IRISH ED MAHAN HAS BEEN OUR NATIONAL CHAPLAIN SINCE 1999.  HE'S BEEN HITCH'N AND PLANT'N FOR OUR CLUB EVERY SINCE.  HE'S OUR BIKER BROTHER AND DON'T CONDEMN ANYONE FOR THEIR WILD HAIR'D WAYS.  BUT HE DOES HAVE A LOT OF GOOD PEARLS OF SPIRITUAL WISDOM TO SHARE FOR OUR CONSIDERATION.  WE HAVE ASKED HIM TO LAY A FEW OF THEM ON US EACH MONTH IN THE "CHAPLAIN'S CORNER." PLEASE GIVE IT A READ AND SOME THOUGHT.

AUGUST

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“COLD HARD TRUTH” AND OTHER RARE HYMNS

 

KEEP IT REAL. That has been the sign off phrase to “Chaplain’s Corner” since we began to publish it. That bespeaks a standard I attempt to reflect. I often fall short, miss the mark, sin. Pressures from every side squeeze to just go along. “The ends justify the means” is an ever present temptation. Flesh and blood role models are rare even in, or should I say especially in, the ministry.

Only the real has value. Fakes and copies aren’t worth much. Intellectual, moral and spiritual honesty has great value because the demand always exceeds the supply

Jesus’ masterful message called the “Sermon on the Mount” is recounted in Matthew chapters five through seven. The key verse reads “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees (the guys who lived the strictest outward life) and the teachers of the law (the guys who determined how strict life should be lived), you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus nailed those religious guys for not keeping it real. They were just keeping up appearances. Loving God from a heart that belongs to Him only produces the “righteousness” (right actions and attitude) that is real in God’s eyes.

Here is a recent account of a brother keeping it real:

When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:


"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good, but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and call it Pluralism.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Amen!"

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest.
In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively.

I like this guy. You do too. He had the guts to be real when the opposite was expected and certainly easier. If you still possess the basic conscience that God has gifted to everyone then you recognize and respect anyone keeping it real. Guess we always have. That must be why the last two verses of the “Sermon on the Mount” record reads “When Jesus had finished--- the crowds were amazed--- because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”(Matt.7:28-29)

I welcome your response. Contact me at # 817-295-1696 or Bikechaplain@hotmail.com

Keep It Real

Pastor Irish Ed

In The Wind Ministries

 

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