Not a fan. (Part One)

     So, I've been trying to decide what I should talk about next on my blog. Obviously I still am going to review and recap the 180 lessons every week, but I needed something more. I decided that I am going walk through the book Not a fan by Kyle Idleman. I am currently reading this book and it is deeply speaking to me. I hope that you get as much out of my posts as I have gotten out of the book!
     The book opens with a simple question:

"Are you a follower of Jesus?"

It seems like such a simple question, and to a lot of people it seems like there is no point to it. Most of us are quick to say yes, but do we fully grasp the concept? The truth is the question is probably the most important question you will answer in your life. One of the most chilling stories in the bible is in Matthew 7, when Jesus tells us that one day every person that every lived will stand before God, and many people who thought they were Christians will be denied the right into Heaven. Jesus will tell them that he never even knew them! To be honest that scares me! How many people will that happen to that I know? How am I sure that it won't happen to me too?

     Going back to the big question, everyday we answer it in our own way, whether it is indirectly or directly. How we act, speak, and treat others all shows if we are true followers of God or not. So what happens if we're not true followers of Christ? Well, then you would be just a fan. We all know who the fans are. Like with me, I am a die hard Rocky fan. I own every movie, watch them all the time, own the soundtracks. I could tell you what years they came out and who all the actors are. I could even quote all of the movies for you! But what does it really matter? There will come a day when Rocky no longer appeals to me, and I'll become a fan of another thing.

     A lot of people are this way towards God. They are there when things are going well, but if trouble sets in they are the first ones to abandon the whole "Christian thing." They won't sacrifice for Him, but feel as if they know all about Him. The truth is Jesus never wanted fans.

     So what makes us so sure we are actually followers? A lot of people, definitely including myself, try to gauge our level of Christianity by how other people act. It's like we have the mindset that as long as we're better than the next person or have our life's more put together we're fine. Others base it off of how much of themselves they give to God. Knowledge of the Bible is another big way we grade ourselves when it comes to following.

     Fans commonly confuse liking for devotion, knowledge for sacrifice, and they think good intentions make up for lack of faith. How can we really be sure that we won't be the ones who aren't allowed into Heaven on that day? How do we know that we are followers, and not just another fan? Jesus shares with us the real way we can find this out, and soon enough I will be posting them, but that will be left for another post!

     Well, I desperately hope that this post kept your attention and got you thinking about your true status. My next post will continue to dive into this amazing book, I'd recommend you to pick up a copy of it. It would definitely be worth you money and time. Once again I leave you with a verse:

Romans 14:8

If we live, we live for the Lord;

 and if we die, we die for the Lord. 

So whether we live or die, 

we belong to the Lord.