in lieu of flowers

I attended yet another biker down funeral last week.  One where the deceased was the best husband, father, worker, and friend.  And he probably was, as this guy’s gentle spirit conveyed the love of Christ in his life.  Along with an outpouring by friends of taking care of the details, it was nice to see him honored in death as he was in life.  Yet it seems that I have never been to a funeral where the deceased was anything but a great guy. I reflect on a service where the guy wasn’t, and as his other wives were ready to carve up what he left behind, his first wife stood next to me telling me what a scuzball he was.  But all the public comments made me think he was father/husband of the year.  But I knew him, and in life and death, I was comfortable with our relationship.  Despite the commentaries...to the contrary.

Yet another celebration of life, seems Christians don’t like the words funeral or death, was a two hour miniseries of how great the deceased was.  I knew him, and while some talked of what a miracle it will be that God goes on without him, I knew it was more of a miracle that God had gone on with him.  Again I was confident in my relationship with him, I didn’t wait until he died to show it.  While so many complain about why some die so young, where were they when the guy was alive?  Why do Christians get so sad when another Christian goes to heaven?  Isn’t that what we long for?  What makes them think that God took them to soon?  While in heaven those are wondering why did you wait so long?  Yet in lieu of flowers, we have a chance everyday to show God’s love to the living, yet wait until it is too late.  While the spirit is alive and well, and willing to provide while we still have an earthly address.

When I made medical history five years ago, while the ministry I had been part of for 34 years was talking about it, the Black Sheep got it done.  A black sheep among the Black Sheep, we ride Triumphs, two members took a weekend and drove 1700 miles round trip to get my Triumph in Durango, while others talked of meaning to.  They also took up a huge collection for us, we were blown away by their generosity, but again bikers came through.  But it was after being invited to dinner and their business meeting, that I saw God at work.  As we sat on the dimly lit patio, they discussed their benevolent fund, which was only for club members, of which I was not.  But the spirit has risen above their laws in our case, they couldn’t see the trail of tears on my face, as how they had obeyed the spirit, and they were blessed.  I hope more than we were, another miracle.  In lieu of flowers....

We forget that in lieu of flowers, God sent Jesus, while we were still dead in our sins to give us life.  He didn’t send something, he sent someone, and when he died left his spirit to guide us.  While others wait for a funeral to express their feelings, Jesus showed us love while we still had breath on earth.  Preparing us for heaven.  So we can live forever with him.  I think of all the ways I was ministered to, and how I have been able to minister in the past, and how many funerals I get to avoid when I saw Jesus at work in a life threatening situation.  He didn’t wait to show his love and respect until a person died, he was the on earth as it is in heaven love we seek.  He was there in the midst of the situation, ministering, and still is today.  We miss opportunities to show his love helping those in the tough situations, he tells us true religion is helping the widows and orphans.  In lieu of flowers, maybe helping a widow around the house, send meals as we needed, and being there for them.  Not just for two weeks as seems the norm, but being the type of friend God’s wants us to be, so we don’t moan and groan feeling sorry for ourselves at the funeral.  For the deceased may be the main event, but the funeral is for those who are left behind.  If you were secure in your relationship with them in life, you will be in death.  You will still miss them, but know that the relationship has just changed addresses for now, heaven awaits.  In lieu of flowers, one last example.

A little 13 year old girl was my influence to write, new to ministry, I visited her many times while she was in the hospital in LA.  We got to be friends, and the 250 mile round trip was made many times, sometimes in vain as she could not be seen.  Laiken was special, and her funeral was truly a celebration of life.  While the cancer spread through out her little body, it could not damage her spirit, I often wondered did I go for her or for me?  My last visit was she was sick, throwing up into a huge yellow, plastic bowl, when she looked up and saw me.  In her torment, she smiled and waved.....that Laiken smile, maybe a picture of Jesus waving to us from the cross, not good bye, but see you later.  In lieu of flowers...God sent his only son.  Through Laiken I got to see him close and up close.  Nine years later I can still see that tiny arm waving, and that big Laiken smile.  For God so loved Laiken...

Ministry is simple, see a need and meet it.  No special training, no degrees, no ministry affiliation.  Just the heart of Jesus, who uses our hands and feet to bless others while blessing us at the same time.  Share the love you have for that someone while they are alive, don’t wait until the cross like the thief did.  He made it in, but just in time.  Today may be your time, don’t miss it.  Don’t let the final words on your behalf be “in lieu of flowers...” Jesus is that celebration of life we can have here on earth, so what are you waiting for?  Everyone’s last ride will be in the same type of vehicle, a hearse followed by a flower car.  In lieu of is no way to be remembered....

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

riding is personal, so is Jesus

Stopping at or local BMW dealer yesterday, motorcycle not car, I found almost every bike on the floor had been discounted, some as much as $2500!  Now you never see a BMW discounted, and talking with a reluctant owner, he admitted they were in store sales, but would not admit sales were slow. He may be the only store that isn’t...as visiting two Triumph, two Harley, one Indian, two metric, and a few others, they are all complaining that sales are down, way down.  Harley Davidson offering free financing, some $3000 discounts, and even has some 2016 models left as the 2018’s are introduced this week.  A Triumph dealer had every bike on the floor discounted $1100, his mark up per the factory, even Indian offering $1000 discounts.  On new bikes!  Even the stores with Victory’s left are selling them for almost half price, and it is hard to find a store not offering favorable financing.  My credit union even offers 3.99%, but no one is buying.  Weird, but why?  The products are great, I believe this will be a Golden Age for motorcycling when we look back, financing is great, I remember 25% when I was young, and glad if we could get it.  Performance is great, many new electronic goodies, longer warranties, some with no mileage limit.  So who’s buying, better yet, who isn’t?

Maybe a conversation with a dealer explains it, the Millenials.  He claimed he could only get 3% of them financed, the sales process taking longer, as they procrastinate on making a decision, and when they do, they have no down, no credit, and many times just making ends meet.  Rent takes up most of their take home pay.  Which may help explain why the average age of a motorcyclist gets higher every year, and few new riders are joining in.  They want to, they just cannot afford it.  So dealers cut profits, Harley dealers make $2500-6000 on each new bike sold, it explains the goodwill of free hot dogs every Saturday.  The metric dealer makes a lot less, maybe $300-1000 on each one sold at retail, but who pays retail except the Harley customer a few months back.  Or BMW owners?  If only I had the money for some of the deals I see...but then again maybe not.

Marketing plans are made, implemented, and fingers crossed that they made the right decisions.  Programs developed, demo rides offered, rebates offered, and free in store credit offered.  All the right marketing moves are made, or looked so on paper, but has anyone asked the rider what he wants?  What can he afford, what is he willing to pay for?  Not everyone can write a check for $20,000. Even discounted BMW prices were scary high.  Not everyone can make the payments, and not everyone can qualify.  So more meetings, more promo, more discounts, but not more sales.  But we all still want to ride!

Years ago I saw an old story come true.  A pastor who needed to build his church, with pressure from his home office, decided to buy a bus to go out and bring new people in.  He told the church it was their job to get new people to church, he called it evangelism, and he had done his part, now you do yours.  So out they went, and the first week a few new ones, the same the next week, then it dropped to nothing.  And the pastor got mad, he was embarrassed as he bragged on what he was going to do, and didn’t.  So he blamed his parishioners. Telling them they failed him and failed God by not filling the buses as he had promised.  And the numbers in his church fell, faster than he had planned to fill it.  His marketing plan wasn’t God’s plan, it definitely wasn’t their plan, and they left.   If only this so called pastor had read the Bible he taught from he would have seen “that unless God builds the church, they labor in vain.”  I get many ads, flyers, and invites to go to churches.  From kid’s programs, to senior programs, to contemporary services, to Saturday night times, religion is trying all it can to see people in church, and the numbers are declining.  So more programs, procedures, and processes, but the same result.  They send missionaries overseas, but not next door, across the street, or even into the hood.  Where Jesus spent most of his time ministering.  He never invited people to church, he was the church, and we are too, not a building or campus, not a storefront, but the people.  People seeking something, needing the someone of Jesus Christ, but getting entertainment instead, or at least the offer.  With church growth based on the attendance and the offering, instead of spiritual growth.  We built the building and they didn’t come, seems it was more important than the ones they hoped to fill it.

But unlike motorcycle dealers, we have the holy spirit to guide.  And like mega churches, these mega dealers have a high overhead they must meet, and many are not willing to be just a face in the crowd any longer.  So small groups, home fellowships, and other studies are growing in popularity.  They want more Jesus, and won’t settle for church rhetoric anymore.  So as church attendance is falling, those of us under the radar in none religion based fellowship are prospering.  Us, the people, in my group we are seeing lives changed by God, people being saved or recommitting their lives, and reaching out to others in love.  All without a budget, no marketing plans, and no buses.  We are spirit driven, just messengers of the gospel, just like 2000 years ago, and when we operate in the spirit, we see God alive in lives, when we don’t, we suffer.  God’s will, not ours.  Maybe gong back to when a dealer wasn’t a mega, didn’t fill a warehouse, or sell 200 bikes a month to break even.  When you paid for your marketing by being out riding, rather than from a corporate entity who doesn’t ride.  A popular church topic for years is what are we going to do with the next generation?  What are you doing with us now?  If you cannot take care of us what makes you think there will be another generation?

Souls aren’t sales figures, we are not units, but living, breathing people in need of a savior.  Dear Pastor, please remember this.  We are more than an offering plate, more than an attendance to brag on.  No more marketing, we want Jesus and all we can get of him.  Get in the way of the spirit or get out of his way.  Jesus went out to the people, and didn’t hide behind a pulpit.  His program was love, his means was the holy spirit.  Stop, why would you want to go to your church?  Maybe there is a reason many of us would rather be riding thinking about God, than in church thinking about riding.  Ask yourself why some can teach for 15 minutes and people rush to Jesus, and why you talk for an hour and people rush for the doors?  Unless Jesus is your church leader, and builder, you labor in vain.  Quit bragging on the 99 inside and go after the one left behind.  Jesus did, and built a church based on it.  The challenge is yours...

Long ago it was word of mouth that filled bike shops with new customers.  We were the marketing plan, we still are.  Re-examine your marketing plans, and change as needed.  People not profits, the profits will come if the people do first.  We all want to ride, we just cannot afford to any more.  Consider that the next time I walk in your shop.  Listen to my needs, and then cater to them.  Riding is personal, so is Jesus.  I have an abundance of both, I am blessed.  It used to be about the ride, and Jesus. Or you can always take the bus....

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

one night at the local McDonald's

I never took auto shop in high school, nor did any of my own maintenance other than oil changes.  But yet I hung out after school with the gear heads, those who had the hot cars, and did.  Guys who had grease under their fingernails, did their own work, some because they had to just to keep the car running, but mostly because they had a love of cars.  We were blessed with a long parking lot with a circle at the end, almost a 1/4 mile long, which made for some serious fun.  On certain days one of them would bring a gallon of bleach, and drag racer style it would be poured on the circle and burn outs were done, big, smoky ones, with the smell of burning Firestone Wide Ovals along with the bleach stink.  It smelled wonderful, looked cool, and the sound was outta sight!   We were big time in heart, small time in cars, but the fun factor pegged the meter. 

Some of the cars were a 1969 Chevelle SS396, 1972 Trans Am, 1972 Comet GT, 1971 AMX, 1965 Mustang, 1964 Dodge Dart, and others.  I was the oddball in my BMW 1600, circa 1969, but burn out it did.  It was those cars of the class of 1972 that were looked down at then by the masses, that today are sought after and collectible, back then it was just fun and and a way to have fun.  Speed was fun, fast cars were the ticket, until two wheels came into my life....we really never raced each other in high school, many challenges were made, few accepted, but that was all to change, as I found out when I moved out on my own.

BH and I got our first apartment in Piscataway, and a guy named Bouke had his garage next to us.  He was the local fast guy, had a custom 240Z, a TVR Tuscan, think Boss 302 motor in a 1500 pound race body-FAST!  A 1970 Opel GT, a poor man’s Corvette, and many Triumphs he raced.  But next to his all black 1973 El Camino sat his Z-1, a 1973 with engine mods.  So fast it ripped the Bell helmet off my head one day at 102 mph.  So fast no one wanted to mess with it, or Bouke.  As I found out one night when cruising the local McDonald’s where all the fast cars hung out.  Friday nights brought them all out to show off and accept the challenges, think of it as a cruise night on nitrous, but this night it closed up early and went home.  All it took was Bouke riding in on the Z1, and they all pulled out and left.   They had made the mistake of racing him one night, and even the fastest car never had a chance, and maybe out of fear, out of damaged pride, and maybe even out of respect, they all started up, and idled out of the driveway en mass.  All we wanted was a Big Mac, not a show down.  A lot had changed in my two years since graduating, a new fastest gun was in town, and it ran on only two wheels.  What was the class of 1972 was old and slow in 1974....and speed would never be the same.  We all joked about fast girls and cars, but now it was fast girls and faster motorcycles, one night at the local McDonald’s had signaled the change that was coming.  Bikes got faster, cars slower and heavier, and as for the girls, there were those you hung with on Friday nights and those you took home to dinner.  They got old and heavier too...of course we never did....the things we did for fun.

Funny that after almost 45 years I can still remember the cars, bikes, and the fun we had all without writing it down or no cell phone pictures.  Some things stay imbedded in our hearts forever, but the best things need to be written down.  Too many new memories are a screen shot, a text message, and soon forgotten.  Going onto the next spontaneous shot, no matter how planned it looks.  But God keeps a record of history in the Bible, written down so we can learn it, and apply it, confirming when it was written, to whom, and proving its veracity.  God’s record of history is unique to Christianity, as many so called religious writings are based on opinions, feelings, philosophies, and musings of men at the time.  The spirit who inspired the scriptures is truth, no opinions, and come from a reliable origin-God himself.  No dubious origins, no fables handed down, no bench racing where each year we get faster, but truth, the truth.  There is no legend, myths, or fables in the Bible, it is fact filled, and made up of provable historical facts.  Unlike those that rewrite history today, God was there when it was written, and still here today.  It is still as contemporary as it was 2000 years ago, and will be in another 2000 yeas, as Jesus, the word of God, never changes.  I wish my recollection of some events could be as vivid, but then again, maybe not.

We can be encouraged when reading the Bible to see how God used ordinary men and women, how we see Jesus as a person, the savior, not just a teacher or prophet.  We see history unfold as God intervenes in hopeless situations, and how he uses all of them for his glory.  It should encourage us like no other book to see how through the ages God helped people through stressful, times of temptation, and despair.  And no matter how bad we were, we can all be forgiven and saved if we choose.  David, that King David was an adulterer, and a murderer, but scripture reveals he had a heart after God, and he took advantage of God’s offer of forgiveness.  He offers the same to us today.  That is truth that sets us free....

It is hard for me to believe anyone, especially fast cars leaving when a motorcycle shows up, but I was there, it really happened.  But God has given us his word, to read, to meditate on, and to be revealed via his spirit.  Written on our hearts so he is always with us, and in print to read over and over again.  I’m sure in the annals of McDonald’s that one night will never show up, those muscle cars of the day are now collectible and driven rarely.  Those after school burnouts now part of a rebellious history, as street racing now is in the headlines.  Bleach is outlawed in many places, and no one races Priuses.  Strange how today both the bikes and cars are much faster than back then, maybe it was the thrill of the promise of speed, youthful expression of breaking the law, or maybe we just wanted to have fun.  Yup, that was it, we had fun.  And today, I still have fun.  You see, what good is fun if you don’t enjoy it?  And who should have more fun than Christians with the promise of heaven?  Yes, still outlaws too, as siding with Jesus brands you as a rebel.  Fast cars, faster bikes, and yes, I did marry the girl I took home for dinner.  With Jesus making it all possible.  Having fun yet?  That next sound you hear may be me on the 2018 Street Triple RS speeding by....seems I am having a Big Mac attack and well....you know the rest of the story.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

"My Pappy says..."

Before he was Rockford, James Garner was Maverick, a slick, hustling, card player, who always just  made it out  of town in time for next week’s show.  While playing, he was always offering sage advice to those who would listen, starting with “my Pappy says...” and then reciting some real gems.  Sayings that were funny, and somehow based on truth, if he was writing the rules.  A few were:

“Work is for killin’ time, but a shaky way to make a living.”  “A man does what he has to do-if he can’t get out of it.” “If at first you don’t succeed, try something else.”  “Man’s the only animal you can skin more than once.”  “Marriage is the only game of chance I know where both people lose.”  “The only thing more important than money is more money.”  “If you haven’t got something nice to say about a man, it’s time to change the subject.”  And he wonders why with such wisdom, why he was always in trouble.  Some rules may work on the street, maybe once or twice, but no way to live life.  Yet we all have certain rules or codes we live by, and they always seem to benefit us first.  Of course, since they are our codes, why not?  But of course, we need to take another course, or pay the price, which often times we cannot. Which makes me wonder, why do the dumbest people say the coolest things that don’t work? 

After sitting through my millionth Bible study where they dissected the verses word by word, and letter by letter, I knew where Jesus was standing when he spoke, what the was wearing, what he had for lunch, and who his next appointment was with.  I knew all about the man the teacher was talking about, if I saw him in a crowd I may even recognize him, but I didn’t know him.  I may have even heard his words, but if I didn’t know him I may just dismiss them as cool sayings.  But when I know he is God, that he is who he says he is, then his words make sense.  When I know who he is, then I understand why he came, and his words make a difference.  Education today gives us more information than we can ever use, we just lack in the application.  Of knowing what to say, when to say it, and what it means.  Only by the spirit he has given us will we ever know.  Take one line for instance, “you are a new creature in Christ, behold the old has passed away.”  Looking in the mirror I see the same old face, where is this new man?  And so we start to doubt, and maybe Maverick’s words are true, if we don’t succeed with Jesus, we go somewhere else.  Ever been there, know anyone who has?  With the advice given to just spend more time in the word, the pastor or counselor has successfully passed the buck, sometimes we just need to be heard, we have real answers, someone to pray with, and it seems there work is for just killin’ time.  Ours.

The time when all good Christians wore WWDJ wrist bans, “what would Jesus do?” has fortunately passed.  But what if you were asked what would Jesus do?  Would you know?  As a Christian you shouldn’t have to ask, how many have become part of an argument because they didn’t know and when cornered their pride exploded?  Know all the answers, maybe like a Bible teacher I know who is referred to as “the Bible man,”  you haven’t heard all the questions.  He studied so hard to be approved his approval rating went down when he was confronted, if you are the fastest gun, you better be when drawn down on.  Or like a camper who was asked, “do you think you could outrun a bear?”  He answered, “no but I just have to run faster than the guy I’m with.”  Such love....

Here are some scriptures I never hear quoted for instance.  Ever hear a successful man on the way up quote “it’s all gonna burn anyway?”  Or a teacher tell you “knowledge puffs up?”  It’s like a friend who used to witness based on the four spiritual laws tract, going through them one by one taking a long time to do it, and wondering why his evangelism failed.  And getting upset when I joked “spirit and law, aren’t they at odds with each other?”  Then he was at odds with me, it was my fault.  I guess I need more teaching.  He really didn’t  like my answer to the Roman’s Road...it’s in Rome, right?  But yet we go out and try being a Christian on our own, thinking we can do it alone, neglecting to take Jesus with us.  When we really just have to let the old man, the old us die, and leave it to Jesus.  With no apologies to Beaver.

Today church’s, denominations, ministries, and other well meaning Christian spend time coming up with ways to share the gospel.  They spend more time planning and less on delivering the message, rehearsing until they know the lines, then blowing them when their audience is reading from another script.  If only they had trusted the spirit to give them the words or to keep them quiet....but they just had to answer, then argue, then walk away defeated.  Blaming God, because they believe it is his fault.  Unless God builds the church, they labor in vain.  Vanity is a shaky way to make a livin’, or to be a Christian.  So we need Jesus, we couldn’t save ourselves from hell, what makes you think you can get by in the same world without him?  If he can save your soul, don’t you think he can rescue your day?  Or was Mary Richards the only one “who could take a nothing day and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?”  Do we know Jesus, or do we just know about him?  Is God just 10 Commandments that no one can memorize, or one, like Jesus gave, “love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor the same.”  Putting God first makes a difference, how different do you want to be?  Or is it time to just change the subject?  Maybe it is time to get to know the man you know so much about, to have that same man come alive via eh spirit he has given you.  It’s time for lovin’, so we can start livin’?” 

So try what I asked the Bible answer man to do, let Jesus start your prayer today.  The spirit knows what you need, and let him be Lord and lead.  It isn’t what you know but who you know that gets you in, and when you know Jesus, you have all the wisdom, of the universe available to you, and the knowledge of when to use it.  Maybe Maverick’s Pappy was right, if it at first you don’t succeed, try something else.  Make that someone else other than you, let Jesus be that someone else.  Be that new creature, don’t look for the old one you used to be, and watch as you grow in grace.  As you love, you forgive, as you forgive, you trust, and as you trust, you no longer wonder what would Jesus do, you know, and your actions show it.  My Pappy, my father in heaven loves me so much that if I was the only sinner he still would have sent his son to die for me.  Don’t be the man who gets skinned more than once.  One more quote by “my Pappy,”  “a coward dies a thousand deaths, a hero only one.”  Is Jesus your hero?  Scripture tells us we are to die to self, who are  you dyin’ to?  Who are you dyin’ to meet?  Jesus did what he had to do because he wanted to, he leaves the final choice up to us.  What does your Daddy say about that?  What do you say?

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

"Is his name Vince?"

It had been an unusually tough day at Charlie’s Garage.  The regulars had come by like Carl to have his oil checked for the third time that week, after dropping his wife off at the beauty parlor for an estimate.  We had answered every question correctly, only to find they had asked the wrong questions.  We had repaired other shop’s mistakes, and were expected to do it for free, of course, and now the day was done, we shut the doors, and as the guys finished off a six pack, I was drinking the hard stuff, Classic Coke, no sissy diet stuff after a day like this.  And as always happens, we bench race about strange things that had happened before, and look back and laugh, hopefully that day would be one of them in the future.  The conversation had drifted to off road racing, and I started to tell of a guy I met through it, who was the stone in my shoe of life.  Not a bad guy, not a pest, just a nuisance.  The kind of guy that showed up 5 minutes to closing with a two hour problem that could wait, but made you stay instead.  The guy who offered to let you borrow his tools if needed, but never brought the key to his locked tool box.  Who would use the last of the toilet paper and not tell anyone or replace it either.  We all know people like this, but his one gift of annoying was he was a tinkerer, he thought he was an inventor, and was always trying to make something work better.  He was the kind of guy who set out to reinvent the wheel and ended up with a flat tire, usually your tire.  He was good at interrupting conversations that were important, and then sharing his newest invention with them.  Usually at the start of race, making them late and holding everyone else up.  A fine tuned art of annoyance, made even worse when he brought his best friend with him, allowing you to finish third in a three man race, then bragging about the trophy.  Unavoidable at races, the stories soon became laughable, until Charlie asked “is his name Vince?”  He knew him, had done some ring time with him, and told his Vince stories.  Somehow the pain of Vince turned to laughter, and the day was soon behind us.  And we would work happily ever after the next day.

In case you were in the doctor’s office like I was yesterday, you probably saw the great eclipse.  I missed it, but saw the last ones in 1973 and 1979.  Pretty cool, with so called eclipse worshippers driving off to various places where it would be most pronounced, my favorite being Carhenge in Alliance, Nebraska, where a man after seeing Stonehenge in England, came back and built one out of old Vegas, Pintos, and others from the seventies.  A detour we took last summer to see it, as no one just happens to be in the area.  The news later showing people getting all emotional about it, one man crying when it ended, “why did it end so soon?”  Now before you start castigating me, I know that the most similar one will be in only 600+ years, but this one was unique to the US of A, just as the one in 2019 will be unique to Europe.  You still have time to make you travel plans...

But the emails from the doomsayers, the prophets of what day will Jesus return, and the numerology sickos were out in force.  Reminding me that there are a lot of self inflicted wounds in the body of Christ.  That they follow the signs, but forgetting that the signs do not lead to salvation, Gods’ words, not mine.  They get their eyes off Jesus, if only for a split second, and lead others astray when they misquote the Bible and become a joke.  They are well known among the churches, yet the church somehow encourages them.  They are allowed to mislead people in the name of religion, yet no one has the integrity to wave them off the track before they hit the wall.  They are the essence of the Fosdick Syndrome, where someone shoots in the crowd, but they miss their target and hit innocent bystanders.  And many who want to know are only confused or bullied by them.  Maybe one example will suffice as an example...remember, if Jesus doesn’t know the day he will return, why would they?  And as for playing with numbers, figures lie and liars figure.  Edited, because it was so long and wrong....

Have you noticed the convergence of 

"Owth" (biblical signs in the sun moon and stars see Genesis 1:14 )

with "Moed" (appointed times, seasons or Feasts see Leviticus 23) ?

The Great American eclipse

is definitely a Biblical sign saying:

Repent

for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

And look up, and lift up your heads; for

your redemption draweth nigh.

But it could also be pointing to the Revelation 12 sign on Sept 23 (Feast of trumpets)

or the UN Peace and Safety conference on September 21

But it could

Possibly mark the beginning

of an important 7 year period of time

ending with the 2024 American eclipse.

Only time will tell!

The paths of these two eclipses make the ancient symbol

TAV in the Hebrew alphabet which has a numerical value of 400.

This numerical value becomes significant

as you understand the miracle of an eclipse!

We take eclipses for granted because

they happen twice a year somewhere on earth

but eclipse's wouldn't be possible at all

if the Sun wasn't exactly 400 times farther away

from the moon which is 400 times smaller than the sun.

Convergence of years and milestones
The year 2017 / 5777 is also a convergence of years and milestones

500 years since Martin Luther's Reformation 1517

120 years since1st Zionist Congress 1897

100 years since the Balfour declaration 1917

70 years since Israel became a nation November 1947

50 years since recapturing Jerusalem

two days after the UN's peace and safety confrence

Virgo gives birth to the "King Planet" Jupiter

on September 23

Revelation 12 sign

Now a great sign appeared in heaven:

So they join the ranks of the Mayans, those who cancelled plans for December 22, 2012, and all those who deal in astrology, witchcraft, and the dark arts.  Looking for a secret that only God will reveal to them because they are so special.  I can only ask, “is his name Vince?”  Does the spirit of anti-Christ have a name?  Anti-Christ meaning in place of Christ?  Is this how the gospel is portrayed in your life?  Remember the scriptures tell us “these things shall follow them that believe.”  What’s following you, better yet, who are you following?  I choose Jesus, and to be led by his spirit, sadly too many are like Carl’s wife, going to the beauty parlor for an estimate.  And never getting the work done.  You see you can be in God’s way, being led by the holy spirit, or be in God’s way, interfering.  He has given us his spirit so we know the difference.  So I will make no predictions here about Jesus, other than to say he doesn’t know, I don’t know, but I know him.  Which makes all the difference.

As for the eclipse, it reminded me of how we are more concerned the sun than the son of God.  How light can be blotted out for an instant, but that the darkness cannot stand in the light.  That the son wins, and those in him are winners.  It is true God has set his hand on the heavens, and has them all under control.  Yet we look at the stars instead of the one who made them.  If only we looked at Jesus the same way.....instead a great spiritual eclipse covers lives and they don’t know it.  It has been said that religion is man’s search for God, and Christianity is finding him.  We do not know of the time of his return, but soon is always sooner than we think, and today could still be your day of salvation.  Tomorrow is promised to no man, except where you can spend it.  I in no way endorse those who parade their numbers and predictions, but the above example says it all.  For the truth about eclipses try the NASA website, for the truth about Jesus truth the Bible.  It says you must be born again......and it applies to Vince too!

I think I need a rest, with shades of Carhenge dancing in my head...

love with compassion,

Mike

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