two years ago

“Except for the grace of God” we say, “there go I.”  But what if you were that I, and God’s grace wasn’t there?  Let me take you back two years ago, to an event we celebrated the two year anniversary of yesterday.  June 25th will always be a special date to me and my family, it was the day I should have died, but for the grace of God, here I am.  We were on vacation riding to Wisconsin, when I got sick in Durango.  After being told my kidneys were functioning less than 50%, a trip to the ER found I had some serious heart problems, two to be exact at the time.  I had a staph infection that had filled the pericardial sac with pus, and an aneurism on the back of my aorta.  I was life flighted to Albuquerque, 250 miles away, Theresa not knowing if she would ever see me alive again.  But we were about to find out how amazing His grace truly is.  A skin had formed over the aneurism, think of a tire tube about to bust, with a patch over it, the grace was already in action.  And how God not only knows His plans for us, but is in full control.  When I landed, I was described as the sickest person they had ever seen who wasn’t dead, and was to come as close to death as you can without dying.  The miracles had already begun.

My heart had been drained, and I was scheduled for aorta repair on the 25th by Dr. Peter Walinsky.  The aorta being the largest artery I your body, the size of your thumb.  Who after researching my symptoms, found only one other recorded case, and a friend of his from med school had done the surgery.  Coincidence?  Not in God’s world.  Now either problem is deadly, and later I was told the success rate for aneurism repair on the aorta is a whopping 3%!  But I was about to make medical history that day, as when Peter opened me up, he found my heart 95% blocked with pus, and backing up into my lungs.  And then when he touched my aorta-it exploded.  You are dead in 2 heartbeats then-but here I am-except for the grace of God there I wouldn’t have been.  But after 5 1/2 hours of my heart being out of my body, a transplant can be done in 4 hours, I was alive, with a plastic aorta, and my wife being told I should be dead, and he couldn’t promise I would last 12 hours, maybe the longest 12 hours of our marriage.  But again the grace of God was present, as her sister came out, Christopher came back from Spain, and Andrew was still recovering from a bad motocross accident at home.  Theresa had many things to deal with....again how amazing grace is.

I would spend a total of 30 days in the hospital, 20 in Cardiac Critical Care, and 12 in a coma.  But God provided, from a home for Theresa and then us when I got out, a couple we didn’t know had a home and offered it to us free of charge.  The importance of the body of Christ.  I was supposed to be in rehab for 30 days, after 5 days I was discharged, walking out, being told there was no reason I needed to be there.  Can the dead really walk?  The infectious disease clinic gave Theresa their home numbers in case she need help changing my meds, and cleaning my pic lines.  And after having to put up $7000 for the first month’s meds, when I had a reaction to them, they changed them to a less expensive one and refunded my money.  Another first I’m told, again His grace is sufficient.  And on August 5, 2012, I was totally free from any restrictions.  My last visit to Peter’s office had a simple prayer, that he would have to see my pic lines and scar to know I had surgery.  And when greeted by Jason, when he saw me, he exclaimed, “wow Mike, if I didn’t see your pic lines, I wouldn’t know you had surgery.”  And after the exam, and finding out that I had healed in days or weeks instead of months or years, when we left Peter told me it was evident that God had intervened.  And I could write many more pages about the daily miracles God showed us, and that He continues to show us.

Coincidence some may say, that a cardiologist and a motorcycle shop owner may be best friends in a city of 650,000, but not to God. I had decided I wasn’t an invalid, but a miracle, every doctor and nurse I had met, and still meet tell me I should be dead, and I wanted to be out among the living.  So we went by PJ’s Triumph in Albuquerque, we had known him for years.  He was astounded when he saw me, and when asked what happened, Theresa filled him in.  When he asked the doctor’s name, and she said “Walinsky,”  he shouted “Peter!  He’s my best friend.  He told me this was the hardest surgery he ever did.”  And told me to stop by anytime to rehab, and when I was released to ride, he would loan me a bike.  And the grace continued....as 7 weeks after surgery, I would ride again.  But God wasn’t done, I had more to share of His grace.  On my one year anniversary, I had an ultrasound done.  The doctor who did it told me “if I hadn’t seen your scar and read your chart, there is no evidence you have a new aorta.  It is seamless, and no scars!”  All praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

And yesterday was my to year anniversary.  My infectious disease doctor told me months ago my checkups only needed to be yearly, when she first read my charts, she cried.  She calls me “Miracle Mike,” I like that.  And seeing my primary care doctor yesterday, we both rejoiced.  He cannot believe what I went through, and how far God has brought me.  Then to my local cardiologist, who still shakes his head, and tells me I shouldn’t be alive.  The same words Peter greeted me with when I woke up.  Dr. Gorwit gave me a thumbs up, and told me to “quit bothering him, and see him in a year.”  My heart is strong, no signs of any problems-get on with my life!  So I had to call Peter, who is very busy.  I knew I had little chance of getting to him, but in the excitement I tried any way.  When I was asked “who should I say was calling?” I told him “just tell him it is the hardest surgery he ever did.”  And when he answered, I was shocked!  And when I asked if he remembered me, he told me he would never forget me.  For it was also his wedding anniversary on June 20th, this was his 20th, and he was so glad to hear from me.  I had made his day, and we agreed to talk again on every June 20th.  I think it is safe to say Mrs. Walinsky will never have to remind her husband of their anniversary!  And this one is really from the heart!

Today Jesus Christ is still in the miracle business.  And I am blessed to share my story whenever I can.  For He tells us in Revelation 1 that John bore witness to Him, and we should also tell others, bear witness of Him.  So I am thankful to be here, for my wife and sons, for Peter, but most of all Jesus.  If His grace is that amazing here, I cannot wait for heaven.  And tomorrow Theresa and I will leave on an 11 day ride, two years ago we never could have imagined it.  I used to think that as you get older time goes faster, but I find that it is me getting slower.  I am happy to spend whatever time I have with the best friend and riding partner I could ever have, Theresa.  And to still be her husband, and still be my sons’s father.  For grace kept me here so she isn’t a widow, and they aren’t orphans.  And so we ride knowing God’s grace will always be sufficient.  And if you have any questions, I have a scar to prove Jesus was on my heart, and in my heart, still today.  Anniversaries may come and go-Jesus is forever!

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

the grand illusion of youth

Having raised two sons, I can remember how you lose them at 15, but get them back at 20.  And how for those six years you are the stupidest person on earth.  But we forget that we once travelled through that twilight zone of knowing it all ourselves, and it doesn’t always end at 20, sometimes 21 or more.  Growing up in New Jersey, it was popular to hear “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity...” referring to the perpetual full glands of sweat soaking you.  How you couldn’t get dry after a shower in the summer, and the fun of sticking to the precious hide of nauga on car seats.  Fun on any level-NOT!  That all was to change when I swapped New’s, Jersey for Mexico, and I found out that I didn’t know it all, in fact a continuing trend today, the more I learn, the more I find I don’t know.  I was an athlete, and played all sports, and worked out.  Long before gyms and spas were just places for the beautiful people to pick up on each other.  And the apartment I moved into had an indoor basketball court I used.  So I played a lot, but couldn’t break a sweat.  Just looking at the ball used to make me break out in moisture, now I was hardly getting wet.  And I was tiring easy, I just didn’t get it.  Was I old and finished at 21?  And it bothered me until someone explained altitude to me.  I was living at 5500’, and the air was thinner, explained the lack of power on my R90S also, I thought it was getting old.  But then I learned about the lack of humidity, the moisture in the air that permeates Jersey, but doesn’t in desert climates like New Mexico.  How I was used to 80+%, now it was 30% or lower, and would be even lower in the summer.  What a relief to know I was normal, and to find some truth in the fact it wasn’t the heat, it was the humidity.  As for the altitude....it was a brand new type of high for me.

I had nicknamed our friend Tom Yo-Yo, because he was.  I had known another friend back east we called Oy-Oy, Yo-Yo spelled backwards, so the nick name was still unused in our community.  He lived in a retirement community, although at the ripe age of 30 he didn’t qualify.  A good example of money talks, his family was loaded, and this was one of the nicest places to live in Albuquerque.  And it too had a gym, a great indoor pool, and we used it often.  It also had a sauna and hot tub, such are the spoils of the rich.  And I was over the not sweating and being out of breath aspect of my learning curve, so was hitting the weights.  Just some light repititions, but soon I found I was using more weight than ever before.  At first I wondered if there was another new law that when combined with low humidity and high altitude made weights seem lighter, adding some high ignorance for good measure, but none existed I could find.  So one night while the three of us were working out, I commented how I was using more weight, but not getting more results.  Yo-Yo with his know it all smile, sadly he did know a lot, and anyone who knows more than me is smarter than me, laughed at first, just to put me at ill ease.  Then he explained that  this was a senior center, and older men, old men in their fifties and sixties used it, and that the weights were mismarked to cushion their bruised egos.  20 pound weights were really 15, 50 pound bars were really 35, and even the 5 pound dumb bells were only 2 1/2 pounds.  And suddenly I felt worse off than before my humidity lesson, I was working harder, using less weights, and getting less results-actually the results were commensurate with the effort, and I was all messed up. Yo-Yo could have his fake weights, and his sauna, I went riding.  And never looked back.  In one move out west I had conquered altitude, humidity, and mislabeled weights for the elderly and I was tired.  Never before had exercise demanded so much and delivered so little.  Only to be reminded almost 40 years later it wasn’t a humidity, altitude ignorance, or even weight related.  Andrew and I stopped to eat in Winslow, no we didn’t stand on the corner, and we weren’t a fine sight to see.  Two young local Mexican kids were talking, and one asked what “La Fitness” was?  He had seen the sign on a building.  The other, far more worldly answered, “it’s LA Fitness, as in Los Angeles stupid.”  Oh the joys of being young and knowing it all.  The grand illusion of youth...fortunately not wasted on the older.  Proving what Ray and I agreed on, “we may be getting older, but we aren’t getting old.”  And so we both ride.

Religion has taught me that many things are not what they appear to be, religion tops on the list.  I don’t like being called a religious person, I don’t like the connotation of some goody two shoes looking geek out of touch with men, and really out of touch with God.  The base word for religion means bound, and today many are bound to religion. They get caught up in doctrinal and denominational laws, some that aren’t even in the Bible.  They get twisted up in appearance, and wish to look good, or religious.  When deep inside the evil lurks, and is just waiting for the chance to show itself.  Such were the Pharisees, who wore special robes, made loud prayers in public, and would ring a bell to acknowledge their offering.  Not a giving, but a requirement of a tithe, proving to all that since I gave more, I am better.  Except in the eyes of God.  Who looks upon the heart.  And many today still give the outward appearance top billing, and are fooled or lulled into sin.  We find priests who are a poor substitute for Jesus intervening, when we can go to Him ourselves anytime.  We put a huge burden on people to attend church, instead of inviting them to be blessed.  Some thinking that their one hour a week fulfills all obligations to God, and they are off the hook for another week.  Some are commanded to give 10%, but you cannot take an offering, it is a free gift, to be given laughingly, as Jesus instructed.  And the Bible to be read instead of carried only on Sundays, then put on the shelf until next week.  Same time, same church.  And so many get lulled to sleep by religion, thinking they are religious, and then along comes Jesus.  Who came to free us from religion, laws, and the things that bind.  To be the only way, a shortcut to God, and available to all.  Even sinners.  Wow, you let them in church?  Maybe Jesus did hang out with a better class of people after all.

Today many pray, read, attend church, and think they have it made with God.  They met all the requirements of the church they attend, but are missing something, really someone.  Where is Jesus in all this?  Have you let Him into your life, and can you call Him Lord?  Or are you living under the grand illusion that good works are all I need?  So many are like the 15-20 year olds, they know it all.  But don’t know Jesus.  Did you know that the youngest person in Christ is still smarter than the most educated who doesn’t?  That good works are just that, good works.  But it takes Jesus to make it to heaven?  No heat or humidity difference, no mislabeled weights.  It takes the truth, and since Jesus is the truth, without Him you don’t have the way.  No truth, no way, no life.  Your life just like a yo-yo, up and down until you get bored and let the string loose, and the yo-yo dangling.  And put it away in search of another toy....that’s religion.  Not Jesus.

And His offer is free, no membership, and offers 24/7 service.  He is even open on Easter and Christmas.  Is your religion?  Find freedom today in the spirit.  Trust Jesus by getting to know Him.  And watch as you find love, joy, and peace that you didn’t know existed. No illusions, just the truth.  How refreshing.

And for those two guys at La Fitness, I pray they find Jesus before they become Senor Citizens.  Like Yo-Yo’s work out room, I can’t weight for that.  Don’t be an religious oy-oy, Jesus already has it all worked out.  Break the bounds of religion today-His name is Jesus, and He is still the only way.  He knows it all, and I know Him, and He knows me. 

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

 

British sports cars-and the parts falling off of them

I have a soft spot in my head for British sports cars.  It all started with my friend Joe and his Austin Healey Sprite, not the bug-eye model, but the one that MG would clone.  It was light, seemed fast, and we used to put it on his front porch, sideways, as a joke.  It only took about four of us to move by hand, but after the first few times it lost its effect-and Joe lost his temper.  Just before that was Frank’s big Austin Healey 3000, big and fast. Defining the true British sports car, as the top went down, sorry Porsche and others, and it was good for leaving you where you didn’t want to be left.  Why the Brits, where it rains so much romanticized the roadster I don’t know, but top down motoring to me still defines a sports car, as opposed to a sporty car.  I even see minivans with SPORT on them, how far have we really fallen?  But my first fall into grace with British cars was a 1972 MG Midget, a clone of Joe’s Sprite.  Butterscotch in color, it was light, used all 48 horsepower all the time, and was the car I mastered the parking brake u-turn with.  Just pull up the hand brake, the rear wheels would come around, release, downshift, and accelerate.  Not quite that smooth, but that easy-after a while.  And nothing quite is as romantic as top down motoring on a date in the Sandias, until you want privacy, and the top was a 20 minute, maybe get it right without tearing it affair.  Better than a cold shower to cool you and your date off.  And it was also the car that I learned all about being towed from the side of the road.  Seems their dual carb set-up was modern some 100 years ago, but not in the seventies.  Batteries are only used for starting, an alternator is supposed to keep you going, and when it doesn’t the mountains of New Mexico get mighty cold even with the top up in December.  But foreign car parts houses carried them, but who would put it in?  And charge the battery?  For they used a positive ground, just the opposite of the rest of the world.  Hook up the cables wrong-ZAP!  But somehow I always got to where I was going, just not when I needed to.

And it was tough, taking on a large 1972 Ford Galaxie one night, being hit so hard from the rear I ended up in the opposite lane going the other way, on the other side of the intersection.  But months later it was fixed, battery charged, and again I was driving, just waiting for the next British part to fail.  But when working, ahhh-motoring heaven.  Maybe there is some truth to all sports cars must be British.

But the one British sports car intangible that they all shared, from Midget to B model was they all felt like they were going faster than they really were.  With no traffic around you, and an open road, 30 felt like 50, 50 felt like 75, and 70, if the road was long enough and downhill, 75 felt like warp speed.  The illusion of speed was such you never had to go fast to feel like you were going fast.  Which all quickly came to an end once you encountered traffic, and all 1275 cc of British brake horse power reminded you not to race against kids on Schwinns, skateboards, or a VW Beetle with loud exhaust.  But you were coolest with the top down, sitting so low you could touch the ground sticking your arm out the window, and sticking to the road in the curves.  Just as long as all the parts made of the finest British quality decided not to fall off your car.  But for the 35 years of British sports cars sold in the US of A, they were the real thing.  And a short drive on a windy road made you forget all of its faults.  And also provided you stories of riding in tow trucks, and meeting some of the nicest people who stopped to help, or at least who tried.

But by 1980 it was over.  MG had built and imported its last B model.  It was a fun car, again under powered, saddled with those big black bumpers, and no power.  But when it ran, it provided my first son with his first top down motoring experience.  How many 4 year olds cruise in an MGB with the top down?  Triumph, the car company, not the motorcycle manufacturer was out, its shape of things to come, its wedge shape not catching on. The TR6 also long gone.  Austin Healey had died years before, and even TVR, that strange little car had stopped importing.  Leaving only Jaguar to perpetuate the image of not running in rain or after dark, of hard to diagnose running, of stopping and then restarting for no particular reason, and yes, the romance of open air motoring.  Of moonlight rides top down, with you girl by your side, of hearing the exhaust sing while you stuck in the corners, and knowing what no one else who had never experienced a British sports car new, they were the only true sports car.  Just about anything was more reliable, most were faster, most would ride more comfortable, but not one could give you the right feeling, the feeling only an MG or Healey could give.  And the next generation would never know what it had missed....

Now more than one passenger told me to slow down, not because of the speed I was travelling, but because of the perceived speed.  Plus stopping at a light looking directly into the front tire of a Camaro could be intimidating.  You were low and slow, but felt fast.  The wind in your hair only exacerbating the experience.  Today we have forgotten many things felt like, tasted like, or really were.  We have come to the point as a society that perception is the new reality, if you feel it, it must be true.  Yet our feelings let us down, how many have fallen in love, then out, then in again, vowing that this is the one?  How many have walked with God until a crisis hits, then walked away.  Based on their experience, God didn’t do as He said He would.  So they try something else to meet the emotional fix.  Some find it in drugs or alcohol, some in sex, some in the love of money, and yes some find it in cars and motorcycles.  But the perception of happiness, only lasts until the drugs wear off, until it has ruined your marriage, or you have lost your job.  The perception of joy, the emotion, not the condition, is fleeting.  One day you love the Chargers, they won a game, the next week they are bums again after losing.  Highs and lows of emotion, turning us into emotional retards.  Stuck on the side of life like my old MG’s.  At least it was fun while it lasted.

Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes many things about a life of things apart from God.  He tells us that rich men never have enough money, and don’t sleep at night worrying about it.  That even though he had a thousand wives and concubines, he was never happy.  Relationships were more than sex.  He built parks, statues, and memorials to himself.  But never did the people love him any more.  He built cities, gave to the poor, but found that without a relationship with God, his life was empty.  Things were just that-things.  Only in Jesus will you ever be satisfied.  Only when He becomes the main thing, will things not rule your life.  The things which are seen are temporal, and often leave you wanting more, like a ride home.  Jesus is that ride.  They strain your emotions, distorting your perceptions, until the truth comes into your life.  And although many times I may have forgiven the Midget for not starting, when it did, all was forgotten, until the next time.  Jesus forgives every time...so you can forgive others and never forget Him.  And sometimes like top down motoring, you cannot put the feelings into words, for they are too deep, it takes the spirit to visit with you.  But unlike things, British and other, only Jesus saves.  Are you saved?  What you worship, will it get you to heaven?  Only Jesus will, and for more than just a short generation.

Jesus offers you hope today.  The joy you cannot find anywhere else is available only from Him.  He has what you need when you need it, and life with Him is great at any speed.  100 will really feel like 100, and you can be sure of the truth, not what your feelings tell you.  Remember John telling us how the heart can be evil and deceptive, why not give yours to Jesus today and end the battle of emotional pain?  Of things missing in your life?  Put the top down, breathe in the air of the spirit, and know the joy of Jesus in your life.  All in a life meant just for you, maybe why a true sports car has only two seats, and the top must go down.  It’s that personal. Just you and Jesus.  Pull a hand brake u-turn today, accept Christ.  Head out for the driving experience of your life.  Follow Him wherever the road leads, knowing He will never go out of style.  Leave the perception of happy to others, you have joy.  Unspeakable, and full of glory.  What you drive and who you drive with will tell us more than many words about your God.  I like mine top down, enjoying the road He takes me down.  I can hear the motor singing, and my God with me always.  For there is nothing more satisfying than a British sports car except for Jesus.  Interesting, how the same people that brought us the Kings James Version of the Bible also built the best sports cars.  I wonder what King Solomon would be driving today?

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

no glory in the story of Lori and Cory

Late night for me means after 9pm, and after surfing through Direct TV for the third time and finding nothing on I wanted to watch, we settled on House Hunters, I heard them mention Hollywood, so I got curious.  It seems this couple from Wisconsin wanted a summer home in Hollywood, near the beach in Malibu.  Lorie and Cory...what as story.  I guess on the map it is only a few inches away, not the hour drive in heavy traffic that is reality.  But they had $600,000 to spend-you can buy farms for less back home, and were looking.  The first two places were dumps, I mean people really dumped their trash there when moving on.  Homeless people live better.  The third was in the hills by Malibu, not close enough to the beaches of Hollywood, and looked like a hippie shack from the sixties.  They finally settled on a place listed for $500,000, 800 square foot of 1920’s bad memories.  But it had a great view.  That they finally bought for $636,000-I thought you negotiated down!  Above their original budget, and the bleeding of money began.  Remember Green Acres, this place was worse, and soon the Haney’s were lining up to get all the Wisconsin dollars they could.  And more from loans in California.  Mr. Haney could have retired....by the way didn’t he after the Douglases? 

The house was sold by a broker/architect, and it should have been torn down, but instead was renovated.  And doing this from 2500 miles away is never a good thing.  So of course they continued on their bad decision tour by enlisting a contractor, who did what they asked, but not what could have been done.  And many things had to be redone, or done over, or added, just to function.  Don’t people get their new homes inspected before they buy?  Don’t the inspectors inspect and report?  And when they do , do you listen?  Cory and Lori are learning fast, at the speed of their bank balance.  And finally when deciding to add a second bathroom to this 800 square foot house, think of the size of two two car garages, or four parking places-it is small, so they hired an interior decorator.  “Gee Mr. Douglas, you sure have nice place here...” as the funds dispersal goes into overdrive.  And her opening line was “you should have called me sooner,” as she and the contractor debate-contractors always choose the easy way, just not what you wanted or thought you were getting.  And the “let me help you spend your money” syndrome was full on.

Now according to the show, Lori and Cory traveled to Hollywood at least six times by plane-not cheap.  By today’s estimates at lest $656 per person, plus rental of the convertible, it is LA, and dining out.  What’s in your wallet was emptying fast.  One time bringing her father to see, and the same lies he was told about Hollywood he believed.  His first question from their balcony, “which way is the ocean?  I don’t see it.”  Only 20 miles away, on the other side of the hills.  Who was a wood worker, and built them a custom mantel, which Cory damaged when they tried to install it themselves, trying to save few bucks.  Must make a father proud.  And the $90k renovation ended up costing over $110k, welcome to LA!  And finally one last trip to Hollywood from Madison, driving this time pulling a trailer, bringing furniture and other goods, had to cost at least as much as a flight.  Figure in time away from work, and this wreck of a listing for $500,000 ended up costing over $800,000!  And still no beach in Hollywood!  Or place to park their cars!  But the architect, interior designer, and contractor all lived happily ever after.  While the story of Cory and Lori looked sorry, with no glory.  That’s history!  Do I see a remake of Green Acres?  Let’s call it “Invasion of the Wallet Snatchers,” or “Lost Horizons” based on the song Hotel California, you can check out any time you want, but you can never leave!  Now where is the ocean in Hollywood?  One good earthquake away?

Now you can either be the view or have the view.  When we lived at Vallecito Lake in Colorado we had both.  Here is Cali it is different.  And you pay for what you get, maybe not what you want.  Since the recession n 2008, I have applied to the county for a reevaluation of my property for taxes.  And as my house lost 50% of its value, the taxes went down, just not 50%.  And the last year, they stayed the same.  The reason was “my house showed well from the street.”  So I am paying more for my neighbors to have a better house to look at?  Maybe they should help in the cost.....maybe I was just getting a compliment and the tax was a way of saying thanks.  I have yet to hear “you’re welcome.” 

Lori and Cory built a home, without a full considering of the cost.  What they wanted and what they got, and what they paid were two different things.  First a house by the beach in Hollywood, didn’t the realtor advise them?  Or were they so set on Hollywood?  They set a budget, but exceed it by almost 60%, is that wise?  For a part time summer home?  LA gets hot in the summer, why not in the winter?  Even the Mamas and the Papas told us “I’d be safe in warm if I was in LA..” were they just California Dreamin’?  I am reminded of a scripture or two, given to me early in my Christian walk.  Proverbs 16:3, “commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be well established.”  Works in other areas too.  Luke 14:8 asks us who would build a hose without first considering the cost?  To see if they have enough to finish it?  And finally another of many scriptures about planning, “don’t say you will go somewhere and do something, for today has enough problems of its own.”  Yet we fail to plan, and and when we do never plan of failing.  Do we trust God enough to say “thy will be done,” or do we rush off because we have a credit line, cash on hand, and a desire, often a lust for a car, house, motorcycle, or whatever?  Do we count the cost?  Or do we just call on God to sweep up after we fail?  Guilty on all....can I hear an amen?

When Jesus went to the cross, He knew the cost.  In the garden, He even begged His Father if there is any other way...but He knew there wasn’t.  He knew He was the way, and so He went to the cross voluntarily.  He knew His Father’s plans for Him, and what they meant for us.  Do we?  Have we ever considered the price Jesus paid?  Or do we think He had an endless credit limit from heaven?  Some of us live like we think we do, but when the bill comes we are short.  Sin has eroded our riches, they have turned to dust.  And the grocery store isn’t interested in your FICO score, only can you pay the bill now!  When we came to Christ did we consider the cost, what it would cost us?  Or are we standing in line, hoping for a rich uncle to bail us out?  When really we have a loving Father who is there, to see we don’t get into a situation to be bailed out of, and is there when we need Him.  If only Lori and Cory had asked God first, but $800,000 later they have their $500,000 home in Hollywood, not by the beach.

To them it was the destination, but the ride should have been a warning.  We can have both in Christ, but we need to follow, not lead from behind.  Trust the Lord, ask Him his plans for you, and go about them.  If they are His plans, yours should be well established.  You won’t need an architect, decorator, or contractor, or a banker, or a therapist either.  You will have a wonderful counselor who knows the future, and gives you the desires of your heart.  For unlike real estate where you didn’t pay too much, you just bought too soon, with Jesus the price is paid, at the right time.  Your place in heaven guaranteed.  Consider the cost today before you act.  Ask God for guidance, then take it.  Just over that hill may lie the ocean of your dreams....just not visible from where you are.  But through God’s eyes we can see everything.  Take the decorator’s advice when starting a project, call God first.  Know the cost.  But of course you knew all this anyway....must make your Father proud.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

why we pray-it is more than a failure to communicate

Every night at the same time the phone rings, and it is the same person.  They go on to tell you what a lousy day they had, how they don’t like their job, and all the things they need.  They ask for help, guidance, and maybe even direction, but just as you begin to answer, they have ben doing all the talking, they have to go.  They are tired, their favorite show is coming on, and they hang up, after telling you they will call later.  And then tomorrow comes and the same process takes place.  Night after night, you can tell by the time who it is, and never do get to answer.  Or even talk.  Sound familiar?  This is what most people’s prayer life is like,  we beg, cry, and ask God for advice, but just when He is going to give us the answer, we hang up.  We leave, never having a dialogue, only a monologue, which really is not a conversation at all.  But yet God is patient, and is there time after time, just waiting to answer, or to talk to you, but we don’t listen.  If a person did this to you, you would get upset with them, fortunately God doesn’t get upset with us.  But still wants to get a word in edgewise every once in a while. The bottom line is we don’t listen..even in real life, to real people.  yet God ahs created us with some divine characteristics.  One is we have twice as many ears as we do mouths.  Maybe so we can listen twice as much.  But yet the mouth overrules.  Second, hearing is the last thing to go.  I have prayed over people in comas, only to have them respond, one girl in particular Dick and I visited.  She was in a coma, yet when we joked with her, while I held her hand, you could see the heart monitor skip as the spirit in her laughed.  And she woke up then, laughing and wanting water for her parched throat.  And there are others.  Thirdly, you can control your mouth, but not your hearing.  Try not to listen-it doesn’t work, but you can shut up.  A manifestation of self control, your choice to speak or not.  But the hearing goes on.  Fourth-it is a conversation, not a monologue.  Imagine a phone call where you speak for 3 minutes, then it is the other person’s turn for 3 minutes.  Try that one on your spouse...yes dear is not the proper response.   Can you hear me now?

We also have this false impression that God is waiting to hear from us about problems, so He can act.  When I was sick and life flighted, it happened so quick I couldn’t pray.  I had gone into a coma.  Yet god had everything under control, and had the situation well in hand.   Isaiah 65:24 tells us that even before we pray, He has begun to answer.  So why do we have prayer chains?  Why do we desire to have so many praying for us?  Is there one critical voice to be heard by God and then He acts, or when we come up short does He fail to answer.  If only one other one prayed, we were only a few prayers short of an answer.  But again God has everything under control.  And when I had literally millions praying for me, I asked God why so many?  And His answer was simple, and made sense.  So that those who did pray could see the glory He was working.  It was for His benefit for glory, and for us to be blessed and witness the miracle.  And like I told Lucia who came out to help, God had you there for your benefit too, to see His glory and boost your faith.  To testify like John did of the things He had witnessed.  No one can ever deny you of what you have seen, although they may not believe it themselves.  She saw it firsthand, and to all who prayed, may God’s blessings be upon you.  For the more you pray for, the more answers you will get, and the more of God’s glory you will see.  We call them blessings, and God hands them out freely....but you must listen for the answer.  Sometimes it is yes, and we think how smart God is, He agreed with us.  Sometimes it is no, and we wonder, did God hear us?  Did He understand, because we obviously told Him what we needed.  gain we don’t listen.  In my life every time I was told NO, it was because a better yes was coming.  But what when He says wait?  For what?  How long?  That’s when we have to trust Him, for we don’t know what is going on in the heavenlies.  Job is a good example of that, and look how he ended up being blessed.  Are you that patient?  I wish I was.

And yet sometimes we wrestle with God like Jacob did.  We get tired and let go, give up, hang up, or rephrase our request.  But god hangs onto us, His really wrestling with us to get our attention.  So He can bless us.  So although it appeared Jacob was wrestling with God, God was really wrestling with Jacob.  A new way to envision how He will never leave you nor forsake you.  How He stands closer than a brother.  And how He never gives up, never gives in.  It is us who  need to change, not Jesus. 

But the final component is obeying, doing what God says.  And experience has taught me the harder the answer, the bigger the blessing.  And that if God says it, it is done.  Finished, like Jesus said.  And we should obey out of trust, rather than obedience.  When God says jump into the pool, He is there to catch us.  He is that honorable, are we with Him? So if you aren’t hearing from God, maybe what we have here is a failure to communicate.  God has never stopped talking, His word doesn’t tell us He who has a mouth let him speak, but it does say “He who has an ear, let him hear.”  And God’s answers are always right and for our benefit.  Maybe we ask incorrectly.  Paper or plastic?  When He has a better way altogether.  Red or green chili?  Maybe the answer is Christmas-both red and green.  Or none at all.  Don’t give Him a choice, don’t limit God.

Tonight when you lay down to sleep, and after asking the Lord you soul to keep, lay still and listen.  He is speaking in your language, a still, small voice.  “Be still, and know that I am God,” He says, not “be still and no that I am god, we say.”  What a difference correct punctuation makes.  So add some exclamation marks to your prayer life by listening.  And may he words of your mouth be pleasing to God.  You will only know when you hear His voice.  And only His sheep will and obey.  And that is why we pray, and maybe some insight to a closer relationship with God.  Jesus did all His Father told Him to do, He heard His dad’s voice.  Can I hear an ABBA Father to that?  So drift off tonight in prayer, listening and wake up amazed.  Good morning Lord, instead of good Lord it’s morning.  Listen to what the spirit has to say and be blessed.  And you can tell Him you heard it here.  Sure beats being the jawbone of an ass-another story for another time.  And never stop praying for me, and I will honor God by doing the same.  Amen?  Amen.

love with compassion,

Mike

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