Making Sense of a Crazy,
Roller-Coaster World
By Ron Hutchcraft
There are amusement parks where people
of all ages can get their thrills. Of course,
you don’t have to buy a ticket these days to
get a wild ride. All of us are feeling the
sense of uncertainty, insecurity, and even
fear that's in the air. We can sense it as we
watch the news and read the paper, but
nobody is smart enough to figure it out.
conversation away from the bottom
dropping out. It might be a change in our
family, a job situation, or health. Maybe
you’ve been there when the “Code Blue”
was someone close to you, when the baby
with “problems” was one of yours, when
the income suddenly went away, or when
the phone call changed everything.
We are continually reminded of what can
happen because of natural forces going out
of control, such as earthquakes, hurricanes,
and tornadoes. Our world is also at the
mercy of political forces that are beyond
our control, where the ultimate outcomes
can directly affect our daily lives. Economic
forces are also beyond our control. The
world economy is a roller coaster, from the
up-and-down stock-market, to massive
debt, to a world that seems to be off-thecharts financially. You turn on the morning
news and hold your breath
thinking, "What's next?"
The question that might be on your mind is,
“What is going on here?” The answer to
that question depends on which window
you look out. There are days when you can
look to the North and see a nice day. Then
you can look to the South and see some
ugly stuff coming. It depends on which
window you look out to answer the
question, “What is going on in this crazy,
roller coaster world?”
Even without all the mayhem in the national
and world news, life gets crazy in our
personal worlds. We’re always one email,
one text, one call, one doctor visit, or one
The Earth Perspective
There are three perspectives on this roller
coaster that are very important to think
through.
There’s the perspective from earth. If you
look at it from earth, it’s a meltdown world.
All the stability, all the lynch pins, and all
©2012 Ronald P. Hutchcraft • Distributed by Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc. • www.Hutchcraft.com
“Making Sense of a Crazy, Roller-Coaster World” by Ronald P. Hutchcraft is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United
States License. You are free to share, copy, and distribute this work to others. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. You may not alter, transform, or build upon
this work. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/.
"Making Sense of a Crazy, Roller-Coaster World" by Ron Hutchcraft • Page 2
the things that you could depend on, really
are melting down. There are cascading
crises, bigger than our ability to handle
them. What happens when there is no one
to come help you because they have their
own problems? What happens when chaos
is everywhere?
In Luke 21:10-11, Jesus said, “Nation will
rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom. There will be great earthquakes,
famines and pestilences in various places,
and fearful events and great signs from
heaven.” Nations will be in turmoil. People
will be terrified. So what’s going on around
us? From earth, it looks like a meltdown
world.
The Hell Perspective
From hell you have an angry enemy who
says, “Look at the clock! I know what the
Bible says and I’m running out of time!
Whatever I’m going to do, I have to get it
done now.”
Revelation 12:12 says, “Woe to the earth
and the sea, because the devil has gone
down to you! He is filled with fury, because
he knows that his time is short.” Revelation
12:17 says, “The dragon was enraged … and
went off to wage war.” That’s the view from
hell.
We are living in a time when, if we see hell’s
perspective, Satan and his forces are
frantically working to take as much ground
and as many lives as they can. Time is
running out and Hell hears the two-minute
warning.
There’s so much that looks like the world
Jesus said He would come back to. Jesus
said there would be an explosion before He
came back. He said this in Matthew 24:12:
“Because of the increase (or rapid
multiplication) of wickedness, the love of
most will grow cold.” Jesus said there is
going to be an explosion of sin, an explosion
of wickedness, right at the time when He
would be returning.
Hasn’t there always been wickedness? Sin is
not a new thing. Because of the media and
the power of technology, you can see how
quickly sin can spread. We can access junk
on the Internet anywhere in the world. Any
sinful idea and any sinful practice can be
rapidly multiplied and out there in seconds.
There will be an explosion of sin.
Satan is operating the levers of the world
system. He is doing everything he can to
capture every soul and keep their hearts
distracted from Jesus until he has them
forever.
Colossians 2:15 says about Jesus, “And
having disarmed the powers and
authorities, He made a public spectacle of
them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
Satan is a crushed enemy, but he is a
desperate enemy; he is angry and fully
mobilized. 1 John 3:8 says, “The reason the
Son of God appeared was to destroy the
devil’s work.”
A missionary couple had been working in
the deep and remote jungle. One day in
their little house in the middle of the village,
a giant snake slithered in their open door.
They were very scared because it was a
deadly snake. They ran outside screaming
for their neighbor to help. Their neighbor
came out of his little house with a machete.
©2012 Ronald P. Hutchcraft • Distributed by Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc. • www.Hutchcraft.com
“Making Sense of a Crazy, Roller-Coaster World” by Ronald P. Hutchcraft is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United
States License. You are free to share, copy, and distribute this work to others. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. You may not alter, transform, or build upon
this work. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/.
"Making Sense of a Crazy, Roller-Coaster World" by Ron Hutchcraft • Page 3
He walked in, and with one little stroke of
his machete, he decapitated the snake. As
he came out of the house, the neighbor was
celebrating the fact that the snake was
dead. However, he warned the couple that
it may take a while for the snake to realize
that it’s dead. Indeed, it did take a little
while. While they stood outside for hours,
this decapitated snake thrashed around
their house. Finally, hours later, the body of
the snake realized it no longer had a head.
These missionaries were pretty frustrated
and actually sick to their stomach, but they
were grateful because they knew the
snake’s rampage wouldn’t last forever.
Eventually the husband observed, “Do you
see it? Satan is a lot like that big old snake.
He’s already been defeated; he just doesn’t
know it yet. In the meantime, he’s going to
do some damage. Never forget though, he’s
a goner!”
Satan is going to thrash around like crazy,
but his time is short. He’s a goner! It will
explain a great deal of what’s going on in
our world when we realize there’s an angry
enemy who’s running out of time.
The Heaven Perspective
From earth you see a meltdown world, from
hell you see an angry enemy, but from the
one perspective that really matters - heaven
- you see a Messiah moment. Haggai 2:7
says, ”I will shake all nations, and what is
desired by all nations will come, and I will
fill this house with glory.” In a world where
every answer is a problem, where the limits
of human power have never been more
evident, and in a world that has cascading
crises, the world is increasingly starved for a
messiah. We keep thinking we found the
answer, but nobody has, because there’s
only one.
People in our world have a growing appetite
for a savior, a rescuer. “Somebody fix this!
Somebody do something!” There’s only one
somebody who can and He will. Years ago, a
man named Arnold Toynbee, the greatest
historian of the 20th century, said, “History
is rushing toward an inevitable climax.” Yes,
it is.
Jesus said in Luke 21:27, “At that time they
will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud
with power and great glory.” We are
witnessing the growing worldwide cry for a
great savior, but many don’t know who He
is.
In the end, not only will there be an
explosion of sin, but there will be a second
explosion: “This gospel of the kingdom will
be preached in the whole world as a
testimony to all nations, and then the end
will come” (Matthew 24:14). There will be
an explosion of sin and there will be an
explosion of the Gospel! This life-changing
“Good News” will explode into hearts and
lives like never before!
Yes, it’s a meltdown world and there’s an
angry enemy, but this is the Messiah
moment. After all, you were “created by
Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16). He’s the
“track” your crazy roller-coaster car was
designed for.
How To Be Sure You’re
“Attached To the Track”
You can’t slow down the roller coaster, but
you can make sure you’re attached to the
track. So how can you be "attached to the
©2012 Ronald P. Hutchcraft • Distributed by Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc. • www.Hutchcraft.com
“Making Sense of a Crazy, Roller-Coaster World” by Ronald P. Hutchcraft is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United
States License. You are free to share, copy, and distribute this work to others. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. You may not alter, transform, or build upon
this work. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/.
"Making Sense of a Crazy, Roller-Coaster World" by Ron Hutchcraft • Page 4
track" while you’re being jerked around by
the roller coaster's next twist or drop?
and know that your times are in His hands
(Psalm 31:15).
1. Be certain that Jesus is your
anchor.
3. Re-evaluate your priorities.
You can have an unmoveable anchor in the
middle of the wildest storm. The peace of
Christ isn't based on what's going on around
you, but on Who lives inside you.
You can survive the ride if your soul is
anchored, and Jesus is that anchor, because
He is “the same yesterday and today and
forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He loves you
today as much as He did the day He bled for
you on a cross. He’s as powerful today as He
was the day He blew away death at His
now-empty tomb. Nothing “will be able to
separate us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
2. Be certain where your
security lies.
What the world calls security really isn't.
The Bible teaches that security is ultimately
not a job, a career, a source of income, a
retirement account, money in the bank, a
nice house or car, or stuff. “Life is not
measured by how much you own” (Luke
12:15 - NLT). Security is putting what God
cares about at the top of your list, and then
trusting Him to meet your every need out of
the bottomless "Jesus-account" in heaven.
In the reassuring words of God’s Book, we
have in Jesus “an anchor for the soul, firm
and secure” (Hebrews 6:19). Our “daily
bread” comes from a God whose stock
never drops and whose resources are
always infinite. You can live in total security
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else,
and live righteously” (Matthew 6:33 - NLT).
“So we don’t look at the troubles we can
see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things
that cannot be seen. For the things we see
now will soon be gone, but the things we
cannot see will last forever” (2 Cor. 4:18 NLT).
Times of uncertainty, whether national or
personal, are times to check our two lists:
"the things that really matter" and "the
things that really don't." We tend to get
those mixed up a lot. God is saying to you
today, "Leave the craziness, My child, and
step into the bigger thing I have for your
life."
4. Know His realities.
"The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord is
on His heavenly throne" (Psalms 11:4). His
promises are unchanged and always kept.
"We have an anchor that keeps the soul,
steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
anchored to the Rock which cannot move"
(Ray C. Stedman).
Is Jesus Your Anchor?
It all comes down to the question of
whether or not you are “attached to the
track.” Is Jesus your anchor in this crazy,
roller coaster world? It's a good time to
make sure He is your anchor, because the
roller coaster isn't going to slow down!
It is a personal choice each one of us must
make. Someday, time is going to run out for
©2012 Ronald P. Hutchcraft • Distributed by Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc. • www.Hutchcraft.com
“Making Sense of a Crazy, Roller-Coaster World” by Ronald P. Hutchcraft is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United
States License. You are free to share, copy, and distribute this work to others. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. You may not alter, transform, or build upon
this work. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/.
"Making Sense of a Crazy, Roller-Coaster World" by Ron Hutchcraft • Page 5
you to begin your life with Jesus. You can
pray to begin your personal relationship
with Jesus right now, no matter where you
are. There are no magic words needed; it’s
a matter of the heart.
own life; I give my life now to You. You are
the only answer, and I need You to rescue
me. Come into my heart today and be my
anchor. I trust You to meet my every need.
Thank You, Jesus. In Your name, Amen.”
Here is an example of something you can
pray: “Dear Jesus, I have tried to make
sense on my own of this crazy, roller
coaster world for far too long. I need You to
be my anchor while everything around me
is out of control. I believe that I was created
by You and for You, and I need Your peace
in my life today. I know now that I can only
depend on You. Forgive me for running my
You can be certain, secure, and fearless in
today’s crazy world if you have a personal
relationship with the One who has all the
answers. When the roller coaster twists and
drops violently, you can rest assured that
you are safe because your coaster is
attached to the track, and the track isn’t
moving.
About Ron Hutchcraft
Ron Hutchcraft is a passionate, contemporary evangelist, speaker, author, and radio host. As
President of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Ron and his team specialize in developing, authentic,
relevant, and creative tools to reach people with the message of Jesus.
Ron is committed to communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost in their language and
to motivating and equipping believers to communicate Christ to the lost in their world. Mr.
Hutchcraft is also involved in work with Native Americans, and is founder of the “On Eagles’
Wings” Native leadership program.
Rev. Hutchcraft frequently speaks in partnership with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
Ron was honored as Moody Bible Institute's Alumnus of the Year for 1997.
Ron’s closest partner in life and work is his wife, Karen. They are the parents of three grown
children and have nine grandchildren.
Online Resources
We invite you to browse through our online store at https://www.hutchcraft.com/store/
where you will find resources to encourage you in your personal relationship with Jesus Christ,
as well as resources to help you encourage others who do not know Him. You will find books,
audio CDs, DVDs, downloadable media, and other resources that provide answers to today's
real life issues.
Download this free e-book at https://www.hutchcraft.com/resources/ebooks
©2012 Ronald P. Hutchcraft • Distributed by Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc. • www.Hutchcraft.com
“Making Sense of a Crazy, Roller-Coaster World” by Ronald P. Hutchcraft is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United
States License. You are free to share, copy, and distribute this work to others. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. You may not alter, transform, or build
upon this work. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/.