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Racing, Money, What Is Right...And God
by Rev. Joe Bubbico-Staff Writer
03/10/2003
Well, there is a title for you, isn’t it? Greetings from California in the name of Jesus! I have been around racing for more years than I can count. But, in spite of how much I love the people in auto racing, I sometimes wonder how God sees our sport. I have in the last few years seen some amazing acts of love and compassion, but I have also seen more greed than I ever thought I would ever see in this racing community.
Let’s take a look at God’s attitude on these matters from His word; the Bible:
Luke 16:11-15
11 "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon (Money), who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 "And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?
13 "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.
15 And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. (NKJ)
God’s word tells us that all riches come from Him and he expects us to not be greedy but realize it all comes from Him. If we have much then we have much responsibility with it. If we are not careful with what God gives us He can just as quickly take it back. We should always be asking ourselves what God would have me do with all He has entrusted me with. Let’s not make the same mistake the King of Babylon made!
Dan 5:3-9
3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.
4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
8 Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonished. (KJV)
Dan 5:24-28 24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. (KJV)
I have seen many in this community help out others within the sport greatly, and it has warmed my heart. But I have also seen too many that totally ignore their fellow racers’ struggles. They seem to forget that, in most cases, they themselves were in that situation, not long ago.
That scares me because I know from my own experience that there comes a point where God, in His great love, has no choice but to watch as we pull the rug out from under ourselves. The Holy Spirit uses this to get us back on track. He loves us so much and He is a jealous God and wants us to know it all comes from Him.
I hate to see my friends and associates suffer. I know if many of those in our “community” from the very top to the lowest don’t start paying attention their “rugs” will be pulled. I have also learned that no mater how little or much you have you can never out give God.
Until next time, see you at the tracks.
God Bless,
Rev. Joe.
You can reach Joe Bubbico at: racingwj11@aol.com
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Greetings In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! I thought we would look farther
into Faith. The Bible tells us Faith is an action word we need to act on our faith for it to have
any benefit to us. In Acts 12:6-7 Peter shows his faith in a way most would not think of read
this passage and see what you think:
6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers,
bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7Suddenly an angel of the
Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up.
"Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.
NIV
Look close and understand that when it says bring to trial it means accuse then kill him. Yet
chained to guards knowing he would die tomarrow he SLEPT! Would you sleep in that
situation? I think not yet he slept why? Not only did he sleep but when the angel came to
release him it took a smack by the angel to wake him! Now thats faith Jesus had told him
years before he would die at an older age and also that he would be crucified and this Herod
was going to cut his head off. So maybe he felt it would not happen or that if he died he
would go to be with God and that was good. Or maybe he felt God had more for him to do
so God would save him. Either way this was great faith in that he could sleep deeply!
A mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds and jesus said if we had the faith of a mustard
seed we could move mountains! If you have never know what faith in Jesus was all about
may I suggest that you pray and ask God to show Himself to you and I know if you seek
Him he will make himself real to you. He promised that He would make Himself known to
those who truly seek Him.
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Matt 4:19
1Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
NIV
Greetings in the name of Jesus. This quote of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel is the first place
where Jesus said “follow me”. I find that He said follow over 20 times in the Bible, but He
never said go and I’ll get there later. The word follow means I’ll go first you come behind
me. Which tells me that where ever God wants us to go He always goes before us to clear
the way. Think about that He prepares the way! I'm often reminded that if “stuff”
is hitting me in the face then I must have stepped out of God’s draft! It’s kind of like the
wind shield of you car “stuff” hits it but if your behind it nothing hits you, stick your head
out the window and smack! God is like that He says follow me but if we get ahead of Him
we can get smacked by life. God is like the greatest windshield He protects us and guides
us but doesn’t keep us blind. God loves you and wants to guide you to a better life now
and in heaven.9"
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RACING PERSPECTIVES
Keeping The Faith
by Rev. Joe Bubbico-Staff Writer and West Coast Coordinator/Racing With Jesus Ministry
10/21/2003
Ps 46:10
10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. (KJV)
It’s been a while since I’ve written, and I wish I had a good excuse, but I don’t! As many of you know, I had an auto accident in June, which left me with a broken neck and some severe financial problems.
I have been associated with auto racing since the mid sixties and raced since 1969. I also have been involved with Racing with Jesus Mininstry since 1980. There was a time when I was away from both of these passions of mine. But in 1995, I returned to both here in California, and as always, they both consume most of who I am and all I do. I love Jesus with every fiber of my being but that does not mean I do what I’m suppose to do.
Well I’m going to get side tracked if I don’t get right to the point here. I have, in the last two years, had some major health and personal problems. I got to the point where after leading the ministry on the West Coast since 1995, I questioned whether we were achieving anything. Fighting the physical problems and having never drawn any salary or passed the hat to support our efforts, I found myself in the hospital in traction with two bolts screwed into my head and in tremendous pain. I complained to God as I lay there and he said, “Be still and know that I am God.”
I have to tell you my reply was, “Sure Lord, I have no choice I’m strapped to this table what else can I do?” I even said, “I can say I’m submitting to you but what else can I do in this situation.” You see, if this contraption I was “bolted” to did not pull the broken bone in my neck straight within three days, surgery would not be an option. That would mean I would be put in a “Halo” for up to six months, and even though that sounds heavenly I did not want that.
As I lay there pretty much complaining to God I kept hearing those same words “Be Still”. I said I am still and every day, two or three times a day, X rays were taken and it was not working! Finally, in the middle of me trying to tell God, “But, I am doing as you said,” He clearly said to me no you are not, your mouth is still going!
For once in my life, I shut up and waited. The next X ray was taken and I was rushed off to surgery! It went well, though the pain I am in is still severe and will most likely be with me for a long time, but that is in God hands.
Meanwhile, back at the two Race tracks I spend the most time at, everyone had come together to support their “Pastor”. They collected week after week amounts of money that were exactly what I needed that week! It was funny how God knew how much I needed. Perris Auto Speedway and Orange Show Speedway were the two main tracks that did many things to help my situation.
Friends that race at Irwindale Speedway collected funds for my assistance in this situation. All these efforts blessed me greatly and made me finally realize that God will never leave us or forsake us when we put our faith in Jesus as our Savior. I was raised to believe God helps those who help themselves. However, God also helps those who can’t help themselves!
Our Heavenly father wants our Love and faith. He does not need our help. He can do it all without us, but gives us the privilege to be a part of the plan, if we will submit.
The racers whom I thought might not be listening when we shared God’s blessings and love, were now showing me God’s true love! Week after week through the hardest time one driver showed up at my place and brought lunch and money to help pay my basic needs. The money came from the men and women of our “congregation”.
When I think of all that was done to help me, I cry like a baby, but they are tears of appreciation to that great fraternity that is Auto Racing. There are so many all over this country that called, sent money, checked in weekly and showed me God’s great mercy and grace. People from the highest levels of our sport to the people that sweep the restrooms took the time to show me that they cared. They took that extra minute to share with me. They all had stories to tell me of what God had done for them and that I had been a part of it.
I found myself totally speechless. Not only had God shown me the Scripture, but He had let me watch Him prove it to me! I have always been stubborn but right when I was questioning if I was ever even serving Him, He carried me through the sand and led me to a better place.
I am crying again and struggling to put this down in some sort of way that makes sense to all, but just know I thank all of you for all you prayers and help. Keep your faith strong and know God is Greater than all.
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Racing and Prayer
by Rev. Joe Bubbico - West Coast Coordinator Racing with Jesus Ministries
02/07/2001
Well, by the time I write my next column for this site the Daytona 500 will be behind us. So, I thought it would be a good time to talk of Racing and Jesus. It is easy to go to our favorite passage of the Bible at Racing with Jesus Ministries:Heb 12:1-21
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.(NIV)
And it is a great passage to use in which the writer was comparing our Christian life as a RACE and that we will obtain the prize through our perseverance in Jesus. But there were a lot of things written last season about drivers thanking the Lord in Victory Lane. Most of the writings were complaining about it. The first Scripture that came to mind was: Matt 10:32-33
32 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge himbefore my Father in heaven.
33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father inheaven.(NIV)
If we are true believers in Jesus, than we need to follow the words of Jesus. Realize that He is the one who deserves all the glory and that we should always thank Him first. In addition to that I have read articles that stated "Why would God honor one driver over another if they both were praying to Him?" First of all ,theBible clearly states that God honors the prayers of those who believe in Him. Secondly, as Christians we are called to be Heavenly minded knowing that our first thought should always be furthering the Kingdom of God. Therefore, I truly believe that God always has a reason for how He answers prayer. Perhaps one driver always remembers to give Him the credit first and the Lord knows there is someone listening who needs to hear it! Many of us struggle with making a decision to follow Jesus and a favorite driver can tip that scale.
In conclusion consider the fact that God knows the end from the beginning and knows how this win might effect this driver for good or bad. Thus, He answers the prayer in His will not ours. Make no mistake God always answers prayer, and we will go into that next time.
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