I imagine there are as many views of what God is like, as there are people. How much of what I think about God is a product of my environment, my upbringing, my own personality, my dad's personality and how much is the evidence as presented in the scriptures?

My small group is looking through the book of Judges at the moment, and there are times God gets really angry. In chapter two it states that, "the Lord burned with anger". And this is at His own people.

Sure I hear you say, thats the Old Testament. But Jesus got really mad as well. We know the common examples, where he berated and insulted the Pharisees, when he fashioned a whip out of cord and drove the money traders out of the temple.

In the book of Hebrews 12 we read, "For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children."

He punishes us, for things we have done wrong. Now this punishment may be so we learn, but He punishes none the less.

I know I have been guilty of fashioning God into a more politically correct version, but the truth is that God is to be feared, He is Awesome, awe inspiring, HOLY HOLY HOLY.

We are not righteous, He is righteous, and I know He gets mad at some of the things I do wrong.
Thank God for Hebrews 2, which brings the balance, " 14That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. 15This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. 16So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it."