what hath Jock wrought?

Take JR Ewing for instance, can you imagine him having to write a resume?  Going on a job interview?  Sitting across from an HR person answering questions?  Consider that one for a moment, and you see his birthright left with no alternative but to go to work for his dad at Ewing Oil.  Even Bobby left, but came back, the power, security, and the draw of a family owned and operated business can be too much.  JR never had another choice to make, it was his fortune to head Ewing Oil someday.  He would have titles, but they were only to refer to what and who he really was, a Ewing.  Now just east of Dallas, lies the state of Louisiana, where in real life a family has made a fortune out of duck calls.  The Robertson family, and they are every bit as proud of their heritage and family as the Ewings were.  Being a Robertson is a badge of honor they carry proudly, and are passing it down to their children and grandchildren, just like Jock passed it on to his sons and grand kids.  And just as the Ewings will always be associated with oil, the Robertsons will always be associated with duck calls.  Even works in sports, as another southern family, the Mannings, are now in the second generation of NFL legacy.  Counting who has won the most Super Bowls, and like their southern family neighbors, just mention JR, Willie, Jase, Eli, or Peyton, and you know of which family you are talking.  No last name needed, but yet being born into the family of that name brought them power and a future, it was just up to them to follow the course set for them, and how much success it would bring.  And real life can be more interesting than a TV drama, as even two George Bushes have lived in the White House, and another brother is considering running.  Some families have destiny built into them, while some have it thrust upon them.  Yet others, no matter how they try, cannot escape it.  Families, business but none of your business.

Now we all want our father’s blessing, and JR definitely had Jock’s.  He loved and adored his daddy and wanted to make him proud.  And JR definitely had his daddy’s eye for business.  But needed to be kept under that watchful eye, for JR could run free, just like the Robertson boys do.  But a strong patriarch sets the tone, and demands the honor.  But it is not always like that, as birthrights are important, and Esau got outsmarted twice, losing the birthright, then his father’s blessing, both times being tricked out of what was rightfully his.  Splitting a family forever, until the end of both His and Jacob’s lives, when they made amends.  Makes the fight for Ewing oil seem frivolous by comparison.  So we each have a birthright, a gift from God, no matter where we are born in the pecking order, it is up to us to do what we can with the gift.  Or watch as it melts away, never really ours to start with.  What we become can not  always be depended upon who we are.  Life makes it interesting that way.  And it makes for good TV.

A young Jesus of Nazareth was faced with many decisions.  Born into a family where his dad was a carpenter, he was trained by Joseph to be a finishing carpenter, one who built yokes for cattle, a true talent.  Think of the times spent with His earthly dad, learning the trade, choosing wood, how to handle tools, and how to make it fit just right on the oxen.  How many times did He fuss to make it just right, to please His dad, to earn the name on earth as the son of Joseph and Mary.  He had a successful career ahead of Him, but knew deep inside that the calling His heavenly Father had called Him to was more important.  He had all the talent to make it as a carpenter, but had supernatural power to make it as our savior.  For 33 years He was the son of a carpenter, but for eternity would and will be known as the Son of God.  Two titles, one that could have brought Him fame and fortune, to be financially set, and pass on to His own sons, or one that He would die for, and pass onto countless sons and daughters unto a last generation.  Choosing to be the Son of God, and the continuance of a family business, one that continues today without interruption.  But with a difference, as Jock, Phil, and Archie would have grandchildren, and pass on to them the family name and heritage, we find God has no grandchildren.  A strange idea at first, but then realize we are so precious to Him that we have a direct lineage, we are His children, and joint heirs with His son Jesus.  We who are grandchildren here on earth, will carry the title of children in heaven, no generational differences in heaven.  A family history without end, and one you are not born into, but must be born again into.  For we are all not children of God, as some would have us think, but we must be born again, into the family, and without it we have no right to being called a Christian.  We are not family until then, but we are loved so much that Jesus died so we can be reunited with His Father in heaven.  John 1:12-13 offering us the chance to join the family, to sit at the table, and get all the blessings.  With all the rights and power that go with it. 

So consider Jesus if you will, and make the same choice He did.  Born in obscurity, no other person has changed history, or the world like He has, and continues to do today.  His titles are many, Son of Man, Son of God, Master, rabbi, teacher, and savior.  But you can call Him by His name, His first name, Jesus.  Do you know Him well enough to do that?  Would you like to?  To each of us, has been given that opportunity to be part of the family of God.  Born into sin, we can be saved.  No other family can offer you that, you may marry into the Ewings, but only by name be one.  Same with the Robertsons, Mannings, and your own family.  But once born again into the family of God, you have that title and name forever. 

Some may ask about the Ewings, what hath Jock wrought?  The same can be asked about Phil and Archie.  What does that say about Jesus?  Why not choose Him today and join the real first family, royalty and meekness all at once.  Power and glory, more than any political power could ever attain.  More wealth than can be counted, and eternal life.  Jock passed on, Phil and Archie will someday.  As will their sons, as so will we.  What we pass on to our children will be the most important.  God passed on the love and salvation to man through His son Jesus, and we can pass it on through Him too.  Jesus Christ, still taking care of the family business 2000 years later. Imagine Him applying to be savior of your life today, He has the credentials, the power, and the lineage.  Intangibles no HR person could ever dream of.  Interview Him, ask Him into your life today, and start on a lifetime career that ends in heaven.  Does your present job offer that?  Mine does, and Jesus is still hiring.  Come to Him today, be part of the family.  Meet Jesus personally.  Y’all bow.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

poll dancers

“So what do you think?” we often hear or say ourselves.  In regards to anything from clothes, cars, motorcycle,where to worship, or who to date, we value other people’s opinions.  Many times ignoring the facts, and acting on what is the best price or what is the most convenient for us.  And then when the facts get in our way, we run another opinion poll on who to blame.  Web sites such as Angie’s List, Tripadvisor, Yelp, and many others guide us to make decisions.  But even there we find that businesses sometimes write their own good reviews, and the 90% in the middle who were just happy, we never hear from.  Years ago Coca Cola did a survey, if you are upset you tell over 20 people about the experience, but if happy only 10.  And some businesses have signs, if unhappy tell us, if happy tell others.  Word of mouth still being the most effective advertising, but maybe not the most truthful. What do you think?

I know to many people when faced with a crisis, one where they were caught in sin, seek scripture, trying to find solace that their actions were OK.  Not their fault,as in the devil made me do it, not scripturally correct.  God has given you a free will, stupid hurts, and can be a self inflicted wound.  Happily spread to others via your opinion.  So we have to make a decision and be responsible.  This is where prayer comes in.  I get many prayer requests, and have to sort through them, many times asking God if I should pass them on.  Some think that just because I pray a lot, that my prayers are special, and get through to God easier.  Not true, God favors no one, but since I spend more time with Him, we talk of more things, notice I said we, and we have conversations.  A dialogue, not a monologue, where only one speaks, we interact.  And as you spend more time listening, your prayer life changes.  You don’t ask the same foolish things as much, you know God’s character, and what He expects. Rather than asking “what would Jesus do?” you know.  And because you know what He did, you are guided by the spirit, who does know. 

Others are under the illusion that the more prayer lists you are on, that it causes God to react quicker, or to act more favorably.  God only knows one way, His way, the only way and the best way, and it is always done in love for our benefit.  Yet I bombarded, and I hear bragging, and bragged myself about how many pray for me.  There is no magic number of prayers that cause God to act, it is not like signing petitions to get it on a ballot. He hears all prayers, it is us who fall short not listening to or for His answers.  And Isaiah 65:24 tells us He has already put a plan in process before we even ask.  He knows what is going on, He is in and under control.  I know first hand, as when having heart problems, it happened so fast we couldn’t stop to pray.  But God already knew.  And although I am grateful, and touched by all the prayers, God took me even deeper.  When confronted with Isaiah 65, I asked Him, “then why do we ask others to pray?”  Did it make a difference in God’s response?  His answer again was simple, and found in at least two places in the Bible He showed me.  Revelation 1, it is written that John bore witness of what he saw.  God did it for His glory, not us, although we reap the benefit s and blessings.  The only book that we are told if we read it we are blessed.  Note-it is the last book in the Bible, and we win.  The other is found in John 11:4, God allowing a sickness, and then performing a miracle so that Jesus be glorified. God told me that the more who prayed for me, the more would see His love and mercy in His answer, and be encouraged.  Suddenly prayer isn’t so personal, and more personal all at once.  Only God... Do you glorify Jesus in your prayers?  Or are they just demands, requisitions, or I wants.  Do you glorify Him in His answers?  Is it all about you, or all about Jesus?  You may not wish to poll your friends here, because you may not like their answer. My opinion, based on fact.  For in Proverbs it tells us not to put our ear to the wall, we may not like what we hear.  So what do we do?

Ask Jesus into your life.  Without Him, you are in no position to hear His answers.  Pray, ask, but then listen.  And when His disciples could ask Him anything, they chose to ask “how do we pray?”  And they were face to face with Him everyday!  Read your Bible, and let the word confirm what the spirit has told you.  Perhaps Sherlock Holmes, said it best, “never theorize before you have data, you invariably wind up twisting fact to prove theories, instead of  theories to prove facts.”  Sound familiar?  Aren’t you glad that God forgives, and offers us the truth?  But worst of all is when you pray, and God answers, and since you don’t like the answer, you pray more, even asking to put on prayer lists.  And it is then that calamity meets you firsthand, as you enter in God’s judgment, while He is just trying to get you attention.  There are times we resist the truth, just because seems inconvenient, and will even deny anything is wrong.  They aren’t listening, are you?  Why can your friends see your problem, and God’s answer when you can’t, or won’t?  Just how big is that log in your eye? God cannot make a log so big He cannot remove it.  Is that the God you pray to?  Then why aren’t you listening to His answer?  Who has known the mind of God that he can counsel Him?  Yet we have Jesus, the wonderful counselor.  Some choose therapy, some drugs, some even let motorcycles become their answer, but nothing beats gong directly to Jesus Himself.  You know His answers will be the best for you, what are you waiting for?  If it is a poll, I hope you don’t find one where they believe God is dead. 

So we have a choice, our choice to make.  Spend some tie just listening for and to God today.  And be prepared to have your life, you prayer life, and witness changed drastically.  A witness can only tell what he has seen or heard, no hearsay.  We have heard Jesus...are you listening?  Are you still reading books, listening to tapes, or going to church just to find out the secret way to God and His blessings?  Psalm 1, starts with “blessed is the man...” you look up the rest.  And see where you fit in.  If Sherlock Holmes knew how to find the facts, shouldn’t you?  Jesus never said “to him who has a tongue, let him speak,”  but to “those who have an ear, let them listen.”  This Jesus guy seems pretty smart to me...may His will be done in your life, on earth as it is in heaven.  So what do you think?  Don’t be a poll dancer.  What does Jesus think?  What would Jesus do?  You have to ask?

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com 

the terrible twos

Close only counts in horseshoes is a good lesson to be reminded of.  Close in other matters just don’t make it.  In shop class, Mr. Reid was the teacher, and he was all about shop projects.  We each were to design a project, submit the plans, then submit the requisition for lumber and built it.  Most of the class showed talent, with me it was a short trip to frustration.  Which extended into my adult years, where no one in our house would allow me to use tools.  It was dangerous to any one who got close, so many times the kids would run and rat me out to Theresa when something needed fixing.  But what I learned in shop class, aside from making sawdust, stuck with me.  And a lesson learned can be a life saver when fixing something you have no right fixing.  The lesson was simple, measure twice, then cut.  Who thinks these pearls of wisdom up anyway?  But I learned the hard way, and what I learned in Mrs. Parks’ geometry class was applied in real life.  To find the length of the third side of a triangle, the equation is a+b+c, after squaring each side first.  Which I didn’t do, and ended up making a box with a pointed roof that was inches too short.  Thus creating the first dilemma, and the second was trying to glue it in place, using scraps.  It looked like it sounds-%$#&*&!  But somehow through perseverance and begging, with a lot of help and sympathy from Mr. Reid, I got it fixed, and displayed it proudly.  Without ever signing my name to it, all you had to do to figure it was mine was by careful elimination of the other student’s names, and guilty I was.  Measure twice, cut once-good advice, which only works if taken.

A few years back Theresa bought an atomic clock, which never worked.  Now we have clocks in the den, bedroom, two in the kitchen, one in the living room, and one on the computer.  But somehow none of them never match.  And this is where the second lesson of the terrible twos comes into play.  With one watch you know what time it is, with two you are never sure.  So I have fallen back on the reason why I don’t wear a watch, I just tell someone that that way I am never late.  And if asked what time it is at home, we say about.  And depending how late, or how early you want to be, we have many clocks to choose from.  With built in excuses.  And then there is the clock in the garage, where the hands are loose, and go faster from 12 to 6, and slower from 6 to 12.  I figure it all comes out equal, but with no real time to compare it too, I can always use the clock on the Street Triple.  Which keeps time different than the Tiger, or the Mustang.  Can’t read the face on the Ranger radio, so if I am late, it must be your fault, not mine.  And another important lesson learned is even a broken clock is right twice a day.  No equation needed.

Now we all fall into the trap that James warns us of, a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.  I can be blessed, and a blessing, and then some jerk cuts me off, and I want to kill.  This precious creature created in God’s image, that He loves just as much as me, I can go from blessed to stupid in less than 2 seconds, no watch needed.  So I try to ask God’s blessings on cars while I pass them, rather than curse them.  Puts me in a better mood, until the next time.  Now it is true that stupid hurts, and you can’t fix it, but yet we try.  We take on the task that Jesus gives us, love Him first, and your neighbor, but don’t let Him guide us.  We become like Abraham and Sarah, God gives us a job to do, through a vision, and rather than following Him, we set off on our own. I’ll take it from here God.  Just like Sarah told Abraham to do, why wait, it seems impossible, you can have my hand maiden.  Not counting the cost, maybe like the measure twice, cut once, we should ask twice, test the spirit, then move on it.  If God says it, it will come to pass.  And for A & S it did, Abraham would become the father of many, not just the Jews, but the race through Ishmael, today’s Arabs.  God knew it all the time, and if God forgives him, He certainly can and will forgive us.  But what if we measure first, then act?  We never count the price of sin, but underestimate the power of forgiveness.  That do unto other part getting lost in the translation.  So when Jesus, who was also a carpenter, and I am sure knew all about measuring, tells us to count the cost, maybe He knows from practical experience.  And legend tells us He was a finishing carpenter, making yokes, a specialty.  Maybe the best advice to take is after we cut without measuring is to take His yoke, for it is easy.  Amazing how the Bible can be used in every day life.

Just imagine if Noah hadn’t used God’s plans.  Which are so good, that ships today are built using the same dimensions.  God was the first and still the best ship builder, imagine what He could have taught us in shop class?  But Noah did listen, and was saved.  Maybe a lesson so trite we miss it, listen to God and be saved.  Saved from hell, from stupid, from do overs, and making excuses.   From producing only sawdust.  Maybe that is why He made us with two ears, to listen twice as much as we speak.  And to make hearing the last thing to go before death.  And you can control your speaking, but not your hearing.  Do I see a perfect plan?

So man plans, God laughs, and He forgives.  He provides the glue when I break, keeps me secure in His love, and guides me by His spirit.  All without power tools, using the tool of self control He gave me.  So be single minded, it is a compliment, being accused of being like Jesus.  And I can attest to the fact that He is pretty good at plumbing, gardening, an ace mechanic, and a wonderful counselor.  But is most effective only when used.  Now about the time....funny how He never hurried, but was never late.  Hey man, got the time?  Maybe it is just too many clocks.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

have you talked to your kids about death?

“Space...the final frontier...”  who hasn’t heard these immortal words of Captain James T. Kirk, aboard the Enterprise on Star Trek, the only real Star Trek.  But although he comes close, there is one final frontier that all human beings will encounter someday, one which we don’t like to or don’t want to talk about, death.  The death rate on earth is 100%, no one escapes it, yet no one talks about it until forced to.  Which usually occurs when a friend, family member, or celebrity has died.  Followed by a service, usually referred to as a funeral, but today “celebrations of life” have become popular among Christians, for we know that death is only the beginning of eternity for those who are saved, not the end of life for those who aren’t.  And even the word death is avoided when possible, he’s gone to a better place, passed on, not with us any longer, and others are used, all having a form of truth, but the real truth being the person is dead.   Yet that word death is something we will all face ourselves some day, don’t you think we should know more about it?  Have you ever talked to your kids about death?

How many times have you heard or even said or been scared to death?  Yet we rarely hear we are scared of death, which we really are.  I guess you can be scared to death, but really most are scared of death.  It is a great unknown, and no one is around to tell you what happens after you die.  We are told in the Bible, which mentions death almost 400 times, that the dead in Christ shall rise, and even Lazarus was resurrected after being dead 4 days.  But it never tells of where he was, or what happened for those 4 days.  I have heard some scholars refer to him as the same Lazarus of Luke 15, whom the rich man stepped over every day, and who begged Lazarus just to dip his finger in the pool to put a drop of water on his tongue.  And no one ever asked him, or is it recorded what he had to say when he returned.  So what happens after death, where your soul ultimately goes for eternity, is based on faith, no second chances, no reset button, no do overs like in kickball, death truly is the final frontier.  And why can we believe more about Star Trek than what the Bible tells us about death?

Jesus tells us that “I would not have told you if it were not so,” as He talks of hell.  Jesus who even died a physical death, not a spiritual one, and was resurrected, as all believers will be someday, knows and talks of death.  He tells us that those who believe in Him shall never taste death.  That they will pass from death unto life, avoiding death. But what happens, how, when, and where are only up to God, not us, and as I have found out personally, you have no say in it.  You cannot add nor subtract days from your life, but you can add quality of life to them.  And death is as simple as falling asleep, and even then Paul tells us that “we all won’t sleep,” that an event called the rapture will occur taking many to heaven before they die a physical death.  Something we all as Christians hope happens to us, again because although many believe, they are still afraid of death.  Or as Frank and I once discussed, “we are not afraid of death, we just aren’t real sure about the process.”  Maybe that puts death in an even more realistic life, because we also have no control over the process.  The ultimate blow to pride and ego, which when surrendered to Jesus will assure you heaven.  So what are the two choices of a final destination, of your final frontier?

All men are born into sin, and fall short of the glory of God.  Blame Adam, but since him, we all fall short.  And because of the spiritual death of that event, we all are born destined to hell.  Babies, who appear innocent are doomed, ever teach a baby to cry, to yell “mine?”  Yet God in His mercy protects them, unto an age of accountability, which the Jews feel is the 13th birthday, but no age is given scripturally.  Aborted babies, others dying in the womb, all go to heaven, avoiding earth and it sins.  Religion cannot save you, nor can your church, parents, belief system, or being frozen.  Only Jesus has the power over life and death, and the gates of hell are not to keep you out, but to keep those who deny Him in.  The gates don’t save you from hell, only Jesus does.  So don’t you think on such an important topic, one we will all face, we should know more about it?  Personally I have come as close to death as you can come without dying, so as the scripture in John 11:4 tells us, “this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, so the Son of God may be glorified in it.”  I can tell you heaven is real, beyond description.  I have seen Jesus, yet cannot describe Him, how do you explain the infinite to a finite world?  Using finite words?  So we are told that eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor imagined, so whatever you imagine heaven to be, it isn’t.  It is better.  But also whatever you think hell to be, it is worse.  I have always cast doubt on those who see a bright light, and other scenes.  They saw something, but it wasn’t heaven.  The only way I can describe what I saw and heard is I want to go back.  The only conversation I had with Jesus, the peace was beyond comprehension, and I thought I must be dead, and so I asked Him, His answer was “you most certainly are alive.” Yet some will believe my words easier than those spoken by God.  And live in fear, when they don’t have to.

So death has a place in everyone’s life, and we revere it so highly, we have funerals.  And personally, I have never attended one where the deceased wasn’t the best person, taken too soon, or deserved to live.  It seems in death, we are forgiving, when we really need to be in life.  To ask Jesus, whom God sent to reunite us with Himself, to save us from our sins, and promise us heaven.  Yet many will choose to not believe, and even in hell, scripture tells us a harsh truth.  Again Luke 15, the rich man in hell, now showing compassion, wants to go back to only tell his family about hell, but God tells him no.  If they don’t believe the prophets, they won’t believe someone sent back after death.  And it is true today, as God has sent His spirit to tell us, to warn us, yet we deny the same Jesus who died to save us.  The one whom the prophets foretold hundreds of times.  So your test is easy, life or death?  Jesus or denial?  Only available when you are alive, and tomorrow is not promised to anyone.  Today will be the day of salvation for many, yet the day of damnation for others.  How sure are you about death?  So sure you bet your life on eternal pain, darkness, and separation from God, heaven and glory?  If you deny God, He will honor you request, and deny you on judgment day, which we all will face, and the truth will be made visible.  Deny God, it is hell, but in torment you will know for all eternity, you will know who Jesus is, and was, and worship Him in utter agony, for every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord.  So you will end up worshipping the one who could have saved you, but you denied.  When you could be in perfect peace, full of joy unspeakable, and in the presence of a loving God.  Has anyone ever talked to you about death like this?

Your decision has eternal consequences, choose Jesus now, while there is still time.  Death can come upon you quick, no one wakes up knowing they will die today.  Your life is not your own, but in the hands of God.  Place it where you are assured of heaven, and enter the final frontier looking forward to seeing God face to face.  It takes about 15 minutes to read this, but can have a lifetime change of direction.  Take the time to tell your kids about death, but also life.  Death...the final frontier....where life doesn’t have to end.  You don’t have to be scared to death, for us it just begins.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

when did it first happen to you?

For me, it was in the 9th grade, or really the summer before 9th grade.  Maybe sooner, as I had seen motorcycles around, but being raised in a home where no rode, they were taboo, and too much of bikers being hoods permeated.  Certain friends had mini bikes, all made at home with aid from fathers who were cool, but that summer I was included when my friend Bill built one.  Mr. Dempsey, who worked for Alcoa, had a chrome moly frame built for him, an old lawn mower gave up its engine, and an awning cover covered the piece of foam that was the seat.  A scrub brake came from somewhere, and soon we were riding all over Scotch Plains.  Looking cool to guys who wanted, but couldn’t have like me, and girls smiling and waving, something I had no chance of happening without the two wheels under me.  It wasn’t not a motorcycle, but was as close as I was to come for years.

Ricky and I had been friends for years, off and on, but when he dad bought him a Honda 50, and installed the kit to make it look like a motorcycle, off  I rode.  Coming home every night for dinner, bruised, dirty, tired, and making up excuses for how it all happened, no one rode in our family.  And as Ricky got a Kawasaki 125, then an Ossa Plonker, I started to ride bigger bikes, dreaming one day of a Sportster, which was once described as “so much power it will put hair on your chest, and if you have hair part it.” When face hair and chest hair met maturity, I just had to have one, if the girls liked the mini bike, jus the idea set my hands and glands on fire.  But being talked out of a Sportster at Bill’s house one day for lunch, his dad had a friend who worked for Harley, and told us not to buy one, that AMF had just bought them out, and quality would surely go down.  My first taste of HD and AMF, and I had never ridden yet.  There would be more mini bikes, Dave had a fast one we rode when we should have been in school, just daring the cops to catch us, but it was my senior year, BH and I hooked up over his CL77, painted dark blue with a brush, but still a real motorcycle.  305cc’s of power, straight pipe, and we rode everywhere we could on it, and would take turns pushing it home.  We actually got very good at it, pushing and riding.  But by March of 1972, ready to graduate and without a bike, a trip to Ralph’s Honda in South Orange changed all that.  VIP Honda was our first stop, but Ralph’s being a non-authorized dealer, could beat there price by $50, but no warranty.  Who cared, Hondas never broke, and if you did, you met the nicest people.  So for my $825 of paper route money, a new 1972 CB350 K4 was my first official bike.  And soon BH added one, selling his CL77 for $50, and off we rode.  Everywhere and anywhere, gas was cheap, 75 cents to fill the tank, and soon the shore, the Poconos, and even New York State was on the itinerary.  We rode until it got dark, and many a night was spent sleeping in a leather jacket under a tree.  Once we even woke up in a front yard, but we didn’t care-we rode.  We carried our toothbrushes in our back pocket like Robert Redford in Little Fauss and Big Halsey, and tried to be cool like Captain America and Billy-I was Captain, American flag and all.  My first bike, which lasted only 5 months and 6000 miles, and then a new 1972 BMW R60/5 came into my life.  But it was that Honda that changed my life, and set me free.  And looking back at bikes for sale in 1972, Yamaha had a 360cc, a scrambler, we had no Suzuki dealers by us, but who hadn’t heard of Solo Suzuki on the radio, and the Kawasaki dealer was about to come out with a  3 cylinder 250, patterned after the Mach 1!  The fastest bike on two wheels, 12 second quarters, and if the Sportster parted your hairy chest, it was only in the wake of a cloud of two stroke smoke, and a deafening ring-a –ding-ding!  But that was for the older guys, we were cool with our 8” rise in our handlebars, and my sissy bar, with a pad should I ever get a date.  Which always had a helmet attached to it via Peter Fonda, metal flake and ready for action.  Which it often saw.  What a time to ride, and be riding.  And soon 600cc, then 900 cc, and soon over 1000cc of power would move my soul-a far cry from a 50cc lawn mower with an awning covered seat.  But the dream was real, and still is today.

Like many of you, church was a four letter word when growing up.  My parents were not church attenders, as were many others, and Sunday meant pretending to be asleep, faking a sickness that you recuperated from at 10am, or out right throwing a fit, making them pay.  Why should you have to go if they didn’t?  Another wait until you are 18 decision, just like drinking and smoking.  But putting on a tie, we went, and finally gained a reprieve after playing Jesus in a play.  My father felt I had earned the right by then, sentence suspended, but you’re still not going to ride.  But looking back, Sunday School wasn’t so bad, I learned to play chopsticks and the Black Rabbit’s Revenge on the piano, I learned the books of the Bible, and actually met some guys I would later spend time in detention with in high school.  We were active enough Mr. Curtis once threw a Bible at me, I ducked it hit another kid.  Big news in the Baptist church.  But as girls got more attractive, some time was spent chasing them to church.  A gospel for another time.  And in high school, some local churches put on dances, the only other times any of us went.  So you can imagine my parents disbelief when I became a Christian, and wanted to go to church.  And prayed, and started getting my life together in Jesus.  It was all too much, and today they still think it is a fad I picked up in California.  My Dad has gone to heaven, saved just before his death, please pray for my mother.  And to ride a motorcycle and be a Christian-that really puts the church folk into horror mode.  So when did it first happen to you?
Since you were born, the Holy Spirit has been telling us we need Jesus.  If not in church, while riding, partying, or even in school, Jesus never left us.  How many times do we look back, and see the grace of God rescuing us before we were saved?  He even loved us while sinners, or why else would He want to save us?  To punish us like some think, or to bless us?  I was never forced to ride, but always wanted to.  Forbidden fruit, but I was forced to go to church and didn’t want to.  But now when it is my choice, I want to.  And I get too.  Remember that next time sharing your testimony, Jesus never forced Himself on anyone, it is your free will to choose or accept.  God sends no one to hell-Jesus died so we can be rescued.

And if it hasn’t happened to you yet, what’s your excuse?  Maybe you aren’t cut out for the freedom of riding a motorcycle, but all are cut out for the freedom in Christ.  You aren’t getting religion, or joining a church, you are becoming part of a family, you are being set free from religion.  And you can even go to church if you want, no one will keep track if you don’t.  But like I found out, I wanted to be with God’s people, wanted to learn about God, and read the Bible.  And now I can, and do.  Freedom to decide, it’s my choice, and yours, only found in Christ.  The one thing you thought would bind you up, will actually set you free.  And you find out we are the church!  Maybe today is that day, you can turn to Jesus right now, right where you are, you don’t have to be in church, or wear a tie.  Ask Him to forgive you, and ask Him into your life.  Find someone you know is a Christian and tell them, and start a new life in Christ.

40 years later, still riding and serving a loving God.  Let it happen to you.  Think I’ll go for a ride.  Time well spent with a loving God.  Christians and bikers-real rebels in a world of sin.

love with compassion,

Mike

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