I watched some of the Oscars last night. I was impressed by some of the beautiful gowns worn on what they are now calling the “champagne carpet”. Many of the famous names in the movie industry were present. I wondered how many of them were born-again. For fortune does not carry over into eternity. For what shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul (Mark 8:36). How many of us who are born-again would trade our salvation for fame and fortune? The greatest accomplishment in this world is to be born-again. Yet, it is a gift given freely by God.
The bible describes it this way: Matthew 13:45-46 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” I lived a lot of my life unsaved. I, therefore, am able to compare how it felt to live unsaved to how it feels to live as a born-again Christian. I remember how indecisive I was; I remember not being sure of so many things, because I did not have a foundation upon which to live my life; I remember the emptiness I felt inside. I had fleeting moments of happiness, but I did not experience real joy. The type of joy the Holy Spirit gives us; that joy that bubbles up from inside, regardless of the outward circumstances.
Do not be envious of those who seem to have it all together. If they do not know Jesus, they have no true peace. He is the Prince of Peace and when He resides in us in the form of the Holy Spirit, we experience His peace. Peace of mind is to be desired above all the riches in the world. It is possible to live in a beautiful mansion surrounded by great treasures and not have peace of mind. It is possible to have great fame and not have peace of mind.
Do not be disheartened if the world does beat a path to your door. John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” If you stand for Jesus and biblical principles, you will never experience the popularity of many of the influencers on social media.
Rejoice! that your name is written in the Lambs Book of Life. Rejoice! that you know God and are able to have your prayers heard and answered. Rejoice! that you have a firm foundation from which to live your life. Rejoice! that you have confidence that your eternal home is in heaven. Rejoice! that each new day brings the possibility of supernatural blessings and the ability to be led by the Holy Spirit.