Jeremiah 32:14 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.

Are you a history student? Me neither. I found history to be boring as it was taught. There was no human perspective found in names and dates and places. I did not find it relevant to my life. I left the hard part of historical studies to those who have a passion for it, data collection.

History as a science is bound by rules of evidence. The larger problem with evidence is that is degrades over time. Only so much evidence can be preserved. Historians will treat the oldest and most valued pieces of evidence as sacred and sacrosanct. Science changes and there is always the desire to validate data using the latest of technologies.

The oldest and best preserved articles of history is the Old Testament. Preserved because it has been accurately and painstakingly copied by scribes over thousands of years. While we have no need for scribes in this era of the photocopy, let us not make light of their efforts just because we do not need them any longer.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in eleven caves between 1946 and 1956. The most significant of finds was not that there were additional writings not included in the Old Testament but that those writing that were included were accurately copied for thousands of years without change. Every King and Emperor likes to create his own history. These scrolls never suffered corruption.

We live in the information age. There is overwhelming evidence at every turn with no way to validate the data. For every tale there are ten versions. Everyone involved in anything important has their own lawyer and publicist. It is a common instinct not to trust everything you see and hear in the media. People fake stories just to get on television. The urban legend lists grow longer and longer every year.

And scoffers use that as justification to muddy the one set of documents with the most reliable evidence of historical accuracy, the Holy Bible.

John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Selfies were not invented with the advent of camera phones. Back in the day we used instamatics. Before that Van Gogh looked in a mirror and painted himself. Before that, I cannot say for sure what the first selfie looked like.

For the most part selfies are rather harmless. We laugh and enjoy a good selfie don’t we? We catch people feeling good and enjoying life. In some cases we even feel sad for some who try to capture the moment and end up sending the wrong message. There are some people that just shouldn’t do selfies. You be the judge.

In this opening verse Jesus said, “I judge.” It is not enough to do things for others before self. If we put our own selfish desires aside, if we humble ourselves, then who is going to be in that “snapshot”? If we are to do right, if our judgments are to be true, then who is in “focus”? Who is in the viewfinder? “I do the will of the Father.” OK, great, love it, so what does that look like? How am I to know the will of God?

Deuteronomy 11:18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.

Is the Word laid up in your heart and soul?