Do I Believe?

Hello To All:

This question, regarding believing, has been asked on numerous occasions, in a number of previous postings. At times, the question has been: "Do you believe?" At other times: "Do we believe?" Today, the question comes home to roost, with all fingers pointing to me: "Do I believe?"

The fall of 1982, marks the year of my conversion to Jesus Christ. I cannot tell you, how many countless times, in the years since then, that this all important question, stated in a variety of ways, has been set before me: Do you, Theophilus, believe? The Spirit of God, compels me to address this question, on this day - for a variety of reasons; one of them being: His desire to give all of you, my beloved brethren, a deeper understanding of who I am; of who Elder Theophilus is. And, perhaps Jesus wants you to know, that I am more then just another talking head in cyber space.

But speaking or writing, regarding who I am, is a challenging reality, for me personally. I crave the anonymity that this blog gives me. It helps me to resist the desire to think more highly of myself then I ought to. I do not serve the Lord our God, in any sort of high profile manner. I am one of many that Jesus Christ has raised up, to serve Him, in what I have come to call, the in between spaces: the places where people are lost in their search. My task - my calling - is to help them find the Way: Jesus Christ. Can we say amen to such a calling; and may there be many among you, who would join me in this great work, of helping the lost, to find Jesus Christ. Amen.

To begin with, it is not a question that can be easily answered. A simple yes or no, is not sufficient! Oh, it is certain that I can say to you: yes, I believe that Jesus, is the Christ, the Son of the living God; but, that is foundational, that is first step, that is entry-level. The question demands more then an entry-level answer. It should take us into an examination of the deep ways of Jesus Christ; and our response to those ways. It is a question that should cause us to examine how well we exercise the great gift of faith, that comes to us from and with Jesus Christ. It is a question that, perhaps, cannot be answered in word; but, rather, it must be answered in deed. It is a question that, perhaps, can only be answered by others, as they observe the behaviour, both in word and in deed, of the one to whom the question is being addressed. It is a question that, perhaps, you, my beloved brethren, are in the best position to answer. The question being: Do I believe? So, let us, together, look for the answer.

First, let us provide some flesh and blood dimensions to this person called: Elder Theophilus. In January of this next year, I shall, by planet earth's reckoning of time, be 65 years of age. By God's reckoning of time, I am, always, as old as time - and as young as tomorrow. If you search the King's Book, you will find that this is a very biblical answer. If you do the math, you will recognize that 1947 was the year of my birth. I have a beautiful and godly wife; and two beautiful and godly daughters; and for my family, I am extremely thankful. By trade, I am a machinist and a woodworker. In both of these trades, I am an old world, traditional worker. My wife and I are supported, in our missions work, by the Lord our God, largely through the labors of our Christ empowered hands and minds.

We have faced many of the challenges of life, that you, my brethren, have also faced; and, in all of them, Christ Jesus has been more than sufficient to bring us to victory. From the church's perspective, and from the world's perspective, I am untrained and uneducated. I do not have any formal training, either as a machinist or as a woodworker; and yet, I have been blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ and empowered by Him, to serve customers in a dozen states and three foreign countries. I have never been to a bible school, never been to a seminary; and yet, I have been blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ and empowered by Him to lift up His name to thousands across this land and thousands in foreign lands. This blog, currently, has been read in 22 countries and the readership continues to grow. In all of these things, it is Jesus Christ who has opened the doors of opportunity; and it is Jesus Christ who has empowered me to step through those doors and to serve Him.

Through the years, I have seen our Lord Jesus Christ, work with power and authority, with signs and wonders, to do the work that only He can do. Through the years, I have seen our Lord Jesus Christ, choose to use me as one of His vessels, chosen for whatever work is at hand. And, through those same years, I have known the times of doubt and questioning - the times of, seemingly, falling so far from the mark, that I often wondered if I was wrong in my understanding of the King's Book, and its clear message that Jesus Christ is here, today, for us, in the hear and the now. But, in all of these things, Jesus has been faithful; He did not abandon me nor forsake me; rather, He empowered me to be victorious and He brought me through those difficult times. Thank you Jesus!

There is much more to tell; and, since this testimony is going to take longer than I thought it might, this seems like a good place to make a break in the work and take it up, the next time we are together.

Thus, until next time my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:

Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus