test post oct 9
Christmas
Fireworks
A few weeks before Independence Day, I noticed a fireworks stand in a parking lot in our city. It reminded me of the many wonderful fireworks shows I’ve attended with my family. There’s something magical about those brilliant colors exploding against the dark sky.
But there’s a problem with fireworks. They don’t last. The same is true of many of the “fireworks” experiences in our lives. We fight and struggle for things that seem beautiful and alluring, but after we get them, their appeal disappears, just like fireworks. Maybe it’s a shiny new car or speedboat. Maybe it’s a big, impressive house. It might even be a promotion at work or a prestigious career.
So many of the things of this world are like fireworks. They promise happiness and fulfillment but can’t deliver. TV commercials play on our emotions, making us believe that if we drive a certain kind of SUV or clean our floors with their super-efficient mop, we’ll be happy at last. More often than not, all we feel is disillusioned.
If you’ve had enough of these “fireworks” experiences and the letdowns that follow, I challenge you to pursue the only thing in life that doesn’t disappoint: a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The astounding thing about loving God is that it actually gets better every day. Once you give your heart to Jesus, you’ll have happiness and fulfillment that lasts into eternity, and you’ll never want to go back to “fireworks” experiences again.
Thank You
Years ago I gave a speech called “Powerful Phrases for Positive People.” These are very simple — but powerful — phrases that we all like to hear: “I’m proud of you.” “I believe in you.” “I trust you.” “I love you.” “You can do it.”
With Thanksgiving Day approaching, we all should be focused on another one of these powerful phrases, in particular: “I thank you.” We can never wear out that phrase. It should always be on the tip of our tongue if we are truly grateful to others who help us each day and to God who has richly blessed us with more abundance and freedom than any country in history.
Despite God’s abundant blessings, we’re often too slow to give thanks and too quick to complain. Maybe we’re so focused on ourselves and busy with our lives that we forget to give thanks. Or maybe it’s because those of us in America have become complacent with a level of luxury and leisure beyond the imagination of much of the world’s population.
We tend to take our blessings for granted, like the story about a homeowner who hired a real-estate agent to prepare an ad to sell his home. The homeowner was reading the ad in the paper about his home’s many attractive features. He called the real-estate agent to say he no longer wished to sell. When asked what changed his mind, the homeowner said, “After reading your ad, I realized I already live in the house I always wanted to live in.”
In this season of Thanksgiving in particular, it’s time to count our blessings and pull out that simple phrase, “I thank you.”
Breakthrough
2 Thessalonians 3:5
May the Lord bring you into a deep understanding of the steadfastness of Christ.
Most of the flight from Atlanta to Ft. Lauderdale was delightful. We sailed high, in clear skies, with nary a bump to bother us. As the pilot announced our initial descent, thing began to change. The colud cover in the area was thick, and we would have to go through it to land. As I peered out the window into murky grey emptiness, I felt frightened. There was nothing I could do except put my trust in the pilot and those in the control tower at Ft. Lauderdale. We bumped, were jarred and seemed to be on a roller coaster ride before we finally broke through the clouds. How relieved I was, being able to see once again, and having the smooth ride resume. Breaking through those clouds was exhilarating for me! I sighed a breath of relief.
Life hands us cloudbanks of dark and dismal times, also. We may have some warning, as the pilot warned the passengers on the plane, or we may just hit the cloudbanks of life with a bang. Either way, the ride through them is usually bumpy and uncomfortable, to say the least. But the old saying that there is light at the end of the tunnel is so true. There is light after we ride through the cloudbanks of life. The question is, how do we weather the storm? Who do we put our trust in, as we face difficult times? Do we turn to a friend or write to Dear Abby for help? I hope we turn our eyes toward heaven, and ask God, who created this universe, for guidance and help during the cloudy times we endure. Then, when we make the transition out of darkness into His wonderful light, we can be reminded that He was with us all the while. That is very reassuring to me, and I hope it is to you, also.
A Penny
Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband’s employer’s home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.
The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband’s employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely.
As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband.
He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment. Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts.
Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up? Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her.
Finally, she could stand it no longer. She causally mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.
A smile crept across the man’s face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?
“Look at it.” He said. “Read what it says.”
She read the words “United States of America.”
“No, not that; read further.”
“One cent?”
“No, keep reading.”
“In God we Trust?”
“Yes!”
“And?”
“And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God’s way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!
When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, “In God We Trust,” and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message. It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful!
And, God is patient…
Have a blessed day!!
The best mathematical equation I have ever seen:
1 cross + 3 nails ——– 4 given
I Thought I was a Christian
You’d think that after years of attending church, Sunday school, vacation Bible school, church camp or youth group, someone would be a ‘Christian’. But that’s not always so. At least, that’s not the way it happened with me. I became a Christian when I was 18 and a month away from leaving for my first year of college.
A pastor from the new church my family was attending stopped by our house and went through a small tract called “Steps to Peace With God.” My 11-year-old sister and I confessed our sinfulness and professed our faith in Jesus that day, asking Him to be our Savior. But prior to that moment, I would have said that I was a Christian if someone had asked. I mean, people who believe in God and believe in Jesus are Christians, right? Christians go to church. Christians serve in the church. I did all of these things. So why weren’t they enough to make me a Christian?
Looking back, I can’t believe I missed the truth. My mother taught me about the Lord, and I even memorized the first part of John 3 for an Easter sunrise service when I was in high school – a good presentation of the gospel if I’ve ever heard one. I knew Jesus was born to a virgin, lived a perfect life and was crucified and resurrected. I knew about Him, but I didn’t know Him personally.
Heart Surgery While I had the truth in my mind, it didn’t click in my heart until someone explained sin, how it had separated me from God and how my relationship with Him could be restored only through belief in Jesus and acceptance of Him as my Lord and Savior. You see, a Christian does believe in Jesus, attend church and serve others, but she does it because of a love for her Lord, not because of a self-imposed requirement to be a good person. My life has changed in the years since I became a Christian. Instead of simply going to church and being pleased with my contributions there, I have a real, growing relationship with Jesus. I have a desire to spend time with Him in prayer and Bible study. I like to serve because I hope to make Him known to others – people who may think they know what it means to be a Christian, but who haven’t had a heart-encounter with the living God.
My 18 years of going to church and church-related events prior to accepting Jesus as my Savior weren’t a waste. They were foundational for who I am today. They prepared me for the moment when I truly understood the gospel. The people who contributed to my first years of life demonstrated Christ to me so I’d be ready to do the same for others.
So I’ve gotta ask. Are you a Christian? Has the meaning of the gospel really clicked in your heart, mind and spirit? Are you growing in your relationship with Jesus? Are you going to church because you want to worship God, enjoy fellowship with other believers and serve as Christ served? I hope so!
But if you’re not, if you’re like I was, a church-participator who didn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, now’s your time to make a change and relinquish yourself to your Creator. Now’s your time to really start living! God’s grace and forgiveness are available to cover all your sins. He has a desire to adopt you into His family. Won’t you ask Jesus to forgive you and to become Lord of your life today?
By making Jesus the absolute Lord of your life, you won’t be zapped into an angelic being. You’ll still choose wrongly and make mistakes from time to time. But when you do, go to Christ with a repentant heart (being genuinely and humbly sorry for what you did with no plans to do it again), accept His forgiveness and keep growing in Him. Jesus loves you, and He is an accepting Savior who holds open arms to you.
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4).
One more time… I’ve gotta ask: Do you know a lot about Jesus? Or do you actually know Him personally? If you’ve assumed you’re a Christian, and you’re really not, you can be right now!
Fill me, Lord
Fill me with the fruits of your Spirit, Lord.
Fill me with love, so that I seek to understand and appreciate the rich variety and diversity of life that surrounds me.
Fill me with joy, so that I celebrate your presence in each and every moment I am on this earth.
Fill me with peace, so that I know how to ease those angry and sometimes violent urges that well up inside of me.
Fill me with patience, so that I stop rushing long enough to witness your miraculous work taking place all around me (and within me!)
Fill me with kindness, so that I take the extra time to help the one in need, even when it isn’t convenient for me.
Fill me with faithfulness, so that I place my mind, heart and all that I do in the service of your Gospel.
Fill me with gentleness, so that others know that I believe in a God who loves and cares for all people.
Fill me with self-control, so that I act not on my impulses and urges, but rather on my beliefs and values, which are rooted in you.
Fill me with these fruits of your spirit, Lord!
Amen.
The Biggest Spiritual Mistake in the World
I have to confess, I didn’t exactly go running into the Computer Age. It was more like I was carried into it. Several years ago 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!” Karen agreed but she indicated that we didn’t have the funds to get a computer. Well, 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 — which has greatly impacted my life!
Well, 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 — well, of course, it would have no longer been a gift.
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, try to live by their religion’s rules — they’re trying to earn eternal life in heaven by doing good things and being good people. Now, 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” — that’s undeserved love — “you have been saved … it is the gift of God – not by works…” We can’t get to heaven by Protestant works, Catholic works, Jewish works, Moslem works, Buddhist works, Hindu works. God couldn’t make it any clearer — it is 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 that is what Jesus, God’s Son, did for you.
All I could do to get what my friend had purchased was to accept it. All you can do to have the eternal life Jesus purchased with His life is to accept it. So the eternity-deciding question is, has there ever been a time when you have told Jesus, “Lord, You’re my only hope of having my sins forgiven; of going to heaven when I die. I’m welcoming you into my life right now. Jesus, 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. If you’re ready to put your total trust in Jesus, would you tell Him that right now? And I’d like to send you the booklet that I wrote about this relationship called “Yours For Life.” Just let me know you want it.
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.
The Holy Alphabet
Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know
Imagine life without His love
Joy would cease to be
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee
Move out of “Camp Complaining”
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To “thank” is a command
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We’ll run the race with gratitude
Xalting God most high
Yes, there’ll be good times and yes some will be bad, but…
Zion waits in glory….where none are ever sad!
“I AM Too blessed to be stressed!” The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor.
The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything. Love and peace be with you forever, Amen.
The Heart of a Hero
When that terrorist bomb ripped apart the Federal Office Building in Oklahoma City on that infamous April 19, Mark was on the scene within ten minutes. Today that scene of horrendous carnage and violence is a tranquil Memorial Site in downtown Oklahoma City. One night when I was speaking in that city, Mark — who is a police officer — took me there for a personal tour that was deeply moving. Gesturing toward the quiet memorial area that stands where the building once stood, he showed me where the nursery had been, from which he had carried the youngest victims of the bombing. And he pointed to the area where he had assisted in the dramatic rescue of a woman who thought she was going to die but who was brought out alive by some valiant rescuers. Mark remembers making a quick call to his wife that day, telling her and his daughters that he loved them, and not expecting to ever see them again. As he and the men around him looked at the sagging wreckage over their heads, Mark said to his supervisor, “I think we’re going to die here.” They must have all thought that. But they refused to leave because lives were at stake.
I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Heart Of a Hero.”
Standing next to a man who had risked his life on this very ground to save other lives, it struck me full force — a rescuer forgets about himself. Or he’ll never take the risks to go in to save a life — someone who will die if he doesn’t. And I thought about what it is that keeps most people who have been rescued by Jesus from trying to rescue other spiritually dying people. We’re so focused on ourselves that either we don’t care about those lives at stake or we’re paralyzed by our fears of how they might react if we told them about Jesus — who is heaven’s Rescuer. In either case, we do nothing because we’re all wrapped up in ourselves. The exact opposite of a rescuer, who abandons his self-interest because someone will die if he doesn’t.
In a sense, all of us who know Christ are actually “Esthers.” She’s the Jewish girl who became the queen of Persia without anyone ever discovering her real roots. Then came the day when a shrewd conspiracy caused the king to approve a decree for the slaughter of all Jews. Mordecai, the man who had raised Esther, sent her a message, urging her to go to the king and plead for the life of her people. She was fearful because the law of the land dictated that anyone who entered the king’s presence unbidden would be executed — unless he extended his golden scepter to them. In Esther 4:14-16, Mordecai appeals to her with this plea: “Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” Esther does go to the king, uttering this courageous declaration: “If I perish, I perish.” The heart of a rescuer. It doesn’t matter what happens to me — it matters what happens to the people who will die if I don’t do something. And her people were saved.
Like Esther, you have been assigned where you are — where you work, where you live, or where you go to school — to help save the lives of the people there. People who, without a relationship with the Man who died for their sins, face an eternity in hell and no hope of heaven. And you have the life-saving information about Jesus that can rescue them. It’s not about changing their religion or winning an argument. It’s about whether they have a chance to know the only Person who can save them — Jesus. You’re afraid of what might happen if you went in for the rescue. It might damage your relationship, and you might mess it up. Would you think like a rescuer — fearing more what will happen if you don’t attempt the rescue than what will happen if you do?
Jesus abandoned Himself completely to rescue you. There is no rescue unless the rescuer forgets about himself or herself. Someone’s eternity may depend on you doing just that. God put you where you are so they could have a chance at heaven. Don’t fail them. Don’t fail the Rescuer who died so you could live.