filling in the blanks

 

Fill in the blank, “I could do _________ if I only had the time and/or money.”  Think of what you most like to do, and then think of why you cannot.  For many of us it was “I’ll have kids when I can afford them,” and after having them realize you never could have saved enough.  And had them anyway.  For one it may be “I’ll buy the car of my dreams when I have enough to pay cash,” and every year the car gets more expensive or is replaced by something different.  Yet for another it is taking that dream vacation, If only they had the time, two weeks a year are never enough, or the money, thinking enough credit cards just might make the trip affordable.  But in each case they come up with excuses, and never see the dream come true.  But the saddest one is when someone claims or is called into ministry, then complains the whole time.  They don’t have the time, they don’t have the money, it interferes with their life style, didn’t God hear their prayers of what they wanted to do?  The two days a month they had for him in their schedule?  How he better come through, so they start soliciting for money?  And end up never doing what they believe God calls them to, and end up miserable.  And you know the drill, God gets the blame.  It is never our fault....

Two kids, a house, and many vacations later, add in an active ministry for over 10 years, I have learned to depend on God.  He knows my heart better than I do, and when he is the desire of my heart, I get him as the biggest blessing.  He blesses my wife and sons, he blesses me with motorcycles, and he blesses me with time to ride and travel.  43 nights later on the road last year, I cannot wait to leave town, the state, and the time zone for touring. So I make plans, and in doing so put my desires before him.  And as they go, and we go, we have become flexible with them.  Reservations made months ahead change, as conditions and new places to travel become available.  Days get added, days get subtracted, states are bypassed, while others added.  We see God’s hand in our travels, he has given us a desire for certain things, and then fulfills that desire along the way.  He is included in our plans, and by making our desires known, we have prayed and asked, and then watch as his answer unfolds.  A form of trust, planning, adapting, customizing, and then doing.  God has the time, and he has the funds.  Jesus spent most of his ministry on the road.  So who better to consult about traveling, or when traveling?  Who else has the budget, the funds, and the control over the weather?   So what is you excuse for not filling in that blank in Christ?

Worship and being a witness of Jesus Christ is the same thing.  How you worship him shows where he is in your life.  Some keep him that box only on Sunday called church, some live him daily.  One of the saddest days was when visiting a brother in law’s office, the secretary and I started talking Jesus.  When I mentioned my BIL was one too, she looked surprised, “not by his actions and attitudes around here.”  I wish I had never mentioned it.  I even lost the best paying job of my life once, for being a Christian.  I was the highest producer, had high CSI ratings, yet I was told “it only makes sense not to bring God to work.  Leave  him at the door.”  It hurt in lots of ways, money wise, my income went to zero, I was painting my house, for $4500, and still had a high overhead.  I had no money but lots of time, and God opened up the door for Torches Across America, and in the midst of all this bad news, blessed me abundantly with a three week trip, including Theresa taking off work with no pay.  When he is the desire of your heart, he will give you that desire via your life. 

Worship can be corporate, but it also should be personal.  Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus and washing them with expensive oils, shows her love and adoration in worship to him.  The same precious oils Judas claimed could have been sold and fed the poor, he accused her of wasting on Jesus.  Yet she knew better, way beyond an emotion.  He had raised her brother Lazarus from the dead, she understood what he represented in the resurrection, and it had changed her heart.  Also the incredible teaching she had at his feet, she was now trusting him more.  So she spared no expense in worshipping him, openly which was forbidden for women in public, letting her hair down, another social infraction, and openly worshipping Jesus.  She spared no expense in worshipping him, that is true worship, sparing no expense.  Which is how love and worship act. 

So fill in the blank, “I don’t worship Jesus publicly because ______.”   Whatever your reason, it comes down to who he is, and by your worship, tell us.  If open about Jesus, showing his love to others, you show how he has changed you.  If you only worship in church, you may have a good church life, but have holes in your theology, he is missing in all your life, and it shows.  We can never pay back Jesus for what he has done, maybe living well is the best revenge, and living in Jesus is the best.  There is none other, and you will never have the time or money enough.  So start trusting today, as the spirit guides, obey.  He will never ask you to do anything he has not all ready prepared you and your wallet for.  Bound by time, include him in your schedule, he never hurried yet was never late.  You may find like I have he is the perfect fill in the blank, _______ partner.  From kids, to work, to church, to riding, he knows my heart.  Do you know his? 

It doesn’t happen all at once, Mary was older when she saw what Jesus could do, and changed her heart.  Let Jesus fill in the blanks in your life.  Privately and publicly, he is still the way.  When we begin to love and worship Jesus without regard for the expense, our heart is transformed, and we begin to live, really live.  Or like the sign says, “In God we trust, all others pay cash.”  Worship is truly a heart transformed, expressing love to Jesus no matter the cost.  Start planning, start living, start worshipping.  The best is yet to come....

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

an Edsel for less than the price of a new car

It was 60 years ago this year that the Edsel was introduced. A car like none other, set to fill a void between Mercury and Ford pricing, introduced in a recession year, based on a market in 1954 that had moved. Add the unique styling, horse collar grill, Tele touch shifting where buttons were in the center of the steering wheel and prone to fail, and quality problems, it was doomed from the start. Its total production over three model years never even approached its target of 250,000 the first year, and it was silenced, put away, and hoped no one would remember and still buy lots of Ford products. A butt of the collector car world for decades, now they are becoming trendy in a weird sort of way, to a generation who wasn’t there when they were new. Personally I always thought they were strange, but somehow cool, have only ridden in one a few times, and it felt like any other floating car from the fifties. But the view from the front, well.....

Personally I liked the thin tail lights, and the airy modern look of it. Would I have bought one then, nah, would I now, well maybe. I am so tired of 55-57 Chevies, bored with the ‘59 Cadillac tail fins, and only like the ‘57 T Bird, the others are OK, something about those fins, but somehow the Edsel looks good. Not sure why, maybe orphans, cars and kids have always appealed to me, but having one might be fun for some cruise nights, an occasional car show, and just to tease the neighbors. But even restored high end cars are going for $25-30,000, it would eat into my riding budget, and also my food and mortgage. But with the average price of a new car over $33,000 last year, a new old Edsel at 2/3rd’s the price may make sense. And with them appreciating, might be better than the .0005% I get at the bank. Of course I don’t have to wash or change the oil on my savings account, but I cannot drive it either. And if I could, maybe not even through the drive up. So maybe all those who bought Edsels and for years caught grief over it, are now being heralded as being forward thinking, and selling their cars for a profit. Maybe Ford should have consulted them first.

The purpose of free enterprise is to make a profit. Henry Ford once said “a company that makes only money is not a good business.” Billionaire talk, but true. Look at those car companies recently orphaned, Plymouth, Mercury, Saturn, and Oldsmobile, they didn’t make money, so were dropped. But car lovers are keeping them alive in collecting and restoration. Like a shepherd protects his sheep, they are protecting the cars. Shepherding what is left, protecting them, preserving them, and showing them off with love. At prices many times what they were worth when new. Jesus is referred to as the good shepherd, and one quality he had over a hired shepherd is he was willing to die for his flock. Which amazed the disciples, they were amazed that he would die for them, making him a unique shepherd as well. Unlike someone hired to do a job, Jesus invested himself in them and us, where a jobber may only get the job done, the sheep being a commodity, if some are lost, that’s what happens. Yet our great shepherd says he is patient so that none should perish. When trouble arises they sell off or abandon those damaged, while Jesus went back for the one in 99. Imagine we were shepherded by hired shepherd or pastor, how many of us were that one? While some churches brag on the 99 and their size and scope, Jesus looks for the one hidden for view, who isn’t welcome in church, who cannot read a Bible, maybe cannot even stand. All the miracles he performed were on the ones left behind, the 99 are never talked of as being blessed, yet are a thorn in his side. How real is the Jesus you serve?

I have begun to feel sorry for those who have not had the same set of trials I have had, they have missed out on seeing side of Jesus you only see when in turmoil. If never sick, I miss the great physician. If rich, I miss the Jehovah Jireh, my provider. If no one ever comes against me I don’t need a protector, and if I know it all, I never need a wonderful counselor. We need Jesus, and always have and always will. No big Bible, bumper sticker, membership, or title can give what the can. He is the great shepherd, and we all need one.

Maybe the difference between the greatness of Jesus and those who say they do is Jesus shows it. He dies for his flock. He doesn’t transfer from ne church to another, he never changes his message or his love, and he stays with us 1%’ers. Long before there were outlaw bikers Jesus was the original outlaw, the 1%’er who rebelled in love for us. Would Jesus have driven an Edsel? I would like to think he would visit an Edsel dealer or two, lots of lost sheep there. Maybe cruise by Studebaker, Hudson, Kaiser, and Packard. He liked the orphans, the mainstream, like churches then and now, upset him. Read the New Testament, filled with warnings about false promises, practices, teachings, and rules not needed for salvation. And just like the Edsel lovers who bought for love, he would never sell for money like many do now. Paid in full, name in the book of life, our title of ownership in him. When you take away the cost in dollars, the fellowship is richer, and so are we. For how can you put a value on life? Yet many have and do. Maybe a ride in an old Edsel may convince them. Maybe some time with Jesus will show them. There are great mechanics, but few master mechanics. And even they don’t know it all. There are shepherds and a great shepherd. His investment in you was his entire being, his life. Looking for another car, try an Edsel. Looking for love, you need Jesus. Think about it, a gray SUV for $50,000 the kids show no respect to, or an Edsel, the kids will want to look cool in. And respect. It is a poor company that makes only money, make sure your shepherd isn’t in it for just that. Jesus for less than the price of some religions. Suddenly it’s 1958 all over again! Edsel and Jesus, two names worth remembering. Edsels are back in style....don’t miss out this time around. Hmm, you know that sounds a lot like Jesus...

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

Average new car price zips 2.6% to $33,560

Mr. La Bar still sells Hudsons

 Can it really be 70 years since Hudson stunned the automotive world with its step down designed new cars?  Up until then cars were still pretty much based on the old horse and buggy chassis, riding high and above the frame, it was Hudson who moved out the frame rails and nestled the occupants between the frame rails.  Allowing for more width for three across seating, take note Mr. SUV seven seater, Hudson seated six without adding a third or fourth row!  But it also allowed for the seating positions to be lowered, as sitting within the frame rails instead of on and above, allowed better handling.  Which showed on the track in early NASCAR racing, as Hudson won many races and championships, using an older flathead design, VS. contemporary valve in head V-8’s.  Basic physical laws proved them right, the results followed.  But after seven years of the same body style, and sales declining, Hudson merged with Nash, becoming American Motors, which was later bought by Chrysler, who was merged, raped and pillaged by Daimler Benz, and then narrowly avoided bankruptcy by being given to FIAT, forming FCA, FIAT Chrysler America.  No more Twin H power, no more step down, now just another orphan car but at one time stunned the automotive world and changed how cars were built. 

Win on Sunday, sell on Monday was the mantra for car sales once, it has diminished now, as there are no true stock cars in NASCAR, the SC in their name standing for Stock Car, the rules have changed, and so has racing.  1954 was a turning point for Hudson, and O.E. LaBar Hudson in Bangor, Pennsylvania remained a Hudson dealer into the seventies, more than 20 years after merging.  When my Grandpa and I stopped in one day, Mr. La Bar, old by even my young standards was suspicious.  He had a 1953 Hornet convertible on the showroom floor, new parts still in new boxes on the shelf, and two Hudson pickups, rare even when new, he used as shop trucks.  But he wasn’t open for the casual observer, he was an active dealer who never gave up his franchise to become an AMC dealer like Pat Ronco had down the road with his Nash store.  After he saw I truly loved Hudsons, he gave us a tour, each car there being identified by its owner, Mr. White’s 1948 Wasp, Mrs. Speer’s 1951 Hornet, traded in against a newer 1954 model.  But never worked on anything newer than 1954, the year Hudson gave up and merged.  No more real Hudsons, Hashes as they were referred too.  And after 45 minutes we were gone, with a new insight into the Hudson Motor Company, its cars, its dealers, and its owners.  A car more than the sum of its nuts and bolts, which reminds me of the depth of some relationships, while others pale by comparison.  If Mr. La Bar went out of business, he asked, “who will take care of my customers after the company deserted them?”

In case you didn’t know it, the most profitable area in a car dealership is the service department.  Living in a fallen world, we might buy new cars to replace the old ones, but they too will someday need repairs and maintenance.  And who will service them?  Jesus was faced with the same problem, who will take care of my disciples and believers when I am gone?  Yet God had it planned since before the beginning, and sent his spirit to guide, comfort, counsel, and lead.  How the 12 minus Judas must have wondered “now what?” and we find the going back to their old jobs.  But one night, we see Peter out fishing, having a tough night, when Jesus approaches him on the beach.  Recognizing him, he is asked three times by Jesus, “do you love me?”  Most theologians believe he was referring to the night just weeks earlier when Peter denied Jesus to a little girl, I don’t.  In asking him three times, and answering Peter with “then feed my children,” we miss the answer we need to minister.  We are a people of body, soul, and spirit, and we have physical needs, emotional needs, and spiritual needs.  Each individual and different, and can only be ministered to when the need is identified.  Spiritually.  Peter take care of the physical needs, address the emotional needs, and let the spirit guide you in all, including the spiritual needs.  Three types of problems, each with a specific need.  You can have a good attitude with a broken leg, the leg still needs to heal.  You can be healthy but miserable, you still need an attitude adjustment, and you can be healthy and happy, but still need Jesus.  One size answer will not meet all the individual needs.  Only by the spirit will we know and know what to do.  Which explains why only weeks after his denial, he led 3000 to the Lord on Pentecost.  By the spirit, who gave him the words needed.  It was the spirit that changed Peter and the others, not themselves. Jesus was preparing Peter for ministry that night on the beach.  If only we can see the need for the spirit, what a difference our lives would make.

I attended a Hudson meet a few months ago, good people passionate about their cars.  Each with a story to tell, spending time with the car, developing a relationship.  Cars taken care of tenderly by their owners, and it reminded me of how Jesus takes care of us, his children.  We need cleaning, maintenance, repairs, and need to be driven regularly.  If not, we begin to atrophy, we begin to leak, show signs of wear, and soon end up an orphan, no one wants to be with us.  But Christ renews us, giving us the energy to carry on, and when we follow his leading, we enjoy the blessing he has for us.  Sadly I see more devotion to a cause at car shows than I do among some Christians.  Who believe their church, their religion, their way to worship is the best or only.  It takes the Mr. LaBar’s of the world to keep Hudsons going, it takes the spirit to maintain us.

Hudson made its last hurrah based on its step down design.  Do we remember the design of Jesus, who stepped down from heaven, and became lower than the angels for a while to serve us?  To die for us and bring us back into fellowship with God?  The step down design was new and brave in 1948, Jesus made it popular thousands of years earlier.  There truly is nothing knew under the sun, what appears new is only new to us, what is your answer when Jesus asks “do you love me?”  Will you serve him?  Do you have the commitment of Mr. La Bar, who knows all his cars and customers by name, and who when the company retired, never quit?   Jesus asked his disciples “can you stay awake just one more hour?”  Without Jesus, who is taking care of you needs?  The ministry needs Mr. La Bars, many are called, few are chosen.  Do you really love Jesus?  Then feed his sheep.  Not a baaad idea....remember the car that drove Miss Daisy!

love with compassion,

MIkematthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

things I learned from women who know nothing about cars

I have learned that listening is a valuable tool to solving problems.  But so is asking questions.  When I would get a complaint of “my car does it all the time,” my first question is “is it doing it right now?  No, well then it isn’t doing it all the time.”  And through a series of questions could narrow down the complaint, and address it.  But with the increase of electrics in cars, the playing field changed, and old questions would get new answers, and often frustration on the part of the owners.  Men just expected us to fix it, women would read the manual, then ask questions, so you better have an answer.  But two older women gave me insight one day, insight that I have applied to my life and ministry.  A long time Mercedes Benz customer, this woman had an older car, almost 20 years old.  She knew the drill, and how much maintenance cost, yet gladly paid it.  Asking her one day “why don’t you buy a new car, with all the money you spend on this one, you could afford it.”  Her answer surprised me, “because I feel comfortable in this one.  I can easily afford another, but I know where all the buttons are on this one.  No surprises, and I really don’t want to learn about the new ones.”  Good answer, she had a relationship with her car, it served her purposes, so why change, why trade it in?

Later another older woman proved her point to me, both women unknown to each other.  She had just bought a new S class, and couldn’t work the sound system.  She knew the buttons on her old radio, but this one was confusing, and was constantly talking to her.  So sitting in the car with her, I counted the buttons on the dash, 39 of them.   It confused me!  And the voice was from her GPS giving her directions, she didn’t know what a GPS was, or how to turn it off.  I figured it out, we laughed, but you could see her car wasn’t bringing her much happiness.  When I jokingly told her “if you have a problem, ask a teenager, they know about all the is stuff,” she smiled and said she would.  The next time I saw her she told me how her grandson had helped her out, and now the two go out together for rides and an ice cream.  She even knows the way without the GPS!

But it was my mother who had really pointed all this out to me years earlier.  Her car never went more than 10 miles in any direction, and was getting old after 15 years.  She had gone looking, the first thing that turned her off was the price, and the story of how she had paid less for her home, 35 years ago.  The second was she liked her car, so why trade it.  But the last was, she felt safe in it, she knew all the buttons, the squeaks and rattles, it was easy to park and drive, and most of all, it was paid for.  That advice had been given me years ago, it took me years to use it, and from a woman who wouldn’t know a master cylinder from top dead center.  She knew her car, not cars, and that made her happy.  WOW!  My mother teaching me about cars?  Is it possible that MOM is really WOW upside down?  Maybe it is how we look at things....

Jesus tells us that true freedom comes from doing his will.  From staying in his word, and following his spirit.  We establish a relationship with him, and what we are doing is discipleship.  We come to a point in our relationship where we just trust him, and as for those who ask “What would Jesus do?” they know, because they know Jesus.  While so many emphasize being in the word, they have the word, Jesus Christ in them, which changes everything.  The gospel is simple and basic, yet man has added rules, tradition, and religion to it, making it more complicated.  When a friend asked his pastor recently about the Pharisees, his answer didn’t match up to scripture.  So he asked more, and soon they were off the subject.  Too many buttons, too many complications, all he did was ask a question because he wanted to know.  This man had studied to be approved, but only found his approval in his relationship with God.  He prayed, the spirit directed him, and he found his confirmation in the word.  So if you ask “what would Jesus do?” he would remind you of his spirit he has given us, how he has given us his word to back it up, and how his word is the truth, not just a truth.  And how it really sets you free when you live by it.  Asking is OK, but having a relationship with Jesus is the way, and being guided by his spirit how he designed it.  Yet too many stray when the don’t get an answer, or the one they want.  Religion will confuse them, as religion is designed to do, Jesus came to save us from it.  Remember it was the religious Pharisees who were his enemies....

So keep the gospel simple, learn by doing, not just hearing.  Spend time with Jesus in the word, but also in spirit.  It is the spirit that reveals the mysteries of Christ to us, and you don’t always have a Bible handy.  Just being in the word is bad advice to someone where they are persecuted for having one, yet how do they know so much about Jesus?  Could it be the same spirit that Jesus gave them that he gave us?  I am not saying do not read your Bible, read it all you can, but be directed by the spirit.  If you don’t have one handy, remember Jesus has written his word on your heart, so it is always available by the spirit.  Read Psalm 1, then do it.

I once asked a man who had highlighted almost all of his Bible why he did it?  “It seemed important enough to be remembered at the time,” I carry the same highlights in my heart.  Readable in the dark, when riding, while even in church.  Maybe knowing Jesus is just as simple as not having too many buttons on the dash, and why so many I know are fleeing big churches, and finding what they need in small groups or home fellowship.  Still confused or looking, go back to the basics.  Get back to Jesus.  It started with him, did he get lost in the shuffle?  Or did we?  Give me a radio with on/off volume and a few presets.  Keep it simple like my religion, and watch me enjoy it more.  Jesus told us “he who has an ear let him hear.”  Whether on AM, FM, satellite or CD, Jesus’ message is always the same.  So keep the gospel simple as it was designed and free so it is affordable.  Keep Jesus as the main thing, technology changes, Jesus never does.  And refer to the owner’s manual he has given you regularly.  Right there on page 1 it tells the truth, “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  If you can’t get past that, you will have problems with everything else.  Religion may give you many buttons to push, only by the spirit will you know which one.  If it works for women who know nothing about cars, imagine what it can do for those of you who do.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com