2012-01-20T10:08:36-05:00 GCI info@gospel.com http://www.gospel.com/feeds/topics/1+samuel http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-hindrances/the-bar-stays-where-it-is-6530 2012-01-20T10:08:36-05:00 When sin gets close to home, it can teach us how to be more merciful than we've been before, how to be less judgmental. And it can give us a wonderful opportunity to show God's unconditional love for people whether they clear the bar or not. But we dare not try in the process of loving and forgiving and accepting people in a sinful moment. We dare not try to lower God's standard. He didn't for the man He loved deeply, and we can't either. http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-relationships/hug-them-tightly-but-hold-them-loosely-6529 2012-01-19T09:37:47-05:00 It's so easy to let our children become an extension of our ego, our hopes, our dreams rather than letting them simply be God's servants. Maybe you even have a child God is calling into His service and you're kind of standing in the way. We just dare not forget that our children are God's property trusted to us. We dare not hijack them from His service to be in ours. http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-mission/the-first-church-of-yeah-but-6477 2011-11-10T10:47:46-05:00 God's Word on any subject is the final word. You'll know that eventually, after your "yeah, but" leads to heartache, disappointment, and shame. Face the truth now. Don't deceive yourself by twisting God's Word to fit what you want. Change your situation to fit God's Word. You don't pull the island of God's Word to the boat of your ideas. You pull the boat to the island. http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-hindrances/how-to-handle-frustrating-people-6466 2011-10-24T09:48:30-05:00 When people's actions displease you, frustrate you and hurt you, would you go to the Lord first? You know what He'll do? He'll take you up on a mountain where you can see the whole picture, and He'll help you respond in a balanced way. When people frustrate you, well, go over their head. Go straight to the Throne Room of the King. http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-hindrances/what-the-quake-exposes-6409 2011-08-08T11:57:33-05:00 Jonah revealed the high price of diverting our trust from the true God to another god. He said, "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs" (Jonah 2:8). If we only knew all we could have from God...but for the idol. http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-relationships/turning-over-your-treasure-6315 2011-03-30T16:46:04-05:00 If you're a parent, could I encourage you to take a Hannah inventory today? Are you releasing your son or daughter for whatever? Whatever assignment your Lord has for him or her? Or do you have a plan for your child that you're trying to get God to sign off on. Don't stand in the way of God's best for that child of yours, and don't be seduced by the lies our world tells us about what's best for them. http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-hindrances/your-father-never-said-you-could-6284 2011-03-11T16:21:09-05:00 We Bible folks have this way of dressing up sin rather than dealing with it. Saul learned that it doesn't work to put spiritual names on sin and religious words on rebellion. Oh, my kids learned not to put their father's name on something that their father didn't approve of. God's kids need to learn that about their Father. http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-hindrances/play-doh-people-6289 2011-03-11T16:16:49-05:00 Oh, it's easy to be seduced by a world where sin is what's normal. Don't let the world squeeze you. Decide that you will be shaped by Jesus. And then become the mold who shapes other people. Play-Doh people are forever changing shape. http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-personal-power/how-to-break-a-log-jam-6300 2011-03-09T15:13:01-05:00 You have a powerful weapon to break the log jam - fervent, consistent prayer that God will do what only God can do - change that person's heart like He did Saul's. It's a weapon right within our reach...that prayer is. But it's one we so often fail to use. http://hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-hindrances/fat-by-any-other-name-6302 2011-03-09T15:09:26-05:00 We don't like to deal with sin; we like to disguise it. Maybe today would be a good day to pray something like this, "Lord, am I calling sin by a nice name? I don't want to mask my disobedience any longer." Deal with it before God deals with you. What does God call it? See, sin by any other name is still sin. And as the Bible says, "If we would judge ourselves, then we will not be judged."