God of Judgement; God of Love.

Recently someone put this argument to me, though it was not the first time I have heard it:

The Bible seems to shift between how it presents God: in the Old Testament he comes across as a God of judgement, vengeance, fire and brimstone; while in the New Testament he seems to be the other extreme, of kindness, love and peace.

Then they went on to say:

It's all about control: the people who invented Judaism in the Old Testament times lived in a harsher, less civilised world and their God fitted in with that so that the people could be controlled by the religion. In New Testament times, the Romans introduced a more civilised way and the religious people changed the idea of God to fit with the times in order to control the people.

Interesting idea, on the surface, but a complete reading of the scriptures soon proves this idea unfounded. Unsurprisingly many people have this misconception about God's nature. I guess if you've only been to a handful of church services, if you listen to the media's portrayal of God and if you have seldom read the Bible, how could you think otherwise?

The Bible teaches us that God is consistent in character throughout: he does not change. Malachi 3:6 states "For I the LORD do not change", and if you wanted a New Testament verse (though the whole Bible is God's word), then read Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

Now I'm sure many could quote passages from the Old Testament about God in judgement, as well as quoting from the New Testament that God is a God of love (of course God is both of these things, but he is not solely one in the Old and another in the New), but here are some scriptures which demonstrate that, on top of this, God is loving in the Old and of judgment in the New.

Firstly consider the Old Testament scriptures: in Genesis 1:28, as soon as God has made man, and before he does anything else to them, he blesses them, demonstrating his kindness from the offset. How about Exodus 34:6 "The LORD passed before him [Moses] and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.", which actually portrays God as both judging and loving. Psalm 100:5 "For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." Read Psalm 136, the whole of it, because every other line is "His steadfast love endures forever", how could a people not loved, but only judged, by God write something like this? There are many more such passages.

Secondly, let us deal with the New Testament. God's love is so evident here, but he also casts judgement as required. In Luke 11:37-52, Jesus gives a blistering rebuke to the religious people of the time. Consider Luke 19:27, a verse at the end of a parable which tells of a nobleman (symbolic for God) entrusting his servants to invest his riches, stating "But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me." Acts 5:1-12 tells the story of Ananias and Sapphira who collapsed dead after lying to the Holy Spirit. 2 Timothy 4:1 describes Jesus as judge, as does 1 Peter 4:5. Finally the book of Revelation is filled with passages of the coming judgement of Christ as he returns, such as Revelation 6, 14:14-20 and chapter 16, to name a few. A brief aside, notice how John sees Jesus in Revelation 1: 14-16, a God of true matchless awesomeness, not Jesus meet and mild, "The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength." Again, these are but a taste: search the scriptures which are full of such examples.

In response to the idea that religious people changed the idea of God to suit the times, let me say that God is not an idea that is modified. God revealed himself to us through Jesus (see Hebrews 1:1-3) and the people who wrote about Jesus were his first disciples such as Peter, John, James who wrote books in the New Testament about Jesus and how he had revealed himself to them. Paul, who met Jesus after his ascension on the road to Damascus in Acts 9, wrote much of the New Testament. Most of Jesus' first disciples, and Paul were put to death for preaching Christ. Clement, an early Church father, wrote to the church in Corinth about Peter's death at the hands of Emperor Nero; traditionally, it is believed that Peter was crucified upside down. The point is this: Jesus followers in the First century had the choice to abandon their faith in him, or, in many cases, die an unpleasant death: they chose the latter. If they made it up (remember, they were the ones who wrote about him) why would they die for what they knew to be a lie? Of course they didn't die for a lie, because it isn't a lie, but the truth of God.

I leave you with a quote from the song Creed by the Christian band, Third Day.

I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am
I did not make it, no it is making me
It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man

Marriage and Jesus

Last Bank Holiday weekend I was at a wedding. Amongst the other things at a wedding that I love, the thing that stands out the most to me is something in the vows:

I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage.
With my body I honour you,
all that I am I give to you,
and all that I have I share with you,

What a vow. I liken it to my relationship with God. When you give your life to Jesus, you are in effect saying these things. You honour him with your body and surrender all you are to him. You see, he did that for us. Abandoning his majesty (Philippians 2:7) he came to Earth, giving himself fully to the work of the Father (John 4:34) and dying on a cross to make us right before God. Rising from the dead, ascending to God's right hand and pouring out the Holy Spirit, He gave us everything: we should give him nothing less.

When a man and a woman marry, they abandon their singleness and give themselves fully to each other. Jesus gave everything for us and he keeps giving. What will you give to him?

New blog!

My wife has started blogging now. She'd love you to have a read and leave a comment.

Here's the link:

http://laughing-at-the-days-to-come.blogspot.com/

"...because you have obeyed my voice"

"...and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice" Genesis 22:18

What precedes this verse is a thoroughly moving account of how God tests Abraham by telling him to sacrifice his son. I'm not going to get into the detail of that now. Suffice it to say that God never wants Abraham to actually sacrifice his son; instead this is a picture of how only God himself will provide the lamb, that is Jesus, who takes away our sins.

What I really want to emphasise here is that the nations of the earth shall be blessed through Abraham's obedience. I think these days we downplay obedience. I see this outworked in the school where I work: obedience just isn't the done thing. But from this passage it seems that obedience unlocks further blessing.

Now I use the term further because it is clear from elsewhere in scripture that God blesses because of nothing we do to earn it. In Genesis 1:28 we read that the first thing God does after he creates man is to bless them. God's character is the bless us because he loves us!

But I believe that there is a key to unlocking further blessing and that is when God tells us to do something then we should do it. Abraham obeys God and so all nations will be blessed! Genesis 12 shows us that God has already blessed Abraham, so this is further blessing.

In practice, we need to recognise where God has spoken to us in our lives and do what he says. Has he told you to help someone in need? Help them. Has he told you to move to a new area? Move there, trusting in him. Has he told you to pray for and lay hands on the sick? Then pray for them. There are many situations I could list - [insert yours here].

Obey and be blessed!

Sow, sow and sow some more!

I've been thinking over a Bible verse for a few weeks, on & off. It's a promise, one that I believe, and has practical application. It reads:

"And he (that is, God) will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and bread, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous." Isaiah 30:23

God gives rain to water our seed when we sow it, and the produce will be of good quality and quantity. Where do we acquire this seed?

"He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness." 2 Corinthians 9:10

God gives us the seed as well. What an amazing God! He gives us the seed and he waters it so it will grow and multiply.

Now this applies to more than agriculture. What else can we sow? We can sow a smile to our neighbour, a handshake, a friendly conversation, a prayer for the needy; but we can also meet that need by sowing our time and finances. We can sow a scripture or word of encouragement to build people up; we can prayer for healing by the laying on of hands.

So what should our response be? Sow, sow and sow some more - for he will multiply it! Now is the time to sow and to see a harvest of righteousness, finance, health and souls for the Lord!

It started with a walk...

The date: Wednesday 11th May 2005.

Location: Durham, the Neville's Cross area.

Event: Mel and I went for a walk which culminated in the beginning of our relationship.

The date: God knows.

Location: Eden

Event: God walks with Adam and Eve and has wonderful intimacy with them (until that snake came along).

My relationship with Mel started with a walk. My relationship with God is a walk of life, eternal in quality and quantity.

Whenever I go for a walk with Mel it's because I love her, I cherish her company and I want to spend time with her. This is a mere shadow of how God thinks of us. He longs to walk with us so much. How much? Enough that he gave his only son for us (see my last post).

Maybe it's time you started a walk with God...

The date: Hopefully soon.

Location: Your heart.

Event: You start your eternal walk with God and never look back.

What did Jesus die for?

A simple and a profound question, one which I have recently found has a deeper answer: Jesus died so you could live in his presence every moment of every day.

But before that, Jesus died to save human souls for himself, to save us from our sins and wrong doings; to save us from living our lives our own way and for ourselves which only leads to death and an eternity apart from God. I think this is summed up very nicely by Isaiah the prophet who spoke of Jesus some 800 years before he was born:

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity[sin] of us all." Isaiah 53:6.

Now I think it's important we state what Christ didn't die for: Christ didn't die so that we could simply go to meetings or pay lip service to him once a week. Indeed the Pharisees, the religious people of Jesus' time were the ones who bore the brunt of his criticism.

So if Jesus didn't die for us to...

a) Keep living our own way,
b) Attend weekly meetings,
c) Be on the church commitee/PCC,
d) Chant liturgy,
e) Have a fish on our car,
f) Wave our hands around and praise him in meetings but not anywhere else,

...then what did he die for us for?

Jesus said it himself: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10

That's it! Life in abundance! Not to slouch in a pew and look like some picked vegetable but to live with the joy of the Lord as our strength and being filled with the Holy Spirit.

You see in the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had perfect fellowship with God being ever in his presence. When they did what God told them not to do, thinking they knew better, they hid from God in the bushes.

But now God has flung the doors open and invites us to live in his presence since Jesus has destroyed the power of sin if we will accept him. God longs to live among humans:

"Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." " John 14:23

Also God says in Ezekiel 37:27: "My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

So the God's purpose for you is to live with him, starting now. It's an adventure, so live it!

Chemistry teaching fun

Year 11 are leaving this week and so I gave the students a treat for their final lesson: a bunch of explosions. One of my students filmed and edited the demonstrations. Here's the youtube video.

The words of Matthew, of his wife, that his Father taught him.

An excellent wife who can find? Indeed I have.

She is far more precious than jewels.

I trust her with my life,

and I will never lack gain.

She does me good, never harm,

all the days of her life.

She brings my sustenance home after work,

and lovingly makes our dinner and feeds me.

She buys many gifts for me and others.

She irons my shirts late at night.

She keeps me warm when I am cold.

She dresses beautifully and I am proud she is mine.

She brings home money to keep us

and the future never phases her,

for it is in our Father's hands.

She speaks wisdom, kindness

and always tells me she loves me.

She cares for our house and is never lazy.

I say of her:"

Many women have done excellently,

but you, Melanie surpass them all."

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but my wife who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Adapted from here.

Storm the gates!

Jesus said this to Simon Peter just after he confessed the Lord as the Christ:

"And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:28 (ESV)

I was meditating on this scripture recently. I hadn't noticed until now the importance of Jesus speaking of the gates of hell. He didn't talk about a mobile army of hell that would attack us. Indeed He seems to imply that we, as the church, ought to be the one doing the attacking. Now I don't know about you but gates don't tend to do much walking around or attacking, at least not in my experience. The way I see it, gates are the ones that tend to be attacked and always on the defence. So the gates of hell, the established kingdom 0f darkness need to be attacked.

Church, we need to go on the offensive. Recall, though,

"we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12 (ESV)

So we fight against the devil not other humans. Indeed though living Christ-like lives, through prayer (Ephesians 6:18, intercession and declaring the Word of God (the sword of the Spirit - Ephesians 6:17) we storm the gates of hell to free the oppressed, give strength to the weary, bind up the broken-hearted and lift up the poor.

YOU ARE A WINNER!

I received this text message today:

YOU ARE A WINNER!

Call now to claim your guaranteed prize!

(it goes on...)

CALL NOW!

Most of us have the sense to know a scam when we see one. But has our hardness clouded our judgement when the offer of a lifetime comes our way?

It already has!

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere" 2 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV)

Jesus, through the cross and His resurrection has given us the victory. Now let's get this straight: His sacrifice for us doesn't just give us partial victory, it's total, guaranteed! Triumphal procession!

This is truth but it requires a response on our part: it needs to be claimed like the above text message said. And what are we claiming? A guaranteed prize! But we do need to CALL NOW!

How could we even contemplate going another day without receiving this victory into our lives?

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13

Call Him - He's waiting to give you your guaranteed prize!

Heaven cheers you on!

Why does it seem that very often when we are going through a circumstance we have a crowd watching up? Sometimes we'd rather the crowd wasn't there as often we take to heart what they might think when we mess up. We fear the rejection of men.

But this is just the away team...the home team is also watching you, and they're cheering you on.

Jesus talks about a great crowd of angels that rejoiced when you were saved (Luke 15:7)

We are also encouraged by the writer of Hebrews thus:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (Hebrews 12:1)

In all circumstances, know that the legions of heaven are chanting your name, exhorting you to keep going. A round of applause for you dear reader. Hold fast: God and heaven sing over you!

Is God watching us from a distance?

A few weeks ago we were visiting my Mum & Dad in Carlisle. During one of our excursions my Mum had a CD playing in the car by Bette Midler. A lyric in one of the songs was "God is watching us, from a distance". As we heard this my wife looked at me and smiled as if saying, "how sweet". Granted, it could be said that the song was indeed sweet.

However, I didn't like the message the song was giving about God and so I wanted to set this straight.

The Bible - the living word of God, God breathed and inspired - is God speaking to us about who He is. In one such verse in John's gospel, Jesus states:

"If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." John 14:23

So, God is not watching us from a distance, but indeed if you love the Lord and follow him, He will make His home in your heart. What an awesome thing! Almighty God who put the stars into space will live in your heart by His Holy Spirit if you give your life to Him.

Now as you read this, I want you to do something for me. Yes, it may be silly but when you say something out loud there is a certain power in your words. Ready? Place your hand on your heart and say to God:

"Lord, you have made your home in my heart because I love you and I have made you Lord of my life. Thank you Father, thank you Jesus that you live in me"

Now, let me know how you felt when you said that. Leave a comment, and God bless you.

Disclaimer: by leaving a comment you agree to let me publish this on my blog.

My Grandma vs. the Charities

I had a real laugh doing a favour for my Grandma the other week. She's a wonderful lady who has blessed me greatly throughout my life. However she surprised me with this favour: Son, please can you use your computer to make me a sign for my door saying. "Please do not put any charity bags through my door. Thank you."

I produced a sign as requested, but also a second one which I have shared here, should the first one not deliver the required message.

Please note: I am not against charity bags coming through my door.

Site updates

The following areas of MNharkness Webpages have been recently updated.

For the latest on William and Harry's adventures:
http://mnharkness.googlepages.com/theprinces

Gallery of Star Trek miniatures:
http://mnharkness.googlepages.com/gallery

Please check them out and leave comments here!

Is there more to life than this?

While perusing a church website I found this interesting animation: it really just speaks for itself.

Twenty Cans of Success

When I was in the car with my wife the other day, she produced from her handbag a postcard which I have kept close at hand since. Of course since I was driving I had to watch the road but as I did this she read out to me the "Twenty Cans of Success". These are some critical truths from the Bible which really touched my heart; real heavenly wisdom which I am meditating on. They can be found here but I thought I'd paste them into my blog as well. In an age where people are tossed to and fro by every wind of strange teaching that is going about, it's good to stand on solid ground: the Word of God. Read these and enjoy!

1. Why should I say I can't when the Bible says I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13)?


2. Why should I lack when I know that God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)?


3. Why should I fear when the Bible says God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)?
   
4. Why should I lack faith to fulfill my calling knowing that God as allotted to me a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)?


5. Why should I be weak when the Bible says that the Lord is the strength of my life and that I will display strength and take action because I know God (Psalm 27:1; Daniel 11:32)?


6. Why should I allow Satan supremacy over my life when He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4)?


7. Why should I accept defeat when the Bible says that God always leads me in triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14)?


8. Why should I lack wisdom when Christ became wisdom to me from God and God gives wisdom to me generously when I ask Him for it (1 Corinthians 1:30; James 1:5)?


9. Why should I be depressed when I can recall to mind God's lovingkindness, compassion, and faithfulness and have hope (Lamentations 3:21-23)?


10. Why should I worry and fret when I can cast all my anxiety on Christ who cares for me (1 Peter 5:7)?


11. Why should I ever be in bondage knowing that there is liberty where the Spirit of the Lord is (2 Corinthians 3:17)?


12. Why should I feel condemned when the Bible says I am not condemned because I am in Christ (Romans 8:1)?


13. Why should I feel alone when Jesus said He is with me always and He will never leave me nor forsake me (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5)?


14. Why should I feel accursed or that I am the victim of bad luck when the Bible says that Christ redeemed me from the curse of the law that I might receive His Spirit (Galatians 3:13-14)?


15. Why should I be discontented when I, like Paul, can learn to be content in all my circumstances (Philippians 4:11)?


16. Why should I feel worthless when Christ became sin on my behalf that I might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21)?


17. Why should I have a persecution complex knowing that nobody can be against me when God is for me (Romans 8:31)?


18. Why should I be confused when God is the author of peace and He gives me knowledge through His indwelling Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:33; 2:12)?


19. Why should I feel like a failure when I am a conqueror in all things through Christ (Romans 8:37)?


20. Why should I let the pressures of life bother me when I can take courage knowing that Jesus has overcome the world and its tribulations (John 16:33)?

By Neil Anderson

Now the wonderful thing about the Bible is that if it gives you a promise from God, put it into practise and you'll find that it is proven true. Go on, try it!

Game report complete

Follow this link to see the complete example play as outlined in the previous post. Please have a read and make any comments on this post. I'd greatly appreciated any feedback.

Star Trek game: example play

Please have a look at a report outlining what typical play of my game will be like. Find it here. I'm still in the process of transferring the information to the webpage, whenever I have some spare time. A BIG thanks to Si for helping me understand html code so I could get this up and running. Pay him gratitude by reading his blog here.