Christmas Moments 2024

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By Ron Hutchcraft

From the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree to the tree in our living room, it's like the celebration begins when the lights go on! Not just on a tree but in a life.

Jesus put it this way, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). Our world; our life has been darkened by something God calls sin. Running our lives our way instead of God's way.

The result: a world and lives where it's all about "me," where we keep hurting people we love. A world of anger and distrust along with plenty of guilt and shame. Pretty dark. But the Bible says that when Jesus was born "the true light" was coming into the world to take all that darkness to a cross where He died to save us from our sin (John 1:9).

And that's when the lights go on, which they can for you this Christmas. We're here to help you get started with Him. Just contact us at 888-NEED-HIM or ChatAboutJesus.com. It's been dark long enough.

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By Lisa Hutchcraft Whitmer

Our list, our loved ones, our people, our get-togethers - we're thinking about others at Christmas, right? Or are we?

I'm Lisa Hutchcraft Whitmer, and with this season painful for many, we may need to change our focus. Focus to see those on the fringes of our world - the struggling single parent, the friend whose parent has dementia, our sick co-worker, the teenager in the drive-thru, the person smiling hiding a broken heart.

A simple note, meal, coffee, gift, or smile, might be just what they need.

Jesus always sees our hidden hurts, and "is close to the brokenhearted" (Psalm 34:18).

He made you, loves you, and died for all the junk in our lives, so we could have hope!

Interested in knowing more about the hope that God offers? Contact us at 888-NEED-HIM or ChatAboutJesus.com.

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By Brad Hutchcraft

My son and I were having a blast riding in a go-kart together... until we started going downhill. Let's just say that my build had us picking up speed pretty fast. So fast that we caught air. That wasn't in the brochure.

Fortunately, there was a speed governor to slow us down before that next curve! Sometimes we need one of those around Christmas - something to slow things down. Everyone is bustling about with shopping, travel, family plans... the list goes on.

When everything is spinning around us, it can make it hard to remember what this season is all about. Christmas is about Jesus coming to earth in the form of a baby. On a rescue mission. He came to die on a cross for each and every one of us. He took our punishment, but He didn't stay in the grave. He defeated death and gave us our chance at eternal life!

This Christmas, take time to slow down and look at who Jesus really is. A relationship with Him has made all the difference for me, and it can do the same for you. If you'd like to know more, connect with us at 888-NEED-HIM or ChatAboutJesus.com.

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By Ron Hutchcraft

Paging central casting! Who's idea was it to have these mangy shepherd guys there when Jesus was born?

Well actually it was God's idea. Oh yeah, they were the uncool and unclean outsiders of their day. Considered unworthy to be allowed in God's temple. But sure enough, the angel brought the birth announcement of the Son of God "to shepherds out in the field nearby." And he said "I bring you good news for all the people. A Savior has been born to you" (Luke 2).

I guess we shouldn't be surprised who was the first to know. I mean, Jesus came here because all of us have pretty messy lives and hearts. In fact, according to the Bible, God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). Not to make us religious, but to rescue us.

He's the love your heart's been looking for all this time. So that savior who has been born to you, means YOU. And we'd like to help you begin your personal relationship with Him. Just contact us at 888-NEED-HIM or ChatAboutJesus.com.

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By Lisa Hutchcraft Whitmer

In my family's Christmas Nativities, we are always missing someone. A wise man or shepherd, sometimes even Mary or Joseph!

I'm Lisa Hutchcraft Whitmer, and one year it hit me that what was really missing was... me.

Now, I'm all about Christmas. Like you, I have a list of shopping, baking, decorating, wrapping, traveling, cooking, eating, working. I can hardly say it all, and we can hardly do it all.

While checking off our list, a baby beckons us to His cradle in a stable. He has made you and me, and loves us. Hates the junk in our life, so He chose to die to get rid of it. All so we can have a relationship with Him.

Want to be in the Nativity this Christmas, and choose a relationship with Jesus? Contact us at 888-NEED-HIM or ChatAboutJesus.com.

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By Ron Hutchcraft

Karen and I were in love - but we had to be apart that Christmas. Me at home - her at school. So she was virtually alone on campus, She said it was the worst Christmas ever.

It may be in the middle of the celebrating all around us, you're feeling pretty alone. Even invisible. And not just at Christmas. It's like no one sees you.

Well, Someone really does. When Jesus was here, a lady with a medical condition came looking for Him. She was out of doctors, out of money, Out of hope. She pushed through the crowd - hoping to be unnoticed - just to touch the hem of His robe, hoping that might cure her. Suddenly Jesus asked, "Who touched Me?" I love these next words - "Seeing that she could not go unnoticed... " (Luke 8:42).

Neither can you. No one goes unnoticed or unseen by Jesus. He thought you were worth dying for, on the cross. He loves you and He wants a relationship with you. Forever. You could begin that relationship with Him today. Contact us at 888-NEED-HIM or ChatAboutJesus.com.

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By Brad Hutchcraft

With our daughter in her first year at college, the anticipation for the holidays hits a little differently. In the midst of all the baking and decorating, there is this recurring thought - "I can't wait to welcome her home!"

I'm Brad Hutchcraft, and you can be sure that I'm not the first father ready to welcome his child home. Did you know that's how Jesus feels about you? He is our Heavenly Father that wants to welcome you home into His unconditional, unloseable love.

Isaiah 9:6 says, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given... He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

There it is. "Everlasting Father." But don't miss the rest - He is our Counselor, He is Mighty God, and He is peace. He can be all those things for you, too. That's why He died on the cross and rose again over 2,000 years ago. So that you can have a chance to be welcomed home into His loving arms this Christmas. If you'd like to know more, please connect with us at 888-NEED-HIM or ChatAboutJesus.com.

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By Doug Hutchcraft

Our Christmas stories have some pretty memorable characters: Charlie Brown, Scrooge. But I think the Grinch takes the cake.

I mean, this guy has a heart two sizes too small! No wonder Christmas is a tough time for him! Some of us can probably relate. At a time when our hearts are supposed to feel light, they're heavy with sadness, fear, anger. And with all the darkness in the world today? It's no surprise.

You know, Christmas is actually all about God Himself shining great LIGHT into that darkness. In fact, God's Book says "the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned" (Isaiah 9:2).

That light dawned when God's Son Jesus, came to earth as a baby - then died 33 years later to pay for the darkness, for the SIN in our hearts - so we could have a relationship with the God who made us.

To find out more, connect with us at 888-NEED-HIM or ChatAboutJesus.com to hear how you can finally... find Christmas light.

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By Ron Hutchcraft

Okay, decorate tree with a lifetime of ornaments. Christmas Eve - pizza and presents. Christmas Day - stockings and Jesus' birthday party. Pity the person who messes with our family traditions, right?

We've had so much upheaval the past couple years. One thing we've all lost is certainty. Christmas traditions are, like, something that hasn't changed. And we need that.

Life's full of changing seasons, sad losses, unpredictables. Like the sudden death of the love of my life six years ago. I am so grateful Jesus came! The Bible says of Him, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" (Hebrews 6:19). When you begin a relationship with Jesus, you get a forever love that you can't earn and you can't lose. He proved that when He died on the cross for our sin. Then He conquered death, proving He can give us life that never ends.

If you're looking for an unlosable love and an anchor for every storm, we'd love to talk with you at 888-NEED-HIM or ChatAboutJesus.com.

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By Ron Hutchcraft

"Mary had a little lamb; its fleece was white as snow." You probably never thought of it as a Christmas song. But it sure could be. "Mary had a little lamb, and Jesus was His name."

The Bible says, "John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world'" (John 1:29).

Why? The Bible tells us that for centuries God's people sacrificed spotless lambs as a symbolic payment of the death penalty for human sin. Until God's Lamb came. That baby in the manger. That Savior on the cross. We've hijacked our lives from our Creator but He loved us so much that He sent His Son to pay sin's eternal death penalty. The Lamb of God. Carrying away the sin of the world.

My sin. Your sin. The day you pin all your hopes on Jesus, you can have every sin of your life erased from God's book - and be guaranteed eternity in heaven. And today, that could begin for you. Contact us at 888-NEED-HIM or ChatAboutJesus.com.