Day 56 - Good Day

My wife and I had to take a trip to Michigan so did not have a chance to ride today but I still wanted to at least write to any followers of my blog since I was not able to yesterday. But I still hope to be done with my ride in a couple of weeks so will have to hit it hard on Monday. Even though we do not know who wrote Psalm 100, it is interesting that the title-line about the Psalm says, "A Psalm for giving thanks." Yet the only time it says anything in Psalm 100 about giving thanks is in verse 4. Once in that verse it says, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving." Then it goes on to say, "Give thanks to him, bless his name." Much of the life of a Christian should be spent coming into His presence. One way to do that is to enter his gates. But there is a particular way we are to enter his gates; with a particular attitude. That is one of thanksgiving. Could it be that we should spend more time in church giving thanks. Some might ask, "For what?" If it were not for Him giving us the health, two goos legs, a car that runs, a building to go to, and a salvation that comes with a desire to attend, we would never enter His gates. We of all people, as Christians should come into His gates with such a huge amount of thanksgiving, with a heart of thanksgiving, with a desire to give Him thanks for all that he is and does in and through me. Then it simply says, "Give thanks to Him." "For what?" For absolutely everything. Let me say that again, "For absolutely everything." But it says, "A Psalm for giving thanks." Several of the things mentioned in Psalm 100 describe ways we can give thanks and then reasons for why we should gives thanks with the conclusion in verse 5. That is what I would like to look at in the remaining weeks of my ride across our land. Have a good Lord's Day tomorrow and will talk to you on Monday after a good ride - Lord willing!

Day 55 - A good day on the Road

Today was a good day of riding. On the map, I ended the day just 25 miles west of the Louisiana/ Mississippi state line. It was a beautiful day in eastern Louisiana being sunny and around 80 degrees. I had several other things I had to do today so had to get my ride in early and tomorrow will be my first day off from riding because of other commitments but will be back on the bike on Saturday. Today I rode 40.2 miles in two hours and 5 minutes for an average of 19.2 mph. Some days you get on the bike and struggle. Other times you hurt a little or not feel real good on the seat. But today, I felt good and could not stop thinking about being on the road on a real trip across the country and how much fun that really would be, rather than using a trainer and keeping track of miles on the map. Lord willing, one day I could do it but if not, I will always have this trip to look back on. To close out the dovotions I have done while on this trip I would like to build on the look at Psalm 34:8. The first half of the that verse says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." I have thought so much about that statement. Many of those thoughts I have shared on this blog. But now I ask you to think about Psalm 100 and verse 5, "For the Lord is good." is how the verse begins. It sounds to be like a conclusion that the writer of the Psalm has come to. The Lord is good. But I think it is a conclusion he comes to as a reason for for doing all the things that he mentions in the first four verses. Why should all the earth make, serve, come, know, enter, give, and bless? "For the Lord is good." Why should we do all of those things? Because His steadfast love endures forever. Why should we want to do all the things those first verses say to do? Because His faithfulness is to all generations. That is why. See Ps. 34:8 says to taste and see that the Lord is good. But in Psalm 100 the Psalmist has come to the conclusion that the Lord is good. And that is the reason we should do all the things listed in verses 1 through 4. Don't you agree? I will not be riding or blogging tomorrow so I will talk to you on Saturday - Lord willing!!!!

Day 54 - Rolling Along

Today was a good day. On the map I am less than 2 full days ride across Louisiana and still headed east. Today I rode for 2 hours and 7 minutes and went 40.2 miles for an average of 18.9 mph. That is a good speed for me and the ride went well. I needed a good ride because I am beginning to think about the end and looking forward to dipping my foot in Atlantic Ocean water but I have to keep getting on the bike seat every day to make. Lord willing it will come in His time. I am still praying for the monies we need to purchase the lodge in Canada to come in. We have a long way to go to reach our goal and am asking you if you would help us reach our goal. You can go to our website at northernlightministries.org to learn more about NLM, see pictures of the lodge and to donate. Please help us if you can.
I have still been thinking about Psalm 34:8. The second half of the verse says, "Blessed is he who takes their refuge in Him." I keep thinking about "refuge." I told you the story of that youth group from Elyria, Ohio who did not allow the rain to dampen their desire to finish the ride. It would have been so easy to use the van as a refuge or a picnic pavillion, or a gas station, or almost any place they could have used to get a break from the rains. A refuge is some place we can go to get away from danger or trouble. In the world today, people go to many things for a refuge. People go to drugs and alchohol as a refuge from hurts, pain, or fears, or problems. We look for refuge from anything that can cause us discomfort. Some people even seek refuge from the world itself by hiding in their homes. But seeking refuge in Him is not hiding from anything but running to the guidance, direction, protection and so much more that comes with knowing the Lord. Imagine the Lord going to bat for you during times of your greatest concerns and fears rather than turning to things which have no eternal value and are strictly of the world. Taking refuge is not the problem. The question is what or who the refuge is.
Talk to you tomorrow.

Day 53 - A Lot on my Plate

I had a great many things to do today so I didn't get to ride as long as I had wanted to to. It is not making it easy to get my miles in but I keep on rolling as best I can. If I was actually riding across the country rather than just in my basement on a trainer and marking my miles on a map, I would have been riding across the northcentral part of Louisiana. In that area the weather forecast was for thunderstorms so I will always ride in the rain but not in severe weather like that. So, I probably would not had the chance to ride as much as I would have liked anyway.. Today I did ride 25.6 miles in just 1 hour and 13 minutes for an average of 21 mph.
I remember one bike trip I did with a youth from Elyria, Ohio it began to rain just after we got all the bikes on the road. I was riding in the back of the group and the slower riders. We got as far as 1/2 mile behind many of the riders and as I was riding up toward our first SAG vehicle, many of the kids were crawling into the van. I thought, "Boy, this is it. These kids are never going to want to ride in this rain." And by now it was pouring pretty well. But as I came up behind the van, all of the kids were getting out putting on their rain gear. They even looked at me and said, "We are going to keep going aren't we. I just looked at them, "Well of course we are." And we did. We rode the next 4 hours in the rain before it finally began clear off. I learned a tremendous amount aabout that group that day. I also learned a great deal about the young people of today. Many of them are not quiters even this generation gets acused of being. They were going to keep going. If the leadership of this country and in the churches of today depended on kids like were in this group, we are in good shape. That is why I love working in the ministry of Northern Light Ministries - because we have the privilege and joy of working with so many fine young people and having the chance to impact their lives for Jesus Christ. The youth of today need "older" people who will understand and love and accept them, not because they are perfect but because they are not but so want to please.
See, God is looking for that same thing from each of us as His children, His youth. Sure, there will be days of rain and because of it we cry, whine, complain, and at the worst, give up. What does the second half of Ps. 34:8 say, "Blessed is he who takes refuge in Him (the Lord)." See it does not matter that there are times of rain. That does not change the fact of what this verse says. In the worst of times, we are so blessed, when even the rain comes, that we can take refuge in Him. He is light in the darkness. He is peace in the middle of tumult. He is warm in times of cold. Love in times of hate. He is truth in times of lying, cheating, stealing and out and out immorality. "Blessed is he who takes refuge in Him."  
Talk to you tomorrow.

Day 52 - working to get on track

I am hoping to be done in 3 weeks of riding but I will have to keep up a good pace to do it. Today I rode 40.3 miles in exactly 2 hours for an average of 20 mph. It felt good to get it rolling again after having to go a couple of weeks where I was to keep the ride in check a bit. Lord willing, we will really be strong through the end of the ride.
I have enjoyed spending this time on the bike thinking through different portions of Scripture. Psalm 34:8 is one of those verses that really grabs my attention and I think it should grab ahold of every Christian. The Lord wants us to taste that the Lord is good. But that verse makes it clear that He wants us to move beyond just tasting that the Lord is good and see or realize that the Lord is good. That is a step up from just tasting. But there is a third level that that He wants us to experience. For, He goes on to say, "Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" The meaning of the word "refuge" is, "a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble or something providing such shelter." There are people who give the Lord a taste. There are people who even see that the Lord is good. But, the truly blessed person is the person takes refuge in the Lord; the person who is safe and sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble. We all have human needs. One of the major ones is to feel safe. When we take refuge in the Lord we do not just feel safe but we are safe. We are sheltered from pursuit, danger, and trouble.I love the promises the Lord gives His children. My favorite is found in Hebrews 13:5, "I will never leave you or forsake you." Any one reading this blog shpould be saying amen right now. The Lord is there. He can take us under His wing; lift us and carry us on His shoulders; guide us through the worst of times, and take us home. No being, false god, or power, can make those promises to His and then back them up. Praise God! Praise God! Praise God!
Talk to you tomorrow.