Ecclesiastes 1:2
King James Version
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher,
vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
It's all me, me, me these days.
We are entranced with our own beauty.
With our achievements, and self-importance.
We have so many platforms to promote "me".
Satan studied us well.
He works through many forms of media.
He is, after all, the "prince of the power of the air".
Ephesians 2:2-3
King James Version
2 Wherein in time past ye walked
according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that now worketh
in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had
our conversation in times past
in the lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind;
and were by nature the children of wrath,
even as others.
He promotes those who promote him.
All who promote self, promote self-grandeur.
The very reason for Satan's fall.
So, he gave us many platforms to show off.
That we, too, may fall.
Mind you, there's nothing benevolent about Satan.
He knows the buttons to push.
He gave us many "toys", to keep us occupied.
He feeds on greed, pride, and vanity.
He knows man's weakness.
He knows the lusts of our flesh.
He knows the workings of our mind.
He knows we are all voyeurs.
We like to see, and be seen.
We are all in the scene of sin.
We are all drowning in the sea of sin.
He gave us the means to document everything.
And to send it over the airwaves.
Especially in today's wireless technology.
Maybe, the toilet's the only private place.
Or, is it?
Does the world revolve around us?
We take too many selfies.
Even chatting turned to video chatting.
You simply have to be seen -- by yourself.
People check how they look, as they talk to others.
Primping all the time.
Testing poses.
Checking for best angles.
Eyes on self, all the time.
Not really paying attention to conversations.
Unless we hear how good we look.
We have become pathetic creatures.
So hungry for praise.
The old telephones weren't so.
You talked to each other.
You strained your ear to the receiver.
Making sure you heard things right.
People really listened.
Now, you talk unli.
You check self unli.
You check likers unli.
The world has become a cauldron of demons in the making.
We've all gone demonic.
We have the spirit of the devil in us.
Like him, we are obsessed with self.
We don't really see other people's needs.
We don't really hear their needs.
We don't do anything about their needs.
Or we think we know their needs.
That's why we give them useless stuff.
Unless we take attention away, and apart from self, we remain blind.
And deaf, and dead.
It's all me, me, me.
Self, self, self.
Sell, sell, sell.
In case you thought that was enough?
Now, every selfie has matching music to go with it.
The air gets bombarded with music, to accompany an image.
Demanding everyone to pay attention to me, me, me.
How do I look?
How do I dance?
How do I sing?
Have I got what it takes?
In a highly-competitive world, it's the only way to catch attention.
Include invasive, blaring music.
To add to the cacophony.
Reflecting our desperation.
As if we are in our last throes of self-absorption.
To garner likes, followers, fans, money.
Everything has been monetized.
In truth?
Everything has been demonized.
Me, me, me.
Satan's surely gloating at people's zombie-ness.
We're all alive, and yet asleep.
We're all alive, and yet dead.
We're all steeped in sin.
But Scripture keeps reminding us:
Matthew 24:38-39
King James Version
38 For as in the days that were before the flood
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came,
and took them all away;
so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Satan has many devices.
Anything to distract, distort, and destroy.
That's why he likes your obsession with devices.
The more expensive, the better.
The more cameras, the better.
The higher the pixels, the better.
And yet it's all filter.
We can hide behind masks.
We can smooth those wrinkles.
We can crop other people out of the picture.
We can change everything about our faces.
We can perfect our bodies.
It's just a tap away.
People have sold their soul for vanity.
It's become a neurotic world.
You upgrade, and in a few months, another model comes through.
So you get rid of that "old" phone, and get a new one.
And if you don't have the cash to get one, won't do.
You holler that you simply need the latest.
So spoiled brats hound older folks.
Otherwise, you're not in the loop.
Otherwise, you're not accepted in a clique.
The busier you are with vanity, the farther you are from GOD.
That's the whole objective.
Me, me, me.
And not GOD, GOD, GOD.
In case you think Christians are immune to Satan's devices, it's not so.
Some are probably even worse.
I've watched enough sermons to come to a sad conclusion.
Twisted pastors know their power.
The world is full of pastors who distort GOD's WORD.
Those who need all the glitterati as they preach.
Those who are proud at the number of followers.
Pastors so absorbed in themselves.
They're in Satan's pocket, alright.
He knows the buttons to push -- for profit.
Fame, fortune, followers.
Same banana.
Cloaked as servants of GOD.
If you are born again, be very watchful.
Satan will want to trip you.
Through you, he wants to make mockery of GOD.
The enemy wants the churches defiled.
Look at leaders not faithful to their wives.
Look at churches that don't talk about the end times.
Look at churches that entertain, more than study the Bible.
You'd think it's one whole show.
And maybe it is.
And I can only look to JESUS.
My dearest, dearest LORD JESUS!
At how He ministered.
In all His simplicity.
No hoopla.
No bells and whistles.
No armed security.
Disappearing in a crowd.
A crowd that alternately loved Him.
Or wanted to lynch Him.
JESUS was not social media material.
Not that He would care to be.
Isaiah 53:1-3
King James Version
53 Who hath believed our report?
and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant,
and as a root out of a dry ground:
he hath no form nor comeliness;
and when we shall see him, there is no beauty
that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:
and we hid as it were our faces from him;
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
The LORD's focus was so different from the world.
He taught the gospel.
He saved the sinners.
He healed the sick.
He called all of us to love GOD, and each other.
He asked we follow His commandments.
He took on human form, that He may live, and walk among us.
He showed us what LOVE is.
And surely, it's not love of self.
It was all for GOD.
John 17:4
King James Version
4 I have glorified thee on the earth:
I have finished the work
which thou gavest me to do.
If I have so many blogs, it's because there's so much to share.
It's because being born again is wonderful.
It's because the times are urgent.
It's because Scripture has so much to teach.
It's because the Rapture can happen any moment.
Would you be with JESUS, too?
It's not about me, me, me.
Or you, you, you.
It's about others -- those who may perish.
It's about loving GOD.
It's about listening to His WORD.
It's about believing in JESUS.
It's about being taught by the HOLY SPIRIT.
May we be worthy of the LORD.
Acts 3:19
King James Version
19 Repent ye therefore,
and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out,
when the times of refreshing shall come
from the presence of the Lord.
Everything about self-obsession is destructive.
Look to JESUS instead.
Listen to His LIFE-giving WORD.
That is all that will remain anyway.
Not your wealth, beauty, or self-importance.
Not your friends, family, or followers.
The sooner you accept these things, the more peaceful you will be.
And you will find, you have no need for vanity.
Our life is but a vapor.
Ecclesiastes 12:7
King James Version
7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was:
and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Matthew 24:35
King James Version
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away,
but my words shall not pass away.
James 4:14
King James Version
14 Whereas ye know not
what shall be on the morrow.
For what is your life?
It is even a vapour,
that appeareth for a little time,
and then vanisheth away.
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ENDING the PREOCCUPATION with SELF
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