The Bible Challenge: Matthew EXCLUSIVE!

"Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend somewhere along in the biterness and would have stayed up with you all night, had I known how to save a life."

Do you know how to save a life? Maybe you know that song, "How To Save A Life" by The Fray. Watch, it may be on the playlist next month!

I added the gymnastics version of "Secrets" by onerepublic onto the Gymnastics IS life! blog.

Anyways, today's challenge is about the wide and narrow gates, but first, let's talk about how to save a life.

"Step one: you say 'we need to talk'
He walks, you say 'sit down it's just a talk'
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through.

"Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines
Of fear and blame
You begin to wonder why you came!

(chorus)
Where did I go wrong?
I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness and
Would have stayed up
With you all night
Had I known
How to save a life."

This song HAS to be Christian somehow, because the last time I heard it, it was on K-LOVE. However the first time I heard it, it was on a very NON-Christian station five years ago, Z-93.

First, let me tell you, this song is obviously about how to save a life, but it's also about addiction. (but it's Christian!) The writer of the song had a friend who overdosed and died. Now he writes everything that he should have done. But we're talking about it in a different way: to save a life isn't always protecting them from death, it's showing them the love of Jesus.

The first step is you say 'we need to talk'. Make sure the person feels 100% comfortable, because like in the song, "you say sit down, it's just a talk." They look politely at you, and later on in the song it says "try to slip past his defense, without granting innocense."

"Let him know that you know best,
Cuz after all you do know best.
Try to slip past his defense.
Without granting innocense.

"Lay down a list of what is wrong,
The things you told him all along!
Pray to God he hears you!
AND I PRAY TO GOD HE HEARS YOU!
And:
(chorus)"

Next, (I guess it's step two, lol) "let him know that you know best, cause after all, you do know best." Now, this doesn't mean say "Honey. I know best. You don't. Shut the yapper and listen." It means politely let them know that you care and you believe that whatever's wrong is wrong, and that you're only trying to help. They will put up a wall of defense probably, but try to get past it.

Make a list. I was reading a "Chicken Soup" book (teenage version, just ask Charity) in which a girl stopped her guy friend from committing suicide, (she was a Christian) by making a list of why he shouldn't do it. One of the reasons was "God loves you." The next day at school, (she spent all night coming up with like, 49 reasons Rion should live) he came up to her and gave her the biggest hug. And Rion (Rion as in Ryan) lived.

Let them know what's bothering you, what you've tried to say all along, and don't forget to pray for them, like it says, "pray to God he hears you!" Pray that they'll listen.

"As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours, and grant him one last choice:
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed.

"He will do one of two things:
HE WILL ADMIT TO EVERYTHING
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you'll begin to wonder why you came!

"(chorus) Where did I go wrong?
I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness and
Would have stayed up
With you all night
Had I known
How to save a life. (repeat)

"How to save a life.

"How to save a life---"

"Where
Did
I
Go
Wrong?
I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness and
Would have stayed up
With you all night
Had I known
How to save a life

"Where did I go wrong?
I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness and
Would have stayed up
With you all night
Had I known
How to save a life."

"How to save a life."

"How to save a life."

That's the song. Sad, huh? Let's hope his friend is in Heaven. In fact, our verse will cover that. "Drive until you lose the road" means "keep going until it's too late." It was too late for his friend.

But how can you save a life--- spiritually?

Matthew 7:13-14
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Yep, Only a few. It's not easy to save a life. Ever seen the movie, "To Save A Life"? I heard it's a good movie, but it's only Dove Approved for kids 12+ so I don't recommend that movie for you, unless you're pastor Staci or Mrs. Karen or Mrs. Jenilee or any other adult reading. I didn't see it, so I have no idea about it.

Isn't it weird--- only a few find the narrow gate.

Drugs seem like a way out. That's the wide gate.
Dating makes a person feel worthy. That's the wide gate.
Profanity lifts a weight off your shoulder. That's the wide gate.

Jesus is my savior and king. That's the narrow gate.
I don't need a boyfriend, I'm fine being single. That's the narrow gate.
I've never cussed purposely, that's a sign of loss of control. That's the narrow gate.
I plan on loving Jesus and seeing what he'll do for me. Totally narrow.

How can I save a life? Showing how Jesus saved mine.
-----
Check out the song "Hero" by Superchick. Third song on the playlist.

October 18th: Big giveaway! Don't miss it--- your name just might be called!
October 19th: It's time to PRAY! No Twitter, no high heels, no makeup... just God and me. Can I survive that? Check the blog daily and you'll see.