| Preacher's Byline - Volume IV, Section 7.1 |
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Many wonderful events to document for the July 2008 edition of the Byline! First I want to mention some upcoming events and rides. We as a Ministry would love to have you join us at any or all of them. Please be sure to check in with the events section of the website as we routinely add more rides and events on a sometimes daily basis.
Upcoming events 2nd Thief is organizing or participating in for 2008:
We are also formulating plans for the following Events/Rides for 2008:
Anytime a Ministry incorporates motorcycles as a way of bringing the Good News you can believe one thing. The warmer weather aka “Riding Season” brings all kinds of opportunities to minister. It falls to us to be led of His Spirit to discern what we should participate in…and what we shouldn’t. The reality is that Spiritual fruit is produced by the Spirit, not the flesh. And we as a Ministry desire to produce fruit.
For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:9-10 NKJV June started off with an 8000 strong biker event over in Luray, VA. The owners of Outlanders graciously hosted a salute to the military. They did it up right with all branches of the military represented. Our humble part in the event was to open it up in prayer and be the “spiritual arm” so to speak. 2nd Thief Riders operated a booth at the event and enjoyed sharing the Good News and encouraging all who stopped by to visit.  Did I mention that the day was very hot but that it did not dissuade the faithful? I want to emphasize “the heat” and “the faithful” at this point. “The heat” was almost 100 degrees and high humidity...all day. The faithful were Shotgun, Danni, Nate, Six, Sidekick, Fillmore, Circuit Rider, Sandy, Wingman, Copilot, Murdock, JC, Rock, Runner, Otto-matic, Pastor Paul and Smitty. And let me tell you everyone there was suffering in the heat, but to a person no one would abandon the mission or one another. The Marines would love to have such a dedicated and committed crew. Thank you all! Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV  Speaking of the Marines, their Silent Drill Team was on hand to demonstrate what commitment, discipline and teamwork look like up close and personal. As some of you know my oldest son Jake is an active duty Marine. It was a humble blessing for me to be able to introduce them to the crowd. This was truly a gift from our Heavenly Father to me as He knew the desire of my heart. For years I have wanted to go and see them at one of their public exhibitions. He worked it out for me to be ministering at the same location with them!Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 NKJV The Army’s Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps were there and they too greatly added to this patriotic event. The Army also provided a “rock climbing wall” which was a hit with the kids and young at heart. Even the Virginia Defense Force was on hand to provide traffic control and first aid services. 2nd Thief Riders continues to grow as a ministry. We rejoice at the work He is doing here and throughout the Body of Christ. This month two brothers heard “the call” and heartily obeyed. Vince and Tyrone both join us from the Woodbridge, VA. In fact that both fellowship at Christ Chapel. Vince is a Pastor there and Tyrone is a congregant. Pastor Vince first met us at a Biker blessing in March of this year. We rejoice that he saw Christ in the ministry and was drawn to it. He is a seasoned warrior and a man of God’s Word. Tyrone heard about us from Prayz and HeartBeat and came to visit with us one Sunday. He is a young man on fire for God mightily gifted by Him and I rejoice that he was called to serve Him here! What both of these brothers have is passion for our Heavenly Father and of course a love of the sport of motorcycling. They have combined the two here at 2nd Thief Riders. It is going to be a joy to be “Riding the Highways and Byways…Declaring the Good News” with both of these warrior brothers.  Speaking of riding, 2nd Thief Riders participated in their first “Progressive Dinner Ride.” This was the result of an inspired idea from our beloved HeartBeat. An aside here, she and her Beloved Prayz each ride a Suzuki Hayabusa (gesundheit!) 1300 and it appears that the shorter rides work better for them…love you guys. Hey all kidding aside it was an absolute blast! And this Hayabusa thing has worked out so well we hope the Lord will lead more “Busa” riders to the Ministry! We did have to contend with some rain at various times, but we all pressed on with the ride and glad we did. Four of our Ladies of 2nd Thief opened up their respective homes in the Prince William County Area. Each of them did an outstanding job with their particular part of the dinner. What a deal - ride, eat, fellowship, repeat - four times over six plus hours. It was Biker Heaven on earth no doubt and no one left hungry…for food or fellowship. We had a Baptism Service for two of our newest members here at 2nd Thief. Kyle and Cassi are both earnestly pressing in with their walk with God. During the course of studying His word they both felt a prompting of His Spirit to submit to Water Baptism.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 NKJV Members from their families came from near and far to support them as they “laid down the old man” and made their public declaration to be followers of Jesus Christ. It was a humble privilege to have played a part in their observance of Christian Baptism! A couple members of the 2nd Thief Band providing some inspired praise music during the service. And speaking of The Band they are still pressing on in the pursuit to produce their first CD. The Lord continues to bless them with some additional new songs. One that Deuce wrote and the other written by Fillmore. All their music comes from the heart and points to the love and grace of our Heavenly Father. The Band was also at the Daily Grind in Gainesville, VA. All in attendance enjoyed a night of Christian Rock ‘n Blues. There was a special treat that night as Murdock and Jeanne (who are also Riders) played some Gospel and Bluegrass. They love the Lord and it comes out clearly in the way they play music. We all are looking forward to some more public appearances by the 2nd Thief Gospel & Bluegrass Duo.  2nd Thief was humbly honored with the opportunity to provide a well deserved endorsement to Prison Fellowship Ministries Angel Tree. “Angel Tree is a ministry that reaches out to the children of inmates and their families with the love of Christ. It seeks to transform the lives of these families and to reconcile them to their Heavenly Father and each other.” This Ministry has had the privilege of collaborating with Angel Tree for several years. Angel Tree is a Ministry of excellence and enables those who join with them to bear fruit for the Kingdom. Every year we have been involved there have been divine appointments. It is truly a glorious way to share the love and grace of Jesus with children and their families. Reflecting on the events listed above I see a foundational truth emerge. The concept of “collaboration” is seen clearly over and over. Collaboration is defined as “The process by which people/organizations work together to accomplish a common mission.” (www.uwyo.edu/wind/sig/definition.asp) And it has been my experience that no one collaborator is more valuable than another to complete that mission. Let’s look at the following examples of people working together for a common purpose or “mission.” The movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has earned almost $740 worldwide making it the number one blockbuster movie of 2008. Iron Man was number two at $564 million; it was actually more popular in the USA than Indy’s movie. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian was fourth earning $300 million. (www.boxofficemojo.com) What made these movies the most popular movies of 2008? Well for the Indy movie was it Harrison Ford as the lead actor? On the surface maybe, but what about the Prince Caspian movie? There were no well known “movie stars” in it and yet it made the top five blockbusters. So success can’t rest with the lead actor alone. What about the other actors in all the scenes? They probably had something to do with the success of these films. And then you need to consider the stuntmen that made the actors look good. What about the directors? Steven Spielberg directed Indy – Andrew Adamson directed Caspian. Spielberg is certainly well known, Adamson…not so much. And the director is working from a script brought to him by a writer. Even so the directors have to place the “dailies” into the hands of the editors who bring their own creative touch. Do you see what we are talking about here? Producers, cameramen, grips, makeup, costume, and more contributed to the making of these movies. Which one is more or less important than the other? None of them and all of them…that’s the point. It is each of them working together in their individual gifting to tell a story. Well beloveds it is the same for the Body of Christ. Just like a movie doesn’t succeed in telling a story on the “gifting” of one person it is the same for "the church." Each individual believer must operate in his gifting in order to effectively share His story. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 1 Corinthians 12:14-21 NKJV Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them. Romans 12:6 NKJV Godspeed Preacher |
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