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Behind
Enemy Lines
A
small town in the hills of West Virginia and an entire
nation are rejoicing over the news that an American
prisoner of war has been rescued.
Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch, a 19-year-old supply
clerk from Palestine, W. Va., was rescued by U.S.
special operation forces in Iraq earlier this week.
Jessica was part of the Army's 507th
Maintenance Company, which was ambushed near Nasiriyah
after making a wrong turn during early fighting in the
invasion of Iraq.
Jessica and other U.S. soldiers - including
five that were shown on Iraqi television
answering questions -
were taken prisoner in the ambush.
Injured during the ambush, Jessica is now
receiving treatment for her wounds, but she now is
safe - rescued
from captivity!
Jessica's
rescue parallels ANOTHER grand rescue in which
YOU and I are the captives. WE have lost our
focus and our way, made some "wrong turns"
(what the Bible calls SIN),
wandered away from safety and protection, and have
fallen into enemy hands. WE have been taken captive by
OUR archenemy, Satan.
Yet,
while WE were prisoners of war, helplessly held
hostage, God sent His Son to OUR rescue.
Just as those U.S. forces risked grave danger
in rescuing Jessica, the Son of God ALSO entered into
enemy territory, penetrating deep behind enemy lines,
to rescue US. And in so doing, He gave His life so that WE could be rescued
(Romans 5:8). Because
of His "special operations," YOU
and I
can be saved from our sins and from our enemy.
THOSE
who have willingly followed the" PLAN"
laid out by their great Rescuer have
"been redeemed -
rescued - by the
precious BLOOD of
Jesus Christ" (1Peter 1:18-19).
The MISSION to rescue ALL who are held in
bondage to SIN was ACCOMPLISHED
successfully by Jesus (1 John 2:2).
However, this GIFT of freedom must be
accepted
in order to be enjoyed. The"
TERMS"
of acceptance include faith
(Hebrews 11:6), repentance
of the "wrong turns" (sin) that we have
committed in our lives (Acts 17:30-31), confession
that Jesus is the Great Rescuer of all mankind
(Romans 10:9-10), and baptism
for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38). To CONTINUE to enjoy freedom from
this formidable foe, one must CONTINUE
to follow the instructions of the "Captain
of our Salvation" (1 John 1:7).
The
world has become a battleground for human souls in a
war of GOOD vs. EVIL with
MANY trapped behind enemy lines. But, with your
obedient
cooperation, MORE good news can be shared:
"Another P.O.W. has been rescued by
Christ to the glory of God!"
God bless you.
David A. Sargent
/ Ricky
Butts
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
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