Holy Ghost Harley Part I
Believe it or not ~ this is a true story!

~ In mid September 1997 my antique Harley Sportster was dismantled and for the most part, except for the frame and wheels, it was in a basket. It appeared I'd never get it running again because of some rare parts that were needed.

I drove the family car to Fort Worth Texas to the Eagle Mountain Christian Motorcycle Rally. For three days I awoke to the preaching of the Gospel and to the sound of Harley Davidsons around my camp site.

For those three days I gave myself totally to the Lord through prayer and fasting, study, and ministering unto others. During one of those hot afternoons, while sharing God's word with some young men just out of prison, I desired an iced cold glass of water.

In the back of my mind I remember thinking, "Lord I wish I had something cold to drink." Just afterwards, while still speaking with the young men, a kind Christian Motorcycle Association biker woman tapped me on the shoulder and held out an iced cold glass of tea to me.

I have never been a tea drinker, preferring coffee, but it was wet with ice so I sincerely thanked the lady and began sipping it. I was thinking to myself, 'I sure wish this was iced cold water.'

The Lord responded, "You should have asked for iced cold water. You only said, 'something cold to drink.' Is this all you desire?"

In that moment I was beginning to realized something he wanted me to understand. I could tell he was hinting on giving me the desire of my heart at the time. A good running Harley! I never placed the old one ahead of him, nor did I let it come between my devotion to him, so I cut to the chase and replied, "Lord you know I want an updated good running Harley."

"What model? What color? What year?" he asked.

By this I believed right then and there he was going to provide me with a good Harley. I became excited and blurted out, "Lord you're going to give me a Harley aren't you?"

"If you believe, but you haven't asked yet! You can start with clarity. Put a fixed point of focus on your requests. Be specific."

Some may find this hard to believe, but it's not strange to those who have a personal relationship with Jesus. Personal friends respond to each other and give to each other. I was giving myself totally to Jesus and he chose that weekend to give something to me most only dream about. Every Harley I have ever owned has been by the Lord's hand. I never once selfishly purchased one. In each case I didn't have the money anyway, but it was provided after prayer.

So as I walked by the merchants and vendors I prayed saying, "Lord I'd like to receive a good running Harley Davidson by my birthday, March 2, 1998...
Ahh, I'd like the color to be bright blue with silver metal flake with 5 gallon fat boy splitter tanks.

Ahh, I'm asking that it be a 1340 Shovel Head...
and yes Lord I'd like it even more if it was "bored" with over sized pistons... but not stroked. It needs to be a good strong engine for travelling.

And Lord the frame needs to be low enough to fit my straddle...
Mmm, it's going to need a padded sissy bar for the wife and kids.

And I like the one and a half to two inch un baffled straight pipes so everybody can hear me coming.
You know your Harleys better than I Lord so I'm leaving the year up to you, but I'm asking that I receive it by my 43rd birthday."

"Which is it? One and a half or two inch pipes? Be specific!"

"Uh,.. one and a half inch will be fine."

"Is there anything else?"

"Yes. No ape hangers. Just standard number 8 bars please. And also a solid brass kick starter pedal. I can't stand those rubber ones."

"Anything more?"

"Ah,..saddlebags?...all-leather jumbo saddlebags...with large silver conchos?"

"There's only one problem." said the Lord. "They will have to come later. I'm going to have a hard enough time dealing with the guy who owns the bike. He doesn't want to sell it but he will, only it'll be the middle of April before you receive it."

"April's good. Yes April is very good!" I thought.

As I was pondering these things an envision of what I was describing occurred and I saw the very bike I now own as clear as a picture!

After arriving home from the 4 hour trip, I shared with my wife these details. She was very excited too and had no problem believing.

The days turned to months and I very seldom thought about my request. I had committed it all to God. April rolled by and on the 12th day the Lord prompted me to buy groceries out of our own expense for a homeless family in need.

As I was approaching the check out line I was moved by the Holy Spirit as a certain man named Greg walked by. He was a grocery stocker I vaguely knew.

The Lord prompted me, "Ask him about his Harley."

I have to admit I thought, 'His Harley? He's a grocery stocker! I've never seen him ride a Harley?'

"Just do it." replied the Lord.

So I left my basket and caught up with him and asked the question. "Do you own a Harley?" Greg lit up with a big smile, pulling forth some pictures, saying "Yes, and I've put $8000.00 into this baby !"

I glanced at the first picture and almost fell over! My heart beat sped up and I felt flush in the head! I was gazing at the envisioned Holy Ghost Harley I had seen 7 months back! I was looking at my bike!

Suddenly I blurted, "How much do you want for it?" His immediately response was that he didn't want to sell it for any price! As I stood gazing at the pictures I was reminded how the man that owned my bike would not want to sell it but HE WOULD!

I continued viewing the pics, speechless, as Greg did all the talking. As each minute went by, without another word from me, Greg had talked himself into selling it, but ONLY to me. His simple reason was that since I am a minister of the Gospel he felt I would use it for God.

"My wife has been nagging me to sell it since last SEPTEMBER, so I guess it's the best thing to do. I'll let you have it for $5,500.00." he said.

"But you've got over $8000.00 in it. Why just fifty-five hundred?" I asked.

He replied with a smile, "Because it'll be like I'm giving $2,500.00 back to the Lord's work. I just recently became a converted Christian!"

He gave me his phone number and told me what day I could ride it home. I left the store in a daze, but safely delivered the groceries to the grateful couple with kids.

I wondered where the money would come from, but I just knew it would be provided. I arrived home and was excited to tell my wife the news, but before I could speak she said, "GUESS WHAT? Paul came by, ( a fellow minister), and said, "TELL SCOTT... GOD IS GOING TO PROVIDE HIM WITH A HARLEY WITHIN THREE DAYS!"

Honestly I was stunned. I had to sit down. Everything Paul had spoken by the Lord prior to this had come true. Still, I was curious how the money would come.

A thought prompted me to ask if the mail had been checked. My wife had not checked the mail that day, so I checked it. Inside our mail box was a surprisingly unexpected very large check!

Three days later, on the 15th of April, I rode the Holy Ghost Harley home and secured a plate on the rear which read, "Jesus, the natural state."

The Harley the Lord gives me, and I say "gives" because he's ever present, not past tense, is a Custom 1979 Dyna Wide-Glide Shovel Head on a 1958 drop saddle, swing arm frame that seats lower than a stock frame and fits my short straddle well. The standard 8 bars, 1 1/2 inch un baffled straight pipes, and brass kicker pedal are all there.

My greatest amazement came when I assisted in a top end over haul. I discovered it has over sized BIG BORED PISTONS...but was never stroked!

The mechanic who helped me work on it knew the original owner before Greg and had worked on the bike before. He and another expert mechanic have both agreed that it is a good strong engine, just as I had asked for!

It didn't come with a "padded sissy bar" since Greg was the only one who rode it, but within a week after receiving it a Christian biker minister came by with a padded sissy bar that fit a Sportster but it did not fit my model. He said it was given to him but he had no use for it. He mentioned that I might be able to make a trade on it.

I took it to a local Harley shop and it turned out to be an expensive rare aftermarket item and the owner made an even trade for a new padded sissy bar that fit my model!

I know Jesus rides this Harley, because I ride with Him and He rides with me! It is truly a Holy Ghost Harley not only because it was a gift from above as a product of faith, but because of the continuing story of salvation it has been an instrument in, that I have just begun to write about.

PS~ I came upon the all-leather jumbo saddlebags...with large silver conchos about 8 months later and was able to purchased them for a fraction of it's worth!

Holy Ghost Harley, Part I © Copyright 2002 ~by Chaplain Scott
All rights reserved to www.chaplainscott.com

Written Jan. 30, 2002. 6:03 AM. CST.
Non commercial copies permitted with the above copyright notice.

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