[CS-FSLUG] "Lives You Won't Let Go"

[Fred Miller]

A WORD WITH YOU
By Ron Hutchcraft
#4646 - "Lives You Won't Let Go"
Proverbs 24:11 

Listen to the audio broadcast!
http://www.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/ramhurl?p=pnm&f=/rhm/sounds/awwy/awwy4646.rm

        Anne had ridden her mountain bike through a California wilderness park 
many times before. But the ride this day would change her life. She was 
attacked by a mountain lion that hours earlier had killed another biker. As 
the cat held her in his jaws by the back of her neck, all she could do was 
pray. Humanly speaking, her friend Debi was her only hope. Debi jumped off 
her bike, grabbed onto Anne's leg, screaming for help and kicking at the 
mountain lion. She fought so hard for her friend she actually pulled Anne and 
the cat into the nearby brush. Thankfully, Debi's screams brought the help of 
some men who had been biking with them. Debi continued to hang on as the men 
pelted that lion with rocks. Suddenly the animal released his victim, and 
Anne's life was saved. Debi gave everything she had to keep the promise she 
made to her friend in the middle of that struggle: "I'll never let go of 
you!" 

        I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about 
"Lives You Won't Let Go." 

        There are people you know whose lives depend on you being a friend 
like that - a friend who loves them enough to fight the lion for them - 
whatever it takes. In the Bible, God calls the devil "a roaring lion, looking 
for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). The lion's ultimate goal is to take 
people you work with, people you go to school with, people in your personal 
world, to hell with him. If he can just keep them from ever putting their 
trust in the Savior who died to save them. If he can just keep them from ever 
really understanding what Jesus did for them. If he can just keep you from 
telling them. Humanly speaking, their only hope may be someone who will fight 
for their life, and since you know Jesus and you know them, that someone is 
probably you. 

        The command of Proverbs 24:11 is our very important word for today 
from the Word of God. "Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those 
staggering toward slaughter. If you say, 'But we knew nothing about this,' 
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it ... Will he not repay each 
person according to what he has done?" The Bible makes it plain: "He that 
does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:12). You know some 
folks who don't have the Son of God in their heart. Which means no real life 
here, no eternal life when they die. 

        Don't just let the lion have them right before your eyes. Fight for 
them! As Jude 24 commands, "Snatch others from the fire and save them." Put 
the name of someone you know in that verse, someone you want to have in 
heaven with you who probably isn't headed there right now. "Snatch (there's 
the name) from the fire and save him. Save her." 

        How can you fight for their eternal soul? First, show love to them in 
ways that will mean something to them. And show them the difference Jesus 
makes by being like Him in ways that will stand out in contrast to the other 
people they know in that same environment. The real fight for them, though, 
is in the Throne Room of Almighty God. Keep storming heaven, praying for 
their rescue every day, by name. 

        Ask God to open a door for you to explain your relationship with 
Jesus, to open their heart to Him and to you, and to open your mouth to tell 
them about Him. Saving them is going to take a friend who will take the 
risks, pay the price, and make the changes necessary to rescue them, and to 
never, never let go. As long as there's breath, there's hope! And for your 
friend, the fight is life or death!

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Discuss today's "A Word With You," post your comments, or encourage others in 
our discussion forum!
http://forums.gospelcom.net/view/rhm/awwy

To find out how you can begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, 
please visit YOURS FOR LIFE: HOW TO HAVE LIFE'S MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP 
at:
http://www.yoursforlife.net
Or, call 1-888-NEED HIM.

"A Word With You" by Ron Hutchcraft is a daily radio challenge, with 
slice-of-life illustrations and insights - providing practical help on the 
issues that matter most. If your local Christian radio station does not air 
"A Word With You," please let them know how much you value this program. Over 
six years of transcripts are available online, at 
http://www.gospelcom.net/rhm/awwy/

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries is a member of the Gospel Communications Network - 
http://www.gospelcom.net

"A Word With You" is a production of:

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
http://www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Email: RHM at hutchcraft.com
Phone: 1-877-741-1200

Copyright (c) 2004, Ron Hutchcraft. Permission to distribute this material via 
email, or individual copies, is automatically granted on the condition it 
will be used for non-commercial purposes, and will not be sold. To reproduce 
"A Word With You" transcripts in any other format, including Internet 
websites, written permission is needed from Ron Hutchcraft.

Copyright (c) 2004, Ron Hutchcraft. Reprinted with permission. "A Word With 
You" is a radio outreach of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.

-- 
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to 
have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the
vote." - Benjamin Franklin 1759