My Prayer at UB

Many years ago while attending seminary, I was introduced to the hymn "May the Mind of Christ My Savior."  The words so powerfully impacted me that I have memorized them and they are often a part of my daily prayer.

As I connect with university students, the words seem extra appropriate. It is easy for me to focus the students on myself and what I am doing for them. But that is a mistake, and a tragedy. For all that I am and ever hope to be is because of Jesus. 

May the mind of Christ my Savior

Live in me from day to day

By his love and power controlling

All I do and say

May the Word of God dwell richly

In my heart from hour to hour

So that all may see I triumph

Only through his power

May the peace of God my Father

Rule my life in everything

That I may be calm to comfort

Sick and sorrowing

May the love of Jesus fill me

As the waters fill the sea

Him exalting, self abasing –

This is victory

May I run the race before me

Strong and brave to face the foe

Looking only unto Jesus

As I onward go

May his beauty rest upon me

As I seek the lost to win

And may they forget the channel

Seeing only Him

If anyone would come after me, 

let him deny himself 

and take up his cross and follow me.

Matthew 16.24 (ESV)

Favorite Facebook Posts (Part I)

I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.


Make yourself at home. Clean our kitchen...


Some people have a way with words, others not have way.


The only cure for insomnia is to get more sleep.


I used to be indecisive. Now I am not so sure.


You don't need a parachute to skydive. You need a parachute to skydive twice.


If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.


Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.


I was good at math before they mixed the alphabet into it...


Because I'm a man, I must hold the television remote control in my hand while I watch TV. If the thing has been misplaced, I may miss a whole show looking for it (though one time I was able to survive by holding a calculator).

I Am Tony...

I am a NCIS fan. It is one of those rare television shows that actually seems to get better with every season.

NCIS has been broadcast on CBS since 2003, and there is good reason for its longevity. The stories are well-written and thoughtful issues are presented.

NCIS stands for Naval Criminal Investigative Service. There are two characters that have been with the show since its beginning that particularly grab my attention: Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Senior Field Agent Anthony (Tony) DiNozzo.

The mutual respect between these two characters is very evident, though their personalities are vastly different. Jethro is sober, serious, and an innate leader, always using his teams talent to the max. Tony is intelligent, gregarious, and frequently sticking his "foot-in-his-mouth."

When I first began to watch NCIS, I detested Tony. He seemed such a cad - always about himself. But as the characters developed, I discovered something important. Jethro valued Tony.

Jethro's superiority to Tony is never in question. This is consistently observed in every show when Tony will playfully receive a slap in the back of the head from Jethro. It is never contested. Tony knows that he deserves it and he receives it humbly.

It struck me one day that these two characters have a parallel in my life. For me, Jethro is God. I am Tony.

The times God has slapped me on the back of my head are too numerous for me to count. There are times my thinking has been wrong-headed and I have received the slap. There are times I have run ahead of what God is doing in my life, and I have received the slap. There are times God has laughed at my inane standards and He has slapped me again.

All deserved. Yet God continues to call on me as His trusted partner.

Ain't grace grand?

The people I love, I call to account — prod and correct and guide so that they'll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!

Revelation 3.19 (The Message)

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night...

Well, maybe it was or maybe it wasn’t when one of my church leaders ditched his car. Thankfully he was by himself. Thankfully no other car was involved. Thankfully.

Why?

Because he had more than one too many.

It is never a proud moment in any pastor’s life when one of his parishioners gets his name in the paper for DUI. I don’t recall what my first reaction was to the news. I think I said, “Stink.” I am sure I thought something stronger and less pretty.

It is at times like these that I really hate sin. I hate what it does to an individual. I hate what it does to a family. And I hate what it does to people that are closely associated. We are never an island. When we sin, it hurts others. Always.

Through the years, I have had plenty of experience with hard hearts that will not bend. Sin is rationalized. Repeatedly, I hear, “It’s not that bad.” “I don’t have a problem; it was only a mistake.” I know all the lines. Blah, blah, blah.

When Sunday rolled around, I anticipated talking with this man thinking I would hear the usual lines. Thankfully, that’s not what I got. Thankfully.

In fact, I got more than I expected.

During the worship service, just before the message, he stood up and confessed his sin. He apologized for the sorrow he was causing his family, his employer and customers, and the body of Christ. He expressed regret for grieving his Lord. And he repented.

I love the number 180.

And now, because no excuses were made, addiction did not claim another victim. Truth won the day.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I John 1.9

The First Victim...

Leaders. Students. Pastors. Young or old. Educated and not. From should know better to trying to know better.

Alcohol. Drugs. Oxycontin. Vicodin. Dextromethorphan. Sex.

God has called on me to help several men this past year that are struggling with addictions. And as you can note above, the circumstances are all different.

One thing stays the same, however. The first victim.

Truth.

The situation may start innocently, without sin. But in a weak moment (a sinful moment), the will gives way and desire wins the day. And a pattern begins.

And because we foolishly think we can cover our sin, we lie. Over and over again. Till we can’t figure out the difference between the lies and the truth. Even when the evidence is overwhelmingly against us, we still insist that the lie is true. It is more than absurd.

There is hope though. When one is able to confront the addiction and tell the truth, the desire for wholeness is a reachable goal.

And hope continues. Regardless of your success or your failure on any given day. Hope always remains as long as you tell the truth.

For, the truth shall set you free…

Reggie!

Reggie Sanders died a few weeks ago.

I have only known Reggie for a year. I have only had three contacts with him during the year. And yet I feel as if I have lost my dearest friend.

When I heard Reggie had died from a heart attack, I crumpled to my knees for I knew the body of Christ had lost a great warrior.

Reggie loved Dawn. In fact, I can’t say I have ever observed a husband that loved a woman as well as he loved his wife. I found it a bit annoying, because he was so much better at it than I am. He kept raising the bar for the rest of us.

Drat that man!

Bless that man!

Reggie encouraged me. That annoyed me too. He was so good at it. There was not a discouraging bone in his body. He always called me “The Apostle Paul.” It made me feel special. And it occurred to me today that I won’t hear that again, since in heaven that title truly belongs to someone else.

Reggie Sanders died a few weeks ago. And I cried. And I continue to cry. But it in no way diminishes the confident hope that is mine.

Reggie lives.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.”

John 11.25 (ESV)

Community Makes the Difference

I am fascinated by Alyssa (not her real name). She has been coming to CA for a year now, but she has yet to make a decision to follow Jesus. She comes form a Buddhist background, but her family would be better described as non-religious.

Alyssa started coming to CA because her roommate invited her to come. There is no doubt she was a bit confused by her first exposure to Christianity. She was sure she did not believe what we believed (she told us that), but she kept coming anyway. It wasn't long into the school year that we discovered that Alyssa would come to the weekly meeting even when her roommate did not.

There is a reason for that. Alyssa was accepted for who she was without judgment. She came into the meeting each week and found a group of people that just plain liked her for who she was. There has never been a demand for her to be a Christian in order to belong.

Amazingly, Alyssa came to Infusion, CA's spiritually intensive retreat at the end of the school year. What has become seared into my memory is a picture of a smiling Alyssa carrying her Bible and notebook as she headed off to a scheduled alone time with God. I have been wondering what her conversations with God were like during Infusion.

I have not been privy to them for good reason. But I do know this. If Alyssa seeks God, she will find Him.

And she will find a community this coming Fall that will love her no matter what.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5.1-2 ESV

My Applause

This is the second of three installments - note the previous post of 8 June 2011.

My Applause
Zach Carhart

The glamorous life has blinded us all
Our own pride has captured us, ever since the fall
We are sucked into the lie of forgetfulness
Forgetting that we were once lost and oppressed

Our faith didn’t come from a glamorous scene
The crucified Christ came to seek and redeem
The broken and crushed were always on His heart
Because when Adam sinned, the world began to fall apart

The master plan didn’t include the glitz and glam
A Savior’s body was scarred for the sake of man
Pain and suffering was His pursuit of choice
To show His love for those who had no voice

The sick and the shameful, forgotten and lost
The freedom for captives required a great cost
To lay down one's life is the greatest love of all
To imitate Christ's humility, YES THIS is our call

Satisfaction can't be sought in the acceptance of man
But in God, who holds our life in His hand
The lost and the sick, everyday they pass by
But we don’t even spend the time to look them in the eye

TURN, TURN back to the cross, and see the blood which was shed
That purchased our souls now ALIVE, not dead
Breathe this new life, let it shine in our hearts
To carry out God's plan, for this we were set apart

Love, LOVE the weak, the lost and the slave
As this is the narrow path Christ has paved
Seek the love and grace flowing from the throne of God
As we SHINE for His glory, YES this, THIS is our Applause!

Freedom

One of the pleasures of Infusion is the encouragement of artistic expression. Three of our young people blew us away with their creative articulation of what God was doing in their lives. Here is the first of three. It is worth your attention!

Freedom
Tara Petty
May 2011

Like fists pounding on inside walls of my ventricles
Splitting nerve endings and atoms
Looking for one path out, of my locked box
Like dust collects on old photos trapped in frames
I have collected fear filled memories.
And that’s how tightly sealed I have stayed
Never changing in outward appearance
But with each change for repression tissue dies
So from the outside I know I smell like decay
That is the opposite of freedom

Like Chains bind up my being
And Fears come to life and
Tie my hands behind my back
Like in the dead of the night
I let out a scream and no one hears
And again I’m all alone
Frozen in time
Like wanting to move forward
But living in the past
With no way up or down.
That is the opposite of freedom

Like when someone comes into my life
And steals my most intimate possession
Then walks away like it didn’t happen
And I have no where to turn
So the devil turns to me face to face
And then I’m not only bound up in fear
But also in self-hatred and lies
Like being entangled, entrapped, and ensnared in sin
That is the opposite of freedom

A key to a locked box
Light to a dark room
A companion to untie the knots
Like when love is no longer a four-letter word
But the one thing I cling to
Like walking right up to the Berlin wall
And knocking it down in one breath
That is freedom

Going Down!

Baptisms make me speechless (which is why many people wish I would attend them all the time).

Seriously, I struggle to find any words that adequately describe them. But as I observed six people take their stand for Jesus a few days ago, here is what I saw:

GOOD NEWS: The truth about Jesus saving traitors and betrayers continues to be true. We don't deserve His kindness, but it is certain that He loves to extend it.

POWER: Jesus in our lives changes everything. Directions change. Desires change. Purposes change. All because He recreates us back to His original intention.

COMMUNITY: The excitement of being set free brings fellow believers to their feet, clapping their hands, and raising their arms in praise to God. I wonder what it was like in heaven - the angels must have been going crazy (decently, and in order, of course).

WORSHIP: In the end, after the testimonies - after the baptisms - after the celebration - what was left was worship. And that was enough.

They were "going down" but it was a good thing, for the eternal result occurred. There was joy!

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Romans 6.4 (ESV)

I tell them...

I tell them...

If they keep singing songs I don't know (I dislike mumbling and stumbling through unfamiliar music)...

And if they keep playing the music too loud (my poor ears - have mercy!)...

And if they keep singing the same thing over and over (feed my mind, please!)...

I'm leaving!

But I stay.

I stay for them.

I find God in their midst.

And I worship.

Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.

Psalm 96.1-4 (ESV)

A New Generation

I am seeing a new generation arise. And they are passionate. They are passionate about God's Word. They are passionate that it ought to be lived out - now.

I feel a bit of irony in all of this. Being a pastor of churches for 30 years, I have lived inside the repeating criticism of young people being shallow theologically and bent on emotional experience. Most commonly, it was the kind of thing said during the "worship wars" at any given church.

This is a generation that knows not hymns. They sing contemporary worship songs. They use guitars and drums, instead of an organ. Their music has a "beat." And they have cast aside many of the traditions that I grew up in.

I can criticize the casting aside of some tradition, for there is much to learn from those who have come before us. But what I cannot criticize is a motivation that comes from knowing the God of the present who says "Go" and "Proclaim good news and freedom to the oppressed."

What can I say? More power to them. Holy Spirit power, that is.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.

Isaiah 61.1 (ESV)

Get Rid of the S

Devo’s. Q.T. Quiet Time. Daily Bread. Time with God. Devotions.

Whatever you call it, it has been my assignment since the early days of following Jesus. And no doubt, it is a noble task. For how am I ever going to get to know God better if I do not spend time with Him? Taking time to read and study the Bible, as well as praying, are just plain essentials if you are going to grow in your faith.

For almost 40 years, devotions has been a task on my daily checklist that is done early and then crossed off. And if it is not done, it is an incomplete and ineffective day. In fact, it is a day that is ruined, because I have shown my priorities to be out of synch with what God requires of me.

And here lies the mystery. How is it that something that is meant to be a joy and a benefit turn into such drudgery?

Happily, the answer has not evaded me. The answer lies in that extra “s.” For years, I have been doing devotions, when all along what God has wanted is devotion. Devotion. Not devotions.

So, on my daily list, I still write “DEV” at the top, but I never cross it out. Devotion is not something done in the morning. It is done all day. And it is never finished.

In the end, I have decided, I do not want to be known for doing my devotions. I want to be known for my devotion to God.

Isn’t it odd that leaving one “s” off the end of a word can make so much of a difference?

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37.4 (NIV)

Is This Lie a Sin?

Three years ago, my favorite aunt died. Aunt Elinore died suddenly and unexpectedly. I still miss her. She only brought joy into my life. Only joy.

In a coordinated manner, her husband, my Uncle Earl, was my favorite uncle. He always had a smile on his face and a joke to tell. In contrast to the quick death of his wife, my Uncle Earl is dying a slow and painful death. Not for him, thankfully, but for the rest of us it is. He has memory loss, and whether you call it dementia, Alzheimer's, or just old age, it doesn't matter. It is slow and agonizing to those who love him much.

Uncle Earl thinks that Aunt Elinore is still with him. He is totally unable to get it into his mind that she is gone. He lives in the continual hope she is coming around the corner.

Their son, Earl Jr. (my cousin) had the sad duty to tell his dad, and my uncle cried long and hard the first time he heard the news. The next day, Uncle Earl had forgotten, and when Earl Jr. reminded him, he cried long and hard. Then came the next day, and you guessed it, my uncle cried long and hard at the news his wife had died.

Earl Jr. was in a spot no one wants to be in. Shall he speak only truth and watch his dad grieve anew every day? Or does he pretend his mom is still alive? Yikes! What a conundrum!

Compassionately, he chose the latter. His dad simply cannot get it. His mind is broken.

And as far as I can see, imperfect as it is, I believe my cousin is doing it right by lying to his father. Perhaps it is an adequate application of the biblical principle found in I Peter 4.8:

Love covers a multitude of sins.

Why the Cross Is Essential...

It strikes me, that though each gospel provided a large part of their narrative on the passion of Christ (John is the largest at one-half), each spends relatively little time describing the agony of the execution of Jesus.

One reason is that the first century audience was well aware of the physical pain that was associated with crucifixion. I believe that there is an even more significant reason. The physical pain is trumped by the spiritual reality.

The cross is where love, justice, mercy, and forgiveness meet. These needs are of extreme importance to the human psyche. We long for these. They are in humanity's DNA.

• We long to be loved.
• We desire justice when wronged.
• We crave mercy when we know we are guilty.
• We hope for forgiveness when we have wronged another.

Ironically, the cross, an instrument of execution, brings us good news. Since sin (any wrongdoing) is universal and God's judgment on sin is death, we are in more than just trouble. We are screwed. And as much as we desire justice, this is one case when none if us wants it.

All of sudden, mercy is what we crave and forgiveness is what we hope for. And here is the good news - God demonstrates His love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5.8). God satisfies justice by bringing judgment on His Incarnate Self. He who knew no sin became sin for us (II Corinthians 5.21).

So, it is here in the midst of an excruciating death, our most instinctive needs are met. Love, justice, mercy, and forgiveness all meet where two pieces of wood cross each other and a man is set upon them. Our fruitless efforts are set aside and God substitutes His own. And that is all we need.

Thank You...I Think...

I thought I would be a pastor of a church all my life. I just did not see any other options. This was my call - pure and simple.

So I admit it. I was a bit surprised when God began to guide this 50-something body toward the college campus back in 2009. I was not sure it would be a "fit" for me. Wasn't this the kind of ministry that was relegated to the young?

But it did turn out that there was plenty of room for those of us that are "young at heart" as well as those dedicated to preparing the next generation to lead the church.

It was reinforced by one of the college students at UB when I made the comment, "I'm just a guy who is old, fat, bald and ugly."

She quickly responded, "You're not old!"

Thank you...I think...

A Snowstorm, A Sliding Jetta and A Good Word

It’s the end of March, and Mother Nature seemed determined to shower western New York with another snowstorm. I reacted as most did as the 8-10 inches of snow was landing. I screamed. I am tired of winter. Oh please, global warming aficionados, tell me it is going to get warmer. I fear I have come to a conclusion that Al Gore invented global warming. I am tired of his fiction.

I was on the road during this storm. I had been invited to speak at the CA group at Monroe Community College (MCC) in Rochester. It was hard driving on the Thruway. I was not going fast, but as I was going by the Batavia exit, I moved into the passing lane to make room for cars coming onto the road. About a mile later, I moved back into the right lane, but the Jetta did not cooperate. I began to fishtail and I was looking straight ahead at Genesee Community College. That was a problem.

It is interesting the thoughts that come into your head when you lose control of a car. It becomes surreal and time seems to go slower. My first thought was, “I guess I am going to be late for this meeting.” So as I prepared to go off the road, the Lord enabled me to do the right thing, gas and steer (front-wheel drives are interesting creatures).

The meeting at MCC was a God-event. Following the principle of never wasting your pain, I once again spoke on the topic of Where Faith and Depression Meet. Afterwards, many of the students came to me to discuss their struggles. I could tell liberation was taking place as the truth was setting young men and women free. God was on the move.

It brings such joy to bring hope to the hurting. The opportunity to bring a good word – truth to those in pain is a blessing beyond comprehension.

The following verse comes from one of my favorite hymns, May the Mind of Christ My Savior, and it is my prayer…

May the peace of God my Father
Rule my life in everything
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing

Dollars. Deficiency. Discouraged.

"Are you discouraged about finances?"

Hardly. Yeah, I mean that.

"But, after one year, you are still short of the 50% mark. Sounds to me that God is not blessing, doesn't it?"

It is a legitimate question, and though I have had seasons of doubt, I look at our situation and I am in awe of the God who supplies. Consider this...

Some might think we are okay because of Dondra's job. The reality is that Joel is okay because of Dondra's job. The vast majority of her paycheck goes to a city block in the Mount Vernon district of Baltimore so that Joel can keep spitting into his mouthpiece.

So, we basically live on what I am able to bring in financially. And, here is my testimony:

The bills are paid.

We are eating well.

The cars are running.

And though we are running "lean and mean," we are happy.

These have been days of faith. For thirty years, I have been used to the "weekly" paycheck from the church where we served. It has always been there.

Raising support is a different animal. It is uncertain. It is hard at times. It is humbling.

Yet, I am grateful - so grateful - for those who have come alongside financially. It brings tears to my eyes. I am reminded of the apostle Paul when he said...

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4.19, NIV).

Enough. Enriched. Encouraged.

That would have been a better title.

Tis the Season

It was the Sunday before Christmas, and this was the third time I visited the post office near the airport to attempt to mail some packages. Obviously, I was not the only one with this task in mind.

My third time was the charm. There was only about 30 people there and the line was in the shape of a snake once you got inside. I thought it was great - it was the shortest line of the day. Why the others did not understand their good fortune, I don't know.

I dutifully went to the end of the line, but I was confident I would not be there long. And I was right. More people were coming. Perhaps it is needless to say, but the Christmas spirit was severely lacking that day. There were a lot of grumpy people there. If you know me, you know that I am not against whining, but I am against grumpy.

I began by talking to the people in front of me. After I got a few smiles out of them, I worked on the grumpier people behind me. They were an unusual couple. He was African. She was Scandinavian. They were carrying about 50 packages. I was kind of glad that they were behind me.

But then the fun really began. A person came in the door and looked at the line and you could immediately tell what she wanted to do. It was in her eyes. She wanted to cut in line. Oh, what a devious thought it was. And I admit, I sensed the injustice in it, so I said out loud, "To the end of the line with you!"

Well, as audacious as that might be, a lot of other people were thinking the same thing and broke out laughing. And so did the person in question - a big smile came across her face and she dutifully went to the end.

That was not the end of it. Every person was now greeted with "To the end of the line with you," with a subsequent series of laughter and smiles.

Thirty-five minutes later, I was finally paying for my packages and as I turned, the room was full of smiles and laughter. I could not help but think that God's grace had extended to us that particular afternoon. Joy! Christmas cheer. It made me realize that we take that joy wherever we go - if we would just live it.

"I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people."

Postscript: I spoke an untruth earlier in this story. I am against whining - unless I am doing it.

Xavier

This time, I am watching more closely - really trying to pay attention.

When you are a dad, there is so much responsibility and stress - make a living, be a good dad, meet your wife's needs - and it all goes by so fast. Soccer. Recitals. Concerts. Graduations. Bam! Empty nest.

As "Pops," I find myself intently watching little Xavier. Right now, I am watching him discover that his arm and hand are actually connected to him and that they just might serve a purpose. He is discovering if he maneuvers his arm in just the right way, the desired object will end up where he wants it - his mouth.

Fully absorbed, I find myself looking into Xavier's face. What is going on behind those beautiful blue eyes? He fixes his eyes on lights and colors and movement and...and then he looks at me...and smiles and talks. I admit. I am not sure what he is saying, but I am fairly sure it is about how good looking his Pops is.

How marvelous is God's design! How marvelous is God's image! I know I will be seeing more of it as this little guy grows.