When can I move into my house??!!

Ok, I have read advice to not fall in love with a house you want to buy or don't get hung up on certain "must have" features that may be bring the price too high. But yet, my wife and I have found a haouse we really like. We are working on financing and have some issues to work on. Yet we want this house.

On the flip side, I have also been told to pray for these things. "If this is what you want, pray and God will work things out." So, if this is true, we should be able to get it. Even my kids are praying for it.

The question is, how to balance the desires of the heart and seeking and trusting God. If someone else buys the house, what does that mean? I have prayed before and t did not happen. Am I to just accept that it was not God's will? Did I not pray enough? Is there something that I am doing that is keeping me from receiving His blessing like sin?

I have read books and the Bible and have not come to a conclusion. I have heard advice, testimonies, and witnesses. Yet there is not any clear answer. Bottom line is that I want that house and it seems that I can't get it. Am I being too pessimistic? (spelling)

Well, I am just pondering these things outloud. We will see what happens in time.'

Later--

War or Peace

I have been challenged of late to look at my world view and my view of war specifically. I want so badly to say, "Hell yes! go kill those SOB's!" But Is this the Kingdom that Jesus spoke of? He Himself with all His power and might rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, a sign of a humble king seeking peace. Only the war king would arrive on a horse. But Jesus choose a donkey. I have had the quote, "He who lives by the sword will die by the sword" bouncing around my head like a ping pong ball. Is the Kingdom Jesus speaks of one brought on by violence? Is turning the other cheek being a pansy? Jesus' Kingdom was brought on by him riding a symbol of peace. Not of War. I have often thought, "why can't the most evil people like Hitler or those like him be saved? Did Christ not die for them? He did. So there is hope for them until they die. But what if they die by my hand? Have I ended that person's chance of salvation? Only God knows for sure. But Mine is not to judge someone to death. It is God's choice alone.

But I cannot excape the fact that there are times when God uses peole to bring justice. I also cannot shake the truth that there are those that are hurt or killed by others and cannot defend themselves. Who will stand for them? I believe that there is a time for physical defense of the inocent and to stop someone from killing. But does that go against Jesus' teachings? Maybe, maybe not. He has stopped the needless killings of other many times. I believe there are those times that makes violence nessary.

So I have come to the conclussion that war is wrong and killing is against the plan of God for us in His Kingdom. But there is a time to end more killing, there is a justified time to use violence to stop more violence.

With that said, what of this current war in Iraq and Afghanistan? Where there have been some good and noble reasons for these wars, I do not think we should be there now. We have too many our own issues here in the States to be trying to fix others. If we do not fix many of our own problems, we will never be able to help anyone else. We need to fix our own broken issues first. Not only that, but are the people there totally defenceless? Let's love them and work on giving them a chance to know our God. Let's not give up hope on them just because they have given up on us. Let us pray not fight. Let us love not kill.

I may have some of these thoughts a bit jumbled in my thoughts. I will clarify anything that anyone does not make since you.

Joe

This is a story about how my life got turned upside down....

I recently posted the title of this blog as a thought on facebook, just to see if anyone would know where it was from. Side note, it is from Fresh Prince of Bel Air. But after posting it, I began to think about the whole plot and how it apllies to our lives. Then this morning's sermon tied it all together. Pator talked about Saul/Paul. I will summerize for you. Saul was a leader n the Jewish sect. He went around killing believers in Jesus. On the road to Damacus, his life got turn upside down. He met Jesus and was blinded. Jesus then gave him a new name-- Paul. Just as Will changed his name from just Fresh Prince to Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Now Saul is Paul. Not just a name change, Paul also spent three days learning about Jesus and changing his point of view on the world around him. He then began a life totally opposite of his previous life. Instead of killing Christians, he help people become Christians.

This has spoken to my life in that I have to ask, "How has my life been turned upside down?" I was a selfish atheist that had lied and cheated. Once I allowed Jesus to change my world view, I changed my life. I live for Him and not myself. Oh sure I fail at times, so did Paul. But God's grace is more powerful than me. How has God turned your life upside down? are living for Him or against Him? I am not talking about just going to church. I am talking about a true change that people will say, "is this the person we used to know?"

This is your story about how your life got turned upside down....