God Hates Selfies
God Hates Selfies
Love Thy Neighbor As Thy Selfie?
Every Social media seems to be loaded with pictures that users take of themselves. (When someone uses their camera or cellphone to take their own picture, that photo is called a ‘selfie’.) Some seem to be consumed with the daily posting of these pictures.
To the average viewer looking at the different poses everyday, it does seem to be a bit much over the top at times.
In 2013, the word “selfie” made it into the official Oxford dictionary. In fact, it was the “word of the year”.
But, getting back to the title of this post. Does God really hate selfies? He sure does. Humor me just a moment and see what I’m talking about.
He Doesn’t Like Your Selfies Unless He’s In It Too. He Doesn’t Want To Be A Photo Bomb In Your Selfie. He Wants To Be The Main Focus Of The Whole Picture.
As a very young man, I was leading the worship service one evening in our local church in South Bend. After service, my father, the pastor, said he wanted to talk to me a moment. That didn’t seem like it was going to be a good thing for me, from the sound of his voice.
Dad: “Son, have you noticed that God never seems to bless that chorus you sang tonight?”
Me: “What chorus dad?”
Dad: “Working for a mansion, a robe and a crown… that will be glory for me.”
Me: “No sir, I never noticed that.”
Dad: “Well… if you are going to lead the worship in this church you need to pay attention to what songs God blesses and which ones He doesn’t bless.”
Me: gulp, “Yes sir… I’m very sorry.”
Dad: “The reason He doesn’t bless that song here is because it is all about us. It’s about self. It’s not about Him. If you want the blessings of God on a song service, sing about Him. Sing about His mercy, sing about His grace, sing about His love, sing about His power, sing about His blood, sing about His Word, and sing about His Name. Sing about Him and He will always bless it.”
Me: “Yes sir. Thank you Daddy. Thank you very much!”
2 Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves,
In a generation dedicated to the pleasuring of its flesh, selfies just seem to be normal. But in His World, our self must decrease so that He might increase. He must be the Lord of all. He delights in our promotion of His Kingdom.
Never Forget That God Is A Jealous God.
Only when we humble and abase ourselves do we find the secret of exaltation.
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
The Gospel compels us to focus on Him and others, not on ourselves. It challenges us to get past our own little world and minister to others.
It asks us to go into the darkness around us and be the light of the world so that the glorious light of the Gospel can shine abroad unto the lost.
So, focus your heart’s camera on Him right now, take the best picture you can and then go show it to someone who has never seen anyone like Him before.
Remember… He ONLY likes ‘selfies’ when He is included in the picture.
Apostolic Expository Series
Christy Ballestero (My Beautiful DIL)
http://marciaballestero.com/
Pastor Anthony & Kim Ballestero, New Destiny Worship Center, Clearwater, FL (My Son)
Pastor Bryan & Christy Ballestero, Temple Of Pentecost, Raleigh, NC (My Son)
James Groce Blog – "Toward The Mark"
Kenneth Bow Blog
Kingdom Speak Podcast
Philip Harrelson – "The Barnabas Blog"
Verbal Bean Ministries
Holy Ghost Radio
The Ballestero Blog 
Beautifully written Bro. Ballestero; we are made in His Image, to reflect His image to others. Total success is when they don’t see us at all… Thank you for writing this, because it’s not just about a picture phenonmenon; it concerns everything we do.
Troy Bradley
April 7, 2014 at 11:18 am
workng on itp
matgaret
April 7, 2014 at 11:33 am
Thanks for a great and timely post. The past few years, I have had a complaint about the type of music in the church that seems to be doing away with Hymns. “God” is used in most of the lyrics when I feel, “Jesus” should be the name lifted up. Maybe it is just me, but one song, “Our God, Is an Awesome God,” grates on me. It leaves me cold. I almost feel angry when I hear it and songs that are of a similar vein. Why do not songs like, “Jesus Paid It All” or “Power in the Blood” bring out Praise and Worship as it once did. The “Mind set” that people want to hear “new” instead of “old” just makes no sense to me. Use the new but keep the old as well. Now that I am getting older, it seems that I might not be a relevant as I once was. However, I think of my parents, who are now gone, and realize that they and their influences are still just as powerful today as they were when they were “young and vibrant.” Signs of the Time are Everywhere. I have been saying that the prophecy that, “You will be hated of all Nations for my Name’s sake,” has to do with getting rid of “Christ,” “Christian,” “Jesus,” “Christmas,” from our vocabulary. The “World” does not want to hear those. This is what really messes me up about all the new “Praise and Worship” songs. People really do need to look at the Lyrics. They say what the song is really about.
Roy D. Ford
April 7, 2014 at 11:56 am
I preach about this last night in our church. I am so frustrated with music that appeases the flesh and not God. All the elderly preachers of my past would say, “God anoints what HE likes”. And HE blesses us with what HE likes.
Mark McKinney
April 7, 2014 at 1:28 pm
Whew! That’s a message for this generation.
Joseph R. Clay
April 7, 2014 at 12:36 pm
Bro Ballestero,
If people ever would get the selfie out of worship and praise I feel we would have revival that this world couldn’t handle! Incredible article and very timely love you and God bless you
Jeff Hoffer
April 7, 2014 at 8:19 pm
One more reason why We need to hate selfies, God hates selfies!!! Great post Elder!
Brian Enochs
April 7, 2014 at 11:29 pm
I totally love the way your mind works. Selfies is something this generation can relate to. It really is all about Him. Thank you for this article.
Nila Marxer
April 7, 2014 at 11:30 pm
Probabley THE ONLY person that will comment this…I JUST ABOUT HAD A HEART ATTACK WHEN I READ YOUR POST TITLE!!! LOLOL Instant CONVICTION!!! HAHA!! Great post!!!
Mary
April 8, 2014 at 2:46 am
Selfies, hmm……… sounds like “Selfish” root word: self = me, my, mine
We’ve heard so much about the church in South Bend in various messages over the years. Last year I took my family on vacation, on the way back home we traveled 1 day out of the way, to see Christ Temple Apostolic. We met an old black man that lived across the street, we asked who pastored the church now. He said he had no Idea. He lived there many years, he did refer us to some saints that lived on the other street that their house faced the parking lot. A very nice couple, said they attended under your ministry, showed us around the church, inside and downstairs. I felt like I was in a museum, in a place where me my wife and three girls could touch the past. I stood on the platform, I walked the isles. We saw the Sunday school rooms, we saw the little ol 3′ x 5′ poster that had old pictures. I was in awe, honored to be in a place and stand where Elder Carl Ballestero once stood. We heard the stories of old and where the church once was, under the parking lot, underground. It will always be a highlight in my life.
But you know, I cant remember the names of the couple that showed us around, told us about the great men of God that preached and the awesome things that happened.
We took no Selfies there.
To God Be The Glory.
Young J.A.Perez
April 8, 2014 at 7:07 am
That couple would have been my parents, Richard and Joyce Nicely. I know they were thrilled to do it and my dad loves talking about the church, men of God, and the great things God has done and is doing.
Barbara White
April 11, 2014 at 6:17 pm
Thank you for standing for the
Name of Jesus!!
We love the hymns!!
It’s all about God Almighty!!!
Maria Fullwood
April 10, 2014 at 1:44 am
Bro. Ballestero, thank you for the post! As a 34 year old man, I experienced the old time worship in the 80’s and early 90’s. I am disgusted with where “praise and worship” music is going these days! I agree with the previous comment from Bro. Ford. Our music must lift up JESUS! A lot of it is so generic, you don’t know if they’re singing to Jesus or their boyfriend or girlfriend! As a song leader and somewhat of a music leader, I feel it is my responsibility, even a mandate from God, to keep those old-time songs alive!
Another song that I WILL NOT sing is “I’ve Got More To Go to Heaven For Than I Did Yesterday”. It does not mention seeing Jesus’ face one single time! It won’t be heaven without Jesus! A lot of our music and even preaching has become self-centered, focused on self-help and self-improvement. We must get back to singing and preaching about Jesus and the Cross! Paul said he was determined to preach Jesus and him Crucified! If that is our message, our “self” will get straightened out when we kneel at the cross, deny ourselves, and take up our own cross, and follow HIM! There would be no need to preach and sing self-improvement or inspirational/motivational messages and songs if we all could catch another glimpse of Calvary! “Only a look at Jesus…”
Joseph Gibson
April 15, 2014 at 2:39 pm
First let me give Glory to God, then honour to Bro Martyn Ballestero who stirs my very soul with the Word of Truth in his writings. Second, I’d like to address Roy D. Ford and his comments about the Name that is above all Names! My mind was quickened to the fact of the most used expression today is “OMG” (Oh, my God) for any and whatever occasion, but certainly not in worship! I’ve heard minister’s use this from the pulpit and “OMG” and from the lips of many “saints.” They’ve declared it is not “swearing” because it is not His name. JESUS is GOD! Why deny His Name? Because there’s Power in that Name! Devils tremble at the sound of that Name! Maybe if we’d “depart from iniquity, we would name the name of Christ!” Surely we’re not ashamed of that saving Name?!?!
Someday, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that name!
JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, There’s Just Something About That Name!
Mary Salpietro
May 8, 2014 at 1:41 pm
This really touched my heart. This is something that people probably never think about but so much truth and wisdom in it.
Angie
May 27, 2014 at 9:33 pm
Wow. What an incredible article!! Definitely what we need to hear.
Maddie
July 12, 2015 at 3:53 pm