A Wish Come True

Orders Remain Unchanged

Man to Man

Biblical One Liners

"Which List Is Your Name On?"

It’s Not Just Tim McVeigh

23rd Psalm

A Wish Come True

by Hobert Arp Jr.

We just got back from the most wonderful vacation ever. 7 days and 6 nights in Orlando, Florida. While we were there we went to all four Disney theme parks, Sea World, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and saw a Disney premier, Atlantis, at Downtown Disney. The best part about this vacation was that it cost us absolutely nothing! Zero. Nada. Zip! It also included a limousine ride to the airport, round trip airfare, rental car, and accommodations while in Florida. And we even got $1,600 spending cash to boot! How did we manage to get all these goodies? We wished for them, of course!

Make-A-Wish Foundation is an organization that exists to grant a wish of a lifetime for children ages 3-18 who are suffering from life threatening illnesses. They do this to give children and their families hope and some good memories, who are going through things, where sometimes there are very few fond memories and sometimes very little hope.

We stayed at a place called “Give Kids The World” Village, a resort that provides housing and fun things for Wish kids while they are on their Disney World excursion. 2/3 of the kids who go through Make-A-Wish ask to go there, and Disney has gotten very good at accommodating them.

My Daughter Megan has Muscular Dystrophy, a disease that causes ever increasing weakness of the muscles. As such, this made her eligible for a wish. But since she is also mentally retarded and cannot speak, they let her sister Amanda make the wish for her. And of course, she wanted to go to Disney World.

Now I know that Disney has had a bad reputation with the Church over the last couple of years, but the people at Walt Disney World bent over backwards to take care of us and to make this vacation the wonderful experience that it was. As did the folks at Sea World, and Universal Studios. And especially at the Hard Rock Café, where we received a free diner, with first class service (they even gave Megan a free T-shirt). I was especially taken by the Hard Rock’s motto, “Love All, Serve All”.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the church were to catch that same vision of service, especially to children (and adults) like mine? It wouldn’t take too long for the world to set up and notice. But until then, most of the services children like Megan receive will have to come from the world, because it seems, as usual, the Church is behind the times.

Orders Remain Unchanged

    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 Christ less 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!

Man to Man

Romans 8:13 says if we don't purge ourselves of sin, we will die. This is another way of saying we must renew our minds. Paul gives us the next key in Romans 8:13: "For if you keep on following it [sinful nature], you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live."

It isn't until we find how to release the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to put to death that old man's fleshly deeds. The natural mind thinks it can "will" to change. "I will not sin anymore," you say with gritted teeth. But sometimes you just can't break a fleshly habit using the strength of your own will.

In his book "The Walk of the Spirit--The Walk of Power," Dave Roberson talks about the usefulness of our willpower to overcome our flesh. "Relying on sheer willpower to change your fleshly weakness will take you only so far," he says. "It is only through the Spirit that you mortify the deeds of the body."

On the other hand, "mortification" through the Spirit is the process by which the Holy Spirit rises up on the inside of you to destroy the hold that the flesh has had over you. Instead of the sin having dominion over you, you gain dominion over it.

It's no accident that immediately after Paul talks about mortifying the deeds of the flesh in Romans 8:13 that he says in verse 14: "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God."

The term children of God refers to mature believers who have been nurtured by the Holy Spirit to the point that they can now walk by their new nature rather than the dictates of the flesh. This is a state of spiritual maturity where carnal patterns and systems of thought no longer dominate you because you are now walking after your new nature instead of according to the flesh.

That's what Romans 8:13 is talking about: As many as will allow their reborn human spirits to be nurtured and taught by the Holy Spirit, they are the mature children of God. For it is through the spirit-through the new nature within them-that they mortify the deeds of the flesh.

--Stephen Strang is publisher of New Man magazine and the author of Old Man New Man. Buy your copy now at http://www.oldmannewman.com

Biblical One Liners

"Which List Is Your Name On?"

John 3:36 And all who believe in God’s Son have eternal life. Those who don’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but the wrath of God remains upon them.” (NLT)



 A friend of mine recently saw an exhibit that I really wish I could see - it's the Titanic exhibit that has been on display in select museums across the country.  My friend told me about the re-creation of the Titanic's grand staircase, the simulation of one of the ship's cabins, the artifacts that have been retrieved from the Titanic's watery grave.  As you enter the exhibit, you're given a ticket with the name of one of the ship's passengers or crewmen.  At the end of the tour is this large wall with two lists of names, one short list and one long list.  Next to each name is one of four designations: first class, second class, third class, and crew.  But no matter what your class, your name ultimately appears on one of those two lists - which are under one of two headings - "Saved" ... "Lost."

         Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Which List Is Your Name On?"

         Tragically, the short list is the one that says "saved" - the long list is the names of the "lost."  As you read the Bible, you begin to realize that all humanity is divided into those same two lists - "saved" and "lost."  There's no third list - and you're on one or the other.

         Our word for today from the Word of God is one of those passages that helps us determine which list we're on.  And, perhaps surprisingly, we determine whether we're saved or lost, not God.  John 3:36 says, "Whoever believes in the Son (that's Jesus Christ) has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."  Saved.  Lost.  Earlier in the same chapter, God says, "Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." (John 3:18)  Saved.  Lost.

         One thing is very clear - which list your name is on depends totally on your personal response to Jesus Christ.  That's because He is the One God sent to rescue us from the death penalty of all the things we've done wrong.  Nobody else died in our place - so nobody else can save us.  We tend to divide people up by what class they're in, what race they are, what religion they're from - but God only sees two kinds of people.  Saved.  Lost.
        

And today could be your day to move from one list to the other.  What sentences us to being "lost" forever is that we simply "do not believe" in Jesus.  You don't have to openly reject Him - you can just passively miss Him.  And "believing" the Bible doesn't mean just agreeing with Jesus or giving mental assent - it's grabbing Him to pull you into the lifeboat, holding onto Him as if He's your only hope.  He is.  And it may be that you've never really put yourself completely into His hands to be your Rescuer from your sin.

         This could be your day.  Tell Jesus that you're putting all your trust in Him to save you from a spiritual death penalty you could never save yourself from.  And if you're reaching out to Jesus, I'd love to send you the booklet, "Yours For Life" that I wrote about beginning your personal relationship with Him.  Just let me know you want it.

         At the moment you open your heart to Jesus, you have literally, in the Bible's words, "crossed over from death to life." (John 5:24)  Forever, God will move your name from "lost" to "saved."

         Copyright (c) 2001, Ron Hutchcraft. Reprinted with permission. "A Word With You" is a radio outreach of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.

It’s Not Just Tim McVeigh

IT'S NOT JUST TIM McVEIGH
By Ron Hutchcraft


         First, the verdict came in - guilty.  Then the sentence - death.  And the last-minute appeals for a delay - denied.  Finally, the irrevocable outcome - Timothy McVeigh must die for his crimes.

         From the first moments that the searing images of the Oklahoma City explosion flashed on our television screens, Americans have felt deeply connected to that awful tragedy, that monstrous crime.  And Timothy McVeigh's expressionless face has become a face we will not soon forget.

         For me personally, the people and the pain of that awful day in Oklahoma City became even more real when I visited the Memorial there a few weeks ago. It makes the execution in Terre Haute a little less remote ... a little more personal.

         For some of us, this death penalty business is an important political issue or humanitarian or justice issue.  But not many of us feel it as a personal issue.  It is.  For every one of us.  In reality, a death penalty is a deeply personal issue.  It's about a death penalty, not from a human court, but from the Governor of the universe.

         In just six unsettling words in the Bible, God spells out the troubling news that is actually declared all through the Bible - "The wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23)  That sentence goes back to the beginning
of time.  In the Bible's account of mankind's first sin, God announced the penalty for disobeying Him - "You will surely die." (Genesis 2:17)  There is no doubt that sin carries with it a sentence of death - as sure as that of anyone on Death Row.

         In the same book of the Bible that speaks of the death sentence for sin, God says, "All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)  That "all" cuts off any appeal you or I - or even the most religious person on this planet - could have.  No one can say, "this spiritual death penalty doesn't apply to me." There is no such thing as a "not guilty" plea before God.

         Our spiritual crimes are not the horrific crimes of a mass killing in Oklahoma City - they, are in fact, cosmic crimes.  Sin is not the violating of some religion's rules - it is the hijacking of a life that our Creator was supposed to run.  We have - some very politely - raised our fist to the One who made us and said, "My way, God, not Your way."  In a universe where galaxies obey Him, where angels obey Him, where nature obeys Him, we dare to defy the rule of God by rebelling against the ways He created us to live.

         We treat people as we feel like treating them ... we do with our mouth, our passions, our money, our life what we want to do.  We take a life He designed to be lived for Him and live for ourselves - and think
that somehow a little religion and some good deeds will somehow satisfy our sentence.

         But "the wages of sin" is still "death."  Not just death as in your heart stopping and your brain flat lining - but death as in eternal separation from God, the Source of everything good in our lives in our world.  The death penalty for my running of my own life is far more frightening than any lethal injection or electrocution - it is, again in God's own words, being "shut out from the presence of the Lord." (II Thessalonians 1:9)

         The bad news from God is really bad. But the good news is about as good as it gets. The same "death sentence" that proclaims the wages for our sin also announces the amazing alternative that is open to all of us - to you at this very moment. It says, "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)  You can walk away from the death penalty you deserve and receive a Heaven you could never deserve.

         If you take His "gift."  A gift, by its very nature, is something you don't pay for - it's paid for by someone else.  And that is exactly what Jesus did for you when He died that brutal death on the cross.  In the Bible's words, "He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities (wrongdoings); the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him." (Isaiah 53:5)

         All the religions of the world offer a way of life that it is hoped will "pay for" eternal life.  But the only thing we can "earn" is "the wages of sin."  And there are no good works that can pay a death penalty.  A death penalty can only be paid one way - by someone dying.  Someone did.  Jesus loves you so much that He stepped in as your sinless Substitute to satisfy the justice of God.  You did the sinning, but Jesus did the dying.

         God's one and only Son died so you don't have to.  That's what makes what you do with Jesus so very important.  God will never forget what you do with His Son - not after all His Son did for you.  You cannot earn this "gift" of eternal life, no matter how good you are - you can only reach out and take it, like any gift.  Which He is giving you the opportunity to do right now.

         You trade in hell for Heaven when you tell Jesus you are resigning from running your own life and giving your life to Him. You can tell Him right where you are - "Jesus, I've been running my own life, but I resign as of today.  I've been living for me. I'm sorry for my sin.  But I believe your Son Jesus Christ paid my death penalty when He died on the cross.  Right now, I'm turning from a life of "my way" and I'm putting all my trust in Jesus Christ to erase my sin from Your book, to give me a relationship with You, and to get me to Heaven.  Lord, from today on, I'm Yours."

         It's not a decision to be postponed - the stakes are just too high. That's why God says, "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart." (Hebrews 4:7)  If He's moving in your heart, consider that His
knock on the door - a door you have to open.  When you do, He opens a door for you - the one that will allow you to walk out of Death Row forever and into a life that will never end.