The Internal Struggle, (part one)
We all have seen the cartoon with the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. I am sure we have all at one time or another been confused about which one to follow. We know what is right and want to do the right thing, but there is still that voice in there that tells us we can do what we want. The internal struggle that challenges each one of us. Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
It is no secret that many think the rules exist in racing as guidelines. Nothing is wrong until you get caught. Many have said, “It isn’t cheating if you don’t get caught.” Well that’s not true. As much as we would like to get away with something so that we have an advantage over others we still have our own conscience to deal with. We may try to rationalize it away but the fact remains, we know what we have done.
One of the byproducts of acting that way is a lack of peace in our lives. We can never relax, and live. We always have to concern ourselves with getting caught. We are always on the lookout for those who are watching us. We live our life looking over our shoulder to see who is looking.
Our life in Christ should be one where we don’t have to keep looking behind us to see if someone saw us do something wrong. We should be confident that our motive for everything we do is done with integrity and honesty. Everything we do should be done in a way that would please God.
I must confess, there are some areas of my life that need some work. When I receive an email and it starts out saying that they saw the pace car somewhere I immediately think about how I was driving and whether I was polite and gracious. There are many times I would like to get even with a driver who drove in a way that offended me or put me in danger, but I must remember that getting even isn’t a fruit of the Spirit, self control is.
We have these two natures in us. The second one appears when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. The first is there, in us since the fall of Adam. We are predisposed to be selfish and we try to manipulate every situation to our advantage. We want to satisfy ourselves without any thought of what is best for those around us. You can see it even in young children; we have to teach them to share, tell the truth and be nice to others.
When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus in John’s Gospel, he talked about being born again, a spiritual birth. We all have a physical birth, but this spiritual birth is when we acknowledge the fact that we are sinners and ask God to forgive our sins and accept the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. We invite the Holy Spirit into our lives to guide and direct us in the ways of God.
John 3:1-19; (New Living Translation) There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
Jesus replied,“I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
Jesus replied,“I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
Jesus replied,“You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
This conversation is the basis of how we understand the new life we have in Christ. It also helps us to understand the battle that rages in us between good and evil. If we have accepted Christ there are two natures, our old one of sin and our new one of the Spirit. As I spoke last week about the how God prunes us and shapes us into the person he created us to be, this process plays out in our lives as a struggle between what we were and what we are in Christ.
We’ll talk a little more about that next week, for now let me ask you, are you complete? Have you had both a physical birth and a spiritual birth? If you have, you know the internal struggle we face. We’ll deal more with that next time. If you haven’t there is no time like the present to ask God for forgiveness. We are always available to help you with that decision, call on us and we can help.
THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD
MRS VISITS LEE SPEEDWAY- Rev. Scott was with the MRS at Lee and filed this report.
This Friday night I made the hike up to Lee Speedway in New Hampshire for another Modified Racing Series event. It has been great traveling with this series this year and they have put on some great racing. It was great to see another solid turn out of 32 cars for this event. When you get this many cars going for 24 starting spots you know you are going to get some exciting qualify and that we did.
The 100 lap Feature was full of excitement and we saw some cars continously come through the pack to the front. For the second week in a row the series had a very long green run to the finish. Last years MRS Champion Jon Mckennedy took over from Dwight Jarvis with 27 to go and never looked back. Whelen Modified tour regulars Andy Suess and Rowan Pennink fought through the pack over and over to capture top 5 finishes.
On a disapointing note Chris Pastreryak suffered a broken wrist, we are praying for a quick recovery.
Next week we will be headed way up north to Oxford Plains.
THINGS HAPPENING AT RIVERHEAD- Pastor Scott, our chaplain at Riverhead shared these thoughts with us about how things are going this season.
I’m glad I stayed on this year. This season has been the turning point. It all turned around when a track official got hit by an out of control car during a race. I went to visit him at the Hospital, prayed with him and gave him a Bible and Tract. That changed everything it seemed. Guys are coming up and asking me to pray for their pit crews, their drivers. We are praying together. Guys are asking for Bibles, stickers and the driver’s prayer. People are actually hanging out with us and we are getting close.
Now they are coming up to me for things. Last Saturday night a guy came up and said; “Can I have a Bible and thanks for praying for me last year. Things have really turned around in my life.” Had one guy win the Charger series after he put a sticker on his car; he is sure that’s why he one and pulled up to me after the race and reached out for a hug. I didn’t have the heart to tell him, it wasn’t the sticker, anyway he was very excited.
My other son is working with us now too. We also got a big sponsor for our Comet to take care of all the gas costs for the year in exchange for signs on the car. Our car was also in the largest paper on Long Island a few months ago. Check out the article on our web page under Racing with Jesus ministry. www.centereachbiblechurch.net. Now if I can only get someone to buy me a new set of rear tires. The fans wait each Saturday for the burn out show. Pastor Scott
If you can help Pastor Scott out with a new set of rear tires for his Comet it would be a blessing. As some of you may know, his burn out every week on the front stretch has become a fan favorite. Drop me a line if you can help and we’ll work on getting him some new rubber.
I stayed pretty close to home this weekend taking in the show at Thompson and Stafford. We’ll be back on the road next week as the Whelen Modified Tour make it first visit to Monadnock Speedway in several years. It will be good to see how some of the younger guns handle this classic bull ring. Make your plans to join us.
Be a witness for our Lord with the ministry decals and apparel. See them at the Show Your Faith Apparel Store at www.rwjm.com. Send us your prayer and counseling needs no matter what part of our racing family you are in, or give us a call. Until next time, remember that God loves you, we love you and
Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing. GOD BLESS.
Mail reaches us at Racing with Jesus Ministries, PO Box 586, Tolland, CT 06084. Check our weekly printed pages in “Area Auto Racing News”, the East Coast’s largest weekly racing paper” Check our home page www.rwjm.com for past articles. Drop us a note and share your input and thoughts. Please remember, we can only do what we do because of your prayerful financial support.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
May God always Bless you, everyday in everyway. Rev. Don
CHECKERED CHEERS
***WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES***
July 16
KEITH AND DEBBIE KRODEL- These former Jan Leaty NASCAR WMT team members
now living in Pensacola, FL have their 17th anniversary.
July 17
MARK & STELLA BURNS- This New Hampshire SuperModified team owners have
their 26th anniversary.
***HAPPY BIRTHDAYS***
July 14
RICH SENDZIK- NJ asphalt Modified driver.
BOB NORTHRUP- D.I.R.T. Modified driver.
MIKE EDDY- Veteran ASA driver.
BOBBY MASON- Former Riverhead Raceway Figure 8 driver.
WARREN KUHLTHAU- Point Pleasant Beach, NJ local racing supporter and
former Wally D crewman.
KAREN TURBUSH- Long Island Hut Stricklin fan.
BILL HUNEKE- Auto Sports columnist for the New Brunswick, NJ “Home
News/Tribune.”
CAROL WEISS- Fiance of Don Szerencits, Northampton, PA AARN Field
Subscription Rep.
MICHELE CONWAY- Newfoundland, PA Micro Sprint driver at Lake Moc-A-Tek
Speedway.
AUSTIN GLEN BREHIO- Son of NASCAR KNPSE driver Glen and wife Teri is 12.
July 15
LARRY MURDOCK- “Urkel” is a crew member on the Later Model 14 Team,
driven by Mike Mortimer, at Riverhead Raceway.
JOHN GEORGIADES, JR.- CT based ProStock driver.
CARRIE SHUBA- >From Syracuse, NY, she was the 1997 Ms Miller Motorsports.
ANTHONY MARVIN- son of Sunoco Modified driver Bert Marvin.
July 16
“BOOTS” TOMAINO- The mother of WMT career driver Jamie Tomaino.
MIKE FIELDS- The Publisher/Editor of www.LONGISLANDMOTORSPORTS.com from
Long Beach, NY and close friend of the ministry has his day.
WAYNE ANDERSON- Wildwood, FL NASCAR Modified driver.
July 17
DOUG WOLCOTT- NJ asphalt Modified driver.
BRANDON ASH- Umpqua, OR NASCAR West driver.
ERNIE COPE- Spanaway, WA NASCAR West driver.
MICHAEL LEATY- Mod Tour Jan’s adult son.
July 18
STEPHEN LEATY- Jan’s next son.
RON CORNELL- Westport, MA AARN columnist and candle maker.
MAGGIE WOODS- The daughter of Tammy and Woody living in Mooresville, NC
turns 9.
July 20
PETE HAMILTON- Retired Massachusetts driver for Richard Petty won the
Daytona 500 in the 70’s.
DAVE WHEELER- Lisbon, CT former LM driver.
DAVE SHIPPEE- Former writing partner of New London, CT’s John Brouwer,
Sr. now retired in NH.
MIKE MONNETT- Owego, NY writer.
HAROLD K. DAUNCEY- Son of NJ asphalt Mod driver Harold and wife Barbara
is 17.
SHARE YOUR SPECIAL OCCASIONS WITH YOUR RACING FAMILY. SEND THEM TO RACING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES AT PO BOX 586, Tolland, CT, 06084