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.