I don’t think it is a new phenomenon, but looking for an advantage seems to be magnified in the void of shortages. We see a world who is focused on being first, getting mine first, to the point of rudeness. Why is it that we think we deserve to be first, or in some way treated differently than others? Our passage today reminds us that the rules written long ago still apply.

At the track every team is looking for the things that will make their car go the fastest. They are searching for that one thing that gives them an advantage over the rest. That in itself isn’t wrong, it is when that desire leads us across the line into the questionable area, the gray area of the rules. Some have even been known to actually break the rules to gain an advantage. 

Maybe you saw the video clip from Daytona. One of the reasons the Next Gen car was introduced was to eliminate “crabbing”. That is when the body and the chassis are not mounted square to each other. First test for the first race and there it is, a car with the nose pointed one way and the wheels tracking in another direction. Now I’m sure they’re in the letter of the law, but not the spirit. That may be the reason the rulebook gets thicker. 

We have heard the saying; “we get paid to cheat and they get paid to catch us.” We rationalize our creative interpretation of the rules as something necessary to get that competitive advantage that allows us to win. What is a win really worth if it is won by cheating?

Some think winning at all cost is the right motto to live by. Somehow we think integrity is for losers. Why is it that we think we don’t have to answer to anyone? Jesus introduced his discussion on the Ten Commandments with this passage. As we continue our Winter Bible Study we will take a look at how this short passage has a big impact.

Matthew 5:17-20; “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Those commandments were written so long ago that we think they surely are outdated. Jesus makes it pretty clear that the law still applies. We tend to think that the rules and the law are for someone else. We are not that bad and surely God will understand. We look for a way to do what we want to do without the consequences.

Jesus used this passage as an introduction to his discussion about how the Ten Commandments should be interpreted. Jesus took the time to let us know how we were in error in our interpretation. Have you ever thought you had the right interpretation of the rules only to have the correct interpretation pointed out to you?

Rules govern the way we live. They give order in our lives. They provide a framework for us to live a rich and satisfying life. We, however, think they can be bent or broken if by doing so we gain something. It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, right? Take a look at this passage and see if that is the case.

Jesus didn’t come to remove our responsibility to follow God’s law. He came to complete the law, to show us how to live according to the law. He came to help us understand what the law means and how to apply it to our lives. Now we need to be careful here. Jesus isn’t talking about Jewish law. The laws the Jews derived from the Ten Commandments. He also isn’t talking about the laws created by other governments. He is specifically talking about the law that God gave to Moses. 

Also, this doesn’t mean to say we can ignore or break the laws in place in society under the government. They tried to trap Jesus on this point.

Mark 12:13-17; NLT; Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us—is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them, or shouldn’t we?”

Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin, and I’ll tell you.” When they handed it to him, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

“Well, then,” Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

His reply completely amazed them.

You see much like today man twists and turns the law, makes laws, trying to gain advantage and control. Their desire is only for power over others. They were leading the people in the wrong direction. Jesus makes reference to this when he says we need to live better lives, than those leaders do, if we want to enter the kingdom of God. You see they only pretended to follow God’s law. They had an interpretation that benefited their needs. Their interpretation was not correct. Jesus set the record straight.

We need to understand what the law says and what it means. Jesus took the time to explain it and in the next few weeks we will explore how we need to live and conduct our lives. I encourage you to join us and learn what it means to order our lives according to God’s Law.

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

As we think back on the journey this racing adventure has been, we remember the stories along the way. Some of those stories involve leading someone into temptation. We all have weak points and racers derive some joy in exposing other’s weaknesses. We have fun seeing if we can get so and so to do this or that. 

Some temptations are not for fun but for performance. We get tempted to do something that may not be to the letter of the law but no one will notice. We gain a few tenths and who doesn’t want to go faster on the track. We talked last week about integrity and temptation certainly compromises our integrity. The two cannot exist in the same place.

Some temptations really don’t affect others, like the temptation to choose the donut over the apple. Yes, I am very familiar with that one. Other temptations are personal struggles and difficult to overcome. We should understand that all temptation has its root in satisfying ourselves. That isn’t to say our choices do not affect others, but the root of it starts in our mind and follows through to our actions.

As we give in to our temptations, we gain confidence that it is okay, we get emboldened, and we go further. Sometimes our guilt wants to get others involved. What starts in our mind now draws in others and we lead others down the road to a place that isn’t good. Temptations have their roots in places that are not good. Remember this verse from last week?

John 10:10; The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

Temptation has its root in evil, the thief that steals, kills and destroys. So why does it seem so inviting. Why do we even consider it? 

We try it because we think we can deal with the consequences of our choices. We don’t think anyone will find out. We don’t think a little bit will hurt. Everyone is doing it!

A few years back a pretty successful Dirt Late Model driver decided to get something out in the open. There was a lot of tire soaking going on. It wasn’t permitted by the rules but, it didn’t seem to be getting the attention of the officials and the playing field wasn’t level. 

The competition seemed better so what could it hurt. Well, the driver with integrity didn’t want their victories tainted by the question of whether they tire soaked or not. It is hard to claim you didn’t when the consensus is everyone is doing it. 

The driver made sure he was “caught” and penalized. He used that platform to get the rules enforced across the field. Now we are back on a level playing field. He didn’t care one way or the other but it was wrong that those who were violating the rules were allowed to. He didn’t want his integrity called into question.

We read in Genesis of the first encounter with temptation;

Genesis 3:1-7; NLT; The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

“Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”

“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.

Notice how the serpent began the conversation; did God really say, you won’t die, God is trying to hide something from you. There it is in a nutshell, the rational we use to justify temptation. We question the authority. We question the consequences. We question the reasoning about the rules. If we are honest, we agree that we are familiar with the process.

The challenge to us is to not go there! When we recognize the direction that leads us into temptation, stop before we start. Easier said than done. We are much more comfortable asking for forgiveness instead of permission. But we fail to realize one important consideration, bad consequences.

If we avoid the temptation, we avoid the bad consequences. If we give in to it, the bad consequences are real. Take a look; their eyes were opened and they felt shame. If we read a little further, we read they were separated from God and removed from the garden. Oh, and there is the consequence that mankind, from that point forward, was corrupted because of their sin.

Jesus taught us to pray to God to allow us not to be led into temptation, but deliver us from evil. That is what God offers us in the sacrifice Jesus made for our salvation, delivery from evil. 

We need to realize that we have been led into temptation and agreed to do things that are not beneficial for us. We need to recognize the shortcomings of our understanding and depend on God for guidance and direction.

Adam and Eve were given paradise, the most perfect place on earth. They had fellowship with God. They had the most satisfying and fulfilling life possible. They were convinced to give it up. They listened to a lie and it cost them everything.

Let’s not follow that example. Let’s commit to resist temptation and allow God to show us the way to a satisfying and fulfilling life. Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

We have been looking at the Ten Commandments for the few weeks and learning about God’s priority of things. First and foremost as my friend Steve Brown from Key Life would say; “There is a God, you’re not him.” That underlines all that we are. There is a God, a creator, a provider, a comforter, a forgiver, a friend and we do not have to be god. We should find some comfort and security in that statement. There is someone looking out for our best interest, someone who knows our needs and desires; someone who will provide for us regardless of what we see before us. He has promised and He is able to provide.

Deuteronomy 4:39-40; NLT; “So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other. If you obey all the decrees and commands I am giving you today, all will be well with you and your children. I am giving you these instructions so you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”

Think about what it takes to run a race. We need a racetrack, officials, safety personal, competitors, crew members, fans, press, etc. Although they are independent of each other they each come together in the desire to put a race event together. We cooperate because we see the big picture. Our desire is to participate in something bigger than ourselves. We are wired that way, to want to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.

All that seems to go out the window when we are hard pressed. We get into the mode of self-preservation. That is not attractive. We certainly do not reflect the character of God. We somehow think we can secure everything we need to survive. But I challenge you to look deeper and realize without the efforts of others we would not have the resources available for our lives.

I am reminded of the television series Alone. How long can we survive alone? They take some of the best trained survivalists and isolate them in the wilderness wanting to see how long they can survive. It is a sobering exercise. You begin to see quickly how much the efforts of others have an important place in our lives. We cannot disregard those contributions.

Where does that leave us? We need to learn how to interact and value the lives of others and their contributions to our lives. God knew that. God designed us that way. God provided some guidelines to help us.

Deuteronomy 5:4-5;NLT;At the mountain the Lord spoke to you face to face from the heart of the fire.I stood as an intermediary between you and the Lord, for you were afraid of the fire and did not want to approach the mountain. He spoke to me, and I passed his words on to you. This is what he said:

The 10 Commandments:

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make idols.
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet.

Let me assure you no one has kept His commandments so don’t be too hard on yourselves. That is why it was necessary for Jesus to come and make atonement for our shortcomings. Even in our inability to honor God he made a provision for us to be forgiven and restored. We need to live a life that reflects our commitment to be obedient to God. When we fall short we also need to show our willingness to ask for forgiveness. All this takes place in the process of acknowledging God, realizing our shortcomings and receiving Jesus into our lives. Then we will be equipped to live a life that shows. A life that reflects the one true God and His plan for our lives.

Romans 10:8b-10; NLT; And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

The challenge in these times is to live a life that acknowledges we are not god. A life that realizes there is a God and receives Jesus as our savior. A life that has the right priorities, God, others, ourselves. Only when we come to the realization that the world does not revolve around us can we begin to see the lives of others as valuable. The Ten Commandments were provided to us as a framework to build our lives around, satisfying and fulfilling lives.

John 10:10; NLT; ¹⁰ The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

Jesus reminded us; Matthew 7:12; NLT;“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”

The Golden Rule. Something we are taught from an early age, reminded of often and can recite from memory in one form or another. But yet it doesn’t take much for us to cast it aside and focus on ourselves. What do I need? What do I want? How will I survive? We are in strange times and now more than ever some rules to live by are more significant than ever.

It encourages me when I see people helping people for the sake of making sure they are not forgotten in our haste to take care of ourselves. That is tremendously encouraging. When we as children of God decide to put the things of God before our own wellbeing we start to reflect the unconditional love He showed for us on the cross. There is no substitute for the fulfillment we receive in our heart and soul then that which we receive by honoring God. Especially when we do it without wanting a tickertape parade.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

You shall not covet.

Good neighborly advice. Why? Because we have to live with these people and if things keep going the way they are headed we may be spending more time with our neighbors than we ever anticipated.

I am reminded of the vibrations that run through the garage area when someone steals from another team. There was a time when we didn’t ever have to consider that someone might go into our trailer and take something. Used to be that we respected what belonged to others. In fact I can remember a time when keychains were not required, our house was open and the car key was left in the ignition. Believe it or not there are some places that this is still true. I long for the days when we had mutual respect for others and their belongings. We knew what it took to attain certain things and we didn’t think we were entitled to them for nothing.

It seems today all too often someone can take something and lie about how they received it without more than the simple justification that I deserve to have it. The concept of taking something we didn’t work for or receiving something for nothing will destroy the society we live in. 

Don’t misunderstand, there is a difference between having something given to you versus taking something. We are to be giving people, considering the needs of those around us greater than our own, but that doesn’t justify taking something that isn’t yours to possess. Think about that for a moment and you might see some things in our lives that need adjustment.

Creative interpretation of the tax code falls into this category. Also benefits we receive by not being completely truthful about our situations. I can see in the coming months there may be opportunities to manipulate things so that we get something that was intended for someone else. I encourage you to try and avoid putting yourself in those positions. In the long run our euphoria from pulling something over on someone, i.e. the government, will just lead to greater disappointment in the end. Even if we are successful in hiding it from others carrying the burden will wear us down. There is no freedom that is greater than having no skeletons in our closet. Christ provides a plan for relieving the burdens we create when we live our lives counter to these Commandments.

Matthew 11:28-30; NLT; Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Make no doubt about it there are trying times ahead. If we want to get through these times with our lives intact, honoring God and following His guidance is the best plan going. This past Sunday the President encouraged each of us to turn to God in prayer for our country. I would remind each of us to keep on praying. Don’t get tired of doing what is right in the eyes of God. Fight the temptation to get drawn in to the hysteria and fear. Look for opportunities to care for others and help those who don’t have the resources or abilities to help themselves. Let us set aside our wants and needs and consider those of others more important. Hang with me and I think our lives will be the better for it.

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

Thou Shall NOT! We get into the moral standard of God. We tend to know these pretty well, at least the stealing and lying one. If your parents were like mine these were impressed upon you in many ways! But these Commandments collectively reveal the way we should treat others. Do we value the lives of others the way that God instructs us to? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Racing is a game of figuring out things before the other guy. We spend our time and effort figuring out how to be the fastest car on the track. When one team achieves that others want to know the secret. What is it they are doing that makes them so fast? The chase begins. I have seen people go to great lengths to keep their speed secrets secret.

I remember when we would honor the Modified Tour Champion with a place in our booth at Motorsports. The car that was on display was not the car that they ran on the track. One crew chief revealed to me that they took the oldest chassis in the shop and put a setup in the car they haven’t used in years. Another put a different shock on the car than the one they ran during the season. I watched as people would pour over the car, take pictures and try to figure out what it was that made them fast.

We are copycats, we want to know the way other people are doing things. Our thinking is knowing that will help us achieve our goals and dreams. Many times we think there is a shortcut to achieving our goal of a satisfying and fulfilling life. There is! Here are the steps to building meaningful, beneficial relationships and a life that matters. Five small things that add up to a great difference in the lives of those we come in contact with.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

You shall not covet.

Jesus reminded us; Matthew 7:12; NLT;“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”

Let me see if I can break them down a little, expanding on their implications. Don’t tear down someone’s life, don’t cheat, steal, lie or be jealous. Well that should be easy.

No it is not easy because we tend to think we need to manipulate circumstances for our benefit. We think that we know the best way things should work out. We engage in words, actions and behaviors that are destructive not only for others but for ourselves.

Oh we don’t start out there. It is just a little white lie. Everyone is doing it. No one will miss this one little thing. Why wouldn’t God want me to have it? They are just idiots. If we need to have reasons to do something that involves explaining our actions then we are probably not following God’s guidance.  The character of the Holy Spirit does not need an explanation.

Galatians 5:22-23; NLT; But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

If the fruits of the Spirit are not the result of our actions, words and deeds then we need to take a step back and reevaluate whose guidance we are following. You see when we live without motives that are hidden, life becomes more satisfying and fulfilling. Think about not having to hide our actions, or remembering who we told what. Think about living and being truly happy for someone who has or did something you have always wanted to do. Think about what life would be like if we spent our time and effort lifting someone up instead of tearing someone down. We can all fall into the trap of hate, deceit, lies and insults. Society seems to be an incubator for negativity and manipulation. We must live differently.

Let’s take murder, I wrote a little about it earlier this year when we talked about living the New Year differently. Here is a little look back;

The goal, to honor God, might seem abstract, let me simplify, how about if we strive to value what God values?  Let’s just focus on one thing, human life. Let’s simplify that even more, the goal is to not call anyone an idiot. Easy, right? Not so easy.

Matthew 5:21-22 NLT; ““You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”

We are good at looking out for number one, but it usually means we mess a lot of other things up, mainly relationships; the way we treat others. It is not possible to focus on yourself and at the same time be aware and concerned about others. Building relationships means sacrificing your own wants and desires. When we focus on ourselves we lose focus on what is important to God, the lives of others.

Don’t fall into the trap of self-gratification and preservation; that is not the way we are wired. We do not find satisfaction and fulfillment in building ourselves up, we never get there. Think about it, are you ever thin enough, good looking enough, healthy enough? No? So what if we stop thinking of ourselves and turn our focus on others? There we can find true fulfillment and satisfaction when we get a different focus.

We can give encouragement, support, companionship, mentoring, the list goes on. It has one thing in common; time. If we stop spending our time focused on ourselves and look around we will find many opportunities to reach the goal. Remember the goal, no one is an idiot. I told you it wasn’t that easy.

We will spend some time here with these five, there is a little more to them than meets the eye, hang with me and I think our lives will be the better for it. Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

Moving on to the third commandment, this is one that is familiar for most. I think though we may not fully understand the significance of the warning. This is not just about swearing in God’s name, this is about so much more. Do we reflect the character of God? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We all have seen someone who thinks highly of themselves, thinking they are better than others. We have all seen the person with a chip on their shoulder, someone with an ax to grind, unwilling to humble themselves for the task at hand. That is a dangerous situation when that person professes to be a Christian.

Proverbs 3:7; NLT; ⁷ Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
    Instead, fear (respect) the Lord and turn away from evil.

As communities go, the racing community can be a much more pleasant place to be than the world outside the pit gate. There is a camaraderie that we all share, good circumstances or bad we are in this together. I see it especially when adversity strikes and we rise up and come together to support and lend a hand. I’ve seen times when fierce competitors lay aside their differences and help one another. I know it is not perfect but I see more caring and compassion in the garage area than I do in society. I might go as far as to say the “Church” could learn some lessons from the race community. I think that is what Rev. Pat meant when he said that’s why there is a fence, this is a safe place, what’s on the other side is scary.

He had a point, as a society we have digressed. We like to call ourselves one thing but act in ways that calls into question our statement. I find the racing community to be more transparent that the outside world. You don’t have to read between the lines, they will tell you exactly what they think. Now sometimes it is not pretty but you will know where you stand. I would rather know than have to guess.

The third commandment goes like this;

Exodus 20:7, NLT; “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

There are many ways to misuse something especially the Lord’s name. We were taught that means don’t use the names of God and Jesus in an expletive way, swearing. I contend there is more to this than just uttering the name of God in a derogatory way. Think about what it means to invoke the name of God for an advantage or to receive good treatment.

We guard our reputation at Racing with Jesus Ministries and strive to honor God in all we do. At times people have used that reputation to gain an advantage. Our name has been used to gain access to the pit area by saying they were with us. It has been used to secure credentials. It has been used to misrepresent who someone is for their gain. Likewise the name of God is misused in the same way.

Not everyone who claims to be a Christian is. Jesus said;

Matthew 7:21-23:NLT; “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

The world is full of people that claim to be something they are not. It is an election year and the spin doctors are all about telling people what they want to hear. When we hear something or read something someone was supposed to have said our first thought is distrust. There are some who take their stance based on what the poll numbers say. Politicians flip flop more than a fish out of water. I am not sure how they keep things straight. I guess that’s why they need spokespeople to tell us what they meant was not really what they said. That should not be with us that call ourselves Christians.

Matthew 5:33-37; NLT; “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

When we claim the name of the Lord we put ourselves in a challenging situation, one in which we will fail. Why, because we are not perfect, we are not capable of keeping the commitments we make. The control is not in our hands. So how should we proceed? With humility, grace, mercy, kindness and self-control. We can represent the Lord well if we practice these. When we fail we need to acknowledge that, humble ourselves before God and seek forgiveness.

But if we refuse to, all bets are off. God explains that if we take His name in vain it won’t go well for us. When we claim the Lord’s name we claim His character and begin a journey to be like Christ. That is the meaning of the word Christian; Like Christ. I would encourage you to start that journey. There are only two true ways to live this life, with God or without. They are contrasted in this way;

Galatians 5:19-23;NLT; When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

The Ten Commandments provide the foundation on which to build a life that recognizes God and honors Him. They help us understand what the right parameters to frame out life are. They help us know that there is a right way and a wrong way to live. Sometimes we choose the wrong way thinking we can deal with the consequences. The consequences of wrong choices will overwhelm us. We will not choose differently until we cannot deal with the consequences of our poor choices. I encourage you not to let it get to that point.

Rules to live by, I am looking forward to exploring them further. Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

There is said to be a golden rule; the man with the gold rules. It is very true in racing, the one with the deepest pockets has the ability to search and find the latest and greatest technology that pushes the envelope of the rules looking for an advantage. That is the nature of the beast, winning! When they find an advantage the rules are revisited and usually adjusted to level the playing field. And the chase is on.

Sometimes the real race is finding the advantage and holding it for as long as you can before others catch on. Take a walk through the garage area and you’ll see cars that have covers on certain parts. Did the team find something and they don’t want you to see it? Maybe they didn’t but they want you to think they did. Ever notice when something is hidden you want it even more.

In the beginning God created the Garden of Eden, a wonderful place for Him and his creation, us, to spend time together and live. He only had one rule; don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Just one tree in all of paradise. You have everything you need in abundance but there was that tree. God does not constrain us from making decisions on our own and as it is recorded Adam and Eve were tempted and succumbed to the temptation of eating from that tree. And the rest is history!

I think it is like that sign; Wet Paint; you just have to go over and touch it. Racers know all too well, when they are told something is off limits they are drawn to wonder why. But they don’t stop there, racers wonder if it really means what it says. Furthermore, how close can we get without crossing the line? I’m pretty sure Adam and Eve were like racers, that tree had no chance. Let’s just see what all this forbidden fruit is all about. That’s the deal, they make rules we find a way around them.

Well, when it comes to these ten rules I am pretty sure of what the consequences are for disobedience; disqualification! Thank God for Jesus and forgiveness. But these rules have more to them than just obedience, they come with the promise of blessing, God’s blessing. I haven’t met too many people who do not want God’s blessing. There is a catch, God’s blessing comes when we live a life that honors God. That is to say we live within the framework of His rules. Don’t misunderstand, there is forgiveness for our disobedience, but forgiveness doesn’t remove the consequences our disobedience created. Our decisions affect others and not necessarily in a good way. We are reminded;

1Corinthians 10:23-24; NLT; You say, “I am allowed to do anything” —but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.

We need to be conscious of how our actions influence others. I’ve heard it said, “Do as I say, not as I do” but that isn’t an effective way to show people the right way to live. So much so that we even have a living example in the life of Christ on how to live in a way that honors God. The Ten Commandments provide the foundation on which to build a life that recognizes God and honors Him.

Let’s dig in, here’s the simple list and I’ll expand on each one when we get there.

The 10 Commandments:

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make idols.
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet.

Let’s take a look at the top of the list.

Exodus 20:1-2; NLT; “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.

“You must not have any other god but me.

Deuteronomy 5:2-6; NLT; ² “The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Mount Sinai. The Lord did not make this covenant with our ancestors, but with all of us who are alive today. At the mountain the Lord spoke to you face to face from the heart of the fire. I stood as an intermediary between you and the Lord, for you were afraid of the fire and did not want to approach the mountain. He spoke to me, and I passed his words on to you. This is what he said:

“I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.

“You must not have any other god but me.

This one sets up all the rest, There is one God, the God of creation revealed in the Holy Scripture. Without this belief and understanding nothing in the world He created will make sense. There has to be a creator, unlike what some believe we didn’t get here by accident, or by some man-devised thought process of evolution. How can we be sure of this?

Go into your shop, grab a bolt, a nut and a washer, any one. Put them in a bag and shake them until the washer goes on the bolt and the nut threads itself. How long will it take? If they are not a matched set, never, but if you think about putting in a matched set you prove my point, you are choosing what goes in the bag, you become god of the bag, you are the creator. Are you starting to see the point? Nothing comes together without an outside force making some creation decisions.

“I am the Lord your God…you must have no other god but me.”

Rules to live by, I am looking forward to exploring them further. Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.