In that, I have developed a challenge for myself.  From 6PM Friday evening to 6PM Sunday evening, I am going to read the entire New Testament.  Yikes.

In the interest of full disclosure, I need to admit that I didn’t receive any sort of audible Holy Spirit calling or anything about this.   I just thought it would be a fun goal. 

So, the nitty-gritty: the version I will be reading from is the HCSB and my particular copy has 452 pages.   I would love to say that I chose this because I have done extensive research about the accuracy of translations and awesome smart things like that.  But I really chose it because its small and fits in my pocket. *Shrug*

So, 48 hours to do 452 pages.  We’ll say 14 hours for sleep leaves 34 hours. What’s that?  13 pages an hour?  I think that’s do-able.  I read the DaVinci Code in, like, 9 hours.

If I remember to bring my computer I will post some periodic updates to my progress (I say all these things like anyone actually reads this thing ).  But, more importantly (!)  I issue you this challenge: YOU CAN DO IT, TOO!

No, seriously, you can.  Just pick it up and start reading.  Sound off in the comments if you wanna join me!

And man, do I get them every week.  I have heard stories of seriously miraculous healing, stories of folks proclaiming Christ as the Lord and Savior, and tons of other great things.  Well, I had one and I thought I would share it with everybody.  I usually allow my class to give reports, but this one was just huge for me.

Let me preface the story by saying that I hate the circumstances through which this opportunity came.  But I know beyond any doubt that God is the true master of taking horrible situations and turning them into situations where grace and healing abound.  OK, sorry, the story:

I have a good friend here at my place of evening employment.  He was, at one time, my employee, but we became friends through that.  We’ve had a few spats over the three years that we’ve known one another, but we’ve had some really good conversations, as well.  They have spanned the gamut from girls to religion to sports to music.  All kinds of stuff.  We’ve grown about as close as two coworkers can.

Anyway, this friend is a (very) non-practicing Jew who has had a rough life.  I cannot disclose any details but suffice it to say that some of the confirmed stories I have heard are both shocking and heartbreaking.  Well, Monday morning he woke to the news of a VERY close loved one’s death.

I knew something was wrong when I spoke to him last evening; he broke down in tears as he told me what had happened.  I pulled him into the office and let him cry for a while and tell me stories about the good times he had with this person.

Here is the awesome part.  After he was done, I asked if he would let me pray for him right then and he accepted!  It doesn’t sound like much, I know, but this person is very averted to the whole concept of Christianity in general.  So for him to allow me to pray for him aloud like that was a huge breakthrough.

I did not take the opportunity lightly.  I made sure to emphasize the comforting power of the Holy Spirit and the saving power of Jesus Christ all the while letting the person know how much he truly meant to me as a friend.

I do not know which point of contact I am on the statistical 15 touches that a person needs to accept Christ, but I am so thankful that I was allowed to be one for my friend yesterday.  I have been praying for this man for a long time.

Thank you so much, Lord, for your mercy and grace. Thank you for sending your Son that we might be able to worship you at your throne for eternity. Thank you for allowing me to be a vessel from which your power can flow here on earth. You are so holy and so amazing, I can see your glory in all of creation. Thank you for your love and comfort. Amen.

OK, so what AWESOME stories do you have about the Lord’s faithfulness?  I want to hear them in the comments section!

I am almost sure that I will irritate a few people with this post, but so be it.  Wrecked.org posted an article a few days ago about the Pledge of Allegiance.  It is an article with which I wholeheartedly agree.  You can read the whole thing here.

To sum it up, the author writes that pledging our allegiance to anything other than God while in church is equivalent to idolatry.  That it IS idolatry.  He does not call for Christians to stop saying the plege all together, just in church where our focus and allegiance should to God and God alone.  

However, I do take it to that next step.  My allegiance needs to be to God, and no other, all the time.  Not just while at church.  I choose to exercise my freedoms as an American and refrain from saying the pledge of allegiance in most cases.  Certainly not in all cases, though I must admit that I have yet to find a case where I have chosen to say it since making the decision, but I might someday.  *Shrug*

Now, before you get all crazy: No, I do not hate America.  No, I do not hate soldiers.  No, I do not hate freedom.  Yes, I realize that those freedoms came at a price.  In past generations, several members of my family have served in the military.  I was about 15 minutes from enlisting after high school, myself.  I appreciate their sacrifice.

But we have to remember that, while patriotism is fine, America is not our kingdom.  As Christians we belong to one kingdom: the kingdom of God.

And yes, I realize that it might seem hypocritical to refrain from pledging my allegiance to the flag for this reason while my everyday actions show that I am obviously placing my allegiances elsewhere.  Yes, I sin.  Yes, I put things before God all the time.  But this particular action is an obvious, and I think blatant, one that can be remedied quickly and relatively painlessly.

Now, please do not think that I am telling you to quit saying the pledge of allegiance.  I am merely asking that, if you do, remember to whom you belong and where your allegiance really lies.  May God bless America now and until His Son returns.

Note: This post is an article I wrote for The Riches of His Glory, a devotional book for the Singles Department at Hermitage Hills Baptist Church.

For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. – Hosea 6:6

Something funny occurred to me over the course of today: God has a sense of irony that puts Jane Austen to shame. This realization started this morning when I sat down to write this devotional. I had a busy day planned, so I skipped my daily quiet time so I could finish it and get working.

Guess what? Nothing happened. I could not get a single word onto the page. I finally gave up and went to work feeling rather discouraged. I mean, I prayed that God would give me some inspiration! Where was He?

Well, things didn’t go well at work, either. I finally became so frustrated with everything that I locked myself in my office and prayed. Hard. I realized that nothing had worked all day because I had chosen to skip my quiet time with God. He wanted me to read, so I asked where. Mark, He said. “OK, God, Mark is a big book, where in Mark?” Chapter 9. Go. Now.

So I did…and my jaw hit the floor. Mark 9 happens to be the story where Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to a mountain to have a little chat with Elijah and Moses. Peter, always one to speak before thinking, jumped up and suggested that they build three tabernacles right there in honor of them. He was just so excited he could not wait to do something! But wait, read verse 7: “A cloud appeared, overshadowing them, and a voice came from the cloud: This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!”

Wow. God had to come down here in a cloud and tell Peter to chill out and listen. How often do we get so busy doing “things” that we forget to stop talking and listen? Not just worldly things, either. Sometimes “Christian” things like writing a devotional can get in the way of your communication with God. We can get so wrapped up in “doing” that we forget that God just wants us to love Him and get to know Him.

After reading that passage, I knew exactly what God wanted me to say in this little lesson. As you go through this week, do not forget to spend time with God and get to know Him. Do not get caught up in doing…just sit down and listen to what He has to say. I promise, it is exactly what you need to hear.

1. Go to a concert/sporting event:  Especially in Nashville, there is always live music to be heard. Several minor league sports teams, too.  Check your community calendar and go have some fun!
2. Volunteer: Go help serve a meal at the homeless shelter or help out at the local animal shelter. Habitat for Humanity is always a great organization to work with and you might even learn a new skill! There are hundreds of volunteer opportunities in and around your community and I’ll bet your friends would love to get involved, too.
3. Invite them over to your house for dinner/dessert: People gotta eat, right? Why not feed them on your home turf? Give them a chance to see you and hang out with you at home.
4. Invite them to church/small group: They don’t go to church, huh? have you invited them? This one might seem obvious, but it might just be that your friends aren’t coming because you aren’t bringing.
5. Go for a motorcycle ride: Maybe you don’t ride a motorcycle. Well, start! Or go for a scenic drive. Or go for a bicycle ride. Get out and spend some time in the world God created.
6. Host a Guitar Hero/Rock Band night: Everybody needs to unwind.  Break out the PS3 or Wii and rock out!
7. Go play (insert your sport here): Football, Ultimate Frisbee, Tennis, Golf.  If you have the equipment, why aren’t you using it as a witnessing tool? Huh?
8. Start a book club/study group: It’s not as nerdy as it sounds. Surely there is a book that has been written sometime in the history of the printed word that you might find appealing. If you are a student, you’re gonna be reading it anyway. Invite your friend/classmate to talk about it with you.
9. Serve Them: Do they need help moving? What about helping them do a full-on cleaning of their house/apartment? Fixing their car? Volunteer yourself to help them get the mundane done; they will appreciate it.

Looking back over this list, I see a recurring theme: these are mostly things I like to do anyway. Theoretically, my friends like to do these things, too (would we be friends if we didn’t like even few of the same things?).  Connecting is simple: find common interests and go do them!

9 is a weird number for a list, so I need your ideas to finish it off.  What are some ways that you (specifically) can connect with your non-believing friends?  Leave your ideas in the comments.

• I know beyond the shadow of any doubt that she loves me to death.  I feel it every time I see her.  She has always put her children first, and I am very appreciative of that, even though I don’t show it as often as I should.
• I have never doubted her devotion to Christ. She always made sure that a strong grounding in faith was a top priority for all three of us.
• She is the best household manager I have ever seen.  Even though I always give her a hard time about her obsessive organization and cleanliness, I know that I will be a much better husband and father because I have learned how to shoulder some of the responsibility of running a house.

Mom, you are the greatest I could ever ask for.  We both know that I will always be moving forward with my life, but I promise I will make time to remind you that I love you.  Thanks for being my mom.

Raise your hand if you just love doing what other people tell you to do.

Anybody?  Yeah, didn’t think so.

It seems to me that an aversion to obedience is a universal trait among members of the human race.  I think it is because every time we are required to do something it reminds us of the fact that we are never in complete control of our own lives.  We always have to answer to somebody.  Obey your parents.  Obey the law.  Obey the Lord your God.

Yeah, even that one grates on me at times.  Don’t get me wrong.  I know we should have a desire to follow His commandments in an effort to become more like Christ, our Savior.  But, man, obedience tends to cramp my fleshly style; I don’t like it one bit.

The reality is, though, that being obedient keeps us safe.  Look at verse 13 up there again: Moses reaffirms the fact that keeping God’s commands is for our own good.  God knows that without guidelines we would be in a world of hurt.

Succumbing to the desires of the flesh can seriously put a damper on the joy that God wants us to have in our hearts.  Covetousness leads to a life of constant depression.  Being unequally yoked will most likely put unnecessary strain on your relationship.  Lying will most definitely lead to a miserable existence of guilt and secrecy.  That is no way to live.

The good thing is that once we learn to get past those pesky temptations, God can bless us in ways that we could never imagine.  As you go through this week, remember that obedience does not lead to limitation.  Being obedient provides us with a way to live a life that is relatively free of joy-robbing experiences and misery.

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. – Colossians 2:6-7

 A reader posted a new comment to my article Dealing with Past Transgressions the other day, and I found myself rereading it as I approved the comment. Let me tell you, reading that article could not have come at a more applicable time.

Suffice it to say, that I am very thankful for God’s unending supply of forgiveness. The beginning of last week was quite tumultuous, for lack of a better word. No, tumultuous is an accurate adjective in this case, so I will leave that word. 

Without going into too much detail (ok, no detail at all), some things came out about my past and it put a strain on a relationship that I value dearly.  Man, does Satan know how to work me over, or what?  He knows exactly what I consider to be valuable and has no qualms about beating them to a pulp. Thankfully, the other person and I are able to talk about it and are in the process of moving through it (though, I know that it will be a process, not an instant fix). 

But, how true is that verse of Psalm 32! I am certainly not proud of what happened, but I know, without any hint of doubt, that my Father has forgiven me for the sin because I confessed it to Him with a repentant heart.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9

And look at the last part of that verse! Not only does He forgive me, but also cleanses me! I do not have to stress about it anymore. The sacrifice of Christ has allowed me to be free from all iniquity. Of course, this does not give me some James Bond-esque “license to sin.” However, it does allow me the peace of mind to know that those sins that I have committed and those that I am going to commit can and will be forgiven and washed away forever.   

How happy am I whose transgression is forgiven, indeed!

I hope it is treating you well so far and that your resolutions are still in place 16 hours in!

I will be starting a more regular posting schedule at the beginning of next week.  I am really going to try and do three good posts every week.  One will probably be a book review, but I am not sure about the other two.  I imagine that one will be just thoughts from my Scripture readings that inspired me over the course of the week.  We’ll see.

So, keep a look out for all new content hitting your doorstep on Monday!  Have a great weekend.

Merry Christmas from Life Outside the Lines.  I hope your holiday was full of wonderful times spent with your loved ones!