In 2013 the word “selfie” was crowned Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionaries.

In God’s studio, the Bible, a photograph can be found of each of His created beings. Our photograph is there. It has been taken by the Divine Photographer; therefore, it is accurate.

Jeremiah 17:9

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

Mark 7:21-23

²¹ For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, ²² thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. ²³ All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

Romans 1:29-32

²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, ³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹ undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; ³² who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Galatians 5:19-21

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:  adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Psalm 14:1-3

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. ² The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. ³ They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.

What a picture of the human heart! Nevertheless, it is a true one because it was taken by the Divine Photographer “who knows what was in man.” (John 2:25) Can you look at this awful picture and not call man’s case absolutely hopeless except somehow a miracle be performed?

Man was made to love God with all his mind, heart, strength, and soul. His heart was created with the capacity to respond to the love of God with love. He was also made to love his fellow man. God desires man to love his neighbor as himself.

Mark 12:30-31

³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. ³¹ And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

But what about today? What is the condition in the world with regards to man’s relationship to God and his neighbor? It is an awful but disastrously true prediction made by God in His Word of the present world condition.

2 Timothy 3:1-4

¹ But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

So, when did man fall into such an evil state as described here? The moment God’s first man stepped outside of God’s will by his own voluntary choice and brought the human race with him, that moment he dethroned God and enthroned self in his own affections. From that moment, man left to himself has been inherently and incurably selfish.

Source: “Life on the Highest Plane” by Ruth Paxson

Lord, this is man’s heart without You as our Savior. Thank You we have been given a “new heart.” (Ezekiel 11:19)

In Him,

Marion