We are getting a glimpse of the good old days in the horsepower wars. Ford
vs. Chevy. vs. Dodge. With Plymouth, Mercury, and Pontiac, and others missing.
But these three more than satisfy even the most hard core horsepower junkie, at
least on paper. But who drives on paper? The answer may surprise you. If you
are rich enough to afford the payments on a $70,000+ plus car, you can have a
Mustang Shelby GT500, a Camaro ZL1, or a Dodge Hellcat. With only the Camaro
offering in with only 650 horsepower, the others over 700! Maybe the good old
days are here again, but if the car is able, are we? Are the roads? Is your
insurance company? Who is man enough to handle all the power to the
ground?
Sadly much of 1/4 mile testing is done on the dyno rather than the track,
so you techies get a car developed by CAD, produced by CAN, and tested on the
computer. But no one I know drives there, so real life track testing tells the
real story. Some brag on horsepower, some on sales, some on price, but the real
winner is who can navigate the course in the fastest time. And arrive at the
finish. A fast guy can make a slow car quicker, but also a slow guy can
emasculate a quicker car. While some quote specs, and some race for
championships, true competitors go for the win every time. One race, one mile,
one quarter mile at a time. It comes down to the person behind the wheel at any
given moment to either be the true performance champion, or just another poser.
And like in life, it also tells about the size of the person behind the wheel,
the one making the decisions and impacting the outcome. Key decisions that can
spell victory, or cause defeat. Not all competition goes on only on the
track...
How many of us when we pray really expect the answer we get from Jesus? Do
we give him an either or request, spell it out for him, or just tell him the
problem and wait for an answer? When asked about taxes, Jesus who owned no
property, asked for a coin and had to borrow one. Reaching into a fish he
withdrew the coin from its mouth and asked “whose face is on it?” When they
replied “Caesar’s,” he simply said “give unto Caesar the things of Caesar, and
to God what is God’s.” Maybe the truest example of separation of church and
state, as when we come to Christ we belong to him. We were bought and paid for
with a price, we have given our lives to God and we are his. Now given that you
say you believe that, how do we handle the problems of life? Do we realize how
limited human authority is in scope and duration, or do we immediately look at
God the same way, limited as a man? Do you know that God has ordained
government on earth? That he is the only true independent, not choosing
political sides? That even though we may not care for the politics, that God
has let the ones in charge be in charge? If only for a short time...remember
Israel had poor kings also, Nero was Emperor when Peter wrote “submit yourself
to the government for the Lord’s sake.” He who lit Christians on fire for
street lights, and used them for entertainment in the arena unto death.
Fortunately he only had limited power over the hearts and souls of men. He
could not dictate to their spirit. Even today as Christians around the world are
persecuted, the world cannot legislate who we worship, who governs our
conscience, and it cannot make us love. The one thing Jesus told us there was
no law against, love, now is coming under fire. True we must and do give the
things of man unto man, but do we make the same effort with God? The spirit
that controls your decisions is found in those decisions. That ought to scare a
few of us....have we really given over of ourselves to Jesus? Do we acknowledge
his spirit in our lives? Do we prove scripture by the things of God following
us who believe, or are we just another poser, religious person? Is the pew you
sit in really the smell of death?
Do we truly give over the things of the spirit to God, or do we limit him
as we have as little faith in him as we do man? Jesus is telling us the
ultimate issues belong to God, not to people, for we are limited in our scope.
But he is everlasting, all knowing, always present, and operates outside of
time, in love, so that all things work together for those who are called his
own. It takes more than a Jesus sticker to tell the world you are a Christian,
do your actions portray Jesus only adding words when necessary?
Just like horsepower reminds us of the good old days, Jesus reminds us of
the good old days when he walked on earth, and of the good todays when his
spirit is here to walk with us. Don’t be like so many owners of these muscle
cars who buy them and store them for investment, remember they were created to
drive and thrill, to provide excitement and give a thrill. Life not thrilling
enough, maybe you need to invest in Jesus, and live life as he intended it. Not
by putting him on a shelf, not by a Sunday only appearance, and not by only
studying the word. For horsepower, like the gospel only works when it is alive
and being used. It was only after Jesus’ crucifixion and his spirit dwelt
within them his power was revealed through him. Don’t keep your love on the
shelf, get out and live a fruitful exciting Christian life. If only a quarter
mile at a time.....the written word is powerful on paper, but it only reveals
its true strength when applied to life. Just how much power is enough? Jesus is
adequate in all things. Who you are given over to will show at podium
time.....why wait until the end to enjoy the victory?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com