restoration 101

In real estate they tell you that you didn’t spend too much, you just bought too soon.  Maybe the same can be said about collector cars too.  Although I don’t see many who want to buy a house they remember from high school and restore it.  Or buy an older house just because it reminds them of some childhood memories.  Maybe some of you extra affluent can and do, but for most of us we don’t want what our parents had, we want something better.  Newer.  More modern.  Bigger with a bigger payment.  We need to impress them...maybe they did pay too much after all.  But with collector cars we want what we couldn’t have, but dreamed of owning some day.  And for many that was hot rods, a generation before me, where more power came from a flat head Ford, with dual Smitty’s.  But for me in high school, it was ‘69 SS396’s, Boss Mustangs, 4-4-2’s, and GTO’s.  Muscle cars, and headers, chrome valve covers, and tie down hoods showed you were cool.  But many hot rods were still around, with many a good, old car giving up it original heritage to become one.  And 10-15 years ago they were more expensive to build than to restore to original.  Just the opposite is true today, where originality, and cars not restored, but maintained original are suddenly in, and bringing big bucks.  And in addition to that, you can buy all the parts to build a brand new 1957 Chevy, or a 1965 Mustang.  Title it as a 2014, but it is a 1957/1965.  Or is it?  Confused, don’t be.  But wait, there’s more.  How many Shelby Cobra after market kit cars are there?  Where an original is easily worth 6 figures, for less than the price of a Chevy you can have a real Cobra, says so right on the title.  But is it, or does the title just say it’s so?  So suddenly cars that are original, no restorations done, are now the benchmark for what the car was originally.  Hot rodders back off, restofied Tempests made into GTO’s wait over there.  Real Cobra’s be patient, for you have the real thing.  No matter what the title says, you have the VIN, the history, and buying power to back up your dreams.  But for the rest of us, well.....

When you become a Christian, Jesus tells us you are a new creature in Christ, behold the old has passed away, and you are a new creature.  All new, same VIN, same name, but new insides.  Yet many still glorify their old days, the BC days, looking back fondly on the sin Jesus saved them from.  Others still live the same life, but prefer to give an outward appearance on Sundays, even knowing all the current buzz words to show they are saved.  And then there are others that are radically saved, and you can see that Jesus made a difference in their lives.  They talk different, act different, and their priorities have changed.  But for all of us, we continue to work it out daily.  When I first got saved, I wasn’t sure what had happened, I looked at things differently.  So I told God I would give Him a try, pretty nice of me, huh? I told Him He could have my life, whatever that meant, but I was still going to do drugs and sleep around.  His answer to me still surprises the church types, He said “OK.”  But a change was going on inside, where I didn’t want to do those things any longer, and my heart was changing.  Now I wanted to please God, so no matter how drunk, or wasted, I made it a point to read  a chapter from the Bible before I fell asleep, or passed out.  Not knowing the work Jesus was doing inside of me, and how I couldn’t change myself.  Soon my old friends saw the change, and didn’t feel comfortable doing drugs with a Christian, imagine how I felt?  And God had given me a much better thing-hope.  And I didn’t need them any more.  I have been there, and don’t want to go back.  Yes I had some good times, passing out and losing my license was way too much fun, but while building my testimony missed out on many blessings.  Somehow God loved me just as I was, and was excited to see me using all my potential.  I had been radically changed...and never want to go back.  Some may call me restored, but remember we are all born into sin, and fall short of the glory of God.  I wish to look ahead, but still look back sometimes.  And wonder how I ever made it, but for the grace of God, I would not have.Jesus tells us that today is the day of salvation, maybe for you.  You too can be that new creature in Christ.  At just the right time Jesus died for us, while we were yet sinners.  Not too early, not too late.  Just right.  He never hurried, and was never late.  So I look back now, and see His timing was perfect.  I am like a hot rod, new parts, more power, and a custom design made in the image of God.  My name may still be where the VIN is on the title, but the new owner says Jesus Christ.  A 1954 model made new in 1975, and customized every year since.  New parts, better than the factory, and with a better warranty.  A restoration 101 of life, only in Christ.  And I can stand before God and know I am the original, not one built from NOS parts, or new parts under license.  Only one Mike, and too many that is a blessing. I can hear your AMEN’s!

Trade in your old sin for a new life today.  Be the hot rod, muscle car, or motorcycle you dreamt of, but couldn’t afford.  You cannot afford to say no to Jesus any more.  Today is that day of salvation, and God stands ready with a new build sheet and the accessory of grace for you.  Jesus is the only  and the original.  None other like Him before or after.  He is the real thing.  Pass up all other offers, and cash in with Him today.  And if you already have, you didn’t buy too soon, and you could never spend enough.  Aren’t you glad that salvation is a free gift?  Now about that house, seems there is this mansion in heaven promised, I wonder how many garages mine will have?  As for the rest of you....why don’t you just give Jesus a try?  I did, and never looked back.  A vintage 1954, made new again in 1975.  I wonder, does that make me a classic?

love with compassion,

Mike

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