Walking With Jesus

Keeping Our Focus on Jesus (Part 2)

“…especially the sin that so easily trips us up.” (Hebrews 12:1b NLT)

The battlefield on which a follower of Jesus will live and die, is between our ears. The most dangerous mine field of our existence as a believer is our mind. To keep our thoughts focused on Jesus while pursuing the sinful ways of Satan is an impossibility. You must choose one or the other.

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Paul writes: “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people – none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.”

Then notice what he says in verse 11: “Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

Remember, the context of this post is the sin that trips us up in our race to live for the Lord Jesus. Verse 9, when it speaks of “those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God“, Paul is referring to those who are continuing to sin as a habit, a lifestyle choice, a deliberate decision to follow these paths as opposed to living for Jesus. He clearly says in verse 11: “Some of you were once like that.” “WERE once like that!” With the clear implication, BUT YOU ARE NO LONGER!

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To profess faith in Christ, and to believe you can continue to live like the devil is to believe a lie from the pit of hell. Acts 3:19 records the words of Peter when he said: “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” To repent means to change your mind. It’s a military term that pictures a soldier doing an about face. We’re walking in one direction, but deliberately make the decision to turn around and go in a new direction. The word implies that what motivates the decision of our mind to change directions is an abhorrence of the things in which we were once involved.

To believe we can run the race of faith while habitually engaging in things that displease and dishonor God, is to spurn God’s grace and make a mockery of what it means to be His child. Jesus clearly said: “No man (person) can serve two masters.” (Matthew 6:24)

Am I saying we will never sin. No, of course not. But it’s our goal. Sin must become the exception, not the rule. John writes: “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin.” (1 John 2:1 NLT) We must hate our sin and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to cleanse our heart and mind, enabling us to choose to obey God, rather than the ruler of our sin nature. Sin is a willful decision to do what God has clearly instructed us not to do, or to not do something He has clearly instructed us to do. This is why it’s so vitally important to stay rooted in the Word of God.

We don’t accidentally climb into the sack with a person to whom we’re not married. We don’t accidentally cheat someone in a business transaction or steal something that isn’t ours. Sin is a choice we make, the consequence for which we will pay an eternal price. OR, we can allow the Lord Jesus, our Advocate (1 John 2:2), to pay the penalty for our sin and in the strength of the Holy Spirit, walk away from a lifestyle of sin and evil into a life of holiness and purity in Jesus.

There will still be consequences in this life for your sin, as there have been for mine, but your eternal destiny can be changed. The choice is yours, but please don’t believe you can live on the proverbial fence, loving sin and loving Jesus. THAT’S NOT AN OPTION!

Trying to live for Jesus while walking in an ungodly lifestyle is like driving your car forward while staying focused on the rearview mirror. It’s a recipe for disaster.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Keeping Our Focus on Jesus (Part 1)

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down…” (Hebrews 12:1a NLT)

The writer of the Hebrew letter opens chapter twelve with a reference to the “huge crowd of witnesses” that have run the race of faith before us. We are surrounded by the effects of their influence as we train and run our race. With desire to be the best we can possibly be, we are encouraged to: “…strip off every weight that slows us down…” What are the weights that slow you down?

Have you ever run in or watched a Marathon? My daughter has run in a few, and while I’ve seen some funny things that runners wear, I’ve yet to see anyone run a Marathon in a snow suit. Why not? The weight, if for no other reason. Distractions, regardless of their cause, are like extra weight for a runner, that at best will slow us down, and, at worst, disqualify or disable us from finishing.

As we think of our “faith” race, what are some common “weights” (distractions) that hinder us?

Age and/or physical condition can be factors. How so? I’m 74, so I tend to run out of energy more quickly. I find my mind will wander if I’m not well rested and it takes me longer to accomplish even the things I enjoy, such as reading and studying the Bible, praying or writing. When I was younger, I often found other things more pressing, believing I’d get to my reading/studying later. Later rarely came. It can be very helpful over time to find a place you consistently go to read, study, pray, and meditate. The familiarity of that setting (room, chair, desk, nature) can automatically turn your thoughts to God.

Realizing as a husband/wife, parent, employee, etc., there are going to be legitimate time constraints over which you have little or no control. Setting a certain time to meet with the Lord can be especially challenging for parents of small children or for those who are working odd hours. It takes creativity and lots of desire, but it’s possible and will pay rich dividends over time.

When I was first in ministry someone told me: “God gives us all the time we need to accomplish the complete will of God if we use our time efficiently.” Life, in all its mess, is ministry waiting to happen. Nothing can prevent you from praying, singing, reciting scripture, even if those things need to be done only in your mind. When I walk my pups, work around the house, do projects in the garage, whatever I’m doing, I’m talking with the Lord.

I’m reminded of the book by Charles Hummel, The Tyranny of the Urgent. We allow things that are relatively insignificant, yet urgent, to overshadow what deserves to be a priority.

The point is, if we want to keep the Lord in view, the Lord will enable us to find a way. Will it take discipline? Of course! Will it take time? Definitely! Is it worth making the effort? Without a doubt!

Notice the things to this point aren’t deliberate efforts on our part to not do what the Lord wants for us. They aren’t sin. Sin separates us from God. We’ll look at this tomorrow.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Praise God for My Addiction!

“God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made Him head over all things for the benefit of the church.” (Ephesians 1:22 NLT)

We’ve grown so accustomed to seeing the word “addiction” used in reference to drugs, alcohol, sex, and dozens of other life-destroying tools of Satan, we’ve forgotten that it also means: “to give oneself up to some strong habit; an ardent supporter, devotee.” I’ve given myself up to reading and studying the Bible every day. The older I get the more often I turn my thoughts to God in gratitude and thanksgiving through prayer. I rarely miss church unless I’m sick or out of town, and even then, if I can’t be in worship, I’ll watch it online. I’m an ardent supporter and devotee of the Lord Jesus and I give Him ALL glory, honor, and praise for what He’s doing in my life. Am I bragging? No, I’m throwing you a lifeline! How so?

Addiction is another word for “habit.” Habits rule your life. Tell me what you do habitually, and I’ll tell you who your master is. You only have two choices: Jesus or yourself (the devil). That’s why Paul wrote in Romans 12:1-2: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

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What you think about comes about! Think “world” all day and your life will reflect your thoughts. Think “Jesus” all day and your life will reflect your thoughts. Your body is the vehicle of your mind. The word Paul uses that is translated “plead,” means “to beg, to earnestly warn,” and carries a sense of urgency. Why is he so eager to warn us?

Notice he pleads that we first give our bodies to God, then, in verse 2 he lets us know that if we let God transform the way we use our bodies, He will change the way we think. Hmm! Doesn’t that seem backwards? Let’s look more closely. Where are our eyes? Where are our ears? Body parts, right? Our eyes are the windows of our soul. What we look at (focus our eyes upon) will become the force that drives our thoughts. (i.e. pornography or the Word of God; videos that point us to Jesus or the world?)

Our ears are also key receptors for our mind, heart, and soul. What do you listen to in the car? At the house? At work? I’m not just referring to the kind of music you like, but what is the predominant theme of what you allow your ears to hear, or of your casual conversations? Work conversations? Church conversations? Etc. What we allow our eyes and ears to “teach” our mind will drive the habits of our bodies, which drives the way we view the world, and paints the picture of us the world sees.

That’s why in verse 3 Paul gives a warning: “Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves (DON’T MISS THIS!) by the faith God has given us;” Another way to say that is: “by the standard of our God-given faith.” What does that mean? It essentially means by a Biblical standard, not by the standards of the world.

If you’re not living up to Biblical standards by the way you treat and/or use your body, your mind will reflect that. And, if you’re not living up to a Biblical standard in the things that occupy your thoughts, your body will reflect that upon which your mind is feeding. BUT, if you feed your mind on Biblical truth, and discipline your body to follow Biblical patterns/habits of behavior, you will reflect the glory, honor, and fame of Jesus. Your choice. Which will it be for you? As for me, I’m praising God for my addiction to Him!

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Is Loving Others Supposed to Look Like?

“If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?” (Matthew 5:46a NLT)

Whether we realize it or not, a lot of our values, in terms of what we believe, including how we treat others who are different from ourselves, is “caught” more than taught. What does that mean? It means that we tend to follow what is modeled before us, growing up. If our parents liked a certain kind of car, food, political party, church/religion, whatever, we tend to follow their example, at least initially, rather than think it through and make up our own minds.

That often includes how we view people who are different from us. Growing up I didn’t think about prejudice that much because everyone around me was white. I went to school with a few black kids, but they would stay together, and I stayed with my white friends. I didn’t have a friend that wasn’t white until college, but this was in the 60’s and there was a lot of friction between the races.

Having come to Christ in high school, I was trying to learn what loving others looked like, but for the most part, everyone I loved looked like me. Then one summer I learned a college singing group was coming to our church, and, with my mom’s permission, I volunteered to invite one of the singers to stay with us. Little did we know the young man who would be staying with us was black. Oh, my 😊!

Not knowing how my mom would react, I thought it best to let her know before bringing the young man to our house but was pleasantly surprised when she was agreeable to him staying with us. We became fast friends and I learned to love him as a brother, which, of course, he was. That experience helped a lot to move me in the direction of opening my mind and heart to others who were different than me.

Fast forward a lot of years. Now I had lots of friends who were different, but there was still one group with whom I struggled. Gays! We called gays by lots of other names when I was growing up and though my heart could expand to embrace a lot of different kinds of people, much to God’s displeasure, it didn’t include “them!”

A few years ago, my son and his fiancée asked me if I’d officiate their wedding, which I was delighted to do. At that time, we lived in different states, so whatever details we had to work out were either over the phone or via text or email. A few days before the wedding I learned that his fiancée’s “Maid of Honor,” wasn’t a “Maid,” but a man. A man who was married to another man! Whoa! I didn’t see that one coming! What should I do?

My first instinct was to tell them I couldn’t marry them, but having learned to not make decisions of that magnitude without first praying, I asked the Lord: “Lord, what should I do?” None of my preconceived ideas of how He would respond came close to what He told me. He said, “I want you to do the wedding, and this is what I want you to do about the “Man” of Honor – love him and enjoy him!”

It was liberating! Brian and his partner were an absolute delight. Two of the finest human beings I’ve ever met. Brian made a toast to the bride and groom that was touching and humorous, and I could see immediately why Steph loved him so much. We’ve since had other opportunities to spend time together and my love for them has continued to grow. Neither of them professes faith in Christ (yet), largely, I believe, because of the way they’ve been treated by “Christian” people like me before my conversation with the Lord. How can we expect anyone to desire our Savior when we’re not treating them like Jesus would? Who are the “THEM’S” in your life? Who is it that you struggle to love?

The Lord made it clear that my responsibility, regardless of the lifestyles of the people I meet, is to love them as though I were Jesus, allowing Him to love them through me, and leave their lifestyles to Him.

When you think about it, isn’t that exactly the way we want to be treated when we are learning about Jesus or coming to church for the first time? Do we want people getting in our face about what “brand” of sin we prefer? Last time I checked, the Bible affirms we’re all sinners. When I decide that I have a right to criticize or reject a person because I don’t like their lifestyle, I’d better speak with the Master Surgeon, Jesus, and ask Him to remove the log from my eye, so I can help get the speck out of another person’s eye. “Father, help me (us)!”

Blessings, Ed 😊

Whatever Became of Honor?

“I praise Your name for Your unfailing love and faithfulness; for Your promises are backed by all the honor of Your name.” (Psalm 138:2b NLT)

In the film entitled The Last Samurai Tom Cruise is an American Captain in the late 1800’s. He has distinguished himself by his valor in battle, and his wisdom as a strategist. He accepts an opportunity to go to Japan and train their army to do battle against the last remaining Samurai, whose soul purpose for centuries has been to protect the interests of their Emperor.

As the story unfolds, Katsumoto, the leader of the Samurai, and the Captain become friends and learn from one another. The Captain learns the ways of the Samurai and becomes a comrade who helps defend the Samarai from their enemies, including the new Japanese army trained and led by an American Lieutenant Colonel. The Samurai are no match for the canons and machine guns of the new army, and all the Samurai are killed and the Captain is severely wounded, but lives to present Katsumoto’s sword to the young Emperor.

As he presents the sword, the young Emperor begins to understand what a tremendous sacrifice the Samurai’s have made, and is noticeably moved. While it violated ancient protocol, the Emperor knelt to receive the sword and asked the Captain: “Were you with him when he died?” To which the Captain said he was. Then the Emperor asked: “Will you tell me how he died?” To which the Captain replied: “I will tell you how he lived!”

Katsumoto’s honorable death was the perfect ending for the life of honor that he lived. Watching that film again reminded me of how soft, undisciplined, and selfish most of us are in 21^st Century America. We’ve largely forgotten what it means to be a man of honor. We live for ourselves and for whatever makes us feel good.

Even as professing believers in Jesus, while we may be grateful for His discipline, and willingness to die in our place, it apparently doesn’t give us the incentive most of us need to live a life of disciplined obedience to His honor and fame. The more I study the life of my Savior, the more convicted I am that I must do whatever it takes to live in uncompromising submission to His Lordship over my life.

May I challenge you, “men of God,” to be men of honor for His name’s sake? A high percentage of men who profess faith in Christ are addicted to pornography and think nothing of sleeping with, and even living with their girlfriends out of wedlock or being unfaithful to their wife or unethical in their business practices. May I ask you: “Where is the honor in that? How is that different than any other unsaved man in America today? Do you think Jesus is okay with being on the proverbial ‘sidelines’ of your life, while you live like the devil all week, then cry and praise Him on Sunday?” Sorry, guys, that’s not how it works.

Please, for Christ’s sake, start living like Jesus is Lord, or stop making a mockery of His death for your sin, and call your life what it is – a sacrilege! Do you not understand the Holy Spirit will give you power to overcome sin in your life? But you’ve got to want it, and be willing to submit to His Lordship. Let the Lord help you grow a backbone, put on your big boy pants, and stand up to the devil and in Jesus’ Name, tell him to go to hell where he belongs. Will it be easy? Certainly not! But that’s how you become a man of honor.

You’re either a man of God or you’re not! If you are, then live like it! But if you’re not, but you want to be, click on the link below and learn what it means to give your life to Christ. He’s coming soon and when He comes back, He’s not coming to take sides. He’s coming to take over. Whose side do you want to be on then? https://hutchcraft.com/the-bridge-to-god

Blessings, Ed

Keeping Our Eyes on the One Who Is Invisible

“He (Moses) kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27b NLT)

What we think about comes about. What we choose as the subject of our focused attention, whether with our eyes, mind and/or heart, becomes, over time, the driving force of our lives. Problems arise when the focus of our lives becomes distorted, when we lose focus or discover we’re focusing on the wrong object. There are so many tempting targets designed to redirect our attention.

Faith in God is interesting on many levels but can become confusing when we begin to realize the Person who is to be the focus of our life, is invisible . . . or is He? That’s one of the primary reasons Jesus was born. The Apostle Paul in Colossians 2:8-9 wrote: “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.” What does that mean?

Jesus was God in human form. He came to illustrate, give visibility to, and instruction regarding, not only who God is, but how His life should be lived out by those who profess to follow Him. What can we learn from the great examples of faith highlighted in Hebrews 11?

The writer begins in verse 1: “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Faith gives us sight/vision/insight into that for which we hope and assurance/conviction that what we’re hoping for will come to pass. What did the people esteemed for their faith in Hebrews 11 have confidence and assurance would happen?

Foundationally, that the God of their faith was the Master Designer, Creator, and Sustainer of all that is now visible, which, ironically, derived it’s form from nothingness. God spoke life into existence in all it’s glorious forms. That’s why Paul spoke in Romans 1:20: “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature.”

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In like manner, those who professed faith in this invisible God, gave evidence of His presence through the way they lived and the things they accomplished for Him. Over and over the verses of chapter 11 begin by saying: “It was by faith that…” But what was it that guided the hearts and minds of those who for centuries walked be faith? Their confidence was in the God who always keeps His promises. God’s kept promises gave visibility to and built confidence in His reliable character. They weren’t following an idea, they were following a Person.

Yet, verses 39-40 say: “All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.” Perfection here means completeness or fulfillment that came about in Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Jesus had a “round trip” ticket, from heaven to earth and back to heaven. That’s why He was able to say from the Cross: “It is finished!”

What He said literally means: “the debt was paid in full.” What debt? The sin debt that is impossible to be paid by man. Christ satisfied God’s justice by dying in our place to pay the penalty for the sins of everyone who will ever come to Him. What is essential for us to understand is Christ alone can offer forgiveness for the debt He paid on our behalf. Why is that? Because sins can only be punished once, either by a God-appointed Substitute (Jesus) or by ourselves. That’s what hell is – our eternal effort to pay the sin debt we owe, that can never in all eternity ever be paid in full by us. The only sin that can’t be forgiven is the one for which forgiveness is never asked.

That’s the promise of God that people across the centuries were holding out by faith would be fulfilled in Christ alone. That’s how much Jesus loves you. He gave His life for your sin and mine, so we’d never have to be separated from Him again. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Blessings, Ed 😊

Loving God When You’re Not Feeling It

“Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’” (Matthew 22:37 NLT)

Love is a multi-dimensional process. It’s not simply an emotion, it’s a decision. It involves feelings (heart) but is certainly not dependent upon them. I enjoy playing an old X-Box 360 Golf game, but when I miss a putt the announcer will say, “He’s just not feeling it in his hands.” There are moments, sometimes days, when it comes to loving God well, “I’m just not feeling it in my heart.” It’s on those days I have to rely on my other spiritual tools.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:10-11: “A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” Paul understood, as we must, that life is war. John Piper said it well: “You cannot know what prayer is for, until you know that life is war.”

Roman soldiers wore armor to protect them in battle, so Paul carried this metaphor into how we should equip ourselves daily for our battle against the enemy of our soul. In verse 13 in Ephesians 6 he speaks of the purpose of the armor was to enable us to “resist the enemy in the time of evil.” ”Evil,” as used here, is multifaceted, but in this verse likely refers to resisting Satan in whatever way he attacks. Paul writes of “the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness…the shield of faith…the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit.” Then in verse 18 he writes: “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”

What’s my point? There’s never an opportunity for us to let our guard down. When we’re not feeling spiritually vibrant and alive, that needs to be a que that will alert us to imminent danger. When our heart isn’t feeling close to the Lord, that’s when our mind and will need to be activated to protect us. That’s where spiritual disciplines like reading and studying the Bible, prayer and fellowship with other believers is critical. Listening to Christ-centered music or reading devotionals from people of God to encourage and inspire us to stand strong, can also be helpful.

What is so important for us to protect? Regardless of how long we’ve journeyed with Jesus, it’s vital that we continually seek to inform our minds, train our emotions, discipline our body, and feed our soul. Our love of God, as our love of our parents, siblings, spouse, and friends, must by based on more than our feelings. What God gives us in Jesus is eternal and must be protected with every fiber of our being.

Early in marriage, emotions run high and physical pleasure is central, but relationships built on sensual satisfaction alone won’t endure the test of time, thus the high divorce rate, even among believers. It’s similar in our relationship with God. It’s not unusual to be highly charged emotionally when we first make the decision to follow Christ. It’s often in a group environment where the atmosphere is electric, and emotions are running high.

I yielded my life to Jesus during a Sunday night service at church. It was an extremely emotional experience for me. Going home was like riding on a cloud. Then Monday morning came. It was a school day and I felt much like I did on other mornings before school, like I wanted to cover my head and sleep the day away. But as I remembered the night before, though I felt very little emotion, my mind decided: “I’m going to believe what happened last night was real, so I’m going to live like I believe it.” Emotions can’t be trusted, so let your mind and will move you to prayer, trust, truth, and righteousness, living consistently for Jesus whether you feel like it or not.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Am I Missing? (Part 2)

“The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” (John 1:4-5 NLT)

Everyone is looking for something! Everyone has a desire deep within for more. We may not always understand what that “more” is, but our attitude seems to be: “I’ll recognize it when I see it!”

There was a boy I knew in high school whose nickname was “Frog.” He was in the Auto Mechanics class, and most every time I saw him, he was squatting down, like a frog, working on a car. He was overweight and his jeans never quite covered everything in the back (you get the picture 😊), thus, his nickname.

It’s interesting that guys like “Frog” rarely, if ever, make the covers of magazines or glamour sites on the internet. Why not? Because they’re selling a perfect physique, with perfect skin and hair. That’s essentially what Satan is “selling.” He’s seeking to convey to everyone who will believe him, that if you chase that “more” in the pit of your soul, it will lead to riches, popularity, power, prestige, and perfection. But, if you haven’t already discovered, it’s a lie.

Jesus is the only person who ever lived or will ever live who is perfect in every way. Yet, ironically, He’s not telling anyone they’ll need to be perfect to come to Him. That’s the beauty of Jesus. The Bible says that there wasn’t anything particularly appealing about Him, at least from all outward appearances (Isaiah 53:2). Yet, when He spoke, God showed up and the power of love was put on display.

What am I missing if I don’t come to Jesus? As with any subject related to Jesus, volumes have been written, but I can tell you from my perspective as a Jesus lover and follower, what I would be missing.

Hope as an Anchor (Janine Buckles) “Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com”

Absolute and Unconditional Love. Jesus loves the unlovable, those society has discarded as worthless; those who, in the eyes of the religious community, are the scum of the earth. The Pharisees asked His disciples in Mark 2:16: “Why does He eat with such scum?” Listen to how Jesus responded: “I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” I can’t speak for anyone else, but I know I fit into that latter category. The only merit on which I can stand is the merit of my loving Savior, Jesus.
Present and Future Hope. Have you ever experienced the emptiness and fear of facing life without hope? No hope in the present? Unable to see anything bright ahead? Thinking the world would be better off without you? I’ve been there. It’s a miserable place to be. Whatever friends you thought you had, can’t be found. People see you coming and go the other way. But that’s not true of Jesus – Jesus is the One walking in when everyone else is running out! He doesn’t just give us hope, He IS hope. He’s the One who carries you when you’re out of strength. He’s the One who holds you when life is cruel and you’re out of options. He’s the One you can trust when the world seems filled with false hope and lies. He’s the rock, the anchor you can hold to when the storms of life are roaring all around you.
Meaning and Purpose in this Life and the Life to Come. When your life is bound with love from and for Jesus, He gives meaning you never imagined possible. He opens doors you thought were nailed shut. He opens people’s hearts to you that give you avenues of expression for what you love to do, when all you were finding were dead ends. Forgiveness and cleansing within leads to confidence and joy outwardly. My purpose is to love and honor Jesus on my way to heaven, taking as many with me as possible.

Are you tired of the lies, broken promises, dead ends? Are you ready for the life God has intended for you all along? Are you willing to give up on finding your own way out of the hole you’ve dug for yourself? Come to Jesus. He’s waiting with open arms to give you the life you’ve always wanted, but never dreamed was possible. He loves you with a love that won’t let go.

Please click this link and learn what it means to have a personal, love relationship with the King of Creation. https://hutchcraft.com/the-bridge-to-god

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Am I Missing?

“And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!” (Matthew 6:23b NLT)

Often as I’ve spoken to someone about their need of Jesus, their recurring theme is one of uncertainty. It’s like they agree with me. . . BUT! So, as I inquire further, the bottom line becomes: “I’m afraid I’m going to miss out on something!” They’re concerned that a life lived for the Lord will restrict them from something they don’t want to miss.

But having spent hours with people on the other end of those conversations, after they’ve walked for years on the paths they’ve chosen for themselves, it becomes even more clear in my mind and theirs what they’ve missed. The only things we miss by not coming to Christ when we’re young, is a life of regret, heartache, and disappointment.

John writes in 1 John 2:16: “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.” “Craving” refers to a longing for what is forbidden. Lust grows into a driving force that draws us to people or things that are not in our best interest, but seem so desirable they’re impossible to resist, apart from the strength of God’s Spirit. The word translated “pride” in this verse means: “an insolent and empty assurance, which trusts in its own power and resources and shamefully despises and violates divine laws and human rights” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance). What does that mean?

It essentially means the lies of Satan, made manifest through the manifold outlets of what our eyes can see, and our ears can hear, overshadow the gentle voice of God. Satan is a desperate, defeated foe of God, seeking in any way possible to drag as many as possible to hell with him.

A much-used analogy for living our lives apart from Christ, is darkness. Jesus said: “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!” (Matthew 6:22-23 NLT)

If that upon which we choose to focus our eyes, and thus, our attention, is primarily of this world, then what to us in that moment seems like light, is actually darkness. Darkness that is shrinking our soul and robbing us of everything Jesus died to give us. The tragedy is, we often don’t realize what’s happening to us until our heart is so numb to truth, we can’t see even a glimmer of light. We’ve believed the lies so long, to us they have become truth.

Only the floodlight of God’s Spirit can break the stranglehold of the enemy. The great news of the Gospel of Christ is spoken in Luke 1:78-79 through the lips of John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah: “Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”

Dear friend, I assure you, on the authority of God’s Word and my nearly 60 years of walking with Jesus, your only hope of eternal life is Jesus! He’s the only One who can penetrate the darkness of our souls with the light of His love. That’s the beauty of Jesus. He, in His wisdom and infinite love, has planted His Church, God’s people, to stand at the gates of hell to pull back those who are on their way to a Christless eternity. Please don’t fall for the lies of Satan for another second. Yield your life and allegiance without reservation to Jesus. You will never regret it. Click on this link to learn why and how to give your life to Jesus. He’s the ONLY path from darkness to light. https://hutchcraft.com/the-bridge-to-god

Blessings, Ed 😊

The People We Meet Along the Way

“Then Jesus told him, ‘Go back home. Your son will live!’” (John 4:50a NLT)

In a previous post I mentioned that some of the best and some of the worst people I’ve met, were in the church. The reality is, some of them were the same person. God doesn’t call us to serve perfect people, only sinners like ourselves. Fellow strugglers, saved by grace. People just like me . . . and you!

As I think of my ministry (service for Christ), the years are a blur. What stands out are the times the Lord asked me to faithfully share in the best and worst moments of people’s lives.

There was a police officer in a church I served. We were born on the same day. We became fast friends and did a lot of things together. Our wives and families bonded, and our love was deep. He was a big man, but among the kindest and most gentle men I’ve ever known. He told me about a time he went on a domestic call, where a woman had called the police because her husband was abusing her.

He told me these were his least favorite calls because he never knew what to expect. In this call, it became evident from the start that the man was under the influence of something and was not going to calm down. My friend tried to subdue him, but in the process was attacked by his wife. I see in this scenario a parable of life.

We sometimes do a similar thing with God. We call out to Him to send us help for whatever trouble we have, but when He sends someone, rather than embrace them as an answer to prayer, we “fight” them, resisting the very help we’ve prayed to receive.

Very few people over the years have reminded me of something they heard me say or learned from one of the hundreds of messages I’ve spent many hours preparing. More often it’s been of a time God enabled me to meet them in their hour of heartache and pain. Gratefully, ministry allows times of joy-filled celebration, but those moments aren’t usually with crowds of people. Sometimes a phone conversation or card when someone you’ve served calls or writes to say: “Thank you, pastor, for being there when I really needed someone to care.”

Often, like my police officer friend, I see people at their worst, not just their best. Yet, these, too, are sacred moments that bring tears of gratitude to God for the matchless privilege of being His servant. Because it’s in those moments I realize with humility that the help the folks received in their desperate times of need, didn’t come from me, but from Jesus.

Ministry isn’t about me or you. Never was, never will be. It’s only and always about Him. If we’re ever to be effective in our calling, whether in Pastoral ministry, nursing, education, technology or any other field, that effectiveness will come in direct proportion to our unreserved devotion to our Master and Friend, the Lord Jesus. He alone gave Himself on a shameful Cross, for the love of us. It’s our privilege to allow His love to flow through us.

My heart breaks when I consider the multiplied millions of people who need a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear to hear their story, eyes that will see them and not allow them to be lost in the crowd. I often wonder how these lost and dying people will hear the Good News of Jesus before it’s eternally too late. And the Lord reminds me: “The same way they’ve always come to Me – one prayer at a time!”

Will you consecrate time every day to pray for those in your spheres of influence? Those in your family, work environment, neighborhood, coffee shop, wherever you go from day to day, who are trying to live their life without the hope of Jesus? The Holy Spirit alone can break down the walls of resistance between them and Jesus, the only One who is the answer to their desperation.

Blessings, Ed 😊