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#136: Awareness of God's Presence Dec 24, 2020

Show notes

I read the tragic story of a young woman who had committed suicide. She was found dead in her apartment after self-inflicted wounds.
On the outside, no one would really know that she was struggling. She was not on drugs, she was not an alcoholic. She was not on welfare. She had never been to jail. She was not a social outcast. She was respectable. She had a career. She jogged. Prior to Covid she hosted parties for her friends. She had an apartment that overlooked a bay.
So, what was it that led to her being so low that she took her own life? She was lonely. Her diary was found next to her bed and it revealed the inner life and struggles of this young woman.
In her loneliness -- she wrote in her diary -- "I see people together & I'm so jealous I want to throw up. -- What about me? -- What about me?” "Who is going to love me? -- I feel so old. -- Unloved. -- Abandoned. -- I want to cry & sleep forever.”
My heart breaks reading a story like that. I think why didn’t she know Jesus? Why didn’t someone tell her about the relationship should could have had with Christ that would have given her hope, joy, and strength. I wish she could have known the presence of God that fills our lives.
One of the Christmas carols we sing this time of year is O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. The English edition of this song was created in the year 1851 but some historians think the song dates back to around 800 AD. The author obviously had a rich knowledge of both Old and New Testaments. Because of the way in which faith is presented in this carol, this song has been was translated into many languages and is sang at Christmas time all over the world.
The first verse says,
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
I’m struck with the phrase… “We mourn in lonely exile until the Son of God appear…”
In Matthew 1 the angel appears to Joseph and says, “Mary will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”
The angel is repeating what the Prophet Isaiah had said 700 years before. His name will be Immanuel…God with us. What do these words mean? God is with us?
John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
So many are alone this Christmas….not just alone without family and friends, but alone from the presence of God.
The woman in our story who took her own life was lonely, even though she had friends.
We have found out that even the best of friends cannot meet our desire for the ULTIMATE friendship. Even people with whom we share a a lot in common can’t be around all the time. Lifelong friends move away or die.
The amazing thing about God is that he is a friend who alway understands. His presence is always with us, even when others are not. He is the ultimate Companion. I understand you—everything about you. I have been there. I have lived life as a human being and unlike other friends I can and will be with you WHEREVER YOU GO in life.” Because of Jesus—because of EMMANUEL—God is with us—ALWAYS! In Hebrews 13:5 God says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
I pray this Christmas you have a renewed sense of God’s presence in your life.
Today’s Challenge: If you have never experienced God’s presence in a personal way—if you’ve never asked Jesus to come in to your heart and life, you don’t have to be ALONE. God can and will come into your life—but only if you invite Him in.

#135: Persistent Prayer Dec 23, 2020

Show notes

I’ll never forget a quote by Billy Graham. He once said, “Heaven is full of answers to prayers for which no one ever bothered to ask.” This quote has stayed with me for quite some time. James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask God.”
Sometimes our problem is that we haven’t asked God at all, but another problem is that we have stopped asking him. We started out well, but along the way became discouraged, and we gave up.
In Luke 18, Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow. It’s a story about a woman who needed assistance. She kept coming back to the judge. She didn’t stop. Eventually, the judge answered her request. The point of the story is if an earthly judge is willing to answer the persistent request of a person, how much more will our good Father answer our requests.
In verse 1 of Luke 18 we learn why Jesus told the parable. The bible says, “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
Can I ask you a question? What prayers have you given up on?
•1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray continually.” Pray until the answer comes. We know that God answers prayer according to his will. We often do not know God’s will in a particular situation, so we continue to pray and believe. In God’s time he will answer. Here are some things I’m learning about persevering in prayer:
•Perseverance in prayer builds character and faithfulness
•We persist in prayer because we expect God to answer our prayers. Prayer is always to be connected with faith.
•God never delays his answers because of a lack of care or a lack of power
Here’s something to understand: Persistence in prayer is for our benefit, not God’s.
If we always got exactly what we wanted the first time we asked, we would inevitably begin to treat God as our genie, only summoned forth to give us more wishes. But that is precisely what prayer calls into question: What do you really want?
Persistence brings us to the true center of prayer, which is not something but someone. Persistence deepens our relationship with God and compels the heart to examine what it really wants most. When I pray do I really want God’s will? Do I want God even more than I want what I am asking for?
I am confident that there have been many times I have prayed for things that were not good for me. They seemed good at the moment. I may have even thought they were God’s will. But later, I realized I was misguided and even selfish in my prayers. God answering my prayers, the way I desired would have been terrible for me.
God uses persistence in prayer to purge our desires. God also uses persistence in prayer to mold, even transform, our desires, to change how we pray and even what we are praying for so that we gradually come to pray closer to the heart of God’s will.
The Apostle Paul prayed three times for a “thorn in the flesh” to be removed. He never tells us what it is, simply that it is painful, a source of torment, “a messenger of Satan.” When God didn’t answer his prayer as asked, Paul changed how he was praying. He prayed that God would help him to rely on God’s grace, God’s strength, God’s power, which was made perfect in Paul’s weakness.
No doubt you have your story of frustrations in prayer. Be encouraged this morning. Persistence does not guarantee that you will get what you asked for, but it does promise you will get something better…a deeper and more intimate relationship with God.
Today’s Challenge: Do we trust that God is in control? Do we trust that he know best for our lives? Are we confident that he loves us? If the answer to those questions is yes, then keep praying. Keep waiting on God. He is faithful.

#134: Renewing Your Mind Dec 22, 2020

Show notes

I remember buying my first car. I had worked hard all summer and saved my money. I noticed a guy near our church had a car out front with a for sale sign on it. My Dad and I went to check it out. He wanted a $1,000 for the car, but with my great negotiation skills, I was able to get him down to $950. It was a 1979 Datsun Station Wagon. The color was yellow. And the car was mine.
I noticed though after driving a bit that the car pulled hard to the right side of the road. If I were to take my hands off the wheel, the car would eventually went off the road and into the ditch.
Have you ever driven a car that tends to pull in one direction? It means the car is out of alignment. Have you ever had a car that was out alignment?
Let me ask you another question: Is your life out of alignment? Is it in alignment with God’s Word?
It all starts in our thought life. Your thoughts tend to pull to one direction. It might be self-pity. It might be unforgiveness. It might be fear. It might be lust. By faith we put both hands on the wheel and turn the steering wheel of our minds back to God.
I don’t have to convince you that we all struggle with this. Our minds are very often disobedient to God. All of the sudden you will catch yourself. Why am I so worried? Why am I so afraid? You didn’t wake up and consciously decide to feel resentful and bitter? What happened? Your thoughts went that way and you entertained them. Ever notice that your thoughts are rebellious? When you start to pray, your thoughts drift away.
How can I bring my thoughts under control? How can I renew my mind? How can I come to the place where my thought life pleases God?
Romans 12:2 – “Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Three guidelines God’s Word gives us to renew our minds:
•Examine my thoughts
Psalm 139:23 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts”

We have to ask God to help us to monitor our thoughts. We pray something like this… “Lord, this morning as I begin my day, I want my entire life to honor you…what I do, what I say, and even what I think… Father, if I am thinking things that conflict with your Word, reveal them to me.”
•Focus my thoughts
Colossians 3:2 – “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Not only is it important to monitor your thought, but with God’s help you can also, focus your thoughts. You can give direction to your thoughts. I can begin to tell my mind where I want it to go.
•Feed my mind
This brings us to the third tool God gives us to have victory in our thought life. I can learn to feed my mind. I can be intentional about what I put in my mind.
Of course the best way to feed our mind spiritually is with God’s Word. When you think on the powerful truths of Scripture, God uses His Word to change your way of thinking. The Bible teaches that our minds can be renewed.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)
Today’s Challenge: Be honest and take inventory of your thought life. Does it honor God? Do you need your mind to be renewed? Your life won’t be transformed until you submit your way of thinking to Christ. Today’s let’s set our thoughts on things that are pleasing to God.

#133: The Doctrine of the Virgin Birth Dec 21, 2020

Show notes

The message of Christmas is that God came down to be born as a human. By being fully God and fully man, Jesus was able to become our sacrificial savior. The doctrine of the virgin birth is as essential today as it ever was.
The Virgin Birth falls on one of the great fault lines of the Christian faith. It rests on the “great divide” that separates those who believe the Bible is God’s Word, and those who don’t.
It separates those who believe in a supernatural Christ from those who believe he was just a good man, a moral teacher, a revolutionary, a prophet perhaps, but not the Son of God from heaven.
The virgin birth is the catalyst to everything that follows. It signals that there is something heavenly about this child. He is the God-man. He is fully human (born of Mary) but fully God (conceived by the Holy Spirit). There is no other child like him. He is God’s agent of mercy, sent into the world by the will of the Lord.
I believe in the miracle of the virgin birth. This belief is essential for our faith and our salvation. Like many of the things God has done, and still does, the virgin birth is a miracle. If you don’t believe in miracles, then you don’t believe in the God of the Bible. All the time He does things that are unexplainable. He does things that only He can do.
The virgin birth is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
Isaiah prophesied it 700 years before Christ’s birth.
Isaiah 7:14 - “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
The virgin birth is a critical piece of God’s plan of salvation.
Matthew 1:21 - “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

If Jesus had been conceived by natural means, if Joseph, or any other man had been his father, Jesus would not have been the Son of God, and could not have been our savior. His death on the cross would have been the same as any other man put to death by Roman soldiers.
Only someone perfect could offer his life as a sacrifice for humanity. God alone is holy, and so God alone could atone for man’s sin.
If we deny the virgin birth, we are denying that Jesus is God’s son…and in doing so we have denied the very essence of Christianity.
Everything else the Bible teaches about Jesus hinges on this truth that we celebrate today - Jesus is God in human flesh.
Today’s Challenge: Our only proper response to this great truth is worship. Like the wise men who knelt to worship Jesus, may we give him our praise, our worship, our allegiance, and our very lives.

#132: The Cost of Following Jesus Dec 20, 2020

Show notes

It’s amazing how if we don’t want to do something, we can find an excuse. And that’s even true when it comes to following Jesus. There is a cost of following Jesus, and its not a price that everyone wants to pay.
We don’t purchase our salvation through our efforts. Jesus has already done that for us with his sacrificial death on the cross, but following Him will cost us time, effort, resources, commitment, and even sacrifice.
There’s a story in Luke 9 where Jesus is having a conversation with a potential disciple. The man had good intentions but he wasn’t all in.
Luke 9:57-62 - “As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Jesus stressed to this man the commitment necessary to follow Him. We must have a similar determination as a farmer plowing a field, who must do it with all his strength and always looking forward.
In following Jesus, we are to keep our eyes on Jesus, and never take our eyes off Him.
In Luke 9:59, Jesus is talking with three men about following him. What did the me do? They made an excuses. One was worried about where they would stay. Another wanted to wait until his father passed away. The third man wanted to go home first.
Jesus wasn’t saying these men shouldn’t care for their families. We know God’s Word teaches us to do that. Jesus realized these men had not thought it through carefully. They had not considered the cost. They hadn’t thought of the hardship, the rejection, and the persecution that would inevitably follow.
Commitment to Christ cannot be a casual, whenever-you-find-the-time matter.
We comfort ourselves with the fact that we “desire” to follow Jesus and we “want to be more committed”. We feel quite spiritual and noble in our desires but the problem is that it is just talk! Good intentions are not the same thing as discipleship.
Here’s a powerful truth to consider: If Jesus is not Lord of all, he is not Lord at all.
For the glory of Jesus, we willingly give him our lives. We surrender our dreams, goals, and ambitions. We give him our time, talents, and treasure. We risk our reputation, our security, and possibly, even our physical lives.
God isn’t calling us to a safe, comfortable, predictable Christianity. He is calling us to join him in the greatest endeavor in the world…to make disciples of all nations. Following him is not the easy life, but it’s the only life worth living.
Let me ask you…If there comes a point in your life where you are faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—which will you choose?
Is it costly to follow Jesus? Yes, but it is worth it. Paul said in Romans 8:18 - “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Yes, friends, it will be worth it all when we see Jesus.
Today’s Challenge: Make yourself available to God. Go all in. Make a decision. Stop riding the fence. Surrender. Make a commitment to follow Jesus. Yes, there is a cost, but Jesus is worthy of you and I giving our all to Him.

#131: Coming Back to God After Failure Dec 19, 2020

Show notes

Have you ever heard of a guy named Ronald Wayne? Probably not. On April 1, 1976 he helped start a little company with a guy named Steve Jobs. You know that name. The company was called Apple. His job was to oversee mechanical engineering and documentation, all in exchange for a 10 percent stake in the business. 12 days later, he became nervous about the debt the new company had taken on and sold his 10% stake in the company for $800. CNBC estimates that his 10% share today would be worth more than $80 billion dollars.
Well, that is a colossal mistake, and while it would be easy to think of Ronald Wayne as a failure, we all know what failure feels like. We fail in different ways, but none of us are strangers to failure.
Failure often produces a lot of negative feelings and emotions. Maybe you have battled rejection, guilt, shame, reproach, and fear. Maybe you have heard the lies of Satan telling you that you will never get over this. You will never move forward.
Micah 7:8 - “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.”
What does God want you to do after failure? He wants you to get back up.
Failure doesn’t mean you have blown everything. It means you have some hard lessons to learn.
It doesn’t mean you are a permanent loser. It means you aren’t as smart as you thought you were.
It doesn’t mean you should give up. It means you need the Lord to show you the next step.
It doesn’t mean that God has abandoned you. It means that God a better plan.
I’ve noticed there are two limiting beliefs that keep people from being restored to God.
1.Pride – Without humility restoration is not possible. Pride says I’m not going to admit I did anything wrong. Pride says I don’t want anyone to know I did anything wrong. Pride says it’s someone else’s fault. Pride refuses to take responsibility.
2.I will never get over my mistake – You go to bed thinking of your failure. You wake up in the morning thinking of your failure. You are trapped in the past and have come to believe you can never move forward. You truly question whether God could love you and forgive you. Your limited belief system has robbed you of a better future in God.
Somebody listening needs to hear these words: God has a way of bringing things back from failure. As long as you have breath, you have a chance! It may feel like the world is finished with you, but God is not. Maybe you failed, but you’re not a failure. You made a mistake, but you are not a mistake.
Maybe today you feel paralyzed by your failure. Here’s the path forward.
Restoration always begins with confession and repentance.
Confessing our sin means to see it as God sees it. It means to agree with God that our sin is an act of sinful rebellion.
I was asked one time, “Pastor Loren how do I know if I have truly repented?” This is important because a lot of people misunderstand repentance. When a person repents they….
-Stop making excuses
-Understand that all sin is a rebellion against God
-They reveal sorrow for the sinful act, not simply a sorrow for the consequence.
-Genuinely want to change
-They are broken and humble
Ask for forgiveness. Receive forgiveness.
The only reason we are able to be forgiven and restored is because Jesus died on the cross for our sins. His death pays the way. It offers us hope, restoration, and transformed life, and a relationship with God.
Today’s Challenge: If you have failed, come to Jesus today and be restored. Your failure doesn’t have to be final.

#130: Why We Need Accountability Dec 18, 2020

Show notes

King Solomon said in Proverbs 27:17 - “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
Anyone who has ever owned a knife understands this proverb. When iron becomes blunt, another piece of iron is used to sharpen it. That process necessarily involves heat, friction, and very close contact. There’s an old say, “You can’t sharpen an ax from a distance.”
The New Testament talks a lot about our need for being accountable to one another. As we live our in close proximity to one another, we share what we are learning and how we are growing. We can confess our sins and weaknesses to one another and have people ask us the hard questions. Consider these verses:
James 5:16 - Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 - Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Galatians 6:2 - Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Accountability in Christian relationships is important because it removes the element of isolation from each Christian's walk.
I need people in my life who will help me stay on track, believers who will look out my spiritual well-being. We all need this.
You might be tempted to think, “I don’t need this. I’m doing fine. I’m strong enough spiritually.”
Have you ever seen these Neighborhood Watch signs? It’s a sign of community. It says we watch out for one another here. It’s my job to help you stay safe and your job to help me stay safe.
Here’s an important question: Is anybody watching out for your soul? You may have neighbors who will watch over your home, but is there anybody in your life who helps you stay on track spiritually? Is there anybody who loves you enough to say, “I’m not going to let you get discouraged. I’m not going to let you drop out of church. I’m here for you. I’m here to support you and encourage you to keep trusting Jesus.”
Are you alone spiritually? Is there anyone who holds you accountable? Have you let people in? Have you give anyone permission to ask you the hard questions? Do they know the real you? Are you afraid that if they knew, they wouldn’t accept you? That fear does not come from God. It’s Satan’s attempt to keep you from experiencing the power and strength of coming together with other believers. We journey together. No one struggles alone.
So, how do we find this much-needed accountability?

Pray and ask God to lead you to a trust person and ask them to form an accountability relationship?
Decide on a time, place, and the frequency of meeting. It doesn’t have to be in person. One of my accountability partners and I have agreed to text each other every morning. This agreement has strengthened my relationship with God.
With your accountability partner, discuss how you both want to grow spiritually?
Decide on a set of goals to accomplish or questions you will ask
Commit to praying for one another.

Accountability forces us to be honest and real. It’s in this kind of relationship that we take the mask of and our true self is revealed. It’s here that real spiritual growth moves to the next level.
Today’s Challenge: Determine where you in your life you are struggling and begin to pursue an accountability relationship for the purpose of spiritual growth. This is the missing part of so many Christians’ lives.

#129: Studying the Bible in Context Dec 17, 2020

Show notes

Understanding scripture and being biblically literate is a problem in today’s church. Ed Stetzer wrote a blog post on this topic. He said…
Both inside and outside the church, there is a problem. Non-Christians don’t have even the general idea of the Bible they once did. Christians are not seeing the life change that real Bible engagement brings. The result is a nation in spiritual free fall…
There is no excuse. It’s not as if we don’t have access. The average American—Christian or not—owns at least three Bibles. Even those who don’t have one in their home can download it free to their smartphone...The Word of God is more available than ever.
Simply put, we have a biblical literacy deficit in part because we have a spiritual maturity deficit.
Well, I agree with Stetzer. One of the challenges is that while some read the Bible, most do not study the Bible. As a result, we do not understand what we are reading. If we don’t understand, it’s not likely we will apply it.
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” -2 Timothy 2:15
The Bible contains God’s messages to us, but if we cannot properly interpret what it says, we’re destined to become confused, misinterpret and probably misapply biblical content.
The first rule of Bible study is to interpret it in context. Taking verses out of context leads to all kinds of error and misunderstanding.
Understanding context begins with four principles:
literal meaning (what it says),
historical setting (the events of the story, to whom is it addressed, and how it was understood at that time),
grammar (the immediate sentence and paragraph within which a word or phrase is found)
Comparison (comparing it with other parts of Scripture for a fuller meaning)
This process keeps us from cherry-picking verses out of the bible to make them say what we want. If we interpret the Bible correctly, it the verse can only mean what it it means in context of the surrounding verses.
We must consider each verse in the light of the surrounding verses, the book in which it is found, and the entire Word of God.
As you study, ask yourself: Is my interpretation of a passage of Scripture consistent with the theme, purpose, and structure of the book in which it is found? Is it consistent with other Scripture about the same subject? Am I considering the historic and cultural context?
Never take a Scripture out of its context to make it say what you want it to say. Discover what the author is saying; don’t add to his meaning.
The Word of God is rich and alive. It’s powerful to speak deep into our hearts and lives. Thought it, we come to know God in a personal way.
Today’s Challenge: If you are not studying the Word of God, we not start now. Join a small group through your church. Even if your church is not meeting because of Covid restriction, most churches have online groups. The study of God’s Word will help you grow in your relationship with God.

#128: Building Your Life on a Good Foundation Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

In the year 1173 an Italian architect began work on an eight story bell tower. The tower would be his most famous project. A few years into construction it became apparent, there was a big problem. During construction of the second floor it was noticeable. The tower was leaning. The tower had an inadequate foundation due to soil that was too soft on one side. It took 176 years for the eight story tower to be completed, yet in spite of many attempts to keep the tower from leaning, today it is nearly 15 feet away from where it should be. We call it the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The builders designed a magnificent building on the outside, but failed to make sure the foundation was sufficient.
Matthew 7:24-27 - “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
We are introduced to two men in this story. By all appearances they may have looked the same, used the same tools, and both were committed to build a home for their families. They may have used identical building materials. They shopped at the same Home Depot. They both worked hard, but while they are similar in some respects, they are distinctly different.
Jesus says one man was wise. One was foolish.
Both men built a house for their family. On the outside they may have looked the same but there was one significant difference. One had a strong foundation. The other did not.
The main difference between the two builders is that only one took the time and determination to dig down to the sold rock and anchor his house to that which would not move. The foundation of his house was secured to the rock, while the foundation of the other house settled on sand. The nature of sand is to be shifting, sliding, and sinking, while a rock is stationary, strong, and secure.
Over the past several years we have seen some of the worst storm seasons in history. I think about the impact of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Maria. It is almost unbelievable. The devastation storms can have is incredible. There is one aspect we do understand though…storms are no respecter of persons. The hurricanes didn’t just hit wealthy neighborhoods, or poor neighborhoods. The storm impacted everyone.
No one is immune from adversity….loss of loved ones, sickness, financial difficulties, stress, confusion, fear, and worry. etc.
What matters is the foundation. What your build your life on will be revealed in the storm.
Hearing and obeying God’s Word is how we build our lives on a solid foundation. We could say it like this: If you want your life to last, listen to Jesus and live what he says. It’s the only way to stand against the storms of this life.
What are you building your life upon? How is your foundation? o99 Are you building your life on the foundation of God’s Word?
A foundation built on sand: building on success, building on happiness, building on the approval of others, building on relationships, building on material possessions, building on your own desires…none of this will stand when the storm comes.
There is only one foundation….Jesus Christ.
Today’s Challenge: Today do some soul searching, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you if you are truly building your life on the only foundation that will stand. Begin applying God’s Word to your daily life and experience the stability that results.

#127: Living in a Selfie-Focused Culture Dec 15, 2020

Show notes

In 2013 a new word was added to the Oxford English dictionary. It was the word selfie.
Most of us have posted them all over social media. This word is so familiar and entrenched in our day to day life that we have trouble remembering what life was like before social media.
Think about what a selfie really is: a picture, perfectly crafted to present the very best image of ourselves. We control the lighting and our expression. We can delete the image if the smile is wrong, hold the camera a little higher to make our eyes appear larger or add a filter to cover our imperfections. These pictures are way more than a self-portrait. They are a declaration of how we want others to see us and the ultimate publicity campaign for ourselves. When posted on social media, selfies translate into “likes” and “comments” and provide instant confirmation that we are accepted.
I recently read about Dr. Levi Harrison, a San Francisco based physician is warning people about taking too many selfies. He is diagnosing patients with what he calls, “selfie-wrist”, a form of carpal tunnel syndrome. It’s a tingling, sharp pain which comes from flexing your wrist inward or by holding your phone too long.
A 2018 study discovered that in the past six years there have been 259 deaths associated with taking a selfie. In front of a train, on a cliff, near a wild animal, even in front of a tornado.
We live in a selfie culture. It’s estimated that 1,000 selfies are posted on Instagram every second. One definition said, “A selfie is an unrealistic depiction of ourself, a planned representation of what we want to look like. It’s a polished image.
There’s nothing wrong with taking a selfie, and I’m not here today to tell us all to stop posting them I have something much more important to talk about. I believe our obsession with selfies can be linked to a spiritual problem. The struggle for our identity. It is the tension of who we are and who we want to be.
Our world is facing an identity crisis. The deep cry of this generation is “Who am I?” This longing and this confusion over identity fuels the need to be noticed which produces many of the selfies posted today.
For the Christian, identity shouldn’t be an issue. The Bible makes it very clear. We have been created in the image of God. Jesus paid for my sins on the cross, verifying my worth to God. The Bible says I have been called, chosen, accepted, forgiven, and redeemed. I am a child of God and my name is written in Heaven.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
So, why do we struggle so much with identity? We struggle because:

Identity gives us a sense of security
We crave the approval and affirmation of other people…so we pretend
We are afraid of rejection so we attempt to meet social expectations
We allow others to define us.

So, if you are a follower of Christ, let me tell you what God’s Word says about your true identity.

You are a child of God - John 1:12
You are a new creation in Christ - 2 Corinthians 5:17
You are God’s workmanship - Ephesians 2:10
You are a friend of God - John 15:15
You are a citizen of Heaven - Philippians 3:20
You are a member of Christ’s body - 1 Corinthians 12:27
You are more than a conqueror - Romans 8:32

Today’s Challenge: Let’s reject the labels our culture attempts to put on us. Let’s rest in the security of knowing who we are in Christ. Let’s find contentment in the love of God and believe he has accepted us as his children.

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