Thursday, March 19, 2015

shifting gears











“One down, four up, got it.”  “No, one up, then four down,” came the reply.  “Oh and by the way, it shifts on the right.”  Bloody English, and so it was with my first ride on an old Norton.  They shift differently than the Japanese products taught us, one down, the rest up, and not only switched sides, but patterns also.  Which was different than other Brit bikes, who still shifted on the right, but used the Japanese pattern.  Confused, when BH built his Dunstall Honda 750 café racer, the rear sets in the kit turned the shifter around, making it a Norton shift pattern, but on the left.  More than once I went down when I meant up.  And on more than one old Triumph I hit the shifter looking for the brake, downshifting in shock, but not stopping with one older woman sacrificing her trunk so I would stop sooner.  No damage to the bike, she was shaken, my ego bruised.  But we would all live to ride and drive again.  But thanks to our Federal government at work, all bikes imported since 1975 have a standardized shifting pattern, one down, the rest up, and on the left side.  Making it so anyone can ride any motorcycle, if they know how.  A far cry form Lello’s old Kawasaki 100 with a rotary shift pattern.  Unknown to me, it shifted one down, then the rest up.  I’m cool, until I shifted into 5th, which took me back to first, it went 1-2-3-4-then one again.   What were they thinking?  And these folks would later bring us the Mach III, Z-1, and Ninjas.  All shifting on the left, standard pattern.  More speed with less surprises.  Proving standardization of shifting is still a good thing, just ask if it is older than the Nixon administration.
The Bible and its history are very trendy today.  From movies about Noah and Jesus, to O’Reilly’s “Killing Jesus,” to the History Channel and CNN tickling our curiousity, many patterns are being presented about Jesus.  And many are variations of a theme called truth.  With many lies being told, that when mixed with misquoted scripture sound real.  But aren’t.  And we need to be aware, as many are being led astray, not a new thing.  One religion who denies the deity of Jesus changes the to “a” changing the text.  He is the son of God, not a son, and is the way, not a way.  See how simple it is.  And when a man approached me Tuesday night excited about the book of Judas, just found and claimed to be a lost gospel, he believed Judas rather than Jesus.  Discounting the fact it is not found in the Bible, the official word of God, inspired by him, and his autobiography.  He chose to follow a lie, and ended up confused.  He thought he had found truth, but learned that all lies are based on truth, and only Jesus  is the truth.  In all cases go to God first, not some documentary or rewritten history book.  Go to Jesus, and if he ain’t in it, you shouldn’t be either.  Many are after your soul to seek and destroy.  Some obvious, some subtle, some confusing, so simple.  But God made his gospel simple so I can get it, and free so I can afford it.  Salvation is not a rich man’s reward, it is a gift from God through Jesus.  So beware when someone has a new gospel, God’s was the original, and he warns hell for those who change it.  All the curses of Revelation, which are pretty bad.  So if Jesus ain’t in it, stay away from it!  No matter how good the special effects are, who wrote it, or what channel it is on, and really beware of misquoted scripture.
Psalm 46:10 tells us to “be still, and know that I am God.”  Yet many want to interpret it as “be still and know that I am God.”  Without the comma, the whole meaning changes.  Maybe we should have paid more attention in English class, today’s lesson is free.  But God wants us to be still, to rest in him, to not worry, assured he is God.  He has everything under control.  To know him intimately, to become his friend, and let Jesus into your life.  Yet many rather play God, or play church, and try to control people, when they are really out of control themselves.  Without Jesus, you are under someone else’s control...but there is still time to change.  So beware of false claims, if it doesn’t minister to your heart, and isn’t found in scripture walk away for it.  For it is a lie.  Moses and Aaron were out walking and tested, turning a stick into a snake.  No big deal to the sorcerer, who did the same.  Until Moses’ ate his.  Still seeking power and to let his people go, he turned the river into blood.  Killing all the fish.  So did the sorcerer, and soon they had to dig pits for water.  In his last message, God tells Moses to flood the land with frogs.  So does the sorcerer, and soon all the frogs have taken over and die.  Leaving no water and no land that doesn’t stink.  Cursing Pharaoh for not letting God’s people go.  And trusting magic over God.  Sound familiar today....again if Jesus ain’t in it, get out of it.  Unless dead frogs and no water to drink turn you on.  Maybe the frog who you think is saying “ribbit” is really warning “knee deep, knee deep.”  So be still, and know he is God.  Let God be God and all men liars.  Seek Jesus first and then all things will be added unto you.  Commercial free...if only shifting were so easy.
So if you are stuck following a lie, shift gears and turn to Jesus.  His word is truth, standardized so you can recognize a lie, and know him personally.  One down, the up, just like resurrection.  Jesus went down and died, so we can live.  And we will rise up with him in resurrection.  An easy way to remember how to shift or how to find God.  It really is that easy...so get out and ride.  With Jesus.  Next week we will address heel and toe shifters.  Where all are down...on the left.  Suddenly the gospel is so simple.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com