Sometimes it seems race teams are just going through the motions. 

As Ryan Preece said a week ago, “Sitting and twiddling your thumbs isn’t going to get the results that you really want.”

Some teams run in the same place every week. From the outside there doesn’t seem to be much direction. For some just being on the track is their reward, but there are others that want to move up the standings. For them the challenge is getting things in place to move forward. It can be difficult to accomplish that without some leadership. 

Leadership is the opposite of drifting. Without direction, and a commitment to follow that direction there can be no fulfillment, we are just drifters. Listen to what Proverbs tells us;

Proverbs 14:15-16, (NLT); Only simpletons believe everything they’re told! The prudent carefully consider their steps. The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.

The first step to moving forward in life is knowing the truth. Too many times we are led astray by fine sounding ideas. Too often we impulsively join in on an activity that doesn’t lead us in the right direction. We have all been there.

I remember back in my younger days one of my friends had the habit of getting into disagreements and altercations. It only took a few times before I decided not to follow him into those situations. We have to be wise and avoid things that put us in situations that are not good for us.

Knowing the truth helps. If we have no idea what is good, what is honorable, what is right then we run the risk of drifting through life without fulfillment or satisfaction. Drifting sounds good but when we come to our senses we may have drifted so far away from where the truth is we can‘t find our way back. The mountain may seem too big to climb.

I am thankful that God is there waiting for us to turn to Him. Like the father of the prodigal son, looking, hoping, waiting for the day his son would return. And when he saw him, he ran to him and welcomed him home.

We will find the truth when we turn to God and ask Him to reveal it to us. If we refuse to seek out the truth we will face the consequences for choosing the wrong direction.

Hebrews 2:1-3, (NLT), A Warning against Drifting Away; So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?

There is a truth and ignoring it or not believing it will not make it any less of a truth. Think of gravity, if we ignore it or try to pretend it doesn’t exist then we will be made a fool if we jump off a cliff and think that somehow when we hit the bottom we will be fine, gravity wins. There is another truth to life that we need to heed, good produces good, evil produces evil, good doesn’t produce evil and evil doesn’t produce good. You cannot get even by returning evil for evil.

The only way to conquer evil is by doing good; forgiveness, restitution, restoration, grace, peace, kindness, and self-control come to mind. For us to move in a positive, good, direction requires us to respond differently to the circumstances we are faced with. We must be proactive, not reactive. 

Being reactive means we are drifting, letting the actions of others dictate the direction of our lives. We need to stop letting the tail wag the dog. Yes, there are things and circumstances that we need to react to, but from a perspective of leadership. We need to know the truth, be confident in our security and then do what is right. That isn’t as easy as returning evil for evil. Sometimes we need to take our life in a different direction. By doing so we may show others there is a different way of looking at things.

I have seen many try to correct a wrong done to them by doing wrong back. That only serves to escalate the situation into a downward spiral of getting even until something or someone is destroyed. We can get caught up in that and think we are fine until we take a step back and realize that there are real consequences for our actions and they are not beneficial for us or them.

Every choice in life has consequences. Some happen immediately, some happen over time. Either way if we think we can deal with the consequences of our poor choices we are fooling ourselves.  The truth has a way of finding its way out. So why do we try to hide it and deceive others? Because we think we know better than God.

Let me encourage you to throw out an anchor and stop drifting through life. Make sure that anchor is the truth of God, His Word. He knows us better than anyone and will be there to guide and direct us through the storms of life. When you have found that solid rock to stand on, share it with others.

Hebrews 3:12-13, (NLT);  Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.

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 you walk around the garage area at the track you hear things. People talking, crew members exchanging information, decisions being made. When I see two crew chiefs talking, I like to listen and hear what type of information they are sharing. The thought comes to mind, are they sharing what they have learned or maybe just enough but not everything.

I would think that teams hold onto the lessons they learned and are not quick to share that with others. That’s what I would expect. At the track you need to know the source of the information you receive and handle it accordingly. There is a certain amount of interpretation required.

I remember the thoughts Geoff Bodine shared when he toured the American Bobsled Facility in Lake Placid for the first time. He was told that the sleds used by the American team were purchased from the best European teams. On the surface that sounds good but in reality, it means failure.

Geoff’s immediate reaction was we will never win, we are handicapped from the start. You see, racing is racing, bobsleds or modifieds, no difference. When a competitor comes to you and wants to buy one of your cars of course you sell it to him, but you don’t sell him the fastest car in your stable. That would be foolish.

His conclusion was we need to build our own sled, learn our own lessons and keep that technology in house. Then we might just have a chance of returning to the top of the Bobsled world. He put together a team, built and developed the sleds and American returned to the top of the Bobsled World, Gold Medal, World Champions. The journey is chronicled in the book Night Train: The Story of the NASCAR-inspired Bobsled that Beat the World. I encourage you to get a copy and read the story about how a modified race car building team built a bobsled that beat the world.

Integrity is a simple concept, let your yes be yes and your no be no. But as we know things are not so simple these days. The gray areas of not really saying what we mean or doing what we commit to have led to a distrust. That in turn leads to a cynical view of the world around us. We tend to see the negative and not the positive. That distorts reality and destroys hope. We have to pull ourselves out of this spiral, it only leads to death and destruction.

Think for a moment how encouraging and refreshing it is when someone keeps their word. Think about how you feel when you can count on someone. When we ask a question and get a straight answer. It is possible to have integrity, even in the world we live in. The key is to reflect the character of God, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

We tend though to be tainted by the environment we live in and we reflect the ways of the world; 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. God’s word tells us we will not see things through His eyes if we pursue the ways of the world.

We need to learn that this is a life and death decision, one way leads to life, a full life. The other leads to death.

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.

Integrity plays such an important part in living a rich and satisfying life. I am sure we don’t realize it but simply saying yes or no and following through is the beginning of satisfaction. We don’t need to dress things up to convince people we mean it. We need to fight the temptation to package things so they look attractive, when in fact they are self-serving. We tend to think we need to manipulate the situation for our benefit. At times we want to appear more important than we are.

The term down to earth come to mind when I think of someone who simply says yes or no and means it. I think of a person that is real, a person that is trustworthy. I don’t have to figure out what they are trying to say or if they are really saying anything at all.

Sometimes we want to appear more important or more significant in the eyes of others so we embellish and manipulate. That type of person gets exposed eventually and develops a reputation of being unable to be trusted. Oh, we may seek their advice but then the process of having to find the truth in their comments begins.

Acts 5:1-5a; NLT; But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest. Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!” As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died…

Ananias wanted to look good in front of everyone. He wanted people to think he was doing a great thing. He wasn’t being truthful and it cost him his life. We, in a similar way, lose life when we live without integrity. When we do not live in a way that honors God.

We are used to looking the other way, bending the truth, and telling a little white lie. Do we have the courage and strength to stand up for what is right in God’s eyes no matter what the personal cost is? In that process we demonstrate our faith or lack of it, in Him to provide for us.

God wants our very best, our first fruits. Is that what we bring or do we bring Him the remnant and want the best from Him in return? I would encourage us to bring our best to God and place it as His disposal. Give him our best hours of the day, our best abilities and our first fruits.

Let us make every effort to live a life with integrity that honors God. Then we will know what a rich and satisfying life is. Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing.

When a racecar is “free”, it’s on the edge of being out of control. It’s also usually fast. The driver is trying to control it in such a way to get everything out of the car that he can. As the race goes on and the car tightens up, the grip goes away, and the driver often has to adjust their line and the lap times get slower. In our lives, we also need to adjust our expectations to the freedoms that come and go in different situations. We also need to use the freedoms we have wisely.

Freedom is something we often take for granted in our country. Our ability to move freely and unhindered gives us the opportunity to see amazing things around the country. As we have seen recently, this freedom can vanish quickly. That is when we need to look at where true freedom lies: in Christ alone. Christ desires that we be free, but what does that mean?

John 8:31-32 NIV “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

This statement confused the people of the time because they weren’t enslaved to anyone. We also don’t think of ourselves as slaves or being imprisoned. However, when we think about our wrongdoings we can become captive to them. Our sin makes us slaves and only Jesus Christ can set us free from that. When our thoughts and desires are on what we think is best for us, we aren’t free to live in the way God intended us to live.

The Apostle Paul speaks of freedom quite often in his letters. Ironically, Paul often wrote of freedom in Christ from a prison cell. He knew that freedom existed even when in chains. To the people of Corinth he wrote “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom”

2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV. This was so important Paul repeated it in his letter to the Galatians. God is in control and there is freedom in seeking His will.

Are you captivated by the thoughts about what is happening in the world right now? It’s easy to get caught up in news reports, closures, and postponements. In these times many people feel out of control, uncertain, anxious, and downright depressed. It’s easy to feel like we aren’t very free right now. However, when we consider what Christ has done for us, our situation doesn’t look as bleak. Christ has given us a freedom in Him that can be a comfort both now and in the future regardless of circumstances.

Romans 8:1-2 NIV “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”

All of our sin and wrongdoing was nailed to the cross with Jesus. He took our punishment so we are not condemned, but pardoned, and set free. When we acknowledge the gift we were given in Jesus, we will see all that God has in store for us that is good. He calls us to live a life that isn’t focused on ourselves, but rather a life serving and helping others.

1 Peter 2:16 ESV “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God”

Over the next few weeks, as restrictions continue to be lifted, I urge each of you to reach out to someone and give them a word of encouragement. Use the freedom of a phone call, a text message, or even a letter to let someone know you’ve been thinking about them during your time apart. Even a quick drive-by and a shout from your car window can bring a smile to someone’s face. Use the freedom you do have to do good. I’ll close with the words of Jesus in John 8:36 ESV “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

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.

The current situation we find ourselves in is unprecedented for us. There are a few that remember the challenges of WWII but for most of us an event that affects so many people around the world is a new experience. We are not accustomed to having to live with restrictions and quarantines. When we are put in unfamiliar circumstances all aspects of our being are stretched, physical, mental and spiritual. It is difficult to find some sort of balance that enables us to cope. I heard it suggested that we hit a reset button and start 2020 over.

Reset buttons have been on the news of sorts lately. With the cancellation of most or all sporting events we have turned to simulated events. This has developed into a pretty significant event with major racing sanctioning bodies staging events for their fans to enjoy. They even have announcers and drivers that we are used to following. Sponsors have gotten on board and realized if people are watching they want their product visible. There is one significant difference, the reset button.

Simulators can handle the racing action well enough to make things entertaining but when it comes to crashes and damage to cars there is a little development needed. You see pit crews are nonexistent and the time it takes to repair the damage from an on track encounter has proven to be elusive. Enter the reset button. Do I want a full reset or a partial reset?

In the video game world a reset button is your best friend. When things go wrong you hit the reset. When you get in a jam, you hit the reset. When you make a mistake, you hit the reset. When your adventure doesn’t go the way you want, you hit the reset. A reset can repair the damage done, give you a clean slate, puts you back on the starting line ready to give it another go. Man it sounds so attractive sometimes, just erase all the damage and start over.

Unfortunately life doesn’t come with a reset button. Life is cumulative and our experiences and efforts form the mindset that we continue on with through the rest of our days. Oh, we have tried to come up with ways to reset our lives but again they fall short because the mind cannot be erased. Even in a video game the memory of what events that caused you to hit the reset button remain. In both cases we should learn from them. If we don’t learn we are destined to repeat them.

There is however a way where we can move forward in life and minimize the effects of wrong decisions. We cannot remove the consequences like a reset button but we can receive forgiveness by turning to God through Jesus and seeking His forgiveness to reset our lives. The greatest thing about this is the resets are unlimited. God does not limit our trips to his throne. In fact he welcomes our presence there.

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.”

We travel through life with the tremendous burdens of past failures, things we didn’t do right, things we wish we had done differently, choices we have made that we now would have chosen differently. We do not have to. We can have the burden removed. We need to seek out Jesus and lay our burdens at His feet. He can and will forgive us. He promises to forget our sins, shortcomings, failures and the like. Put them as far away as the east is from the west. We do not need to remember them no more! We can move forward without the burden of the past, looking forward to the future, and living for today.

We complicate this thing called life so much that it becomes a burden. The times we are living in do not make that any easier. We are struggling to find something to hope in. We are searching for an answer. Jesus is the answer to any question. He has a plan for our lives that provides an abundant and fulfilling future. We need to seek him out. We need to seek him with all of our heart.

God has only requires us one thing, that we seek him. That we come to him. He is our reset button, He is waiting for us to ask. In that verse we see an invitation; come to me all who are weary and carry heavy burdens. I will give you rest.

I would encourage each of us to make a daily stop at the source of life. The times we are in have pushed many of us to the edge. Jesus can remove that desperate feeling of hopelessness. He invites us to seek him out. Seek Him while he still can be found.

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.