Podcast appearances and mentions of ron hutchcraft

If you've ever listened to the fans at a college or professional football game, you know some of them are the ultimate experts at what their team is doing wrong and what they should be doing. It's just amazing some of those fans haven't been hired as, like, head coach of the team, right? After speaking for professional football chapels and getting to know some of the players, I was less than patient with their critics all around me up in the stands. I mean, I knew some of those guys on the field. I knew they had everything on the line when they played and that they were the only heroes in the game. You know, there are no heroes in the stands. Sometimes I just wanted to stand up and say to one of those guys: by the way, I never did because they were all bigger than I am. But I wanted to say, "Hey! Why don't you get out of the stands and get in the game!" I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Get In the Game." I've got to wonder if Jesus isn't trying to say something like that to many of His "fans," which by the way, He has plenty of. There are millions of believers who are willing to go to Jesus' meetings, give to Jesus' causes, and cheer for the ones that are on the field. Oh yeah, and sometimes criticize from the stands how the players are playing. But Jesus doesn't need any more fans. He needs players - players who will join Him in winning some victories; some lives for the cause that He gave His life for! In Numbers 32, where we find our word for today from the Word of God, there is a sobering picture of the spiritual dynamics in Christ's church today. The Jews are preparing to go in and challenge the Canaanites for the Promised Land. The Jewish tribes of Reuben and Gad had been told that the land God was giving them was on the East side of the Jordan - the safe side. All the other tribes would have to go in and fight for their land on the other side of the river. The "East-siders" had this great idea, "Moses, how about we just stay here with our families and set up our little homes and farms?" Moses' reply in Numbers 32:6 comes echoing down through the centuries as a wakeup call for complacent Christians today. He said, "Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here?" Man, I can almost hear Jesus saying that to us today. "Should persecuted Christians and struggling missionaries take all the risks and fight all the battles to reach the lost while you sit here?" Or, in other words, "Get out of the stands and get in the game!" Later, Moses said that if they failed to leave their comfort zone and go with their brothers into the combat zone, they should "be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23). Did you know that's where that verse comes from? Sin that will find you out is the sin of complacency and passivity when there are battles to fight for the Lord! Today, the battle isn't for land, it's for lives - people who will spend eternity in either heaven or hell, people all around us and half a world away. Jesus' Great Commission to get out His Gospel cannot be delegated to a few spiritual daredevils we call missionaries. His Great Commission, His final orders before He left for heaven is always first person singular! Jesus intends for the cost and the risk of rescuing a dying world to be equally shared by all those who belong to Him! The Son of God sacrificed everything for it, and many have over the years, including this past year, sacrificed their lives for it. And many others have given their whole lives to this greatest cause in the universe. So who are we to just sit passively in the stands, just cheering or even jeering? So many of our brothers and sisters have gone to war. How can we sit here and ask them to make all the sacrifices? There is a war to win for Jesus Christ! It's time to get out of your comfort zone and go where your Savior is - in the combat zone!

Jim cracked me up with the story he told in his recent family newsletter. He and his honey were enjoying some personal time at the Atlantic Ocean, which is really big. Jim decided to take a picture of himself and the ocean, which is really big. Later, he made a disturbing discovery which he reported this way. "I think I missed the ocean!" Which is really big. Oh, he's in the picture, but the Atlantic is nowhere to be seen. Now how can a smart guy miss something as big and as beautiful as the ocean? Well, by totally focusing on himself. I've made that mistake. Missing the big thing because I was so focused on myself. I suspect I'm not alone. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "What You Miss When You're a Selfie." When we're hurting, when we're grieving, when we're grappling with this big problem, we tend to go inward and become all about ourselves. We miss the person we married because we're so focused on our frustrations with them. Before we married them, we magnified what we loved and minimized what bothered us. Now we're all about our frustrations with them, forgetting all we loved about them. So it's selfie time. All about me. Losing sight of the one we once could not live without. So we stop loving like we did, and they start responding to the change. We can miss our kids the same way. By dwelling on how they're disappointing us, defying us, or distancing themselves from us. So we're sucked into a cycle of seeing - and talking about - only what they need to change. Not seeing - and talking about - the big picture of their strengths and their potential. We focus the lens on our hurt and our fear and our frustration, and we miss the big stuff. That masterpiece God made and entrusted to you in that child. I know how much my picture can become a selfie when I'm going through a hurting time. Pain tends to make us selfish: self-centered, self-pitying and all those nasty self words. But my Bible tells me that there's always something bigger going on than the immediate situation. It's affirmed in our word for today from the Word of God from Romans 8:28, "All things work together for good to those who love God, and are called according to His purpose." And the Bible says, "I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). There's a Big Plan for my good. But I'll miss the big and beautiful part if I just focus on my pain. When my precious Karen was suddenly gone that May, my natural tendency was to be all about me - my grief, my life without her, my future. But, thankfully, God quickly rescued me from my selfie. And He began to show me what I could become through this greatest heartbreak of my life. I can honestly say my heart is more open than it's ever been - open to God's voice, open to letting my journey help somebody else on their journey, open to broken and breaking hearts that are all around me. What's scary is that our "selfie" can actually cause us to miss the biggest and most beautiful sight of all - the God who made us. We so want to have life our way that we live as if we've dethroned Him from the throne of our life. In the Bible's words, "Each of us has turned to His own way" (Isaiah 53:6). And, you know, all those choices where we've sort of said, "God, You run the universe, but I'll run me" - well, in the Bible's words they have "separated you from your God" (Isaiah 59:2). And you knew that without listening today, you could feel that gap between you and Him. All about me. Missing the God who's the reason we're here; whose love we're made for. Who thought we were worth sending His Son to die for. Maybe this is the day that you release the wheel of your life - your selfie life - to the One you were made to know and made to belong to. And the One who gave you your life is the One who's supposed to be running it. Would you tell Him today, "Jesus, from now on I'm yours." Go to our website. There's so much more there about how to be sure you've begun a relationship with God. It's ANewStory.com. The Ocean of God's great love is right there within my sight, that big thing, unless I'm blocking the view.

Our dog, Missy, had just ridden with us on a 1,600-mile round trip to Chicago and back. That was the first for her. It was a first for me to do it, too, with a dog and we both survived! Miracles still happen. Missy had been through a lot of upheavals in her routine as a result of that trip, and she'd had an exhausting two days. I can't believe now I was empathizing with our dog! Well, anyway, all of this might explain her uncharacteristic behavior when we returned home. She just hunkered down all day long underneath this white cabinet in the kitchen. There was barely enough room for her under there, but no one could coax her out. She was a grump! She didn't come out to eat. Now the two people she responded to the most got down there and tried to speak "doggy" to her. Nothing. Finally, her primary caregiver reached her hand under there and promptly got it nipped by a dog who never did that. This was an animal with an attitude! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Your Ugly Times." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Corinthians 13. You may recognize this as being maybe the greatest description of what love really is like in all the Bible. And in a world that's pretty confused about love, 1 Corinthians 13 is more relevant than ever. As you listen, would you think about the people you love and measure how you're treating them by these words from God? Here's verse 4: "Love (and you could say my love for whoever) is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." See, love is not a feeling. It's not words. It's not the official status of certain people. It's an act or way of treating people - certain ways that I'd like to underscore from these verses. If you love someone it means you treat them with patience, you treat them kindly, and you look for what you can do for them, not what they can do for you. And your love doesn't get easily angered, it doesn't nip at people. Are you listening, Missy? I think that too often we're all like the dog. We're exhausted, we're feeling low, we're thinking of ourselves a lot. Inwardly we've crawled under the cabinet, and instead of responding, we bite, we snarl, we punish people for needing us when we're low. But love is better than that. Just look at the One whose life we're trying to copy. Look at Jesus, experiencing the greatest agony any human has ever experienced as He hangs on a cross, bearing in His soul all the hell of all of us. Is He lashing out? Is He demanding to be left alone in His pain? No, He's reaching out. Jesus - He's patient, He's kind, He's not rude, He's not self-seeking, and He's not easily angered on the cross. He's caring about the need of the man on the next cross, the needs of His mother. He's forgiving those who nailed Him there. I want to be like that, don't you? I know that my tired times, my stressed-out times, my hurting times, a lot of times they don't bring out the best in me. I've nipped at too many people I'm supposed to love in times like that. But those are the times when love shows its true colors, when it's sacrificial, when you give it at a time when you feel like giving out. So maybe you'd like to join me in making Jesus Lord of your ugly times. You say, "Lord, when I'm like this I'm often not like You. Please re-train me Lord. Help me to draw deeply on Your grace and Your love right now. Give me a victory in this time when I feel just like I want to focus on me. Empower me to love people in the times that I would normally be plain old ugly." Remember, you will experience Christ's love and Christ's power on a new level as He overrules your tendency to snarl or to bite. The people around you don't need a wound from you, they need supernatural love.

There's a bridge in a park not too far from here - they take carriage rides there. It's just a bridge to most folks, but not to our son and daughter-in-law. That will always be a very special spot to them. It's where he asked her to marry him. It's interesting how a plain old piece of geography becomes forever special when something special in your life happens there: the place you were born, or maybe where you had your first date or your first kiss, or where you were married, or where some significant "first" in your life took place. When a certain place is where something important started, it will always be a special place. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Place Where Heaven Comes Down." For many of us, there's been a place and there's been a time when everything changed, because it was there that we began our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. One day on my way to an assignment in downtown Chicago, my wife and I decided at the last second to take a certain exit ramp off the expressway. The exit sign indicated the street where I spent the first six years of my life. I haven't been back there since. And, no, it is not a cave. We drove a few blocks until we spotted the three-story brick apartment building where my Mom and Dad, my baby brother and I lived. I knew it as soon as I saw it. We turned the corner to see if the school was still there. That old brick fortress was still standing, still a school like it was when I went there for my first day of school. Then I had to drive those three blocks to the church on the corner. It was like I was four or five years old again. My baby brother had died suddenly, and my grief-stricken father decided to take his other son to church - a place none of us ever went. I could almost see my Dad now, sitting in his old car by a side door, smoking his cigarette, reading his Sunday paper waiting for his boy to come out. There was a choir rehearsal that night my wife and I found the church, and a nice lady took me up the long stairs to the third floor room that I remembered at the top of those stairs. That's where Junior Church met, and I choked up. I turned to my honey and I said, "This is it. This is where I asked Jesus into my heart." And there on the wall was the same image of Jesus I remembered most as a child - the Shepherd with a little lamb in His arms. Later, as I learned the Scriptures, I came to realize that in that room at the top of the stairs I had, in the Bible's words, "crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). I pray that if there has not been a time and a place like that for you, there will be soon...in fact, maybe today. In Genesis 28:16, our word for today from the Word of God, Jacob talks about the spot where he'd camped for the night and God showed up to change his life. He said, "Surely the Lord is in this place...how awesome is this place!" But after all is said and done, it's not the place that really matters. It's that there is a time when you open up your life to the Savior who died to pay for your sin. Jesus said it's like being born, and the birth is a definite beginning isn't it? Has there ever been a time when you consciously gave yourself completely to Jesus as your only hope of being right with God? If you have, you know you have, whether or not you remember the exact time or place. If you don't know you have, you probably haven't. Scripture says, "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near" (Isaiah 55:7). That could be today for you. The place might be right where you are. God is moving in your heart now and "surely the Lord is in this place." The Shepherd has come to you to pick you up and carry you from this moment on, all the way to heaven. But you've got to say yes to Him, to tell Him with all your heart, "Jesus, I'm Yours." If that's what you want, then I would love to be an encouragement to you at this turning point in your life, like I had in that little room on the third floor so many years ago. If you'd let me have that privilege to show you the information that will secure your relationship with Jesus, I ask you to go to ANewStory.com. This day can become your birthday and this place can become your birthplace, because you are about to be born into the family of God.

Missionary pilots are some of my greatest heroes. See, missionary pilots fly around the world and land places where you think a plane could never land. They know how to take their plane apart; they know how to put it back together again. When I was in college, a few of my friends were in a missionary aviation course and it was tremendously competitive. They studied on campus for two years when we were there, and then if you made the list, if you made the cut, you went down south to the flight campus at an airport. I said if you made the cut. See, only half of the guys would end up going. One Friday afternoon they posted those names, and I watched my friend sweat it out all week long. For some I think it might have been the longest week of their life. Finally the day came and there was a list. You could hear the shouting of some of the guys who had just experienced one of the most exciting moments in their life, because they found out they had made the list! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Hell's Highest Compliment." Our word for today from the Word of God: we're in Acts 19, and I'll begin at verse 13. "Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, 'In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.' Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?' Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding." That's a pretty enlightening passage because it appears that the forces of darkness have a list of people they consider a threat. The demons said, "We know Jesus. We know Paul. Who are you guys? Let me check the list. You're not there." These guys used the right words and they tried to do spiritual things, but they were spiritually powerless. I always thought it would be a worthy if unusual goal to have my name known in hell. It's quite a list to be on, huh? I wonder if they've ever heard of me or you there? You don't make the list by attending meetings, or believing beliefs, or just saying Christian things, or even holding Christian offices. No, you make the Devil's list by making a difference for Christ. Maybe you've been under fire lately. You've felt some pressure physically, or financially, or medically, maybe emotionally. It could be in your relationships. Maybe it's marital. Well, it's not time to blame everything on the Devil. I"m not a fan of that. But it is possible you made his list. Maybe you've started to take Jesus seriously for the first time in your life. Maybe you're starting to take some risks to move out for Him. Maybe you're finally moving from being a spectator to being a player for Him. Or you're daring to speak out about Jesus to lost people. Or possibly you're checking out your priorities and considering leaving your comfort zone to serve the Lord - stepping up to spiritual leadership. Well, that means you are or you soon will be pushing back the darkness. A wise old pastor said, "The ferocity of Satanic attack upon you increases in direct proportion to your potential usefulness for Jesus Christ." That's true, but you have nothing to fear. No! The Bible says, "Greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world." But you need to know that the turbulence may be coming from the Devil, which is God's signal that it's time to get your armor on and fight with spiritual weapons. It may be that nothing is really wrong; something is very right in what's going on in your life. Your new commitment to Jesus Christ has set off an alarm bell in hell. When you're making a difference for Jesus, you're on the enemy's list, and honestly I hope you're on it. Making that list, you might say, is Hell's highest compliment.

The holidays can be full of fun and festivities. But for those who have lost something—a loved one, a job, your health, your marriage—the holidays may be a time of grieving. We're going to talk about how God heals the broken heart and gives a pathway to hope when Ron Hutchcraft joins us on the next Equipped with Chris Brooks. Featured resource:Hope When Your Heart Is Breaking by Ron Hutchcraft December thank you gift:Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God is Speaking by Priscilla Shirer Equipped with Chris Brooks is made possible through your support. To donate now, click here.

One of the large churches in our area started a new building and they announced it would be for community outreach. But they did something I've never seen a church do before. They gathered the congregation around the just-completed foundation of that new building and they asked them to throw something into the foundation. Now you've no doubt seen people's names on the outside of a building's foundation, especially on the cornerstone. But these folks were actually putting names inside the foundation - the names of people they care about who don't belong to Jesus yet - people they are hoping and praying will be in heaven with them some day. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Names on Your Heart." That's what should be at the foundation of every church, every ministry, every child of God - the names of specific lost people who we want to rescue. Here's a great example of how it's supposed to work. It's in our word for today from the Word of God. In John 1:41-42, we find that a young fisherman named Andrew has just discovered Jesus Christ. Notice his very first instinct: "The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah'... And he brought him to Jesus." Notice the first thing that happened was that Andrew had a name laid on his heart, a specific person he wanted to meet Jesus as he had. And we all know what a world-changer Simon Peter turned out to be because of someone who loved him enough to bring him to Jesus. There's someone like that in your life - someone who may never make it to Jesus if you don't bring them. And God is trying to plant their name deep in the foundation of your heart, so that person becomes your own personal spiritual mission from God. You need to begin to pray what I call the 3-open prayer on their behalf right now: First, "Lord, open a door." That's a natural opportunity for you to bring up your personal relationship with Jesus. Then, "Lord, open their heart." In other words, do things in that person's heart or life that will make them surprisingly ready to hear about You. And, finally, "Lord, open my mouth." Give me the courage, the words, the tone, and the approach. Let's try those: "Lord, open a door. Lord, open their heart. Lord, open my mouth." By the way, you don't have to pray, "If it be Your will." It is. It's one thing to talk and pray generally about all those people out there. It's something else to have a burden with a name - a burden that acknowledges your personal responsibility to be the one to introduce that person to Jesus. That's why Jesus put you in their life in the first place! You've been divinely assigned to them. And lost people should be the consuming passion of every Christian church, every Christian ministry. Our Lord's personal mission statement was to "seek and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:10). How can ours be anything less than that? For all of us, it's just so easy to fall into doing what's easy - which is to have a ministry that's "all about us," "by us," "to us." But Jesus is all about "them." We've got to ask Him to help us see what He sees when He looks at the people all around us. They are the future inhabitants of hell, unless someone intervenes with the love and the hope that only Jesus has. So would you make the names of some lost people that you want to be in heaven with you part of the foundation of your life, your priorities, your passion, your prayer. They're why He came, and they are why He put you where you are.

When I visited the Gulf Coast of Florida, I got to see a couple of glorious earth turns. The sky was ablaze with color and the sun disappeared on the horizon. You say, "Excuse me, Ron, that's a sunset." Hey, wait a minute. Are you from the 14th century or something? The sun doesn't set, it doesn't move! The earth moves! As it makes its revolution, your point on earth turns away from the sun every 24 hours. So that would be an earth turn, right? And we say the sun sets. Well, the earth is turning and you can see how mankind got it wrong for so many centuries. I mean, it looks as if the sun is revolving around the earth. It revolutionized a lot of thinking when people finally understood what was revolving around what. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Changing World, Unchanging Truth." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 2 Timothy 3:16. It says this: "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." Verse 17: "so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." Now, what this is really saying is the Bible is the sun - God's unchanging, unmoving truth. Everything else has to revolve around what God's Word says. God's Word on any subject is the final word. If you read this passage, it's written in the context of a time when Paul is predicting that moral values will be in total confusion, when wrong's going to seem right, when what's right will seem wrong. Doesn't that sound familiar? It's a time when imposters and false ideas will be deceiving many people. And so God's instructions to Timothy are, "You continue in what you've learned and become convinced of what you've learned from infancy - the Holy Scriptures." In other words, you've got to stay where you are. Don't let anything make you compromise on what God's Word says. It's unsettling to see that some research indicates that only about a fourth of America's Christians are sure there's absolute truth. We're shaky on this authority issue, especially when it comes to areas that cramp our style or require us to change or go against what our group or our culture says is true today. We sometimes try to make our idea the sun, and then we try to make the Bible a planet that revolves around it. We put more weight on what is politically correct or culturally correct than what is biblically correct. In academic circles, for example, there's this subtle temptation to submit the Bible to whatever your discipline is, whether that's the current trend in sociology, or literature, or the arts, or science. Well, you've got to submit your discipline to the Bible. God's Word is the final word of origin of the universe and the origin of man. And any explanation that says God did anything other than instantly creating a fully developed adult is wrong. God's Word is the final word on divorce, on re-marriage, on sexuality, whether it's hetero or homosexuality. Or what it means to be a woman, what it means to be a man. It's the final word on justice, on wealth, on sex, on the value of an unborn life. No mental contortions can neutralize God's authoritative Word on the subject. You do no one a favor by trying to make God's Word more acceptable by diluting what it says. We stand on this book, and I hope every day as we're together this book becomes more practical and more living in your life. The planets in our world are in chaos as human wisdoms are confusing, they're colliding. But God gave us this brilliant sun, one settled, unmoving, always true authority to keep the planets in the orbits they belong in - the Word of Almighty God, the Bible. People came out of the dark ages when they realized that the sun did not revolve around them. We come out of the darkness when we realize and we never compromise the final centrality of the Bible in our personal universe, and when we put the planets of all those other ideas where they belong - in orbit around the sun of the Word of God.

I always look forward to it as one of the season's great Christmas moments - the lighting of that towering Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. And it's happening this week! I remember one year that it was just a tad more exciting, for me anyway, because I had sort of a second-hand personal connection. The tree came from the farm owned by our good friends' daughter and son-in-law. They were chauffeured to ringside (actually rink-side) seats for the big show. So, not only did I get to watch the tree and the performers. Hey, I had, like, friends on the front row! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Rockefeller Center Christmas - Ringside Seats at the Tree." Apparently, the NBC "tree scouts" look for evergreen candidates year-round. And one of them spotted this one, driving down Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania. It was readily visible from the highway and he liked what he saw. In the months leading up to the tree being cut down, the "treeologists" (I don't know if that's a word) would come with a large tractor trailer full of nutrients for Mr. Spruce. They wanted to be sure he was in good health for his moment of glory! Rachel, our friends' daughter, describes herself as a "big Christmas elf." She said the giant tree was the only thing at her home she didn't decorate for Christmas. And now it was going to be decorated big time for all the world to see! You could say she was slightly excited. I suppose our friends have viewed the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree as we always have - a nice Christmas event. But not last year. No, it went from being just an event to an unforgettable personal experience! And thinking about that just rang a bell suddenly in my heart, because the whole Christmas thing can be much the same - a warm, cuddly event, inspired by the familiar story of that baby born in the Bethlehem manger. But it's a lot more than that for me. The event became a life-changing personal experience. When I realized the ultimate meaning of the events that night in Bethlehem, I saw that it was all about the tree. In a sense, the shadow of that tree looms over the starlight in the manger. This child is here on a mission - a rescue mission. And that mission will take Him, 33 years later, to the tree. A Roman cross on a skull-shaped hill. In our Word for today from the Word of God we learn in 1 Peter 2:24. "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree." Christmas was for a cross - the place where the baby of Bethlehem would become the Savior of the world by taking on Himself the death penalty for every human sin. "He bore...on the tree" every hurting thing, every dirty thing, every selfish thing, every angry thing, every wrong thing of every person who ever lived. For a time, the horrific death of Jesus Christ on a cross was just an event to me. Remembered on Good Friday. A belief to be believed. A religious symbol. But one day it became so much more. It went from an event to the most profound personal experience of my life. When it hit me, "What's happening on that cross is...well, for me. For the sinning I've done. For the punishment I deserve." And that's the day I was given a ringside seat at the tree, when my heart melted at the love this Jesus has for me - enough to die for me. I enthroned Him that day, not as just the Savior, but as my Savior. And that changed everything. As it has, and as it will, for anyone who makes what happened on that tree "for me." I wonder if you've ever done that? Have you ever taken this man who loved you enough to die for you, who is your only hope of heaven. Have you ever taken what He died for? He's the only one who can forgive the sin that will keep people out of heaven. Have you ever said, "Jesus, I want to make what You did on that cross personal for me, and take the event and make it my personal experience"? Would you tell Him today, "Jesus, I'm Yours." We can give you more information about being sure you belong to Him. Just go to our website - ANewStory.com. Christmas begins at a stable. Life begins at a tree.

I was in one of those "big box" stores over the weekend - and Santa was strolling the aisles wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. I told my wife, "It was fun to see Santa. I was just a little surprised to see him carrying pepper spray on his belt." (OK, I made that part up.) But the thought never would have occurred to me, except for that crazy Black Friday and all the headlines. People getting pushed, punched, sprayed, hospitalized, and even shot - all in the frenzy to get some coveted item cheap. Well, there was this image on a news organization's website that was almost laughable - if it weren't more sad than funny. Pictures captioned with the day's major headlines kept rotating across my screen. First came the photo of pre-dawn bargain-hunters massing outside the store - caption: "Shoppers Show Up in Droves." Next picture - hundreds of thousands of Egyptians massing in a square in their capitol city, and it said: "Crowd Swells in Cairo's Tahrir Square." You're right! They were there trying to bring down at that time a dictator. I smiled - and then I sobered - at the contrast. One crowd fighting for bargains. Another crowd fighting for freedom. I was ready to put those pictures side-by-side with the caption of my own: "So what are you fighting for?" I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Black Friday Battles." I'm not against bargains. I like them. But the contrasting agendas of those Black Friday crowds were reminders to make sure that I'm investing myself in the battles that really matter. Even though there are less important battles that constantly jockey for my attention and for my time. We find our lives filled with the pursuit of more house, more money, more Facebook friends, more fun, more title, more commitments, more sports, more gadgets, more entertainment. We dance to the music of a culture that tells us what we must have, what we must see and do. We put our energies more into having than giving, into activity - more than relationships, into maintaining church programs - more than moving out to reach people who are clueless about our Jesus. Christians choose to define themselves by the ten percent that divides them rather than the 90% that unites them. Couples fight over petty differences instead of fighting for their marriage. Relationships between family, friends, business people often focus on the insignificant rather than what really matters and really is important. Church folks fight over music styles and personal slights instead of fighting for the lost and for the hurting people just across town. Jesus said to stop running after all these "temporaries" that possess the lives of people who live like this world is all there is. And our word for today from the Word of God says, in Matthew 6:32-33, "seek first the kingdom of God." In other words, the things that God thinks are worth living for and fighting for. Like the hard work of a happy marriage, strong relationships, building kids who have a Jesus of their own. Like the ever-living, never-dying souls of the people you know, and the powerless and broken people who break the heart of Jesus and ought to break ours. I love this high tribute to David, the "man after God's own heart." It says, "He fights the Lord's battles" (1 Samuel 25:28). After all, those are the only ones worth fighting.

Maybe it was the dumb voices I did. But the kids used to love it when I read "Winnie the Pooh" to them. Tigger with his irrepressible "hoo-hoo!" bouncing everywhere. And Eeyore with his head down and his ever-present gloom. I'd rather be Tigger than Eeyore maybe without the bouncing. I mean, I want to be the one to leave sunshine in the room, not storm clouds. That's not so easy. There's plenty to make us Eeyores: overheated schedules, grumpy folks, medical battles, family tension, too little sleep, long delays, aggravating pain, and aggravating people who are a pain. And then there's the antidote - thanksgiving. Well, actually, giving thanks. That may be the difference between being the joy-bringer or the joy-killer. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Tigger, Eeyore, and Thanksgiving." The "inventors" of our Thanksgiving exemplify that difference. According to H. U. Westermayer, "The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than those who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving." There's Thanksgiving, the holiday. Then there's thanks-living, the lifestyle. It's the difference between the dirty window and the blessing glasses. Yep! See, when I look out a dirty window, the whole world looks yucky. Even the really good stuff is dimmed by all the caked-on dirt that's coloring my view. If you've decided your role in life is "victim," it's going to be hard for you to see much that's positive through that window: abused, neglected, abandoned, misunderstood, passed over, or wounded - that's real hurt. But to let those who hurt you define you? That's a self-imposed sentence of despair; denying the many good things because they don't fit the victim narrative - living as a prisoner of your past. Unthankfulness, for whatever reason, breeds some ugly offspring. In Romans 1, God describes how humans end up doing unthinkably depraved things and where that downward slide starts. "They wouldn't worship Him as God or even give Him thanks...their minds became dark and confused" (Romans 1:21 NLT). Okay, here it is. Unthankful heart - dark mind, bitterness, resentment, depression, anger, rebellion against God. They come from an ungrateful heart. Yes, you can choose to go through life looking out your dirty window, seeing all that's wrong. Or, you can choose to put on your blessing glasses that enable you to live, not in denial of the bad stuff but celebrating the goodness of God all around you if you have eyes to see it. And those blessings are always there: the ever-changing masterpiece of the Ultimate Artist all over the sky, the yard, the smile of a friend, the laughter of that child, the roof over your head, the food in the fridge, the job you have, that person who cares. We call them "God-sightings." Actually, thanks-living isn't just an option for a follower of Jesus. It's a command. "Always be joyful." How am I going to do that, for heaven's sake? Well, in our word for today from the Word of God in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 and 18, where it says, "Always be joyful." It also says, "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Jesus." When you look at life through blessing glasses, all kinds of good things blossom: joy that's from what's happening in your spirit, not your situation, peace that banishes anxiety, faith that sees a God who's bigger than whatever is bigger than you are. Thanksgiving's a great time to become intentional about collecting blessings, not burdens. Living "with gratitude in your hearts to God." For me, that thanks begins, not at a turkey-filled table, but at an old rugged cross where I once again allow myself to be leveled by the love of my Jesus who took my hell so I can spend forever in His heaven. Thanksgiving and thanks-living begin with the love that will never let me go.

Today's HeadlinesRemembering refugees as we give thanksWho will be next? Haitians face gang terror and fight to survive“Hope with skin on”: Why Jesus resonates deeply with Native communities

When our kids were growing up, the early morning shift around our house was particularly exciting. I was getting ready for a full day, three kids were scrambling to have what they needed for school, my wife was playing maid, chef, valet, and chauffeur. Man! In the rush, a lot of our communication was basically non-verbal. For example, one morning I was shaving and thinking through this endless list of things I had to do that day - all the Lord's work, of course. I was mulling over a sermon, radio programs, an important appointment that day, an event I was planning, and my son popped in. Now, I must have somehow succeeded in telegraphing how much I had on my mind (the Lord's work, remember? Right.) - he disappeared as quickly as he had appeared. Then, as I was praying about all the Lord's work I had to do that day, I remembered an important decision my son had to make that day, one that he probably needed to talk to his father about. I had just missed the Lord's work. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Mission at Your House." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from John 4:30. Jesus has just had a transforming conversation with this Samaritan woman He met at a well, and she goes back to tell her village about the Messiah she has just met. The Bible says, "They came out of the town and made their way toward Him." The disciples, who have been in the village shopping for groceries, are just focused on trying to get Jesus to eat some lunch. But with these unreached Samaritans streaming out of the village toward them, Jesus says, "Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest?' I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." To Jesus' disciples, this village was just a rest and refueling stop. Apparently they were looking ahead to some great future ministry and missing the ministry right under their noses! Sounds like this father shaving, thinking about the ministry he had ahead of him and missing a son who needed some ministry right there. All too often we're like what I was that busy morning or the disciples were that lunch time in Samaria. We miss the work of God that's right under our nose. In fact, you don't even have to leave your home to do the Lord's work. Actually, the work of God begins at home! That's one reason the qualifications for spiritual leaders in 1 Timothy 3 tell us that it must be someone whose relationship with their spouse and their children is healthy. So we often fill up our lives with ministry responsibilities, only to reach other people's kids while missing our own, to bring blessing to God's house while neglecting our first responsibility - the congregation at our own house. Many husbands and wives, children and parents have been the victims of a distorted view of God's work - that you have to leave home before you start doing ministry. You know, your family may be the most important ministry you will ever have. This doesn't mean you withdraw from every spiritual responsibility outside your home, but it does mean you take care of the Lord's work at home first. Maybe your unbelieving family member would be better reached by your staying home with them sometimes than by your going to a meeting to pray for them. Your mate, your child may need your ear, your encouragement, your counsel. And they may need it at least as much as anyone you're going to see at your meeting. So look around your house for those needs that are there before you go charging off somewhere else to start doing the Lord's work. Sometimes the most important Lord's work you have to do is right there under your nose!

We met Dan and Rita and their dog when we took our Native American team to a reservation in South Dakota. They live in this dusty little village, doing their best to make a difference for the people there. They've got this little dog named Gal. Now most dogs are pretty aggressive in meeting strangers - they come right up to you, even on you. But not Gal. No, she retreats when she sees people. She cowers actually; she trembles. Dan and Rita explained why. Their dog had been severely abused by several previous owners before they got her. So she has a hard time trusting even people who want to treat her right, but she's missing a lot of loving that way. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Where Trust Is Born." Wounded, then afraid to trust, and missing a lot of love. That's not just the life story of a dog. It's a life story of millions of people. It might be your story. You've been betrayed by people you should have been able to trust - abused, abandoned, deeply hurt. And it's hard for you to trust anyone. You've just been hurt too often. It's even hard for you to trust someone who wants to treat you right. Maybe even the Person who wants to give you the deepest love a human being can ever experience, and that would be God. You're not even sure how you feel about Him. There have been tragedies you don't understand, there've been questions you can't find answers for. And even though all those children sing that little song, "Jesus loves me, this I know," you can't sing their song because you haven't really trusted Him with everything you've got. You've never really experienced this "I will never leave you" love. In fact, that's the promise Jesus made to those who belong to Him. He said literally, "I will never leave you or forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). If you struggle to trust even the God who has the love and the healing you need, I ask you to consider our word for today from the Word of God. It's from Romans 8:31-32. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Someone might be asking, "Is God for us?" Here's the answer: "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all - how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" God says, "If you want to know if you can trust Me, come to My Son's cross." Because the only way for you and me to belong to God is to have the death penalty for our sin paid. God gave up His Son to pay it. God really doesn't want to lose you. He really does love you. Just look at His Son, hanging on that bloody cross, pouring out His life in exchange for yours. Stand at the foot of the cross and try to get these words out, "I don't know if I can trust You." It's pretty hard to say those words there, because you've finally found the one person you can totally trust. Because the Savior who loves you enough to die for you will never betray your trust. He will never do you wrong! Who else can you count on to love you like that for now, forever? Trust is born at the cross of Jesus when you let the walls around your wounded heart finally come down, and when you say, "Jesus, I need a Savior. I need to be forgiven. I need Your love. Jesus, I'm Yours." If you've never done that, let today be the day you let His love flood into your hurting heart. I want to invite you to go to our website, because it's there for someone who is ready to begin their relationship with Jesus. I hope you'll go there today - ANewStory.com. There's more love waiting for you than you ever imagined you could have. The arms of Jesus are wide open, extending to you hands that have nail scars in them - proof of how much He loves you. Now, it's your move.

Professional football wasn't the same for me once I began to have the opportunity to speak at NFL chapels. All of the NFL teams have chapel services before their games. And so, a few hours before game time, I had the opportunity to meet in a hotel conference room with a number of the players; sometimes from our local team, sometimes from a visiting team. And the players were so intense! I mean, it was a lot more than a game to them. By the time that day was over, their career could have been in jeopardy, their income was on the line, sometimes what shape their body was in was on the line. Then, because they often gave me two tickets, I would go to the stadium. And there I saw those wonderful, courteous New York fans. There they were out in the parking lot with their little grills having a party and passing their six packs. Then they'd go into the stadium and here is this guy; he's kind of the stereotypical football fan. He's got, you know, a lot of six packs that he's been carrying around in his stomach apparently for a number of years stuffed into some New York Giants or Jets shirt. He's got a Budweiser hat on. He's passing more down his way, and he's yelling and screaming. He knows all the players by their first name of course. Well, at least it sounds like it. And he knows how to play every play; he's very quick to criticize. Of course, because I know how intense it is for the guys on the field because I've been with them, I just want to stand up and say, "Hey, Buddy, why don't you just be quiet for a little while? Why don't you get out of the stands and get in the game? Let's see how you do." Look behind you right now. Maybe there's someone telling you that. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Get In the Game." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Ephesians 4, and I'm going to begin reading at verse 11. "It was God who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers." Now why do we have all this here? Well, we're about to find out the reason why we have all these sermons you've heard in your life, and all the Sunday School lessons you've ever heard, all these guys talking at you from radio. Why all of this? Why is that all happening? Here's why: It says to prepare God's people for works of service. See, that's why you've gotten all this input you've been getting spiritually all these years. It isn't so you can just be smart about God. It's to get you ready to do something... "for works of service." So many of us are willing to go to the meetings, put some money in the offering, and maybe do some low-risk jobs. But we're like that fan in the stands. We like watching, maybe criticizing. We don't mind kind of being on the fringes and sometimes even telling those players on the field how to play better. Well, see, Jesus has enough fans. He doesn't need any more fans. He needs players, and it could very well be that He's had you tune in today so you could hear these words, coming from Him, not from me, "Get out of the stands and get in the game." Someone has wisely said, "In the first reformation the people of God were given the Word of God. Now a second reformation is needed where the people of God will be given the work of God." See, God has work for you to do; not just to go to Bible Studies and attend meetings and sing the songs and support ministries. It's time for you to play! There's someone only you can share Christ with. You're closer to that lost person than any other believer. There's a group that maybe He wants to burden your heart for. There's someone who needs your time, your attention, your experience. In American Christianity we like to assign all of it to a few spiritual athletes. We call them pastors, missionaries, youth leaders. How about they take all the risks for us? But Jesus says we are all to be out on a limb, taking risks to serve Him. Why don't you be one of the heroes on the field? There are no heroes in the stands. Dare to say, "Lord, what would You have me to do?" You've spent enough time watching. Now get out of the stands and get in the game.

One football team owner called it "the single most impressive symbol of being a champion in all of sports." Yep, he was talking about the National Football League's Super Bowl ring. The rings on Super Bowl champions are worth many thousands of dollars each one! Can you imagine losing something that valuable, that irreplaceable? Former Oakland Raiders champion, Gene Upshaw, can remember that. Yeah, he can imagine it. To keep his Super Bowl ring safe at home, he put it inside a bank that looked like a Pepsi can. Problem: he forgot to tell his housekeepers. You know where this is going? Yep, they mistook the bank for an empty pop can and tossed it out, ring and all. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Treasure In Your Mirror." That was a costly mistake - trashing treasure because of the container it was in. Well, that's a mistake many people are making. Except the treasure is themselves. And maybe we needed to talk about this today because maybe you're throwing away a treasure called you. Now you may not feel very valuable right now. Maybe you're not feeling very good about how you look, or what you weigh, or the fact that you're still single. You're not sure how much you're really worth. But you're making the same mistake those housekeepers made when they threw away that ring - judging the worth of what's inside by the container you come in. It could be that you feel pretty worthless because you've been passed over, put down, rejected, maybe abandoned, or maybe abused. And the tragedy is that you may have been throwing yourself away because you don't know how valuable you are. There are a lot of ways to throw yourself away. You can throw yourself away sexually, socially by the people you hang out with, chemically, alcoholically, just by giving up or withdrawing, maybe even thinking suicide. But you have worth that you'll never see just by looking in a mirror or basing it on how other hurting people are treating you. If you want to get an evaluation of your worth, you've got to go to the One who created you. He's the one who knows your value. In our word for today from the Word of God in the Bible, in 2 Corinthians 6:16, your Creator says, "We are the temple of the living God. As God has said...'I will be their God, and they will be My people...I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters,' says the Lord Almighty." Did you hear what the God of the universe says about those who belong to Him? They're His temple that He lives in, His people that He walks with, sons and daughters of the King! If you don't feel like you are priceless treasure, maybe it's because you are without the One who gave you your value in the first place; the Creator who made you as His one-of-a-kind creation. You're missing the love you were made for. And that's because, well, we've chosen over and over again to turn our back on God and do things our way. But the Bible says God values you so much that He thought you were worth having His Son die for you! Good Friday was for you. Picture Jesus hanging on that cross. That was to pay for your sin so you could belong to Him. You'll never know how much you're really worth until you are in His loving arms. Jesus won't make you give yourself to Him. It's your choice to finally end those self-directed, wasted years and to stand at His cross and say, "Jesus, the 'me' years are over. You love me. You died for me. I'm yours." Why don't you make this the day that you become a member of His family. And say, "Jesus, I'm yours from this day on." There's a website I want to direct you to, it's ours. If you go there you'll find what you need to know from the Bible to be sure you belong to Jesus. It's ANewStory.com. Go there please. Maybe you've believed that you really don't matter much, and maybe you've thrown yourself away for long enough. You mattered enough to Jesus that He poured out His life for you. Isn't it time you belong to the One who loves you most?

One way to make a lot of money in America today is to have a good book or seminar on the subject of management, especially time management. We are management crazy! Tell me how to get more from my time, how to get more done, and get other people to do things. Well, I've got some very interesting advice and it didn't cost me a dime. It was on a wall plaque. It said, "When in charge, ponder. When in trouble, delegate. When in doubt, mumble." As our society gets more complicated and more stressful we try to delegate more and more; things that we all used to do for ourselves years ago, at least in other generations. You know, a lot of kids used to be raised and educated at home. Then our culture got to the point where we delegated all of the education out to others. And now, the pendulum is swinging back to homeschooling. And, most of us don't work on the farm very much any more, so we have to delegate the physical development that our children used to get doing all those chores on the farm to P.E. teachers so they don't turn into blobs. We can delegate house cleaning to other people if you've got a little money. There are people who say, "We'll take care of your lawn for you." You can delegate cooking to McDonald's. You can delegate a lot of things. There's one thing, one assignment, you actually cannot delegate. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Parent's 'No Delegate' Job." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Deuteronomy 6. Here we find the instructions that God gave to the Jews when they were going to have to raise their children in an atmosphere that had two challenges. Challenge number one: after having been pretty poor, now He's going to put them in an environment where they have lots; where they have plenty. They'll be affluent. Secondly, they're going to be in the middle of a pagan culture, tempted by pagan girls, pagan guys, and pagan music. Sounds a little bit like the world in which we're raising our kids: pretty affluent culture, pretty pagan culture. Well, in that kind of a setting, God gives these instructions - couldn't be more relevant. Our word for today from the Word of God: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them upon your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." You can delegate some of the education of your children, and some of their physical development - might get someone else to drive them around. But you cannot delegate this one responsibility - helping them fall in love with the Lord. That's your job if you're a mom or dad. "Love the Lord your God," and that's supposed to come through the parents. They'll teach the kids to do that. You just can't give that responsibility to any Christian school, or leader, or organization. Only a parent can get close enough to transfer a love relationship with Christ. Others can give your child information, encouragement, examples, but the buck for shaping your child's soul stops with you. How does it happen? Well, there are two things here. First of all, there's time spent. You can tell. It says, "as you're walking with them, sitting with them, you're there when they get up, you're there when they go to bed." We're talking about the classroom of everyday life; you have to spend that kind of time. Secondly, it happens through natural faith. "There's another person living at our house, guys." This isn't just formal devotions. You learn to love Christ as He is a real person at your house; somebody we relate to, we talk to. We talk about Him and we talk with Him in real and natural ways in the fabric of our everyday life. Don't forget the Lord because of all the goodies of life. We fall in love with those goodies and get too busy to do our number one job. Our mission is not to create church members, or to create believers in their parent's faith. We're to raise God lovers, and that's got to begin in your own heart. Maybe the epitaph of your life will be, "He taught us to love Jesus." No one else can do that like you can.

Some years ago, we took a delegation of teenagers to a youth conference at the Jersey Shore, and one of our volunteers was one of the counselors. One evening she left the meeting early to check on one of the kids from our group. She started walking down the Boardwalk. Suddenly she hears this cry for help from the water down below. She realized that a girl was out there in that dark ocean about to drown. So she yelled for others to come, she pulled off her shoes and she jumped into the water. She knew this was a life-or-death situation, and she said, "I just had to do something." Pretty soon a couple of men jumped in to help her and together they were able to rescue that young woman. And you know what? Our friend realized the real reason she had been out on the Boardwalk that night. Much to her surprise, she had literally been placed there to save a life! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Surprising Reason You Are Where You Are." Now our word for today from the Word of God comes from the amazing story of Esther, which is told in the book in the Bible that carries her name. Esther was a young Jewish woman who was in Persia as part of the Jews who had been brought there when the Persians conquered her people. But through an amazing series of events, she becomes the Queen of Persia, the wife of the most powerful man in the world, but no one knew she was a Jew. When a power-mad member of the king's court engineered this royal decree to have the Jews annihilated, the man who raised Esther sent her a message, challenging her to use her access to the king to save her people. To do so, she would literally have to risk her life because the law required that anyone who came to the king uninvited - even the queen - would be put to death unless the king extended his golden scepter to spare them, and Esther had not been summoned by the king for a month. The challenge Esther receives is in our word for today from the Word of God, Esther 4:14, and it may very well be the challenge that our Savior has for you at this point in your life. Here it is. "Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" In other words, God has placed you where you are, not just to enjoy the benefits of your position, but to save lives! Have you considered that maybe that's the same reason you've been positioned where you are? You work where you work, you live where you live, you go to school where you go to school, you do what you do because God has assigned you there to be those people's link to Jesus! Some years ago, my friend Gary was talking with a woman whose dad teaches at one of America's military academies. This woman was really spiritually burdened for her dad. Gary knows a lot of influential people and he offered to call the then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to invite her dad to an upcoming adult outreach. Or, he said, "I'll even call a Christian cabinet member I know in this administration." But to my friend's surprise, this woman said, "No, that won't work." Gary asked her what would work - who could get through to her father. Her answer? "Another professor. Someone like him." That's probably how the people around you are going to be reached for Christ - through someone who does what they do, lives where they live, faces what they face. And for the people around you, that would be you. I don't know what you think of when I say the word "evangelist" - probably someone preaching on a crusade platform - but I hope you'll start to think of the man or woman in the mirror. Because all that is, is someone who carries the Good News of Jesus to people who need Him. Of all of the millions of God's children, you're the one He has positioned to rescue the people around you. And where you are is your stretch of the beach and you're His designated lifeguard. Like a young woman near the ocean that night, like that Jewish girl placed in a strategic spot, you've been placed where you are to save someone who is dying - eternally if they die without Christ. You're not there just to enjoy your spot. You are there to save lives!

My son had the privilege of playing football for one of the best coaches in our state. Now, he had six years of championship football behind him when he took over our team. And they managed to win a conference championship every season, or in some cases, they won the state championship. One of the reasons is that he was a genius at knowing what position a boy would play best. Of course the player didn't always agree with that. I was there in the locker room on some of the days when that coach announced that he was changing a certain player's assignment. And man, there were not happy campers in the locker room. There were cries of, "Hey, I'm a tackle! Coach, I'm an end. I'm a linebacker! What's he putting me in that position for?" Well, they weren't grumbling by the end of the season. By that time they were on a championship team and very often they received honors for playing the position he had assigned them to. But at the time the change was made, it didn't feel very right. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "When the Coach Changes Your Assignment." Paul's coach changed his assignment. Our word for today from the Word of God talks about it. It's Philippians 1:7 - Paul is writing from prison. Here he had been out preaching, building churches, and the coach said, "I've got a new assignment for you." I don't know how the player felt, but I can see how he is handling it. Because he says three different things - first in verse 7: "Whether I'm in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me." First, God's grace is carrying him through his change of assignment. Secondly in chapter 1, verse 12, he says, "I just want you to know that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel." So secondly he says, "Look, the kingdom's being advanced whether I'm doing it or not." Then in chapter 1, verse 20, he's got a third source of encouragement. He said, "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." Even here, even under these circumstances, whether by life or death. He's saying, "Hey, look! I've got a new platform - this prison cell is a new platform, and the people here are watching me. You're watching me here. How am I handling it? It's a new platform from which I can honor my Jesus. Maybe the coach is changing your assignment right now! It's the coach's right to do that. Players don't assign themselves. Maybe he's assigning you to a new job, or maybe he's pushing you to take on a larger responsibility than you feel ready for. Maybe, on the other hand, he's asking you to play a background, supporting role when actually you'd like something bigger where people will see you more. Maybe he's assigned you to a hospital bed, or a nursing home, or to some physical restrictions; to singleness. Paul handled the changes in his life with three encouragements: number one, grace enough no matter where the assignment is. The grace always equals the assignment. Paul had decided "God, it's Your kingdom come, not my kingdom come." And he knew that God's Kingdom would be advanced by him being where God assigned him, not where he assigned himself. Then thirdly, that God can give you a platform anywhere from which you can glorify Christ. And so Paul is able to say in chapter 4, "I have learned wherever I am to be content, because I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Don't be afraid of the coach's assignment. He knows His players; He knows just the right spot for you. So trust the coach. He's never been wrong about anyone who plays on His team."

There are few words that strike more fear into hearts in Middle America than the word "tornado." I grew up there. I mean, twisters can hit so suddenly and they do horrific damage. That was proven again when some deadly tornadoes tore through Oklahoma back in 1999. In fact, one of those was so strong it was almost classified as an F6, which would have created a whole new category of tornado. The story I saw on the evening news was pretty amazing. After hearing one of those tornado warnings for the tornadoes in Oklahoma that day, a mother and her adult daughter went into a room in their house for safety. It's called a safe room or a strong room, and it's built with concrete that's reinforced with metal. And it's built to withstand even a hit by a tornado. Well, sure enough, the tornado hit that house and there was basically nothing left except for one room - the safe room. And when it was all clear, the mother and daughter walked out unscathed in a neighborhood where virtually everything else had been blown away. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Your Safe Room for the Storm." There are moments for all of us when we get hit head-on with the emotional equivalent of an F5 tornado. There are some of life's hits that threaten to blow away everything we've depended on. A divorce can do that, a disease can do that, a disappointment, boy...the death of someone you love - an anchor person. That sends everything spinning. We know that most of what matters to us is something we can lose, right? And if and when we do, there is sometimes not much left but the pieces. We need a safe room. We need some place in our life that can withstand any blow that will still be there when the storm has moved out. In fact, we can never really be secure unless we know we have something we can't lose. Well, actually, someone. We've already lost enough in our life to know that our heart is hungry for one relationship that we'll never lose - that no storm can take away from us. A relationship like the one that's described in our word for today from the Word of God in Romans 8:39. God Himself, the Creator of you, promises unequivocally that "nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." In fact, just before this promise, God enumerates some of the most violent tornadoes that life can hit us with - and then He says that none of those, "nothing else in all creation," can take away this one anchor love, this unloseable relationship. It turns out that this is the relationship the Bible says we were created for, the one with our Creator God. But it's also the relationship the Bible says we've all missed because we've done our life our way instead of God's way. We haven't lived for Him, we've lived for ourselves. So we're locked out of the safe room of belonging to God forever. That's why no love has ever been enough love - why your heart's never really been at peace. But notice, God says the love of God is "in Christ Jesus our Lord." See, that's because Jesus opened the way to belong to God. He tore the lock off the safe room door by dying on the cross to pay the death penalty that you and I deserve. He really loves you. And He's waiting to welcome you into the safe room of this awesome love relationship with God, if you will grab Him as your Savior with all your heart. Don't you want to live in this love, experience this love forever - God's unloseable love? Then tell Him, "Jesus, I'm yours." And let me invite you...urge you, really, to go to our website - ANewStory.com. Your new story can begin with the information that's there. Ask anyone who has faced a major life storm with Jesus in their heart. They will tell you that He was still there when everything else was blown away. The safe room door is open for you, and Jesus is waiting to welcome you into the one love that you will never, never lose.

Not many parents can sleep real soundly until they know their children are in for the night. At our house, we asked our kids - big teenage guys to stop by our room no matter how late it was and just say, "Hey, we're here." Sometimes they get delayed, or sometimes they're in a situation where they couldn't call. And it's natural, I think, for a mom or a dad to be anxious until they can get a fix on where their kids are, and the great time of relief is when they come in the door and we know everything's okay. Right? I guess some of the most beautiful words in the English language are, "Mom, Dad, I'm home." Maybe you know a child who's way overdue. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Mom, Dad, I'm Home." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Luke 7, and I'm going to begin reading at verse 12. "As Jesus approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out; the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Now, a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, 'Don't cry.' Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying stood still." This is truly a dramatic moment here. "He said, "Young man, I say to you, 'Get up!'" The dead man sat up and began to talk. And Jesus gave him back to his Mother. They were all filled with awe and praised God." That's a powerful story! And the most touching words of all for me are these, "And Jesus gave him back to his Mother." You know, Jesus is still in the business of giving children back to their parents, even when it appears hopeless they'll ever come back. Maybe you or someone you know has a son or a daughter who's away right now; spiritually, emotionally, physically. My word of encouragement is this simple word from the Lord. He's still in the business of giving children back to their parents. I don't know, for some reason, I just thought that this day should be the time when we should talk about this for someone who needs that little word of encouragement. Maybe you know better than I do why we're talking about this today. Sometimes maybe it seems like your prayers just are not being answered for the one you love. But remember, much of God's work is invisible. Like plants getting ready to sprout and come out, and flowers blooming in the spring. We don't see anything going on all winter, looks like nothing is going on under the ground. But God is at work all the time. Much that God is doing to bring that child home, you can't see. But you'd better believe it's going on under the ground where you can't see it. Secondly, the hound of heaven - the Holy Spirit - pursues that child wherever he goes. They can get away from you; they can't get away from Him. Thirdly, open arms do more than open mouths to bring kids home. Sometimes we can talk too much and push them so hard we actually push them away from the Lord. The Father of the prodigal son didn't chase the son. He just kept his arms open for him to come home. And then fourthly, remember God does answer prayer. Release that child again to the Lord. Don't try to do God's job of changing that child's heart. I understand that John Newton, the writer of Amazing Grace said his conversion came in a storm at sea with a mast crashing down on him as he cried, "My Mother's God save me!" And her prayers were answered. Continue to claim that child for Jesus Christ. Do not give up! "Be not weary in well doing, for in due season you will reap if you do not give up!" Jesus is still in the business of bringing kids home to their parents and home to Him. Because of His love, I believe one day you will hear, "Mom... Dad... I'm home."

My friend, Alan, was working with a carpenter friend of his on a building project. Out of the blue, Alan sprang this rather unusual question on the carpenter, "Do you know what the most powerful nails in the world are?" The craftsman paused on his ladder for a moment and then he said, "I don't know. US Steel?" Alan said, "No. The strongest nails in the world are the three nails that held Jesus Christ on His cross." Well, then Alan just walked into the other room. A few minutes later, the carpenter called for Alan. He said, "Man, you've got to help me. Every time I drive a nail now, it's like I'm nailing Jesus to the cross." My friend said, "Well, in a way, we did." I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Strongest Nails in the World." For some people, Jesus' death on the cross is just history. For others, it's a religious event. To some of us, the brutal death of Jesus on that Roman cross is a deeply personal event. I hope it is for you, or soon will be. Galatians 2:20 is our word for today from the Word of God, and in it there are two words that are literally life-changing. Actually, eternity-changing. They're the difference between someone who has Christianity and someone who has Christ; between someone who has a Christian religion and someone who has a personal relationship with Jesus. Ultimately, these two words are actually the difference between heaven and hell. Galatians 2:20 - "I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." There are the two words: "for me." One of my associates was on a plane with a man in his 30s who talked pretty openly about his years of spiritual searching. He said that as a young man he moved beyond his boyhood church and began experimenting with a buffet of spiritual beliefs and experiences. Nothing seemed to satisfy the restlessness in his heart. Then one day he came back to visit the church he grew up in. Here's what he said: "As soon as I walked in the door, I saw something I'd seen hundreds of times as a boy - the cross at the front of the church. But suddenly I was overwhelmed with something I had never realized before, and I said out loud, "For me. What Jesus did on that cross was for me." He said his search ended that day, and the hole in his heart was finally filled. My guess is that you know about Jesus dying on the cross. You know He died there to pay for our sins maybe. But you somehow may have missed that life-changing moment when, in your heart, you walk up to that cross and say those words, "For me, Jesus. What you're doing there is for me." When my friend said that in a way we all did help nail Jesus to the cross, he was right. Because it's our rebellion against God and against His ways, all our "my way" choices that left us cut off from God and under His death penalty until Jesus came and did all the dying for all our sinning. And in reality, it wasn't the nails that kept Him on the cross. After all, He's the Son of God! No, it was His deep love for you that kept Him there 'till your bill was fully paid with His life. If you've never had your "for me" moment with Jesus, it could be this very day right now and right where you are. Would you tell Him, "Jesus, I'm taking for myself what you died to give me. You paid for my sin so I don't have to. You died for my sin so I don't have to. Now I embrace you as my Savior; as the new driver of my life. I'm taking you for me." Hey, our website is there to encourage you and help you make sure you've begun this relationship. Go there, spend just a few minutes at ANewStory.com. This could be your moment. This could be your day to finally make the Savior...your Savior.

On a visit to the home area where my wife grew up, she took me to this picturesque spot along the beautiful river there. When she was a little girl, she and her whole family went swimming there with the pastor of their church and his wife. That little patch of river became the scene of a dramatic rescue that afternoon. The pastor almost drowned and my father-in-law jumped in and literally saved this pastor's life. I learned recently that that pastor was one of four people that my father-in-law saved from drowning in his life. He got very serious about that when he told me the reason why. He told me about a time when he was a boy, and he literally watched two young girls drown in a river before he even knew how to swim. Immediately after that he learned to swim and to rescue drowning people. You know what motivated him? I'll tell you what, in his own words, he said, "I saw someone I couldn't rescue and I decided, right then, that it would never happen again." I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Rescue Ready." Our word for today from the Word of God, 1 Peter 3:15 - "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." Did you get those words? "Always be prepared!" to explain that hope that you found in Jesus. So, do you feel prepared to do that, always? Why is it so important? Because of God's command. Proverbs 24:11 says, "Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering towards slaughter." If you know Jesus, you know those about-to-die people it's talking about. You know who they are. Listen to Jesus' words in John 3:36 - "Whoever believes in the Son (that's Him) has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life." That's people you know, and it says about them, "God's wrath remains on him." My father-in-law saw dying people he couldn't rescue, so he made up his mind, in his words, "to never let that happen again." He did what he had to do to learn how to be a rescuer, and he saved four lives as a result. People who are spiritually lost don't know they're dying, but you know it if you believe what Jesus said about heaven and hell. How many times have you felt like you should have said something about your Savior but you just weren't ready and another spiritually drowning person slipped beyond your grasp? You can't do anything about those missed opportunities, and we all have a lot of those. I do. But you can make up your mind that you're going to do what you have to do to be ready for rescuing from now on. "Like what?" you say. Like thinking through how you would explain what Jesus did in the kind of non-religious words that a lost person would understand. Talk about life's most important relationship, not a religion! I encourage people to present Christ this way. There's a relationship you're created to have. Colossians 1:16 - "All things were created by Him and for Him." But it's a relationship you don't have because of your sin; you running your life instead of God running it. Isaiah 59:2, "Your sins have separated you from your God." But it's a relationship you can have because of what Jesus did on the cross by paying the death penalty. And 1 Peter 3:18 talks about Him dying in your place. And it's a relationship you must choose. That's all in John 3:16 - "God loved the world so much He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." But put their name in that verse. You also get ready for rescue when you think through your personal Jesus-story - your Hope Story. How is your life different because of Jesus? They want to know what the difference is that Jesus makes. Finally, pray daily for God to give you a natural opportunity to talk about your relationship with Jesus. Get yourself ready. We've let enough drowning people go. We've got to get ready for rescuing. Who knows how many people may live forever because you were ready!

My friend, Nathan, was on the 61st floor of Tower Two that September day when a hijacked jetliner flew into the World Trade Center. I interviewed him for a broadcast, and I was pretty deeply moved by the story Nathan told. He was coming out of the restroom when he remembers seeing a piece of burning paper floating by the window. That was his first hint of the horror that was to follow. As people began to realize they might be in danger, they did what my friend did - they headed for the stairwell. Nathan's account took me right into those stairwells, ultimately jammed with screaming people, through the terror of first the smoke starting to fill the stairwell and then finally the quake when a plane hit their building. Our friend finally made it to the soot-covered lobby, and that's where he saw the faces he said he would never forget. He told me, "I started seeing some of the rescue workers for the first time heading toward the stairwells and directing us out. You can still remember the looks on some of those faces. They were looking just as scared as I was, I'm sure. They're some of the people that helped save my life, and they never made it out themselves." I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Your Only Hope Of Making It Out." My friend told me he'll be forever grateful to those rescuers who gave their lives so people like him didn't have to. He literally owes his life to them. I wasn't at the World Trade Center that awful day. But I understand a little of how my friend feels about those rescuers because I know someone who gave His life so I don't have to die. I owe my life to Him. He's the Son of God. His name is Jesus. He rescued me. He wants to rescue you if you'll let Him. Just before Jesus' arrival on earth, his earthly father, Joseph, was given instructions from heaven about this baby who would soon be born. In it - even before the Son of God spent His first day as one of us - His rescue mission was announced. It's in our word for today from the Word of God, Matthew 1:21 says, "You are to give Him the name Jesus (that means deliverer or rescuer), because He will save His people from their sins." Save. That's what those courageous rescuers did for my friend. They saved him from a deadly situation he could not get himself out of. That's what Jesus came to do for you and me. Our deadly situation isn't a burning or a collapsing building; it's the eternal death penalty that the Bible says is what our sin will cost. We have hijacked the control of our life from the eternal God who made us and that has eternal deadly consequences - eternal separation from God. But God loves you more than you can imagine. That's why He sent His one and only Son into our "collapsing building," up the stairwell to rescue us. And Jesus' death on that cross was the moment when He was taking the hell that you and I deserve. He was dying so you don't have to. Today, Jesus has come to where you are to bring you out. But He's your personal Rescuer only if you personally reach out and grab His hand as your only hope of getting out. As you reach out to Him and say, "Jesus, I have no hope of getting out from under the penalty of my sin but what You did on the cross to take it for me. No religion can get me to heaven. No amount of goodness can get me to heaven. I can't get me there. I need a Rescuer, and Jesus, you are my Rescuer beginning today. I pin all my hopes on you." Let me ask you, let me urge you, to go to our website - ANewStory.com. Because right there you will have all the information you will need to confirm that you really belong to Jesus Christ and you are rescued. I am a man who owes my life to the Man who brought me out at the highest possible cost to Him. He wants to do that for you. He laid down His life to rescue you, my friend. Please don't live - please don't die - without Him.

Let's take a look at Nemoria arizonaria. I'm sure you were just talking about him at lunch, right? It's a caterpillar! That's what a lot of us know him as. Now, some caterpillars are born in the spring and some are born in the summer. The spring bunch I understand, eat oak catkins. That's the dangling flowers on an oak tree. And within days, guess what? They look as fuzzy as their meal was that they ate just a few days ago. Oh, let's take the summer bunch now. They eat smooth leaves because that's what's out then. Would you believe it? They become smooth caterpillars. It's amazing! Caterpillars exemplify that old adage, "You are what you eat." They literally are. That doesn't mean you're going to begin to look like your lunch I hope. That's a scary thought. But in another way, the caterpillar dynamic is happening to you. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Healthy Diet, Healthy Heart." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Philippians 4:8. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable. If anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things." That's dietary advice. You think it's not about eating? Well it is. It's about what you consume mentally and spiritually; what you allow to come into your mind, your ears, your eyes, your heart. And if it isn't noble, and true, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable, you've got no business listening to it. You have no business dining on it mentally. The Bible says, "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." You are what you eat. That's why Proverbs 4:23 says, "Guard your heart. Be careful what you let in there; it's the wellspring of life." Your mind is being programmed and shaped even today by what you hear, what you watch, what you laugh at, and your music. The subtle thing is you don't feel like anything's happening. You don't say, "Oh, I am now being programmed. I am now being influenced." You don't know it. But input is what creates thoughts, and thoughts become fantasies and attitudes. And those attitudes eventually become actions. It's too late then. You can't stop this process. You can't feel it happening, and you can't stop it any more than a caterpillar can say, "I don't want to become bumpy like what I ate." Or, "smooth like what I ate." You keep tuning in to depressing input, and you're going to start to feel a darkness growing inside of you. You keep fueling yourself with bad news about a certain person and all the things that are wrong about them, and you're going to find a growing bitterness and criticism in your spirit. You keep letting in sexually stimulating images, and increasingly it will affect how you view the opposite sex and your own sexuality. See, the media is a lot more than entertainment. It's ideas and it's values wrapped up in bright attractive packages. I've decided I have to fight sin at the door. James 1:15 is so revealing, "After desire has conceived it gives birth to sin, and sin when it is full grown gives birth to death." You've got to fight it as a desire. Your most important choices are not so much about your actions; they're about your input. Actions all come from what you eat mentally. For caterpillars and for Christians, diet is destiny.

Full disclosure here. I'm not the guy you want to call when you need a guy to do a job with a hammer. But look, I do know the fundamentals. A hammer can be used to build something, right? Or to tear it down. Either way, what a hammer hits is not going to stay the same. Life's hammers are like that: Losing your job, your health, the one you love most. Those are hammers! And maybe one of those has hit you recently. Or it maybe hit a long time ago but its effects are still there today. And whatever the hammer hits can't possibly stay the same. The only question is whether the blows will build you or tear you down. But the hammer doesn't decide that. We do. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "When You're Hit With Life's Hammer." Each summer, I travel with a team of young Native Americans who've been hammered all their lives by family violence, sexual violence, addiction, and depression. Most have been to a dozen or more funerals by the time they're 16. But when they talk about their lives with reservation young people like them, they don't sound like victims. Oh, they acknowledge the damage the blows have done. But what they talk about most is hope! Because they made choices that have made them stronger, more compassionate, people of great faith, and they hand out hope wherever they go. We don't get to choose if and when life's hammers hit, but we totally choose what kind of person it's going to make us. Will I let this tenderize my heart or turn it hard? Will I let pain open up my heart or close my heart in fear that I'll get hurt again? Will I let it go, by forgiving and be free, or will I let it grow into a cancer in my soul? Will I let the blows equip me to be a wounded healer for other bleeding people, or is it going to make me one of those hurt people who hurt people? The hole left by my Karen's absence is unfillable. But God has used it to open my heart to Him and to other wounded people as never before. I'm living with His promise, and it's our word for today from the Word of God: "He comforts us in all our troubles so we can comfort others" and "give them the same comfort God has given us" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). When we've been hurt, we can choose to let the hammer turn us inward, putting up walls that say, "Leave me alone." People get that vibe and they oblige, and we end up self-isolated at the very time when we need people the most. On the other hand, if we choose to reach out, we can experience the very flood of love and support that we're going to need to heal. Maybe the worst choice we can make when the hammer hits is to turn our back on God. We go, "why?", and the heavens seem silent. But when we turn our back on God at the very point where we need Him the most, we're turning our back on the only One who can make any sense out of what's happened. Who can bring meaning out of our pain. Who has the hope and the supernatural strength we need to go on. As the Bible promises, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13). Even through the most leveling blow of my life. My Jesus gets it. No one took the blows He did. Literally loving me enough to take the hellish punishment for my sin so I wouldn't have to. And anyone who loved me enough to die for me will never do me wrong. So, yes, I can trust Him. Even when I can't understand Him. I would encourage you, if you've never reached out to Him and begun your relationship with Him, tell Him today, "Jesus, I'm yours." And let me urge you to go to our website and there get all the information you'll need to get this relationship started. It's ANewStory.com. When my son was three years old, we visited the U.S. Capitol. You can imagine how those long, steep stairs looked with little legs. Impossible. But he made it to the top! Not with his strength. With his daddy's. I carried him. Just as Jesus has been carrying me and wants to carry you. He's carried me where I never could have gone without Him. He's waiting to do that for you.

You know, handmade gifts are always the most special. Well, there are better crafted doll houses than the one my daughter got when she was a little girl. But we made it; it's handmade. My wife and I, for better or worse, did it with our own hands. One December we closed the basement and we started hammering and sawing away to build that doll house. There was a sign on the door that said "Do Not Open Till Christmas." That meant the basement. That drove the kids crazy, but we were having a great time doing it. Frankly, my month was crammed. But even though the work we did was often very late and it took quite a few hours, especially since I'm not the neighborhood handyman, I enjoyed every minute of working on it. Did I get tired? Yes. Was I too busy to do that doll house? Yes. Was it outside the things I do well? Yes. Was it a pleasure? Yes. Why? Because it was for a little girl I loved very much. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "What Love Does to Work." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Luke 7, and I'm going to begin reading at verse 37. It's the familiar story of the lady who loved Jesus very, very deeply. "When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume. And as she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them." Now, there's a discussion by the Pharisee with Jesus as to why she did all of this. And He simply says, "For she loved much." She loves her Master, and she uses everything she can find to serve Him. She kisses His feet. She says, "Wait, I have this perfume. I could use that to express my love for Him, and she breaks open that perfume." She says, "I've got my hair. I can dry His feet with my hair." It's as if she is looking for everything she can use to love Jesus with it. There's a principle here. Work is so different when it's an act of loving worship instead of grudging duty. Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord and not for men." And then it says, "It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Maybe you've just been cranking out your responsibilities lately and it's joyless - drudgery. Maybe those who are around you would testify to hearing more complaining and negative talk lately. It could be you're working for the wrong person. No, no, not for your boss. Don't do it for your boss, your company, your pastor, your church, your ministry, or your teachers. Don't do it for your children even, or your employees. See, work becomes lighter and more joyful when you begin each responsibility by saying, "Lord, I dedicate this everyday chore to You. I love You, and this job I'm doing, I'm doing as an offering to You. I'm giving it my best. I'm doing it for you, Jesus." A woman in this story used everything she could find to love Jesus. It's a beautiful picture - grabbing everything you do as something with which to love your Master. You're busy, tired, maybe feeling inadequate, like I did when I built that doll house. But it was for someone I really loved. Do your work for someone you really love. You may not love your work, but it makes a difference when you do your work for love.

If you're a teenager, it's got to be one of the ugliest sentences in the English language. You ready? "You're grounded!" Or if you're a traveler who flies very much, it's not a very nice word for you either. "All flights have been grounded." And if you're a Christian, it's not a fun word either. But there's a way to be grounded without being ground under. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Hope When You're Grounded." Our word for today from the Word of God comes to us from somebody who was really grounded. I'm in Philippians 1:13, and the Apostle Paul is in prison. It is not his choice, of course. It is, however, his new assignment from the Lord. He is there for reasons he doesn't deserve to be. He has been following Christ, serving Christ, and he is there on trumped up charges. But listen to his perspective. He says, "As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ." Paul had a lot of assignments in his life, a lot of places God sent him to minister, a lot of places to preach, a lot of enemies to oppose. But this was probably the toughest assignment the Apostle Paul ever had - to be in chains. But look how he put it. "I am in chains for Christ." Now listen, it's a lot easier and a lot more fun to be in charge for Christ. And most of his life Paul had been in charge, but now he's in chains. He's used to being the one who makes it happen wherever he goes, and now he's in a situation where it appears he can make nothing happen. He's chained all day to one of the Praetorian guards. He can't see the people he loves. He can't be with the people he's reached for Christ. He can't go and witness, he can't stay and preach a sermon to people who need to know what Christ has done. Maybe you know something about being in chains yourself. You've been, well, we could say, grounded by the Lord. Oh, they may not be the chains of a prisoner - they could be the chains that have been imposed by an illness or the limitations imposed by finances or by having to wait or by any kind of circumstances that are beyond your control. Can I share with you how Paul was in chains for Christ, because I think you can be that way in your chains for Christ. First of all, trust the One who gives you the assignment. He's assigned you to this limited playing field. So, trust Him. Number two - look for the ways that God can use your inactivity. Paul found that the gospel was advanced right into Caesar's throne room through the guards that he was chained to. When my wife was grounded with hepatitis for nine months in bed, she said it cleansed her schedule, gave her a chance to get closer to the Lord, to be a witness from her bed to the grace of God when an active woman is down. She looked for the ways that God could use your inactivity. Number three, remember your mission is the same wherever you are. Oh your surroundings change, your situation changes, but your mission - your assignment - never does. Paul says in this passage "It served to advance the gospel." Well, that's your mission wherever you are...to advance the gospel. It's the same whether you're in charge or you're in chains. It's the reason you're there. And fourthly, capture your environment for Christ. That's what Paul did. He said, "Well, I'm going to make this a Jesus' place, even though it's not the place I'd like to be." To be in chains is a burden. But to be in chains for Christ gives your chains meaning. You may be grounded, but you can be grinning too.

Seven years of junior high band concerts. Yep, that was the special joy Karen and I had since all three of the Hutchcraft kids were in junior high band. Oh, it wasn't always a supreme musical experience, but hey, it's our kids, right? Let's imagine you have never heard of the brilliant composer Ludwig von Beethoven before. And I say to you, "Beethoven was a genius. His music is some of the most beautiful ever written." You're a little skeptical because you've never heard any of his music, but I suggest a way you could remedy that. See, the junior high band is having a concert this week, and they're performing Beethoven's 9th Symphony. So you go, and you come back to me and you say, "I thought you said this Beethoven guy was a genius! I just heard his music. It wasn't brilliant!" Now what's the problem here? It isn't Beethoven - it's the way the band played his music. Just because they don't play his music well doesn't mean the man who wrote the music wasn't a genius! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Hypocrite Hang-up." I've devoted my life to telling people about the Genius who can harmonize our lives, who wrote the music that's supposed to guide everything we do. His name is Jesus. But many people - maybe you - can't bring themselves to a point where they'll put their trust in Jesus Christ to be their own personal Savior from their personal sin. And one of the biggest reasons? Christians who are hypocrites. That's why I'm so glad for today's word for today from the Word of God, where Jesus clarifies what, and who, is the real issue in this whole Christian thing. Mark 2:14, our word for today from the Word of God, "As Jesus walked along, He saw Levi sitting at the tax collector's booth. 'Follow Me', Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed Him." Jesus sums up here the central decision we all have to make by issuing a clear, two-word invitation that He gave to so many people: "Follow Me." Jesus basically is saying, "I'm the issue. Your decision is about me." He repeated that invitation so many times when He was on earth. And listen, He's done it millions of times since then and I think He's extending it to you today. As for those Christians who aren't a very good advertisement - well, they're like that junior high band trying to play the Beethoven symphony. Unfortunately, some of us don't play Jesus' music very well. But it has nothing to do with Jesus. He's still the Genius who forgives our failures, who loves us with a "never leave you" love. He promised, "I'll never leave you." And who can take us to heaven when we die because He walked out of his grave and conquered death. Jesus never said, "Follow My followers." He never said, "Follow My leaders," or "Follow My religion" or "Follow My rules." He said, "Follow Me." The only reason not to be a Christian is if you have something against Jesus. And there wasn't a trace of hypocrisy in Him. All that's going to matter when you keep your appointment with God is what you did with Jesus, God's one and only Son who died on the cross to pay...not for His sins, but for yours. Honestly, there's just no place to hide when it comes to Jesus. Either you commit yourself to this Man who died for you or you turn your back on Him and you walk away. It's all about Jesus. And maybe you're ready to surrender all the baggage that has kept you from experiencing His love for yourself. Forget all those people that in your mind are between you and Him. It's Jesus and you, because it's Jesus you're trusting, not Christianity, not Christians. Maybe you're ready to begin this relationship you were created for. I hope you are. Tell Him, "Jesus, I'm yours. You died for me. You're alive and I'm giving myself to You." And then, would you go to our website? I've laid out there how to be sure you belong to Him. It's ANewStory.com. On Judgment Day, it will just be you and Jesus. Today it's you and Jesus. There's an old hymn that puts it this way: "What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be. For someday your heart will be asking, 'What will He do with me?'"

So this friend of mine pulled out his wallet and said, "Ron, can I show you my pride and joy?" And he did. There was a picture of a little dusting compound called Pride and a dishwashing detergent called Joy. So, here were these two household items. I was fully expecting to see his children, but then, of course, I have strange friends. Actually, most people do produce a picture of their children or their grandchildren when they say, "Would you like to see my pride and joy?" That's the way it should be. But if we were to judge our greatest source of joy from the time we spend on things, maybe we should put a picture of our desk and say, "Here's my pride and joy, or our house, or our car. Or, "Here's a picture of my paycheck" or my name being in print. Or, "Here's my sporting equipment for what I spend so much of my time doing." Maybe we need to stop and evaluate what really is our greatest fulfillment factor... or what should be. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "No Greater Joy." Now, our word for today from the Word of God. We're in the book of 3 John. Yes, Virginia, there is a third John after first and second John. And if you would like to read a book of the Bible pretty quickly, well you've got your choice right here. There are only about 13 or 14 verses in 3 John. So look it up! I'm reading to you from the fourth verse. It says: "I have no greater joy..." John says, okay, here's his pride and joy. Can you imagine him pulling out his wallet and saying, "Okay, I'm going to show you my pride and joy"? "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." We know that John here was talking about his spiritual children. But he was saying that the greatest fulfillment factor I have in my life is to know they're walking in the truth. Notice he didn't say it's that they know the truth or they're giving the right answers, or that they're quoting the truth. He says, "They're walking around in it. They're living it." Now, if you're a parent as I am, you need to remember that God's value system puts the highest priority on the spiritual welfare of your children. How are they doing? Are they walking in the ways of Jesus? That's one way to find out how you're doing as a follower of Christ. Could it be that something else has replaced your children - pushed them to the edge a little bit? You didn't mean for it to happen. You're not even aware of it; it has been subtle. But somehow something has edged out your children as your main fulfillment factor. It could be your career. Maybe it's education or pursuing some goal in that area. Maybe it's just in improving your lifestyle. You're trying to do it for your kids, of course. But somehow it's taking so much time that your kids are crowded out. Maybe it's even church work that has left your kids virtual orphans a lot of the time. Remember, somebody else could do that job at work - that job at church. It might be a very noble goal you're pursuing, but you are the only daddy. You are the only mommy they will ever really have. And they will reflect the amount of investment you have placed in them spiritually. No greater joy than them? Is it your greatest investment to see that you're doing all you can to see that your children walk in truth: Time to pray together, to apply the Bible together, to serve Christ together, to talk about Christian values, to talk about a Christian lifestyle together? They are your greatest responsibility, don't let anything else take their place. They're supposed to be your greatest fulfillment. And, I hope, your very greatest joy.

I have to confess, I didn't exactly go storming into the Computer Age. I was sort of carried into it. Yeah, you know, back in the days when I was getting into that world, I was returning from my first trip to an Indian reservation, and I had a heart full that I wanted to write into a report. So, as usual in those days, I pulled out my trusty pen and paper and handwrote my report. It took the whole trip from Arizona to New Jersey. Well, after one of my friends read my report, he called my wife and said, "I don't want Ron wasting any more time writing things like this by hand. He has to get a computer." My wife agreed, but she indicated we didn't have the funds to get a computer. My doctor friend said, "That doesn't matter. I intend to buy a computer for him!" I was stunned, and shortly thereafter, the owner of a wonderful personal computer. Ever since then, what a difference, huh? I mean that's greatly impacted my life! I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Biggest Spiritual Mistake In the World." I couldn't have afforded to buy a computer. The only way I got one was that someone who cared about me gave it to me as a gift. Had I tried to pay my friend for it, had I tried to work for my friend to earn it somehow, it would have no longer been a gift. Right? Tragically, most of the religious people on this planet are making the mistake of trying to earn from God what He says we can only have as a gift. In fact, I believe that's why so many people observe their religion's ceremonies, attend their religion's meetings, and try to live by their religion's rules. They are trying to earn eternal life in heaven by doing good things and being good people. And it's a good thing to live a good life, but it's a deadly thing to depend on your good life to get you into heaven. That's the message of much of the Bible, including our word for today from the Word of God in Romans 6:23. God says, "The wages of sin is death." In other words, what we get paid for running our own lives is spiritual death--eternal separation from God. That's the bad news. But then God says, "But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Now, notice - eternal life isn't the reward of God that we earn with a good life. It's the gift of God which we cannot possibly earn. We can earn hell; we can't earn heaven. In fact, God says in Ephesians 2:8-9, "It is by grace (which that's undeserved love) you have been saved. It is the gift of God - not by works..." Could it be any plainer? We can't get to heaven by Protestant works, or Catholic works, or Jewish works, or Moslem works, or Buddhist works, or Hindu works. God couldn't make it any clearer. It's not by works! The computer my friend gave me could have only been mine if someone else paid for it. The heaven you want to go to when you die can only be yours if someone else pays the death penalty for your sin - and someone did! Jesus, God's only Son! All I could do to get what my friend had purchased was to accept it. All you could do to have the eternal life Jesus purchased with His life is to accept it. So the eternity-deciding question is this, "Has there ever been a time when you have told Jesus, 'Lord, You are my only hope of having my sins forgiven...of going to heaven when I die. I'm turning from the running of my own life and I'm welcoming You into my life right now - the One who died for me, the One who walked out of His grave under His own power. I know, Jesus, you have the power to change me. I know you love me enough to have paid for my sin. I'm putting all my trust in you.'" If your trust is in anything else - including your religion or your goodness - you'll never see heaven. Only Jesus can take you there. So tell Him right now. Put your total trust in Him. Tell Him you're putting your trust in Him today. Our website is there to help you be sure you belong to Him. That's reason enough to go there isn't it? It's ANewStory.com. Look, you'll never be able to earn heaven. It's a gift - one that God's Son paid for with His life. But the gift won't be yours until you reach out and receive it.

When you live around New York City like I did for 30 years, you take people on lots of tours. We've had friends visit us from all over the country - all over the world - and, of course, they all want to see the sights of New York that they've heard so much about. Well, we got to take many of them to the Statue of Liberty, the late great World Trade Center, Times Square, Broadway, the United Nations, Central Park. And something interesting actually happened to me as I introduced others to the place that I knew so much about and that I'd seen a lot of times. In a sense, I sort of discovered those places for myself in a new way, and I was actually energized by watching their reactions to seeing it all for the first time. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Surprising Secret of Exciting Faith." Those places that I knew so well actually became more special to me when I introduced others to them. Just kind of like what happens when you or I introduce someone to the Savior we've known for so long. That's why Paul prayed what he did in Philemon verse 6, our word for today from the Word of God. Interesting verse. 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." Now there are a lot of reasons to tell people about the life and the love that you found in Jesus Christ, not the least of which is that their eternity depends on them understanding what Jesus did on the cross for them. But here Paul gives a reason we may not think much about or we don't hear much about, and that is that in sharing your relationship with Christ you actually begin to really understand your relationship with Christ as you never did before. If you remain silent about Jesus, you can just coast along in a comfortable but shallow spiritual rut. But once you step up to your responsibility to get this life-saving message to the people around you, something awakens in your own soul. You have to find ways to explain what Jesus did without all that religious vocabulary which I call "Christianese." And that vocabulary that we use so casually, allows us to believe without thinking a lot about it. We just kind of agree with the words. But as you struggle to explain a relationship with Christ to someone else who doesn't know all those words, you actually start to better understand that relationship yourself. It's like me taking tours of where I lived - it becomes more special to me as I tell someone else about it. As I see the wonder of someone else discovering what I discovered a long time ago. When you tell others about Jesus, He starts to mean even more to you. And if you're like most believers, you're actually missing this life-changing, faith-expanding experience. Surveys show that up to 90% of Christians never talk about their relationship with Jesus Christ. Which means 90% are missing what Paul calls "a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." And the lost folks in their circle of influence are likely to go into a Christless eternity, an unthinkable eternity because of the silence of the Christian they knew. Please don't let that be you. It's time to start blowing the lid off our relationship with Jesus by telling people about that relationship - about explaining it to others! Because when you show someone else this Jesus that you know, He'll mean more to you than He's ever meant before!

Our family has gone into New York City at times when we lived in that area with some blankets and food and gifts for homeless people, but we had to find them in order to meet them. Sometimes, they were in a park; other times they were under or near a viaduct or overpass. One night we found a little village of homeless people on a vacant lot next to the bus depot with their makeshift shelters against the back wall of the depot. I remember the time that I interviewed a homeless man on the street. I wanted to get his story out to people through my radio program. He actually let me crawl right into that large cardboard box that he called home. I guess when you're homeless you seek shelter and warmth wherever you can find it. I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Homeless In Your Heart." Now, it's possible to have a place - maybe a beautiful place - to go home to every night and still know deep feelings of homelessness in your heart. Like you've never really found the emotional home, the spiritual home you've always wanted to experience, you've always been looking for. It's not for lack of trying. When your heart is looking for home, you seek shelter and warmth in lots of places, some of which may have actually made you feel more homeless than ever. Maybe you've looked for that peace and security and acceptance in some close relationships, even in marriage. But the restlessness, the emptiness is still there. It could be that you've sought the shelter of building up a lot of financial security or lots of strokes and approval from people, maybe in your job performance, or even in your children. But the best you've found is just temporary shelter. After all these years, all these experiences, all these people, it still doesn't feel like you've found home. But you might be close if you're ready to open up to the only One whose love is big enough to finally make you complete and fulfilled and safe. He's the One who created you. Who, according to the Bible, created you "by Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:16). That's why no one but Him can finally fill the hole in your heart. Our word for today from the Word of God is in Isaiah 53:6. It tells us why we have felt homeless all these years. "We all, like sheep, have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way." To put it simply, we were created to live God's way. We've decided to live our way. And that's made us lifetime wanderers looking for what only God can give us. But this same passage in the Bible tells us about the incredible love God has for us and what He did to make it possible for us to come home. Speaking of Jesus, the Bible says, "And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity (that's actually the wrongdoing) of us all. He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him." Jesus' suffering and His death on that cross was to pay the death penalty for all our mistakes, all our sins, all our rebellion. So the road home begins at the cross of Jesus when you give Him your homeless heart, when you tell this One who died for you that you are putting your total trust in Him to forgive your sin and connect you to God forever. I'm guessing that God's Holy Spirit is right now, if this is for you, if I'm talking about you, He's making sure you know that this is your moment. As He tugs on your heart, this is your moment to open your heart to the One who can bring you home at last. You want to begin the relationship you were made for? Let it happen today, this love relationship with Jesus Christ. Tell Him that right now, "Jesus, I'm yours." Next step, go to our website and check out the information I have left there to help you begin your relationship with Him. The website is ANewStory.com. You've looked for shelter, you've looked for warmth in a lot of places that turned out to not really be home. Today can be the day when your heart is homeless no more. You are almost home.

Our second child was in college; we had just one left at home. And honestly, I hadn't totally figured out the adjusted grocery needs at our house. I always made sure we had plenty of quick breakfast food around. We needed that because of our crazy lifestyle. And because I hadn't figured out the new math for our new family configuration, I bought way too many donuts or muffins or bagels or whatever a few times. When that happened they sat around a lot longer and they turned a little dry, a little tough, and then they got a little hard. But that's where the microwave comes to the rescue. You pop them in, you warm them up briefly, and what was hard turns soft. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "How to Warm a Hard, Old Heart." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Romans 1, beginning at verse 21: "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to Him. But their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man, and birds, and animals and reptiles." That's a pretty sad testimony here to the downward spiral of people getting away from God. No one starts out real far from God; we go through stages of getting away. The Bible says, "We wander away like sheep." So, first of all, you start thinking confusing thoughts. It says their thoughts became futile, and then your heart gets darker and your heart gets harder. You hardly even realize it. And then you start to get all full of yourself. It says here that they claimed to be wise and became fools. Well pretty soon you end up worshiping earth stuff rather than worshiping the Lord. You didn't mean to get there. You know how it starts? It starts when your heart just begins to get dark and hard. Maybe you could notice that happening to you lately. Now, your actions haven't changed that much, you're still at the meetings, you're singing the songs and you're doing jobs for the Lord. But you get more confused in your thinking and your heart is drying out like my old donuts. You're tougher and you're harder inside. You need to warm up that heart again. How do you do it? Well, the Bible says you do that when you glorify Him as God and give thanks to Him. That's how you keep from having a hard heart. That's the way to soften a brittle heart, to review what God has done for you. Gratitude is the key to attitude. If you're not specifically looking for and saying thanks for all God is doing in your life, your spirit starts to turn sour. Let me suggest a daily thank you agenda. First of all, you start at the cross and just review. Picture yourself there and review what was paid for you and how much you are loved. Then secondly, review the big tapestry that God's been putting together so far in your life. Go back and thank Him for the people, the provisions, the circumstances that He's unfolded so skillfully so far, that He's architected, that He's woven together. It's helpful to look at that big picture that He's been painting. Not just at today's thread, but at the big tapestry. And then, thank Him for His gifts and His interventions in the past 24 hours. Bring your thanks up-to-date. As you get on your knees and you specifically start to review what your Father has done, at the cross, in the tapestry of your life up to this point, and in the last 24 hours, you'll find that toughness, that hardness starting to melt away. Praise and gratitude are like a spiritual microwave. They warm the heart that has gotten hard and they make it soft again.

It was supposed to be a one-hour fishing trip off the coast of South Carolina. For 17-year-old Josh and his 15-year-old friend Troy, it turned out to be a six-day nightmare at sea. When they set out on their little 14-foot Sunfish, they didn't know about the small craft warnings in the area. Within hours, the fierce winds had pulled them out to sea - to a point 111 miles north - well outside of the Coast Guard's search area. They fought to stay alive, eating raw jellyfish and gargling sea water. They were severely sunburned, exhausted and dehydrated. After 48 hours, the Coast Guard announced they were suspending their search and moving from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. But there was this uncle who refused to concede the boys were dead. He's a police officer, so he thinks of rescue. After studying the weather and the currents, he concluded they might be as far as the area where they actually were found. He made sure that fishing vessels in the area were alerted to be looking for the boys. And as they were praying that God would either take them home or take them to heaven, some fishermen spotted them and saved them. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Love That Cannot Let You Go." That's what that uncle had. When everyone else had given up hope of saving those boys, he was looking for a way to do it. He was a rescuer who refused to give up, who would not quit. You have someone who loves you like that - someone who has refused to give up on rescuing you. You say, "Do I need rescuing?" We all do. Because we are paying the price for all the times we've done things our way instead of God's way - all the times we've broken God's laws, all the times we've pushed our Creator to the margins of our life. Isaiah 53:6, our word for today from the Word of God, describes our lostness this way: "We all, like sheep, have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6). We are paying the price in guilt, and stress, and loneliness, and the bitter consequences of our selfish mistakes. Worse yet, that's only a taste of the ultimate price we'll pay for drifting so far from our home port. If we don't get rescued, we'll end up separated from God and His love forever. That's the penalty for spiritual hijacking - taking over a life that God was supposed to direct. So whether or not you realize the spiritual danger you're in, your only hope is still a rescuer. And there is one - only one. He does not want to leave you lost. Here's how He proved that. He found a way to bring you home, but it cost Him everything. Speaking of Jesus, that statement in Isaiah says, "The Lord has laid on Him the wrongdoing of us all." For Jesus, the road to rescue you led to a cross, and that is where He paid for your sin. Jesus said He leaves the sheep that are already in to "go after the lost sheep." Could that be you today? He's come right to where you are to reach out His hand to you. When you grab His hand, when you grab Him as your only hope, you are rescued. You are headed for the home your heart's been missing your whole life. But you've got to be willing to leave the course that has been taking you away from God and to depend totally on Jesus to make you clean and take you to heaven someday. This could be the day of your rescue. Would you say to Him, "Jesus, I've run my life long enough. I'm ready to turn that over to you. And my only hope of going to heaven, my only hope of ever having my sins forgiven is what you did on the cross and the fact that you are alive and walked out of your grave. I want to invite you to walk into my life this very day." Our website is there for you at a point just like this. So you can be sure you have begun a relationship with Jesus. It's ANewStory.com. See, Jesus really, really loves you. He doesn't want to lose you. He went all the way to a cross to bring you home. Now He's reaching for you to rescue you. Now, while you can, grab His hand.

My wife was one of the most generous people I've ever known. We never had a whole lot to spend on gifts, but somehow she usually found a way to give them. Over the years God has blessed us with some friends who have been very generous with us. They have invited us to get away to their cabin or their cottage or their farm. I can remember occasions where I've been all packed and ready to go and anxious to leave, and my wife hadn't come out yet. I'd go back inside and I'd say, "Honey, what are you doing?" You know where she is? She's rummaging through her gift box or her gift closet, and she would say, "Wait a minute, Honey, I'm looking for a gift." Sure enough she almost always left a gift behind for those friends. She found something of hers that she could give. I can't tell you how many times she did that for a dinner host, for a sick friend, for a new mom. She just left a gift in so many lives. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Leaving a Trail of Gifts." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Romans 1:11. Paul says to the Roman Christians, "I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong." Whoa! That reminds me of my Karen! "I want to be with you. And when I am, I'll leave you with a gift." What kind of trail do you leave with the people you touch? It's exciting to live like Paul describes here, consciously asking as you're with a person, "Lord, what spiritual gift could I give him or her? How could I leave this person a little better off than they were before I was with them?" Whether you're on the phone or on the Internet with them, or you're in an appointment, or whether it's a casual contact on social medis, or it's with your mate, or your roommate, or your son or your daughter, or you parents, what kind of gift could I give them on this occasion? I want to impart to you, he said, "some spiritual gift." Too often we look at it the other way, "What gift can they give me?" We go looking to them for some attention, or information, or affection. What connection does this person have that I could use? What promotion could they give me? What money could they give me? Well, this doesn't talk about living for you to impart to me. It's about me imparting to you. Or maybe, you too often impart a gripe instead of a gift. There are some people who just tend to drop bad news or some burden on everybody they meet. You walk away and they are feeling down or suddenly heavier than before you were with them. Because Jesus lives in you, people should feel richer after they have been with you. Do they? What gift could you give them? A word of encouragement maybe, or just to put your arm around them and pray with them if that would be appropriate right now, or a testimony of how God is at work in your life right now that might help them see how He can work in theirs. Maybe you could share with them just something you're thankful for that God has done for you, a God-sighting you've had today, or maybe some good news about a friend instead of bad news, a verse that came alive for you recently. Maybe just give them a chance to laugh when it's been mostly tears. The gifts will differ with the person's need, but your mission - your attitude - should always be "What gift can I leave today?" I remember singing that song "Make me a blessing to someone today." Well, you will be a blessing if you approach folks as a giver and not a taker. I've watched the blessing a person can leave because she was always looking for a gift to give. Why don't you try that as a lifestyle? I think you'll like it, and they'll love it.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our Founder’s Week with Katy Nichole as she joined us a day before she performs at the closing session of Founder’s Week on Friday night. She shared with us about her walk with Christ and how music has been a massive part of it. Katy is a singer, songwriter, and performer. She has received multiple awards and nominations, including the Gospel Music Association’s 2023 New Artist of the Year, K-LOVE Fan Award, and a Billboard Chartbreaker title. Her debut album, “Jesus Changed My Life,” made her one of the fastest-rising artists in Christian music. Craig Thompson then joined us to discuss the importance of fighting for your family rather than against them. Craig is a disciple, husband, father, and pastor. He is the pastor of Malvern Hill Baptist Church in Camden, South Carolina. His mission is to equip families with the tools needed to battle spiritual warfare. He has written the book “Fighting for Your Family,” which provides a holistic approach for handling family matters as Christians. Then we had Ron Hutchcraft join us to reminisce about his experience with Founder’s Week when he was a student at Moody Bible Institute, and he also talked about the importance of staying in touch with Jesus throughout the day. Ron is the chairman of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries. He is also an international speaker, evangelist, author, and radio host. He is also the co-founder of On Eagle Wings, an outreach by Native Americans to Native Americans. He is also the author of the books “A Life That Matters” and “Hope When Your Heart is Breaking.” We then had Asheritah CiuCiu join us to talk about the importance of personal devotions/ quiet times with the Lord. Asheritah is a national speaker, bestselling author, and founder of One Thing Alone Ministries, an online ministry that helps overwhelmed women find joy in Jesus. She also has a YouTube Channel where she posts guided prayers, bible tips, and other resourceful videos. She has also authored several books, including “Delighting in Jesus-Rhythms to Restore Joy When You Feel Burdened, Broken, or Burned-Out.” Then we heard a snippet from Chip Ingram’s message from last night's first session of Founder’s Week. You can listen to the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Showcast. If you're looking to listen to a particular segment from the show, look at the following time stamps: Katy Nicole Interview (My Call to Music) [11:37 ] Asheritah CiuCiu (Personal Devotions with God) [20:09 ] Craig Thompson Interview (Battle for your Family, Not Against It) [31:31 ] Ron Hutchcraft Interview (Staying in Touch with Jesus) [48:27 ] Chip Ingram Clip (Founder's Week Opening Session) [01:05:15] Karl and Crew airs live weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. Central Time. Click this link for ways to listen in your area! https://www.moodyradio.org/ways-to-listen/Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our Founder’s Week with Katy Nichole as she joined us a day before she performs at the closing session of Founder’s Week on Friday night. She shared with us about her walk with Christ and how music has been a massive part of it. Katy is a singer, songwriter, and performer. She has received multiple awards and nominations, including the Gospel Music Association’s 2023 New Artist of the Year, K-LOVE Fan Award, and a Billboard Chartbreaker title. Her debut album, “Jesus Changed My Life,” made her one of the fastest-rising artists in Christian music. Craig Thompson then joined us to discuss the importance of fighting for your family rather than against them. Craig is a disciple, husband, father, and pastor. He is the pastor of Malvern Hill Baptist Church in Camden, South Carolina. His mission is to equip families with the tools needed to battle spiritual warfare. He has written the book “Fighting for Your Family,” which provides a holistic approach for handling family matters as Christians. Then we had Ron Hutchcraft join us to reminisce about his experience with Founder’s Week when he was a student at Moody Bible Institute, and he also talked about the importance of staying in touch with Jesus throughout the day. Ron is the chairman of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries. He is also an international speaker, evangelist, author, and radio host. He is also the co-founder of On Eagle Wings, an outreach by Native Americans to Native Americans. He is also the author of the books “A Life That Matters” and “Hope When Your Heart is Breaking.” We then had Asheritah CiuCiu join us to talk about the importance of personal devotions/ quiet times with the Lord. Asheritah is a national speaker, bestselling author, and founder of One Thing Alone Ministries, an online ministry that helps overwhelmed women find joy in Jesus. She also has a YouTube Channel where she posts guided prayers, bible tips, and other resourceful videos. She has also authored several books, including “Delighting in Jesus-Rhythms to Restore Joy When You Feel Burdened, Broken, or Burned-Out.” Then we heard a snippet from Chip Ingram’s message from last night's first session of Founder’s Week. You can listen to the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Showcast. If you're looking to listen to a particular segment from the show, look at the following time stamps: Katy Nicole Interview (My Call to Music) [11:37 ] Asheritah CiuCiu (Personal Devotions with God) [20:09 ] Craig Thompson Interview (Battle for your Family, Not Against It) [31:31 ] Ron Hutchcraft Interview (Staying in Touch with Jesus) [48:27 ] Chip Ingram Clip (Founder's Week Opening Session) [01:05:15] Karl and Crew airs live weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. Central Time. Click this link for ways to listen in your area! https://www.moodyradio.org/ways-to-listen/Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Look, whether you're a Yankee or a Confederate at heart, you don't take much joy in what happened at what is called the "High Water Mark of the Confederacy." If you're a Civil War buff, you know that's where the Union Army turned back Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg. Some 15,000 Confederate soldiers marched courageously across a field in a very tightly-packed formation, advancing on 40,000 Union soldiers. Only 150 of those Southern soldiers made it. General Lee had made an honest but tragic mistake. See, he'd been trained at West Point in Napoleon's war tactics - masses of men, advancing against imprecise, short-range weapons until they could overwhelm the opposing troops in hand-to-hand combat. Unfortunately, things had changed since that kind of strategy had won battles for Napoleon. Recent technology of that time had greatly improved the range and the accuracy of the rifles that the Union Army was using, which meant those masses of men were brought down long before they could ever reach enemy lines. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Today's Battles, Yesterday's Weapons." Robert E. Lee, the great general that he was, made the fatal mistake of fighting today's battles with what used to work. You know, a lot of us are still making that fatal mistake when it comes to fighting the battle for which Jesus gave His life - turning people from the death penalty of their sin to the eternal life that only Jesus can give them. When we lose that battle, a soul is lost forever. The message that Jesus died for our sin and came back from the dead to be our living Savior: that message, wow, that never changes. The Good News about Jesus always has been and it always will be the unchanging (in God's words) "power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). That message is always relevant, it's always powerful, it's never to be tampered with or watered down, or compromised. But the methods by which we present His message are always subject to change. And, frankly, many of us haven't changed our methods for a long time. We're still trying to reach people with what used to work. But today's lost people? They don't know the Bible, they don't understand our "Christianese" words we use to explain what Jesus did, they don't ever plan to come to our religious meeting to hear our religious speaker talk on a religious subject in a religious place, which describes a lot of the ways we try to reach them. The Apostle Paul, who never compromised his message, of course, was the same one who said in 1 Corinthians 9:22, our word for today from the Word of God, "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." In terms of method, Paul tells us you have to be willing to do whatever it takes, within Biblical boundaries, to rescue the dying. Which today may mean going to where they are instead of counting on them to come where we are, doing outreach in places where they feel comfortable - neutral ground - instead of where we feel comfortable in our religious setting, communicating Christ in non-religious words that a lost person can understand. Delivering the message in music that is their musical language instead of ours, realizing it's going to be the everyday believer like you that we'll have to depend on to rescue the lost more than those programs we've created. See, the program of God for rescuing the dying is the people of God. If we insist on fighting today's battle for the lost with what worked yesterday, we'll keep on reaching who we've already been reaching, while most of the spiritually dying people around us will live and die without God and without hope. We can't lose them because we insist on doing what we've always done, sticking to what we're comfortable with. The eternity of people all around us is at stake - this is a battle that is too costly to lose.

It's a nice deal when your auto mechanic is also your good friend. And I've had that opportunity. What I've really appreciated about my friend, the auto mechanic, was the fact that he worked long, hard, and professionally. However, it was unfortunate that when I stopped by his station, I was usually all dressed up on my way somewhere. Now, instinctively, what would we do with a friend? We'd extend our hands to shake. Well, we would immediately hesitate and both of us would look at the layers of grease on his hand and then we'd look at my suit and my white shirt and my clean hands. Yeah, pretty boy over here. I didn't have any time to clean up, and he would say, "We'd better not." Now, I'd love to shake hands with my buddy, but it just might be a problem. It's actually best to get the dirt off your hand before you reach for a really clean one. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "No Dirt In the Throne Room." Our word for today from the Word of God is from 1 Timothy 2:8. Guess what it's about? Hands. "I want men everywhere," Paul says, "to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger or disputing." Now, we could probably get into a little debate on that most cosmic theological issue of all, "Should we pray with upraised hands?" You say, "Ron, I pray with my hands in my pocket." Well, listen, I'm not going to get into that. There's a much larger point that Paul is making here. Whether you lift up your hands to God literally or symbolically to offer praise to the Lord, to get something you need from the Lord, the bigger issue is this: What kind of hands are you lifting up? He says here, "Lift up holy hands to the Lord." Make sure your hands are clean before you reach up for a holy God. The failure to do that? Well, that just might explain why God hasn't reached back toward you yet with the answer you've been seeking. You've praised Him. You've petitioned Him over and over again, but you haven't heard anything back. Could it be that you haven't cleaned up a part of you that in His eyes is giving you unholy hands? See, a sinless God cannot bless your sin. He can't respond to sin. And so if you could hear His voice, He might be saying, "I see you reaching for Me, and I've got something I want to give you, but what's that in your hand? See, I can't have that." So, before you reach out to God, review the last 24 hours. Where did you get some dirt on your spiritual hands? You might need to look at the last hour. Has there been some dishonesty, you've told something less than the truth? Did you display a little less than total integrity? Have there been impure thoughts, impure motives? Have you hurt someone in these last hours? Have you neglected someone? Whatever the dirt, deal with the dirt first. In fact, this scripture talks about anger and disputing. It suggests that maybe what we need to take care of is some broken relationships before we ever lift up our hands, so our hands will be holy. The Bible says, "If you have something against your brother, or your brother has something against you, leave the altar. Leave your sacrifice there and go and make it right with him." David said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Now there are many reasons we may not have heard an answer to prayer but this one we need to check out in our own heart: Is it because of dirty hands to receive the request? There's so much He wants to do for you, so much He has to bless you with. But He can't hand it to you while your hands are dirty with sin. Whether you reach for God literally or symbolically, would you be sure your hand is emptied of anything sinful. If you want God to put His hand in yours, be sure you're not offering Him a dirty hand.

Our friends John and Marie have a lovely family area in their home that they call the Great Room. And it really is a great room - big fireplace, lots of comfortable couch and chairs, tastefully decorated. It's just one of those rooms that people are drawn into like a magnet, and you don't want to leave. And on the wall near the fireplace, a beautiful painting. That's new. See, it hasn't always been there...until the wall cracked. Now, they tell me it was some kind of water damage, but it has left a really ugly hole in the wall. But who would know? It's covered up with this lovely painting! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Ugly Beneath the Beautiful." Now, it's true that no one can see the ugly spot. It's successfully covered up by something beautiful. It keeps anyone from knowing about the ugly, but not even a Rembrandt can repair that damage! Most of us have something ugly that we would just as soon not have anyone see. There's ugly stuff in our past, in our heart, in the closets of our life. The secrets we don't want anyone to know about - the dark side we try to conceal: those weaknesses, those failures, the mistakes that betray the wonderful view that we portray to the world. See, we cover the ugly with a great personality, or with religious activity, or spirituality, with our image, with good things we do. But no matter how impressive what we hang on the wall is, the damage - the holes inside - they're still there. God says that one day, all the cover-ups are going to come off the wall, and we will be judged on the basis of the ugly on the inside, not the beauty on the outside. That's our word for today from the Word of God in Romans 2:16. It talks about "the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ." That's the junk we've successfully concealed from others, maybe even those closest to us. But it's totally known to God. And until the sin inside is removed - not just covered up - we are in the danger zone with the One who will judge us based on His knowledge of every secret. In the next chapter in the Bible, God tells us that no one is exempt from the reality of a sinful heart or of the consequences of a self-run life. He says, "All have sinned," even the most religious person among us. It says, "and they fall short of the glory of God." There is no way we can make it into God's heaven with this sin we all carry inside, no matter how much religion we cover it with. It sounds pretty hopeless until you read on. Yes, we've all missed it with God, but it goes on to say, "we are justified" (that means made right with God) "justified freely by His grace through the redemption" (or the rescue) "that came by Christ Jesus." God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in His blood. Now, we couldn't do anything to fix our sin problem, but God, who is the One we've sinned against, reached out in love by sending His Son to die our death penalty - to remove the stain of the sin that has haunted us and condemned us for so long. And today, God's waiting to go deep inside you where all that sin is, and all the guilt and the shame, the secrets, and clean it all up. He wants to forgive it all. He wants to repair what you could never repair. He wants to change what you could never change and cleanse what you could never cleanse. And it happens when you tell Jesus that you are trusting Him to be your rescuer from your sin, because only the One who died for your sin can forgive your sin. This could be your day to be something better than religious. You could be forgiven. You could be clean. If you want that, go to the One that can do it. Tell Him, "Jesus, you're my only hope of my sin being erased and being in heaven some day. I am yours beginning today." Our website will help you, so much, to know that you belong to Him and get you started with Him. Please go there today. It's ANewStory.com. There's nothing like the freedom, the relief, of knowing that the sin of a lifetime is gone - not concealed, but gone.

Hi, I'm John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you're listening to Share Life Today. Ron Hutchcraft, evangelist and founder of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, reminds us that sharing the Gospel isn't optional — it's our calling. He said, “You are here on mission for Jesus. He has literally placed you in your friend's life. Would you tonight look in the mirror and say these words, ‘I am someone's chance. I am someone's chance at Jesus.'” That's a sobering thought — and an inspiring one. God has strategically placed you in your workplace, your school, your neighborhood, even your family. None of those relationships are accidents but opportunities to be a living witness for Him. When we realize that, every conversation takes on eternal significance. You are a messenger of hope, carrying the Gospel to a world that desperately needs Jesus. Let's ask today, “Lord, who's my someone?” And then as God shows us, let's take the opportunity to share our faith. For resources and to watch the full interview with Ron Hutchcraft, visit our website at sharelife.today.

Did you ever notice this little law of life? Just about the time you get comfortable in a place, the scenery changes. You're all comfy at home as a little child, and you think this is a world you can handle. You just figured out your house and the yard, and suddenly somebody plunges you into this unfamiliar jungle of kindergarten with all these crazy kids in this classroom. And then you get pretty comfortable in elementary school. You say, "Hey, I've got this figured out. I know how to handle this place." And no sooner do you get on top of that, and they plunge you into the middle school or junior high. Then there's high school. Just about the time you're really confident in junior high, boom, you're in the huge world of high school. And then after that you're plunged into college or the working world, and you think, "Well, I think I've got college figured out." Hello? Now you are plunged into life! Of course, parents get to go through all those new beginnings with their kids. Being grown up doesn't mean you're beyond those "shake ups" that are caused by new beginnings. No, you might be staring at a new beginning right now. Well, I've got news for you! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "When You're Moving From Rest to Risk." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Exodus 33. Let me set the stage for you a little bit. Moses and his people are at Sinai. At one point, this very imposing mountain out in the wilderness had been a new beginning place for them. They left Egypt, and this is where God asks them to park for a while. They've met the Lord there. But by now Sinai, which maybe once looked new and dangerous, has become the easy, familiar, comfortable place. It's the place where they've had a lot of encounters with the Lord actually. In chapter 33 verse 1, it comes as a shock perhaps when the Lord says to Moses, "Leave this place, you and the people you brought out of Egypt, and go to the land I promised you." Leave this place, this safe place, this familiar place? To something better, but it's something different, something unknown, something risky. Can you relate at all? Maybe God seems to be saying to you, "It's time to move on. You're on the edge of change right now in your life." A new beginning can be triggered by a lot of things - maybe a change at work, a change in your family, maybe in your health, a graduation, retirement, an accident. Well, here's Moses on the edge of something new. He's nervous...and maybe so are you. And God has a word for him. In fact when Moses says, "Teach me Your ways" in Exodus 33:13, we then get God's answer to him. And our word for today from the Word of God, Exodus 33:14 - "The Lord replied, 'My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'" The scenery changes, the cast changes, the location changes, the script changes, but the Director is the same. The presence is what makes the risk not really risky. His presence is what made this place bearable and beautiful. It's the same in the next place. He's the same in the next stage of your life - in the next season. That's the important thing. He will not change. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I want you to imagine Jesus now, standing in front of you, looking you in the eye, and you're standing together in front of that new thing. He puts a hand on your shoulders, grips you tightly and He says these words, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." No matter what the risk, no matter what the change you're facing, isn't that enough to go on?

There are some things that are just tough to advertise - like things people need but don't want to think about. Like insurance to pay your funeral expenses some day. Well, a local insurance agency gave it a good try in the newspaper ad they ran. In bold letters it said, "FINAL PAYMENT." It went on to make a case for doing something now to take care of the last obligation of your life. Of course, that ad had a serious inaccuracy. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Your Bill With God." According to the Bible, there is still one more bill to pay after the funeral. It's the payment for all those me-first life choices that the Bible calls "sin." In God's words, "Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). The payment for running our own lives is an eternal payment. But like that final payment for your funeral expenses, you can do something now to take care of that awful obligation once and for all. Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, and it graphically explains the terrible final payment for sin, and it suggests the way to remove it. These are sobering words from the One who will be your Judge and mine. It says, "The Lord Jesus will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power." Everlasting destruction - shut out from God's presence. I know we don't like the idea of hell, but it doesn't change the reality of it. If you don't have life forever, there's just one alternative-living death forever. But that's not what God wants for you. It's not what He wants for anyone. He says in the Bible, "This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 4:9-10). In other words, God loves you so much that He sent His Son to take on all the punishment for every sin you have ever done. Your final payment was paid by Jesus Christ on His cross! That's the "Gospel," the good news. God said the ones who would never see Him (never see heaven) are those who "do not obey the Gospel (the good news) of our Lord Jesus." That Gospel calls upon us to grab Jesus as our Savior like a drowning person would grab a lifeguard to save them. That's why the Bible bottom lines the most important decision you will ever make in these words, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." That's "believe" as in totally trusting Him as your only hope for having your sins forgiven, for going to heaven someday. Have you ever consciously given yourself to Jesus to be your Savior from your sins? If not, does it make any sense to wait any longer? Not when eternity's at stake, and eternity can begin any time. If you want to trust Jesus as your rescuer from your sin and from its penalty - the One who died for you - would you tell Him you're His from this day on - that you're pinning all your hopes on Him to forgive your sins and to guarantee you eternal life someday? Only He can rescue you. That's why we've really dedicated our website to helping you know and be sure that you have begun this life-saving relationship. It's ANewStory.com. Please go there today. The final payment is one God doesn't want you to pay. He sent His Son to pay it for you. But He leaves the choice in your hands, and that choice will determine your eternity.

Because we lived along the East Coast for so many years, we had the opportunity to see many of America's old lighthouses. I mean, we came up over the top of a hill on an interstate one day and I saw what I certainly never expected to see hundreds of miles from the ocean. It was a lighthouse with a bright, functioning light on top. Obviously, it wasn't there to point any ships in the right direction. Actually, it was part of a church that stands right near the highway. This lighthouse is for people! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Great Lighthouse Shortage." It seems to me that Jesus intended for every church to be a lighthouse, whether or not they have a lighted tower as part of their building, as He intended for every Christian to be a lighthouse, every ministry. Tragically, there are so many lives around us headed for eternal disaster, and there is a terrible lighthouse shortage. We know that Jesus said that those who belong to Him are "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:16). And Matthew 4:16, our word for today from the Word of God, tells us which direction our light should be pointing. Jesus says, "The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned." See, it's the people in spiritual darkness, the people who are spiritually dying who should be the focus of all this light that God has given us. The problem is that often we're content to have all the lights inside the church, shining on those who are already headed for heaven. Meanwhile, we let countless lost people just get another day closer to hell. We do what's easy. We just work with the sheep who are already in, when Jesus said He would leave ninety-nine of those just to go out and find one lost one. But notice, you have to go out to find them. You can't just stay in the Christian cocoon waiting for someone to stick their head in the door and say, "Excuse me, but is there any light in here?" The lighthouse needs to be out where they are! We can go to all our Christian meetings, and fellowship with all our Christian friends, and enjoy all our Christian books and programs, and we feel like we must be winning. Well, not when two-thirds of Americans can't tell you half of the Ten Commandments or who did the Sermon on the Mount! Not when the number of people who say they believe in nothing has doubled in just a few years, not when the number of those who are self-declared witches grew over 1,500% in a decade. Even in one Bible Belt state, the statistics came in this way: two-thirds of the people even there are essentially un-churched! You have working near you, living near you, going to school with you - people who have no idea that what Jesus did on the cross was for them and that He's their only hope! If our Christian subculture makes us feel like we're winning, it's the illusion of winning. How can we be content to spend all our time with the already rescued when we're living surrounded by a sea of dying people? How can we say that we're following the One who came, as He said, to "seek and save what was lost" and not be doing that with all our heart? If you're following Jesus, I'll tell you where He's going. He's always headed for a sea of lost people. That should be where we end up, too. Oh, it's bright inside the lighthouse, but it's very dark outside the walls. So many headed for eternal destruction! They desperately need a lighthouse - a lighthouse that's out where they are, pointing them to life in Jesus Christ. Please, be their lighthouse!

Years ago, I was at a youth conference where we needed to raise some money for a camp scholarship fund. So we challenged the kids to buy their counselor into this Friday night food fight. Well, the kids found the money alright pretty quickly! So, Friday night all of us leaders showed up on the field of battle with the campers watching like sadistic spectators at the Roman Coliseum. Now, for starters, we got hosed down so everything would cling to us. I have to tell you, in retrospect, I'm embarrassed about the food we wasted. But we did it, so I'll tell you about it. Round One was flour. The campers got their money's worth as we redecorated each other with this blizzard of flour, followed by eggs, then fudge sauce. Can you imagine this? Get the idea? The last round was the worst - lard. Yea, from our hair to our toes, we were totally gross by the end of this massacre. Our only satisfaction was at the end when we went after those kids and gave them a big, gooey hug. Yeah, it was great! I couldn't wait to get a shower, though. And I was there for a long time. Ever try to get lard off? Probably not. Well, I have never felt dirtier - but clean has never felt better! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Feeling Dirty, Getting Clean." If you've ever felt real dirty, you know how much you enjoyed that shower that made you clean again. If only there was a shower that could make us clean on the inside, where we carry the guilt, and the regrets, and the dirt of the things we wish we'd never done, or the things we should have done and we didn't do. Unfortunately, there's no medication, there's no therapist, not even a religion that seems powerful enough to remove the dirt on our soul. That's why our word for today from the Word of God is such good news. Acts 3:19 - "Repent and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." Now look at this! All the sins of your life can be wiped out, erased from God's records forever. God says you can be clean - that you can have a new beginning. He is actually offering a cleansing spiritual shower for those who repent and turn to Him. That means you acknowledge the wrongness of what you've done and that you're ready to turn from your sin-choices and turn to Him for a new beginning. Look, we all have things we're ashamed of, things we're not proud of, things that make us afraid of what God will do when we meet Him on Judgment Day. According to the Bible, the sins of our life will, in fact, make it impossible for us to ever enter God's Heaven because there is no sin there. Our only hope is if somehow God will forgive a lifetime of choices that have left Him out. And there's only one place where a spiritual shower like that is available. It is at the cross of Jesus Christ, the place where every sin of yours was paid for. You carry all the garbage of your life up that hill, you give yourself in total trust to the One who paid for your sin on that cross with His life, and you leave your sin at that cross forever. You may have started this day guilty, but you could go to sleep forgiven tonight and finally clean. God's promise: "Everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His Name" (Acts 10:43). There is nothing you've done that is so bad that Jesus did not pay for it on the cross. Today could be the day you are finally clean. If you've never trusted Jesus to be your own Savior from your own sin, would you tell Him you're doing that right now? Your sins will be erased. He promised. And you'll never carry them again or face them when you meet God. And the only thing that would keep you from heaven can be gone today. We've put the information on how to begin with Jesus at our website. Please go there today. That's ANewStory.com. That day I felt so gross, it was an awesome feeling to stand in that shower and have all that accumulated junk get washed away. That's what Jesus wants to do for your heart, my friend. It is such an incredible feeling to be finally clean!

When you play high school football, you learn to play another game too. It's called Impress the Coaches. Of course, the coaches decide who plays, who starts, who sits. All summer long players show up for weight lifting in this steamy, hot weight room. Now, they come three times a week. Why would guys want to come and sweat and strain? Because the coaches are there. You can't help but ask how many of those fellows would show up if, well let's say the coaches suddenly announced they were taking a week off, "Fellows, you keep coming. We just won't be here all next week, okay?" I have a feeling the attendance would really go down in the weight room. One day back when my boys played football, there was a lot of football equipment that had to be moved to the school. Again, it was a hot, humid summer day. The coach needed volunteers. It's amazing! A lot of guys showed up to carry equipment! Of course, the coaches were going to be there and would notice who helped. Right? If the coaches weren't there to watch, how many guys would have been hauling equipment? I don't know. How many guys would lift on those hot days? How many players would run an extra lap? See, the real athlete works out whether anyone is watching or not. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "When No One's Watching." Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Philippians 2, and I'll be reading verse 12. "My dear friends," Paul says, "you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but how much more in my absence." Now, that's a description of authentic Christianity. This is the real deal. He says, "You are obeying the Lord whether I'm there to look at you and see you or not." Oh, I'm sure that they would like to impress their spiritual leader. Look, we like to impress ours. But he said, "It doesn't matter if I'm there or not. One way or the other, you continue to do what God tells you to do." You know, that's the real test of how much you love Jesus - what you do when there's no one there to see you except Jesus. We're always on our best Bible behavior when the pastor's around, or when our Christian friends are around, or any Christian we want to impress favorably. That shows how important those people are to you. It doesn't tell you too much about how important Jesus is to you. The way to find out how important Jesus is to you is the way you act when He's the only one watching. Are you into His Word when there's no one there to impress? Are you on your knees when there's no one there watching? Are you sexually pure when no one will probably know what you've done except Jesus? Are you unselfish? Are you loving with the people around you when there's no one around that will know? Do you watch, do you listen to, do you do things that you wouldn't ever do if you had other people's eyes on you? Well, Jesus is looking. Jesus is watching. He knows. He's there. Does your family see the same Christian that the church does? Do your coworkers, your clients, your customers, your fellow students, your teammates? Take a good, honest look at the private you. Are you faithful to Jesus when there is no one there to impress? That's the real you! The way you live when there's no one watching is the way you can tell how much you really love your Jesus.

It happened over 100 years ago, but we still seem to be fascinated with it - the Titanic. I mean, the Titanic has sailed into the Internet! You can find all kinds of information about the sinking of that "unsinkable" ship back in 1912. And then, there was the Academy Award-winning movie, endless TV shows, articles, and there was even a Broadway musical about it. It seems like fascination with the Titanic just never goes away. A lot of this information has been known for decades, but now there's a tremendous appetite for that information. Like the tragic mistake that fatal night by the radioman on the Titanic. The ship had received a number of warnings about ice ahead and had adjusted her course southward as a result. But two hours before the Titanic hit the iceberg, the radioman received a warning from another ship about a major iceberg, along with longitude and latitude coordinates. They put that iceberg right in Titanic's path. It's the one that sank the ship. But the radioman didn't know it was in their path. He was busy that night, so he stuck that message on a spindle to be dealt with later. That one choice doomed him and 1500 other passengers who died that night. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Your Titanic Mistake." That just makes the tragedy even more tragic, doesn't it? The warning of what was coming was sent, it was received, but a man decided he'd deal with it later. And later was too late. When the warning is life-or-death, you don't wait to deal with it, especially if the warning is from God, especially if the warning is about what's ahead for you. Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Hebrews 2:3. "How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?" Ignoring God's warning - fatal results. What's the warning about our future? Here are God's words, "Whoever believes in Jesus is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's only Son" (John 3:18). Like the Titanic on her last night, steaming headlong for a deadly rendezvous. Again, God in His own words, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him" (John 3:36). God says there are people who are forever safe and people who are headed for eternal destruction. The difference is what they do with His Son, Jesus. You can do a lot of things with Jesus: you can reject Him, or ignore Him, or postpone Him, or you can even agree with Him. But all of those responses lead to the same place - eternity without God. You might say, "You mean agreeing with Jesus, isn't that enough?" Well, you see, I wasn't married to my wife based on my agreeing with her views. I was married to my wife for one reason - there was a time I committed my life to her. That's what you have to do with Jesus. Has there been a time when you did that? If not, you're still ignoring God's warning about eternity. He says we can't possibly escape if we neglect this great salvation. He calls it salvation because it's a rescue from a death sentence. Jesus dying on that awful cross - that was God's Son paying the death penalty for the sinning you and I have done. And our only hope is to put our total trust in Him - the only One who can rescue you from sin and its penalty. So you have the warning. Maybe you've been saying, like a radioman on the Titanic that night, I'll deal with it later. Don't do that. When a warning is life-or-death, the only time to deal with it is now while there's time. If there has never been a time when you have committed yourself to Jesus to be your Savior, tell Him right now you're putting your trust in Him and what He did on the cross for you. "Jesus, I'm yours." I hope you'll go to our website as soon as you can today, because you will find the information you need to secure and be sure you belong to Jesus. It's ANewStory.com. Without Jesus, you are steaming full speed into an eternity without hope. Deal with God's warning now. And you'll be on the course for a guaranteed arrival in heaven when your journey's done.

I was once held hostage by a dragonfly. This is very embarrassing, but it is true. I was just a little guy and my cousin and I were sitting on these swings in her backyard. I believed everything she said. And a dragonfly started to circle us on the swings. He was a big old guy - at least he looked big compared to the size I was then. And then he landed on the swing, and my cousin said to me, "You know, if they get mad at you they'll drill a hole through you." I took one look at him and he kind of dived back and forth and started to dive bomb us. I started imagining him boring a hole in me, and it seemed reasonable. So I was frozen to the swing. I must have been there for a half hour... maybe an hour, I don't know. I didn't move until the crazy dragonfly left. Did I mention this is embarrassing? Well, today I know a dragonfly is nothing to fear, but my cousin that day made me afraid of something that I didn't need to be afraid of. That might be happening at your house. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Paralyzed Parents." Our word for today from the Word of God is from 2 Timothy 1:7. "For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline." This is a great verse for parents isn't it? Parents especially who are raising children in a very pagan, out-of-control world like ours. In fact, earlier in this chapter Paul talks about Timothy's Mother, Eunice, and how her faith was passed on to her son. She had an unbelieving husband, the Bible tells us, she was raising Timothy in a lost culture, and yet she turned out a son who was a great spiritual leader. Now, one of the keys is in this seventh verse, "don't parent out of fear." You know, I'm a Dad of three kids that grew up in this kind of a world, and I know that we tend to look at a world where lies are taught as truth and where wrong is promoted as the right thing to do, and where sex outside of marriage is expected. That's the kind of world we're living in no doubt about it. Sin is boasted about. Our tendency is to grab our child and run to a cave with him or her and try to keep that child from ever rubbing shoulders with that nasty world. Do you know what we're communicating? We're saying, "You know, that darkness out there is really big and strong, and I'm not sure Jesus is strong enough to compete with it." We're giving the Devil and we're giving the darkness a lot of credit when we teach our children to be afraid of it. Yes, we need to teach them to live in a dark world, but not to be afraid of it. We serve a Christ who blew the doors off of death. We serve a Jesus to whom demons surrender. Let's not hide from the darkness. He empowers His children to change the darkness. Many days our kids came home from school with words they heard or ideas or questions. And, well, we found that those are the moments to seize, not to freeze. We can say to our kids, "You know, I'm glad that came up. Let me show you how much better Jesus' idea is." See, Jesus called us to be salt and light, and they have to be in contact with something if they're going to change it. Right? But we forfeit a whole generation if our kids withdraw from the people who've never touched Jesus. They're not sacrificial lambs. They're people who can make a difference and raise their kids on the two words I raised ours on: GO MAD! Go make a difference! You need to change things. Don't let them change you. You are their hope of another way to be. I sat on a swing one day as a boy, paralyzed by something I didn't need to fear. As Christian parents let's not do that or cause our children to do it. Teach them the dangers of a lost world for sure; expose the darkness. And then outfit them with a strong version of Jesus who doesn't run from the darkness. He challenges the darkness.

Ah yes, World History class. I'm sure you remember everything you heard there very vividly, right? No. If you remember anything, you probably remember that for centuries the nations of Europe were fighting it out to be number one on their block - often using their ships to build their empires. Now, if you were out on the high seas back then, sailing, let's say for England, the only way you knew if an approaching ship was friend or foe was by their colors flying from the mast. That was also how they would know whether or not to shoot at you as well. As the story goes, many captains decided to strategically lower their colors in a risky situation so folks wouldn't know what their allegiance was. But apparently there were a few bold and courageous skippers who gave a different kind of order to their crew. It went like this: "Nail the colors to the mast." "Uh, sir, that means we can't lower our colors if we need to?" "That's right, matey. Nail them to the mast!" I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Nailing Your Colors to the Mast." In the account of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection that first Easter week, we have the story of a follower of Jesus who knew all about lowering his colors when it might cost you to fly them. His name was Joseph, known by the town he was from, Arimathea. Apparently, he saw the crucifixion of Jesus, and then something happened. In John 19:38 - it's our word for today from the Word of God - we read: "Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. You bet he feared the Jews. He was part of the ruling Council of the Jews that had engineered Jesus' execution. If they found out that he had given his heart to Jesus, he had everything to lose! So he just kept following Jesus "under cover." He never told anyone about his relationship with Him. Joseph would, according to some modern surveys, be one of the 90% of Christians today who never tell anyone about Jesus. Think about that. I mean, how many spiritually dying people are, in essence, remaining under their spiritual death sentence because of the silence of the Christian they know? What a tragedy! And why do we stay silent about our Jesus? For the same reason Joseph did. Fear of what they'll think of me, fear of what I might lose, fear that I might damage a relationship or mess it up. Valid fears? Possibly. But the fears of what might happen if I do tell them about Jesus are nothing compared to the fears of what might happen to them if I don't tell them! They may die without ever knowing how they could have lived forever! But silent believers don't have to remain with their true colors lowered out of sight. Look at Joseph. He's hope for all of us. He totally blew his cover by going to the Roman governor and saying, "I want to bury Jesus in my tomb." I mean, that will identify Joseph with Jesus for all the world to know. But he doesn't care anymore. You know why? He saw what Jesus went through on that cross for him, and he nailed his colors to the mast! Isn't it time for you to do that? When you think about your Savior dying publicly on a cross for you, would you tell Him, "Jesus, you're not going to be a secret anymore. You're who I'm about. You are my true identity. You are what I'm about forever. I will not deny you any longer." Too many times you've lowered your colors, but not anymore. Not after what Jesus has done for you. Not when somebody's eternity may depend on you telling what you know. For once, for all, you are nailing your Jesus-colors to the mast and they will never come down again.