Resolved some more...

One of the themes that I pounded over and over again during my last few years as a pastor at Randall was being deliberate about how you live as a Christian.  I really have not lost my passion for this principle, so with that in mind, I want to offer a few more specifics for 2012:

1) Read Scripture everyday and intercede for my prayer team on a regular basis.

2) Memorize the following songs:

Come Thou Fount
To God Be the Glory
In Christ Alone
Be Thou My Vision'
Blessed Be Thy Name
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

3) Read the following books:

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy (Metaxas)
Finding God in the Shack: Seeking Truth in a Story of Evil and Redemption (Olson)
There Is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind (Flew)
Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview (Moreland & Craig)
Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength (Lewis)
Patrick Henry (Tyler)
Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions (Koukl)
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Live (Voskamp)
Nicholas Nickleby (Dickens)
Paradise Lost (Milton)
I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus (Evert)

4) Make a running list of things for which I am thankful to God.

5) Make use of every opportunity that is afforded to me to speak to others about Jesus.

Will you join me in such deliberateness?

Resolved...

RULE OF FAITH

Paul J Decker

1 January 2012

Resolved, in the understanding that I am subject to the frailty of man, and that I am fully dependent on God, I ask for His grace to enable me to be deliberate and keep the following rules of faith for the glory of God. 

I will be devoted to God (Acts 2.42).

I will begin each day thinking about God, using the opportunity to sing, pray and meditate on God’s goodness and grace.

I will be a man of prayer in recognition I am a man of dependence.

I will humbly confess my sin each day in the acknowledgment of my need of His mercy (“Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner”).

I will keep a journal of prayers, so to thoughtfully and carefully express my heart.

I will habitually intercede for others, including my family, fellow missionaries, discipleship relationships, and supporters.

I will live all day for the Lord in the recognition He is interested and involved in each moment.

I will be a good husband to my dearest friend, Dondra.  I commit to work toward loving her according to the standard of Christ loving the church, who was willing to serve and die for her.  I will be a good listener, companion and friend.

I will be a good father to my dear children, James, Grace, Elizabeth and Joel, seeking to be a good example of a man that loves God and one who earnestly desires to live a Christlike life.  I will love their mother knowing this example will give them the best opportunity to have functional, good and blessed marriages.

I will be a good father-in-law to my daughter-in-love, Natalie.  I will have respect for their union and the priority she has in JJ’s life.  I will not interfere.  I will advise when advice is asked for. I will apply these same principles for my future son-in-law, Joseph Santiso.

I will be a strong grandfather for my first grandson, Xavier Decker; looking to fulfill his physical, emotional, and spiritual needs as best as I can.

I will grow in my knowledge of the Word of God; I will study so that I will know God better; I will study so that I may explain God’s Word accurately to those I teach and disciple.

I will be a maker of disciples, for doing so is a blessed responsibility, to share in the multiplication of the kingdom, one person at a time.

I will look to connect people with Jesus, sharing the good news about God’s love for us.  I will pray for opportunities and discernment to go with them.  I will not back down from “placing a pebble in a person’s shoe.”

I will be a counselor; I will give speak into the lives of people that seek direction in regard to their spiritual lives, relationships (especially marital), and matters of depression.  I will look to guide counseling situations toward spiritual formation, using spiritual growth plans when appropriate.

I will be a spiritual mentor, contributing the spiritual formation of those God has given me to serve.  I will help each person focus on their personal relationship with God, a growing understanding of God’s Word, and how we are to contribute to the growth of God’s Kingdom.

I will be a servant, in the recognition that my days for leadership have waned; I will gladly take second place so to build those who are called to lead.

I will be a communicator of grace, in order to bring balance to my prophetic, exhorter role.  Law and grace are perfect partners.

I will be a student, actively looking to sharpen my skill as a campus minister, pastor, servant, teacher, apologist, and counselor.

I will be a student of the world by being a constant “reader” by reading secular and Christian magazines; I will read fiction in order to identify and enjoy the meta-narrative (fantasy, humor, mystery and best sellers) and non-fiction (theology, history, and biography).

I will be a student of the world by watching film, with the understanding that the majority of students develop worldviews that are influenced by the entertainment industry; I will watch film, not primarily to be entertained, but to identify themes that will be helpful in ministry situations.

I will be a weekly giver to the Lord’s work; I will give no less than ten per cent of my gross income.

I will slow down, finding opportunities of rest both for my mind and body; I will learn to create “margin” in my life so to be able to appropriately handle stress.

I will be counseled; I will not pretend to go this alone, but rather be humbly dependent on those that can guide me toward Christlikeness; I will not pretend to have all the answers, but rather, listen intently to those who are godly and have the spiritual gifts of wisdom and discernment.

I will be disciplined in what I allow my eyes to see, in the understanding that a lack of discipline will be an open gateway to the sin of lust; I will not allow myself to be careless in the use of the internet; I will not give “second looks”; when I am communicating with women, I will look into their face and eyes.

I will be disciplined in my choices of entertainment, ever watchful for stories of justice, mercy, love and grace; I will only watch television deliberately, not just to pass the time.

I will trust in God, even when my circumstances seem unjust or dark; I will not lean on my own understanding; I will not panic if I am not feeling well; rather I will take courage in the fact that God finishes the work that He starts (Proverbs 3.5-6; Philippians 1.6).

I will not give in to fear or be overcome with dread; instead I will be a true person of hope, trusting that “all things will work together for good for those that love Him…” (Romans 8.28).

I will not be a person of anger; I will not insist on my own way; I will not give into hate.  I will be a person under the gracious control of the Holy Spirit.

I will be careful with my speech; I will not be so careless just to say what is on my mind; rather I will look to build others in the name of Christ.

I will not be a person of gossip; I will not allow myself to listen to inappropriate words that are critical of others; I will not repeat critical words; I will direct those that speak such words to speak directly to the other person, following the instruction of Matthew 18, I will speak only good and/or encouraging words, or just be quiet.

I will tell the truth, always.

I will be a person of humility, not seeking my own interests, but the interests of others before my own; I will wait for the Lord to issue honor and praise for me when the time is right.

I will be a person of grace; I will not be harsh; instead, I will look to show kindness and mercy in a spirit of gentleness in all relationships, but especially with those that try my patience.

I will be a person of good humor, using the wit God has given me to bring joy, encouragement, and peace to relationships; I will use humor to bring relief to tense situations; I will not use humor in such a way that it brings attention to me or as a distraction to the gospel.

I will forgive everybody…period.

I will let go of grudges and actively practice forgiveness; I will not retaliate; I will not give in to bitterness; I will speak well of situations and people where I have felt wronged, and always pray for them.  I will actively look for opportunities to express love.  I will trust God to make things right in His time and according to His ways.

I will be ready for change.  I will accept the changes God desires to make in me so that I will ever be increasing in conforming into Christlikeness and the image of God.

I will persevere; I will follow the path God has given, moment by moment, and not give in to the temptation to give up in the face of conflict and criticism.

I will courageously and boldly stand for Christ, for He has stood for me.

I will end each day thinking about God, in the appreciation that He has brought me through another day.

I will review this Rule of Faith frequently both as a reminder to those matters to which I am committed and as an opportunity to commit toward more Christlikeness.

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)

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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…