Volume 6 Number 1 Winter2005/2006
Hello,
boys and girls! You didn’t really believe we had forgotten you- or did you?
(Shame on you if you did). Anyway, we’re back and glad to be visiting with you
again.
It is early February at the
time of this writing but it surely doesn’t feel like winter. We’ve been in a
nice above average temperature mode around here lately making for quite a few
days of pleasant riding during what is normally freezing or sub-freezing
weather. To be politically incorrect (and I love NOT being p.c.), if this is due
to global warming, I like it and give me more!
There have been a few indoor shows and meets to attend to beat the winter
blahs and several more (like the Arena cross in Greensboro, Easy Riders xpo in
Charlotte etc.) coming up soon to lead us into spring riding season which, THANK
GOD, isn’t far off! Myrtle Beach bike week and the Honda Hoot readily come to
mind. So, get on out there and mingle, maybe we will run into each other.
Get those machines ready with proper maintenance, tune ups (if needed)
and good rubber, ‘cause we’re gonna ride the wheels off ‘em! (We should at
least wear out a couple sets of tires.) Call or send an e-mail if you might be
in our area (Eden, N.C.) and we will try to join you in some asphalt
consumption. I say we, but it would be only me as my dear wife Joyce is still on
crutches as she continues to recover from her Sept. 05 crash (while on her 500
Shadow). She says her riding days are OVER, for good, but the bike will stay in
the family, passed on (after repairs) to her son Jesse. I’ll just have to ride
for the both of us. The extra riding will be a big responsibility, but I promise
you to do my best and shoulder the load!
Soybean, out!
Riding time up here in the beautiful High Country is rather limited during the
winter months. I did manage to negotiate my Vulcan down a snow-covered
driveway to the main road for a short jaunt in January. The whole event
went against my sense of better judgment, but if riding a bike in January made
sense, then it wouldn't be an adventure. Just the same, snow, ice, and
bitter winds don't make great riding companions, but if you're going to be hard
core, you've got to overcome a few obstacles along the way.
I guess our faith journey isn't that different. Some Christians think that
a trip to church at Easter or Christmas makes them a devoted follower of Jesus.
Others think you have to lock yourself up in a monastery 24/7 to really be a
serious disciple. Probably somewhere in between the two extremes is our
daily walk. In the presence of the truly hard core, I was humbled by my
lack of devotion to our sport. My measly few thousand miles a year make me
at most a hobbyist, and not a serious biker. How about your progress on
the most important journey of life? Do you stand in awe of other
disciples, only to be intimidated or discouraged at your lack of faithfulness?
There is only one way for me to join the ranks of the truly serious bikers.
I'm just going to have to spend more time in the saddle this year. In like
fashion, the only way to truly draw closer to God is to live out your faith
daily and not pretend to be further along the road than you really
are.
The greatest thing about the faith we share is that
Scott
Courtney 
From a great web site that our editor
found by accident:
www.carsandguitars.com
:
Here is a partial listing of my Motorcycle Rules of the Road--
Expect the unexpected---Watch your mirrors---Prepare for the light to turn red--Stay out of the oil in the middle of the lane---Don't follow too close---Don't let any one follow YOU too close---Always come to a complete stop---Never enter an intersection until you KNOW it is clear---Watch your speed---Don't drive between cars in slow or stopped traffic---Check tires, oil and brakes before you ride---On the highway stay in the left half of your lane---Slow down when it rains---Slow down more when it snows---
Slow
down even more when it freezes---
Don't
put your faith in little bells to protect you from malicious road spirits,
but
put your faith In Jesus who Loves you.
I pray.... "Lord, keep us safe as we ride. Keep us from accidents and protect us from other drivers. Let us enjoy this ride and return home safely to those who love us. In Jesus' name...amen".
Reminiscing.......
Soybean
…..Then there was the time, oh 20 or so years ago that my
trusty old KZ1000 pinned me to the wall like it was WO-FAT and I was 007!
Please understand that I wasn’t as big and strong then as I am now.
This is what
happened: I had built a nice, tidy
(but somewhat crowded) little enclosure to house the two venerable steeds in my
stable at that time and it seemed to be easier to get one out if I backed them
both in to park them. To ensure a dry floor inside, I had dug a nice little
sloped ditch to divert rainwater from the front. It worked quite well but after
a heavy downpour my little canal was particularly slippery.
This
was long before cell phones and I wouldn’t have had one if they were in
common use anyway! We lived in the
boonies, so nobody was going to just happen by and offer to help. Would I starve
to death, trapped like a rat? Would
the wild critters munch upon my rotting flesh,
or worse, eat me alive? HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!
Luckily, even though we did live deep in the woods, I wasn’t alone. Susan was only 20 or 30 feet away and heard my pleas for
help. You can imagine the look I got and some of the comments she made about my
ability to handle such a machine. Just
help get it off me... PLEASE.
She
did help get the thing up and no real harm was done, except to my fragile pride!
Moral of the story?...If you are going to let your bike get
you down or whip you, at least try to let
it happen while you are riding‘ cause if it gets you in a wrestling
hold while you are still in the garage, you will have a VERY hard time living it
down!
Y’all keep ‘em on the road out there!
Now,
this bike may be fast enough to satisfy Soybean’s need for speed, but it would
never handle well enough for riding the “twistys.”
*************************************************************************************
Keeping the Faith
There
is a TV program on locally called “What Does the Bible Say?”. I don’t
agree with some of what the host of this program says about his interpretation
of what the Bible says, but I don’t mind giving the show a free plug here
because he is getting people to get their Bibles out and READ them. Even if the
main purpose of getting them out is to prove this show wrong, they are getting
them out and reading them, and that is good.
The
program comes on after showing a logo that says STAR39, Danville, VA, but I pick
it up on Rockingham Co. cable on channel 5, Sunday nights at 8:00 PM.
If you get a chance, tune them in and see what you think.
Two
of the things that I disagree with this show about are two of the things that
they keep coming back to: 1. Baptism is necessary for salvation and 2. Musical
instruments (which they call Mechanical Instruments of Music) are not
allowed in the worship service, or as they say, “not in New Testament
Worship”. If you are familiar at all with these items, you have probably
figured out by now that the program is put on by the denomination known as The
Church of Christ. They don’t like the term “denomination” and like to say
that they aren’t one, but the definition of “denomination”, according to
the American Heritage Dictionary, is “a class or group having specific
values,” or “ an organized group of religious congregations”.
So they can call it what they like, they are as much a “denomination”
as are the Baptists.
This
column will look at musical instruments. I may write again later on baptisms and
salvation, but this issue it is the Mechanical Instruments of Music.
First,
God likes music. How can I say what God likes? Well, His Word, the Bible, is
full of references to this fact.
1.
David was “a man after God’s own heart” and he played music. Acts
13:22, 1 Sam 16:17-18. 2. David played for God, not for his own
enjoyment, but to praise God. 1 Chron 13:8
3. Other leaders either
played or had music played for God. Even the prophet Nehemiah, at the dedication
of the rebuilding of the wall in Jerusalem, played music. Neh 12:27
4. The Psalms, which are
literally filled with praise, are also filled with references to playing mechanical
instruments of music. Psalms 33:2, 98:4, 144:9 and of course Ps
150, just to give a sampling.
I
think even the host(s) of this show will admit that God loves music. If He loved
music then, He loves music NOW. Because
His Word says that He is unchanging Heb 13:8.
But
they will say, “That was all Old Testament.”
I
answer that with 2 Tim 3:16 “All
scripture is...profitable for doctrine..”
They
will say “Even if God is unchanging, the covenant changed, we are not
worshipping as in the Old Testament. Do you want to start sacrificing animals as
part of the worship again?”
(They actually use this
one.) To which I answer : First, the Jews stopped animal sacrifices because they
were told to do them at the Temple in Jerusalem , and nowhere else. Deut
12:13-14. When the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD they had to stop.
Second, and by far the most important reason that I do not want to start animal
sacrifices again, Jesus Christ sacrificed once for all, so no further sacrifice
is necessary. Heb 10:10-12.
Michael Leffew
Feb 2006
Editors Note: I play the guitar in the Praise Team at the church of which I am a member. In case anyone would say that this means that I can’t look at this issue objectively, again I say it’s not what does Mike say, it’s “What Does the Bible Say?”
References used in this issue’s Keeping the Faith:
Acts 13:22
And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to
whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of
Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
1
Samuel 16:17
And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play
well, and bring him to me. 18 Then answered one
of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite,
that is cunning in playing,
1 Chron 13:8
And David and all Israel played before God with all their might,
and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and
with cymbals, and with trumpets.
Nehemiah
12:27 And at the dedication of the
wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them
to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and
with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
Ps 33: 2 Praise
the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten
strings.
Ps
98:4
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud
noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
5 Sing unto
the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
6 With
trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.
1
Praise
ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his
power.
2
Praise
him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3
Praise
him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4
Praise
him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon
the high sounding cymbals.
6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD.
Praise ye the LORD.
Heb 13:8
Jesus
Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
2 Tim 3:16 All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all
good works.
Deut 12:13
Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in
every place that thou seest: 14
But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes,
there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I
command thee.
“DOUBLE
YOUR PLEASURE, DOUBLE YOUR FUN,
With two bikes, yes two bikes, not just one
Choices,
choices, choices. We all make many choices every day. What a burden it is to
have to choose which bike to ride! For the first time in months, both my beloved
steeds have new rubber, new chains, new sprockets and recently adjusted valves-
lets get ready to rumble. And that leaves me with the agonizing choice (well,
it’s not all that painful) of which
bike to ride today. Cruise on the
KZ or warp drive on the CBR? (warp drive usually wins!).
Here’s hoping you also
own more than one bike and face the same challenge.
Another choice we continue to make here at the Kickstart Chronicles is to
keep writing and keep on reaching out to you and others in the hope you will
enjoy our efforts. We also hope to persuade you to join us for a ride and
ultimately join us in our belief in and service to each other and most of all,
to Jesus, the ultimate “ROAD CAPTAIN” (read Hebrews 2:10). To paraphrase
Luke 17:10…”we are doing what is our duty to do”… by sending you the
Kickstart Chronicles (and we do it because we care about you!). You can choose
which bike to ride, and then choose which road to take. My hope and prayer is
that you all will choose the road that leads to eternal life in heaven:
Jesus.
A Few More
“You might be a biker if...”
Every
left shoe you own has a black spot on it from the shift lever.
When
you refer to Captain America, you mean the bike and not the comic book hero.
You
know that Marlon Brando rode a Triumph in The Wild One and not a
Harley-Davidson.
You
also know that it was Lee Marvin who rode the Harley in The Wild One.
Your
idea of jewelry is chains and barbed wire.
You
carry around a crushed beer can in case you have to park your bike on hot
asphalt.
Your
other vehicle is a truck equipped with a motorcycle ramp.
Your
three piece suit consists of leather chaps, a leather vest, and a leather
jacket.
Your
other suit is a rain suit.
You
can't remember your kids' birthdays, but you can remember what year that
Harley-Davidson
