Wow! I did not realize it had been so lang since my last post. I would like to blame it on a million things, but the truth is it is all on me. (sorta like every thing in life, huh?) I am sorry that I haven't been more faithful to this endeavor. I will try my best to be more open, honest and on top of things this year. With all that said, let's get back to why I'm writing today. 
    This week I heard of a new religion. It is called Banana Religion. It is a new age deal with a focus on connecting with the diety in all of us, blah, blah, blah. Now, as you have guessed, I don't agree with the premise, however, I am forced to concede the point. The statement is made on one website that we practice banana religion. It compares out spiritual endeavers to a banana. The peel is the tradition and practice and the banana is the spirituality. It said that we have thrown away the banana and held on to the peel. To this, I must concede.
     Change is never popular. It always comes with travail. Change to the good, change to the bad, it does not matter the direction. Change always comes with travail. When the travail comes, we have a tendancy to resist. For my Baptist brethren, we only need to look back to the Charismatic movement and we see that we almost took all charisma out of our congregations. I have learned that when we experience Christ and He begins to lead us to a closer walk, that we begin to shine out His light greater, but, just like Moses, we tend to lose the glow as too much change causes us to push back a little. This is where we begin to hold on to the peel.
    When the banana becomes too much to handle, we drop the spirituality and hold on to the practice. It ia a lot easier to do something rather than become something.  As we walk with Jesus, He is constantly making us into something. We know that we will one day be like Him, but until that day, we are a work in progress and that scares some people. God's love for us is not just for us. As we live out our lives of faith, we impact others so that our Father can draw them to Him through us.
     Now don't think that I have this all figured out and I am all I need to be. Remember, I too am a work in progress. One thing I do know though, is that I DO NOT want only the peel. I want the banana! As we walk, or ride, this jouney together, let's always be aware of how God is leading us into a deeper level of spirituality. This deeper level will be freeing to us not constraining! (I'll come back here soon.)
      Until we meet again, keep the banana not just the peel. Ride safe!

   I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarine. This line has become even more real to me over the past week and a half. Just a few days ago, Sonja went down in the rain. Thankfully, she was okay and some dissappearing stranger called to let me know that she had crashed but was okay. The scary part is that if she had been injured bad, I would have rode up on the accident unaware. I kicked myself for a few days, then a good friend reminded me that even though she went down, God was answering my prayers  in the affirmative.  He is better to me than I deserve because He loves me more than I can earn.
   I realize on a daily basis how precious life is. Every day is a gift given to us to live to the fullest. This life is one of many ups and downs. It is a journey with many crooks and turns. All along the way, God gives us opportunities. These opportunities are there to show us how GREAT He is and how much He loves us. I know that these opportunities are not always obvious, but as we reflect each day, we can see His hand all over them.
   These opportuniies are to draw us closer to Himself. They are also to help us show His love to those around us. Each day, we should yeild ourselves to His Lordship so that we can fully experience all He has for us. Jesus said that He came to bring us life and it to the fullest. Many people live empty because we hold back from truly surrendering our lives thinking that we know much better than He does. This life is a great adventure, filled road that is meant to be enjoyed.
   Over the next few days, I challenge you the yield yourself to Christ and live each moment to the most. A biker t-shirt says, "Get on; hold on; shut up." Jesus tells us to Come to Him; take hold; enjoy the ride; tell others.  Don't miss the opportunities. Allow Him to fill you with His peace, His Presence and His purpose.
   Til next time, tell the people you love that you love them; live each day to the most and ride safe!

     Welcome back to the end of another weekend. It seems to me that the older I get the faster time seems to move. Over the past week, I have listened and read as Sonja has posted her thoughts and it caused me to think. She posted a line from a Billy Joel song. This made me think of a line from a Sheryl Crow song, "If it makes you happy, whay are you so sad."  This line has haunted me because we typically say how happy we are in Jesus then go about our lives moping along complaining about how hard it is. A few days ago I posted that I wanted to be an outlaw Christian. This is another area where we need the "outlaw" life to free us from our oppressive, darkened prison of life. You see, Jesus said that we are to have life and "IT" more abundantly. Help me out here. I don't see many abundant followers. Now we all have our ups and downs. I'm not talking about those, but the true abundant and free life Jesus promised. We can't impact the world with the "good news" if it is not "good news" to us.
     Don't overlook the truth here. Our sin cost Jesus His crucifixion, death  and suffering. We all sin and fall short of His glory, but we have peace with God and freedom from sin's power and consequences. This one truth should give us the umph we need to overcome those down days and keep our up days shining brightly in the minds of others.
     I really want to push the limits of modern Christianity. We have "Anericanized" the faith to the point where Scriptural truths work for some but not all. Many churches want people to embrace denominational doctrine over faith in Jesus. The one thing that makes a lasting difference is not sound information, but transforming faith. Our Denominational  tend to set the tone for the group and if one comes along and "bucks" the system, out you go labeled as a heretic. So What? From now on, I want to live the life and run the race set before me with endurance, free from all encumbrances.  This will not be an easy task to undertake and many will not understand, but few things in life that are worth it have no cost. Consider what Jesus would have you to do and how He would desire your life to be.
     Til next time, ive abundantly and ride safe!

     Welcome back everyone! Wow the weekend is here and gone. Time seems to fly as I get older. Thank you to those who have commented about the special edition blog on Outlaw Christianity. I am often humbled that the God of all creation chooses to speak to me, the lowest of His creations. Then, He blesses me with  a great family and surrounds me with wonderful friends. Many would look from the outside and say that I don't have much. I step back and say, "Thank You Jesus for all I have."
     This brings me to my thought for tonight. After the mid-week post, I began to think about how people might respond to this new Outlaw Christianity. You see the very same people who will tell me that I should not judge them will be the first to cast judgement on me and my friends as we embark on this new adventure. Now the Scripture says that we should not judge or we will be judged, doesn't it? Well the truth is Jesus said that in the manner we judge, we will be judged. This truth helps me to be more compassionate and understanding to the ones who are beaten down . It also causes me to be less understanding toward those who have tasted the goodness of grace and now don't want others to experience its wonderful effects.
     I'll let you in on a secret. People will always judge us. Jesus knew that. Our opportunity is to live a live worthy of His honor and not be so judgemental to those who are downtrodden due to live's difficult journey. I found out that today was reformation day. This would be a good time to reform our lives to the Scriptural truths and leave man-made religion behind. I have noticed several things over the years. One is that people need a hand to help them, a shoulder to lean on and a heart to love them. This will be impossible with a harsh judging heart. Another thing is that most people know they fail, so they need help to overcome not hinderances to hold them down.
     I told you that this outlaw christianity will not be for everyone, but the ride will be worth it. Why not mount up and head off toward the Son.
     Til next time, be true to Him and ride safe.

   Well I am always amazed at how fast a week comes and goes not to mention two weeks. Hopefully, the pattern will get settled and I will be more timely with my posts.
   A lot has happened since we last met. My family and I joined a local congregation this morning. In that same event, an opportunity presented itself to preach in a pulpit again. I know the calling and giftedness that God has placed on my life. Please pray for me and my family as opportunities come along. This afternoon we took a much needed ride with our chaplain/pastor Darryl Bates. On the ride, we met a couple of riders from Eufaula. God always seems to have His agenda planned perfect for us when we ride. Try it out sometime. All you have to do is be available. He takes care of the rest.
   This leads me to my thoughts. God is Sovereign. This simply means He has the power to work things His way. There are two things you will never hear God say. "Oops." and "I didn't see that one coming." From this, we can be assured that His plan will not fail. I know that He trusts us to choose the right way. If we don't, He has the power to move things toward His plan and put us where He wants us if we only seek Him and His glory. You see, God saw us before we were formed in our mother's womb and He had a plan and a purpose for us before our parents ever met. (I'll come back to this one day in the future.)
   I am not so smart to think I know it all. I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I do know Who holds tomorrow. By the time we meet again, life will take many turns. Some will be good. Some not so good, but He promises that all things will work together for good if we love Him and respond to His calling. The greatest assurance we have in thia uncertain life is that Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us. In all of life's ups and downs, He will walk us through each step and help us bring Him all honor and glory.
   My challenge to us this week is to continue to seek Him and His righteousness. As we do, He will establish our steps!
   Til next time, keep looking up and ride safe!

   Well, another week has come and gone. This week has had ups and downs. (Sounds like a pattern) I know that life is a journey and the road is never straight or boring. An old song has the title of "Great Adventure." this is where I have been "riding" lately. This week was full of new opportunities with many possibilities on the horizon. Over these past weeks, I have been reminded of God's love for us. 1 John 3 tells us that God has so great a love for us that we can be called children of God. Ponder that for a while...
   This love impacts us and those we encounter if we will let it permiate our lives. The love of God does three things for us.
I. It covers our sin. This is not a "look the other way" or "turn a blind eye." Jesus died to pay our penalty. Check out Romans 5:8
II. It compels our service. This love drives our devotion to the Kingdom causes. Each one of us has a special calling to follow and accomplish special tasks along the way. Check out 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 
III. It completes our sanctification. As the Lord draws us closer to Himself, He contiually sets us apart for His work. No one is unusable to the One Who created him or her.
   Love is the one thing that more people need but few are willing to show. Sure, it is risky. Anything worth doing has risks, but, we who have experienced this love have no option but to grow and show what He has done for us!
   Remember, "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we can be called children of God."
   I am a child of the King! You can be too if you will only accept His Sacrifice. If you have been forgiven, don't wait. Live in His love and then share that love with others! My challenge to us this week is to experience again the love that reached out and touched the darkest heart to bring the Light of the world inside it.
   Till next week, Love God, love others and ride safe!

   WOW!!!!! What a weekend! Left Friday afternoon in a sleeveless t-shirt, came home tonight wearing leather! The weather change simply served to remind me that God never changes. He has a plan for each of us and that plan will come to pass if we will simply yeild to His Lordship! We were blessed with great accomodations, wonderful weather and awesome friends to share it with.
   There were thousands of bikers, many neat people we personally met and some great opportunities to work out the Great Commission. This sorta brings me to my thoughts for this week. For the first time in a while, Sonja, the boys and I along with the Gores, were in our element. You see bikers are a brotherhood. There is something about two wheels that unites some of the most different and unique people. Now there were some that were outside the brotherhood even though they ride. These folk are more concerned with the way their bike looks, sounds, runs or how expensive their leather and accesories are. This doesn't supprise me. Never does. What does supprise me is when spiritual brethren are in this group. I encountered several groups this weekend who seemed more concerned with themselves than the people they encounter. I walked by some looking intently for an opportunity to engage them, but received the cold shoulder. Some others seemed more interested in name dropping than finding common ground to labor on.
   Sonja and I are average people. This weekend afforded us several opportunities to meet people where they were and hopefully encourage them along their journey with Jesus. Some we met near their bikes, some in the venues, some at events and some were just in a parking lot experiencing a little trouble. Now I'm not saying that we are perfect, just open. It is amazing how many times The Lord will open a door if we only look for the opportunity. It seems to me that many of the brethren want to wait for the opportunity to come to them. If we wait for opportunities come to us, they will generally pass us by. The "If we build it, they will come." mentality is destroying the work of the kingdom. We must be ever on the alert for the ocassions when God places us where He wants us so that the people who need a touch can be touched. Jesus went where people were. Should we do less? The challenge issued to the disciples two thousand years ago still rings true today. Jesus told the disciples to spread the gospel as they went along their way. Whereever we are, we are the people of God in God's place.
   My challenge to each of us this week is to look for each opportunity that God affords us and take Him up on the invitation to join Him. Till next week.