Selfie Worship

Do you remember the old days of taking pictures and having to wait days or weeks before knowing how they turned out because actual film was being developed?  These days the majority of time spent taking photos is the review process.  Everyone has a chance to review the shot and personally approve their appearance!  With the advent of digital technology and the mobile phone, "selfies" have become mainstream.  I read somewhere on average it takes about five tries to have a selfie worthy of posting to social media.  As the name "selfie" suggests, it is one of many ways we can employ to make ourselves the centre of attention.  We have matured beyond the little child who shouts at his mum, "Look at me!" but there is an undeniable urge to promote self which remains in us to this day.

One thing I find quite irksome is when I am at a worship gathering (typically a well-attended pastor's conference), and it isn't long before I see people in front of me raising their hands.  These are not hands raised in praise of God, but these hands hold mobile devices to capture the moment with the perfect panorama.  My mind screams in these moments, "This is about God!  This is not about us!"    Now I understand the rationale people might use to justify taking a quick snap, and there is nothing inherently sinful about taking a picture in church - even during worship.  But my question simply is, "Why are you taking a picture?"  Is it to impress others?  It is to post to social media to show where you are?  Is it a keepsake?  Is it because a notable worship musician is on the stage?  Why does the congregation or the band or the venue prompt you to take the picture?"  If' God isn't the reason, there is a problem.  And I think He knows perfectly what a gathering of believers looks like.

Have you ever been to a beautiful location where a picture or video cannot do it justice?  The vibrant colours and grandeur cannot translate fully to film or an SD card.  If if is impossible to capture a nature scene of the beautiful things God has made, how can you hope to convey the glorious assembly of God's people filled with the Holy Spirit pouring out their hearts in praise to Him in one accord?  Well, everyone might be if they weren't taking and reviewing so many pictures.  Better than a picture to memorialise the occasion, how about turning your focus to God alone so the crowd and the voices fade away as you approach God's throne in humble praise?  There will be no mobile phones in heaven, no recordings of worship music, and no digital mixing or amplification.  They will be completely unnecessary, for we will praise God in real time with all the heavenly hosts.  I exhort you brothers and sisters for the sake of God's glory, consider leaving your device in your pocket during the service - or at home!  As we gather in the name of Jesus and praise Him, there is no room for selfies because it is all about Him.

God Will Not Fail You

I was young when I watched "Star Wars" for the first time, and my favourite character was the villain Darth Vader.  Dressed in black with his distinct helmet, flowing cape, mechanical breathing, and red light saber, he captured my imagination.  His powers and persona were far greater than any clean-cut uniformed imperial officer or the expendable Stormtroopers.  As the saga of films continued, each installment revealed additional powers and abilities never seen before.  Darth Vader's supernatural abilities in "Empire Strikes Back" were tempered by his seemingly incompetent Admirals whom he dispatched with force-chokes.  He famously said as Admiral Ozzel breathed his last, "You have failed me for the last time."  Definitely not the kind of monster anyone wants as their superior!

What prompted me to consider Vader's warnings of his men "failing" him was a verse I read this morning in the book of Joshua.  This verse shows the grace and power of God, and revealed that for all his supernatural powers and knowledge, Darth Vader was a weak leader.  When Darth Vader's admirals failed, he also failed.  His plans were thwarted by their poor judgments and incompetence.  There were no learning moments, and no room for error:  in the end all Vader could do was kill those he viewed as failures and install a weaker leader in their place, thus perpetuating the cycle of failure.  Their efforts or profession of loyalty meant nothing, for Vader had no loyalty to those he ruled with fear.

When Joshua was called and established by God to lead the people of Israel after the death of Moses, God encouraged him with promises.  God did not "swear in" Joshua concerning his personal loyalty or make a promise to do his best:  God was the One who made promises to Joshua!  God said in Joshua 1:5, "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."  What a contrast!  Darth Vader said menacingly to his underlings "Do not fail me," but God said, "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."  What confidence Joshua could have in a God who had called him and promised not to fail him!  The NKJV rendering of "fail" is "leave," and God's presence would remain with Joshua to guide and help him.  How wonderful it is to have a God who will not fail us.

Isn't it amazing God would say to a humble servant, "I will not fail you?"  God takes born failures, common sinners who have no ability in our flesh to accomplish His will, and He promises not to fail us.  This world, governments, policies, businesses, money, and all that is in this world will eventually fail us.  Only in God is there salvation, redemption, and eternal life.  God's love never fails, and He has promised to never leave or forsake us.  When man promises he will not fail it means nothing, but when God says it we can count on His goodness, grace, and power forever.  Like it or not, we fail.  But God did not fail Joshua, and He will not fail me, you, or anyone who places their trust in Him.

Bread of Revival

When praying about revival this morning, an Old Testament passage popped into my mind.  It concerned the Egyptian servant David and his men found near death in a field whilst pursuing the band who plundered and burned Ziklag.  The men mourned the loss of their wives and children taken captive by the Amalekite raiders.  After David inquired of God, He bid them to pursue and overtake their enemy and they would recover all.

As David and his 400 men pursued the troop, we read in 1 Samuel 30:11-12, "Then they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David; and they gave him bread and he ate, and they let him drink water. ¹² And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. So when he had eaten, his strength came back to him; for he had eaten no bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights."  The KJV describes the effect of eating and drinking in this way:  "...and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him."  In other words, eating bread and drinking water revived the man.  The cake of figs and clusters of raisins caused the man's strength to come back to him.  Without adequate food the strength of the Egyptian waned, and what is true in the physical realm in this case is true spiritually.  Feeding on the Word of God has the capacity to revive our weary souls.

I remember a t-shirt in the 80's which read something like, "7 days without reading the Bible makes one weak."  This is certainly true and the sentiment is appreciated by lovers of puns, yet we must do more than read the Bible like we would other books.  We must come to the scripture empty and hungry, expecting to receive something from the LORD.  Our souls must be engaged with this spiritually discerned book with the intent to obey, and this is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Even as the Egyptian was too weak to help himself, so we need to submit to God's power to nourish us.  Genuine revival cannot happen without God, prayer, and the Word of God.  Only God has the words of life and can raise the dead to life.

An additional principle on this theme can be gleaned from the passage.  Once the Egyptian's strength returned to him, he agreed to lead David and his men to his former master under one condition.  His master had abandoned him and left him to die due to illness, and he said in 1 Samuel 30:15, "...Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this troop."  This Egyptian had been treated as expendable once and valued his life.  As bad as death would be for David to deliver him to his previous master!  When our spirits are revived, we ought to use our newfound strength to shift our allegiances from the old life to a new one.  Having been delivered from a sinful malaise, those who are quickened by the Holy Spirit will despise and avoid the old life devoid of love or compassion which held us in bondage.

The first thing mentioned the man was given to eat was bread, and this is suggestive.  It reminds me how Jesus Christ is the Living Bread come down from heaven, the Word which became flesh and dwelt among us.  Those who partake of Him by faith will live forever!  After eating bread the Egyptian was given water to drink, and Jesus is the One who sends the Holy Spirit as Living Water which refreshes our souls.  Instead of skimming the scriptures, how important it is to be immersed in them.  What we read we also should put into practice.  It's amazing how we become alive to the scriptures when we do this!  Praise God for the richness of His Word and the soul-sustaining truth provided therein.  Feeling weak?  Open the scriptures with a hungry heart and receive all God says.

Meekness of Wisdom

"Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. ¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom."

James 3:11-13

God's wisdom is in utter contrast to the wisdom of the world.  We are naturally devoid of God's wisdom, and having been born again through faith in Christ we can walk in God's wisdom.  The truth is our attitudes and choices do not always line up with the wisdom revealed in Jesus Christ.  Just like a fig tree bears figs and a fresh spring provides fresh water, the wisdom of God is marked by meekness.  There ought to be agreement between our words and deeds according to God's standard of righteousness.

A fellow believer pointed out this connection to me this morning, that good conduct reveals our works are "done in the meekness of wisdom."  God's wisdom appears foolish to men.  Jesus came with all authority in heaven and earth and He willingly humbled Himself, made Himself of no reputation, and was the servant of all.  He is Wisdom for us from God (1 Cor. 1:30), and He was revealed in meekness.  He was not boastful, arrogant, or threaten His enemies but prayed for them and served them.  He did not raise His voice on the streets to attract followers or likes.  He was content to do the will of the Father without fanfare or recognition.  Even His brothers criticised Jesus in this area, how He seemed reluctant to reveal Himself to the world or garner attention (John 7:1-13).  This wisdom is demonstrated in meekness by faith in God - something the world perceives as weak and useless.

If we were unsure of the difference between the wisdom of God and man, James provides details in the following verses.  James 3:14-17 says, "But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."  The wisdom of the world says we need to look out for self, promote self, and protect self.  When we feel our needs are going unmet or our efforts have not been recognised, envy and self-seeking move us to assert ourselves rather than trust God.  The wisdom of man says it is fine to lie as long as I benefit and no harm is done to others.  Satan is the father of lies, and this kind of "wisdom" is evil and comes from him.

God's wisdom stands in stark contrast to this and is described as "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruit, without partiality and without hypocrisy."  This is a very good working description of "the meekness of wisdom."  Instead of being fuelled by selfish ambition or envy, wisdom from God exudes grace and compassion towards others.  It is pure and righteous, without favouritism or hypocrisy.  There should be agreement between the way we are thinking, feeling, and acting.  The world angles for personal advantage, recognition, and reward, yet the wisdom of God bring rest and comfort to our hearts because we realise God is sovereign and in control.  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and God's wisdom is demonstrated in meekness because we know God who is the Almighty, a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.