Let's take a Selfie!"

You would have to be living under a rock in this day and time to have never heard of a “selfie”. According to research millions are shared each and every day across all the major social media platforms. It is a phenomenon of our generation. I take selfies and I’m sure most of you reading this article do as well. When it comes to social media, I consider my pages on FACEBOOK and TWITTER to be we…a reflection of me. I mean it bears my name therefore; it should bear my character, right? Without being too deep…shouldn’t we be careful concerning the things we post, type, tag and “like?” Recently my Pastor brought the message, “The connection between the heart and the mouth.” It was a simple yet profound word on how the things in our heart, will eventually come out of our mouths and affect us in many ways, spiritually as well as naturally and even physically. Don’t believe me? Have you ever seen a news report of someone who had hate in their heart for someone else, and when that hate come out of their mouths tragic things took place? He explained to us how the heart is really the place we make our decisions. When people take and post selfies in my opinion they just want to share something about themselves or how they are feeling, with others they are connected to. Like it or not, there is a big connection between the heart and one’s FACEBOOK page. So…what about doing a “spiritual selfie?” Often times we go about our daily lives without taking self-evaluations. A selfie is just a picture of someone, a depiction or reflection of them in other words. Ask yourself questions like what am I reflecting or depicting today? What are people seeing when they look at me? Some may say these things are not important but I beg to differ. As Christians the way we carry ourselves, the things we say and even the things we post or “like” can tell others quite a different story about us that we intend. Not only that but we must be concerned with what God sees when He checks out the “selfie of our hearts.” I Samuel 16:7 says in part, “For the Lord does not see as man see; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” The thoughts looming in our hearts matter a great deal to God. Psalms 51:10 says Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” So let us all take the time to take a “spiritual selfie”. Look deep inside your heart and evaluate what God sees when you post that picture into the atmosphere. Think about it.

Don't take the mercy for granted!

I recently read a very interesting article on the internet. It talked about how a murderer was released from prison as a free man after two failed attempts to execute him for his crimes. The article stated that a man who had murdered his family was sentenced to die by lethal injection. It went on to say that the drug used in the first stage of the injection which should render a person unconscious or brain dead, did not affect his system. After this failed attempt the judge ruled that he must still be put to death and gave him the option of a second injection attempt or to be electrocuted. According to the article he chose to die by electrocution. However they reported that when the switch was thrown the chair failed to operate. In instead of trying again, the article said they removed the man from the chair and threw the switch again. When the chair operated perfectly they decided it had all been an act of God’s mercy and they released him out into the world a free man. Now I later found out that of course this article was bogus, but it did of course get me to thinking about God’s mercy, which is poured out on us so many times, undeserving. Psalms 103:11-12 reads, “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy towards those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms 103:17, in part says, “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him.” I don’t know about you but I know several people who say they appreciate God’s grace and mercy on a daily basis but they take it for granted because refuse to submit to His will and live totally for Him. These scriptures are telling us that we can be the recipients of God’s mercy if we fear or reverence and respect Him. In order to do that we must love Him and in order to love Him we must keep Him first in our lives. I’m not perfect by any means, but I do make it my business to walk, talk, live in integrity and please God on not only a daily but hourly basis. In this day and time so many have turned away from the faith, but remember God’s mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. This means that it is never too late to take advantage of His mercy, repent and live for Him only as long as you have breath in your body. Mercy has to do with “not getting what you deserve.” It is the compassion of one upon another. If it were not for God’s mercy, take a moment and reflect upon what you deserve or where you deserve to be right this moment as a result of your deeds. Now realize that God’s mercy never fails so don’t take it for granted. Think about it.