After I got saved, I moved back to Jersey, and was having a tough time.
This whole new thing was going on in my life, and I had no idea what it was.
And until I moved to Albuquerque some 4 months later, I never went to church,
met another Christian, but I did read my Bible, no matter how high I was after a
night of partying. My old friends wanted nothing to do with the new Mike, and
it was lonely. In fact the only contact I had with any Christian was John,
still living in Santa Monica, about to be transferred to Albuquerque. But he
had a WATTS line at work, an 800 number for you rookies, and would call
occasionally. On one phone call when asked if I was praying, I told him no,
didn’t know I could. To me praying was what you did on Thanksgiving, saying
grace, or as a kid, “now I lay me down to sleep...” But he went on to explain
you could, should, and we did pray. My first prayer was for my job, keeping it
until I could have enough money to move west, sell my van, so I could, and a
funny thing happened-God answered. To my surprise, Walter my old boss, fired
me, then 15 minutes later came in on bended knee, and rehired me, a mistake had
been made. Later when I was ready to leave, he let me go.....go figure. I had
trouble selling my custom van, but after reading an ad saying they bought
vehicles, I called it, went down, and was greeted by a guy who had ripped me
off, and who Por Favor was still hunting down to seek revenge. Out of fear, he
got me more for my van than I had paid for it, and even offered me a loaner
car. And ended up getting me a ride home, all because I had prayed. John was
my only Christian friend, and like Ringo sang, I got by with a little help from
my friend. But soon I would have many friends in Christ, and more chances to
need them, but also to be a friend.
Ringo sang “what do I do when my love is away, are said because you’re all
alone?” and I didn’t realize I was. It wasn’t personal yet, and like so many
religious I knew, it wouldn’t be. I was forming a relationship with Jesus, who
would turn out to be the best friend I ever had. I had gotten by with a little
help from my friends, but would soon learn I could only get by with a lotta help
from my new friend Jesus. And still do today, and the more I get to know Him,
after 38 years, the more I need and depend on Him. Which has brought a whole
new dimension to our relationship when I call Him friend. So many will talk of
Jesus as Lord and savior, yes He is the only one who can save us, and we
struggle with Lord, making His comment of “why do you call me Lord, Lord, yet do
the things I ask you not to do?” But how many times do you introduce Jesus as
your friend? At a stadium race one night, I had been sponsoring Ricky and
Jimmie Johnson in off road racing, yeah those two famous guys. Rick and I had
met professionally, and approaching his table that night, he saw me and called
me over, I bent over and told him I knew a friend of his, “who he asked?” and
when I said Jesus, the whole conversation changed. He had been talking with the
brothers from NO FEAR about a contract, but was more excited about talking about
Jesus. And whenever we met after that, we embraced as brothers, maybe a side of
the famous moto-crosser many didn’t get to see, but I did. Associates in
business, friends in Jesus, what a difference. And many others in racing would
become friends because our real common denominator was Jesus, the Simon brothers
and their crew chief Don, Ed who introduced me to Nelson and Nelson, and who I
shared Jesus with before he was saved. Friends in Jesus, with whom we even held
up the start of the Baja 1000 once, we gathered to pray at the start, and when
we were done found over 200 had joined us, a group of 4, and ESPN was filming
us....friends of Jesus who just happened to race. A lotta help from our friend
Jesus, proving that whenever 2 or 3 were gathered in His name, He was among
them.
But what do I do when my love is away, does it worry me to be alone? No,
for He never leaves me, nor forsakes me, and the Holy Spirit is always with me.
So I am always at least 2 of the 2 or 3, in the spirit, who also knows what to
pray when I don’t, or get confused, or in a hurry. All I have to do is agree
with Him, a simple amen, and it is done, His will, not mine, but always working
out for my best benefit. Getting by with a lotta help from my friend. so who
do you turn to when alone, or confused? Or when no one seems to care? An old
biker saying goes “ a good friend will bail you out of jail, a good friend will
be there with you.” Sadly many fall prey to that. Be a friend of Jesus, maybe
avoid jail, and other temptations that can come between you and Him. But when
something does, remember He is there to forgive, and show mercy, which strangely
can only happen after you screwed up. So rejoice, when Jesus is your friend,
you will need no others, but instantly get millions of friends, who are brothers
and sisters, again the common denominator is Jesus. And while with my biker
friends we mostly talk bikes, or my car friends we mostly talk cars, with Jesus
you can talk anything...He has been there, and loves to listen, He enjoys being
in the conversation. In fact one of the best times spent was one afternoon
telling Him about a ride I had just taken. And you know what, He loved to hear
all about it, it was almost like He was there, and even better when I realized
He was, and will be.
There are all types of friends, we have good friends, very close friends,
and even girls refer to their girl friends with no repercussion, don’t try that
one lads. But Jesus is just friend, a very special relationship He wants to
have with you today. Many are satisfied to get by with a little help from their
friends, I can only get by with a lotta help from my best friend Jesus. Do you
need anybody? He is the one when you just need someone to love, and no it just
can’t be anybody...only Jesus will fulfill all your needs. Closer and more
accessible than any WATTS line, and never leaves you. So, why get by when you
can have it all? With a lotta help from my friend, I hope He is yours too. And
I’ll try not to sing out of key.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com