“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” – Matthew 16:26

CELEBRITIES OF OUR era having perfumes and colognes created after their name and with as many that are being churned out today, will soon phase out as quick as they rose to fame, unless, of course, they make unusual, lasting impact throughout their career; there ‘may be’ a chance of preserving their icons to later generations. This is just another desperate way to preserve life from fading out of existence.

Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury – our world music icons – were loved when alive and performing. Their names will stand the test of time (in this world), just like ‘The Doors’, Lennon and Presley. Through their originality and uniqueness, they made it to the ‘heights’, reached the pinnacle of unprecedented fame and gained the love of millions. The next generation (permitted we’re still here) will hear of and listen to these names, maybe even come to like – even love, but not with the same fervency and admiration this present era has; their names will live like a flame by the attempts of others reviving interest to subsequent generations, but each decade will only weaken the light of these icons into legends – and even legends reach an end and expire.

I often wonder as to where these souls exist now, for though they have left this world, they still live –  with a greater consciousness than ours – in another realm. Did they ‘gain the whole world only to lose their soul’ for the path they took? Was this life their only moment of recognition? For unless they believe in the One Who has power to create and eternally keep alive, either to joy or damnation, no amount of stardom will vouch for them and the kind of believing I refer to is the only one: beyond confession to regeneration, where the whole life pursues the will of God – they will remain in their lost condition, to die eternally in their sin. Many works of miracles that go beyond ‘believing’ will be condemned by the Sovereign Lord of all creation because they were performed from hearts of lawlessness (Matthew 7:21-23). No amount of professing Jesus Christ, wearing crosses or even singing gospel songs will get you into the kingdom of heaven; a vital sign of regeneration is one who no longer lives according to the pattern of this world and who now hungers and thirsts after God’s righteousness, not morality according to humanities righteousness; there are many who have given up on society, without any ounce of religion in them, they are good and honest people but there is not the faintest trace of desiring God and His ways.

This present life is just a moment in comparison to eternity, in fact there really is no comparison to the vastness of eternity. It was Leonard Ravenhill who said, “We have such a short time to prepare for eternity.” It is hardly likely that either one of us will rise to fame, but whatever becomes of our life – whether we become well-known or live the remaining of our days in obscurity – we need to ask ourselves: for whom and what are we living for? What are we presently building our lives upon now in the present – forget about what we may have done 10 or 20 years ago, what is our life now? This is not about how successful we are but how we live our lives, what motivates us to live, because how we live it now is preparing and fitting us for eternity – either to the agony of unceasing decay and death and everlasting separation from God, or to an unending and never-fading glory with God. What we desire and aspire to now will either lead to our eternal recognition or demolition; the eternal smile of God or the eternal smite of God.

We have heard it said so many times from the inspired Word that, “…where your treasure is there your heart will be also”; it is not so much what we ‘believe’ but what our hearts long after that reveals our disposition. What do we really want; what makes our hearts beat faster? The ‘undercurrent’ that lies beneath all our confessions will tell if we are prepared to be honest enough. “For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions…is passing away…but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:16,17).