FAKE CHRISTIANS

We all dislike FAKES.
I recently bought a small used laptop computer
on line for a specific purpose.  It had a "new"
Windows 7 O.S. installed.  That was fine with
me.  Would you believe it, the O.S. that was
installed was a generic Windows 7.  That
would be O.K. with me - if it worked right.
BUT IT DON'T.

We all dislike, and suffer, when a "FAKE" is
involved.  Whether it is fake money, fake
merchandise, or, fake people.

Let me share with you about a fake car that
reminds me of a certain type of fake people.

My best friend bought a cheap used car
knowing that it lacked perfection.  But
he knew that as a retired [That's, real
tired.] Lincoln, Mercury technician I would
do anything I could to help him.

The day he brought it over for me to look
at it I found it said it was a 24 valve
double overhead cam engine.  See, it says
so right on fender.   Great.  I liked them.

But when I opened the hood I found what is called

a OHV engine.  Now thy were fine engines, BUT

that is not what it says on the car.  See the image below.

It simply is not  the engine that the car says is in it.

Some one had put a different engine in the car.

HE HAD A FAKE CAR

and we have not found the end of the troubles

yet, and might never work all the problems

out.

That is how it is with multitudes of so called

"Christians".  They carry the name, but the 

power inside of them comes from a different

 source.

"They claim that they know God,

but their actions deny it.

They are hateful and disobedient,

not fit to do anything good."

(Titus 1:16 GNT)

Being good, nice, helpful, generous and

all those things do not make a person a

Christian either.

The very creator of the universe it's self,

Jesus Christ the Son of the living God

was talking to an extremely "Religious"

man when he said;

"I am telling you the truth:

no one can see the Kingdom

of God without being born

again."

(John 3:3 GNT)

All of us have been born of the flesh.

But only those who have submitted to

Jesus Christ allowing him to become 

our very "BOSS" and have His Spirit

living in and powering us or Christians.

The rest of mankind who do not have

the Spirit of God in them and powering 

them are  only "FAKES" if they claim

the title of "Christian."

GOD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE

I have learned a long time ago that it is not possible 

for me to do much, at least without God's help.  And

of course, nothing is impossible with God.

In fact, God asks us to take "EVERY THING" to 

him in prayer.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything

by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,

let your requests be made known to God;"

(Philippians 4:6 NKJV)

Further, if there is something I do not understand,

I am to ask him.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God,

who gives to all liberally and without reproach,

and it will be given to him.

"But let him ask in faith...."

(James 1:5,6 NKJV)

God is so practical.  He is concerned about even 

our every day problems.  And one of those problems

for myself was impossible.

My oldest motorcycle had the starter go out on it

a few weeks ago.  I know.  It should not have.  It

was only 34 years old.  But they just do not make

things like they used to.

Now installing a starter is generally not a big deal.

I have probably installed a dozen or more in my 

life time.  But on this particular engine it's a different

story.  From experience I have learned that once you

pull the starter, you cannot put it back in.  In fact,

the two repair manuals I have on this motorcycle

both say, PULL THE ENGINE.

What happens is that when you pull the starter,

the starter comes out of the sprocket and chain.

Then the starter sprocket and the chain fall

down into the housing.  So, you have to pull

the engine to take the back cover off and control

the sprocket and chain.  [The manufacture latter

corrected this problem.]

Fifteen years ago, pulling an engine was more fun

than it is now.  I more than likely have pulled a 

dozen or more engines.  But at eighty one years

old, pulling engines is not fun anymore.

So, what do you do?  PRAY.

God put an idea in my mind about controlling the

sprocket and chain.  And at each step of the way I

had to pray and depend on God to help and guide.

In fact, God had to put a number of others ideas in

my mind as we went along.

But PRAISE GOD.  Instead of pulling the engine,

he helped me put the starter in by just pulling the 

gear shift lever off and drilling a hole, where a hole

is not supposed to be.   [That is where the bolt is in the
above image.    The bolt is now filling the hole that is not
 supposed to be there.] This allowed me to stick a piece of
welding rod in to support the sprocket and chain while the
starter was out - then fill the hole when done.

Image above is the bent welding rod.
Image below the old starter.

To  you this would not be a big deal.  But to this

old man, I praise God for him helping me to do

the impossible.

That is the new installed starter below -
WITHOUT PULLING THE ENGINE.

PRAISE GOD.

LESSON OF THE LITTLE ENGINE

The picture is a portable generator.

[Was a portable generator???]

The rest of it is over on the bench.

It was brought into the shop because it would not start.

I just hope the man brought it to the right place.

Trying to find parts for this thing has taken some real

research.  (Yes, even with a downloaded manual.)  It 

is beginning to appear that the generator is a product of

a factory over in China.  Thus far I have been able to 

find this basic generator, with slight differences in 

configuration or size, with more than one dozen brand 

names, and even no name.  And in several colors; Red, 

Blue, Yellow and Black.

Hey!  Just like people.  One manufacture.  God.

But a lot of different configurations and sizes.  And

distributed to a lot of different places.

It will not start because there is insufficient compression.  And,

the loss of compression is due to the abnormal wear (scuffing)

on the piston and rings.  You can see the scuffing areas on the

piston.  See the dark area at the lower left, and the larger one

in the upper right of the piston.  Also there are two smaller

ones on the other side of the piston.

In this photo you can see the scuffing even on the rings.

To get this detail I reverted to an old 2 MP Nikon CoolPix

950 camera on the shelf.  See, old stuff can still be used.

You will note that the original factory machining marks are 

still on the piston.  You can even still see the knurling from

the factory.   If this were a car, it would be a low milage car

with just several thousand miles on it.

Why the premature wear?

Was it a poor product?  No, in fact after reviewing the evidence

I have gained a lot of respect for this little engine.  You see the 

owner thought it was a four cycle or four stroke engine.  So he

did not put oil in the gas.  But, it was a two cycle engine.  So the

poor little engine did not have any lubrication during the ice storm

when he used it.

What's the point?

God made us to live in relationship to him.  He wants to dwell

in us.  If we do not have a relationship with him and his Spirit

dwelling in us -  we are going to be "trashed" too.  Just like 

this little engine with out oiling.