For any of you that have ever had a heart cath, you know they go in through the groin area. Well, after my heart cath on Monday, that area has been very tender and riding yesterday seemed to put it over the top. So, when I got on the bike this morning, I wasn't sitting too well and so today I had my shortest ride - 8.4 miles. I hope by not pushing it and not riding tomorrow, I will be good to go on Monday. Please pray for me.
I ask you to allow me to make just a couple of comments about John 15:16. He chose us and He appointed us to go. But going is not enough. What we do while we are going is so very important. For He says that while we are going we are to bear fruit. That always leads to many questions. What does it mean to bear fruit? What is the fruit? How do we go about it? Some will say it refers to the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. Some believe it refers to works. I think it is the fruit of the Spirit in us lived out for Him. Think just of the first one - love. We are to love the Lord with our whole being and our neighbor as ourselves and one another as Jesus loved us. So I am suppose to do the things I do for the Lord because I love Him; for others because I love them as I love myself; for one another because I love them as the Lord loves me. I should do works for my Lord and Savior and I should do them in love of him.
So we are to go - yes! We are to go and bear fruit! How are you doing?
Tomorrow is the Lord's Day so I will talk to you on Monday. Have a great day of worship!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Day 43 - On the Road Again
Well, I am back on the road. After spending last Friday till Tuesday in the hospital and having a heart cath and two stents put in and after spending a few days with the doctor not allowing me to ride, I finally got on the bike today. I took it easy going 25.5 miles in 1 hour and 31 minutes for an average of 16.7mph. On the map, I am finally east of Dallas and probably about a 4 or 5 day ride from Louisiana. Looking forward now to finishing the trip and I know the next three states will go quickly compared to crossing Texas. I keep thinking about how riding the distances I have each day makes for a trip across our land a long trip; yet, it is neat to see how putting those miles and days together accomplishes so much. We can live our lives that same way, like a 30 to 40 mile a day pace so to speak and we can accomplish so much.
I have still been thinking about John 15 and the amazing verse 16. Last night we looked at the fact that we did not choose Him but He chose us. But that verse says that He not only chose us but He also appointed us. That is much like the word for ordained. Many are ordained to be ministers for the Lord. Years ago, I was ordained and I was thrilled the Lord appointed me and that the church thought me worthy to ordain me. But in this verse He is not just talking about pastors. No, He is talking to all of His disciples. All of His disciples are appointed/ordained - first He says we are ordained "to go." We can't say, "well,I did not know that I was suppose to go." If you are a follower, a disciple of Jesus Christ we have been chosen and ordained to go. But see, that is not the problem. We spend our lives going. We go to school, to work, to the store, to the mall. We go to church and to so many other places. We are constantly are going. In this verse, Jesus does not tell us where we are to go. He just says that He chose you and I and appointed/ordained you and I to go. The question for us is not the going. The question is what are we doing while we are going? We will look more at this tomorrow night, but verse 16 answers that question too. Jesus says we are "to go and BEAR fruit."
Talk to you tomorrow.
I have still been thinking about John 15 and the amazing verse 16. Last night we looked at the fact that we did not choose Him but He chose us. But that verse says that He not only chose us but He also appointed us. That is much like the word for ordained. Many are ordained to be ministers for the Lord. Years ago, I was ordained and I was thrilled the Lord appointed me and that the church thought me worthy to ordain me. But in this verse He is not just talking about pastors. No, He is talking to all of His disciples. All of His disciples are appointed/ordained - first He says we are ordained "to go." We can't say, "well,I did not know that I was suppose to go." If you are a follower, a disciple of Jesus Christ we have been chosen and ordained to go. But see, that is not the problem. We spend our lives going. We go to school, to work, to the store, to the mall. We go to church and to so many other places. We are constantly are going. In this verse, Jesus does not tell us where we are to go. He just says that He chose you and I and appointed/ordained you and I to go. The question for us is not the going. The question is what are we doing while we are going? We will look more at this tomorrow night, but verse 16 answers that question too. Jesus says we are "to go and BEAR fruit."
Talk to you tomorrow.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Day 42 - One More Day
Tomorrow I am back on the bike and prayerfully can finish my ride across the land without any more interruptions. I have been looking forward to it all week long. I am not sure yet whether I will be able go full tilt but at least I am back on the bike. It seems like on the map, I have been in Texas for such a long time.
Still thinking a great deal about John 15 and what I think is one of the most amazing verses in Scripture. The part half of verse 16 says this, "You did not choose me, but I chose you." That makes me think so much about how great our God is and how great His love is. Scripture states that "we like sheep have all gone astray." There are none who go his way. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We all deserve death. But Romans 5:8 tells us, "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Yet through all of that John 15:16 says, "You did not choose me, but I chose you." Of course we did not choose Him. Each and every one of us were too busy doing our own thing; going our own direction; and busy making something out of ourselves. But He chose us. Would any of us choose a spouse who did everything they could to hurt us? Would you choose a company to work for that constantly turned their back on us? Would we choose a friend who never wanted anything to do with us? Of course not, yet is what God does. He chose us.
The question I hear so often is, "If He does the choosing, then why does he not choose everyone?" But we ask the wrong question. We should ask, "Considering everything already said, why does He choose any of us." We can all be thankful that God is not like us. He is far above our thinking, our caring and our love. We did not choose Him, but He chose us." Praise God!!!!!!!!!!
Talk to you tomorrow!
Still thinking a great deal about John 15 and what I think is one of the most amazing verses in Scripture. The part half of verse 16 says this, "You did not choose me, but I chose you." That makes me think so much about how great our God is and how great His love is. Scripture states that "we like sheep have all gone astray." There are none who go his way. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We all deserve death. But Romans 5:8 tells us, "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Yet through all of that John 15:16 says, "You did not choose me, but I chose you." Of course we did not choose Him. Each and every one of us were too busy doing our own thing; going our own direction; and busy making something out of ourselves. But He chose us. Would any of us choose a spouse who did everything they could to hurt us? Would you choose a company to work for that constantly turned their back on us? Would we choose a friend who never wanted anything to do with us? Of course not, yet is what God does. He chose us.
The question I hear so often is, "If He does the choosing, then why does he not choose everyone?" But we ask the wrong question. We should ask, "Considering everything already said, why does He choose any of us." We can all be thankful that God is not like us. He is far above our thinking, our caring and our love. We did not choose Him, but He chose us." Praise God!!!!!!!!!!
Talk to you tomorrow!
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Day 41 - A Day Away
By a day away, I mean a day away from the bike. Just read yesterday's blog to know why today is a day away from the bike. I will have one more tomorrow and then back on the bike seat on Friday, Lord willing. Today, while i have a day away from the bike, I would like to make an appeal to God's people. If you have been following my blog about my ride across our land, you know that one of the reasons I am doing this over 2200 mile ride is to earn funds to purchase a lodge in Canada to take youth groups and inner-city kids to the Canadian wilderness. We have been doing these trips for 10 years and do bicycle trips, wilderness canoeing and camping trips, retreats, and snowshoeing trips. But we have outgrown the small cabins we presently use and God has given the opportunity to buy a fishing lodge with 8 cabins, a house , a large lodge and many other out buildings and all the boats and equipment; all on a 16 acre island. We could impact more than 100 youth a week instead of the 15 to 25 that we presently accomodate. We are asking God's people to sponsor my trip for whatever amount you could for so much a mile that I ride. You can get on our website at northernlightministries.org and learn more abot what we do, see some pictures of a couple of our trips, and donate if God would open up your heart to do so. We ask you to consider partnering with Northern Light Ministries so we can continue to reach more and more youth and adults for Christ.
As I wait these few days to get back on my bike, I continue to think through John 15. Yesterday, we talked about verse 14. I asked to think about what you consider the Lord to be. Sure we know He is Lord, Savior, the Christ, Master, and other names that could also describe God too because that is who He is, but seldom do we call Him friend. I would rather "do" for a friend that I want to help than to "do" for someone who forces me or guilts me into it. That is what makes verse 15 so important for it says, "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you." His Father was Father God; so, everything Jesus told His disciples and to us came from God Himself. What an amazing thought. He spent 3 to 3 1/2years with these men and others who followed Him. They sat at His feet learning from Him. They were there when He spoke to the crowds and had confrontations with the jewish religious leaders. Some of them might have heard God the Father proclaim His pleasure with His Son at the baptism of Jesus and on the Mt. of Transfiguration. They heard the Word, the teaching of God Himself at all these times. When you attend church, do you feel that same way; that you are hearing the Word of God. This Sunday, listen closely. If your pastor is teaching the Word of God, you don't want to miss it.
Talk to you tomorrow and please pray for the funds to come in for the Lodge in Canada and if you can help with any amount we ask you to help.
As I wait these few days to get back on my bike, I continue to think through John 15. Yesterday, we talked about verse 14. I asked to think about what you consider the Lord to be. Sure we know He is Lord, Savior, the Christ, Master, and other names that could also describe God too because that is who He is, but seldom do we call Him friend. I would rather "do" for a friend that I want to help than to "do" for someone who forces me or guilts me into it. That is what makes verse 15 so important for it says, "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you." His Father was Father God; so, everything Jesus told His disciples and to us came from God Himself. What an amazing thought. He spent 3 to 3 1/2years with these men and others who followed Him. They sat at His feet learning from Him. They were there when He spoke to the crowds and had confrontations with the jewish religious leaders. Some of them might have heard God the Father proclaim His pleasure with His Son at the baptism of Jesus and on the Mt. of Transfiguration. They heard the Word, the teaching of God Himself at all these times. When you attend church, do you feel that same way; that you are hearing the Word of God. This Sunday, listen closely. If your pastor is teaching the Word of God, you don't want to miss it.
Talk to you tomorrow and please pray for the funds to come in for the Lodge in Canada and if you can help with any amount we ask you to help.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Day 40 - Well, I'm Back
If you have been following my blog, you know that my last posting was last Thursday. Last Friday morning I rode 37.8 miles in 2 hours and 2 minutes for an average of 18.5 mph. That brought me on the map, just through Dallas, Texas and just over 1,400 miles for the trip. After I rode that day, I took care of some errands and driving home from one of them, I began to have some chest discomfort that kept getting stronger. I ended up going to the ER and ended up being admitted in the hospital where they could make sure I was okay, to wait for a heart cath on Monday. On Monday, I had that heart cath and had a long run in my heart that was 80% blocked and took 2 long stents to open it up. It is now Tuesday of the following week and the doctor has said I can begin to ride on Friday. My original plan was to be into Louisiana by now and much closer to my goal of the Atlantic Ocean. That is what I call a setback. But, you know what, life has setbacks. Things don't always go smoothly. Even the most Godly man or woman goes through trials or tribulations. That is not as if it is unfair; it is just life. We all have them. No one is unique in that way. We all have times when we have to get back up on the bike seat and keep pedaling. This is one of those times in my life. I want to finish the ride strong. I just am thankful, because this heart thing could have been so much worse. And yet here I am, and ready to climb on the bike seat again this Friday.
None of this has kept me from thinking about John 15. Verse14 says, "You are my friends, if you do what I command you." There is a question we all must ask ourselves, "How do I look at the Lord?" Matthew 25: 14 - 30 presents the parable of the talents. Three people are discussed. Two of them give their best with what God has given them. One of them does not. It is interesting that the one who did not use his one talent but buried it in the ground says this about the Master, "Master, I knew you to be a hard man..." How do you look at the Lord? There are many in the world who see Him as harsh or unloving or uncaring. The question is, "How could a good God or loving God allow that bad thing to happen. He must not be loving or caring or good." Yet Psalm 34:8 says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." He is good, but some only get a taste; some get to the point where they actually see it. The verse finishes with saying, "Blessed in the man who takes refuge in Him." See, that is what a relationship with the Lord is all about." I seem to be in great shape for a man my age. Yet I have what my heart doctor calls agressive heart disease. But He has given me and done so much for me. The Lord is not a hard master. Even more He is my friend. I want to do what he commands, not because I am afraid of Him; but because we are friends. Are you a friend of Jesus?
Please check out our website - northernlightministries.org
Talk to you tomorrow!
None of this has kept me from thinking about John 15. Verse14 says, "You are my friends, if you do what I command you." There is a question we all must ask ourselves, "How do I look at the Lord?" Matthew 25: 14 - 30 presents the parable of the talents. Three people are discussed. Two of them give their best with what God has given them. One of them does not. It is interesting that the one who did not use his one talent but buried it in the ground says this about the Master, "Master, I knew you to be a hard man..." How do you look at the Lord? There are many in the world who see Him as harsh or unloving or uncaring. The question is, "How could a good God or loving God allow that bad thing to happen. He must not be loving or caring or good." Yet Psalm 34:8 says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." He is good, but some only get a taste; some get to the point where they actually see it. The verse finishes with saying, "Blessed in the man who takes refuge in Him." See, that is what a relationship with the Lord is all about." I seem to be in great shape for a man my age. Yet I have what my heart doctor calls agressive heart disease. But He has given me and done so much for me. The Lord is not a hard master. Even more He is my friend. I want to do what he commands, not because I am afraid of Him; but because we are friends. Are you a friend of Jesus?
Please check out our website - northernlightministries.org
Talk to you tomorrow!
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