Wait, Is This It?

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Growing up, I knew I was destined for great success. Even before I could properly hold a football, I knew that this was my destiny. It wasn't long before those dreams began to turn into reality and I was off to choose which college I would attend.

I remember looking at several D1 schools knowing that I would have my pick at which school I would attend. Unfortunately, my academic achievements were far more inferior to those I acquired on the football field. So much so, that it was not my remarkable athletic ability that chose my college but rather my academic insufficiency. Nevertheless, I headed off to college to continue to pursue my dream.

When I arrived at Kentucky Christian University, I was shocked. The size of the school was smaller than my high school and the stadium was half that of my high school stadium. The school didn't revolve around football at all and when I think about it, I'm not sure how many professors I ever really saw attending a game.

I was so disappointed. It seemed as though my dreams -- much like my hairline at the time -- were fading right in front of me.

However, what KCU was offering couldn't be perceived with the natural eye. We had chapel multiple times a week, if not everyday. (I skipped a lot, so I can't remember exactly.) The school's foundation was built on making disciples, not professional athletes.

Unfortunately, because I was led by what I could see and not by my faith at the time, I totally missed out on everything Kentucky Christian had to offer -- from a relationship with God and knowledge of Jesus Christ, to even relationships with people who could've helped me build and strengthen a solid foundation of Christ on the inside of me.

Itching to attend a college that matched with my carnal way of thinking, it wasn't long before I jumped ship and headed off to University of Tennessee. Once I got there, I immediately fell in love with the campus and the size of the stadium was even bigger than a majority of NFL stadiums. I walked on the football team during the spring and made the team.

It was official. I finally had my feet in the door, closer to my dreams of making it to the big leagues. I gained weight and worked extremely hard each day to turn my dreams into reality. Even the coach called my dad to tell him I would be playing soon and that I was one of the best walk-ons they had seen.

However, all of this came crashing down in a matter of moments when I arrived on campus during the fall and found out that there weren't any scholarships available for me. My hope, my hair, my weight -- everything was lost with only a team T-shirt and shorts to show of my journey at the college. My dream turned into a nightmare in a single semester.

Sadly, this is the same dream of wealth and status that many of us in America run with in regard to our alleged faith. We think that Jesus Christ came to provide new cars, new jobs and mansions when He actually came to testify of a different kingdom entirely which can only be accessed on this earth if we continue in His commands and teachings. We have professed belief in a God that can't be seen using things that can be seen to try to provide evidence of our alleged faith.

In order to understand what a life of faith truly consists of, we must examine the life of Jesus and perhaps the man that was sent by God to prepare the way for Jesus. Jesus Himself says this man is one of the greatest men born of a woman. He was the first preacher to tell others to repent because the Kingdom was at hand. He barely had anything to his name, but that didn't bother him because he never came to testify of his own name but rather the name of Jesus Christ.

7 Then as these men went their way, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: What did you go out in the wilderness (desert) to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 What did you go out to see then? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in the houses of kings. 9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one [[b]out of the common, more eminent, more remarkable, and] [c]superior to a prophet. 10 This is the one of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, who shall make ready Your way before You. 11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matthew 11:7-11 AMPC

We see in the Scriptures from the beginning how important John the Baptist was to God. He actually baptized Jesus Christ. However, John's importance couldn't be seen through gold or other luxurious things. Much similar to many other servants of God, John's importance had to be perceived spiritually, not with natural eyes.

3 This is he who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said, The voice of one crying in the wilderness (shouting in the desert), Prepare the road for the Lord, make His highways straight (level, [b]direct). 4 This same John’s garments were made of camel’s hair, and he wore a leather girdle about his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the country round about the Jordan went out to him; 6 And they were baptized in the Jordan by him, confessing their sins. Matthew 3:3-6 AMPC

Why would God use the things of this world to draw people closer to Him and then ask those same people to not live based on anything they can see but rather their faith in Him? The reality is that it is the things of this world that actually take us away from God, not draw us closer to Him. America has become the greatest example of this. We lead the world in material possessions, but we are bringing up the rear in regard to true faith and commitment.

7 For we walk by faith [we [b]regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance. 2 Corinthians 5 :7 AMPC

We have developed our own version of the Gospel that focuses the majority of our attention on what can be seen and very little on what can't. Our cars and houses have become nicer while our hearts have started to decay and rot.

24 But woe to (alas for) you who are rich ([a]abounding in material resources), for you already are receiving your consolation (the solace and sense of strengthening and cheer that come from prosperity) and have taken and enjoyed your comfort in full [having nothing left to be awarded you]. 25 Woe to (alas for) you who are full now (completely filled, luxuriously gorged and satiated), for you shall hunger and suffer want! Woe to (alas for) you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep and wail! Luke 6:24-25 AMPC

We have great riches but from a spiritual perspective, we are the most poor we have ever been. We tend to look at third world countries and judge them based off of what we can see instead of the faith and love of God that is being built in the hearts of those that don't have the burden of fighting through all of our distractions and vanity.

Isn't it odd that in the Bible Jesus would often tell His followers to abandon all of their earthly possession to follow Him? The truth is that we can't take anything with us when we die. So why would we spend the majority of our lives working for things that will mean nothing by tomorrow?

33 So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, [a]say good-bye to) all that he has cannot be My disciple. 34 Salt is good [an excellent thing], but if salt has lost its strength and has become saltless (insipid, flat), how shall its saltness be restored? Luke 14:33-34 AMPC

He even told them that if they treasured earthly relationships more than Him that they weren't worthy of Him.

37 He who loves [and [a]takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me;38 And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [[b]cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me.39 Whoever finds his [[c]lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life]. Matthew 10:37-39 AMPC

In every career we are asked to put everything outside of the company or buisness to the side. We even have to ask someone else permission to attend a parent's funeral. In many cases, people have had to miss out on special occasions with their family because of the instructions of a complete stranger. We seem to all agree on asking a random stranger if we can lay our parents or spouses to rest yet we think that the King of Kings doesn't expect more commitment than this.

Today, many of us claim that it is the things of this world that will encourage others to also accept Christ, but as we look at the Scriptures, those who actually had Christ left the things of this world behind.

27 Then Peter answered Him, saying, Behold, we have left [our] all and have become [h]Your disciples [sided with Your party and followed You]. What then shall we receive? 28 Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, in the new age [the [i]Messianic rebirth of the world], when the Son of Man shall sit down on the throne of His glory, you who have [become My disciples, sided with My party and] followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And anyone and everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for My name’s sake will receive [j]many [even a hundred] times more and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who [now] are first will be last [then], and many who [now] are last will be first [then]. Matthew 19:27-30 AMPC

The reality is that there is only one that offers the things of this world in exchange for our hearts and loyalty and he is an enemy of God.

8 Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory (the splendor, magnificence, preeminence, and excellence) of them. 9 And he said to Him, These things, all taken together, I will give You, if You will prostrate Yourself before me and do homage and worship me. 10 Then Jesus said to him, Begone, Satan! For it has been written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him alone shall you serve. Matthew 4:8 AMPC

Thus, a sobering question comes to mind. What would happen if America became the new Gaza? What would happen if our Rolls-Royces turned into aluminium cans? If our houses were destroyed and we were forced to live in tents, would we still claim that God loved us? Would we hold fast to our faith and hope while everything that we can see seems to vanish? Or would our faith crumble like the debris of missile-struck buildings? In the event of our homes being crushed, would our faith still be rock solid?

16 Alas, alas for the great city that was robed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, bedecked and glittering with gold, with precious stones, and with pearls! 17 Because in one [single] hour all the vast wealth has been destroyed (wiped out). And all ship captains and pilots, navigators and all who live by seafaring, the crews and all who ply their trade on the sea, stood a long way off, 18 And exclaimed as they watched the smoke of her burning, What city could be compared to the great city! 19 And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and grieved, exclaiming, Woe and alas, for the great city, where all who had ships on the sea grew rich [through her extravagance] from her great wealth! In one single hour she has been destroyed and has become a desert! 20 Rejoice (celebrate) over her, O heaven! O saints (people of God) and apostles and prophets, because God has executed vengeance for you upon her! 21 Then a single powerful angel took up a boulder like a great millstone and flung it into the sea, crying, With such violence shall Babylon the great city be hurled down to destruction and shall never again be found. 22 And the sound of harpists and minstrels and flute players and trumpeters shall never again be heard in you, and no skilled artisan of any craft shall ever again be found in you, and the sound of the millstone shall never again be heard in you. 23 And never again shall the light of a lamp shine in you, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall never be heard in you again; for your businessmen were the great and prominent men of the earth, and by your magic spells and poisonous charm all nations were led astray (seduced and deluded). 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all those who have been slain (slaughtered) on earth. Revelation 18:16-24 AMPC

We must meditate on God's Word each day so that we can see life from His perspective. There was nothing fancy about the Cross. For Jesus, it represented suffering, commitment and putting the will of God above His own, no matter the cost. We must examine ourselves and be sure that we haven't fallen in love with superficial things this world has to offer that drag us outside of the will of God.

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Question of the Day: Are you basing the authenticity of your relationship with a God that can't be seen using things that you can see?