Faith continued…a blog not…

Blogging started for me here http://faith35.blogspot.com/ .

I was 35 years old just a bit over 2 years past the death of my Dad.   I was ready to allow God to lead me.   This is the first 2 paragraphs I typed.

Why do we believe a man who was a simple carpenter, can save our souls from eternal damnation? Why do we throw our faith blindly at a man whose only full historic record is in a book that has caused wars, political arguments, and religious strife for centuries? So what is it about faith in God that captivates some and turns away others? Why do some embrace Faith in God and some shun it?

These questions run deep but they are not the questions that most Christians ask themselves on a daily basis. Most questions have to do with everyday issues; from money to family, from alcohol to sex, from sin to forgiveness. And most of the time we turn to other Christian friends to talk about these issues and seek advice. Have you ever wondered how other Christians talk about these issues, and whether the advice you get or conclusions drawn are biblically sound?

God set me on a journey to learn more about him, draw closer to His Son and learn to filter my life through His Truth.   Little did I know where He was taking me and how these questions would com full circle.

This blog has now run it’s course.

This blog has allowed me to get to know some wonderful people.

This blog is now done.

This decision was not easy. But it is one that I have to make.

God has lead me to this point in time.  My journey to answer the questions above is not over.   My Faith continues into a new ministry.

Philter48 Ministries is just getting started and it is where I will be spending most of my time.   www.philter48.com  is under construction, and will need real people telling real stories to make it go.   You are invited.  Come with me as I continue on with this journey of faith to answer these questions.

I leave you with my favorite moment on this blog:

more about ““, posted with vodpod

To be continued.

Tears on a Joy filled night… My Favorite

Drawing closer to my final blog post… I decided to bring to the top my favorite post from the past 2 years.  Hands down no question…..

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This has been a crazy week for me.  Every emotion has been felt.  Every emotion expressed.   God has been at work every step of the way, and God has been in control.

But for everything that has happened this week nothing, nothing compares to tonight.  Nothing compares to the Joy.

Tonight I got to do something that I have prayed for since I realized my duty as a Dad.  Since I realized I had a set little eyes and a pair of little ears,  watching and listening to me.   I had a child following me.

Tonight standing at the steps of the baptismal at church waiting to baptize my daughter, communion was being served in the church.   This is the song they played.

Righteous Life, flesh so torn
Wounded hand, brow with thorn
Broken heart enduring scorn
Is this the Sovereign Lord?
Borrowed tomb, empty space
Thief of sin, leaves His grace
Destined for the highest place
This is the Sovereign Lord!

Lord, Your greatness is unsearchable
And Your Kingdom lives forever
You are near and You are wonderful
You are My Sovereign Lord

Fallen heart, lifted eyes
Stumbling words, longing sighs
Trembling hands embrace the skies
You are my Sovereign Lord
Risen heart, joyful eyes
Praises soar, my soul flies
Song of life that never dies
You are my Sovereign Lord

I was singing to my Lord standing there.  My arm around Emilie, with my hand feeling her beating heart.  Her heart belongs to Jesus I thought to myself.  Tears of joy streaming down face.

What a joy filled  night.  My Emilie is a beautiful child of God.  I am just so thankful she saw just enough of Christ in me to follow me to Him.

I stood proud of her as she repeated:  “I believe Jesus is the Christ,   Son of the living God.  My Lord and my Savior. “  I was humbled to have the honor to baptize Emilie.  I lowered her into the water and raised her back out as a new creation.  She was washed clean as snow.  Tears of Joy could not be held back.

As we went to the back to change back into our clothes another man that was there to baptize a friend of his daughter said to me:  “You voice singing behind me waiting to go out, had me in tears.  I wanted you to stop so I could be composed, but I didn’t want you to stop because it was so beautiful with you and your daughter.”    A picture in my head I will never forget.

Then she took communion for the first time.  I asked her: “What is communion about? “    “Remembering Jesus died for us.”  She said.    Tears of Joy came again.

Father God you are so awesome.  Thank You.

Risen heart, joyful eyes
Praises soar, my soul flies
Song of life that never dies
You are my Sovereign Lord

Random Thoughts….

As I draw closer to the close of this blog… So random thoughts that have been going through my head.

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Ether you do your you don’t. You will or you won’t.  Believe.

You ether let him or don’t.  Change You.

There is nothing you do that will.  It is His Will that does.  Lord

We let him or we don’t.  Grace and Mercy

Believe,  Lord
Faith, Forgiveness, Truth, Love

Believe or don’t.

There is nothing you can do that will change you to allow you to meet him.

Do not change Him and think you know Him.

Do not pick the truth, and claim it His Truth.

Turn to the light or live in the darkness.  One brings pleasure the other pain.

Follow His way, or you live for today.

Eternity rests in his Hands and His Feet.

He is Lord of all or he is not Lord at all.

We bicker and fight about whose wrong and whose right, whose knowledge is great and whose in not.  We lose site of what we do is not right.  Many questions we have, ones the world will never solve. Love is the way, in His nail scared hands and feet are our answer.

Love God and Others is the greatest command given by God face to face to his disciples.  Given while he walked this earth.  Not through a prophet or a scribe.  By God himself.  Seems we should do our best to listen and follow.

God will use and test me as he sees fit.  Who am I to argue?    Job tried,  and was brought to his knees….

Drawing closer to the end of this chapter of Faith… Looking forward to continuing my growth in Faith and eternity spent serving my God.

The things we don’t know…

10 wonderful  people: Darla, Scott, Joe, Annie, Dale, Nor, Michelle,  Nate and Deborah.

21 weeks

160+ posts…

The Blogged Bible Study has been more than I prayed for.

Each person has and does hold a place in my heart.  I have learned to love people that I only know through their fingers typing on a keyboard.  I have not heard any of their voices (Except Nor and Michelle via video), but I know all of them.

Much like we the only written knowledge we have have of Christ is written in the bible.  None of us have heard His voice,  we all love Him, he is Lord of hearts,  and we will know His voice when he calls us.

There are things we don’t know though that were never recorded, or meant to be revealed to us by God.

How many more people did he heal?

How many more lepers did he touch?

How many lessons did he teach that were not recorded?

How many people saw his face?

How many times did he laugh and cry?

How many times did he find a need a fill it?

John 21:25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Pure speculation here:  I just wonder if John wrote this as a way of telling us Jesus’ work was not done among his children, those he was given.

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To see the rest of the post for John 21 go here.

Friday Verses #21

more about “test 2“, posted with vodpod

And a little girl being goofy.

more about “test“, posted with vodpod