Worry

This past weekend we took our cockatiels in for a feather and claw trimming. 

This is a normal procedure we have done every few months.  We usually are in and out in just a few minutes.

But this time it was taking longer.  We waited and waited, only to find out he had jerked as he was being trimmed which led to a claw cut too close to his foot  and he was bleeding.  Bleeding so much that she couldn't stop it.  He finally had to be taken to a vet.

Pet owners get how you can be attached to a dog, cat or for me my bird.  Seeing him injured put an anger in me that I didn't know what to do with.  Anger that sprung out of worry and feeling powerless to fix things.  What if they can't get the bleeding stopped?  What if it gets infected?  What if he starts bleeding again in the night and dies?

I knew it wasn't the young lady's fault.  She had taken care of him numerous times over the years I've had him without incident.  Yet I still had to dismiss thoughts of coming back with sheet metal shears...  the Sicilian in me had reared his ugly head.

However, the pet store lady took him to the vet and by the time she got there, the bleeding had stopped.  By evening, he was fine, singing away as normal.  And he's been fine ever since. 

And I obviously didn't buy sheet metal shears...  I repented of those thoughts.

Worry can sicken the heart and put the mind in a dark place.

Jesus said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:28-34 (NIV)

That's the key to trust, not only to trust Jesus with ourselves, but those he places in our lives to love and care for.  That is sometimes hard to do, especially when we can't fix a problem.  Yet, that's the only way to get through it - trust him, who not only cares, but can fix all problems.

Living Word

I was once asked  how I can read the Bible over and over again.  Some people see reading it just as they do reading any book.  No matter how good it is, they reason, even if it's your favorite, you have to get tired of reading it.

For the record, as many of you know, the Bible is technically  not one, but sixty six books, but I get the confusion.  It makes no sense using human understanding.

But the Bible is not like any other book, and reading it is not just an exercise of the mind.  Something spiritual happens when we read this book.  It is not something that can be explained in human terms. 

The Sprit of the living God draws us to himself.  That is why we can read the same passage over and over again for years and then suddenly understand something in those words that we have never seen before.

As the writer of Hebrews so aptly put it, 

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Heb 4:12-13 (NIV)

There is no substitute for daily time in the word. 

With Us

Once again I found myself in a conversation with someone about the dangers of riding a motorcycle.

I explained how you can ride aware, ride smart, develop skills etc... to which they finally replied

"Yes, but you have to worry about someone else running into you." 

The conversation got interrupted at that point.

But I thought about it.  Sure, it's true we cannot control what others do around us when we ride.  The danger is real.

However, riding for Christ's sake means we are riding with our Lord and Savior.

Does that mean that we cannot go down?  Does that mean we cannot be hurt?  

Sometimes it does.  My wife still recalls the time on route 210 when a truck didn't stop at an intersection,  one split second she thought, "I'm going to hit him..." the next she couldn't figure out how she got past him.  Around... somehow...

But another time her bike was hit by a car, from behind.

There are times when God intervenes and protects us from an accident, and there are times he does not.

But the assurance we have is that he is with us.   He will see us through anything that happens, from the time the kickstand goes up, to the time we pull back into our driveway.

That is the promise, he will be with us and give us the strength we need.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)

Psalm 27

Some days can be rougher than others.  Some trials seems to go on and on.

At those times,it's refreshing to remember that this life isn't all there is.  We are here on earth for a very short time compared to the eternity we will spend with our Lord.

Reading Psalm 27 today

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—

    whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life—

    of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked advance against me

    to devour me,

it is my enemies and my foes

    who will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me,

    my heart will not fear;

though war break out against me,

    even then I will be confident.

4 One thing I ask from the Lord,

    this only do I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

    all the days of my life,

to gaze on the beauty of the Lord

    and to seek him in his temple.

5 For in the day of trouble

    he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent

    and set me high upon a rock.

This is the promise of God, this is our assurance.

Learning and Teaching

I was teaching guitar to a young man recently and had a bit of a flashback to when my older brother was teaching me.

I was explaining something to my student for his first lesson and asked to play his guitar to illustrate what I meant.  His eyes got really wide as I strummed through a few simple chords.

I remember that feeling.  The one of holding your first guitar not knowing how to make it sound right.  Then someone more experienced takes that very same guitar and plays music on it and you realize what is possible.

But being on this side of it, seeing his reaction to what I considered very basic playing, something dawned on me.  I've been playing guitar for about 35 years, but I always look to what I can learn, I am not always aware of just how much I have learned and can teach. 

And because of that, just how much I have to offer a person who is just starting out.

What is true in guitar lessons is true in life.

The first step to sharing our life lessons with new believers is to realize that somewhere along the line we learn things that we can pass along.  Then we look for the opportunities the Lord provides to share those things.

In this way, we are always learning, but teaching as well.  In our walk with the Lord, as the years go by, we learn more and more and the times we teach others should become more frequent. 

That's maturity, that's discipleship.

After spending some time with the disciples, Jesus was ready to send them out.  He said, ""Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.  Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.  As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.'  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give." Matt 10:5-8 (NIV, emphasis mine)

We all have something God has freely taught us, and we all have something we can therefore freely give.

But it starts with asking the Lord to show us what those things are.

Made for More

What are you made for? 

It always saddens me when I read in the news about some young artist or athlete who loses everything they worked for due to a lack of character.  They have the opportunity others can only dream of, and even the talent, yet their behavior disqualifies them from realizing their dreams.

Reading 2 Timothy today,

"In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use.  Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." 2 Timothy 2:20-21 (NIV)

Does your heart long to be used in a special work for the Lord?  The Lord, unlike the world, will not use us in this way unless we have displayed a lifestyle that is in accordance with his word.

Does that mean we have to be perfect?  No, but we are all grown ups here and we do realize the choices we can make that do not please him.

Paul goes onto say, " Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.  And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. " vv22-24

 

Is there a tugging in your heart to live a life of special purpose?  It starts with how we conduct ourselves in the simple matters of life.

Jesus said, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." Luke 16:10 (NIV)

What is the Lord telling you it's time to let go of so he can more affectively use you?

Whose Agenda?

Reading 2 Timothy today.

"You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.  Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer." 2 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV)

As children of God our primary focus should be the spreading of his kingdom.  There are so many things that can come into our lives and appear to be noble causes but that fall into the category that Paul describes here as "civilian affairs."

Paul explains that we are all soldiers for Christ, enlisted in his army, we take our marching orders from him.

Anything we engage in has to be viewed in light of this verse.  Jesus said, "What would it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul?" Mark 8:36.

The idea expressed here is, you could get it all, yet if you are not saved then what's the point?  This world is fleeting, this life is temporary.

Today, ask yourself before engaging in an activity or posting something on FB, what is my focus here?  Are we engaged only in the activities that further his kingdom, or are we allowing ourselves to be pulled into another agenda?

My Bike

This past weekend the weather simply was not favorable to ride.

So I did what many of us often do, I went into the garage and looked at my bikes.

I was looking at my Harley, and thinking about all the changes I have made to it.  The club bars, the single rider seat, moving the front turn signals...all the things I have done to it that made it mine.  It doesn't look quite like any other.  It's personal to me in a way only those of us who ride can understand. 

I chose this bike and then I made it my own.  I spent a lot of time on it, a lot of miles.  There are scratches on that bike from when I went down.  But I got back up again, we moved on.

Then I thought about how it took me five years to pay it off.  There were times when some of those payments were harder to make than other times.  It wasn't always easy, but it was worth it.

I paid for it, it's mine.  A lot of people shook their heads when I bought it, but I felt it was worth the price.

Reading 1 Cor 6:19-20 (NIV) today, "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."

Jesus Christ paid for each of us, he gave everything to make us his own.  In John he said, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last..." John 15:16 (NIV)

Like my motorcycle, the Lord choose us, he bought and paid for us and made us his own. 

No matter how hard the road is, not matter what lies ahead nothing can change the fact that we are his own, and he felt we were worth the price.  There may be some things about us he wants to change, that's his choice, we are his.  There may be times when we get scratched up, but that too is part of the journey.

Jesus warned there would be tough times, hard days.  But he promises to always be there.  He takes care of his own, his word is true.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NIV)

But What Does it Mean?

I was reading this passage today.

 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV)

In light of all that is going on in the world, I prayed about it, studied it, and came to an understanding.

I think when Jesus said this he was really saying.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Some things just mean exactly what they say.

Do To Others...

I was pretty hungry last night and decided to go to one of my favorite burger places.  They make the burgers and fries fresh, not like a fast food restaurant.

 

Don't get me started on those places.

 

Anyway, I pulled up and walked in and to my surprise there was only one couple ahead of me in line.  I smiled at my good fortune, I wouldn't have to wait very long to eat!

 

It had been a long day, and like I said I was hungry.

 

But the people in front of me were having a problem with the guy ringing up their order.  He kept making mistakes, obviously in training.

 

What I observed was the gentleman's patience with the cashier.  He kept telling him it was ok, don't worry, we all have to learn sometimes, things like that.

 

Watching his patience deflated any impatience I may have felt.  Even though it took a good five or ten minutes for them to get the order straight, I was ok with waiting.

 

Because, yeah, we have all been there, trying to learn.

 

What I witnessed was someone being treated how I would have wanted to be treated in the same situation.  With some grace and good humor.

 

Seems like Jesus said something like that…

 

"Do to others as you would have them do to you."  Luke 6:31 (NIV)

Focus

On a motorcycle ride any number of things can go wrong.  From the mechanics of the bike, such as a single bolt vibrating free, to a clutch cable breaking or a flat tire.  Any number of these things can happen at any time.

And often do.

There are also hazards on the road.  Poor road conditions, deer that run out at just the wrong moment, and of course, cars not paying enough attention by the driver texting or just plain "not seeing" you.

I was thinking that if I focused on all these things as I was getting ready to ride I would never pull out of my driveway.

But on a ride there is also so much that can go right.  Beautiful scenic roads, wind in our face, amazing colors, and that time to simply unplug from all that stresses our daily life.

Jesus said, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

It's one thing to prepare for the ride, check our bikes, wear the right gear, work on our skills.

It's another to dwell on hazards that may never happen.  Indeed, I wonder how much of the worry I have had in my life has been over things that never happened?

So let's focus on being prepared, but then, just enjoy the ride.

Knowing Him

I really like the look of my wife's Bonnie.  Unlike my own, hers has M bars with bar-end mirrors and a cafe racer seat.  Really has that old cafe look to it.

So I was toying with the idea of making the same modifications on my own Bonneville.  However, since I knew that these changes would completely alter my riding position, I thought I'd give her bike a try first.

I don't think I got even three miles down the road, I could feel the differences immediately.  I would know this was not my bike blindfolded.  It felt completely different.  If I leaned too far forward I could feel stress on my back, if I tried to sit up straight, like I do on my Bonnie, the stress was evident in my shoulders. 

It simply was not my bike.  I have gotten to know both my Harley and my Bonnie.  I am used to the feel of them both, but this was foreign to me. 

We stopped to get gas, and after I described what I was feeling we went back so I could swap to one of my bikes.

I was a lot happier with my own again, and I enjoyed the ride!

To a non-rider all bikes look the same.  But those of us who ride know our bikes.  There is a relationship there, placed by time and miles.  Any other bike feels like a stranger.

And that's just how the Lord's voice should feel to us.  We should get to know him and his word so intimately that anything that clamors for our loyalty or attention can be recognized right away for what it is.  And when we hear his voice, we would not hesitate to follow him wherever he sends us.

"The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.  The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."  John 10:2-5 (NIV)

The Real Thing

I was thumbing through a motorcycle catalog the other day and noticed some of the riding gear for sale. 

What I found amusing was the gear that was meant to look like it was already broken in and distressed.  Basically you are buying something new that was created to look old.

Why does that sell?

Because there are people out there who want to look like they've been on long rides and adventures without actually having gone on them.  A visual image of a biker has emerged looking weather-beaten and worn and that image has become something marketable. 

I look at my father-in-law's two helmets that sit on a shelf in our dining room.  They bear the marks of rides and time.  We even have photos of him as a young man racing his Veloocette, wearing them.  I can't imagine Ingvar buying them already aged and worn.  The thought would not have crossed his mind.  In fact, I would imagine if you showed him your new gear, all old-looking, and told him  you paid extra for it to look that way, he would shake his head at how you wasted your money!

You can't bypass the miles.  To gain life experience, you have to have life experience.  That is something that comes in a recipe of risk, adventure, miles and time.  I can tell a poser who just bought the clothes.  They may look authentic from a distance, but their eyes tell a different story up close.

Following Jesus Christ involves the same risk, adventure, miles and time.  We cannot bypass the process it takes to become a man or woman of God.  We may be able to quickly quote scripture or have a big new bible, attend church and even be the first to speak up in a bible study.  But to know Jesus Christ involves a process that is often painful, as the cross is meant to be.  There are times when we want to give up, times when we feel like we can't go on, times of surprising beauty and times of heartache and pain. 

It's life, real life. 

To know Christ takes walking with him.  We cannot bypass that process and simply try to look the part on the outside and wear the t-shirt, as if Jesus were the latest trending thing.

Being conformed into his image takes time.

"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV)

United in Christ

Yesterday at church, I noticed two very different motorcycles parked next to each other.  One bright green Ninja and the other a Harley with a seasoned leather vest hanging from the handlebars. 

Each bike belongs to one of our two drummers here at Freedom in Clayton.  They were parked together because both men had come to the church early to warm up with the rest of our praise band before the service.

Now these two brothers look as different as their bikes.  They even play differently.  Yet both are worshiping the Lord with their drums and with their voices.  They seamlessly move back and forth during our praise time, sharing their talents equally. 

And they both have a contagious joy that never fails to encourage me.  I know from personal experience with them, that both have no ego and nothing to prove.  They simply come to worship their Lord, and offer their talents to Him.  Together, completely united.

What unites them goes beyond a love of riding and music.  What makes these very talented men work so well together is their complete dedication to Jesus Christ. 

I wonder, what would the church today look like if everyone could see the Jesus in each other as these men obviously do. 

With a church like that, the world would be a very different place.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34 - 35 (NIV)

Being Prepared

A few weeks ago one of our smoke alarms started to "chirp".

You know, the chirping sound it makes when it's time to change the battery. 

So, I changed the battery in that one, thinking, "I have plenty of time to change the others...  I won't worry about it now..."

Thursday night, after a particularly rough week, 30 minutes after my wife and I went to bed, the alarm in the bedroom started to "chirp".

We both lay wide awake as I stared at the smoke alarm 15 feet in the air.  We have high ceilings in the bedroom and no ladder. 

Chirp!

Needless to say we both got a terrible night's sleep downstairs in the living room, her on the couch, me on the floor.

I'm far to old to sleep on the floor!

At six-thirty the next morning I headed to Home Depot and bought a ladder and batteries, this time replacing ALL the alarm batteries in the house. 

I thought about that, how something as simple as taking care of the battery during the day time would have saved us a horrible night's sleep. 

And how important it is to be prepared for the Lord's coming as well.  To be living as we should.

Reading Matthew today,

 "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish and five were wise.  The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.  The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.  The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'

"'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'

"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

 "Later the others also came. 'Lord, Lord,' they said, 'open the door for us!'

 "But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I don't know you.'

 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. " Matthew 25:1-13 (NIV)

Psalm 13

At ReFuel Wednesday, we talked about how psalm 13 is a model prayer for when we are going through difficult times.  It starts out with honesty, (David says how he feels,) then comes petition, (he makes his request known) and finally there is resolve (to trust and praise the Lord.)

Are you going through a difficult time?  Take a moment to pray through this honest psalm.

Psalm 13 (NIV)

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

 

Honesty (where I am)

 

1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?

    How long will you hide your face from me?

2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

    How long will my enemy triumph over me?

 

Petition (what I feel I need)

 

3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.

    Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,

4 and my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"

    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

 

Resolve (no matter what, God loves me)

 

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;

    my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6 I will sing the Lord's praise,

    for he has been good to me.

Not Our Home

I have to scratch my head sometimes when I see the things going on around me in the world.  I wonder, what will the future bring?

It's at those times I think it is important to remember, this world is not all there is.  It's hard not to get caught up in the issues.

But this place is temporary.  Worrying too much about it, like working too much, is like treating a tent with the care you would a mansion.  Sure the tent is important, you need it for shelter, etc.  But it won't last no matter how hard you try.

This world is simply not our home, we should be stewards of it, but our hope does not lie here.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,  who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,  for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:3-8 (NIV)

Words or Action?

Talk is cheap.

I think the older I get, the more I rely on a person's actions to tell me who they are rather than their words.  I tend to take people on face value, but time has proven otherwise. 

I heard it said once that you can say you believe a chair will hold your weight, but having faith means you sit yourself down on it.

Can someone tell we are a Christian by what they see in our lives?  Do we go beyond just words?

Reading James today.

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?  Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"and he was called God's friend.You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." James 2:-14-26 (NIV)

The Real World

 The Biker understands something that has not been lost...  but forgotten.  It's how to live in the here and now, in the world of the real and tangible. 

It's more than just living with en element of inherent risk in the actual activity of riding the motorcycle.  It's being involved with something that places us back into the four dimensional world. 

When we ride, we are in touch with our senses.  We are unplugged from our smart phones and computers.  Interactions with each other become more tangible and real. 

As technology advances the wall grows thicker between ourselves and the world around us.  I think life and relationships are cheapened this way. 

Just watch how people communicate with each other more and more by using postings and text.  Or watch how people document more what they are experiencing rather than just experiencing it.

But life on two wheels puts us back into the real world.  There is risk, there are mishaps that cannot be corrected by "reloading" a video game.  There are face-to-face contacts with the people we ride with.  We hear real laughter when we are caught in a rainstorm together. 

Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  John 10:10 (NIV)

I wonder sometimes if the thief even has to steal, or if we give up that life a piece at a time, voluntarily?

Experiencing the Ride

We were out riding yesterday, perfect weather, back country, twisty roads.  Most of the seventy five miles there wasn't a cage in sight.

Travel seventy five miles, just for the sake of riding, that is something most non-riders cannot wrap their mind around.

We saw a lot of different bikes out there, waving as our paths crossed.  I have always thought  motorcycles are cool.  I like looking at them all and can appreciate the different styles.  When I'm not riding, I'm often surfing the web looking at bikes.  When I go to an event, I bring a camera and snap away.

I thought about the non-riders, how many of them are like me.  We share that admiration for the motorcycles.  But there is one huge difference between those of us who ride and those of us who do not.

The rider, throws his leg over and experiences the motorcycle in a way that goes beyond admiration.  We are moving with the bike, we know how it feels, how it turns, we have tasted something that the non-rider cannot imagine.

Many approach Jesus 

Christ that way.  They admire him, they say he is a good teacher, an amazing man.  But it stops there.  They don't put their lives in his hands, they have not come to move with him, walk with him.

When people observe us on a motorcycle, many are tempted to join us.  We have a neighbor who just this past weekend finally got her motorcycle!  I'm sure she has been watching my wife and I roll out week after week.  That has had to make an impact on her choice to get one for herself and ride.

Do our lives point to Jesus in the same way?  Do we show how amazing it is to know him, to live for him?

Do we live our lives like an open invitation to 

"Taste and see that the Lord is good;

 blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34:8 (NIV)

The Real Deal

I find it interesting when I come across individuals who want to appear to be bikers, yet by just  spending a little time with them you can soon tell they are not.

They may wear the t-shirts, have knowledge of motorcycles, perhaps wear a leather jacket... but they lack one thing.

They really don't ride, nor have they ever really ridden. 

When you talk to them about the joy of the open road, you can see that somewhere in the conversation you lost them.  They nod, they smile, but they don't appear to have ever understood it.  They have never really tasted the "life behind bars".

Time and observation can often erode a first impression.  Someone who appears educated can soon show ignorance, someone who appears to come from simple means can show wisdom that a college education or higher cannot provide.

Truth about who we are cannot be hidden for long. 

And that is why we go through trials as Christians.  It is easy to take the name, buy a bible and go to church.  It is yet another thing to actually walk the walk and live the life.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,  who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:3-7 (NIV)

May we be proven to be the "real deal"

Birds

I never really paid much attention to birds until we got a pair of cockatiels.

What amazes me, after having them a few years, is that they both have very distinct personalities and habits.  We have gotten to know them as much as anyone can know and enjoy a dog or cat.

Just like when you purchase a motorcycle, you start to notice them everywhere, owning a bird causes me to see them all the time now.  Giant ones flying in the air, or small ones perched on trees.  And, of course the many birds that come to our bird feeder in the back yard.

They are beyond my ability to count, and it amazes me that with the endless number and variety they probably each have a unique personality.  I can't wrap my brain around the idea that you can know each of these the way we know our own birds.

Yet, the Lord cares for each of them, personally.  He has the ability to know them and he cares about them.

Then how much more does he know and care about each of us?

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care.[b] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29 (NIV)

To Mow A Lawn

My lawnmower died, and I haven't had a chance to replace it yet.

This, combined with the rainy days, has meant my lawn was getting pretty long.  I could only imagine what it would look like by the time I got the new lawn mower and the time to mow it...

So last night I noticed our young teenager neighbor mowing his lawn across the street.  I asked his parents if I could hire him to mow my lawn. 

What impressed me was this, after the boy mowed, his father came back outside with him to inspect the work.  They walked the lawn together, step by step, and found a few spots that the son had missed. He then had his son get the mower and take care of them.

It was encouraging to see a parent care so much that he wanted to instill that work ethic into his son.  But it also reminded me that we too have a teacher. One that walks our life with us, often pointing out our mistakes and showing us how to take care of them.

Perhaps so we can do a better job with tomorrow than we did with today.

"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:26 (NIV)

Nothing New Under the Sun

I recently read an article about penny dreadfuls.  The penny dreadful were books, written in the 1830s, and sold for a penny a book.  What's interesting is that the topics covered were very similar to many of the video games we see today. 

And they were actually often blamed for violent behavior.

According to the BBC article I read, 

"The press, lawyers and clergymen strove to link such literature with juvenile crime and degeneracy, blaming it for violence, robberies and suicides."

See http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20160502-the-shocking-tale-of-the-penny-dreadful  for the full story.

Ecclesiastes 1:9  (NIV) says "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."

It occurred to me how, when humans commit horrible acts, we as a society are often surprised and look for a reason or someone/something to blame.  We seek to find an answer, point a finger, find a cause so we can remove it. 

But the simple fact is, when we see the acts we are simply seeing the sinful nature of the fallen race of man.

Society isn't getting worse, there really were no "good old days".  Sinful man, unrestored without God, will always look the same.

The cause of all the violence is always sin and the answer to sin is always Jesus Christ.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 (NIV)

Are You a Berean?

So the other day my wife and I got into a discussion about some classic rock song lyrics.

In particular, the Queen song, "Killer Queen".

Finally we brought up some YouTube links that showed the lyrics and I was amazed to find out how many of them I had totally wrong.

She, however, knew them all accurately.

The difference between the two of us was not how well we knew the songs, but how we learned the lyrics.

My wife learned them by going to the source, seeing what they were.  I went strictly by what I heard, never checking the accuracy.

The result...  I have gone for years singing along...  with the wrong lyrics!

I thought about how many people approach the Bible the same way.  We hear a sermon, or a Christian song and build a belief around what we heard, never stopping to check the source.

However, even Paul had a group of believers who double-checked him, they were commended for it.

"Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." - Acts 17:11 (NIV)

We can go on singing wrong song lyrics and it won't matter much.  However, if we are basing what we believe is true only on hearsay, we can easily fall into error.

Be a Berean!

Riding in the Rain

Although I don't particularly enjoy riding my motorcycle in the rain, yesterday my wife and I thought it well worth the risk.  Sure, it was cloudy, but it was dry when we left.

The 20 or so miles in the morning were rather nice and we arrived at Freedom Biker Church in Clayton, still dry!

So far so good!

But about three quarters of the way through the service, we could hear the rain drops bouncing off the roof.

It hadn't really let up by the time we threw a leg over and headed home. 

Both of us were soon soaked!  Our rain gear sat unused and dry in the garage at home.

It was plenty warm enough and we laughed and smiled at each other when stopped at the lights.  "Living the dream!"

Sure, that morning it was tempting not to ride, given the 40% chance of rain in the forecast.  But we both enjoy riding so much we thought it worth the risk. 

We had accepted that risk going in, so our attitudes stayed high. 

About four miles from home, the rain let up and I could see some blue sky and sun in the horizon.  That scenic view alone just filled me with a sense of joy. 

I mean, sure we had great attitudes, but we were still riding in the rain!

Life is like that ride.  Some days you get soaked, but it's our attitude that changes everything.  Before the ride started, we had counted and accepted the cost. 

And that's just how our life with the Lord should be.  Count the cost, accept the good with the bad, and don't look back.

The Son is in the horizon ahead.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)