THE CROSS EXAM DEVOTIONAL ARCHIVES

July 2001

July 1, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: The only thing harder than forgiveness is the alternative - Philip Yancey

Ripples On The Pond

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. - Colossians 3:2

A young boy made a toy boat and then went to sail it on a pond. While he was playing with it along the water's edge, the boat floated out beyond his reach. In his distress he asked an older boy to help him. Without saying a word, the older child picked up some stones and started to throw them toward the boat.

The little boy became upset, for he thought that the one he had turned to for help was being mean. Soon, though, he noticed that instead of hitting the boat, each stone was directed beyond it, making a small ripple that moved the vessel a little nearer to the shore. Every throw of the stone was planned, and at last the treasured toy was brought back to his waiting hands.

Sometimes it seems as if God allows circumstances into our lives that are harming us and are without sense or plan. We may be sure, though, that these waves of trial are intended to bring us nearer to Himself, to encourage us to set our minds "on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2). Because we are prone to drift away from Him, the Lord must discipline us to get us back on the right course (Hebrews 12:9-11).

How are you responding to life's difficulties? They are God's loving way of drawing you closer to Him.

Lightly hold earth's joys so transient,
Lightly hold to things of clay, Grasp perfections everlasting,
Where Christ dwells in heaven's day!

God uses the waves of trial to draw us closer to Himself.

Author Unknown
From "Our Daily Bread"
www.rbc.net/bread
�RBC Ministries - Grand Rapids, MI 49555

July 2, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again. - William Penn (1644-1718)

A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
The Only Things You Have To Give
2 Corinthians 9:6

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When my friend Floyd was a little boy, he was taken to church with his family more Sundays than he could ever count. But for some reason, one of those experiences stands out specially in his mind ... that Sunday, as every Sunday, the six members of the family were stuffed into the cab of the family truck for the trip to church. As they went into the church that day, my friend's father gave him a nickel and a penny to put in the offering - which he vividly remembers doing. He even remembers that he put it in a little brown envelope.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "The Only Things You Have To Give."

My friend told me that he was really excited to give that offering - realizing all the time that all he had to give was what his father had given him. Actually, that's all you and I have to give - what our Father in Heaven has given us.

That's really clear in our word for today from the Word of God in 2 Corinthians 9, beginning with verse 6. "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously ... God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work ... Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness."

Notice: the things we have - the money, the talents, all our gifts - are "seed to sow." Not seed to eat ourselves or to store in the barn, but to sow into things that matter to God. But even the seed we have to sow is given to us by our Father. And He loves it when, like my friend giving his boyhood offering, we give it cheerfully, enthusiastically.

Now since the only things we have to give are things our Father has given us, there's no excuse for three mistakes we tend to make with the things we have. First, there's no excuse for being proud about what we're giving. As 1 Corinthians 4:7 asks, "What do you have that you did not receive?" Sometimes, those who make major contributions to the work of God, either with their financial gifts or their spiritual gifts, tend to take a little pride in what their giving ... tend to even expect special treatment or to be given control. But that makes no sense - you're only giving what your Father placed in your hand!

There's also no excuse for using what your Father gave you for yourself! Can you imagine my friend taking what had been given to him as an offering and going out and spending it on something for himself? It would have been wrong for him - it's wrong for us. And, there's no excuse for holding back on giving generously to God's work on earth - why would my friend have held back on that boyhood offering when his father had given it to him to give? You can even dare to give above and beyond what you can afford, if He moves you to. You can dare to give by faith, not just based on what you can see in your hand. Not just based on what you can afford to give. After all, you can only give what your Father puts in your hand, and what He leads you to give ... He will put into your hand.

Here's your Father's great promise - "You will be made rich in every way ... " - sounds good, doesn't it? Now listen to the reason why He gives it to you - "so that you can be generous on every occasion." (2 Corinthians 9:11)

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.hutchcraft.com
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2001, Ron Hutchcraft.

July 3, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: An aim in life is the only fortune worth finding. - Robert Louis Stevenson

A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
Decontaminating At The Door
Exodus 3:5

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I've traveled outside the United States many times, but I've never had to wash my feet to get back into the country. Except for the last time. It wasn't exactly my feet that had to be washed, but the shoes on my feet - and all the shoes I had worn on my trip to the United Kingdom ... because of concern over an epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease. So many British cattle and sheep had been destroyed because of that highly contagious disease - and while people can't catch it, they can carry it. So, as an important precaution, all of us travelers returning from that part of the world got to go through a separate line - where all our shoes were washed in a strong disinfectant. And none of us really minded. If we were contaminated, we sure didn't want to drag any disease back home with us.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Decontaminating At The Door."

As my shoes got scoured at Customs, I couldn't help but think about the decontamination scene told about in our word for today from the Word of God. Remember God's command to Moses when he heard the Lord's voice speaking to him from the burning bush? Exodus 3:5 - "'Do not come any closer,' God said. 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.'"

Joshua was given similar orders when he met the Lord on the outskirts of Jericho - "The commander of the Lord's army replied, 'Take off your sandals, for the places where you are standing is holy.'" There's important symbolism in this command from the Lord to two of His greatest leaders. Your shoes are presumably the most contaminated thing on your body, carrying around all the dirt you've picked up wherever you've gone. And God says, "Don't come into My Presence with contaminated stuff. Get rid of the dirt before you approach Me!"

Which is something we fail to do all too often. In a sense, we dare to come running into the presence of the Most Holy God with our filthy shoes still on - with all our contamination. They didn't want me coming back into this country with contaminated stuff - and God certainly doesn't want you coming into His Throne Room with all your accumulated dirt. You don't come dragging spiritual disease into God's presence.

Maybe you have been - and maybe that's one reason your prayers haven't been getting answered. Psalm 66:18 says, "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." That's why it's so important to confront our sin regularly, repenting of the sins of this day, this hour, applying the blood-bought forgiveness of Jesus to my wrongdoing when it happens. We don't wait for days before we shower - we shower regularly to get recent contamination off our body. How can we do any less when we come to our holy, holy, holy God?

Maybe you've been contaminated by hard feelings, by lustful thoughts, by growing anger, by sins of deceit, by things you never should have listened to or looked at. Listen to the call of God in 2 Corinthians 7:1 - "Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."

Don't drag your dirt in where it doesn't belong - into the Throne Room of the One who died so you don't have to live that way anymore. Leave your contaminated stuff at the door - and let Him make you clean again.

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.hutchcraft.com
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2001, Ron Hutchcraft.

July 4, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: From every mountainside let freedom ring. - Samuel Francis Smith

Friends,

Here in the United States, we're celebrating Independence Day. While there's a lot to enjoy this July 4th holiday, it's important to remember we are not independent from God. So, please take a moment today and pray for this nation. Ask God to have His hand on our leaders, our laws and our lives. And, if you don't live in the United States, let me encourage you to pray for your country, for the leaders of your country. Pray that God's Word would be honored by God's people both in your country and around the world. Please also pray for our service men and women, past, present and future, who fight and die for our many freedoms.

Wishing you and yours a SAFE, HAPPY and BLESSED Independence Day, from your friends at Cross Exam!

Richard, Jonathan, Bill and Steve

Let Freedom Ring

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. - John 8:32

You're familiar with the idea of exporting goods and services, but have you ever thought of exporting freedom? Several years ago, a friend from Washington was sent to Romania to teach its leaders about freedom. He helped put together the building blocks of a democracy, so their newly found freedom could continue in the future.

When you think about it, most every place today that has re-discovered freedom has been greatly influenced by America. Our nation is coveted because we are free from the chains of tyranny. We have not sought to keep our freedom to ourselves. On the contrary, we seek to teach other nations that they too can be free from oppression.

God thinks so highly of freedom that He sent His Son to liberate us from sin. Jesus paid the penalty to break our shackles of sin and grant us freedom. On this Fourth of July, praise God for the freedom we have in this country. More importantly, praise Him for the freedom you have from sin. Don't keep God's gift of freedom to yourself. Look for ways to export God's truth to those around you.

By David Jeremiah
Turning Point For God
www.turningpointonline.org
Copyright 2001, Turning Point For God

July 5, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: People who invite trouble always complain when it accepts. - Lane Olinghouse

A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
Lint Collectors
Ephesians 4:26

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I've got this one black blazer that I really like to wear. Unfortunately, it has this one little problem. It's wool. Which means it's sort of magnetic -especially for lint and anything else that might jump up and attach itself to that jacket. I'm having to brush that blazer off all the time. It just picks up all this stuff!

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Lint Collectors."

Now, it's not just clothes that are like that. There's way too many people like that - they seem to pick up anything that's negative in the air and hang onto it. They have a tendency to pick up any "lint" that's around.

Maybe you have a tendency to be like that - and maybe you don't even know it. But when there's something negative in the air - frustrations, gossip, negative comments about someone, negative feelings about someone, people's mistakes, tensions between people - well, you just sort of gravitate to that stuff. You collect negatives. You like to hear about problems ... talk about problems.

Of course, all this is the opposite of the way Jesus expects us to be. Take, for example, our word for today from the Word of God, beginning with Ephesians 4:26. "Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry ... do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building others up ... get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice ... Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you."

In short, eliminate the negative, accentuate the positive. I wonder if you're basically a positive person? It's one of the words that should describe every follower of Jesus Christ. Of course, even a positive person can have a tendency to pick up way too much lint - I mean, negative. You actually have to make a conscious decision to close your ears to the negative lint that's floating in the air ... to walk away from it ... to refuse to pass on anything negative about a person.

Remember, love, according to the great love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13, "is patient, love is kind ... it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil ... it always protects." That's "protects," as in the opposite of "attacks." Instead of wearing a personality that collects the lint in the air, God says to "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

It might be time to evaluate the input you've been welcoming into your heart - and the output that's been coming from you about other people, especially the ones you have a hard time with. Is it possible that you've been collecting negatives? Focusing on negatives? Spreading negatives? That's actually something to confess repentantly to your Lord. Those people you may have been criticizing or judging or putting down are people God's Son gave His life for. He doesn't enjoy hearing about them being talked about or treated disrespectfully. Ask your Savior to begin changing the kind of personality that you put on each morning - to one that doesn't collect all that lint!

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.hutchcraft.com
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2001, Ron Hutchcraft.

July 6, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone. - Pablo Picasso

A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
Grandma's Flowers
Psalm 78:4

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Karen and I have the privilege of living in the farmstead that once belonged to Karen's grandparents. But it's not just their home we get to enjoy. Every Spring, some beautiful purple iris flowers bloom all over our front yard. I was touched when Karen told me she can remember when her Grandma planted those flowers - probably fifty years ago. Grandma's been in heaven for over twenty years - but what she planted is still beautifying our world.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Grandma's Flowers."

In many ways, the measure of the impact of your life is the fragrance that goes on long after you're gone. In Grandma's case, it was far more than flowers. For me, they're just a symbol of a larger legacy she left - a son who loved Christ, two granddaughters who are in the Lord's service - one of whom I'm married to ... and three great-grandchildren who are spending their lives serving Christ.

If God has entrusted you with a family of your own, I just want to encourage you to think legacy. That kind of perspective will determine your priorities, it will shape your decisions, and it will remind you every day of the most important things you have to do.

Thinking legacy is the passion of our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm 78, beginning with verse 4. The psalmist says, "We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done ... to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds ... "

Those children of yours ... those grandchildren ... even those nieces or nephews - they are God's great trust to you. He's counting on you to plant in them the ways of God, the words of God, a love for God. And you just don't have anything more important to do. They are the legacy of your brief journey on this planet.

And how can you sow that seed most effectively? Deuteronomy 11:19 suggests that you will "teach them to your children" by "talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." The transfer of a God-relationship from one generation to the next appears to happen through experiences more than through spiritual meetings or formal teaching. Children and young people need to see a real God doing real things in real life situations.

So, pray with them in ways where they can see specific answers to prayer. Look for� pray for teachable moments where there are natural opportunities to teach something about the Lord. Dedicate each child to the Lord each new day. Take them with you to do acts of kindness in Jesus' Name. Go with them on family missions experiences. Make Jesus a natural part of the everyday life of your family. And if there are inconsistencies between your words and your life, please address those in Jesus' power - your legacy could be at stake. And if your efforts to date don't seem to have "taken," keep on sowing faithfully, believing that what you sow, you will reap, and "the one who sows to please the Spirit from the Spirit will reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:7, 8)

Grandma's gone, but her flowers are still blooming. I pray that when you and I are gone, the beauty and fragrance of what we've sown in the lives of our children will still be beautifying another generation.

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.hutchcraft.com
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2001, Ron Hutchcraft.

July 7, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Many have puzzled themselves about the origin of evil. I am content to observe that there is evil, and that there is a way to escape from it, and with this I begin and end. - John Newton

Encouraging Word For The Week from Brother Steve

As many of you know, this time last week we had a group of 16 of us who were in Crowley, Louisiana doing a mission trip for a small mission church. We had a tremendous time and God really blessed our efforts.

Each afternoon, we would spend about 4 hours of free time at the Arcadian Baptist Center near Eunice, LA. This is a Baptist encampment that hosts camps and conferences throughout the year. As part of their facility, they have a game room filled with pool tables, air hockey, foosball, and ping pong. When I saw this I knew what I would do with some of my free time.

The last two summers at Children's Camp, Lane Pearson and I became real competitors at Ping Pong. He would win one, then I would take one. In most cases, the games were close and fast paced. So, when I saw the equipment available last week, I knew Lane and I would have to take a shot at it again.

There is good news and bad news. I was happy that we got to play 10 games in our time there. Unfortunately, Lane won nine of them.

Going in, I played really well. The first game was close, but he pulled out the win. I ended up winning the second game, but then the bottom fell out.

As I observed the string of loses, I noticed what I was doing wrong. I was trying to beat him by hitting the ball on the boundaries -- the back line and side lines. Lane just tried to keep the ball in play. What is the difference? Lane didn't have to beat me, because I was beating myself.

Two out of three times I would return the ball and it would miss the table. Oh, there were some pretty shots, wonderful spin moves, and other "highlights", but he still beat me like a bowl of eggs.

As I watched this unfold, I recognized a spiritual truth that is relevant to living for Jesus. Most of the time, Satan doesn't have to beat us because we beat ourselves. We try to live too close to the lines thinking we'll be okay, only to cross the lines and lose ground. We get too overconfident with past victories such that we take more chances with temptations we think we have mastered, and in the process sacrifice our faith and convictions.

Lane beat me fair and square. He deserved to win. Yet, I helped him win by beating myself.

One of my favorite passages regarding spiritual warfare is found in II Corinthians 10:3-6. Here we find the secret to staying within the lines in order to win the fight of faith. It say, " For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments, and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete."

What stands out here is the concept of not playing games with temptation. Paul says he makes a point to "demolish strongholds" and takes "captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." In other words, he's not taking any chance of getting too close to the line. He even suggests, "punish(ing) every act of disobedience". Such a way of thinking illustrates a man who was disciplined to keep his life pure before God so that he could be used by God.

Granted, we sometimes must take risks as Christians, but never with sin. We must never play with sin or give the Devil a foothold in our lives that can grow. Our faith takes risks in terms of serving God, but never in taking chances with sin.

Lord willing, I'll play Lane another day, and hopefully win more than ten percent of the time. The same is true for my spiritual life. Today is a new day and God has called me to live it to the fullest for him. In doing this he reminds me to keep myself in the game by keeping the ball in play.

By the way, as a side thought from Ping Pong, there is another parallel to the Christian life -- You Only Score When You Serve.

Therefore, keep serving and keep your ball on the table and you'll be a winner for Jesus.

Seeking Him,

Bro. Steve

Brother Steve Kelly pastors First Baptist Church in Doyline, LA. You can email him at [email protected]

July 8, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: We never become truly spiritual by sitting down and wishing to become so. You must undertake something so great that you cannot accomplish it unaided. - Phillips Brooks

A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
When It Hurts To Copy Your Father
1 Peter 1:18-19

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Our daughter was just a toddler, like her son Jordan is now. I hope she can make sure he doesn't do what she did one day. Lisa would often talk with me while I was getting ready in the morning. I'd be brushing my teeth, shaving, and combing my hair. But one morning, unbeknownst to Karen, Lisa got in the bathroom, stood on something, and got the blade razor that I shaved with. When her mother walked in, Lisa was stroking that razor across her face, minus any shaving cream - and leaving some serious scratches and scrapes behind.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "When It Hurts To Copy Your Father."

All our daughter was doing was copying her father - and inflicting wounds as a result. That's a mistake a lot of folks - grownup folks - have made ... copying their father, or their mother, and inflicting wounds as a result.

There are things our father and mother did, things they said, that we were determined not to repeat when we had kids. Well, so much for that good intention. All too often, the longer we live, the more we sound like or act like our father or mother - in ways that we never wanted to repeat. We know how much those things hurt us, and, in spite of ourselves, they are now hurting our children. That same temper, that same critical spirit, the same manipulating, guilt tripping, harsh words, or selfishness.

It seems like we're almost powerless to change the dark side of us that we hate, especially what was handed down to us by what I call "family sins." If we could have changed these things, we would have by now. Which makes our word for today from the Word of God really, really good news. It's in 1 Peter 1:18-19.

God says, "You were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers." In other words, there's actually hope of changing, of actually getting rid of some of those "empty ways" handed down to us by our father or mother. How does this "redeeming" happen? The Bible goes own to say "you were redeemed ... with the precious blood of Christ." So there's a connection between my family baggage and the violent death of Jesus Christ on the cross?

All the connection in the world. Because all this dark stuff inside us - whether it's from our past or from our own choices - is wrapped up in God's word for it - "sin." And our sin is what Jesus died for on the cross - to forgive it, to break its power, to make possible a relationship where Jesus comes right into your heart, in personality, and changes you from the inside out!

That's good news, not only for you, but for all the people you love. There's a Savior who stands ready to save you from the sin that's already done enough damage. The transformation begins when you reach out to Jesus and trust Him to be your personal Savior from your personal sin - which He died to make possible. If you've never begun your personal relationship with Him, you can do that right where you are.

Doing what your parents did can cause a lot of scars, a lot of pain. But when you open up your life to Jesus, you have - for the first time in your life - the power to say, "It stops in this generation!"

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.hutchcraft.com
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2001, Ron Hutchcraft.

July 9, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Maintaining a complicated life is a great way to avoid changing it. - Elaine St. James

Faithful Friend Of God
By David Jeremiah

But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend. - Isaiah 41:8

When a president leaves office, work begins on his presidential library. It is where the legacy of his life is exhibited and studied. His accomplishments, great and small are on display so that scholars and schoolchildren alike can research his life and learn.

As a great leader of his people, Abraham would be worthy of a museum and archive if he lived today. Instead, we have the words of Scripture that describe his greatness. We read that he was hospitable to strangers (Genesis 18:1-8), he was obedient to God's laws (Genesis 26:5), and the Lord had blessed him in every way (Genesis 24:1). Can you imagine your name being used to describe God the Father? When the Scriptures refer to the Lord as "the God of Abraham" (Genesis 26:24), they esteem him.

Perhaps the greatest honor the Scriptures ascribe to Abraham is that he was the "friend of God." In three separate places, these words described Abraham (2 Chronicles 20:7, Isaiah 41:8, James 2:23). Are you a friend of God? Do you respect Him, honor Him, love Him and confide in Him? Abraham's example is for each of us today.

"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. James 2:23

Recommended reading: Genesis 24:1-9; 40-41

By David Jeremiah
Turning Point Ministries
www.turningpointonline.org
Copyright 2001; Turning Point For God

July 10, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Divine Impossibility
By David Jeremiah

By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. - Hebrews 11:11

What would you do if a couple in their nineties told you they were expecting their first child? Maybe you'd stifle a laugh, or launch into all the reasons why that would be humanly impossible.

Years ago, Sarah and Abraham faced similar arguments. God had promised them a son, Isaac, in their old age. Although Sarah went through moments of disbelief, she ultimately believed God. She had hope when there was no logical reason to have hope.

Is there something in your life that God has promised that still must come to pass? Maybe it's the salvation of a loved one or the fulfillment of a life-long dream. Even if it seems like there is little hope in your situation, God will be faithful.

Sarah weighed the human impossibility of becoming a mother in her old age against the divine impossibility of God breaking His promise. Like Sarah, you can say that it would be a divine impossibility for God to break any of His promises to you.

He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. - Hebrews 11:6

Recommended reading: Exodus 1:22-2:10

By David Jeremiah
Turning Point Ministries
www.turningpointonline.org
Copyright 2001; Turning Point For God

July 13, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: To know how to say what other people only think, is what makes poets and sages; and to dare to say what others only dare to think, makes men martyrs or reformers. - Elizabeth Rundle Charles

A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
Spared To Be A Rescuer
2 Corinthians 5:18

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I was on the plane, returning from ministry in Belfast, Northern Ireland when I heard the fascinating story. Danielle, the woman next to me, has deep roots in Northern Ireland. We got to talking about the Titanic, which was built in Belfast. That's when she told me about her great-grandfather. He was a professional seaman - and he had been assigned to sail on the Titanic. But at the last minute, his orders were changed - to sail instead on the Carpathia, the ship that was first on the scene of the Titanic's sinking - actually the ship that rescued the survivors from the icy waters of the Atlantic.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Spared To Be A Rescuer."

That's what this seaman felt had happened to him. He could have died with two-thirds of the Titanic's passengers. But he was spared, he felt, so he could be a rescuer of people who otherwise might have died. So were you. You and I have been saved by Jesus - and then put in a position where we can rescue other people who may die if we don't get to them.

That's the message of our word for today from the Word of God in 2 Corinthians 5, beginning with verse 18. "God ... reconciled us to Himself through Christ" - praise God, we were saved from our deadly condition of being cut off from God. But then the Bible goes on to say, "He gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ (now here's some great news), not counting men's sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation" (in other words, the message that can bring a person together with God).

Here's your assignment from heaven that is literally God's call to spiritual greatness - "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." So, someone cared enough to give us the life-saving message from Jesus ... now it's our turn to deliver that life-or-death information to someone else. Someone you may very well see day after day ... someone who is in that little part of the world to which you are Jesus Christ's primary ambassador!

God is counting on you to establish a caring relationship with the spiritually dying people in your world ... to pray for, to look for natural opportunities to bring up your relationship with Jesus. You may feel inadequate ... unqualified - but you're the rescuer God decided to put in their lives. And what God calls you to do, He qualifies you to do. It isn't up to you to persuade them to say yes to Jesus ... it is up to you to present what Jesus did for them when He died for them on the cross. Without that information, the lost people you know have no chance of Heaven.

So don't be content just to settle in on the rescue ship with others who have already been saved. The orders of our Captain in Jude 23 are to "snatch others from the fire and save them." And, as D. L. Moody said, "There is no greater honor than to be the instrument in God's hands to lead a person out of the kingdom of Satan and into the glorious light of Heaven."

You have been saved from certain spiritual death ... now don't just be content to enjoy a cruise on the rescue ship of Jesus. You've been spared to be a rescuer.

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.hutchcraft.com
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright 2001; Ron Hutchcraft Ministries

July 14, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: It is faith among men that holds the moral elements of society together, as it is faith in God that binds the world to his throne. - William Maxwell Evarts

Encouraging Word For The Week From Brother Steve

Have you ever left church on a Sunday and thought, "I got absolutely nothing out of church today"? If you answered "yes, then you are normal.

In our fast-paced, distraction-filled world, it is not difficult to come to church and have your mind on things other than God. You can even hear good music, challenging testimonies, and life-changing preaching, yet leave unaffected.

While visiting with my in-laws recently, I found an interesting poem that was in their church's newsletter. It is entitled "Improving The Pastor's Preaching". I hope you appreciate it as much as I did.

Sunday the sermon was sluggish
'Twas hard attention to keep
The theme was faultily chosen,
It almost put me to sleep.
Monday was blue with sheer boredom;
Tuesday was carnal by choice.
Wednesday my conscience was wakened
By pleas from a still, small voice.
Prayer meeting left me uplifted,
Loyalty lingering long.
Thursday my heart was responding;
Friday His nudging was strong.
I came to thorough repentance
The following Saturday;
I yielded in full surrender
As all on the altar I lay.
Sunday the sermon was perfect,
Superb and quite at it's peak;
Amazing how greatly the pastor
Improved in the space of one week!

I write this from the perspective of a pastor, but the truth is that every part of the worship service improves as my heart gets closer to God. On the other hand, I can never expect the things at God's house to change unless the changes begin in me.

I'll keep it short this week. There is enough to think about in this little poem to last you a while.

I love you,
Bro. Steve

Steve Kelly pastors First Baptist Church, Doyline, LA. You can contact him at [email protected]

July 15, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: The more accurately we search into the human mind, the stronger traces we everywhere find of the wisdom of Him who made it. - Edmund Burke

A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
Keeping Your Eye On The Ball
Matthew 6:31-33

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There's this little bare spot in the grass in our backyard. It's been there since our boys, Doug and Brad, were little. That was the first home plate they ever knew. Yes, that's where I taught them their first lessons in how to play baseball. Now our backyard isn't very big, so we had to start with a plastic bat and that little white plastic ball called a wiffle ball. But as I pitched and Doug and Brad learned to swing, there was one lesson I tried to permanently tattoo on their brain. It was the lesson my father taught me, that his father probably taught him, that somebody has taught every person who ever picked up a baseball bat - the most basic secret of success in sports ... keep your eye on the ball!

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Keeping Your Eye On The Ball."

Actually, that's more than just the secret of success in sports - it's the secret of being a champion in life. In fact, there is a Father, your Heavenly Father, who is trying to coach you, His son or daughter, to keep - or get your eye back on - the ball. To train your energies on what really counts in this game.

In our word for today, Jesus makes it very clear what ball you and I need to keep our eye on and what's going to make us look away. Here's what He says in Matthew 6:31. "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things (that's where they think the ball is!), and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

The problem with this is that there's so much pressure, so much pull to seek first the kingdom of earth, isn't there? But we strike out on the things that really matter, the things that truly bring fulfillment when we start swinging at what almost everyone else is swinging at. Jesus said that the best of your time, the best of your energies, the best of your resources should be going into His agenda on earth ... developing your love relationship with Jesus, reaching the lost, helping the hurting and the poor, building His Church, and building the congregation you've got right there in your family.

But maybe you've been distracted by other pursuits in the stadium and you've taken your eye off the ball. It could be that your career, your material success, your work has become your primary passion and preoccupation. Business conquests, financial conquests, material security are the conquests you battle for the most - and frankly, there's not much left for the eternal conquests of Jesus' Kingdom work. Maybe your money is largely tied up in a house, a car, a wardrobe, your retirement, your toys - instead of laying up for yourselves treasures in Heaven. Perhaps ego pursuits and material pursuits have become the arenas where you're seeking your fulfillment more than in running for your Master's pleasure.

Today it may be that your Lord is saying, "My child, you're putting so much effort into climbing the wrong mountain." And you can't really win this way - not if you've taken your eye off the ball. Maybe you're playing hard, but you're not focused on the only thing that really counts - the Kingdom of God.

Like a father leaning over the child that he's coaching, your Heavenly Father is saying, "You're missing it, my son, my daughter. You've taken your eye off the ball." But the game isn't over and there's still time to turn this around.

You only get to play this game of life once. If you want to hit a grand slam home run with the rest of the life you've got, listen to your Heavenly Coach: "Keep your eye on the ball."

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.hutchcraft.com
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2001, Ron Hutchcraft.

July 16, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: A lot of people mistake a short memory for a clear conscience. - Doug Larson

A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
More Baggage ... Less People
1 Corinthians 2:1-2

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It has always been challenging to take our "On Eagle's Wings" team of young Native American believers to do reservation outreach. But going to Alaska to do it has meant a really challenging challenge! With a suicide rate 20 times greater than that of the rest of the young people in America, the young Native Alaskans are a desperate mission field. You can probably imagine that the logistics of this kind of outreach are pretty exciting - especially when some of the villages you're in are 400 miles from the nearest road! The entire team has to be transported by missionary planes and fishing boats! Since the planes are just single or twin-engine aircraft, you can choose between taking less people with more luggage, or more people with less luggage. Since we need every seat filled with a team member, the sacrifice is going to be in how much baggage each of us takes. The limit is 20 pounds per person - for five weeks! It's hard to travel that light, but it's important. When you carry just the basic essentials, you can move more people and go a lot farther!

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "More Baggage ... Less People."

A team moves farther and faster with less baggage ... and so does the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That's why the powerful Apostle Paul, who could have dazzled a crowd with his incredible theology, kept his message to the lost very simple. Our word for today for the Word of God, 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 -"When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."

Now ,with all the Christian truth Paul could have presented, (that he knew there was to present), when it came to the lost, he carried an unencumbered Gospel. Like us packing for our missionary trip to Alaska, he limited himself to the basic essentials, and he left out anything that would unnecessarily encumber the message he was carrying. His message: Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for you.

Now one reason we may not see more people interested in our Jesus is that we may have, without realizing it, added baggage to the simple Gospel message. Baggage like rules, rituals, religion - all of which obscure the real issue, which is a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Sometimes we encumber the Gospel with lifestyle issues. "Now, you need Jesus - and what are you doing with an earring there?" Or we attack their wrong music ... or their wrong relationship ... or their wrong entertainment. We're trying to clean them up before they have the Cleaner-Upper inside them! Stick to Jesus and His cross!

It's also tempting to load down the Jesus story with the baggage of our group's special theological emphasis. There are distinctives in every denomination and group that makes them them - and they often concern very important areas of Christian truth. But they're not part of the Gospel. They are what we will teach this person after they have been to the Cross and made Jesus their Savior. Then, those teachings may become essentials to their relationship with Christ. But now, before they know Him, those emphases may be extra baggage - baggage that means, like traveling in those little planes in Alaska, will be carrying less people - to Jesus.

If a lost person stumbles over Jesus or His cross, then the responsibility is theirs. If they stumble over baggage that we add to Jesus and His cross, then the responsibility is ours. And the consequences can be eternal.

Aren't you glad you don't have to carry all the Christian baggage when you try to win the heart of a lost friend or loved one? Unpack all the other Christian things, and just deliver the essentials - the incredible news that Jesus loved us enough to die for us, to rescue us from the death penalty of our sin. Stick to Jesus!

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.hutchcraft.com
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2001, Ron Hutchcraft.

July 17, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Learn to say no. It will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin. - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Keep Your Eyes Open!

Luke 14:26-27

Recently I took a leisurely stroll down a secluded beach. As my sandals crunched the white sand beneath me, I was struck with the beauty of God�s creation. Then I sat down. After a few moments of sitting still I realized that the sand was alive with activity. Hundreds of tiny hermit crabs, the size of pencil erasers, covered the beach. They were busy doing what little hermit crabs do. It was a marvelous sight. Even though I had been enjoying a nice stroll, I did not realize what was going on beneath me until I sat down.

God is at work all around us. However, we often pass right by His handiwork because we are so focused on our own agenda. Our agenda might even be full of worthy causes, but we must ask if they are God�s causes. God desires that we realize what is going on around us so that we can become involved with what He is doing. But most of all, God wants us. He wants us to know Him. The first step towards serving Him is knowing Him.

How can we take time to know Him with all the pressures and responsibilities of life? Knowing God must be a priority. We must sacrifice in other areas in order to know Him. Jesus said, If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26-27). A true relationship with God is costly. It requires giving up control over every area of life and surrendering to the Lord.

When we choose to put the Lord first in our life and spend time getting to know Him, God is able to use us in ways we never imagined or saw before. If you have decided to live life this way, keep your eyes open and God will use you in a very special way.

By David Harrill, Director of Crossroads Christian Academy in the Republic of Panama.
Glad Tidings Ministries
www.gladtidingsradio.org
Copyright 2001; Glad Tidings

July 18, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: To endeavor to domineer over conscience is to invade the citadel of heaven.
- Charles the Fifth

Four Possible Worlds
By Ravi Zacharias

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"Would you create a world with such pain," the skeptic charges, "and if you did, could you at the same time still be called good?".

Plainly speaking, there are only four possible worlds. The first is that there be no creation at all. Would it not have been better for God to have not created a world than to have created ours-where good and evil are both possibilities? The second is a world where only good is permitted, a kind of robotically beneficent universe. The third option is a world where there is no such thing as good or evil, an amoral world. There, right and wrong would not even be legitimate categories for consideration. The fourth is the world that we live in, where good and evil exist with the possibility of choosing either.

In the final analysis, our world is the only one where love is genuinely possible because freedom is a precondition for authentic love. We intuitively recognize that love is the supreme ethic and where love is possible, freedom is necessary. Where freedom is real, so is the possibility of suffering. Perhaps you picture God observing our world like an astronaut viewing the earth while in orbit-abstract and distant. But this is not God of the Scriptures! He has not removed himself from the dimensions of our experience, nor has He left us to our own devices. Rather He has powerfully broken into our reality.

How? Through the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Outside of a Christian worldview, this may seem odd, and even the apostle Paul said this reality appears "foolish" to the unbeliever. Yet when you perceive the infinite holiness of God and His boundless love, we see God�s twin desires fulfilled in the Cross: His holiness satisfied through suffering, and motivated by love strong enough to endure pain.

In the Cross love, holiness and suffering are brought together. God cannot be at the same time both holy and unloving, or both loving and unholy. Who of us cannot understand that love cannot exist without goodness? Our hearts hunger for a love that is pure. If we turn our backs upon God, we lose not only the source of defining love, but even our suffering remains an enigma-leaving our finite minds crying for an answer.

Even Mahatma Gandhi concluded that the display of grace in the crucifixion is without comparison. Have you made the extraordinary discovery that in love Jesus bore the cost of our freedom gone wrong?

By Ravi Zacharias
From "A Slice of Infinity" Radio Program
www.gospelcom.net/rzim/
Copyright (p)(c) 2000 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM)

July 19, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Marriages may be made in heaven, but man is responsible for the maintenance work. - Changing Times

Married to an Unbeliever

And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, let her not send her husband away. - 1 Corinthians 7:13

What biblical insight/help can you give to someone who is married to an unbeliever?"

Scripture has a lot to say about marriage and this is a good thing because it is quite prominent in our culture. Marriage was God's idea (Genesis 2:18-24). It is to be a permanent union dissolved only by death (Matthew 19:6, Romans 7:2-3). It is also something that is to revolve around love, one to another (Ephesians 5:22-33).

So much for the recap. We all know either by experience or observation that marriage is not an easy institution. Socrates said, "By all means marry: If you get a good wife you'll be happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher." Marriage between two people who have different world views only complicates things more. And that is exactly what is the case when one spouse is trusting in Christ and one in himself/herself. The differences between a Christian and a non-Christian are sweeping and even earth-shattering. Living under one roof together can only lead to conflicts and heartache.

This is why I don't think it is a good idea for Christians and non-Christians to date. Several of the questions that came in were asking whether it was OK to date outside of the Christian faith. My suggestion would be that this is a less than ideal situation to put yourself in.

However, this question regards a Christian who is married to an unbeliever. God, in His wisdom, foresaw that this would take place among couples. 1 Corinthians 7 is a great place to start, but in truth, the whole of the Bible is the beginning for this and every question.

My simple advice is to learn patience, perseverance, and strive to grow in godliness every way you can. But this is true for everyone because these are the keys to life in general. Having a spouse who does not share your faith in Christ is certainly an added burden but almost everyone has added burdens, in some measure, in life. God knows this and has given us both a promise and an encouragement in Scripture. The promise is found in 1 Corinthians 10:13: "No temptation has overtaken you such as is common to man. And God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it." The encouragement is given in Hebrews 4:15: "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin."

In a sense, the Christian who has a spouse who is not a believer has a great opportunity. There is probably no one who is closer to your spouse who can serve as a living testimony and witness for Jesus Christ. There is no denial here that it is God alone who saves, but He uses us to share His good news both by word and by deed. We are, truly, His ambassadors. 2 Corinthians 5:20

When I was a freshman in college, my roommate in the dorms was a Muslim from Quatar. Naturally, as roommates we became friends. I worked hard to witness Christ's love to him and had my successes and failures doing so. At first he prayed five times a day to a picture of Mecca that he had placed on our wall. After several months he had given up on his faith, but had embraced the world by going to bars, pursuing women, and drinking quite a bit.

One weekend, while I was away, he attempted to gain the favor of a woman at a local watering hole. Turns out she was a Christian, shared the gospel with him, and he trusted in Christ. When I came home, he told me and I had some interesting thoughts. In my mind, I had done all the work of bringing him to Christ. I had lived with him and endured both persecution and mocking. Yet some woman who had put in none of the work I had, gets the joy of leading him to Christ. While I rejoiced at the outcome, it also taught me a lesson. Sometimes we are the laborers and other times we get to be the harvester. But the joy is that God uses us in the process and sinners are snatched from the lake of fire and brought to the mercy seat of the boundless love of Christ.

You may never know the influence that you, the Christian, are having on your spouse who does not believe as you do. I would have guessed that my roommate was very far from thinking of Christ; never mind trusting in Him. But all the time, my roommate was watching me and I was simply one of the laborers that God used to bring someone else to the point of getting the privilege of snatching a soul from the lake which burns. This may be something that God is doing through the Christian who continues to remain married to an unbeliever. We pray for the lost soul of this one who is so close to us. We seek to live faithfully to the high calling of being a child of God. We pray for faithfulness and beg forgiveness when we fail. And then we do what only we can do, we pray more. May the Lord hear those prayers and bring your family united to His blessed kingdom.

From "Christian Fellowship Devotionals"
www.cfdevotionals.org
www.papercutprett.com

July 20, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Real pain can alone cure us of imaginary ills. - Jonathan Edwards

The Hut

Is your hut on fire?

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forth coming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened --- everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me?" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God. For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it.

You say, "It's impossible". God says: "All thing are possible". (Luke 18:27)

You say, "I'm too tired." God says: "I will give you rest". (Matthew 11:28-20)

You say, "Nobody really loves me". God says: "I love you". (John 3:16 - John 13:34)

You say, "I can't go on." God says: "My grace is sufficient." (2 Corinthians.12:9 - Psalm 91:15)

You say, "I can't figure things out." God says: "I will direct your steps." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

You say, "I can't do it." God says: "You can do all things." (Philippians 4:13)

You say, "It's not worth it." God says: "It will be worth it." (Romans 8:28)

You say, "I can't forgive myself." God says: "I forgive you." (I John 1:9 - Romans 8:1)

You say, "I can't manage." God says: "I will supply all your needs." (Philippians 4:19)

You say, "I'm afraid." God says: "I have not given you a spirit of fear." (2 Timothy 1:7)

You say, "I'm always worried and frustrated". God says: "Cast all your cares on Me. (1 Peter 5:7)

You say, "I don't have enough faith." God says: "I've given everyone a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)

You say, "I'm not smart enough." God says: "I give you wisdom." (1 Corinthians 1:30)

You say, "I feel all alone." God says: "I will never leave you or forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

I believe there are some weeks that we all feel our huts are on fire.

-Author unknown

July 21, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: The 7 Modern Sins: Politics without principles, Pleasures without conscience, Wealth without work, Knowledge without character, Industry without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice. - Canon Frederic Donaldson

Encouraging Word For The Week from Brother Steve

This past weekend, I had the privilege of performing the wedding service for my brother-in-law. My wife sang in the service and our tuxedo-clad boys lit candles and passed out programs. It was a fancy ordeal.

In fact, there were five attendants on each side, plus two pairs of junior bridesmaids and junior groomsmen, and a ring bearer and flower girl. The stage was quite full.

Three hours prior to the wedding, all those involved in the wedding party and family members were to gather for pictures. Of the three hours, I suppose there were two hours of nonstop posing, smiling, and flashes.

During the service, my brother-in-law surprised nearly everyone in the church when he sang a beautiful song to his wife-to-be. Of course, she and dozens of others were crying. The way that we'll remember this is by watching the 4-5 video tapes that were made throughout the building during the ceremony.

Over the years I have done big weddings and small weddings, but I learned something from this particular wedding that I had not considered before -- Weddings are about memories. The legality of a lavish ceremony is no different than that of going to the local Justice of the Peace, but the sentiment regarding the two will be significantly different.

Several years ago both my brother and sister got married within a year of each other by a Justice of the Peace. I served as a witness in both cases. My memory of the events -- Zero. There was nothing to remember. Yet, I will fondly look back on my brother-in-laws' wedding with rich memories.

I share all this to have you consider your walk with God. Is it memorable or not? Can you look back and see high points, mountaintops, life-changing experiences, or is it just bland and boring? Honestly, you determine how memorable your walk with God is. You set the pace and chart the course.

The most memorable things in life are usually planned, calendared, and budgeted. Vacations, weekend getaways, family reunions, and other celebrations generally don't happen without a special effort. Making memories doesn't happen on its own.

If all you do is come to church on Sunday and say, "Okay God, do your thing", you are missing the picture. Being a Christian is not just about God giving burning bushes and a rushing, mighty wind, but it is about us stepping out in obedience so that God can do things through us.

I have learned this by taking the initiative throughout my Christian life. As a youth I went to camps and had great experiences with God. In college, I served for 10 weeks as a summer missionary in the San Francisco Bay area. Later, I stepped out and went to seminary. Since then, my wife and I have taken numerous steps of faith to walk in the leadership of God. In the process, we have experienced loads of memories that have enhanced our relationship with the Lord.

As you look at your life, what are you doing to make memories with the Lord? Are you finding places of service in the church to stretch your faith? Are you launching out away from church and ministering in your world? Are you making any sacrifices in order to find deeper meaning in your relationship with Jesus Christ and others?

Ultimately, making such memories is up to you.

Where does it begin? Consider the following story out of Matthew 4:18-20: "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets and followed him."

These men had to make a choice -- their nets or Jesus? Living a life that revolves around Jesus will cost you, but when you are old, you will happily look back at years that are filled with memories of God working through you. Then, you'll be able to say what Paul did -- "I have fought a good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith."

These are the words of a man who had memories full of meaning. I challenge each of you to pursue such memories. One day, you'll be glad you did.

Looking back, looking forward,

Bro. Steve
First Baptist Church, Doyline, LA.

July 22, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Everyone complains of his memory, and nobody complains of his judgment.
- La Rochefoucald

If Only...

And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, And to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good? Observe the Lord's commands for your own good" (Deuteronomy 10:12-13).

Do you ever catch yourself looking back, regretting an unfortunate decision, saying "If only I had not done that"? "If only I had not made that investment." "If only I had said, `No!'" "If only I had listened to my parents." "If only I had married the other girl." The possibilities are endless, because there is an "if only" for every mistake you have ever made.

We are like the young man who borrowed his father's car without permission and had an accident. There was the crunch of the fender and breaking of glass as the car finally came lurching to a stop. The young man got out, stood by the crumpled fender and gasped. Closing his eyes, he prayed, "Dear God, I pray this did not happen!" But it did happen.

Almost everyone at some time or another gives in to the urge to say, "If only I had not done this!," but when you dwell on it, you live in a world of broken pieces, frustration, regret, and defeat.

Whatever happened did happen, and you have to live with the results of your failure, for the past, like water poured out into the sand, cannot be changed. The damage is done, whatever it may be.

There are two words some have learned which make all the difference in the world. They are the words, "And yet...!" Instead of dwelling on "If only I had not done this" they have learned to accept the consequences of their actions and look to a brighter future by saying, "And yet...."

Take, for example, the story of a young man whose name was Joseph, who was sold into Egypt by his brothers. Joseph could have lived in a world of broken pieces saying, "If only I had not been so boastful. If only I had not ended up in Egypt. If only I had not been thrown into prison." Joseph majored on the "and yet." He believed that God could take a failure situation and turn it into a victory. "...you meant evil against me," he said, "but God meant it for good..." (Genesis 50:20, NKJV). What a difference!

Fanny Crosby could have lived in a world of darkness, cursing the despair of blindness brought on by a doctor whose failure resulted in her losing her sight. "If only I had not gone blind," she could have said. Fanny Crosby did not waste her time saying, "If only." Instead, she lived to the age of 95, and wrote over 8,000 beautiful songs which have blessed the hearts of Christians around the world. An acquaintance of mine who has no sight says one advantage is that he can read Braille under the covers at night without getting cold.

A man who lost both legs in an accident says, "And yet I can use my arms and write. I can talk and can use my brain. I still have much to be thankful for!" Someone once said, "Success is never final and failure is never fatal!" That may well be true, but unquestionably it is for the one who majors on the "And yet!"

Are you tempted to dwell on yesterday's failure saying, "If only...," always excusing yourself because of the circumstances? When you catch yourself saying, "If only..." learn to immediately add, "And yet..." There are some things in life that happen which are neither the result of Satanic attack or the judgment of the Almighty. When it rains, it rains on the just and the unjust. When the typhoon strikes, it hits the righteous as well as the unrighteous. Believing that God is sovereign, that He can turn any disaster into a victory, causes you to look for the positive results which can come out of a difficult situation.

When you say, "If only..." you despair of God's bringing good out of a difficult situation. And when you say, "And yet...," you begin to focus on what God can bring out of a tough situation. Think about it.

Resource reading: Genesis 50.

By Dr. Harold Sala
� GUIDELINES INTERNATIONAL
Box G, Laguna Hills, CA 92654
www.guidelines.org

July 23, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Some people talk about finding God, as if He could get lost. - Anonymous

A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
Orders Remain Unchanged
Mark 16:15

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When you visit Washington, D.C., you're bound to see the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Capitol Building. But there's this one side trip to Northern Virginia that's an important stop ... at least for every American. It's Arlington National Cemetery where this endless sea of white crosses reminds an American of the high price of freedom. That price is beautifully dramatized every hour at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with the "Changing of the Guard." Right there this honor guard from one service passes the sentinel duty to a guard from another service in a simple, reverent ceremony. With his weapon over his shoulder, the guard from the previous hour transfers this solemn responsibility to the guard for the next hour. And if you happen to be close enough, you will hear the departing guard say three words to the incoming guard. In fact, the same three words that have been passed from one shift to another since this duty began decades ago. The words: "Orders remain unchanged." They always have. They always will.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Orders Remain Unchanged."

Now, two thousand years ago, on a hill overlooking Jerusalem, Jesus gave His orders to eleven men into whose hands He was entrusting the mission that cost Him His life. Our word for today from the Word of God is Mark 16:15. "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." Now Luke tells us that the Lord ordered that "You shall be My witnesses," from the city where they were to the ends of the earth.

The orders to Jesus' first soldiers were clear - you are to pour your lives into getting the Good News about Jesus to as many people as possible. And the orders remain unchanged ... even if the world we live in is very changed.

Today, those of us who belong to Jesus are surrounded by battles to fight - pornography, abortion, family disintegration, immorality in the media, crises of character in the lives of our religious and political leaders, and a culture that has forgotten God. And that's just the beginning of the list. Now, some believers are so self-absorbed that they're just sleeping through the whole thing. Other believers shake their heads in anger and disgust over the mess, lamenting the problems but not making much of a difference.

But this is a time for action - especially with the world looking more and more like Jesus said the world would look just before His return. It feels as if both armies - the armies of the light and darkness - are fully mobilized for what may be some of the last climactic battles for people's lives. So, which battles shall we fight? And what weapons shall we use? Political action? Attacks on the evils of our culture? Culture wars?

The Master's orders remain unchanged. "Go and preach the Gospel." How did the first century believers do battle against the evils of their day? Little baby girls left in jars on street corners to die, people torn apart by animals for Sunday afternoon entertainment, Christians burned as torches in Nero's gardens. Well, you don't find much of a trace of the original Christians mounting a campaign against the sins of their culture.

What we do find is the original Christians presenting Jesus Christ wherever they can. And city after city is rocked by the impact of believers who knew their orders and understood that "the Gospel of Christ is the power of God for salvation." (Romans 1:16) That Cultures are changed when individuals are changed by Jesus from the inside out!

Now, we need to be salt and light wherever God puts us, and stand against what breaks His heart. But we must never let our primary resources go to that which will, at best, bring about only temporary change - and leave people living better but still headed for a Christless eternity.

Our moral outrage needs to be turned into more outreach! Only new creations will change a dying culture! So, as the orders have passed from Jesus to His first eleven soldiers, and now down through the centuries to us, our Master's orders remain unchanged. Change the world by getting out the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.hutchcraft.com
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2001, Ron Hutchcraft.

July 24, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
Tasting The Relationship
John 11:38

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The folks at our local bakery are some of the most effective marketers I know. They don't give you a sales pitch ... they don't have highly creative advertising. They just offer samples. For free ... one of my favorite words. I walk in to buy two bagels. There, on a plate on top of the display case, are these little bites of cheesecake, and a little sign that invites me to try one. So, I do. I walk out of that bakery with my two bagels ... and a cheesecake. Now, I hadn't planned to get a cheesecake, but they sold it in the best possible way ... just by letting me taste it. The taste made me want the whole cheesecake!

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Tasting The Relationship."

Now how do you get someone to develop an appetite for a closer relationship with God? Maybe by giving them a taste of it. Not a sales pitch or an advertising campaign, but a taste. Like the Bible says, a chance to "taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm 34:8) And there are few spiritual treasures more valuable to develop in a person than learning to pray. As simple as prayer might seem in some ways, many people around you - even members of your own family - either don't feel interested or don't feel comfortable when it comes to prayer.

When people spent time with Jesus, they learned to pray. When people spend time with you, do they learn to pray ... do they develop an appetite for praying? We get a glimpse at how Jesus went about it in our word for today from the Word of God in John 11:38. The scene is the grave of His friend Lazarus where Jesus is finding great grief and despair. No one suspects that in a matter of moments Jesus will raise Lazarus from the dead. But first ... prayer.

The Bible says, "'Take away the stone,' He said ... So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, 'Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe You sent Me.'" Jesus is praying in front of these people, but, as He said, primarily for their benefit. He was letting them watch Him pray in an impossible situation, intending that this taste of praying in faith might make them develop an appetite for the same thing.

He didn't preach a lot of sermons on prayer to His disciples. But they saw Him or heard Him praying in all kinds of situations. For their Master, prayer was a lifestyle, not just a meeting He went to or a binge in the morning. And sure enough, He gave them enough tastes of it that one day they wanted the cheesecake - they said, "Lord, teach us to pray." And ultimately, they became powerful prayer warriors themselves, infecting other people with the contagion.

So, let me encourage you to let people see and hear you praying for them and for others. Not in a show-off way like the Pharisees. Not to impress people with your spirituality or to have a spiritual edge on others. But when the Holy Spirit prompts you to pray and you're with someone else in a place where it can be done graciously, who not include them? We often promise someone, "I'll pray for you." Which we sometimes forget to do. Why not ask them, "May I pray with you right now?" It means so much to people to hear someone actually praying for them. You're encouraging them, but you're also teaching them how to pray.

Our kids tell us that they've never forgotten walking in on Karen and me, kneeling by our bed ... praying for them. Let your kids learn to pray by hearing you pray with and for them. Pray with people over the phone, in your office, in the hospital. Pray for all kinds of situations that need the touch of God. Give people a taste of your praising God humbly and then your believing God fervently for things only He could do.

People develop an appetite for prayer when they taste it through an attractive sample in someone's life. May you be that kind of sample of a praying man or woman - living proof of "what a friend we have in Jesus."

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.hutchcraft.com
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2001, Ron Hutchcraft.

July 25, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: The noblest revenge is to forgive. - Thomas Fuller

Terry Anderson

But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. - Matthew 6:15

When Terry Anderson was taken captive by a guerilla group, little did he realize that he would be enduring what no one should ever be subjected to. Anderson, age 40 at the time, had been the chief Middle-East correspondent for the Associated Press. Soon after he was taken captive, he was given a Bible by his Shiite Muslim captors, and for the duration of his four-and-a-half-years of captivity, he drew strength and hope from the pages of this grand old book.

At the most difficult times, he said, "My faith kept me from giving in to despair." It was also that relation with God that enabled him to forgive the very individuals who had deprived him of his freedom for more than six years.

"They did great wrong to me and my family," he said, but instead of hating them, he explained, "I don't hate anybody. I'm a Christian and a Catholic and I really believe it is required of me to forgive no matter how hard that is, and I am determined to do that."

Terry Anderson took to heart what Jesus said long ago: "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:14).

Question: Have you grown in your Christian experience to the point where you can do what Terry Anderson did? It may not have been that you were placed in a dark, underground prison cell with no light in it, as was Anderson's situation. Instead, you may have become your own prisoner as well as jailer as you allowed a broken relationship to surround you with the darkness of bitterness and hatred. It may be that you are holding onto malice and hatred because your business partner cheated you out of your fair share of the partnership.

A little child frantically called his mother, crying that his hand was stuck in a priceless Chinese vase which had been in the family for many generations. The mother tried everything. Soapy water was poured around the neck of the vase, but that didn't work. Then someone suggested cooking oil. That too failed. In desperation the mother decided that there was no solution apart from breaking the old vase. After all, the little child was of far greater value than the old Chinese vase, no matter what its monetary value.

By then the father had arrived home. And the old vase was gently broken, freeing the little child's hand, which slowly opened revealing a small coin which the youngster was triumphantly holding.

The individual who holds to bitterness has little comfort in the light of the tragic cost of not forgiving. "But you don't know how badly I've been hurt!" you may be thinking to yourself.

"True! I don't, but God does!" Do you remember, friend, that His son faced an unwarranted and cruel death, and as He was on the cross He cried out, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34).

To hate is human; to forgive, divine. When you come to the place where you think that you cannot forgive, remember the lonely form of the Galilean on the cross and realize there is no hope for us in the sight of God unless we learn to forgive. Paul underlined what Jesus said about the importance of forgiveness as he wrote, "Be kind and compassionate to one another,forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians. 4:32).

Whether or not Terry Anderson's captors will ever be brought to justice isn't a driving concern. He has released that burden. He's free--something which cannot be said of those who were his captors. Think about it.

Resource reading: Luke 23.

By Harold Sala
� Guidelines International
Box G, Laguna Hills, CA 92654
www.guidelines.org

July 26, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: What this country needs is a man who knows God other than by heresay.
- Thomas Carlyle

God Hides His Face

Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more? - Psalm 77:7

Does it ever seem as if you can't get through to God in prayer? If so, you're not alone.

David Brainerd was a godly missionary to the North American Indians in colonial days. He kept a diary in which he recorded his spiritual mountain peaks as well as his valleys. At one point he wrote, "I lodge in a bundle of straw, my labor is hard and extremely difficult, and I have little appearance of success to comfort me. . . . But what makes all my difficulties grievous to be borne is that God hides His face from me."

When it seems God isn't listening, that He's "forgotten to be gracious" (Psalm 77:9), what should you do?

Recognize that your experience is not unique and doesn't mean you are an outcast from God's redeemed family.

Seek out a fellow believer with whom you can share your feelings and ask for prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:25).

Meditate on the truths of Scripture and what God has done for you in the past (Psalm 77:11-12).

Keep on praying in faith to your great God, no matter how silent heaven may seem (Luke 18:1).

Remember, our God is "the God who does wonders"! (Psalm 77:14).

And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I'll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer. - Walford

When it comes to prayer, don't hang up - hang on!

Read: Psalm 77:1-15

By Vernon C. Grounds
Our Daily Bread
www.rbc.net/bread
�2001 RBC Ministries--Grand Rapids, MI 49555

July 27, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: If a small thing has the power to make you angry, does that not indicate something about your size? - Sydney J. Harris

A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
Repulsive Leftovers
Malachi 1:8

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If you've ever had a teenage son, you'll know this answer. When a teenage boy gets home from school, what's the first question he asks? "What's for dinner?" Now one of our boys' unfavorite answers to that question was that dreaded "L" word - leftovers! That was especially scary after Thanksgiving, when we found it seemed like that turkey would never end. Now, leftovers aren't too many people's first choice for a meal. Right? And the longer they've been left over, the more unsatisfying that choice becomes. I know I've never been to a restaurant who offered an item called "leftovers" on today's specials, or anywhere on the menu for that matter. Let's face it. They're second best - at best.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Repulsive Leftovers."

No one gets very excited about leftovers - including God. But when God asks many of us, "What are you giving Me?" our most honest answer would be, "Leftovers." In our word for today from the Word of God, God is telling His ancient people that they are showing contempt for Him, and these are people who are doing a lot of religious thins! He says they are disrespecting Him by bringing Him defiled offerings. He explains in Malachi 1:8. Remember, God called for the sacrifice of only an unblemished, perfect animal.

Here's what He says: "When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? ... With such offerings from your hands, will God accept you? ... Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on your altar! I am not pleased with you, says the Lord Almighty, and I will accept no offerings from your hands."

Imagine God saying, "Forget all your church meetings! All your Christian activities are useless. Close the church! Keep your offerings! You're wasting your time - I'm not accepting what you're giving." Man! Now that's God's reaction when His children offer Him the leftovers of their lives. His people in Malachi's day said, "Giving God this perfect animal is such a waste. I can get good money for an animal like that. I'll just give the Lord this blind one or this crippled one - I don't need them. I can't do much with those." And God says, "I'd rather have nothing than what you don't really need anyway - your leftovers."

Remember the day the religious leaders in Jerusalem were throwing their big offerings in the pot with great fanfare? Remember the only gift Jesus said impressed Him? The gift of a poor widow who quietly gave everything she had. It doesn't matter to Jesus how much you give - it seems to be how much you have left that matters to Him. One recent study shows that the giving of American Christians - the percentage of their income given to the work of God - has dropped by one-third in the last 30 years! The trend seems to be to spend more on ourselves and to give less to our Lord. I can't imagine He is any more pleased with us than He was with His children in Malachi's day.

God calls on His children to give the "first fruits" to Him. To a farmer, that meant real faith giving. Before he knew what kind of harvest he'd ultimately have, he brought to God right off the top. Now it's interesting to note that many Christian ministries say that one-fourth to one-third of their total income for the year comes in during December, especially since people are thinking about their income tax deductions! Could it be that some of us are waiting until after the harvest to see what we can "afford" to give to the Lord - our "last fruits?" See, it's the gift of faith that pleases God. A gift that involves little risk and little sacrifice is not a gift that means much to a God who sacrificed His one and only Son for us.

Our spiritual words and activities may not be the best measure of our relationship with God. It's often the sacrificial giving of our finances that most accurately shows how much we really love Him. Not how much you give, but how much you have left ... not leftovers. Because your Lord says, in Numbers 18:29, "You must present as the Lord's portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you."

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.hutchcraft.com
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2001, Ron Hutchcraft.

July 28, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Suspicion often creates what it suspects. - C.S. Lewis

Encouraging Word For The Week from Brother Steve

Yesterday, I was visiting some people at the LSU Medical Center in Shreveport and had the opportunity to be ministered to. While I was in the ICU waiting room, a lady walked up with a basketful of individually packaged sandwiches and was giving them out to anyone in the waiting area. If you've ever been to this hospital, you know that there are people everywhere. In addition, she gave each person a small pamphlet from the church she represented. The handout contained a brief message of hope and basic information about her church. According to the family I was visiting, this had been done for many of the days they were there.

I was personally encouraged. Although I refused a sandwich, I was ministered to by her presence and actions. She was very gentle and had a good spirit. I will likely never see her again, but she left her mark upon me.

She taught me a lesson that I believe we can all learn from: Anyone can minister. It is just a matter of me finding my ministry and doing it.

How hard is it to buy a loaf of bread, and jar of mayonnaise, some bologna, and a box of zip-lock bags and hand out sandwiches in a hospital? Frankly, the biggest sacrifice is time and effort. The church probably provided everything she gave out physically. Yet, ministry would never have occurred unless this lady had taken the initiative to do it herself.

Too often, we confine our understanding of ministry to the time we are at the church facilities involved with church people. If you read the gospels, Jesus spent most of his time with people away from the religious institutions and structures. Why? Ministry is in the greatest need away from the church.

On many occasions, the Lord would meet the physical needs of people before he would address their spiritual needs. He would perform miracles to validate the message that would follow.

Today, the same holds true of our ministry. The truth of the gospel is better heard by people who have seen us minister to their physical needs first. They'll believe our story when our concern is communicated through our actions.

This is why Jesus said in Matthew 25 that we are to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, care for strangers, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the prisoner. He knew that these things were the language of the gospel. They are the best preaching anyone will ever share. He concludes the passage by saying in verse 45, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for me." Therefore, our ministry for others is in reality our ministry to Christ.

You may never minister in a hospital, but how are you allowing God to use you? How are you preaching the gospel?

Let me encourage each of you to begin looking for ways to have an ongoing ministry for the Savior. In so doing, you can change your world one sandwich at a time.

Serving you,
Bro. Steve
First Baptist Church, Doyline, LA

July 29, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: There is no true and abiding morality that is not founded in religion. - Henry Ward Beecher

Driving Lessons

There is no other commandment greater than these. - Mark 12:31

One morning on my way to work, I began to wonder, Why should I obey God's laws? The answer played out as I approached a traffic light that had just turned yellow. A driver at the intersection waited to make sure I had fully stopped. Why did I stop? I asked myself. I could have made it.

Two reasons came to mind - survival and surveillance. I could be injured or killed. Or a police officer might see me and give me a ticket. Good reasons, don't you think? But are these the highest motives? Am I concerned about other drivers?

Obeying God's commands out of fear would reduce much of the wreckage strewn along life's highway due to adultery, murder, lying, stealing, and coveting. But there is a higher motive. When Jesus was asked, "Which is the first commandment of all?" He answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart," and second, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Then He said, "There is no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:30-31).

Once we put our faith in Christ as our Savior and experience God's love, our motivation for obeying His commands changes. That means we slow down at God's "yellow lights," stop at His "red lights," and proceed at His "green lights" for the highest reason - love.

"We love You, Lord Jesus," we often may say,
But are we as ready His will to obey?
Let's heed what God's Spirit would have us to do,
That's how we can show Him a love that is true.

To love God is to obey God.

Read: Mark 12:28-34

By Dennis J. De Haan
Our Daily Bread
www.rbc.net/bread
�2001 RBC Ministries-Grand Rapids, MI 49555

July 30, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: If ever I reach heaven, I expect to find three wonders there: first, to meet some I had not thought to see there; second, to miss some I had expected to see there; and third, the greatest wonder of all, to find myself there. - John Newton

A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
Heartbreak At The Gate
Luke 15:3

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I was at O'Hare Airport in Chicago, waiting for my flight in the lounge of Gate B6. Me waiting for a plane in Chicago is nothing new. But what was noteworthy was what happened at that gate while I was waiting. Before the passengers from my flight could board, the incoming passengers, of course, had to disembark. I had not expected to see the unforgettable, emotional scene that unfolded as I watched.

It was shortly after the Gulf War had ended, and soldiers were coming home. Clustered anxiously around the end of the jetway were a boy in a Desert Storm t-shirt, a little girl, and a wife carrying a flag with a yellow ribbon attached, and a friend with a video camera aimed down the jetway. The wife was crying what must have been tears of anxious anticipation as her son was hanging on the corner of the jetway door, peeking down the tunnel. It was actually hard not to watch, and many people in the lounge were doing that just that - some were even wiping their eyes.

As more and more passengers streamed off the plane, the wife was fighting more and more to keep her composure. Then, as a flight attendant came out, the wife asked painfully, "Are there any more passengers?" She said, "Only a few." Moments later, as the last passenger left, that precious wife fell into a chair and melted into tears. I want to tell you, it was a heartbreaking moment. The anticipated reunion didn't happen. The one she wanted home hadn't come home.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Heartbreak At The Gate."

I can't help but wonder if there will be scenes like that at the gate of eternity, as we look to see if someone we love made it home. Jesus did all He could do to bring them home to Heaven. Now it's in our hands to do all we can.

Jesus talks about His extraordinary effort to bring lost people home in our word for today from the Word of God. I believe He wants us to join Him in the shepherd's role in this picture in Luke 15, beginning with verse 3. "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'"

What's it going to take to have the people you care about in Heaven with you? Well, it's in this parable. First, you have to "leave" the comfort of the flock that's already in. If all we do is hang out in our Christian cocoon with our Christian friends going to Christian meetings, the lost people in our world will probably just go on dying. Then you have to "go after" the lost sheep. That means spending time with those lost people where they are, finding common ground, building bridges into their life, looking for, praying for opportunities to talk about the Savior who has changed your life. Going after those lost ones means praying aggressively for them by name and doing whatever it takes to bring them home.

And you go after that lost sheep until you "find it." This isn't some one-shot attempt to show them Jesus - it's a long-term, long-haul, never-give-up rescue effort. And, humanly speaking, the eternity of someone you know may hang in the balance - because you are their closest link to Jesus.

And by God's grace, at the gates of glory, some of those people you know will be there - because Jesus cared ... because you cared.

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.hutchcraf.com
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2001, Ron Hutchcraft.

July 31, 2001

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Here is a test to see if your mission on earth is finished. If you are alive, it isn't. - Francis Bacon

A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
Guess Who's Really Moving It
Philippians 2:13

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Last week, I was going through the all too frequent ritual of standing by an airport luggage carousel, waiting for Big Bertha - that's what I've named my suitcase since we spend so much time together! Suddenly the monotony was broken for all of us by this really cute scene ... try to picture this. Here comes one of those luggage carts that looks sort of like a big grocery cart without the big basket, pushing it is this very little boy, still in pampers, barely able to walk ... about one-fourth as tall as the cart.

Actually, the boy thought he was pushing the cart, actually his Daddy was right next to him with his hands on the bar above his son's head. Now, the cart was staying on a straight course, it was moving at a good speed ... and finally the little guy got frustrated because he wanted to push on the handle bar which was way over his head. So, in order to continue the illusion of "little boy pushing" Daddy picked him up, held him horizontal and let him push on the bar. But, needless to say, his father kept one hand on that cart, of course! Despite the way it looked to this little cart jockey, it was his father who was really making it happen.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Guess Who's Really Moving It."

Now, our word for today from the Word of God is from Philippians 2:13. Here's what it says, "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." There's the want to and the how to, and the three key words, "It is God." The funny thing is it looks like it's us doing it! You do the work for the Lord - the speaking, the music, the serving, the encouraging, the leading, and it sure looks like it's you who's living your Christian life ... saying "no" to temptation, loving people, winning some spiritual victories. But then, it looked to that little boy like he was pushing that cart too! But, it was really his father. The same with you ... the same with me.

Jesus illustrated this with a grapevine. He said that He is the vine, we are the branches. The grapes look like they're coming from the branch, right? Wrong! They're coming through the branch ... from the vine. If you don't believe it, cut off the branch and see how many grapes it produces!

Now, it's like that for us in our life in Jesus Christ. Anything you've become, anything you've done, all those spiritual victories that you've been a part of, they may look like something you did, but it wasn't really you doing something for God, it was God doing something through you. Jesus put it bluntly in His vine story. He just said, "Without Me you can do nothing." Nothing that matters, nothing that lasts, or nothing that's life-changing.

Since it's ultimately our Father who moves the cart, there are two attitudes that are just unacceptable. First, pride over any spiritual accomplishment, ability, or position. If your heart is saying, "Hey, ain't I somethin'!" after a spiritual victory, your heart is in fantasy land! The right and realistic read on it is, "Isn't God something!" Remember, it is God. Don't be a glory stealer. God says, "I am the Lord, my Glory I will not give to another." All the praise belongs to God!

But there is a second unacceptable attitude that is at the polar opposite of pride. It's a sense of inadequacy that keeps you from risking for and working for your Lord. You see, the same Lord who told us that we can do nothing without Him, teacher us to say, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13) You are inadequate. The more you realize that, the more you get out of the way and depend on the Lord to do it.

So, you can dare and work for Jesus because it's His power, His adequacy doing it anyway! "It is God who works," the verse says. See, a little boy was able to move what he could never move because of his father's strength. You can move things for the Lord that are way beyond you because of your Heavenly Father's strength. So, keep pushing the cart, keep walking, but remember that your cart will stay on course and move a heavy load because of the powerful hands above you.

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.hutchcraft.com
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2001, Ron Hutchcraft.

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