1). Sometimes we can fix it ourselves. (a flat tire)
2). Sometimes we have the ability, we just need the resources (flat tire but forgot a tube or air)
3). Sometimes someone we have neither the ability or resources. (a chain breaks)
4). Sometimes we have to go to the local bike shop to get help because it can’t be fixed on the road. The shop owner has better tools and he does that type of repair all day.
5). Sometimes we have to take it to the maker (manufacturer) in which case the local shop owner will walk you through all the headaches to make sure everything is taken care of.

Our Christian walk is a lot like fixing a bike, if we are smart about it.

1). Sometimes we can pray over the situation ourselves and get through it, because we’ve been there before or it is simple enough.
2). Sometimes we have the ability to pray but don’t physically have the resources to fix it, but a friend or family member does.
3). Sometimes we can’t even see how to pray for it nor do we have the ability to fix it but a group of friends or small group or church family does.
4). Sometimes we just need to spend time in counseling with a local pastor or church elder and they can help guide and pray us through it.
5). Sometimes none of these can fix it and we have to spend time prostrate before our maker and allow him to fix us, and a local pastor or church leader will help walk us through this healing process.

Do you have all of these people in your life? If not, you may want to reevaluate your situation and stance on this thing called the “Christian” walk.

We were never meant to walk through life alone. The same God that saw Adam was alone and deemed it not good, created the church body, where every individual is needed in order for it to function properly.

And if I’m not mistaken, the same thing happens each time: a fellow rider or a passer-by, assuming there is one nearby, stops to ask if they can help, and they do it with all sincerity….they actually want to help. Normally, nowhere in the conversation do they start blaming you for being on the side of the road. They also normally don’t question to find out if you caused the flat or if you were reckless and deserved to be there. They just offer to help.

What if, and here is a novel idea, we reacted the same way with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? What if we simply asked how we could help? What if we didn’t ask if they had caused it or if they had brought it on themselves and we just offered to walk through it with them?

You know what, they may be at fault. They may absolutely be reaping what they’ve sown, but so what? Aren’t we allowed to help someone even though it was their own fault. Didn’t God help us, and continue to forgive us, for things that we cause.

We, as believers, can be quick to tear people down instead of building them up. By the time we show up to help we’ve already convicted them of the crime and sentenced them in the court of our own mind.

I don’t know why we are like that but I sure hope I can learn to be better at it. I trust that as I strive to be more Christ-Like that I will at the same time become more compassionate and forgiving and less nosy and holier-than-thou.

Let’s all pray for that before we go to sleep tonight….

And of course that got me to wondering. Was I feeling guilt for not riding or was I missing the feeling and benefits I get from riding? I started remembering the long rides and how great it felt afterwards, like I could eat anything I wanted and not feel bad. I came to the conclusion that I missed the camaraderie of my fellow riders and the joy of sitting on a bike for a couple of hours. I missed sucking down gels like they were M&Ms and drinking water while trying not to lose focus on the wheel 12 inches in front of me. But mainly I just missed doing something that is good for me and that I enjoy.

On the same vibe, God doesn’t guilt us into doing things either. He did not give us the Bible in order for us to be guilted into serving Him or doing the right things. Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

I’ll have to admit it took me sometime (years) to figure out what I believe it means. What it means is that God does not show us things in our life that are wrong so that we will feel bad and change. He shows us things that are blocking our ability to see Him and His will for our lives. And once we see what those things are, we have the awesome opportunity to fix them or remove them. And once we do, we are that much closer to Him and to what we were created to be. There is no guilt involved.

Have you ever been sitting or standing in church, either during the worship time or when the pastor was teaching, and thought of something in your life that needs to be changed? I sure have. And I’ve come to the realization that those thoughts aren’t guilt, they are a chance for me to correct something before it gets out of hand, so that my life grows and my relationship with my Savior grows.

Those quiet times at church, or anywhere for that matter, are an incredible opportunity for us as believers to communicate with God. If we will simply listen to what He is telling us we can learn some cool things that will make this life easier; because as we remove sin from our lives the line of communication between us and God become that much clearer.

As I started up this long climb my mind kicked into "hill-climbing" mode, which if you are a casual rider like me and ride where there are a lot of hills you know what that means. It means you find a comfortable gear, try to relax and you just pedal. You don’t focus on the size of the hill or the length because it can be intimidating, you just ride little chunks at a time. You try to make it to the next mailbox, then the next pothole, so forth and so on.

Our life as a believer is the same at times. Sometimes we are going “downhill” and all is easy and life seems great — we are thinking God is great. Other times life sucks and we are stuck going “uphill” for what seems like forever –and we think God, where are you?

During those times of “uphill” climbing, when we can’t see the top of the hill or what’s around the corner, we have to focus on the little things, the little victories. During the times when we don’t understand God’s will for our lives, we have to keep doing the little things that we know fit into His plan (praying, reading His Word, being generous with our money, being kind to our neighbors, etc…) There are things that we can focus on as we climb the “hill”. And when we get to the top, we can look back and be amazed at how far He has brought us, even though the climb itself was hard as crap.

The happiest I think I’ve ever been during a ride was at the end of my first "long" ride. It was a two day, 180 mile ride from Columbia, SC to Charleston, SC. I remember crossing the finish line into that High School parking lot, with all of the people standing there, and thinking I am just glad to be through it, I don’t think I could ever do that again. But the funny thing is, since then, I’ve done much harder rides. I can look back at that first long-ride experience with pride not disdain. Not because I broke any land speed records but because I fought hard to finish and didn’t give in. It was extremely difficult but finishing it gave me the confidence to strive for even harder rides.

What we go through in life can either defeat us or give us the confidence, once we’ve fought through it, to strive for even greater things. Pray and let God help you through the tough times, not because he will make them magically disappear, but because, when it is over, He can show you how to use the experience to better yourself and those around you.

Roy Bauer

Normally, if you are third then you have someone in front of you to pull if the leader needs a break and then you can decide whether or not to say there and take a turn or move back further down the line. But, both people in front of her moved out at the same time and the job of pulling was thrust upon here whether she wanted it or not. And by her reaction, she didn’t.

I know the lady who said this and she is a pretty strong rider; so it wasn’t the physical part of pulling that she hated it was the mental, or intangible, part. You see, if a rider is riding behind someone –or a lot of someones—all they have to do is ride and keep from hitting the wheel in front of them. But, when you are leading your responsibilities go up. You now are responsible for making sure everyone is going the right way and for the speed (you don’t want to slow the group down –too much at least). It can be a little daunting, for someone who isn’t used to it, when you look back and there are 50+ people right on your wheel following you.

Alright, now picture this: You are in a small group setting with 10-15 friends from church and everyone is talking and discussing the book that the group is reading and the leader looks at you and says, “Hey, can you lead us in prayer?” OH CRAP!

Or how about this one: Your Sunday School teacher finishes up with the class for the day and then says to the group that she’ll be out for a couple weeks. She then looks at you and says, “Hey, can you lead this group while I’m gone?” OH CRAP!

More than likely it isn’t the Bible knowledge that scares you. It isn’t having to study and prepare that scares you. It is probably the fact that you feel like you’ll have 4 or 5 or 20 people looking at you assuming you have all the answers and that you are there to lead them on this fantastic voyage of perfect and exact knowledge. But the problem is you aren’t perfect and you may even stutter or forget what you are saying or you may say something stupid or wrong. Join the club.

We all know who Moses is right? The always-eloquent, all-knowing, never-doubting, wonderful leader who lead the Israelites into the Promise Land. Read Exodus Chapter 3 and 4 when you get a chance and you’ll find a man just like the rest of us.

Let me set this up for you: Moses is busy tending the sheep when God says to him, “…I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt…” (Exodus 3:1-10) So, we have Moses who, like the cyclist, is just cruising along and all of a sudden BOOM a leadership position is thrust upon him and a decision has to be made. Does he say yes or no? Here is his answer:

1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me… (Exodus 4:1)

¹⁰ Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” (Exodus 4:10)

When asked to lead, Moses said he couldn’t because he didn’t feel like the Egyptians would believe him and that he wasn’t confident in his ability to communicate effectively. Isn’t that what scares us when we are asked to step out in a spiritual application –whether it be praying or leading a Bible Study. “What if they don’t believe me?” What if I sound like an idiot and no one understands what I’m saying?” What did God say to Moses after Moses responded that he didn’t feel like he was the right communicator for the job?

“…What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. ¹⁵ You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. (Exodus 4:14-15)

My favorite line is, “He (his brother Aaron) is already on his way to meet you…” How awesome is that. God knew what Moses’ objection was going to be and he had the remedy already in place. Moses was the right man for the job the whole time and God knew what he would need in order to get it done. God never asked Moses to do something he couldn’t handle. WE will never be asked to do something we can’t handle –with God’s help and provision. However, we may not see all of the answers at once. Moses didn’t know his brother was on the way when God asked him to lead the people.

Whatever it is that God is asking you to do, remember he won’t ask you to do it alone. He will always provide the tools you need to get the job done and done right. But, you may have to wait for your “brother” to arrive sometimes. Be patient and trusting of an almighty God.

royb

^{Galatians 5:1-6}

¹It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. ²Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. ³Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. ⁴You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. ⁵But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. ⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Unless I’m missing something, the two verses following Galatians 5:4 actually give the answer to the question of how we get anything at all…….FAITH.

And to further make the point, Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9,

⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

Abraham was credited righteousness even though there wasn’t even a law to follow yet. How? Faith. Read Hebrews or Genesis, it’s all there.

For some reason this has really bothered me. I saw the sign about 4 1/2 hours ago and I can’t get it out of my head. I think the reason is because of what that first verse up there says (Galatians 5:1). “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…” He did not set us free to go back into a different kind of slavery. We are not to trade one type for another, which is what some churches try to do to people. Read the second half of verse 1, “…and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Paul was writing this letter to the believers in Galatia because “Christian” leaders were trying to attach all kinds of rules and regulations to the people’s salvation: Faith + ______.

Paul wrote Galatians to put the kibosh on this teaching. That is deceitful and manipulative teaching, and churches have been using that tactic for thousands of years. I pray that we as believers can truly live in freedom. God did not just save us from something bad. He saved us to something better. God did not just deliver the Israelites and leave them in the desert to rot. He delivered them from slavery to the promise land. Please don’t let anyone put a yoke of slavery back on you. Or, like Paul fears in Galatians 4:11, someone wasted time in preaching salvation to you to begin with.

Back to the church sign. Maybe the church sign was simply a conversation starter: put there to get the drivers-by to ask questions. Somehow I doubt it. I pray that it will change here soon back to something less controversial…..to me at least.

Please comment on what you’ve read here. If you agree or disagree, let me know why. I’d love the feedback.

royb

Well, 2 1/2 years later I’m still riding.

As I began doing longer rides and bigger group rides, two things became very obvious: I had to learn how to ride in a group and how to refuel as I rode. Paul, the bike shop owner, talked with me for a long time, numerous times, and I got the gist of it, but I still felt like something was off. He said I had to learn how to eat on a bike and how to pull (lead) on a bike.

His solution, which was fantastic and Biblical (but he doesn’t know that part) was for me to follow him. He told me to ride with him and when he eats I eat, when he drinks I drink, and when he points out something on the road, I need to take notice and learn to spot it as well.

Paul knew that talking was good but probably not the best way of communicating, so he took time out of his very busy day to literally teach me how to ride a bike properly.

On these rides, and there were a couple, I learned how to signal for a pedestrian, how to tell someone I’m slowing down, how to tell someone I’m passing someone else, how to slow down without out causing a sudden stop for the guy right on my wheel. But he also showed me how often to drink and eat and how to do it efficiently, without losing momentum. I also learned how to draft properly and how far away to be from the tire in front of me, and I learned where to draft (echelon) when the wind is blowing.

Everyone can learn these things in time by riding with groups and picking up little stuff here and there, but Paul wanted me to be the best rider I could be and the best way to do that was to have me follow him and do what he did.

It’s a Biblical Principle

God put Adam and Eve on earth and had a glorious, personal relationship with them, and they sinned. God has been trying to reestablish that relationship ever since. Through Noah, after the flood, then Abraham and then Moses with the commandments, He has given us every chance to be the people He created from the beginning. But we kept turning our backs on God and put how other people see us over our true identity. (i.e. Pharisees and Sadducees)

So, God sent His only son to earth to be the sacrificial lamb, the perfect sacrifice. And in doing so, Jesus lived on earth for 33 years dealing with heartache, abandonment, chastisement, loneliness and loved ones being sick. And through all of that, He taught (showed) us how to handle situations. And if that wasn’t enough, when he went back up to the Father, the Holy Spirit was sent to live inside of us to teach and guide us along the way.

Not only do we have the Bible to tell us what God has for us, we also have a guide that is with us 24/7 showing us as well.

Well, like I said, my bike friend Paul was teaching me a Biblical principle and didn’t even know it. If I will allow God to mold me and shape me into the person He created me to be, I will learn much faster and perhaps skip a lot of mistakes.

If I simply do as what I see Jesus do and act the way Jesus acted, I’ll be fine. And how do I know what Jesus does and how He acted…..read the Bible.

royb

Well, today they re-paved that road and it is no longer the worst part of my ride. Now, when I turn onto Pine Street, I won’t cringe at the thought of climbing that little hill.

And that got me to thinking. It’s the little things sometimes that mean the most. It’s a tiny paved road or the correct height on the seat or having a friend ride with you that you haven’t seen in awhile.

Next time you’re having a rough ride just take a minute and enjoy some of the little things that have happened along the way.

As for the spiritual aspect of this devotion, I’ll let you decide how that affects your relationship with Christ. Leave a comment if you think of something good. I’d love for others to see it.

royb

A couple of weeks ago, I rode from Tryon, NC up to Saluda, NC.  I left from a parking lot near Tryon and rode a few hours up to Saluda and then took the express down –a seven mile fast descent. And, from the time I left the parking lot heading up the mountain, it was at least an hour and half before I saw another person, and it was a fellow cyclist going the other direction. I didn’t know this guy and will never see him again, but for a brief moment, we had something in common: a love of pushing ourselves to exertion and throwing up (I mean, cycling).

More often than not, when you ride somewhere out of the ordinary, you will see very few people; and the ones that you do see, you will feel a strange connection with. During another ride recently, the Tour de Cure here in Columbia, I somehow ended up between groups of riders. I spent nearly two hours riding by myself, which is somewhat daunting on a ride like that because the route usually is unfamiliar to you. But, I remember how relieved I was when I finally came up on some riders at a rest stop.

If you ride at a park or in a busy downtown area where everyone goes, you will more than likely see many, many people along the way. That’s because it is probably an easy, flat ride that is good for every type of rider. When you step out and do something different or harder, like a century or mountain ride, then the number of people you see will be considerably less, and at times, nonexistent.

Our walk with God is much the same way. As we try to follow Him and lead a holy life, we will only occasionally run into someone going the same way. Unfortunately, most people sitting on the pew beside you, or singing in the choir, are living in a comfortable little world that they’ve built, and they try very hard to keep it from getting disturbed. And if that is you, then so be it. But, if you feel like God is calling you to more. To reach more. To say more. To do more. To see more. To be more. Then, as you travel that road, use the people that God sends you as a time of refreshing, an oasis.

It can get lonely on that road sometimes, just remember to keep going. Just over the next hill could be someone to ride with you and be your friend along the way.

royb

Every once in awhile you read a story that touches a part of you deep inside. Currently, February 18, 2009, there is a story on the front page of ESPN.com College Basketball section about a Clemson basketball player named Tanner Smith. I follow Clemson basketball very closely and I’ve watched this true freshman play this year and he has a great shot.  Having said that, that isn’t what the story in ESPN is about. It’s about his and his family’s charity to cancer patients.

Dana O’neil from ESPN writes:

The fourth-grade creative assignment was pretty straightforward: If I Had Three Wishes.

Kathy smiled as she read the first item on her son’s bucket list: a golden retriever. Ever since he met a slobbering canine friend across the street, Tanner

had been hounding his parents for a puppy. But with the holidays closing in, his parents already had warned him: Don’t bother asking Santa for a dog.

His second wish was to play professional basketball, hardly a surprise for a young jock like Tanner, who spent his time shuffling between the football fields, baseball diamonds and basketball courts in his Alpharetta, Ga., community

It was the third item that made Kathy stop.

“To make kids with cancer laugh,” Tanner wrote in his 9-year-old scrawl.

I don’t want to give away anymore of the story, so you need to go and read it for yourself. If you are prone to tearing up, have Kleenex handy. This story will remind you that there still is a lot of good left in people. Also, if you feel like giving to this awesome organization, you can visit it at www.tannerstotes.com

royb