Well, today ended my fifth week of riding. I end 5 weeks over 1200 miles from where I began by dipping my foot in Pacific Ocean water and heading out on my map from San Diego, California. Of course I have done this entire ride on my bike in my basement, but I felt like I was riding the roads I describe from my maps. This week puts me over 1200 miles into the trip; about 100+ miles still to the west of Dallas. Today was a very windy day on the road with twenty to thirty mile and hour winds pushing me up the road. Praise the Lord they were not in my face. I went 40.2 miles in 2 hours and 3 minutes for an average of 19.5 mph. It is amazing but today was the first day all week that I did not average 20+mph. I am hoping I can come close to the Texas/Louisiana line by this time next week.
One thing I have learned on this trip is how much is accomplished a little at a time. I have ridden 35 to 45 miles each day of riding and because of it have put in over 1200 miles. In 4 or 5 more weeks I plan on being to the Atlantic Ocean in southern Georgia. How? - By riding that 40 miles a day. I have some things in my life I want to accomplish in the next year. I am trying to adopt that same type of thinking to get them done.
Again I was thinking through John 15 today. In verse 9, Jesus gives his disciples (us) another thing we must abide in - the love of the Lord. He says in that verse, "As the Father has loved me, so have I lived you. Abide in my love." Think of all the peolple that have loved you. Have any of them loved you perfectly? That question you do not have to think about. They may deeply love you but their love is not perfect. The Father loves Jesus perfectly and you know what; Jesus has loved each of us perfectly. Jesus loves us with the same perfect love the Father loves Him with. There are no mistakes in His love for us. Think about that. No matter what we go through, in the good and bad times He loves us no less. His love is perfect. No one and no-thing can take us out of His perfect love for us. Yet He says and tells us to abide in My love. See, we cannot even remove ourselves from His love but we can live, act, or even think like we have. We could learn so much about how to love by just focusing on the life of Jesus and to look at all the situations He was in with His disciples and yet loved them perfectly.
Check out our website at northernlightministries.org and see what is up.
Have a great Lord's Day tomorrow and I will talk to you again on Monday.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
Day 33 - just that much closer to Dallas
Today was going to be a busy day so I did not have time to ride as far as I would have liked but I got in 32.2 miles in 1 hour and 35 minutes for an average of 20.2mph. Tomorrow, Lord willing I will go over 1200 miles for the trip. I have been asked why I keep mentioning getting to Dallas. Well, I have a great deal of relatives there. My dear Aunt Peg, Uncle Chuck and Aunt Ruth and many cousins all live in that general vicinity. It would be good to see them and I am sure they would offer Lyle and me a place to lay my head for a night. It was a partly cloudy day today in west Texas with a high in the low 80's. Just right for today's ride.
I continue to think through John 15. After the warning of verse 6 and the promise of verse 7, Jesus makes this statement in verse 8, "By this is my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." One of the greatest things we can do on this Earth is to honor, exalt; to glorify our Lord and Savior and His Father. Think of what 1Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. And one of the best ways we can do that is by bearing much fruit. We already discussed bearing fruit and bearing more fruit and bearing much fruit but isn't it amazing that Jesus says that the Father is glorified by bearing much fruit. Not by bearing fruit or even more fruit, but by bearing much fruit.
There is a second benefit He let's us know about there. You prove yourself to be a disciple. The question is, "doesn't He already know?" Of course He does. He knows His sheep better than anything else. So, it isn't for Him to know who His disciples are; it is for each of us. See, that is one of those assurance verses. To bear much fruit is what disciples do. Disciples bear fruit. They desire to bear more and then even much fruit. Disciples strive to do that in their lives. In other disciples themselves with bearing fruit or more fruit. Their desire is to bear much fruit. So they prove to themselves of of being a true disciple. They prove and can assure to themselves they are disciples. That isn't referring to perfection, or doing just external works without the internal fruit that comes from knowing Him. You know, things like love, joy, and peace.
Look at our website and learn more about Northern Light Ministries at northernlightministries.org and please pray about how you help with our purchase of a lodge in Canada so we could impact many more lives for Christ. Talk to you tomorrow.
I continue to think through John 15. After the warning of verse 6 and the promise of verse 7, Jesus makes this statement in verse 8, "By this is my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." One of the greatest things we can do on this Earth is to honor, exalt; to glorify our Lord and Savior and His Father. Think of what 1Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. And one of the best ways we can do that is by bearing much fruit. We already discussed bearing fruit and bearing more fruit and bearing much fruit but isn't it amazing that Jesus says that the Father is glorified by bearing much fruit. Not by bearing fruit or even more fruit, but by bearing much fruit.
There is a second benefit He let's us know about there. You prove yourself to be a disciple. The question is, "doesn't He already know?" Of course He does. He knows His sheep better than anything else. So, it isn't for Him to know who His disciples are; it is for each of us. See, that is one of those assurance verses. To bear much fruit is what disciples do. Disciples bear fruit. They desire to bear more and then even much fruit. Disciples strive to do that in their lives. In other disciples themselves with bearing fruit or more fruit. Their desire is to bear much fruit. So they prove to themselves of of being a true disciple. They prove and can assure to themselves they are disciples. That isn't referring to perfection, or doing just external works without the internal fruit that comes from knowing Him. You know, things like love, joy, and peace.
Look at our website and learn more about Northern Light Ministries at northernlightministries.org and please pray about how you help with our purchase of a lodge in Canada so we could impact many more lives for Christ. Talk to you tomorrow.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Day 32 - What a day!
What a day this has been. After riding 2 hours and 3 minutes, going 41.5 miles and averaging 20.1 mph this morning in Texas, I spent 7 hours in the emergency room, in Ohio, with my little wife as she was having severe pain in her abdomen. We did not get home until 9:30, but praise the Lord, she will be fine in a few days. Made for a long day after 40+ miles of riding.
Riding this morning, I thought a lot about what the promise of verse 7 says, "ask whatever you wish you wish, and it will done for you." What is amazing is what is said in the last half. It indicates an action that is taken by God on a Christian's behalf. So, there is a proper order that is indicated. First, we must abide in Him. We cannot live our lives apart from the vine - the Lord. John puts it this way in 1John 1:6, "If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth."See, abiding in Him means to have fellowship with Him; to walk in the light; and to practice the truth. If you or I am not doing that we are walking in darkness Secondly, Christ's word must abide in us. In other words we cannot live apart from The Word of God. We must read it, study it, memorize it, and hold fast to it. Third, we must ask. How is your prayer life? Is it more than thanking Him for our food? Do we pray only when we must? Fourth, comes the promise of God of how He will respond to us when we are doing the first three. He will take action; something will be done and God will do it. This isn't a reward system on God's part. It is promise that He will take action on our behalf. See, it is really a matter of faith on our part. If we knew God would, if I abided in Him, abided in His Word, ask Him, do what I want from Him; would we not do it. Only if we believe. That is the real issue; most of us do not believe it so we are often unwilling to do what He tells us to do. Think on these things.
If you check out our website, we are beginning to put pictures of the lodge we are hoping to purchase for our ministry Northern Light Ministries. The website is northernlightministries.org. We will be putting more pictures on the site. Talk to you tomorrow.
Riding this morning, I thought a lot about what the promise of verse 7 says, "ask whatever you wish you wish, and it will done for you." What is amazing is what is said in the last half. It indicates an action that is taken by God on a Christian's behalf. So, there is a proper order that is indicated. First, we must abide in Him. We cannot live our lives apart from the vine - the Lord. John puts it this way in 1John 1:6, "If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth."See, abiding in Him means to have fellowship with Him; to walk in the light; and to practice the truth. If you or I am not doing that we are walking in darkness Secondly, Christ's word must abide in us. In other words we cannot live apart from The Word of God. We must read it, study it, memorize it, and hold fast to it. Third, we must ask. How is your prayer life? Is it more than thanking Him for our food? Do we pray only when we must? Fourth, comes the promise of God of how He will respond to us when we are doing the first three. He will take action; something will be done and God will do it. This isn't a reward system on God's part. It is promise that He will take action on our behalf. See, it is really a matter of faith on our part. If we knew God would, if I abided in Him, abided in His Word, ask Him, do what I want from Him; would we not do it. Only if we believe. That is the real issue; most of us do not believe it so we are often unwilling to do what He tells us to do. Think on these things.
If you check out our website, we are beginning to put pictures of the lodge we are hoping to purchase for our ministry Northern Light Ministries. The website is northernlightministries.org. We will be putting more pictures on the site. Talk to you tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Day 31 - On the way to Dallas
Another day of riding, but it was a great day. I rode 41.7 miles in 2 hours and 2 minutes for an average of 20.4 mph. That is the third day in a row of over 20 mph. I just can't believe it myself. Any one who really knows me knows that I should not be averaging those kinds of speeds but God is good. I have to admit it is God who keeps the legs going. I have hopes of being in Dallas by the middle of next week and maybe even to the state line by the end of the week.
As I have been riding I have spent a great deal of my time the last couple of weeks reading and have read some great books. That is one nice thing about riding across our land on a bike trainer in my basement. You still have to do all the pedaling without the worry of any traffic or having to watch for potholes or little critters crossing the road. This trip really has been a challenge for me but has challenged me far more than just physically. I have had to face some of my own shortcomings. But all of this has been good.
I also thought a great deal about John 15 again today. After the warning of verse 6, Jesus follows that with a promise in verse 7, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." It interests me that He begins with the word "if." That means it is our choice. It is our choice of whether we are going to abide in Him. He does not force Himself on us or make us do things like a robot. His desire, His want for our lives is to live for Him; to give it for Him. As the atheletes would say, "To leave it all out on the field for our Lord and Savior." Nor only does He want us to abide in Him but He also wants His words to abide in us. He wants the things He says in His Word to become our rule of faith and practice. That when we have a decision to make, we turn to His Word for direction and guidance. But all of this begins with "if you." I ask you to think about what the promise is Jesus makes to us, "if." Talk to you tomorrow.
As I have been riding I have spent a great deal of my time the last couple of weeks reading and have read some great books. That is one nice thing about riding across our land on a bike trainer in my basement. You still have to do all the pedaling without the worry of any traffic or having to watch for potholes or little critters crossing the road. This trip really has been a challenge for me but has challenged me far more than just physically. I have had to face some of my own shortcomings. But all of this has been good.
I also thought a great deal about John 15 again today. After the warning of verse 6, Jesus follows that with a promise in verse 7, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." It interests me that He begins with the word "if." That means it is our choice. It is our choice of whether we are going to abide in Him. He does not force Himself on us or make us do things like a robot. His desire, His want for our lives is to live for Him; to give it for Him. As the atheletes would say, "To leave it all out on the field for our Lord and Savior." Nor only does He want us to abide in Him but He also wants His words to abide in us. He wants the things He says in His Word to become our rule of faith and practice. That when we have a decision to make, we turn to His Word for direction and guidance. But all of this begins with "if you." I ask you to think about what the promise is Jesus makes to us, "if." Talk to you tomorrow.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Day 30 - First full day in Texas
Well, thirty days into my trek across our land. In many ways this trip has been all and more than I ever thought it might be. In just this first month I think I have learned a lot about my self. Lord willing, I will make it and make my goal. But my goal wasn't just to ride across our land or to raise funds to purchase a lodge in Canada to help improve our ministry, Northern Light Ministries. Let me encourage you to check out our ministry at northernlightministries.org and please consider donating to our goal to purchase the lodge. We need much help and maybe God could use you in this way.
Today, I road 41.4 miles in 2 hours and 3 minutes for an average of 20.1 mph. On my map, we find ourselves just west of Lamesa, Texas. Today started out with rain but by mid-morning the Sun came out and was beautiful the rest of the day with a high around 85. Maybe, because I am starting the fifth week of riding or that I am beginning to see the destination down the road, or that I am reaching the half way mark of the trip soon but I feel very contemplative about what we are doing. Some times I think, "What in the world am I doing?" Other times I just think, "I am doing okay. I will make this." Most of the time I just keep thinking about how much I am learning about myself. As we reach closer to the end of the trip I plan on sharing with you more and more about what I have learned.
My thinking in John 15 took me to verse 6 today and gives mankind a very solomn warning, "If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned." There are many portions of Scripture that discuss this kind of thing; enough to know that this refers to an eternity in hell. You have to see what he does not say. He does not say that if a person is not saved, he is thrown away. No, He says, "If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away." Do you know why? Well the truth is that a true Christian, not just one who gives it lip service but a person who is genuinely saved will abide in Him. But then people say, "Well I sin, so I must not be abiding then." The answer to that is what a Christian does with that sin. If you ignore it, or deny it, or try to hide it, or run from it; then, yes you are not abiding. But, if you do what He tells us to do when we sin. 1John 1:9, "If you CONFESS your sin, He is faithful and just to forgive and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness." That is abiding, and that is what He wants from each of us in our lives. Talk to you tomorrow.
Today, I road 41.4 miles in 2 hours and 3 minutes for an average of 20.1 mph. On my map, we find ourselves just west of Lamesa, Texas. Today started out with rain but by mid-morning the Sun came out and was beautiful the rest of the day with a high around 85. Maybe, because I am starting the fifth week of riding or that I am beginning to see the destination down the road, or that I am reaching the half way mark of the trip soon but I feel very contemplative about what we are doing. Some times I think, "What in the world am I doing?" Other times I just think, "I am doing okay. I will make this." Most of the time I just keep thinking about how much I am learning about myself. As we reach closer to the end of the trip I plan on sharing with you more and more about what I have learned.
My thinking in John 15 took me to verse 6 today and gives mankind a very solomn warning, "If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned." There are many portions of Scripture that discuss this kind of thing; enough to know that this refers to an eternity in hell. You have to see what he does not say. He does not say that if a person is not saved, he is thrown away. No, He says, "If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away." Do you know why? Well the truth is that a true Christian, not just one who gives it lip service but a person who is genuinely saved will abide in Him. But then people say, "Well I sin, so I must not be abiding then." The answer to that is what a Christian does with that sin. If you ignore it, or deny it, or try to hide it, or run from it; then, yes you are not abiding. But, if you do what He tells us to do when we sin. 1John 1:9, "If you CONFESS your sin, He is faithful and just to forgive and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness." That is abiding, and that is what He wants from each of us in our lives. Talk to you tomorrow.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Day 29 - Into Texas we go!
Well, we are in Texas at last and still well over 300 miles west of Dallas. It was a cloudy day but high in the mid 80's. I felt stronger on the bike today than any other day of riding so far. This was one of those days when I wish I would have had more time to ride. But I went 42.5 miles in 2 hours and 5 minutes at an average of 20.3 mph and felt good. That leaves us just 3 and 1/2 miles west of Seminole, a little town of about 6,500 people right on Rte. 180. While on the bike today, I finished a biography about Araham Lincoln. While all the talk is about the fact that 100 years ago, April 15, the Titanic went down killing over 1500 people. 48 years before that, April 15, Lincoln was assassinated. Thinking about all the loss of life and the dreadfulness of the two events in history made me think even more about what John says in John 15:5, "For apart from me you can do nothing." In that one statement, John demonstrates two truths. We must stay close to our Lord. He uses the word "abide" often in this passage. Without Him, close to us in our lives we will not be able to accomplish anything. I am dependent on God for my next breath, my next step, my table being filled with food and my marriage staying intact. I need Him in my life. Not only that though, the verse also demonstrates the sovereignty, the power, the omnipotence, the omnipresence, the omniscience of God. On the one hand we are totally dependent on Him. But God is all He is, not because of our dependence, but because He is God. Because of who He is, we are dependent on Him. Proverbs 3:5and 6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Talk to you tomorrow.
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