taken in by a pretty face

Buying a used, I mean pre-owned car used to be a gamble, but now with reporting agencies like CARFAX, you can get a warm and fuzzy feeling that your new used car is reasonably safe and worth the money.  You know its history, and feel better driving off the lot with it firm in hand.  But one fallacy of such reports are they are just that, reports.  They are telling you what someone has told them, and when was the last time you ever admitted all the faults your car you had for sale or trade in?  But dealers have a much better source, that can give you a better piece of mind for your purchase.  At Mercedes Benz we called it a VMI, Vehicle Master Inquiry, and it was a history of the car, including build sheet info, and all warranty work ever performed.  You had true factory info, for anything done under warranty had been reported, believe me no dealer was going to do any work for free.  It showed build date, all options, and any work done from the time it was received at the port.  It was surprising how many things were damaged and repaired before your used car was shipped to the dealer and put up for sale.  And how many things may have been repaired because your car sat so long before it had its first buyer, repairing lot rot.  All here for the service department to access, not the customer.  And it was a game changer more than once when a customer had been taken in by a pretty face thinking he got a great deal.

When cars are damaged during floods, tornados, or other storms, it is noted and the warranty can be voided.  I can remember some sharp buyer coming in with a new E320, bought in Vegas for cheap, new he thought, and needing some warranty work.  When checking the VMI we found it had been in a flood, and had no warranty.  When the customer threatened to sue, I opened up the trunk and showed him the water line, where the flood had crested.  Which helped explain his complaint of the AC smelling moldy, and some electrical problems.  Taken in by a pretty face, and greed getting the best of him, he had bought a car from a flood, with no warranty, and that we would only try to repair with a $2000 up front deposit.  And we were the bad guys....

Another man came in bragging about the great deal he got on a V-12 S Class.  Bought online, he had checked the CARFAX, no accidents reported, so he bought it sight unseen, and had it trucked to him.  Expecting to drive it and show it off, its first ride was to the dealer on another flat bed because it wouldn’t start.  Again the VMI showed no warranty, even though it had very few miles and was the current year.  It had been a buy back, had no warranty, and its history showed electrical problems.  Mercedes Benz had invested thousands in warranty repairs, the car still wouldn’t run as designed, so they had to buy it back.  And this poor guy had just bought a $100k lemon, less than a year old with no warranty.  He should have kept his Toyota.  Oh what a feeling!  So floods, buy backs, rodent damage, stupidity, and other non-warranted items brought many a new owner nothing but distress.  And heartache.  Only the factory knows the real story, only the one who created the product knows its true history.  We are still in a buyer beware market, and if he deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  And not necessarily on CARFAX.

When shopping for God, we all make useless stops along the way.  Some get caught up in cults, who take them in when religion won’t.  Some seek drugs as a release, only to find ruin and despair.  Some try to buy their way into heaven, working hard doing good and seeking recognition.  Some just go to church, while others have a positive mental attitude.  Some save the whales why aborting babies.  Some fall for a feel good theology, based on taking scripture out of context.  Some just believe the lie because of convenience.  But we all seek God, he has put a hole in our hearts that only he can see, and only he can fill, so we seek, many times not knowing it is God we are seeking.  Our seeking is for us to be better, not to worship, but to be worshipped.  And many today in and outside of the church go on book tours telling their way, watching the unsuspecting fall prey to their stories.  They are like the used car, no one really checks into their past, they just hear what they want to hear, and leave filled up, but soon are hungry again.  They want tangible proof, if they can see it, touch it, or feel it, they buy into it.  And then along comes Jesus, and when the truth that can set them free confronts them, they deny his truth.  Free salvation....sounds too good.  Forgiveness, you don’t know what I have done.  Besides we all know someone who was taken in by some evangelist, not me.  And so they seek, and do not find the only one who can set them free.  Whose VMI is truth.  Who was perfect, and proves it.  He who was without sin that became sin for us seems too good to be true.  So they buy into religion, or some other lie, and on the day of judgment find they have no warranty.  “But I joined the church.  I went to Israel.  I served on the church board.  I rebuked devils, fed the poor, and even had a Jesus sticker on my car.”  And yet we find Jesus talking to those in Matthew 25 telling them to “be gone, for I never knew you.”   “But God” they will argue.  In vain.  They are like the great deal someone thought they got, taken in by a pretty face of promises, never knowing what was under the hood.  Never checking out the truth only found in scripture.  They were deceived, and lost all the time.  Of course this cold never happen to you....And no CARFAX of their lives can stand up to the scrutiny of a loving God.  Who sent his son so we can be reunited with him.  And our names written in the book of life...with all sin not recorded, as if it never existed.  Forgiven, and only through Jesus is this available. 

Is your name recorded in the book of life?  It can only be found there when written by the hand of God.  “I think so, I once went forward at a Billy Graham Crusade,” if any doubt, turn to Jesus today.  Confess your sins, you can only repent when you finally see them as sin, and turn to Christ.  God will change you from the inside out, not just put a Tijuana tune up on you.  Your countenance will change because the holy spirit lives in you, and even your harshest critics will see a difference. You get a life time warranty with Jesus, but no papers, as he writes it on your heart so you always have him with you to be reminded.  No club, cult, fraternity, social club, or church can offer you that.  Only Jesus.  And while there, check out his VMI.  It is pages long, and found in chapter and verse.  We call it the Bible, and it tells all about him from the beginning into eternity.  With much more to learn as your relationship with him grows.  John even wrote that if all the stories about him were written, no library could hold them.  And you can be part of that library!  Starting right now! 

So like buying a used car, do not be taken in by a pretty face or false tales when seeking God either.  Go for the truth, Jesus.  As fresh and new as he was in the beginning, and is today, and will be forever.  Let his love cover all your sin, let him forgive you, so you can forgive yourself and others.  And when you stand before God some day as we all will, your VMI will be clean.  Perfect.  And your entry into heaven will be worth the wait.  But only in Jesus....the only true God, the creator of you, who knows what you need when you need it.  With factory parts, and no appointment needed.  Now what will it take to put you together with this man?  Only about 2000 years old, some scars....Jesus Christ, a lot more than just a pretty face.  And an empty grave to prove it.  Inquire at the master today.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com 

Dependence Day

Independence Day has been popularly known as The 4th of July, the date it always falls on.  By definition that is correct, but how many Independence Day sales do you see?  To me I see mostly the 4th, and it is probably entered into our lexicon as such.  What are your plans for the 4th?  But July 4th was the day the 13 colonies, not yet the US of A signed the Declaration of Independence, maybe it should be Declaration Day.  A day when men of vision and courage declared their independence from Britain, the land that later would bring us Norton’s BSA’s, and Triumphs.  Also MG’s, Jaguars, and Land Rovers.  But it was not the motor trade they wanted to be set free from, that was some 150 years to come, but tyranny under a King some 3 time zones away, who had never set ground on this new land, yet imposed power over them.  And in doing so they declared that all men were created equal, acknowledging their was a creator.  And that they would be free to pursue happiness without laws to hinder them.  They were true rebels in a strange land, traitors to the Crown, and stood to lose everything they had worked for.  John Hancock even signing so large the king could see his signature without his bifocals.  They were brave, driven, and had a sense of purpose few have had, or ever would have.  They had vision.  They risked all, but had all to gain.  And we stand today in awe of them, and thankful.

But to most it is only the 4th, a 3 day weekend, or an extra day off.  Maybe that is why I like the Hollister Independence Day Rally, which coincides with the 4th, but is based on freedom rather than the date.  And truly only those who ride, who get it enjoy true freedom.  The wind in our faces, no doors and windshields to hide behind, and no climate controlled environment.  Get cold, put on a jacket.  Get warm again, take it off.  But we have the freedom to choose, and only in freedom do you have that freedom to choose.  Two wheels or four.  Right or wrong, you either reap the rewards, or pay the penalty.  And although there may be outside influences, we still get to choose in the US of A today. 

But we find another independence day when we come to Christ.  We are set free from our sin, we find liberty in his love, in the spirit.  But Jesus Christ also demands a decision, and his love is not forced on anyone.  We can choose him and choose life, or deny him and choose death.  True love demands a choice, and those who have chosen Christ know that. But when we come to him, we also run into the dichotomy of dependence.  Free to choose and set free, but free to choose and also be dependent on him.  And without the spirit’s guiding it can be confusing.  A few years back at a biker rally a young girl came up and saw my Christian shirt.  She wanted to know where I went to church and what they believed.  She was looking, but not prepared for my answer.  She had gotten church rhetoric, I offered her a choice.  I told her what I believed, or rather who I believed in.  I told her “I can drink, do drugs, chase women, and cheat on my wife if I like.  But I choose not to, because I found freedom in Jesus Christ, who guides me by his love via his spirit.  Religion has rules, I have Jesus, and there is a difference.”  Her answer was “I want to go to a church like that.”  Freedom of choice, to follow or to lead, and I choose to follow.  Because Jesus is the great shepherd, and I need to be led.  I easily can go astray, without Jesus it is a given, but in Christ when spirit led, I am guided, and able to make a better choices.  And forgiven when I fail.

Psalm 23, the official Psalm of funerals everywhere, should be read and lived long before death.  Because it truly offers life in Christ.  “I shall not want...” says David, and we want a lot.  But in it we are offered two choices, follow Jesus and don’t want, follow myself and want.  And the evidence is obvious, if in want you are not following Jesus.  Follow your career and want, not following Christ.  If education is our answer, we are disillusioned and lost.  If we worship our rides, we are wondering rather than wandering, hopelessly seeking direction.  If another person is our shepherd, we lose direction and get disappointed.  Drugs and alcohol, wasted.  Lust for what we don’t have, we are chasing our tails, like a little kitten, who finally falls over exhausted.  Like chasing your shadow, you can come close, but it will always avoid you. 

But to follow Christ we must be dependent on him, we need to have a Dependence Day in him, when we realize we are like sheep, the dumbest animals on earth, and we cannot make it alone.  We need a savior, and also a master to guide us, to provide for us.  To never leave us or forsake us.  To never take a 3 day weekend when we need him.  We need to be humble in Christ before we become humiliated in the world, we must admit we need a shepherd to lead us, or we will go astray.  And when I admit that Jesus is my savior, I find the truth in David’s words, “I shall not want.”

Babies cry because they want, they just don’t know what.  Or is it us who cannot understand the whining and crying?  Before the world sticks a bottle in your mouth to shut you up, come to Jesus.  You will find like I do I really don’t know what I need, yet everyone will give me advice.  I don’t need opinions, I need truth, and Jesus is truth.  A shepherd’s job is to protect his flock, who is shepherding you?

So celebrate your independence in Christ by becoming dependent on him.  Celebrate Dependence by realizing you are a sheep that has gone astray, and all your talents, good looks, money and connections will not make it for you.  You need the Great Shepherd, who you can know by name.  For like sheep we have all gone astray...and it is our choice.  Find freedom in Christ, not more rules like in religion.  Be who you are molded in him, not molded or bound by legalistic rhetoric.  When you become dependent on Jesus, and are free from want, you experience a true independence no contract or agreement can offer.  The signers of the D of I offered us this freedom 200+ years ago, Jesus offered true freedom, and independence through dependence 2000 years ago.  Let me choose, and I choose to be free from want.  All I want is Jesus.  Now that’s freedom.  And you believe....you know you could still be riding on the wrong side of the road.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

well, isn't that special...

Come to think of it, we all like to think we are special.  And marketers know how easily swayed we are by that simple buzz word.  As long ago as being a kid, reading MAD magazine, they suckered me a few extra times per year with specials.  Nothing new, just some old articles repackaged, they even admitted to it in their satirical way.  But today those specials are worth more to collectors.  Which brings up the next buzz word, collectible.  When my sons were growing up, comics were the rage, and special editions, that word again would be coupled with collectible, and they bought them.  Some never read, put in plastic slip cases, and many an argument ensued over why they paid more for them.  Limited editions,“they only printed 5 million...” and today they are still worth the same, mostly, the companies collecting big on our lust to buy them.  Harley Davidson, that marketing genius who builds motorcycles on the side, made every 2003 a “100th Anniversary Edition,” only coming in two colors.  And with over 200,000 of them,people paid big prices to say they had one.  Same product as last year....and the next.  The Motor Company again did it in 2013, but with all colors, you just paid more for the badge.  The Mustang turns 50 this year, more special editions, and 50 years form now you will look smart for paying extra and buying one.  I’ll be over 100 by then, isn’t that special?

Limited Editions are also a tag used to draw us in.  Limit the production to a certain number, and make it sound important.  “1 of 10,000,000” and someone will step up and pay for it.  And like in collector cars, limited production, usually read no initial demand, sparks higher prices at auction.  Pace Car Editions adorned with lettering will bring more money, usually with a few miles because few wanted to drive around looking like a fool.  “Hey honey, look at the fool in that cool car.  Too bad it has all the writing on it..” giggling.  Add a dash badge or two, number the product, 1 of... and someone will pay more.  And then there are the Special Edition celebrity models.  Add Shelby to a loser car, add stripes, his signature on the dash and you have a best seller.  Just about any famous race team will add money to the asking price, NIckey, Yenko, or Tacsa, yet Chrysler bombed a few years ago with a Sinatra Edition.  Soon to be collectible, few in numbers, see above.  Signed copies of books, baseball cards, programs, and comics all advertise increased value.  At least until you try to sell one in my case.  Original is another over used ad word, things are only original once.  How many car ads have you seen with “100% original except for paint, interior, motor, and top.”  At least they may have used original replacement parts. And so we live in a buyer beware world, our reach exceeding our grasp, repeating the mantra “you didn’t pay too much, you just bought too soon,” when we confront our wives with our latest investment.  At least until the next special deal comes along...and we are reminded “well isn’t that special...”  It must be true, I saw it on TV.

I think we have all been a victim, or proposed victim of this strategy.  Nothing new, as Jesus dealt with this type 2000 years ago.  The moneychangers he called them, and he chased them out, not for selling the goods, but for using his name and his Father’s name as the selling point.  Buying and selling is not a new concept, nor is trading on the name of God.  In his autobiography, Wolfman Jack told how the religious programs would be charged more for air time, but take in many more dollars than any one else.  Promising miracles via water, towels, special edition Bibles, all as a free gift for your donation, we see begging within the church alive and well today.  But we never see Jesus begging, nor asking for money.  He even told his disciples to only take with them what they have, he would supply.  A scriptural concept carefully overlooked by TV evangelists today.  How many planes does Kenneth Copeland need to visit the poor in?  And I can attest to the strength and integrity of God, when I decided to get into ministry, the established ones told me I would need a donor base.  When praying God showed me different, “if you ask for it it is not a gift.  And I like to give good gifts.”  And he has, does, and will continue too.  For a relationship is based on trust, and trusting God will never let you down.  Let all men be liars, and God will always be God.  Which has put me at odds with professional fund raisers within the church.  I have been told I will never make it, never have a suitable income, or be successful.  Isn’t that special?  So why would I ask men who have limited supplies when I can ask God who will supply all things I need in Christ Jesus?  And no, there is no ministry discount....

For salvation comes with a price.  A price we could never pay, so God sent Jesus.  His unique, begotten, special son.  None other like him, 1 of 1.  No specials on salvation, it is offered to all.  No discounts, Jesus paid full price.  And in him you will become special, collectible.  No tag lines, no holy water, no prayer cloth if you order now.  You get the original, the only one.  And forever.  Yet many fall for the spirit of anti-Christ, the instead of Christ offer, wanting it all here, but neglecting having it all later in heaven.  There is no substitute for Jesus, he is the only way.  Something, someone to consider if you haven’t met him yet.  You see he backs up his claims with an empty grave, he is resurrected just like he said he would.  All other gods or religious figures fill theirs.  But how many are willing to buy an empty grave? 

So I stay away from Christian advertised business.  I avoid that little fish in the corner of the ad.  I want the best when I need something fixed, not just a “trust me because I am a Christian” come on.  Plus it gets me out in the world, where the lost are, where the action is.  Where Jesus told us to go.....You may be the only Bible your washer repairman ever reads while he fixes your wash cycle.  Isn’t that special?  Without God it isn’t, with him all things are possible.  Putting God’s name on it doesn’t make it special, only Jesus in your heart is.  Make the switch today, trust him with your life, and find real value.  And know that if you were the only sinner he still would have died for you!  Now that’s special, and only Jesus is that special.  And still at prices you can afford.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot

fail the test, pass the course

Bluto in Animal House, a movie that emulates my college career, states “7 years of college down the drain,” when the Delta House is forced to close.  We each went to college for a different reason, the main one being to get a degree, even if it took 7 years.  Some went to avoid the draft, some went to not have to go out on their own, their parents kept supporting them.  I’m not really sure why I went except it was the thing to do after graduation.  But we never really know why...until after, and not necessarily graduation.  After being a three strike student, three times a freshman then out, and losing interest, I had a boss at Coca Cola explain college is supposed to teach you how to find the answer.  While many study for an exam, read cram at the last minute, then forget it all, some never get that far.  College was that 7 year odyssey before adulthood, and going to work for their father.  Some went to hair school, some night school, some got a job with a trade, but in all cases we unwittingly lived the scripture “study to find yourself approved.”

I took a class at the University of New Mexico titled “the history of Christianity,” and being a young Christian hoped to enlighten my walk with God.  So did some other believers, and a friend who was a pastor, but it seemed the more saved, the harder the course.  Taught by a Mormon, whose religion doesn’t believe in he deity of Jesus Christ, and a Jesuit Catholic who believes the Pope is the final authority on all things holy, my mind got filled with heresy, and the Bible was rarely referred to.  What the course really was was the history of the church, and it was miserable, as the church’s biography is not very good.  Sadly many confuse the church with God, no wonder so many reject Jesus.  But I knew the truth...only my teacher’s didn’t.  And an interesting thing happened to all who knew Christ....

It was the final exam, and the Blue books were passed out.  The final was, in fact the only test we had all semester was simple.  “Name three events in the history of Christianity that changed the world?”  My mind was racing, my heart confident as I wrote, and wrote, and wrote.  I detailed scripturally the three most important, the birth of Jesus, his death on the cross, and his resurrection.  A+ here I come, the heart and soul of Christianity, if not the spirit.  And boy was I in for a surprise....

I had neglected to remember who my teachers were, the mislabeling of the course, and what the curriculum was about.  Christianity to them wasn’t about Jesus, and without Christ in Christianity, you had insanity.  I got a D+!  Study to find yourself approved?  Just not in college!  And so I argued, in vain.  Between the Jesuit and Mormon they wanted 3 important events in church history.  Martin Luther nailing the 95 theses on the door.  Joseph Smith receiving the revelation from the angel Moroni.  The history of the Popes.  But where was Jesus?  Found in the Bible, just not in any textbook for the course.  And  found that those of us who were saved did poorly, with the exception of the pastor, who got an A.  He answered the questions asked, his inspiration not from God as I learned later.  And I left disillusioned by the experience, but even though I failed the exam, I would pass the course, and no amount of studying world get me into heaven.  I found solace in the fact it takes a relationship with Jesus Christ, not religion to be saved.  That I may fail the test, but he will someday greet me with “well done my good and faithful servant.”  In heaven.  My name found in the book of life, not on any dean’s list.  And so I learned a lot that semester, not about Christianity, but about Jesus.  He had warned many will come in my name, but to separate the goats from the sheep.  To be as wise as a serpent, but gentle as a lamb.  To test the spirit to see if they truly are of God....and realized before I was even told, I had learned how to find the answer, and it was Jesus.  I could know everything, and get an A, but still fail at life without him.  I had learned to stay away from fools, because you will not find knowledge on their lips.  That Jesus Christ is as far from religion as you can get, and is the way, the truth, and the life.  I found out religion was binding, and separating at the same time, while Jesus was unifying in the spirit.  That I had made the right connection when I became a believer, and no amount of swaying from the truth will lead me astray.  Wrong beliefs are just that, wrong.  And even though I got a D+, I still passed.

Salvation is a pass/fail course.  Saved you go to heaven, lost you go to hell.  We are told to study to find ourselves approved, but not to be saved.  That takes Jesus, and the smartest man without him is still lost.  God doesn’t grade on the curve, he grades at the cross.  Where all victories were won, and sin defeated.  Where the right answer to life was hung, then resurrected, promising us the same if we only believe.  So I read my Bible not to learn as some do.  Or to be found approved, but to get to know God personally.  To confirm what his spirit ahs shown me.  To remind me that no matter how difficult the course, we win in the end.  There will be battles won and lost, but only Jesus saves.  The church won’t and cannot save you, so don’t be confused.  We are the church, we cannot save ourselves.  We need Jesus, and without Jesus there is no Christianity.  Only insanity.  Some pass the test only to fail the course of life.  Take a moment to see what course you are taking?

And so it went, and so it still goes.  Jesus is still the only way to the Father.  No religion can or will save you.  Do not be misled by any other offer other than from Jesus Christ himself.  40 years later I still know Christ as my savior, how many pass the test only to fail the course of life?  Take an open book test today with Jesus, and when you know the answer to life is someone rather than something, salvation is your passing grade, to heaven.  A test you cannot cram for, and only a one word answer to remember, Jesus. 

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

the loneliness of the long distance rider

We stopped at a rest stop north of Oceanside on our way home yesterday and a well worn Triumph Explorer parked next to me.  The rider was in full on riding suit for the 100 degree weather, I was hot in t shirt, I can only imagine his heat and pain.  While he was getting a drink, I walked around his bike to see where he was from, California plate, with personalized message, “RYDZFAR” and his plate frame stating he rode Iron Butts.  It was definitely set up for these hard core mile junkies, and when we talked his words emphasized it.  While he had bags, GPS, auxiliary lights, and a custom seat, I looked at the 1050 Tiger I was on, and reflected on our two different riding styles.  I have done 1000 miles days, coast to coast in under 70 hours and was set up like I was now for a long weekend.  With Theresa on the back.  And I wondered if anyone outside of the Iron Butt guys could appreciate his ride, and his riding.  Or if he even got it.  Was it fun riding against the clock like some interstate commuter?  His bike was filthy, needed some love, but he looked the same.  I wondered if the loneliness of riding long distances alone had done him in?  He seemed more interested in himself than me, I was at least hoping a fellow Triumph rider would talk about Triumphs.  But he was set on a destination, and this stop was probably preplanned as was the time allowed to stop.  Then off for more miles, all by the clock.  His ride had become an obsession, I hope I never ride that way.  I have come close, but I have nothing to prove to myself or anyone else any more.  I have done the fast, the quick, and the long.  Now I just want to ride, no set destinations or time limits, just time zones.  I want to enjoy the ride, but I can relate as at one time I had goals to reach, rides to prove myself, and friends to impress.  Now I just want to ride...

And when the ride is the thing, you enjoy it differently than if in some competition, even if it only with yourself.  Riding is very personal, different to everyone, some cruise, some tour, some are speed junkies, some carry plush animals, some ride alone.  Some need an American V-twin, some need an inline 4.  Some need all the accessories, some travel light.  And in myself I find a bit of each, personalized after many years of riding.   And still looking forward to the next ride, and enjoying the one I am on.  I was planning our next trip while lane splitting in LA yesterday, riding the hills above Sonora.  Farm roads, less travelled, curves, no traffic, and scraping pegs, with no schedule.  Stopping along the way when we see something, or grabbing a Tootsie Roll just to visit.  I have found a different freedom in riding than my “RYDZFAR” friend, memories of people, roads, meals, other bikes, and not based on a timeline, but on a life line.

But I can appreciate minutes with another biker when riding alone.  Making the conversation count, as I want get back in the saddle.  A destination awaits, and the moment is not it.  Until later I realized it was.  So I have changed my riding time tables to adjust.  300 mile days instead of 500 mile days, sleeping in, never riding in the dark, and seeing more along the way.  Watching sunsets instead of riding into them, but knowing if I had to I can still do 500-600 miles.  But now time doesn’t dictate the ride, I dictate it.  And at the San Luis Obispo old bike meet we attended, I see many who get it like I do.  An older crowd, mostly men, who rode before Jap bikes took over.  Who rode, wrenched, and spent extra time with their machines.  It was personal to them, not just a form of transportation.  Bikes that had been loved and maintained, and memories many don’t have any more.  MY “RYDZFAR” friend would never fit in, he spent too much time riding never knowing it was about the road and machine, not the clock and the road.  He missed out on bench racing while he was riding, his GPS his companion.  His bike showed little affection offered to it, and would be replaced when it prematurely wore out.  I saw in him the loneliness of the long distance rider, and how without a motorcyclist, they are just motorcycles.  It takes people and roads to build memories, he had the road, but not the people.  If his bike could talk, I wonder what it would have to say?  How many 15 minute bench racing sessions with other riders like himself?  How many nights of too little sleep, finding himself exhausted, but not tired, spurred on by the next days marathon.  Races to a destination, then start all over again.  Seeing America, but never seeing Americans.  I have been both types, and my rides reflect it.  But I will always be a motorcyclist, just waiting for the next road to ride.  No time, no distance requirements, isn’t that the oppression we seek to escape from when we ride?  Rules and regulations....forget about them and let’s ride.  Lunch one time zone, dinner another, but at our pace.  With no one to impress, only to please ourselves.  It’s time we lived that way off of our bikes too.

A friend of mine is busy raising his family, and very involved at church.  He attends Sunday, men’s fellowship Tuesday, one night out for a college Bible class, Wednesday night service, Saturday morning men’s breakfast, and little time with his family.  And he is getting burnt out, his family suffers, and yet he succumbs to the church’s demands on how to be a better Christian.  I have been there, and like riding each relationship with Jesus is personal.  As is each ride.  It is when the external pressures interfere with the ride we stop enjoying it.  Jesus never espoused such a life style, he gave us freedom in the spirit.  No rules but grace to live up to, or better yet in.  We all have hidden sins, and willful ones that we hide, but God sees them and has us deal with them.  Our decision once they are pointed out, and he does it confidentially so as not to hurt us, but to correct us and point us in the way we should go.  If your activities are more important than God, if your family suffers because of the draw of the church, be warned.  Many have succumbed to what is expected of them, only to miss out on God’s plan for them.  Seek him first as he desires us to do, then follow him and enjoy life.  Yet many suffer over the burden of requirements that are not God imposed.  That is religion, found anywhere two or more gather, even riders.  But Jesus tells us whenever two or three gather he is among them, and we can enjoy the freedom he has. 

He wants us to be confident in him, not ourselves. Or our church, motorcycle or checkbook.  Or line of credit.  Self confidence is presumption and based on us.  If we do not depend on God it is sin, and sin harms our faith.  Whatever is not of faith is sin.  So let us realize that without Christ we cannot do anything, and our life is just one long ride between appointments.  Burning miles, tanks of gas, and never having true fellowship with God.  So ask God to help you with your schedule, you priorities, your next ride, and with your family.  See them as he does, and watch as your life changes.  Your wife needs you, now not later.  You will find yourself under God’s influence rather than a church imposed schedule, and be a better church person.  Led by the spirit, not the invitations in the bulletin.  When Jesus is first, everything is second.  And you enjoy the relationship with him more, because he is the riding force behind it.  So what drives you?

If not Jesus, stop now and reconsider.  Write down all things important to you as they come to mind.  Then ask God to prioritize them for you.  Suddenly you have more time, more rides,and more Jesus.  All benefit from your choice to follow the spirit.  Just ask your wife and kids.  They probably already know...have you been listening?   Listen to the spirit, backed up by the word.  Live life in Christ, not by the accomplishments.  Let him expose the weaknesses and deal with them.  And start enjoying the ride of your life more.  Riding more and enjoying it less?  Jesus is the answer.  Tired of riding alone?  Take him along.  Too much schedule and not enough time?  Let him be your guide.  Miss your family, abide in the vine of Jesus Christ.  Where you find life, forgiveness, and love.  And time to share it with those you love.  It all starts with Jesus, just a lesson he reminded me of at a rest stop.  A rest stop!  I wonder, no couldn’t be a coincidence could it?

love with compassion,

Mike

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