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.

TO VALUABLE TO USE.

Images courtesy of: www.Pixabay.com  

TO VALUABLE TO USE.

In the motorcycle world I noticed something.

The more the motorcycle cost - the less it is rode.

Take an expensive custom bike.

Pay $50,000.00 to $100,000.00 for the motorcycle

and you will not see it on the road.  There is too much

chance it might get scratched, or heaven forbid, get

some dust or dirt on it.

Take the junk motorcycle below.

The owner will ride it everywhere and just have

a blast riding it.

If it gets a scratch or a dent.  Well, it just got

more character.

The expensive motorcycle.
The only time you will see it on the road is on a trailer
on the way to a motorcycle show.

Am I saying, "Get a cheap motorcycle."  NO.
I am saying we have missed placed values.

A short time back I saw a "baseball card" up for auction.
The current bid at that time was $21,500.00.  If you could
get it at one tenth of that price, what on earth good is it to
anyone?  Well, except to care for and protect it.

Or,
a shelf full of inexpensive "nick nacks".  What is their
value?  Just something to dust and keep from breaking.

A mess of "stuff" is not life.

God said,
"Beware, and be on your guard against every form
of greed; for not even when one has a abundance
does his life consist of his possessions."
(Luke 12:15 NASB)

END OF AN ERA

THE END OF AN ERA

I am eighty three years old.  So the end of my motorcycle

riding days would be coming soon.  I wanted to get at least

a few years more riding in.  But, my insurance company

changed my mind.

I have been with this company for seventeen years.  No claims

and no problems.  But I am getting older and possibly they have

checked into my recent health history.  That is O.K.  I do not try

to hide any thing.  I always give the doctors permission to share

my records with any one.

But, last week when I went to pay my annual premium on the 

motorcycles,  it had jumped about 800%.  As an old retired man

I simply am not going to pay that much for just a little fun.

You know what that meant.

So, before the insurance expired I decided to ride my old

rat bike over to the sale for "one last ride."  That is the 

one with the hat on the sissy bar.

Now this is not a good time of the year to sell a motorcycle.

The best time would be in spring or early summer.  And the

motorcycle, though in good shape, is getting real old.  Plus

it is like a work bike, not a shinny chrome trophy.  So the

prospects of selling it were not good.

But, I have learned to pray about things like that.  

As you guessed, hardly anybody looked at the bike.

Instead they looked at jars, wore out tillers, junk 

furniture etc.  So all I could do was sit there and pray.

Praise God.

God is not limited by my circumstances.

When the bidding got started it went very slow,

BUT, there was a man there on a cell phone

bidding for a man that was not even there.

The buyer who was not even there, bought it for

enough to make me happy and keep me praising God.

AGAIN,

PRAISE GOD.

GET MORE STUFF

GET MORE STUFF

Buy more, beg for more, collect more but any way you 

can get all the things you can.  You see, there is a 

distinct advantage to having lots and lots of "stuff".

Let me explain.

I first noticed the advantage to having a lot of things with my

wife's plants.  She has to water and care for them every once

in a while.  And, some of those neat plants have to be brought

into the house during the winter.  Then taken back out in the 

spring.

This of course gives her added work every few days.

Nice, right?

Ouch!

The photo below is from my shop.

I have more motorcycles than I can ride at one time.

But that is O.K.  Even if they might not be running

I can pay personal property taxes on them.  Pay license

and insurance fees.  And even better, pay for any repairs

they need.

Oh!, the joy of having lots of "stuff".

And most of the things we get have to be "stored" some

where.  Isn't that thrilling?

We have relatives that have several pieces of property

scattered around.  They get to pay taxes, repairs and

maintenance fees on a regular basis.  Guess what?

It has become a real burden to them.

Here is a fact that most of us seem to forget.

"But godliness actually is a means of great gain

when accompanied by contentment.  For we have

brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take

anything out of it either.  If we have food and covering,

with these we shall be content.  But those who want to

get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many 

foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into

ruin and destruction."

(1 Timothy 6:6-9 NASB)

Have I learned anything from this.

YES! 

I have already hauled off several truck loads of "stuff"

to the sale.  And have given more away.  You guessed

it.  I have more free time on my hands and live just as

well - if not better than before.

One other thing.

This coming week end

even the motorcycles go up for sale.

HEY STUPID, IT'S THE GEARS

Image courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com

There is one model of motorcycle out that is a good

solid motorcycle, EXCEPT, for it's starting system.

The motorcycle is notorious for this weak point.

After a little wear on the motorcycle, the gears begin

to sound like a bunch of marbles rattling in a can when

the starter button is pushed.  And of course the engine

does not turn over.  That should be obvious to anyone

listening as to the problem.  But, it's not.

I have a friend with one of these motorcycles.  That

means I have much more experience with them than

I want.  After working on this thing several times

and searching the internet over there seems to be

a dozen or more "fixes", none of which work.

However I have found that if I go into it and 

"dress up" the gear teeth with a die grinder it

will work just fine - for a while.  But nobody

seems to want to do this.  They want to put on

a new switch, or change the battery cable, or

put in a larger battery, or change the tail light

bulb or something.  ANYTHING but go down

into the gears where the trouble is.

That is just the way we humans are.  We are

a mess and we want to try to fix it with a  new

law, [And we need laws.] or a short course in 

how to be nice,  or a medicine, or a pat on the

back and a little encouragement, or a little love,

or, or, or.  But these do not work.  The problem

is down inside.

We need a complete redesign just like that motorcycle

starting system does.

Several thousand years ago, even before you and I

were born, king David of Israel messed up real bad.

He recognized it and also that it was just his nature 

to mess up.  [God calls it sin.]  So, he prayed:

"Create a pure heart in me O God,

and put a new and loyal spirit in me."

(Psalms 51:10 GNT)

God who give you life it's self said:

"I am telling you the truth: no one can see

the Kingdom of God without being born again." 

[Or, from above.]  (John 3:3 GNT)

Quit trying to fix yourself.  You cannot,  the 

trouble is to deep.  Jesus Christ died to fix it 

for you - if you will let him.  Turn to Jesus Christ

and ask him to take over your life.

I SHOULD BE DEAD, BUT...

  

                    I SHOULD BE DEAD BUT,

"I cried to you for help,

O Lord my God,

and you healed me;

you kept me from the grave.

I was on my way to the 

depths below,

but you restored my

life."

(Psalms 30:2,3 GNT)

Over a year ago my body quit producing blood.

I should be under a grave stone like the one above.

Of course I have been seeing doctors -

after praying about it.

And taking their medicines and advice.

And praying about it.

About a month ago within just a few

days I begin to feel like my old self.

The doctors do not offer me any explanation.

I do not know where it will end.

BUT God,

has worked it out so that instead

of being in a hospital bed,

I'M BACK TO RIDING THE MOTORCYCLES

YOU SEE BELOW.

PRAISE GOD.

"But those who trust in the 

Lord for help

will find their strength renewed.

They will rise on wings like eagles;

they will run and not get weary;

they will walk and not grow weak."

(Isaiah 40:31 GNT)

LEARNING FROM MOTORCYCLES

When it comes to motorcycles, we do not all like the

same thing. You are glad of that. Right? Otherwise

everyone would want one like yours.

Years ago I bought an old Honda Goldwing with the

intended purpose of stripping it down. The reasons at

this point are not important. I call it my Hebrews 12:1

Motorcycle.

It started off looking like the motorcycle below. Many

people just love it that way. But to my self it looks too

much like a moving van coming down the road.

It was stripped down in stages. About the first week end I had it, I took of the barn door in front. Both linen closets on the sides. And the kitchen sink off the back.

That was a loss of 71 lbs the first week end. It went into the next stage as my work bike for many years.

But that still was not were I wanted it. Being retired now and not needing it for work every day it could be stripped further. The Lord helped my get it to the point of the picture below. It's almost were I want it. Some more
to go, or you could say it is still under

construction.

Why is it my Hebrews 12:1 motorcycle?

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud

of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin

which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance

the race that is set before us, "

-Hebrews 12:1 RSV

I want all "the dead weight" off the motorcycle. The less weight, the faster. Or if you prefer, less dead weight burns less gas.

Now you may never get your motorcycle into a race.

But if you are a Christian you are in a race. AND, the Lord wants us to remove all the dead weight from

our lives. For us dead weight comes in many forms.

In our day the Lord's comment comes as a real warning.

"but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches,

and the desire for other things, enter in and choke

the word, and it proves unfruitful."

-Mark 4:19 RSV

Cares, riches, desires all can become weight that

holds us back, presses us down and makes us lose

the race.

Like the motorcycle above. We will always be under

construction in this life. The Lord is shaping us up

for himself. But if we are serious about living for

Christ, it is up to us to remove the dead weight

from our lives.

STRETCHING THE GAS

A few years ago I rode one of my motorcycles

out to the west coast to visit with my kids. This

particular motorcycle has only a five gallon gas

tank on it. It's not like that land yacht you drive

around town with a huge gas tank. With only

five gallons you learn to measure out your gas

stops, and often. So I worked on about

one hundred and fifty miles between gas stops.

This gave me a margin of safety.

I left the Ozarks the last day of February. So

it would have been the first day of march that I

was out in west Texas. It was a Sunday afternoon.

In that part of Texas it can be a loooooong way

between towns, and the wind was blowing like

crazy. When I went through Pecos on Hwy 20,

it was so windy I had to lean the bike into the

wind just to stay on the road. Now if you drive

anything other than a golf cart, you know that

can be real hard on gas mileage.

I was getting low on gas. But seeing a sign that

another town was only about fifteen miles or so

ahead, I decided to push on to it. That would

leave me a little extra gas for that real long

stretch coming up.

When I pulled into that little town I found two

gas stations. One was boarded up. The other

was locked up. Ouch.

So I pulled back up onto the Hwy. looking for

a sign to see how far to the next town. Ninety

miles - almost out of gas, and no place to turn

around.

By now I was praying at about the same pace

I was breathing. I needed to go back to Pecos.

But could I make it?

The Lord let me see a small side road that went

back to the last small town. Then He let me find

a place where I could ride on the dirt over to that

small road.

As I was returning on that small road I noticed

something. The sun had come out. AND the wind

had quit blowing. Praise God. So I continued to

ease - as in eeeeease very carefully - back to the

small town and back up onto the return side of

Hwy 20.

All the way back to Pecos the sun shone. There

was absolutely no wind. It made a beautiful

Sunday after noon (but slow) ride, with lot's of

prayer.

The Lord let me get back to Pecos and find a

gas station. While the gas nozzle was in my

tank filling up - the wind returned so hard it

almost blew my bike over just setting there.

Praise God. He even controlled the weather

to help this little old guy.