"Taking It To The Streets"

June 25, 2006

"Then the master told his servant, `Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full."

- Luke 14:23 (NIV)

You may recall that a few weeks back, our REAL CHIEF was taking us through a time of refocusing - at time of turning away from so much dedication of our time to our hobby and redirecting that hobby for HIS honor and glory.

Three or four months ago, Jeff Wells, the Senior Pastor of the church we belong to (Woodsedge Community Church) asked me to pray about starting a motorcycle ministry.

When we were praying about the bike, it was like GOD hit me on the side of the head... "HELLO??? I gave you that bike for a reason!'

Duh. Sorry, GOD, for being so slow.

Well, to make a long story a little bit shorter, we "officially" made the announcement to the church via a flyer in the bulletin last weekend - Woodsedge Motorcycle Ministry is off and running! This past Tuesday, we held an organizational meeting. Thirteen people who love JESUS and love their bikes showed. Today, after services, we went on our first ride - a little over 110 miles. Fourteen people on a total of eleven bikes participated. It was awesome!

You see, we are doing something with the material things GOD has allowed us to have. We are, quite literally, "taking it to the streets." In our verse this week, JESUS was telling a parable to the people. In this parable, HE was speaking how many were invited, but they didn't want to come. So, HE sends his servants out and tells them to go out on "the roads and county lanes" and invite them in. YES, GOD!!! We can do that.

We can and should go out and invite others to HIS banquet of life.

So, we get to hop on the Harley and serve our REAL CHIEF by "taking it to the streets"...

"Teaching 'C.P.R'"

June 19, 2006

"He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

- Mark 16:15 (NIV)

How many of you have taught CPR classes? Most of you, I imagine, have either taught (or assisted) if you have been in the business for any length of time. I can remember being a part of a "mass class," where thousands of citizens would flow through a convention center to learn how to save a life.

Teaching CPR is something we should be doing in our communities. It serves several purposes;

1. CPR really can save a life
2. Learning CPR makes people feel like they are contributing to society
3. Teaching CPR helps show a "value" of the department
4. Teaching CPR keeps you on your toes and up-to-date

But, as we all know, CPR doesn't always work... even if started early by well-trained people.

Now, how would you like to learn CPR that works every time? Wouldn't you love to teach that kind of CPR to others?

Well, you can! The CPR I am writing about here is this - "CHRIST Provides 'Resuscitation'" - You see, you were dead before you became a believer . But, when you asked JESUS to become your REAL CHIEF, HE "resuscitated" you - HE breathed new life into you. And, HIS "CPR" resuscitates you into eternal life in paradise. How awesome is that? THAT, my friends, is the good news that JESUS wants you to share with others... to teach others the CPR that only HE can provide.

YES! Go out and tell others the good news...

"THE First Responder"

June 11, 2006

"Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me."

- Psalm 40:13 (NIV)

This past week, I had a freelance journalist contact me about violence on public safety personnel. Had I ever talked/counseled with anyone who had experienced an assault while on duty? Yes. Me. And, my guess is, if you have been "in the business" for a while, chances are you, too, have been a victim of assault while trying to help others.

Okay, time for some "war stories." Several years ago, I was on a paramedic unit called to the scene of a domestic assault. The police were on-scene and had "cleared" us in... the scene was "safe." The police meet us on the sidewalk in front of the apartment and tells us that the young woman is inside and "wants to be checked" and has a "red mark" on her face. We can see the lady standing inside. As my partner walks in with an officer, I turn to get the trauma bag out of the side door. Another officer walks up with a man with his left arm in a sling. The officer asks me if I could check this guy's hand out, because he was the one that allegedly struck the woman inside. I have the guy sit on the "captain's chair" at the head of the stretcher. I sit on the end of the stretcher. I see that the knuckles on his right hand are swollen. I started to say something like, "Let me take a look at that," when, all of a sudden, the man says, "I'm not through, yet."

"What?" I asked. Stupid me. He reached inside the sling over his left arm with his swollen hand and produced a handgun and proceeded to point the pistol right at my forehead.

"I said, I am not through beating her yet."

Trying not to provoke the man, I said something to the effect of, "It's cool. I understand. You can go."

It worked. He put the gun back in the sling and stepped back out onto the sidewalk. I stood in the doorway of the unit and motioned to the officers that he had a gun in his sling and, well, to make a long story short, he was through for the evening.

That was just one incident of many I have lived through while trying to help others. How about you? Please feel free to email me your most trying moments.

In our verse this week, King David is crying out for his FIRST RESPONDER. For our REAL CHIEF to save him... to rescue him... from his enemies.

Many "heroes of the faith" have also faced assault while "on the job." You are in good company. Call out for our REAL CHIEF to become your personal first responder as you serve...

"Enemy Existence"

June 5, 2006

"And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."

- 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 (NIV)

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

- James 4:7 (NIV)

First, I wanted to give a big praise to our REAL CHIEF! Yesterday, I had the privilege to watch and listen as a friend of ours gave her life to the LORD. What an awesome thing to witness, to be present for.

Having said that, I want to caution you... Satan is very much still around and is doing his job - trying to destroy. Yes, our enemy exists.

Our friend came over yesterday. Lots of questions, lots of doubts, lots of confusion.... all planted in her by the enemy. You can imagine the spectrum of questions - "Why does GOD let so many people suffer?" "Why do children get killed?" "Why can't HE stop world hunger?" "I still feel the guilt of the past." She also related to us how "friends" who believed in 'religions' had given her a copy of "their Bible".

Our first verse for the week, points out that our enemy disguises himself as an "angel of light." Yes, Satan puts on an angel 'costume' to deceive and confuse.

The Bible calls Satan by many names; father of lies, great deceiver, a destroying angel, the accuser of our brethren, the adversary, a destroyer, the Devil, false accuser, slanderer, dragon, the enemy, Lucifer, that old serpent, power of darkness, prince of the power of the air, ruler of the darkness of this world, the tempter, the wicked one and many more.

So how we do stop his demonic attacks? Our second verse for this week instructs us... first, submit yourself to our REAL CHIEF... become clay in HIS hands. Let HIM mold who you. Secondly, the verse say, "resist" the devil and he will flee from you. How do we resist the devil? I believe that comes to us by putting on the whole armor of GOD (see Ephesians 6:10-18). That is, through faith, salvation, truth, righteousness and the WORD of GOD.

You might remember that CHRIST was tempted by Satan. Each time, JESUS set an example for us... he countered each lie of the enemy with Scripture. And do you recall what happened? The enemy fled from HIM. Did he flee forever from HIM? No. And he won't flee from you forever, either. It is the devil's job to attack our minds as much as he can... with doubt, with confusion, with time-stealing activities, with money, with, well, with any deception or "dangling carrot" he can think of to take your eyes off of TRUTH, off of our REAL CHIEF.

Pray together with me, if you would, for protection for our friend, who just asked GOD into her life, from all the lies and the devil's schemes.