Be careful how you study history, and what you learn from it. It can be the ride of your life, or you may find yourself hitching a ride. Example one is from back in the 80's, when #2 Yamaha came out at their national sales meeting and declared they would pass Honda as #1. They had the plan, the dealers, and they thought the product-look out Honda, you're going down! They only neglected one area-the fact that Honda didn't get to be #1 by being stupid-and their stupid statements only infuriated Honda. Who flooded dealers with new bikes, priced them $100's of dollars cheaper for a comparable model-this is when a 750 cost $2899, and if you were at $3499, that was big bucks. Still is. And they almost put Yamaha out of business, the result being Yamaha had warehouses of new bikes, and so did there dealers for the next 3-4 years. Which they had to heavily discount to move. The nicest people you met on a Honda obviously didn't work for them, as their sales actually went up, in a down market. Like Rodney Dangerfield said in Back to School-"look out for #1, and don't step in any #2." Good advice.
Back in the 80's, Pepsi started a campaign called the Pepsi Challenge, a blind taste test to see which cola had the preferred taste. In stores everywhere, they had these little booths set up, and because of Coke's power in the markets, they were able to set up displays within eyesight of the test, with a discounted product. And it seems there was more loyalty to price than taste, for one. The other was, that there was no advantage in test results, except Pepsi's purchases of Coke went up. But an interesting thing happened-every time that Pepsi did a challenge, both Pepsi and Coke's sales went up! With Coke benefitting from all the money and time Pepsi put into its challenge. And as a Coke employee, we used to tell people, "if there wasn't a champion, there wouldn't be a challenger." Being #1 is still the best position to market from. Just ask Avis-they tried harder, too.
And as I watch Toyota shut down their plant, and shutter their dealers in a hope to rectify faults they knew about for years, but didn't address, this was the year they were going to pass General Motors as #1 car manufacturer in the world. A word of warning-be careful of your words, you may eat, or in Pepsi's situation, drink them later. If you think it is hard to get there, wait until you find it is harder to stay there.
Today many things are out there vying for your soul. The lust of the eyes-can you please explain to me girls, what do you think makes you attractive in a shirt that is too small, jeans that don't fit, and underwear showing out of it? With that kind of bait, is it any wonder what you will catch? Perhaps if you dressed and acted like lady more men would treat you like one.
The lust of the flesh also eats into us-no modesty, but when you have no value-if you believe you come from mud and slime, you tend to act like it Ms. Evolutionist, and watch as the price you pay for your sexual freedom results in 40% of newborns married to single moms-a job I wouldn't wish on anyone, along with the parents, grandparents, and welfare roles that end up raising the child. So you can go out and have more-not learning from your first indiscretion. And of course the lust of the world-gotta make money, gotta buy a big house and have all the trendy cars and bikes-and as they sit and rust as all your time is spent earning, but no time to enjoy.
The lust of the flesh also eats into us-no modesty, but when you have no value-if you believe you come from mud and slime, you tend to act like it Ms. Evolutionist, and watch as the price you pay for your sexual freedom results in 40% of newborns married to single moms-a job I wouldn't wish on anyone, along with the parents, grandparents, and welfare roles that end up raising the child. So you can go out and have more-not learning from your first indiscretion. And of course the lust of the world-gotta make money, gotta buy a big house and have all the trendy cars and bikes-and as they sit and rust as all your time is spent earning, but no time to enjoy.
If only you had taken the time to listen to that pastor, Sunday school teacher, or Christian friend at work. You see, there is a challenger, who wants to destroy you, and at all costs. The devil is real, but a created being, who fell from heaven when he tried to be equal with God. Don't make the same mistake today. For the champion, Jesus Christ, is here to represent you. And no falling from grace, as we all do, keeps Him from loving us. As opposed to Satan-whose name in Greek is Appolyon, or the destroyer. There is a price to be paid to be #1, and Jesus paid it on the cross. And He continues to wish to cover your bill for sin today, but first you must let Him. No marketing plans, no discounts, no taste tests, and no false promises. No funny slogans either. Just the truth, can you handle the truth? We all have seen what happens when a lie handles us?
Prophecy tells us that soon Jesus will call all of his saints out of this world-the Bible refers to it as the rapture. No 2012 movie, no extinct civilization's calendar, no Nostradamus flawed predictions, or best selling novel can stop it. And as Christians, we look forward to it. You see God's plan for us is to keep us #1 in His heart, and His plan is for us to take the message to others so they may not be left behind.
The challenge is great, but the champion has already been determined. Where you spend eternity is up to you. Accept no substitute, Jesus Christ is the real thing. You meet the nicest when you serve Him, and you don't have to try harder. Oh, what a feeling! Jesus Christ is it! God knew all this long ago-now you do, too. And your choice is....
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com