killer!

"Moon joy." That's what the Artemis commander called the crew's lunar euphoria as they approached the moon. And that was just the beginning. For all their science, for all their simulations, they were almost at a loss for words. The view behind the moon and seeing the Earth left them in awe. And to think - they were looking at one little blue marble in one galaxy. In what is estimated now to be two trillion galaxies! Four people have now traveled farther from our planet than all the billions who have lived on Earth. The commander said "It was the most spectacular moment... It paused all four of us in our tracks." As they got their first full glimpse of their home planet. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The View From the Moon and the Search in Your Heart." We're wow-ed by our sunsets on earth. They got to see an "Earthset" as the earth dropped below the lunar horizon - and a stunning view of the moon eclipsing the sun. Commander Wiseman said, "No matter how long we look at this, our brains are not processing this image in front of us. It is absolutely spectacular. Surreal. I know there's no adjectives. I'm going to need to invent some new ones to describe what we are looking at out this window." Three thousand years ago, the psalmist David seemed to be lost in wonder, too, just viewing the night sky from earth. Here's what he said in our word for today from the Word of God - Psalm 8:3-4. "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is mankind that You are mindful of them, human beings that You care for them?" (Psalm 8:3-4). The wonders of our tiny corner of the cosmos overflow the heart, whether simple or scientific. So what is the word for what we feel in these awe-filled moments that take us beyond ourselves? The word is worship. But, like love, worship is incomplete without an object. "I love" is a nice beginning, but it needs a name after it. So does a heart that is overflowing with feelings of wonder, inspired by the majesty of creation. Creation itself is not enough for a heart in search of somewhere to land our soaring soul. We are reaching for the Source. The sacred Scriptures complete our cosmic soul journey by pointing us to Jesus. The Christ. The Son of God. Colossians 1 says, "For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible... all things have been created through Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:15-16). One crew member said, "You're on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live. You are special." Looking at the cosmos from this "special" place, David marveled that the Creator of it all would be "mindful" of us or "care for" us. This planet is not even a speck in the oceans of galaxies. But it is here that God Almighty chose to make creatures in His own image! Made - and here's what takes my breath away - to have a love relationship with Him! The Son of God Himself came here, to this little planet to make that relationship possible - by dying for the sin that stands between us. The wonders of a space journey to our farthest destination so far have revealed the greater journey of every heart on this planet. To find the One behind the wonders. Who not only created this planet. But who has visited this planet to take us to Him. The wonder of all wonders is that... "God so loved the world!" This world. Our world. Us. And the relationship He made us for is within your reach today if you say, "Jesus, I am Yours from this day forward." If you want that relationship, then our website is for you today, go there. It's ANewStory.com. When you reach for Jesus, the greatest wonder of all is not in the skies. It's in your heart. He's in your heart.

"Moon joy." That's what the Artemis commander called the crew's lunar euphoria as they approached the moon. And that was just the beginning. For all their science, for all their simulations, they were almost at a loss for words. The view behind the moon and seeing the Earth left them in awe. And to think - they were looking at one little blue marble in one galaxy. In what is estimated now to be two trillion galaxies! Four people have now traveled farther from our planet than all the billions who have lived on Earth. The commander said "It was the most spectacular moment... It paused all four of us in our tracks." As they got their first full glimpse of their home planet. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The View From the Moon and the Search in Your Heart." We're wow-ed by our sunsets on earth. They got to see an "Earthset" as the earth dropped below the lunar horizon - and a stunning view of the moon eclipsing the sun. Commander Wiseman said, "No matter how long we look at this, our brains are not processing this image in front of us. It is absolutely spectacular. Surreal. I know there's no adjectives. I'm going to need to invent some new ones to describe what we are looking at out this window." Three thousand years ago, the psalmist David seemed to be lost in wonder, too, just viewing the night sky from earth. Here's what he said in our word for today from the Word of God - Psalm 8:3-4. "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is mankind that You are mindful of them, human beings that You care for them?" (Psalm 8:3-4). The wonders of our tiny corner of the cosmos overflow the heart, whether simple or scientific. So what is the word for what we feel in these awe-filled moments that take us beyond ourselves? The word is worship. But, like love, worship is incomplete without an object. "I love" is a nice beginning, but it needs a name after it. So does a heart that is overflowing with feelings of wonder, inspired by the majesty of creation. Creation itself is not enough for a heart in search of somewhere to land our soaring soul. We are reaching for the Source. The sacred Scriptures complete our cosmic soul journey by pointing us to Jesus. The Christ. The Son of God. Colossians 1 says, "For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible... all things have been created through Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:15-16). One crew member said, "You're on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live. You are special." Looking at the cosmos from this "special" place, David marveled that the Creator of it all would be "mindful" of us or "care for" us. This planet is not even a speck in the oceans of galaxies. But it is here that God Almighty chose to make creatures in His own image! Made - and here's what takes my breath away - to have a love relationship with Him! The Son of God Himself came here, to this little planet to make that relationship possible - by dying for the sin that stands between us. The wonders of a space journey to our farthest destination so far have revealed the greater journey of every heart on this planet. To find the One behind the wonders. Who not only created this planet. But who has visited this planet to take us to Him. The wonder of all wonders is that... "God so loved the world!" This world. Our world. Us. And the relationship He made us for is within your reach today if you say, "Jesus, I am Yours from this day forward." If you want that relationship, then our website is for you today, go there. It's ANewStory.com. When you reach for Jesus, the greatest wonder of all is not in the skies. It's in your heart. He's in your heart.

Certain birthdays are like, you know, special milestones. Every birthday is a milestone, but take 40 for example. For some reason, we sort of enshrine that particular one as a special marking place in your life. And I remember when my wife had her 40th birthday. I'm not going to tell you when that was, but she handled it very well. I mean, she was so cool about it; it was no big deal. I hope when I get to my 40th I'll be able to handle it as well. Well, it wasn't like she had just crossed some great river in her life. Then my 12-year-old son came along a few months later. He said this, "Hey Mom, do you know you've been on earth for 14,662 days?" You put it that way, it takes on a whole different feel. Forty years doesn't sound too bad, but 14,000 plus days? Hello, prehistoric! After he said that I got to thinking about the days that we had with our three children, and you begin to realize how many are gone, and how many are left, and how quickly they slipped away. And you think about kids. They don't think about next year, next month, or next week. It's all about the day isn't it? You know, we need to take a better look at the days we still have; the days that you have. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Capturing Days." Our word for today from the Word of God is found in Ephesians 5. I'm going to begin reading in verse 15. "Be very careful how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." This verse that's in the middle, verse 16, talks about making the most of every opportunity. It's sort of in a sandwich between two verses that have some very intriguing phrases, "Don't live unwisely." Live smart in other words. Don't be foolish. And then it talks about your destiny here on earth - God's will. And it all seems to be wrapped around this phrase, "Making the most of every opportunity." You want to live smart? You want to get God's will? Seize every opportunity. Now, it's no coincidence that the verses that follow this are about family relationships. In fact, in chapter 6, verse 4, only a few verses later, it says this to fathers: "Bring up your children in the training and instruction of the Lord." I think the way you do that is to capture each 24-hour period as another moment to mold the lives of your children and your grandchildren. There's so little time to strengthen them for a world that is so lost. We need to ask ourselves, "Lord, have we touched You together today as a family...me and my kids? Have we talked about where we saw the Lord today in our lives...our God sightings? Have we celebrated how something in the Bible helped us today, or have we prayed about something real and personal together today. Have we explored the Bible together today? Have we gone out to some people in need and done the work of Jesus together? Have we touched each other today? Have we expressed our love for each other today? Have we gotten in touch with what made each other happy today? Have we talked about things that were hurting the other members of our family? See, the greatest classroom our kids will ever experience is the classroom of everyday life - that natural teaching that comes up in the flow of the day. See, by the time you finally have time to do this with the kids, they probably won't. I know one of the greatest burdens of my life is the days we lost. One of the greatest challenges of my life: how do you make the most of the days ahead? It means reordering some priorities; it means leaving time in what tends to be a wall-to-wall schedule, and asking God each morning for the opportunities, the determination, the timing to mark your children for Christ that day. Hey, the days are flying by. Grab each one; capture it for Christ. You can't have any of the days back that are already gone, but you can make the rest of your days the best of your days.

Certain birthdays are like, you know, special milestones. Every birthday is a milestone, but take 40 for example. For some reason, we sort of enshrine that particular one as a special marking place in your life. And I remember when my wife had her 40th birthday. I'm not going to tell you when that was, but she handled it very well. I mean, she was so cool about it; it was no big deal. I hope when I get to my 40th I'll be able to handle it as well. Well, it wasn't like she had just crossed some great river in her life. Then my 12-year-old son came along a few months later. He said this, "Hey Mom, do you know you've been on earth for 14,662 days?" You put it that way, it takes on a whole different feel. Forty years doesn't sound too bad, but 14,000 plus days? Hello, prehistoric! After he said that I got to thinking about the days that we had with our three children, and you begin to realize how many are gone, and how many are left, and how quickly they slipped away. And you think about kids. They don't think about next year, next month, or next week. It's all about the day isn't it? You know, we need to take a better look at the days we still have; the days that you have. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Capturing Days." Our word for today from the Word of God is found in Ephesians 5. I'm going to begin reading in verse 15. "Be very careful how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." This verse that's in the middle, verse 16, talks about making the most of every opportunity. It's sort of in a sandwich between two verses that have some very intriguing phrases, "Don't live unwisely." Live smart in other words. Don't be foolish. And then it talks about your destiny here on earth - God's will. And it all seems to be wrapped around this phrase, "Making the most of every opportunity." You want to live smart? You want to get God's will? Seize every opportunity. Now, it's no coincidence that the verses that follow this are about family relationships. In fact, in chapter 6, verse 4, only a few verses later, it says this to fathers: "Bring up your children in the training and instruction of the Lord." I think the way you do that is to capture each 24-hour period as another moment to mold the lives of your children and your grandchildren. There's so little time to strengthen them for a world that is so lost. We need to ask ourselves, "Lord, have we touched You together today as a family...me and my kids? Have we talked about where we saw the Lord today in our lives...our God sightings? Have we celebrated how something in the Bible helped us today, or have we prayed about something real and personal together today. Have we explored the Bible together today? Have we gone out to some people in need and done the work of Jesus together? Have we touched each other today? Have we expressed our love for each other today? Have we gotten in touch with what made each other happy today? Have we talked about things that were hurting the other members of our family? See, the greatest classroom our kids will ever experience is the classroom of everyday life - that natural teaching that comes up in the flow of the day. See, by the time you finally have time to do this with the kids, they probably won't. I know one of the greatest burdens of my life is the days we lost. One of the greatest challenges of my life: how do you make the most of the days ahead? It means reordering some priorities; it means leaving time in what tends to be a wall-to-wall schedule, and asking God each morning for the opportunities, the determination, the timing to mark your children for Christ that day. Hey, the days are flying by. Grab each one; capture it for Christ. You can't have any of the days back that are already gone, but you can make the rest of your days the best of your days.

Think about what you looked like in seventh grade. You say, “Oh, no! Please, I'd rather not.” Are you thinking, "Man, what a hunk I was! What a Miss America!” Probably not. Our daughter had a funny experience in her senior French class in high school. There was some down time and some girls were comparing their wallet pictures, including our daughter. She had her senior picture and she also had her seventh grade picture. The teacher asked what everybody was laughing at. Now, my daughter has always had a beautiful smile, but I've got to tell you in seventh grade it was decorated with braces. She had glasses. Her hair was kind of kinky and curly, and she looked like a seventh grader. Well, her French teacher looked at that picture next to the very beautiful senior in her graduation picture; no glasses, long hair, carefully curled hair, big, blue eyes not concealed by glasses. And that teacher had a simple two-word reaction. I think it was the French words, “La Miracle!” Well, my daughter was laughing with her friends and her teacher at that seventh grade picture because, it wasn't her anymore. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about “Miraculously Changed.” Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Corinthians 6:9. It starts out with very bad news and ends with some really good news. We read about people with a past here, with a reputation—a record. “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” That's a lot of guilt, a lot of shame, a lot of pain there. But listen to 1 Corinthians 6:11. Stand by for the very good news. “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified.” That means made special again. “You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” People who are cleaned up, made special again, made right with God; only one possible way, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's like my daughter with her seventh grade picture. She couldn't laugh at it when she was that person, but she sure could as a senior because that photo represented who she was then, not now. That's the “la miracle” of being a new creation in Jesus Christ. Here's what the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “When you're in Christ you're a new creation. The old is gone; a new life has begun.” He not only changes your eternal future from hell to heaven and makes your present meaningful and satisfying, but He miraculously makes your past sins irrelevant. It may be that you're sometimes pursued by a past you wish you could do over or erase, but the question is, “Did you honestly bring it to Jesus' cross and repent of it?” Well, if that's so, Acts 3:19 says, “Repent and turn to God and your sins will be wiped away and times of refreshing will come from the Lord.” It's gone! God is treating you as if you're a whole new person. Listen to this: “He carried our sins in His own body on the tree that we might die to sin and live for righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24). He's dealt with your past. It's all paid for on His cross. It's all part of the sorrows He carried and the sin He was crushed for. This very day you can have every one of those sins erased from God's Book if you would come to Jesus and say, “Jesus, you died for my sin, I'm putting my trust in You.” That miracle could take place for you this very day. I would love to show you how. Just go to our website, it's ANewStory.com. You can tear up the old photo. That was you. It won't be you any more because of Jesus.

Think about what you looked like in seventh grade. You say, "Oh, no! Please, I'd rather not." Are you thinking, "Man, what a hunk I was! What a Miss America!" Probably not. Our daughter had a funny experience in her senior French class in high school. There was some down time and some girls were comparing their wallet pictures, including our daughter. She had her senior picture and she also had her seventh grade picture. The teacher asked what everybody was laughing at. Now, my daughter has always had a beautiful smile, but I've got to tell you in seventh grade it was decorated with braces. She had glasses. Her hair was kind of kinky and curly, and she looked like a seventh grader. Well, her French teacher looked at that picture next to the very beautiful senior in her graduation picture; no glasses, long hair, carefully curled hair, big, blue eyes not concealed by glasses. And that teacher had a simple two-word reaction. I think it was the French words, "La Miracle!" Well, my daughter was laughing with her friends and her teacher at that seventh grade picture because, it wasn't her anymore. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Miraculously Changed." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Corinthians 6:9. It starts out with very bad news and ends with some really good news. We read about people with a past here, with a reputation - a record. "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." That's a lot of guilt, a lot of shame, a lot of pain there. But listen to 1 Corinthians 6:11. Stand by for the very good news. "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified." That means made special again. "You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." People who are cleaned up, made special again, made right with God; only one possible way, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's like my daughter with her seventh grade picture. She couldn't laugh at it when she was that person, but she sure could as a senior because that photo represented who she was then, not now. That's the "la miracle" of being a new creation in Jesus Christ. Here's what the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 - "When you're in Christ you're a new creation. The old is gone; a new life has begun." He not only changes your eternal future from hell to heaven and makes your present meaningful and satisfying, but He miraculously makes your past sins irrelevant. It may be that you're sometimes pursued by a past you wish you could do over or erase, but the question is, "Did you honestly bring it to Jesus' cross and repent of it?" Well, if that's so, Acts 3:19 says, "Repent and turn to God and your sins will be wiped away and times of refreshing will come from the Lord." It's gone! God is treating you as if you're a whole new person. Listen to this: "He carried our sins in His own body on the tree that we might die to sin and live for righteousness" (1 Peter 2:24). He's dealt with your past. It's all paid for on His cross. It's all part of the sorrows He carried and the sin He was crushed for. This very day you can have every one of those sins erased from God's Book if you would come to Jesus and say, "Jesus, you died for my sin, I'm putting my trust in You." That miracle could take place for you this very day. I would love to show you how. Just go to our website - it's ANewStory.com. You can tear up the old photo. That was you. It won't be you any more because of Jesus.

There are few words that strike fear into the heart of a student like the word “test.” Now, I'm informed that some are to be feared more than others. For example, an essay test is a 10 on the anxiety scale. You have to know your stuff. True and false, well, that's not as bad. And multiple choice, oh man, that seems to be especially popular among students. See, there's the right answer right in front of you; just pick the right one. Now, occasionally multiple choice tests are complicated by those confusing words: All of the above, or none of the above, which makes it a little tougher. Actually, academic tests are pretty good preparation for the real test that you take for the rest of your life. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about “When Marriage Is a Multiple Choice Test.” Now, when you go into training on how to counsel people, one of the first things they'll tell you is to ask this question when you're counseling someone, “What are all your options?” And I've often done that when I've tried to help someone…to list all of the choices that they have in a given situation. So, get your multiple choices right in front of you. It's especially good advice when it's your marriage that's being tested. And, by the way, every marriage is tested some time or another. Maybe it happens in all those expectations you had, or suddenly confronted with the reality and what you expected him or her to be, or what you expected marriage to be. Well, reality is almost always different. And maybe that's hitting you. There's conflict that doesn't seem to be resolved. Maybe there are secrets about your spouse that you never realized before like you do now. Maybe you've been very wounded by this one who's closest to you. Or communication is like totally broken down. Maybe your mate is very busy and you're very lonely. Maybe you've even been violated by the ugliness of unfaithfulness. But when your marriage is hurting, what are your choices? Well our word for today from the Word of God is in Malachi 2:13. “Another thing you do…” God says, “…you flood the Lord's altar with tears. You weep and wail because He no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, ‘Why?' It is because the Lord is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you've broken faith with her. Though she is your partner—the wife of your marriage covenant. Has not the Lord made them one? Do not break faith with the wife of your youth. “I hate divorce”, says the Lord God.” Now, in a world where divorce is considered one of your multiple choices, God says, “I hate divorce.” He doesn't say, “I hate divorced people.” He says, “I hate divorce.” One of the most important choices my wife and I ever made was this: Divorce is not and never will be one of our options. You know what effect that has in a marriage? All your energy goes into fighting for your marriage. It's like a house you know you're going to stay in for the rest of your life. You put all your energy into making that one work and fixing it up. None of your energy should be converted into considering a divorce possibility. As soon as you acknowledge that possibility, you make it much more likely. Now, there are a lot of multiple choices: To pray in faith that God will change things, to seek counsel, to talk to other couples, to schedule time to talk it through, to fight it through, to admit you've been wrong, to choose to forgive. But it strengthens that marriage to eliminate ending that marriage as an option. Now, while the Christian world opens the door wider and wider for believers to choose divorce, God hasn't changed. He still hates divorce. Again, not divorced people. When marriage becomes a multiple choice test, use every choice there is to fight for your marriage. And don't divert energy into how to end it. Jesus' first miracle was at a wedding, and He's still doing marriage miracles.

There are few words that strike fear into the heart of a student like the word "test." Now, I'm informed that some are to be feared more than others. For example, an essay test is a 10 on the anxiety scale. You have to know your stuff. True and false, well, that's not as bad. And multiple choice, oh man, that seems to be especially popular among students. See, there's the right answer right in front of you; just pick the right one. Now, occasionally multiple choice tests are complicated by those confusing words: All of the above, or none of the above, which makes it a little tougher. Actually, academic tests are pretty good preparation for the real test that you take for the rest of your life. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "When Marriage Is a Multiple Choice Test." Now, when you go into training on how to counsel people, one of the first things they'll tell you is to ask this question when you're counseling someone, "What are all your options?" And I've often done that when I've tried to help someone...to list all of the choices that they have in a given situation. So, get your multiple choices right in front of you. It's especially good advice when it's your marriage that's being tested. And, by the way, every marriage is tested some time or another. Maybe it happens in all those expectations you had, or suddenly confronted with the reality and what you expected him or her to be, or what you expected marriage to be. Well, reality is almost always different. And maybe that's hitting you. There's conflict that doesn't seem to be resolved. Maybe there are secrets about your spouse that you never realized before like you do now. Maybe you've been very wounded by this one who's closest to you. Or communication is like totally broken down. Maybe your mate is very busy and you're very lonely. Maybe you've even been violated by the ugliness of unfaithfulness. But when your marriage is hurting, what are your choices? Well our word for today from the Word of God is in Malachi 2, beginning in verse 13. "Another thing you do..." God says, "...you flood the Lord's altar with tears. You weep and wail because He no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, 'Why?' It is because the Lord is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you've broken faith with her. Though she is your partner - the wife of your marriage covenant. Has not the Lord made them one? Do not break faith with the wife of your youth. "I hate divorce," says the Lord God." Now, in a world where divorce is considered one of your multiple choices, God says, "I hate divorce." He doesn't say, "I hate divorced people." He says, "I hate divorce." One of the most important choices my wife and I ever made was this: Divorce is not and never will be one of our options. You know what effect that has in a marriage? All your energy goes into fighting for your marriage. It's like a house you know you're going to stay in for the rest of your life. You put all your energy into making that one work and fixing it up. None of your energy should be converted into considering a divorce possibility. As soon as you acknowledge that possibility, you make it much more likely. Now, there are a lot of multiple choices: To pray in faith that God will change things, to seek counsel, to talk to other couples, to schedule time to talk it through, to fight it through, to admit you've been wrong, to choose to forgive. But it strengthens that marriage to eliminate ending that marriage as an option. Now, while the Christian world opens the door wider and wider for believers to choose divorce, God hasn't changed. He still hates divorce. Again, not divorced people. When marriage becomes a multiple choice test, use every choice there is to fight for your marriage. And don't divert energy into how to end it. Jesus' first miracle was at a wedding, and He's still doing marriage miracles.

Rwanda – It was the centerpiece of a lot of news attention back in 1994. Bloody civil war; tens of thousands of Rwandans were slaughtered there. There were nightly images of emaciated refugees, dying of disease, dying of starvation. And children; oh, you just couldn't forget the children. Many of those kids had lost everything in the carnage. Billy Graham's son, Franklin Graham, took a medical team to try to help there, and I heard him tell about one little girl he said he could never forget, and I don't think I will. He was in this rebel camp and he was walking by an army truck. He noticed this one little girl sitting in the back of it and she was just rocking back and forth, and she was singing something very softly but in a language Franklin couldn't understand. There was a soldier standing by there paying no attention to the girl, and Franklin said, “What happened to this little girl?” And he said, “Oh, the same as all the others. She's got nobody left.” Franklin said, “Well, would you do me one more favor? Would you tell me what she's singing?” The soldier seemed a little annoyed, but he listened for a minute and he said, “Yeah, it's…” Then he went on to translate it. When he translated the song, it was clear that this little Rwandan orphan hadn't lost everything. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about “Unloseable.” The soldier, after hearing this song sung by that little Rwandan orphan girl said, “Yeah, it's something about Jesus loving her.” Franklin said, “Is it Jesus Loves Me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so?” “Yeah, yeah, that's it.” With her world torn apart, with every human who loved her gone, this precious little victim had one unloseable relationship. Do you? They couldn't take Jesus away from her. Our word for today from the Word of God - Romans chapter 8. It begins by talking about the worst things that could happen to you in your life, and in verse 37 it says, “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor demons, nothing in the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” A love you can never lose; a love that will never lose you. Jesus is the unloseable person we've looked for all our lives. Actually we're built to belong to our Creator. If it weren't for Jesus, we would never have the possibility of that heart-satisfying relationship because of the gap between God and us. It's called sin. That's basically the self-rule of our lives. It could be summed up in those words “I did it my way.” So the God that we're built by and for is out of our reach until that sin bill is paid. Talk about love! God's only Son came to remove the only thing that could keep us from His love - the death penalty for our sin. From the moment you say, “Jesus, I'm putting my total trust in you and what you did on the cross for me” you belong to God. You always will. Nothing in heaven, nothing in hell, nothing on earth can end that relationship. God has guaranteed it. Quite some time ago, my wife and I spent a week at a little house at the Jersey shore; it was like a mini-honeymoon. And two weeks later she came down with a life-threatening case of hepatitis. I'll never forget the night when she almost died. I realized that this one person who would never choose to leave me might not have any choice about it that night. I'm so grateful God spared her. But that night I realized that the closest thing I have on earth to an unloseable person is loseable. But you know what? Since that day, came the day that I did lose her. But I was still able to sing “Jesus loves me, this I know.” I hope you can too. You probably never thought you'd learn anything from a little Rwandan orphan girl, but she was hanging on to Jesus with all her heart. Maybe it's time for you to do that. I'd love to help you know how. Join me at our website AnewStory.com. Isn't it time you grabbed Jesus' hand? Because that's the only hand that won't ever let you go.

Rwanda - it was the centerpiece of a lot of news attention back in 1994. Bloody civil war; tens of thousands of Rwandans were slaughtered there. There were nightly images of emaciated refugees, dying of disease, dying of starvation. And children; oh, you just couldn't forget the children. Many of those kids had lost everything in the carnage. Billy Graham's son, Franklin Graham, took a medical team to try to help there, and I heard him tell about one little girl he said he could never forget, and I don't think I will. He was in this rebel camp and he was walking by an army truck. He noticed this one little girl sitting in the back of it and she was just rocking back and forth, and she was singing something very softly but in a language Franklin couldn't understand. There was a soldier standing by there paying no attention to the girl, and Franklin said, "What happened to this little girl?" And he said, "Oh, the same as all the others. She's got nobody left." Franklin said, "Well, would you do me one more favor? Would you tell me what she's singing?" The soldier seemed a little annoyed, but he listened for a minute and he said, "Yeah, it's..." Then he went on to translate it. When he translated the song, it was clear that this little Rwandan orphan hadn't lost everything. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Unloseable." The soldier, after hearing this song sung by that little Rwandan orphan girl said, "Yeah, it's something about Jesus loving her." Franklin said, "Is it Jesus Loves Me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so?" "Yeah, yeah, that's it." With her world torn apart, with every human who loved her gone, this precious little victim had one unloseable relationship. Do you? They couldn't take Jesus away from her. Our word for today from the Word of God - Romans 8. It begins by talking about the worst things that could happen to you in your life, and in verse 37 it says, "We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor demons, nothing in the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." A love you can never lose; a love that will never lose you. Jesus is the unloseable person we've looked for all our lives. Actually we're built to belong to our Creator. If it weren't for Jesus, we would never have the possibility of that heart-satisfying relationship because of the gap between God and us. It's called sin. That's basically the self-rule of our lives. It could be summed up in those words "I did it my way." So the God that we're built by and for is out of our reach until that sin bill is paid. Talk about love! God's only Son came to remove the only thing that could keep us from His love - the death penalty for our sin. From the moment you say, "Jesus, I'm putting my total trust in you and what you did on the cross for me" you belong to God. You always will. Nothing in heaven, nothing in hell, nothing on earth can end that relationship. God has guaranteed it. Quite some time ago, my wife and I spent a week at a little house at the Jersey shore; it was like a mini-honeymoon. And two weeks later she came down with a life-threatening case of hepatitis. I'll never forget the night when she almost died. I realized that this one person who would never choose to leave me might not have any choice about it that night. I'm so grateful God spared her. But that night I realized that the closest thing I have on earth to an unloseable person is loseable. But you know what? Since that day, came the day that I did lose her. But I was still able to sing "Jesus loves me, this I know." I hope you can too. You probably never thought you'd learn anything from a little Rwandan orphan girl, but she was hanging on to Jesus with all her heart. Maybe it's time for you to do that. I'd love to help you know how. Join me at our website ANewStory.com. Isn't it time you grabbed Jesus' hand? Because that's the only hand that won't ever let you go.

The great Bible teacher, Dr. Harry Ironside, used to tell a story about a man who lived in a small country town in England. One day, he went to London where he would need to stay for several days. He was glad to be there on a Sunday because that gave him an opportunity to hear some of the great preachers of his day. He wrote home to his wife, and he said: “Last Sunday morning I went to hear Dr. Crandle, and in the evening I went to the Metropolitan Tabernacle to hear Charles Spurgeon. I was so greatly impressed by both of them. Dr. Crandle is certainly a great preacher, but Mr. Spurgeon has a great Savior.” I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about “Dethroning Me.” So who are people impressed with after they have been with you? Are they impressed with you, or are they impressed with your Jesus? In many ways, that's the measure of the authenticity and the impact of your life. There have been few more brilliant, more gifted men to walk this planet than the great Apostle Paul. But he didn't want people thinking about him. He wanted to leave people thinking about Jesus. He says so in our word for today from the Word of God in 2 Corinthians 4:5, “We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.” He's saying it's not about us, folks. It's all about Jesus. And that's a relief! I'm guessing there are some people close to you who do not have a relationship with Jesus and therefore they have no hope of heaven because they don't have Him. And there are probably some of them at least who you've never told about what Jesus did for them, and I bet I can guess why. That would be one word—fear. Am I right? Fear of what they'll think, fear for your relationship or your position, fear of messing it up, or fear of rejection. All the fears that keep us from telling about Jesus have one thing in common. They're all about me. They might reject me, they might think less of me, or I might mess it up. We trip over our preoccupation with ourselves and we never get to the people whose eternity depends on them hearing about our Jesus. But it's not about me. “We preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord.” It's all about Jesus. That's why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:2, “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” There it is, Jesus and His cross. That's your message. Knowing what Jesus did for them on the cross—that's really the only impression that matters. So, don't encumber the simplicity of that glorious Good News with other things like church, religion, cultural issues, politics, lifestyle issues. There's no point in attacking the lost lifestyle of a person who's lost! “What a surprise! Wow, they're acting lost!” Well they need a Savior. Let's focus on that! There's something very wrong if you're using Jesus to make a name for yourself or to impress other people with you. You are actually hijacking His glory. And there's something wrong if you're not telling people about Jesus because of something about you. It's not who's doing the telling that's the issue; it's who you're telling about—the One who offers the greatest love in the world. Just take them to the cross and show them that. He offers them the greatest power in the world. Take them to that empty tomb and show them that. He'll give you the words. He'll give you the opportunity, and He is your message. So make Jesus the subject. Keep Jesus the subject. Don't let religion become the subject, because Jesus made this awesome promise. He said, “When I am lifted up…I will draw all men to myself” (John 12:32).

The great Bible teacher, Dr. Harry Ironside, used to tell a story about a man who lived in a small country town in England. One day, he went to London where he would need to stay for several days. He was glad to be there on a Sunday because that gave him an opportunity to hear some of the great preachers of his day. He wrote home to his wife, and he said: "Last Sunday morning I went to hear Dr. Crandle, and in the evening I went to the Metropolitan Tabernacle to hear Charles Spurgeon. I was so greatly impressed by both of them. Dr. Crandle is certainly a great preacher, but Mr. Spurgeon has a great Savior." I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Dethroning Me." So who are people impressed with after they have been with you? Are they impressed with you, or are they impressed with your Jesus? In many ways, that's the measure of the authenticity and the impact of your life. There have been few more brilliant, more gifted men to walk this planet than the great Apostle Paul. But he didn't want people thinking about him. He wanted to leave people thinking about Jesus. He says so in our word for today from the Word of God in 2 Corinthians 4:5, "We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." He's saying it's not about us, folks. It's all about Jesus. And that's a relief! I'm guessing there are some people close to you who do not have a relationship with Jesus and therefore they have no hope of heaven because they don't have Him. And there are probably some of them at least who you've never told about what Jesus did for them, and I bet I can guess why. That would be one word - fear. Am I right? Fear of what they'll think, fear for your relationship or your position, fear of messing it up, or fear of rejection. All the fears that keep us from telling about Jesus have one thing in common. They're all about me. They might reject me, they might think less of me, or I might mess it up. We trip over our preoccupation with ourselves and we never get to the people whose eternity depends on them hearing about our Jesus. But it's not about me. "We preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord." It's all about Jesus. That's why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:2, "I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." There it is, Jesus and His cross. That's your message. Knowing what Jesus did for them on the cross - that's really the only impression that matters. So, don't encumber the simplicity of that glorious Good News with other things like church, religion, cultural issues, politics, lifestyle issues. There's no point in attacking the lost lifestyle of a person who's lost! "What a surprise! Wow, they're acting lost!" Well they need a Savior. Let's focus on that! There's something very wrong if you're using Jesus to make a name for yourself or to impress other people with you. You are actually hijacking His glory. And there's something wrong if you're not telling people about Jesus because of something about you. It's not who's doing the telling that's the issue; it's who you're telling about - the One who offers the greatest love in the world. Just take them to the cross and show them that. He offers them the greatest power in the world. Take them to that empty tomb and show them that. He'll give you the words. He'll give you the opportunity, and He is your message. So make Jesus the subject. Keep Jesus the subject. Don't let religion become the subject, because Jesus made this awesome promise. He said, "When I am lifted up...I will draw all men to myself" (John 12:32).

We kept two special remembrances of our wedding. One was a piece of wedding cake that we froze; the other was a recording of the ceremony. The recording was a much better idea than the cake. We ate the cake on our first wedding anniversary. You've heard of chocolate cake; this was more like chalk cake. But oh, the recording, now that was a great idea. In fact, often on our wedding anniversary we have replayed it. We relive that wonderful day that our marriage began. I know some couples go beyond that. They actually dust off the old wedding dress and reconvene what's left of the wedding party, and it's good for a couple to remember that wedding day. Don't you think? It's good to remember where it all began isn't it? In any important relationship a trip back to the beginning can rekindle the spark. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Back to Where It Started." Well, our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Corinthians 11, and I'm going to begin reading at verse 23. As we read, notice that there is a place that Jesus knew we would often need to visit. I think you'll find these words familiar, "For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same way, after supper He took the cup saying, 'This cup is the New Covenant in My blood; do this whenever you drink it in remembrance of Me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.'" You've heard that before, right? It's the Lord's Supper passage many churches would say - communion. And Jesus said the point of it all was "remember Me" and "remember My cross." In other words, I believe the Lord is saying to us that we often need to return to the place where it all began. To be sure, the practice of communion or the Lord's Supper, some call it the Eucharist is established in this passage, but it goes beyond that practice. It also establishes a principle that we need to frequently visit the cross where we were bought and paid for. And He established this way of remembering Him to make sure that we do because He knows our tendency to forget. Now, remembering the price that was paid for us can happen at the Lord's Supper, and it should. But it can happen in your bedroom or your study, as you let yourself wander mentally, spiritually, emotionally to the foot of your Lord's cross. You can visit the cross while you're driving or walking alone. At a time of great guilt, visit the cross. At a time of great doubt, of great pain you visit the cross and you again look into the eyes of that One who is agonizing under the weight of your sin. The hymn writer wrote these words: "Beneath the cross of Jesus, my eyes at times can see the very dying form of One who suffered there for me. And from my smitten heart with tears to wonders I confess the glories of His wondrous love and my unworthiness." You see, at the cross you realize how serious your sin; the sin you've been trying to justify. You realize how forgiven you are; how loved you are. You strip away all those meetings, and responsibilities, and creeds, and rules, and you realize that Christianity really boils down to two people: Jesus dying for you and you at the foot of His cross. And it clarifies everything. It could be that there's never been a moment when you've been to that cross and said the two words that are the difference between an eternity in heaven and an eternity in hell, "For me. You're doing this for me, aren't You?" I would invite you today to tell Him, "Jesus, beginning today I'm Yours." And go to our website where you'll find out how to be sure you belong to Jesus Christ. That website is ANewStory.com. Visit the sacred spot of the cross often. You'll come away different every time that you go back to the place where it all began.

We kept two special remembrances of our wedding. One was a piece of wedding cake that we froze; the other was a recording of the ceremony. The recording was a much better idea than the cake. We ate the cake on our first wedding anniversary. You've heard of chocolate cake; this was more like chalk cake. But oh, the recording, now that was a great idea. In fact, often on our wedding anniversary we have replayed it. We relive that wonderful day that our marriage began. I know some couples go beyond that. They actually dust off the old wedding dress and reconvene what's left of the wedding party, and it's good for a couple to remember that wedding day. Don't you think? It's good to remember where it all began isn't it? In any important relationship a trip back to the beginning can rekindle the spark. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Back to Where It Started." Well, our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Corinthians 11, and I'm going to begin reading at verse 23. As we read, notice that there is a place that Jesus knew we would often need to visit. I think you'll find these words familiar, "For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same way, after supper He took the cup saying, 'This cup is the New Covenant in My blood; do this whenever you drink it in remembrance of Me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.'" You've heard that before, right? It's the Lord's Supper passage many churches would say - communion. And Jesus said the point of it all was "remember Me" and "remember My cross." In other words, I believe the Lord is saying to us that we often need to return to the place where it all began. To be sure, the practice of communion or the Lord's Supper, some call it the Eucharist is established in this passage, but it goes beyond that practice. It also establishes a principle that we need to frequently visit the cross where we were bought and paid for. And He established this way of remembering Him to make sure that we do because He knows our tendency to forget. Now, remembering the price that was paid for us can happen at the Lord's Supper, and it should. But it can happen in your bedroom or your study, as you let yourself wander mentally, spiritually, emotionally to the foot of your Lord's cross. You can visit the cross while you're driving or walking alone. At a time of great guilt, visit the cross. At a time of great doubt, of great pain you visit the cross and you again look into the eyes of that One who is agonizing under the weight of your sin. The hymn writer wrote these words: "Beneath the cross of Jesus, my eyes at times can see the very dying form of One who suffered there for me. And from my smitten heart with tears to wonders I confess the glories of His wondrous love and my unworthiness." You see, at the cross you realize how serious your sin; the sin you've been trying to justify. You realize how forgiven you are; how loved you are. You strip away all those meetings, and responsibilities, and creeds, and rules, and you realize that Christianity really boils down to two people: Jesus dying for you and you at the foot of His cross. And it clarifies everything. It could be that there's never been a moment when you've been to that cross and said the two words that are the difference between an eternity in heaven and an eternity in hell, "For me. You're doing this for me, aren't You?" I would invite you today to tell Him, "Jesus, beginning today I'm Yours." And go to our website where you'll find out how to be sure you belong to Jesus Christ. That website is ANewStory.com. Visit the sacred spot of the cross often. You'll come away different every time that you go back to the place where it all began.

We have one of our staff who has a pretty regular assignment. That is, show up at the post office every morning. Yeah. The one who goes there is a pretty familiar figure. They know about what time to expect our person to come in, and they know it's important. See, the orders are, "Don't stop at the office. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Go straight to our post office box." See, that daily trip to the post office is really our lifeline. He checks the box and there we find the contributions that really keep us going, very important communications, maybe answers we're looking for. And I'll tell you what, if he's sick, we'll send somebody else over there first thing in the morning. We are dependent on that daily pickup. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Don't Miss Today's Message." Now, our word for today from the Word of God is actually written by a prophet who's in the pits. Now, you didn't know prophets got in the pits. Well, you thought they were on top of everything all the time? No, the neat thing is that the heroes of the Bible have their down days. And I'm so glad, because so do I; so do you. Lamentations...now how do you like that for the name of a book written by a prophet? Right away you know the fellow's not feeling too good. Lamentations 3, and listen to the mood he's in as I begin verse 19. "I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me." I think in Hebrew that means, "In the pits." Right? "This I call to mind and therefore I have hope." What do you call to mind, Jeremiah? Well, here's what he says. "Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, For His compassions never fail." Now, get this. "They are new every morning." And then you remember that hymn that comes from these words, Great Is Your Faithfulness. Do you know what the margin of survival is when you're overwhelmed, when the pressure's coming at you, when your feelings are at low ebb? He says, "It is the Lord's compassions..." and notice "...new every morning." Now, it may be that you're limping along right now because you have started too many days without checking your box. I mean to fill up with today's special strength, with today's special love, with today's special words from His book for this day and all of its needs. Richard Foster, the author of Celebration of Discipline, writes that when he prays, he likes to pray palms up/palms down. He puts his palms down first of all to empty out all of yesterday, and then he prays with his palms up to get all that God has to give him that he's going to need for that day. That's a pretty good idea, dropping yesterday's accumulation; receiving today's strength. And the key words are "every morning." We live life, not as years, not months, not weeks. We live days. That's why a once a week fill up won't do it, or some occasional spiritual highs. We're wired for an every morning relationship. The alternative is a growing mountain of stress, and frustration, and paralysis, frayed nerves, frayed relationships. See, it's possible to go through a daily Bible reading and prayer ritual without picking up the Lord's love for that day. I'm talking here about having a transaction with Him each new morning. Like our staff person going to the post office, your first responsibility of the day is to stop and see what's come from God for you for that day. There will always be what you need if you stop to pick it up before you rush into your day. Your Father has something special to give you for this day. So, don't forget to check your box.

We have one of our staff who has a pretty regular assignment. That is, show up at the post office every morning. Yeah. The one who goes there is a pretty familiar figure. They know about what time to expect our person to come in, and they know it's important. See, the orders are, "Don't stop at the office. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Go straight to our post office box." See, that daily trip to the post office is really our lifeline. He checks the box and there we find the contributions that really keep us going, very important communications, maybe answers we're looking for. And I'll tell you what, if he's sick, we'll send somebody else over there first thing in the morning. We are dependent on that daily pickup. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Don't Miss Today's Message." Now, our word for today from the Word of God is actually written by a prophet who's in the pits. Now, you didn't know prophets got in the pits. Well, you thought they were on top of everything all the time? No, the neat thing is that the heroes of the Bible have their down days. And I'm so glad, because so do I; so do you. Lamentations...now how do you like that for the name of a book written by a prophet? Right away you know the fellow's not feeling too good. Lamentations 3, and listen to the mood he's in as I begin verse 19. "I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me." I think in Hebrew that means, "In the pits." Right? "This I call to mind and therefore I have hope." What do you call to mind, Jeremiah? Well, here's what he says. "Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, For His compassions never fail." Now, get this. "They are new every morning." And then you remember that hymn that comes from these words, Great Is Your Faithfulness. Do you know what the margin of survival is when you're overwhelmed, when the pressure's coming at you, when your feelings are at low ebb? He says, "It is the Lord's compassions..." and notice "...new every morning." Now, it may be that you're limping along right now because you have started too many days without checking your box. I mean to fill up with today's special strength, with today's special love, with today's special words from His book for this day and all of its needs. Richard Foster, the author of Celebration of Discipline, writes that when he prays, he likes to pray palms up/palms down. He puts his palms down first of all to empty out all of yesterday, and then he prays with his palms up to get all that God has to give him that he's going to need for that day. That's a pretty good idea, dropping yesterday's accumulation; receiving today's strength. And the key words are "every morning." We live life, not as years, not months, not weeks. We live days. That's why a once a week fill up won't do it, or some occasional spiritual highs. We're wired for an every morning relationship. The alternative is a growing mountain of stress, and frustration, and paralysis, frayed nerves, frayed relationships. See, it's possible to go through a daily Bible reading and prayer ritual without picking up the Lord's love for that day. I'm talking here about having a transaction with Him each new morning. Like our staff person going to the post office, your first responsibility of the day is to stop and see what's come from God for you for that day. There will always be what you need if you stop to pick it up before you rush into your day. Your Father has something special to give you for this day. So, don't forget to check your box.

April 3, 2026 Write your description her Twenty-three marks on the wall of his four-by-four prison cell told the story. It had just been three weeks since the soldiers captured him - the number one name on the Most Wanted List - at a local bar and they hauled him into this cell. The charges were robbery, treason, and murder. Day 23 was going to be just another day there, or so he thought until he heard the growing sounds of that angry mob outside the window above him. He managed to grab the bars on the window and pull himself up high enough to hear what the crowd was screaming. It was a combination of shock and fear that swept over him when he heard they were shouting his name! "Give us Ba-rabbas! Give us Ba-rabbas!" Then the chant gradually began to change. Now they were shouting with this bloodthirsty anger, "Cru-ci-fy him! Cru-ci-fy him!" Barabbas slumped to the floor. He couldn't believe it. He'd been their hero, but now they were calling for his execution by the most brutal means of execution ever devised - death on a cross. Within minutes, five soldiers were dragging him, kicking and screaming down the corridor, up the stone steps, and to another door. They flung the door open, pushed him through it, and slammed the door behind him. It took a little while for him to realize where he was. He was out on the cobblestone street of Jerusalem. He was free! Before reality could fully dawn on Barabbas, the door behind him opened again. He literally had to roll out of the way to keep from being trampled by this angry crowd pushing their way through with a bare-backed, bleeding man in the middle of them. As Barabbas plastered himself against the wall of that narrow street, he could see that man's back had been so brutally beaten it was like one gaping wound, exposing tissue and bone everywhere. Barabbas' first instinct was to run while he could, but he didn't. He followed that crowd all the way up to that skull-shaped hill just outside the city, where from a distance, he heard the hammer and the spikes that the heartless executioners of Rome were driving into that man's hands and feet. It turned dark as night in the middle of the day and the skies opened up with a deluge of rain. Curious spectators just began to drift away. Finally, Barabbas felt safe enough to walk slowly to the top of Skull Hill, with his head covered. It was as if there was a magnet pulling him toward the man hanging on that middle cross between two other dying criminals. Barabbas had heard the man say from that cross, "Father, forgive them." He'd heard many things at crucifixions. He'd heard cursing, and screaming, and threatening, but never "forgive." He now could recognize the face that was beaten almost beyond recognition. It was Jesus - the man who had done no wrong, whose only crime was to love those that no one else cared about. And in that moment Barabbas found himself looking up into the eyes of that man on the middle cross and saying aloud, "Jesus, you don't deserve to be there, I do. But because You're dying there, I don't have to die." I could walk up to the cross where Jesus died and say that, and so could you. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You on this Good Friday about "When Good Friday Gets Personal." I don't know if Barabbas ever really made it to the cross, but I do know that getting to that cross to have your sins forgiven is your only hope of heaven. Our word for today from the Word of God is in Galatians 2:20, and it simply says, "The Son of God...loved me and gave Himself for me." If you've never been to Jesus' cross and said those words, "For me. You're dying for me," this could be your personal Jesus-day. When you tell Him you are His, when every wrong thing you've ever done will be erased from God's book, because the blood shed on that cross was shed to pay for it. And when you trade hell for heaven this very day, would you tell Him, "Jesus, you're dying for what I've done. And today I am yours." And then, would you make a trip to our website? It's ANewStory.com. I want to help you today be sure you've crossed over from death to life. Good Friday - Jesus died for your sin today so you don't have to.

Twenty-three marks on the wall of his four-by-four prison cell told the story. It had just been three weeks since the soldiers captured him - the number one name on the Most Wanted List - at a local bar and they hauled him into this cell. The charges were robbery, treason, and murder. Day 23 was going to be just another day there, or so he thought until he heard the growing sounds of that angry mob outside the window above him. He managed to grab the bars on the window and pull himself up high enough to hear what the crowd was screaming. It was a combination of shock and fear that swept over him when he heard they were shouting his name! "Give us Ba-rabbas! Give us Ba-rabbas!" Then the chant gradually began to change. Now they were shouting with this bloodthirsty anger, "Cru-ci-fy him! Cru-ci-fy him!" Barabbas slumped to the floor. He couldn't believe it. He'd been their hero, but now they were calling for his execution by the most brutal means of execution ever devised - death on a cross. Within minutes, five soldiers were dragging him, kicking and screaming down the corridor, up the stone steps, and to another door. They flung the door open, pushed him through it, and slammed the door behind him. It took a little while for him to realize where he was. He was out on the cobblestone street of Jerusalem. He was free! Before reality could fully dawn on Barabbas, the door behind him opened again. He literally had to roll out of the way to keep from being trampled by this angry crowd pushing their way through with a bare-backed, bleeding man in the middle of them. As Barabbas plastered himself against the wall of that narrow street, he could see that man's back had been so brutally beaten it was like one gaping wound, exposing tissue and bone everywhere. Barabbas' first instinct was to run while he could, but he didn't. He followed that crowd all the way up to that skull-shaped hill just outside the city, where from a distance, he heard the hammer and the spikes that the heartless executioners of Rome were driving into that man's hands and feet. It turned dark as night in the middle of the day and the skies opened up with a deluge of rain. Curious spectators just began to drift away. Finally, Barabbas felt safe enough to walk slowly to the top of Skull Hill, with his head covered. It was as if there was a magnet pulling him toward the man hanging on that middle cross between two other dying criminals. Barabbas had heard the man say from that cross, "Father, forgive them." He'd heard many things at crucifixions. He'd heard cursing, and screaming, and threatening, but never "forgive." He now could recognize the face that was beaten almost beyond recognition. It was Jesus - the man who had done no wrong, whose only crime was to love those that no one else cared about. And in that moment Barabbas found himself looking up into the eyes of that man on the middle cross and saying aloud, "Jesus, you don't deserve to be there, I do. But because You're dying there, I don't have to die." I could walk up to the cross where Jesus died and say that, and so could you. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You on this Good Friday about "When Good Friday Gets Personal." I don't know if Barabbas ever really made it to the cross, but I do know that getting to that cross to have your sins forgiven is your only hope of heaven. Our word for today from the Word of God is in Galatians 2:20, and it simply says, "The Son of God...loved me and gave Himself for me." If you've never been to Jesus' cross and said those words, "For me. You're dying for me," this could be your personal Jesus-day. When you tell Him you are His, when every wrong thing you've ever done will be erased from God's book, because the blood shed on that cross was shed to pay for it. And when you trade hell for heaven this very day, would you tell Him, "Jesus, you're dying for what I've done. And today I am yours." And then, would you make a trip to our website? It's ANewStory.com. I want to help you today be sure you've crossed over from death to life. Good Friday - Jesus died for your sin today so you don't have to.

April 2, 2026 When we finally graduate from childhood to grownup hood, we trade in some simple games for some complicated games. You know, once you get bigger, you have to learn all the rules of football, baseball, and basketball. And they can get pretty complicated. But I remember some of those uncomplicated games I played when I was little, like dive bomber. Yeah, simple rules. All you had to do was come in with your arm extended and knock the hat off the other guys head. That was pretty simple rules. Oh yeah, and try not to knock off the head with the hat. And then we played keep away. That was pretty simple. Keep throwing the ball back and forth and keep it away from the guy in the middle. That was easy. And dodgeball, Did you ever play dodgeball? You know, we'd play dodgeball when a bunch of us guys would get together and we had a good sized ball. And the object of the game was very simple. When another guy tried to throw that ball at you, you just tried to dodge it. In fact, we boys got pretty good at dodging. In fact, some of us still are. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Men Who Run." Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from Genesis 3, and I'm going to be reading from verses 7-10. It really introduces us to an interesting and often frustrating trait in a man, especially if you happen to be a woman. It's a trait that goes all the way back. Listen to this scene from the Garden of Eden, "Then the eyes of both Adam and Eve were opened and they realized they were naked. So, they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. The Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?' He answered, 'I heard You in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.'" Now, it's interesting. When God came to talk after that first sin, Adam grabbed Eve's hand and ran and hid. Did you know Adam is still running from substantial conversation...from confrontation. He's even running from talking with Eve. You see it when it comes to conversations about feelings, about personal and inner personal problems, or conflicts. Oftentimes, we're the great postponer. You know, a wife says, "Honey, we need to talk." So the husband turns out the light and says, "Yes, later, Baby." A child is showing signs of needing some guidance or correction, and Dad will put off confronting that as long as possible - sometimes until there's a heart wrenching crisis. Men tend to avoid areas where they aren't sure of their competence. So, you know, we'll talk about activities, and achievements, and work, and sports, and politics. But many of us men are unsure of ourselves when it comes to deeply personal areas. So, we play dodgeball when it comes to talking about personal problems. And those things just keep growing until they explode. As a man, I must, with God's help, resist this urge to run...to postpone...to live with the word "later" when it comes to significant conversation. So many human tragedies could have been averted if only a man hadn't put off dealing with problems and not let the sun go down on it. If we're going to be the leaders God has commanded us to be, guys, we've got to turn and face the issues. Discuss our deep feelings and solve problems while they're small enough to solve. It's far more manly to catch what's thrown at you than to dodge it.iption here…

When we finally graduate from childhood to grownup hood, we trade in some simple games for some complicated games. You know, once you get bigger, you have to learn all the rules of football, baseball, and basketball. And they can get pretty complicated. But I remember some of those uncomplicated games I played when I was little, like dive bomber. Yeah, simple rules. All you had to do was come in with your arm extended and knock the hat off the other guys head. That was pretty simple rules. Oh yeah, and try not to knock off the head with the hat. And then we played keep away. That was pretty simple. Keep throwing the ball back and forth and keep it away from the guy in the middle. That was easy. And dodgeball, Did you ever play dodgeball? You know, we'd play dodgeball when a bunch of us guys would get together and we had a good sized ball. And the object of the game was very simple. When another guy tried to throw that ball at you, you just tried to dodge it. In fact, we boys got pretty good at dodging. In fact, some of us still are. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Men Who Run." Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from Genesis 3, and I'm going to be reading from verses 7-10. It really introduces us to an interesting and often frustrating trait in a man, especially if you happen to be a woman. It's a trait that goes all the way back. Listen to this scene from the Garden of Eden, "Then the eyes of both Adam and Eve were opened and they realized they were naked. So, they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. The Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?' He answered, 'I heard You in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.'" Now, it's interesting. When God came to talk after that first sin, Adam grabbed Eve's hand and ran and hid. Did you know Adam is still running from substantial conversation...from confrontation. He's even running from talking with Eve. You see it when it comes to conversations about feelings, about personal and inner personal problems, or conflicts. Oftentimes, we're the great postponer. You know, a wife says, "Honey, we need to talk." So the husband turns out the light and says, "Yes, later, Baby." A child is showing signs of needing some guidance or correction, and Dad will put off confronting that as long as possible - sometimes until there's a heart wrenching crisis. Men tend to avoid areas where they aren't sure of their competence. So, you know, we'll talk about activities, and achievements, and work, and sports, and politics. But many of us men are unsure of ourselves when it comes to deeply personal areas. So, we play dodgeball when it comes to talking about personal problems. And those things just keep growing until they explode. As a man, I must, with God's help, resist this urge to run...to postpone...to live with the word "later" when it comes to significant conversation. So many human tragedies could have been averted if only a man hadn't put off dealing with problems and not let the sun go down on it. If we're going to be the leaders God has commanded us to be, guys, we've got to turn and face the issues. Discuss our deep feelings and solve problems while they're small enough to solve. It's far more manly to catch what's thrown at you than to dodge it.

April 1, 2026 If you don't know how to swim, it's not cool to let your friends know that, right? Well, let me tell you, it's just not smart not to tell them, especially if you're going into the lake with them to swim. The scene was Lake Michigan. This ten-year-old boy was me. I couldn't swim and I was too proud to tell my friends. Suddenly, as I waded deeper and deeper, I lost my footing and I began drinking the lake. I can remember the terror of it to this day. My friends thought I was just trying to be funny. I'd gone under for the second time, and man, how I remember! I was helpless. I could not contribute a thing to getting back to shore. Thankfully, someone saw me, jumped in and that rescuer did it all! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Hand That Is Your Hope." That day in the lake I had one hope - a rescuer. Only one person jumped in to save me, and I'm literally here today because of him. Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Timothy 2:3-6. "God our Savior...wants all men to be saved...There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all men." Now the saving that God is talking about here is from the effects and the punishment for the way we've run our lives. The Bible makes it clear that we are drowning in the guilt of our sin and in the death penalty that God attaches to sin. And God says that when you and I were drowning spiritually, His own Son, Jesus, jumped in to rescue us. He loved you so much He couldn't stand to lose you. In God's words, "He gave Himself a ransom." A ransom...that's paying the price to get someone back. For Jesus, that was a high price. It meant absorbing all the hell and all the punishment for your sin and mine as He died on that cross. But you can still go under. You can still drown, if you won't let Jesus rescue you. Maybe it's hard for you to admit that you can't somehow swim to God on your own. In fact, you've done some very good things to make it to Him - but not good enough to meet the perfect standard of a perfect God. In Romans 3:10, God includes every person when He says that by His standards, "There is no one righteous, not even one." Not even you. Not even me. Like me that day at the lake, there's nothing you can contribute to your rescue. Your only hope is a savior. And only one person jumped in to save you. That is Jesus Christ. All that any religion can offer you is a book of swimming instructions - their way to swim to God. But it doesn't matter if they're Protestant swimming instructions or Catholic swimming instructions, or Jewish, or Moslem, or Buddhist, or New Age or whatever. Swimming instructions won't rescue a drowning man or woman. Only the Savior can do that. And only Jesus did the dying it requires to get rid of your sin and to get you into a relationship with your Creator. Even now, through these few minutes, Jesus is coming to you, offering to do for you what you could never do for yourself, and that is save you from your sin. All you can do is grab the Rescuer as if He's your only hope, because He is! You can't rescue yourself. Won't you finally put your pride aside and all the religion and the goodness you thought would get you to heaven, and just reach for Jesus? He would have never died on that cross if your goodness could get you to heaven. It took His death! That was the only way. Tell Him right now, "Jesus, I believe that when you were dying on that cross my sins were some of those sins you died for. And I have no hope but You. I'm glad You're alive from the dead and I'm asking you to come in to be my Savior from my sin." It would be a great time for you to go to our website because it has, there, the information you need to be sure you belong to Him. It's ANewStory.com.

If you don't know how to swim, it's not cool to let your friends know that, right? Well, let me tell you, it's just not smart not to tell them, especially if you're going into the lake with them to swim. The scene was Lake Michigan. This ten-year-old boy was me. I couldn't swim and I was too proud to tell my friends. Suddenly, as I waded deeper and deeper, I lost my footing and I began drinking the lake. I can remember the terror of it to this day. My friends thought I was just trying to be funny. I'd gone under for the second time, and man, how I remember! I was helpless. I could not contribute a thing to getting back to shore. Thankfully, someone saw me, jumped in and that rescuer did it all! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Hand That Is Your Hope." That day in the lake I had one hope - a rescuer. Only one person jumped in to save me, and I'm literally here today because of him. Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Timothy 2:3-6. "God our Savior...wants all men to be saved...There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all men." Now the saving that God is talking about here is from the effects and the punishment for the way we've run our lives. The Bible makes it clear that we are drowning in the guilt of our sin and in the death penalty that God attaches to sin. And God says that when you and I were drowning spiritually, His own Son, Jesus, jumped in to rescue us. He loved you so much He couldn't stand to lose you. In God's words, "He gave Himself a ransom." A ransom...that's paying the price to get someone back. For Jesus, that was a high price. It meant absorbing all the hell and all the punishment for your sin and mine as He died on that cross. But you can still go under. You can still drown, if you won't let Jesus rescue you. Maybe it's hard for you to admit that you can't somehow swim to God on your own. In fact, you've done some very good things to make it to Him - but not good enough to meet the perfect standard of a perfect God. In Romans 3:10, God includes every person when He says that by His standards, "There is no one righteous, not even one." Not even you. Not even me. Like me that day at the lake, there's nothing you can contribute to your rescue. Your only hope is a savior. And only one person jumped in to save you. That is Jesus Christ. All that any religion can offer you is a book of swimming instructions - their way to swim to God. But it doesn't matter if they're Protestant swimming instructions or Catholic swimming instructions, or Jewish, or Moslem, or Buddhist, or New Age or whatever. Swimming instructions won't rescue a drowning man or woman. Only the Savior can do that. And only Jesus did the dying it requires to get rid of your sin and to get you into a relationship with your Creator. Even now, through these few minutes, Jesus is coming to you, offering to do for you what you could never do for yourself, and that is save you from your sin. All you can do is grab the Rescuer as if He's your only hope, because He is! You can't rescue yourself. Won't you finally put your pride aside and all the religion and the goodness you thought would get you to heaven, and just reach for Jesus? He would have never died on that cross if your goodness could get you to heaven. It took His death! That was the only way. Tell Him right now, "Jesus, I believe that when you were dying on that cross my sins were some of those sins you died for. And I have no hope but You. I'm glad You're alive from the dead and I'm asking you to come in to be my Savior from my sin." It would be a great time for you to go to our website because it has, there, the information you need to be sure you belong to Him. It's ANewStory.com.

Allison and her daughter and two friends were out for a trail ride in a remote area. They were to rendezvous later, actually, in the afternoon with other family members at their overnight campsite. When it came time to head back, they were somewhere on the side of a mountain, picking their way through very rocky ground. No matter which way they went, they couldn't find the main trail that would take them back down the mountain. They could see where they needed to be, but the terrain was too rugged to get down any other way. The hours wore on, dark began to fall, and Allison's two friends finally made an attempt to get to a cabin they could see. Well after dark, Allison and her daughter finally saw flashlights moving up the mountain. Her friends returned with the man from that cabin. He helped them pick their way to a point where they could actually get right back on the trail. Much to their surprise, while they had been lost, they had been very close to the trail all along! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Close to the Trail, But Lost." It's possible to be close to the trail and still be lost in the great outdoors or in your search for God. And without a rescuer, you will never make it home - to God, to heaven. Jesus met a man who was, like many of us, almost where he needed to be, but still lost. What He said to that man gives all of us religious folks something to think about. This man, who came to Jesus as an honest spiritual seeker, indicated that he really seemed to understand and agree with Jesus' teachings. Then in Mark 12:34, our word for today from the Word of God, "Jesus said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God." My friend was "not far" from the trail home, but she was still lost. This man was "not far" from belonging to Jesus, but he was "not in." That's what Jesus might say to a whole lot of us church folks, us Christianity veterans. We agree with Jesus. We go to His meetings. We like Him a lot. We look like we belong to Him. But see, you can have all that and still be lost because there's never been that moment when you fully committed yourself to Jesus as your personal Rescuer from your personal sins. You've never actually grabbed Him like a drowning person would grab a rescuer and you've said, "Jesus, you're my only hope! Save me!" It's His death for your sins on the cross that really is your only hope of having your sins forgiven...of having a relationship with your Creator...of going to His heaven when you die. But the Rescuer has come to you right where you are - close to the trail, but still lost. He's come looking for you today. We'd never find Him. He'd have to come looking for us. The sheep never finds a shepherd. The shepherd always comes and finds the lost sheep. He's come to where you are today to bring you home to Him. Maybe these words right now are His way of reaching out to you. He's ready to bring you home to the relationship you were made for; the relationship you've been missing your whole life. Let this be the day that you finally actually belong to the One you've been around for so long. Tell Him, "As of today, Jesus, I am Yours." You know, our website is a destination for people who want to be sure they belong to Jesus Christ and their eternity is settled and their sins are forgiven. I want to urge you to get there as soon as you can today. It is ANewStory.com. You may be very close, but you're not in. Could there be a greater tragedy than for you to get to the gates of heaven one day and hear Jesus say, "You were so close, but you're not in." That can change this very day. You can go to sleep tonight knowing that you belong to Jesus!

Allison and her daughter and two friends were out for a trail ride in a remote area. They were to rendezvous later, actually, in the afternoon with other family members at their overnight campsite. When it came time to head back, they were somewhere on the side of a mountain, picking their way through very rocky ground. No matter which way they went, they couldn't find the main trail that would take them back down the mountain. They could see where they needed to be, but the terrain was too rugged to get down any other way. The hours wore on, dark began to fall, and Allison's two friends finally made an attempt to get to a cabin they could see. Well after dark, Allison and her daughter finally saw flashlights moving up the mountain. Her friends returned with the man from that cabin. He helped them pick their way to a point where they could actually get right back on the trail. Much to their surprise, while they had been lost, they had been very close to the trail all along! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Close to the Trail, But Lost." It's possible to be close to the trail and still be lost in the great outdoors or in your search for God. And without a rescuer, you will never make it home - to God, to heaven. Jesus met a man who was, like many of us, almost where he needed to be, but still lost. What He said to that man gives all of us religious folks something to think about. This man, who came to Jesus as an honest spiritual seeker, indicated that he really seemed to understand and agree with Jesus' teachings. Then in Mark 12:34, our word for today from the Word of God, "Jesus said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God." My friend was "not far" from the trail home, but she was still lost. This man was "not far" from belonging to Jesus, but he was "not in." That's what Jesus might say to a whole lot of us church folks, us Christianity veterans. We agree with Jesus. We go to His meetings. We like Him a lot. We look like we belong to Him. But see, you can have all that and still be lost because there's never been that moment when you fully committed yourself to Jesus as your personal Rescuer from your personal sins. You've never actually grabbed Him like a drowning person would grab a rescuer and you've said, "Jesus, you're my only hope! Save me!" It's His death for your sins on the cross that really is your only hope of having your sins forgiven...of having a relationship with your Creator...of going to His heaven when you die. But the Rescuer has come to you right where you are - close to the trail, but still lost. He's come looking for you today. We'd never find Him. He'd have to come looking for us. The sheep never finds a shepherd. The shepherd always comes and finds the lost sheep. He's come to where you are today to bring you home to Him. Maybe these words right now are His way of reaching out to you. He's ready to bring you home to the relationship you were made for; the relationship you've been missing your whole life. Let this be the day that you finally actually belong to the One you've been around for so long. Tell Him, "As of today, Jesus, I am Yours." You know, our website is a destination for people who want to be sure they belong to Jesus Christ and their eternity is settled and their sins are forgiven. I want to urge you to get there as soon as you can today. It is ANewStory.com. You may be very close, but you're not in. Could there be a greater tragedy than for you to get to the gates of heaven one day and hear Jesus say, "You were so close, but you're not in." That can change this very day. You can go to sleep tonight knowing that you belong to Jesus!

You know, most of us have heard words like this when we're going through a hard time, "Oh, I understand how you feel." Maybe you have muttered under your breath, "You have no idea." One situation in which those words should probably never be spoken, are a man to a woman in labor. Yeah, that's right! Now, I've been through labor with my wife three times, but I can not say I understand how she felt. Labor is easier for some women than others I understand, but having a baby is not easy for anybody. I still remember vividly our first time around the maternity track. My wife's increasingly frequent contractions and the trip to the hospital, and then the hours of intensifying pain, and then the last most intense pains of all. And suddenly, a baby girl! Now, I know it's easy for me to say, but I know my wife would have always agreed. It was a painful process with a glorious result. And you know, the result has lasted a lot longer than the pain. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Good In the Pain." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Romans 8. Here we're going to meet a man with the credentials to talk about pain, about hard times. Paul has been brutally slandered, he's been beaten, he's been attacked, he's been left for dead, he's been arrested on false charges, he's been in prison unjustly, been ship wrecked, deserted. What a list! In Romans 8 he talks about "our present sufferings." And he even speaks symbolically of this world "groaning as if in the pains of childbirth." And then later on in the chapter he mentions trouble, hardship, famine, sword, and then he says this, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." How can that be with all the worst pain in life? It goes back to a God-given perspective on the pain of your life. And that's in Romans 8:28. He says, "And we know that all things are working together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to God's purpose." So, what's the good in the pain? Well, it says, "For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son." In other words, the good that comes out of the pain is to make you what this world needs so desperately; someone who is more like Jesus. Now, God doesn't send all the pain; some of it He allows. But it can't come to you unless your Heavenly Father okays it. And how does God decide what He will allow to come into your life? I think He's asking, "Could this make him or her more like Jesus?" My consistent experience has been that the hardest things I've gone through have been God's most powerful tools in my life: faith, humility, compassion, mercy, learning the power of prayer, closeness to Jesus. They have been the blessed results of pain that made me know and trust God as never before. And like the pain of our daughter's arrival, my wife has enjoyed the result a lot longer than she had to endure the pain. Because God's agenda in our lives is eternity, not just 70 years. The payoff will always be much greater than the pain. You may be in a hurting time right now and you don't have a choice. But it really matters what you focus on. If you focus on the pain you're going to become bitter and self-focused, burned out, and worn out, and negative. But if you focus on how God can use this pain to make you more like Jesus, you'll have the baby that the pain is supposed to give you. The tragedy will be if you get the pain but you miss the point. If you're hurting today, remember that your loving Father, who sent His Son to die in your place, is using your hurt to bring about a beautiful result, which you will be enjoying long after the process is a distant memory.