ANOTHER DESPERATE PRAYER ANSWERED

My problem was with a motorcycle.  No, not the one above.

That one is a Honda made into a "cafe racer".  The one I got

into trouble with was an old Kawasaki from the same era as

the Honda above.

I had bought the Kawasaki in a non running condition from

a friend.  It was a shaft drive [Not chain like the one above.]

I wanted to make  it into a cross country motorcycle that I 

would not have to spend all my time lubing the chain.

My trouble began with my pride.  Where my friend had not 

been able to get it started, I wanted to be able to tell him I got

 it started with no trouble.  The Scriptures tell us, "Pride goes 

before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall."  

and I was about to fall.

My mistake was trying to cheat using too much starting 

fluid.  It back fired catching number one carb. on fire.

[That would be the carb. the closest in the photo above.]

So there I was with the carb. on fire and flames going 

up around the gas tank that was half full of gas.

I could not see my fire extinguisher so I tried blowing 

it out.  I have used that trick in the past, but this time

it only singed my eye brows.  Then I took an old rag

and started trying to beat out the flames while looking

for my fire extinguisher.

I finally spotted my fire extinguisher.   I pulled the pin

and squeezed the trigger.  NOTHING.  It had been in 

the shop too long and lost it's charge.

Back to trying to beat the fire out, but it was not working.

By this time I was ready to push the motorcycle out 

the door and let it burn up.

The problem there was my car was just outside the door

and if I pushed it further it would go down the hill 

next to the house.   By now I was getting really, really

 tired trying to beat the fire away from the tank.

In desperation I simply cried out,

"Jesus help me." 

The fire went out in an instant.

THE FIRE

This was not the motorcycle, but it was very similar to it.

One of my motorcycle friends sold me an old motorcycle

that had quit on him and he could not get it running again.

I wanted to fix it up for a special purpose.

Now I have to admit, I created my own problem.  The

Scriptures tell us:

"Pride goes before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before stumbling."

(Proverbs 16:18 NASB)  

You see, our little motorcycle group would be meeting

just a few days after I got the bike in my shop.  And I

knew my friend would ask me about the bike.  So, I

want to be able "casually" to say, yep, I got it running.

(That was pride.)

The result was I tried a little too hard with starting fluid

etc. to make it fire up.  Well it at least backfired catching 

number two carburetor on fire.

There was about half a tank full of gas in it and a 

carburetor burning in under it is not good.  So I 

tried beating it out with a rag.  That did not work.

Then tried blowing it out with my mouth.  I have 

done that on cars and it worked.  But all I did was

singe my lips.

Finally I spotted the fire extinguisher in the shop.

Went over and grabbed it, pulled the pin out and 

squeezed the trigger. NOTHING.  It had been 

sitting around too long.

Back to beating the fire with a rag.  I was getting 

tired and thought about just pushing it out of the 

shop and let it burn up.  But my car was sitting there.

And if it was pushed a little farther it would go do

a small incline to the house.

I was wore out and desperate.  In desperation I 

cried out loud enough they could hear my in heaven,

"Jesus help me."

The words were barely out of my mouth when he

did.  The fire went out in a couple of seconds.

Do you get the point?

My God hears and answers prayer.

IS YOUR FIRE BURNING LOW?

This is my "burn barrel".

You have one too don't you?

They keep your house from filling up with trash.

If we did not have a "burn barrel" we would have 

had to get out of the house years ago.

I am tempted to ask you, what do you do with your 

trash.  But perhaps I best not ask.

But, in the top image it is obvious the fire is not burning

well at all.  It has smothered from all the ashes and is

 about to go out.  However, after stirring up the mess of 

stuff in it, the burnable material is brought to the top and

as you can see below, burns well again.

Sometimes my spiritual life gets like the smothered fire above.
Then it's time to stir up the fire in me.  For my self that generally
means getting closer to God and refocusing on the important
things of life.

Jesus Christ tells us of three things that will smother our fire,
or keep us from being productive in life from God's view point.

a.  The cares of life it's self, if given undo concern.
b. The delight in riches, or wealth.
c. Pleasures.

Which of these is smothering out your fire?

TODAY'S PROMISE

"... the LORD who created you says,
'Do not be afraid - I will save you.
I have called you by name - you are mine.
When you pass through deep waters,
I will be with you;
your troubles will not overwhelm you.
When you pass through fire,
you will not be burned;
the hard trials that come will not hurt you.
For I am the LORD your God,
the holy God of Israel,
who saves you...'"
(Isaiah 43:1-3 GNT)

******************

"The promises of the Lord can be trusted;

they are as genuine as silver refined

seven times in the furnace."

(Psalms 12:6 GNT)

1. Meditate on God's Promises.

2. Plead the Promises at the throne of Grace.

3. Act in Faith that God Will Perform His Promises.

(William Gurnall)