Hunter, Prey

Have you ever had that feeling where there doesn't seem any doubt that something is out to get you?

I was discussing with a friend of mine, my spiritual journey up until now. We reminisced how my only previous serious relationship had been a millstone for me. How it seemed like a perfectly engineered snare, designed to bring me down and destroy me. You could just say it was happenchance or coincidence... but I'm not a man who believes in coincidences. Like Einstein I do not believe God... nor the forces that dare attempt contend with him, play dice. Everything happens for a reason, just like in chaos theory.... even the seemingly pointless random and/or meaningless events, tragedies and surprises that come upon us are an act of will; all find meaning and fulfillment in the long term, the "bigger" picture.

That relationship WAS a purposely planned trap, I am certain. However despite the trap being sprung; in my case it didn't succeed in destroying me, although it came pretty close to leaving me utterly spent. The door was closed... but the thing about burglars is they always look for another way in:

"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber."

It was shortly after I became free, that I became aware that a friend of mine was playing off my defences... to satisfy his ego. Let me explain something: when I am highly stressed, I tend to start playing the jester... doing strange surreal things to mask my discomfort. Unfortunately this makes people think I'm a complete lunatic... and they can't see past my brilliant disguise (probably because they are used to it). However, this one friend was particularly good at cultivating that reaction out of me. The same person has messed me about several times and in several different ways when I have tried to make a positive impression around girls... always to benefit his self image at my expense.

I could say that he knows how to push my buttons, knows how to use all my weaknesses against me.... but I seriously doubt he has the intellect to consciously do this. I have therefore concluded that he is being used as a pawn in a deadly game of cat and mouse. I believe the game is still afoot. I'm still being hunted. I feel like I have walked around in a circle and stumbled across the familiar tracks of my adversary. It is as if I have my own personal Loki (Norse god of mischief).

I could get all depressed here and feel miserable because of the oppressive force I feel is working against me... but it's simply not the case. While I have been thinking about these things, I am also reminded that I've had my fair share of "lucky" scrapes. There have been at least 4 times where I could have died as a result of possible or actual car incidents that I walked or drove away unschathed... and despite being in that dodgy relationship I spoke of, I got out of it.

I have mentioned before that I feel I am being "reserved" for a day of God's choosing. He has something for me to do... and the Enemy would do anything to stop me reaching whatever it is I am called to. It's the same for anyone who would follow God.

So I take joy in the fact that whatever is out there working against me... it is held in check by he who protects me The Good Shepherd who calls me to greener pastures - Jesus Christ.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

More than this I am confident that when the time is right, he will not just hold my ground... but claim the Land he has promised me:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

In all our troubles, we often fall into the danger of forgetting God is Sovereign. We must never forget that everything that happens to us as Christians, happens for the glory of God. We also have the assurance from scripture that he will never let us suffer beyond our means to bear whatever befalls us.

You may disagree with this and that's fine. My view of destiny and free will is more complex and "at odds" with both Augustinian and Pelagian theology. Although... I'm just a layman.

We are often transfixed by the problem of Evil. How can Good overcome Evil... when the fruits of Evil are so obviously evident and numerous in this world? I would like to challenge you to look at it another way. It is Evil that is perplexed and confounded by Good. For despite all it's short term victories I am confident that in the long term and most especially the eternal.... Good always prevails. The paragon of this is Jesus Christ himself: when darkness had it's hour and Evil had spent it's complete fury on him resulting in his death... it was not enough. More than this. Evil had not understood that God REQUIRED Evil to utterly spend itself on His Son.... in order that we would not have to pay the price ourselves. In it's short term success, Evil completely missed the point. This is what scripture says:

"Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."

So it is clear:

Evil does not understand Good. Darkness does not understand Light. Light however reveals darkness for what it is and overcomes it. Receive the Light of Christ and in the long term he will enable you to throw off your chains. Pretty soon whatever hunts you.... will become the hunted.

Always remember:

"The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world"

Holocaust Memorial Day

Today (27th January) is the UK's chosen day for commemorating the events of the Holocaust. This day was chosen because it marks the day when Auchwitz was liberated and shut down.

I decided to hold a minute's silence to contemplate on the senseless genocide of bygone wars... and show my respect for those who suffered and either died or prevailed having suffered terrible indignity or brutality at the hands of evil men.

I also decided on being a little more proactive. What follows is a copy of the text from an email that I sent to the President of Iran - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a man who in recent blogs I have taken issue with over remarks he has made about Israel and the Holocaust:

Dear President Ahmadinejad.

I am writing to you to express my deep concern and disdain over your comments in December concerning the Holocaust. I would like you to explain what you mean by describing it as a "myth".

I do not believe you can seriously entertain the idea that 6 million Jews didn't die at the hands of Nazism. That many people do not simply disappear... it is impossible to hide an absence of that magnitude.

I would be interested to know exactly which parts of the Holocaust you class as myth. Would you also take issue with the number of 5 million non Jews who shared the same fate - The Pole's, the Romanian gypsies, the communists, the homosexuals, the Africans and the disabled?
11 million people Jew and gentile alike... were wiped of the planet - that is NO myth. You also need to understand that Adolf Hitler's extremist views would not have ended with the Jews. Simply put, Arabs would have had no more place in Hitler's eugenic nightmare than Jews. He was hell bent on Aryan supremacy. Very few people fit the characteristics he praised. Your people would have suffered... so instead of pouring scorn on the Jews for their suffering, you should instead be praising God that a similar fate did not befall you.

You may think I have an agenda in writing this. I do not. I am no politician, I am no Jew, I am from none of the groups I have listed above. What I can tell you is that today is my country's commemoration of the Holocaust (for ALL sufferers of Holocaust through history), and that as part of my act of respect and remembrance for every man or woman of the human race who has ever died in the wake of such horror - I decided to make a statement for them... for they have no voice of their own. I speak because silence in the face of ignorance is a crime. As Martin Niemoeller said:

"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me--
and there was no one left to speak out for me."

So it does not matter what or who I am... I MUST speak out for those who have suffered because I would want them to speak out for me. You have done the same yourself, during recent tragedies in your own country... so I hope you understand.

I do not speak to you with hatred... but rather with concern and a heartfelt plea for piety and compassion.

I ask that you turn away from your inflammatory statements regarding the Holocaust and the Jews.

Whatever you choose, I pray that God will have compassion on you and that you can grasp how high and wide and deep his love for humanity and you yourself is.

Your sincerely

Nick Payne

Will he read it?

Probably not. (Author's note as at 10th January 2007... obviously not!)

Should that stop me saying it? By no means. I doubt he'll pay the likes of me much heed, but when men say such things they should be held to account and told they are wrong. Not just by politicians... but by the common man. Politicians are duplicitous and almost everything they do is done for men to see. Their agendas are their own. It is more powerful when the ordinary folk rise up to condemn evil. I believe the following quotes are true:

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing." - Edmund Burke

"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein

"When good people in any country cease their vigilance and struggle, then evil men prevail." - Pearl S. Buck

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

If you want to join me in my moment of clarity/madness, the President of Iran can be emailed at the following address: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir

Supernatural Wounds

Recently I came across someone who had received what I would call a "supernatural wound". They had been exposed to something arcane as a youngster and it had resulted in them having a profoundly damaging experience.

Essentially they were offered via a friends, a book that allegedly contained magic spells that "really worked". What the book turned out to contain was various satanic rites. Once exposed to this, the person struggled with it for some time. They now have a fledgling faith, but are still haunted by the things they have read. They told me that it is at these times, when they hear God reminding them that He still loves them no matter what they have done... and reassuring them not to let it get to them. I would still class it as an open wound however, it's a source of attack that needs closing off.

I know what that kind of wound is like. I once misinterpreted what a scripture from Mark's Gospel meant... and felt condemned by it. I struggled and struggled with it for about 6 months. It lead to me opening up to people for the first time, because I couldn't control my problem alone... it was eating me up from the inside out. It helped me to lean more on God rather than worship him from a distance, so that was positive... but once the positive had been eked out... the wound needed closing. People prayed with me and helped me to understood what Jesus was getting at., that the issue was one of a "continual denial of grace" and not as plain as it seemed in the text.

However it's because of my own experience that I recognise the need to resolve issues like this in other people. The best way to disarm the enemies lies and curses is to remind people of God's blessings and promises. So here are a few scriptures for any spiritually damaged Christians out there. People who know what a direct spiritual attack feels like. These are DEEP truths, let God speak them into your heart as you read them:

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." - John 10:27-30

"The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34: 7-8

"The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all" Psalm 34:17-19

"The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him" Psalm 103:8-13

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me." Isaiah 49:15-16

"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day" Psalm 91:4-5

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him."
Psalm 91:14-15

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31-39

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

If any of you doubt you are righteous, then know that if you have accepted Jesus sacrifice you are considered righteous by faith through Christ. God sees you as his child.

God said it in His Word, you believe it in your heart, that settles it forever.

If you struggle with anything like what I have mentioned above, I strongly recommend you pray through it with a leader at your church. They won't think you are crazy and will take you seriously. If you have a serious wound, it is better to have it treated than to struggle on and needlessly suffer.

Throwing Your Toys Out of the Pram

Recently I've had a couple of conversations about sin and misbehaviour, and how they affect us as christians.

A friend of mine who is a Christian, used to smoke... but after wrestling with it, has finally managed to kick the habit. He doesn't believe that addiction to smoking is just a physical thing. Now, months down the road.... when the physical effects of addiction are totally gone.... he still gets the occasional pang to light up. He believes it is a spiritual stronghold. The only time he gets this temptation is when everything around him is going pear-shaped.

I know exactly what he means... but not for the same reason.

Against all the odds I've never smoked, despite the fact that my parents do (in fact I think my mum smoked during pregnancy - times were different), never had a physical addiction or dependency of any drug. I hardly ever drink alcohol... only having one or two glasses of wine on special ocassions (that's enough to make my legs feel like lead and for me to be a little giddy). However, that does not stop me from having my own rebellious moments. It's the equivalent of what we do as babies, we get upset and do something negative that is pointless or non-beneficial and will upset us all the more... such as throwing our toys out of the pram, just to get our poor parents attention. I believe this is exactly how we treat God.

Maybe you know what I'm talking about. Something goes wrong in your life... and you do something that damages yourself or your relationship with God and/or those near and dear around you. You know you really shouldn't do it, but you know in the sort term it will make you feel better... and yet when the dust settles, the smoke clears and the deed is done... you are immediately convicted of your actions and steel yourself not to do them again.... until the next time.

God is so gracious.

Despite our wretchedness, despite our rebellious nature; he still loves us and wants the best for us. The book of Hebrews comes down pretty heavy on sinning deliberately once we have recieved God's grace. Yet Paul and John in there works point out both the need to refrain from sin... but also the recognition that we still do it. Listen to what John writes:

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. (1 John 1:8-10)

Paul also makes the following statements:

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (Romans 7:15-25)

and

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. (Galatians 5:16-18)

Moving on and I want to look at one more curious thing that Paul wrote:

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7-11)

Paul was given a "thorn in the flesh" a messenger from Satan to torment him. Some scholars think it may have been a physical affliction... but others think it may have been Paul's own struggle with sin. Lets just consider that for a moment. What did God say to Paul? "My grace is sufficient for you." So God recognises us in our struggles and has mercy upon us. Ho wonderful is he? He offers us the way out - Life by the Spirit.

As I've said before... running away from sin is not enough... we must run to the Lord. Even this in itself is not enough, we need to learn ro run using the strength God gives us:

"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

I just want to conclude by pointing out (whoever you are) that God says:

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

High Noon

This morning I heard an interesting sound.

It was the faint jingle of spurs approaching, as peers from the House of Lords, consider the merits of having a showdown - spaghetti western style with El Presidente Blair and his bandits, as reported in the two BBC reports below:

Peers 'may force terror showdown'
Are Lords out of order on terror?

The peers have twice thrown out proposed Government bills this week, and rightly so. There was a time when I would have looked upon the House of Lords as purely an archaic, self serving institution. At the moment however they are the only form of opposition who are capable of slamming on the brakes of Blair's agenda.

Blair is arguing that he has a mandate to bring in his "jack boot" authoritarian laws because he was elected. This is rather a dubious claim because as the Lords have rightly surmised, the increase in voter apathy, together with the depletion of New Labour seats to both the Tories and Liberal Democrats; is a good indicator that the tide of public opinion over recent months does not give Blair any basis for believing himself to have a "firm mandate". Yes he was elected, but it was nothing to crow about... no matter what his army of spin doctor's tell you.

I don't agree with the curbing of free speech as prescribed by the Blair Camp. I don't agree with biometric ID cards. Even if the Government believe had good intentions with these Laws - the very nature of their wording would make it easy to warp them towards favouring certain points of view in a court of Law. This is the danger of poorly thought out Laws - Civil Case Law always translates them into a beast that they were not intended to be. Regardless of this, I do not believe whoever thought these Bills up, had honourable intentions in mind. If they become Acts, this country will take a firm turn for the worse.

I could go on ad infinitum speaking on ground I have already covered. However, if you want to read further on what my views actually are, here are hyperlinks to several of my previous political blogs, which I strongly urge you to read:

A Disgraceful Law
Oh Happy Day
Tony Blair's Speech
London Bombings
There is a Storm Coming...
The Lord's Debate
Blair "Terror Warning"

I hope they prove elightening.

Regards

N

God, Babel and the Bomb

I've been thinking rather a lot today about the vast advances in technology mankind has made during the relatively brief amount of time civilisation has existed on Earth.

One reason for this is my continuing concern and apprehension, concerning Iran's nuclear program, and the increasingly disturbing statements that come from the country's leader - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In the West, we find it highly disturbing (and rightly so) that anybody with an extremist agenda should ever obtain the ability to carry out a nuclear tactical strike against a populated city (although, even the idea that a "civilised" society should have such a capability is frightening and abhorrent enough).

In the Biblical book of Genesis there is a curious passage, that deals with the subject of technological progression - and it has always fascinated me:

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.

They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."

But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."

So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel —because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth. (Genesis 11:1-9)

You might have read that and thought "Well gosh, thanks a lot God, no wonder the World is in such a state!" It is true, that God appears on the surface of things to be confounding man's unity just to stop him developing incredible technologies. Superficially it appears like an incredibly selfish thing to do. You might well ask, how many wars may have happened over simple misunderstandings just because people weren't able to communicate?

However, we live in an age where through the spread of a few large empires and the rise of technology the human race has arrived at a point where mankind is largely able to develop a dialogue with his global neighbours. Having reached such a unique and advanced point in our development, do we find that this has stopped us finding reasons to harm, deprive or kill one another?

No, it has not. We have seen first hand how things such as enlightened self interest, personal agendas, economic stability and ideological purity drive our political and social conflicts. The hampering of communication was never a driving force behind our historic conflicts, but in most cases merely a contributing factor to their inevitability.

As much as poor communication and "chinese whispers" may cause conflict, how much more so is the saying "familiarity breeds contempt" true? It is in our nature to seek out the familiar in one another. We build cliques and join clubs - fly flags and draw up borders and call ourselves friends or nations or allies. Then, when somebody different comes along who we don't like, or who challenges our supremacy,authority or even just our security - we gang up on them (although sometimes like in World War II and the cause is noble and just, this can be justified). This is the way of the World and God in his wisdom knows it. The fact is that we (the human race as individuals), are very adept at both seeking out allies and more frighteningly - seeking out what is different in others and oppressing it. You can see this in all the most unsavoury areas of our characeter... and the darkest chapters of our history. Fortunately in the modern world, most of us have adopted a live and let live policy towards our fellow man... and usually the most divisive of arguments tend to be restricted to personal altercations and heated group debates. Kingdoms aren't ruled by the will of one, but the will of many... so theoretically it should be less likely that personal agendas shape international policy (although recent administrations on both side of the Atlantic have severely bucked that trend lately). We have things like Magna Carta to thank for that.

It wasn't always like this.

Going back to the story in Genesis, I would argue that contrary to the first impression, if you bother to dig a little deeper... you can see that God actually did the human race a favour.

Lets speak hypothetically about a possible scenario that could have happened, if God had not confused the tongues of men. Can you imagine what the Earth would be like today if the feudal rulers of Bronze/Iron or even Middle Age civilisations had acquired nuclear technology? A dust ball no doubt.

I believe God slowed our ability to make technological progress to a point that was more equated with our capacity to learn tolerance (generally speaking), and bear with one another. He knew our ability to intellectually progress was much more efficient than our ability to emotionally develop... and very wisely did something about it. I would argue that he saved our hides with that judgement call (not for the first and certanly not for the last time).

In days gone by, there were many men who were as foolish and insecure as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and George W. Bush are today. We should give thanks that God did something about it in our past, because I pretty much reckon we wouldn't be around today to talk about it if he hadn't.

What seemed like utter foolishness, turned out to be true wisdom and I just want to conclude with one last exhortation from the Bible about the wisdom of God:

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;

the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

Some of you who have read all this may think the idea of a God willingly going to his death to save humanity from sin is foolishness. However, I hope I have adequately demonstrated just one way in which something that seemed very foolish turned out to be very wise. If that's you, I urge you to take a good look at the cross again... and uncover it's deeper wisdom.

Blessings

N

Christianity & Freemasonry

Some time ago, I think I hinted I might make a post about freemasonry... but I never got around to it. In truth, I'd been putting it off because I know that what I have to say will sound controversial and I know I could cop for a lot of flak. However I'd be a hypocrite to run away forever, because as I said many months ago... we don't fight battles because they are convenient... nor because they are easy to win... but because they are righteous.

I figured now was the right time because things keep cropping up. Firstly, freemasonry keeps coming up in conversation. Secondly somebody I work alongside is a Freemason... and finally Inspector Morse was on this afternoon and it featured freemasonry in the plot. So here I am!

Like Morse, I disagree with freemasonry both socially and theologically. I think the suggestion that anyone getting a leg up on the ladder purely because they belong to a certain group, unjust. My social disagreements do not nearly match my theological distaste however. I find the practice of freemasonry to be at odds with Christian teaching. Many are attracted to it simply because of the brotherly social aspect, or the charity work. However what lies beneath is far more sinister. When a mason is sworn in, they do so with a noose around their neck and a sword pointed at their chest. This is to point out that if they try and withdraw from the masons or advance too swiftly, they seal their fate (by tightening the noose if they walk backwards or piercing themselves if they walk forwards). The Freemasons insist this is purely symbolic and nobody ever gets killed (although there are certain stories around that make this statement a little untrustworthy), but symbolism or not an oath is an oath. This in itself is dodgy because by the time of Jesus, the Bible teaches that you shouldn't make oaths on anything (Matthew 5:33-37), ironic don't you think that courts of law expect us to swear on the Bible ( a subject for another time)?

Something that Freemasons dispute is the meaning behind the name they attribute to God - Jabulon. I've heard Christian scholars argue that this is a composition of three deities rolled into one. Jehovah, Ba'al and Osiris. If that's true, we have yet another "no no", for the Bible teaches us pretty much all the way through from Genesis to Revelation that we are not to have any other gods before or besides Him. So you can imagine how wazzed off God would be if people were worshipping His name together with other gods - especially those attributed to detestable practices among the Canaanites (including infanticide as a form of sacrifice).

When Rome conquered Israel, the Israelites were asked what image they would like put in the Pantheon to recognise their god by. The Israelites refused, responding that firstly they were commanded not to worship God alongside other false gods... and that they didn't know what he looked like anyway and they were not allowed to have effigies or idols.

That attitude should be no different for us. It's true that we have have art that represents imagery of God... but we do not worship the art as an idol... we merely appreciate gestures behind it that emphasise the nature and character of God.

I've heard another "sacred" word associated with freemasonry is "Abaddon". This is a definite bad call - Abaddon is the Hebrew name for the biblical destroyer. You can find him in the book of Revelation. He has another name in Greek - Apollyon. He is most closely associated with the Greek god of the Sun - Apollo. Curiously one of the local masonic lodges by me is called the Apollo Lodge (and indeed it is a popular name for masonic lodges in general). So I can certainly believe this.

My other main contention with Freemasonry though, is the fact that at it's heart it is interlinked with heresies like gnosticism. You only have to look at masonic history to know this. Although the masons claim the origins of their beliefs date back to the building of Solomon's Temple, modern freemasonry starts during the middle ages. At that time, knights were assigned the task of protecting pilgrims journeying to Jerusalem. During the time they spent there, some orders of knights became acquainted with gnostic teachings. Gnosticism as I have mentioned before is all about "special knowledge". It preaches that all physical things are evil and that the resurrection (including Christ) is only a spiritual one. It preaches that the way to attain salvation is through special knowledge and not divine grace. The Bible teaches us that ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. If we truly think we can evolve a better human by our own efforts, we are no better than Buzz Lightyear... we might convince ourselves we are flying - but in reality we are falling with style.

A lot of the New Testament is aimed at stamping out the gnostic heresies - especially John, who was the Gospel writer who was closest to Jesus. We know however that the Templar Knights (coincidentally also a masonic rank), followed gnosticism... if you live in a town or village with the prefix "Temple", then chances are it used to be a Templar Knight stronghold. Their order was excommunicated by the Church and persecuted (for various reasons: heresy (including gnosticism), worship of the "severed head" of "Christ", and as a cash and land-grabbing incentive by the Pope). Despite this, some gnostic gospels have survived today... and have fuelled some of the more outlandish claims in modern fiction (despite not having reliable evidence of authorship themselves).

Perversely, the modern Church has been infiltrated by many Freemasons (sadly many of them - especially the lower ranks do not see anything wrong with this). Masonic services are held in Christian Churches, some clergy are Freemasons. Certainly many civil authority figures are. My hometown is riddled with Freemasons and it lives under a cloud of spiritual oppression. I don't believe these two facts are entirely isolated from one another.

I truly believe that the day will come when this is overturned, but it grieves me that such people hold power today - both secular and nominal.

I strongly urge people with masonic connections to come out of them and be clean.

Finally I just want to say one thing in general:

Religion is man's quest to find God. Jesus Christ however, is the fulfillment of God's quest to redeem man!

Life on Mars: A Review

Last night I tuned into the first episode of the new BBC drama serial "Life On Mars", it was touch and go because I was tempted to watch The Matrix on Channel 5. Dad wanted to watch the BBC drama as well however, so I decided to watch it with him. I'm glad I did, I was not disappointed.

Life On Mars is one of those "sore thumb" dramas that centres around an individual who finds him/herself in an unusual situation, where everybody else fits in except for them. Films/programmes with similar themes would include Back to the Future, Quantum Leap and Groundhog Day (I would say Buck Rogers as well but it's too cheesy).

Indeed, I would describe Life on Mars as a blend of ideas/influences that include Groundhog Day, The Sweeney, Back to the Future and Open Your Eyes/Vanilla Sky, and possibly Quantum Leap.

The hero of the story is DCI/DI Sam Tyler, a detective who after a bizarre car accident finds himself in what appears to be 1973. I say appears, because there is still a possibility (and this is made quite clear), that it is all a fantasy world that he has become trapped in while he lies in a coma in the 21st century. While he tries to figure out what is ACTUALLY going on, he finds himself becoming involved in solving the crimes of the day (the first one of which is directly linked to a crime he was working on in the 21st century - one with very personal high stakes, his girlfriend was kidnapped by a murderer following the same pattern. Along with this he has to cope with the culture clash (sexism is rife, the M6 motorway does not exist, mobiles phones do not exist ( a source for at least two jokes in the script), vinyl is the only available music format, the dawn of modern forensics and the computer age is yet to radicalise policework and most shockingly of all, diet coke is not yet available in local pubs.

At the end of the first episode, we are left wondering what is going on. Sam has interacted with at least one person in the 70's who he has met 30 years later, however we clearly see and hear glimpses of hospital activity which suggest he is in a coma. The logical conclusion for me at the moment is that both must be true. He has been transported back to the real 1970's, while he also lies in a coma in the 21st century. I do not think he will wake up until he has achieved what he was put in his abnormal situation to do (ala Groundhog Day and Quantum Leap).

The production values, script writing and acting are all of a high standard. Costumes and props all mirror the 70's era perfectly. I expect the programme to be a success because it contains elements of comedy, drama, suspense, science fiction and pure nostalgia - it has a very wide net to catch people with.

I wasn't born in 1973, I didn't make my debut on planet Earth until the following year, but I do have a few early memories of the seventies and I sincerely enjoyed this programme. Life on Mars continues at 9pm Monday on BBC 1.

On the Edge

I am totally annoyed at the moment.

Just as I seem to have become accustomed once more to waiting on God and acquiring his wisdom, the enemy plays a joker.

I have known for some time, that a colleague of mine claims to have psychic ability*. I try to pay this little heed as possible... as I am in the workplace, it is important to try and get along with your workmates. Unfortunately as of last week I wasn't afforded the usual luxury of doing that.

I was told that by them that they had a gut feeling about the time of July, that I would find something substantial in the area of relationships (this distressed me greatly because I will see someone who I have been keen on around this time). "Oh Great!" I thought, "Now if anything does come along around that time, I will have to dismiss it!" For that would be my normal tactical response. I am that focussed on doing the right thing by my faith, that I would scupper any attempt to enter something that might seem to endorse a practice I am spiritually opposed to.

My mother is annoyingly superstitious. There was a time several years ago, where purely to spite the notion of Friday the 13th being unlucky... I asked a girl out on that fateful night.

That turned out really well.

6 ½ years later I emerged, bruised, battered and largely scathed form a relationship that did nothing positive for me as a person. So I'm learning that it is dangerous to make bold swooping gestures with your life... just to make minor theological points.

Back to my current situation and I found myself a little stressed by it. So I took it to God. He knows that I am having to wait on him in that situation and he also knows how fragile I am in doing that.

A scripture was put on my heart:

"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." John 10:1-5

I feel that God is really encouraging me to not jump to any decisions. I feel he is saying that if I do ANYTHING either positive or negative regarding that information, I am giving it power. It doesn't matter if my intentions are honourable or not. You see, it's not good enough for us as Christians to run away from that which we know is not from God... it is far more important that we learn to follow the direction that God gives us as well.

I feel God is saying I should just ignore what I was told completely and not act either way according to it, becaue if I do I'm not responding to his voice. It may be that he also chooses that time to bless me, but I am to listen for his voice and trust him to make it known clearly to me. He may come earlier, he may come later... but I have to hear his voice in this.

Do you know what? Maybe that's why I require the wisdom I spoke of two days ago. Maybe in this area of my life I am not wise enough to pick up on God's direction and I need to train myself to hear him better.

If I can master this, life will be so much better. I am so tired of having to flit around trying to please God by relying too heavily on my intuition. It will be a release to be at a point where I just chill and don't think too much about the consequence of every possible outcome and evantuality. I think maybe I'm loading myself down unnecessarily and am missing out on the enjoyment in life that God seeks to give. The more you lean on God, the more you find that the following is true:

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."" Isaiah 30:21

That is the strength we all require and that is the strength I seek in this area of my life. My prayer is that I can achieve this.

For those of you who pray, I ask that you pray for help to forget that which does not help me.

May God bless you with the strength to rest.

N

*Brief Update as of 9th January. I felt it was important to point out that I don't have an issue with the person who made this statement - only what was said, because it runs contrary to my personal beliefs and moral code.

Wisdom is the Way

A few days ago I promised to explain a revelation I had about wisdom. However, first I need to take you back to the Proverbs quote that had been giving me trouble last year:

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Proverbs 13:12

Over the past few nights, I have been having dreams that took me back to the time I was suffering emotionally and struggling with that verse. Unsurpringly because of this, I found it was hard going for a week or so.

Now, on New Year's Day I have a tradition of finding a quiet moment to comit the coming year to God. This year, I chose to do that in the church I attend - while nobody else was there.

I spent time talking over the things that had bothered me with God. I felt compelled to read up on the life of Isaac. It quickly became apparent to me that Isaac's life as recorded in Genesis; was one of waiting on God. He didn't go after a wife, God brought a wife to him. When the going got rough in Canaan, he didn't head for Egypt; he waited because God said he would bless him in the land he was in.

This is something God laid on my heart. That I don't need to strive to earn or achieve the things and blessings he has for me. What is required of me is that I spend time deepening my experience of and relationship with The Lord.

Waiting is something that doesn't come naturally to me. When things go quiet I'm always guessing the figures and pulling the puzzles apart. In a true sense, that's not waiting, that's keeping yourself occupied to avoid waiting. I spoke the other day about Jesus valuing Mary's resting in his presence over Martha's labouring in the kitchen. I need to rest in God's presence and spend the time resting in him.

I can either see the time I have now as a prison sentence or an opportunity. Up until recently I had been seeing it as a sentence - that every door I had tried was shut and barred, no matter which way I turned. However, I believe God will open those doors when the time is right. I also believe the correct thing for me to do now is to get wisdom. The Bible describes wisdom as being supreme... and worth more than rubies. King Solomon asked God for it... and God honoured that request by blessing him in more conventional ways too.

In Church that day, I found another verse which backs up what I have been saying and which also responds to the Proverb I have struggled with:

"Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gains understanding,

for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.

She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.

Long life is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor.

Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
those who lay hold of her will be blessed."

(Proverbs 3:13-18)

See that last bit? Compare that to the Proverbs 13 scripture!

Finally, there is an old saying:

When the idea is not right, God says "No."
When the time is not right, God says "slow."
When you are not right, God says "Grow."
When all is right, God says "Go."

Though I've often grown tired of waiting, God has only deferred my hope not cancelled it - his reasons are his own. The place where I looked the above words up also had the following note:

Gods delays are not God's denials.

I wish to leave you with that thought and with one final bit of wisdom from the Psalms:

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

New Year, New Bible, New Age

I know what you probably thought when you read that but no, I'm not putting all my beliefs in a cosmic blender together with eastern mysticism.

What I meant was that I actually have managed to replace my NIV Study Bible, the one that I "lost" in Coventry Cathedral. I hope that one finds a new home with someone who needs it and can make use of the verses I emphasised. It's funny you know, up until recently I had viewed the loss of my Bible as a negative thing to me personally... that particular book had been with me a pretty long time; I was familiar with it and it was like an old friend. However, t I've come around to looking at the situation quite differently.

I'm one of those Christians who attacks his Bible with a highglighter pen; I highlight verses of personal importance to both myself individually and the currrent Church generation generically. I feel that God is using this as another opportunity to remind me of how different I am to the person and even the Christian I had been up until a couple of years ago. I think he is saying that I am learning completely different lessons now, and I have new promises and blessings to receive... new frontiers to explore. My old Bible was one of the last links I had to my past faith, the time when I was as spiritually bruised, battered and broken as that Bible had become.

Now I start afresh.

Many verses I highlight now, will be different to the ones from before. Some of the old ones might not be highlighted this time around.

Recently I was reminded about King Arthur. A lot of people mistakenly assume that he had Excalibur from the very beginning. In fact, the sword in the stone was the Sword of Britain. It was only when the Sword of Britain was lost to him, that Merlin took him To the Lady of the Lake to receive Excalibur. This new Bible shall be like Excalibur to me.

It's another step along the freshly provided path and it comes at a time when I believe God is challenging me to grow. Wisdom is the Way. I will explain when I have more time... but for now, I leave you with that thought...

Wisdom is The Way.

Happy New Year

So Happy New Year! You made it into 2006, congratulations. By now if you are lucky you will be receiving phone calls , text messages or e-mails wishing you well for the next run of 365 days.

Whenever we enter a new year I am always reminded of the lyrics to the U2 song "New Year's Day":

All is quiet on New Year's Day

A world in white gets underway

I want to be with you

Be with you night and day

Nothing changes on New Year's Day

On New Year's Day

I will be with you again

I will be with you again

Under a blood red sky

A crowd has gathered in black and white

Arms entwined, the chosen few

The newspapers says, says

Say it's true it's true...

And we can break through

Though torn in two

We can be one

I...I will begin again

I...I will begin again

Oh...Maybe the time is right

Oh...maybe tonight...

I will be with you again

I will be with you again

And so we're told this is the golden age

And gold is the reason for the wars we wage

Though I want to be with you

Be with you night and day

Nothing changes

On New Year's Day

For me that song is all about the anticipation of Jesus' second coming. The tentative waiting, the endless hope that maybe tonight... Jesus will come back again. You might think it's all hocus pocus... that's your perogative. You might think we have never had it so good and that we are living in a golden age. I believe Jesus will return one day, more than this I believe he longs to be with you in in your heart now. We live in a world of immense beauty, but it is also a world full of violence, pain and sorrow. Thankfully it won't always be so.The Bible's "New Year" begins with Jesus' return. In it we are promised:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. (Revelation 21:3-6)

The great thing is, you don't have to wait till then to experience some of this. God longs to be with you, be with you night and day. The question for you this New Year's Day is... will nothing change?

You have a chance to make your own world in white get underway.

So Happy New Year to you, in every context I can express. May God bless you in 2006. May he wipe away any tears of 2005, or perhaps longer. May joy find a place in your heart from this day forth. May you prosper and find friendship with God and man alike.

Happy New Year... Happy New Year.

N