The Purple Veil

We've all seen or have heard of the story of

 “The Wizard of OZ”

 In the story Dorthy's crew found their way to the Wizard in the land of Oz. They found their way in to the parlor of the Wizard of Oz, where a larger than life image of the Great Oz would speak to them from behind a veil with a large thundering voice along with flashing lights and billows of smoke.

  The idea was to create an ominous presence creating fear in those who dare enter the presence of the “Great and Mighty Wizard of OZ.” 
 Toto wasn't quite as paralyzed by the fear inflicted by the theatrics of the Wizard. Finding his way behind the bravado, Toto exposed the activity behind the veil, ultimately exposing the Wizard as a fraud. He was just a man just  like any other man!

 Let me tell you about another veil that was very serious and very real. This veil was located in the Temple in Jerusalem, The temple of God. It was used to separate the two rooms inside the temple: the sanctuary where the priests offered daily sacrifices for the sins of the people of God where animals were sacrificed on the alter of God, separated from the Holy of Holies…the most holy of rooms, the place where God lived. The high priest would enter into the  presence of God, into this most holy place, once a year to make atonement for the sins of God's people.

 This veil that separated God from every human was somewhere near 60 feet high and four inches thick. It was said that it would be impossible for horses tied to each side to pull the veil apart. It was made from blue, purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, this veil was a beautiful work of chosen artisans. The veil created a separation between God and man. The Hebrew work for veil means screen, divider or a separator that hides.

What was this curtain separating? It kept mankind from God because our sinful life style makes it impossible to connect with God. God’s eyes are too pure to look on evil. According to Habakkuk 1:13 The holiness of God will not tolerate sin in his presence. The veil was a barrier to make sure that man could not carelessly and irreverently enter into God’s awesome presence.

 Jesus sacrificial death on the cross changed all that. When He died the curtain in the Temple was torn in half, from top to bottom exposing the Holy of Holies! God's presence was made available to all of us! Jesus died to make atonement for our sins and make us in right standing with God. The torn veil illustrated Jesus's body broken for us, opening the way for us to come close to God. When Jesus cried "IT IS FINISHED" before he died, it was a yell of victory that God's plan for redemption was complete. No more animal sacrifices were necessary to cover over the sins we commit. The ultimate offering had been given. See Hebrews 6:19-20.


Through Jesus and his blood we have been given direct access into the throne room of God. We are justified because he who had no sin became sin for us.

Thanks You Jesus. We owe you our lives Lord.

18 Inches

 Billy Grahams daughter Annie Graham wrote a book called "Expecting to see Jesus." In her book she speaks about Tom Landry who became the first coach of the Dallas Cowboys football team. His career lasted 29 seasons from 1960 - 1988. Coach Landry said in his career he came across many good athletes but few great ones. The difference He said between a good athlete and a great one was only about 18 inches. The distance from the head to the heart. Coach Landry said a good athlete knows the game thoroughly and has a phenomenal physical ability but a great athlete loves the game. He is passionate about the game. He is different because he is willing to invest his entire heart and all his effort into what he loves. The player who is willing to put in the long hours of practice and the necessary conditioning even in the off season because it's what he loves and he wants it more than everyone else.

 The Apostle Paul taught us about this kind of passion in Romans 12 instructing us not to be conformed to the ways of the world's influence around us chasing the desires of the life we came from. He says instead live passionately chasing after everything God has to offer us. Abundance is found in loving the things of God more than loving the things from the world we live in.        
 There is a shift that takes place, let's call it a transformation that takes place in the human heart. We get saved and become a new creation but then it becomes the work of the Holy Spirit as he partners with us together to continue the on going change that leads us past the cross. Into the deeper things that God has called us to.

 The same 18 inches that makes a great football player also makes committed men of God. Romans 12:1-2 teaches about that 18 inch transformation from our head to our heart, it can take a lifetime to reach such a short distance if we continue to resist the Lordship of Jesus over our lives. 

Passionate love for God is what makes the difference when we don't feel like life in Christ is worth the effort. Living past the cross, it moves us from just allowing God to become a part of our lives to being consumed with everything about Him. We begin to embrace the fellowship of his suffering instead of running from the choice to deny our lusts and picking up our cross and following after Him. We will never know what depths of his love or the adventure of walking in the Spirit we can experience until the 18 inch transfer takes place and we begin to live with unbridled passion for the King of the Universe.             
 Most Christians never learn the difference between knowing about God and knowing God through the experience that comes through connecting daily about with him in our every day lives. 
 We will never be more saved, never have more of the Holy Spirit or become more righteous in the sight of God. God will never love us more or less because the sacrifice of his most precious son completed everything for us. We are fully forgiven, fully justified and made completely righteous by the blood Jesus shed on the cross for us. 2 Corinthians 21:5 tells us we are actually the righteousness of God! We are transformed in mind resulting in our actions when we allow the Holy Spirit to move God's word 18 inches from our thoughts to our hearts.

 Experience the fullness of life in Christ, lets live with the same passion for him that he has for us. 

Start Acting Like A Kid

Yesterday we celebrated my mother in laws 93^rd birthday. We hosted a party for about 35 family members. 

 Today I looked out into the back yard and saw what looked like a small jacket on the bench under the trees. As I grabbed it I started to look around and found some small rocks and concrete blocks arranged into little houses and forms in the dirt. I laughed as I thought about the kids playing outside, obviously they were engaged in a world we adults had no idea existed yesterday. I immediately started to imagine the things that ran through their creative minds. The innocence and uninterrupted use of imagination of super heroes and princesses. Who knows what battles were fought and damsels rescued yesterday!

 Jesus rebuked his disciples one day when they tried to keep some children from bothering him as they came running to him. I believe Jesus loved the very things about children that are lost when we become adults. 

 Jesus used the example of children again in Matthew 18. The disciples were engaged in a dispute of who would be greater in the Kingdom of God. Jesus called a little child to stand in the center of the group, he began to teach the truths of the Kingdom to his adult disciples saying “unless you become converted and become like a child you cannot enter the Kingdom of God."

 We rarely understand the things of God because so often we try to figure them out in our understanding not His. The key here is humility. When we are humble we relinquish all prideful ambition and self-exaltation to promote the the Lordship of Jesus; his will of and his purpose, instead of creating a lifestyle that promotes our appetites and lusts for pleasing ourselves.

 The kingdom of God belongs to those who are willing to die to self, focusing instead on the promotion of God’s glory, agenda and purposes in all we do.

His desire is to transform us making us ready us for eternity. That's right, school is in session and life is our classroom.

 If we actually want the the Holy Spirit to be alive and powerfully active in us, the world will be turned upside down; the sick will be healed, sight will be given to the blind because the Good News we proclaim is the wholeness of Gods Kingdom. God wants our story to be his story via first hand experience, thats real Christianity.

 There is no other way. Jesus words not mine - "You must be converted to a humble lifestyle to enter the kingdom of God." This is the point where it becomes our choice. Are we willing to glorify God above all things?

 This is how Jesus teaches the Kingdom brass tacks of abundant life we all want. There is a real cost involved, it’s labeled "Pick up your cross daily and follow after him" regardless of what he asks of us. 

I'm convinced the benefits will far outweigh any personal loss.
 I choose to remain in His classroom of life. 

Like Peter said, 
"Lord where will we go? 
You have the words to eternal life."

Start Acting Like A Kid

Yesterday we celebrated my mother in laws 93^rd birthday. We hosted a party for about 35 family members. 
 Today I looked out into the back yard and saw what looked like a small jacket on the bench under the trees. As I grabbed it I started to look around and found some small rocks and concrete blocks arranged into little houses and forms in the dirt. I laughed as I thought about the kids playing outside, obviously they were engaged in a world we adults had no idea existed yesterday. I immediately started to imagine the things that ran through their creative minds. The innocence and uninterrupted use of imagination of super heroes and princesses. Who knows what battles were fought and damsels rescued yesterday!

 Jesus rebuked his disciples one day when they tried to keep some children from bothering him as they came running to him. I believe Jesus loved the very things about children that are lost when we become adults. 
 Jesus used the example of children again in Matthew 18. The disciples were engaged in a dispute of who would be greater in the Kingdom of God. Jesus called a little child to stand in the center of the group, he began to teach the truths of the Kingdom to his adult disciples saying “unless you become converted and become like a child you cannot enter the Kingdom of God."

 We rarely understand the things of God because so often we try to figure them out in our understanding not His. The key here is humility. When we are humble we relinquish all prideful ambition and self-exaltation to promote the the Lordship of Jesus; his will of and his purpose, instead of creating a lifestyle that promotes our appetites and lusts for pleasing ourselves.

 The kingdom of God belongs to those who are willing to die to self, focusing instead on the promotion of God’s glory, agenda and purposes in all we do.

 Unless we become like we once were, children, humble in mind, we are unwilling to enter into the sovereignty, authority and glory of God’s Kingdom. 

His desire is to transform us making us ready us for eternity. That's right, school is in and life is our classroom.

 If we actually want the the Holy Spirit to be alive and powerfully active in us, the world will be turned upside down; the sick will be healed, sight will be given to the blind because the Good News we proclaim is the wholeness of Gods Kingdom. God wants our story to be his story from a first hand experience, thats real Christianity. There is no other way. Jesus words not mine - "You must be converted to a humble lifestyle to enter the kingdom of God." This is the point where it becomes our choice. Are we willing to glorify God above all things?

 This is how Jesus teaches the Kingdom brass tacks of abundant life we all want. There is a cost, it’s labeled "Pick up your cross daily and follow after him" regardless of what he asks of us. 

I'm convinced the benefits will far outweigh any personal loss.
 I choose to remain in His classroom of life. 

Like Peter said, 
"Lord where will we go? 
You have the words to eternal life."

Backward Thinking

 Many of us look back thinking yesterday was better than tomorrow. Hope by definition is looking forward to something that pulls into the future.  The type of looking back that a lot of people engage in is more than just reflection. It is the type of looking back that creates regret causing the future to be paralyzed on past events of…why, and if I only…the should of; could of; would of thought that makes the fresh satisfying water of hope run down the drain, robing the gift of life from you. 

 As the two angels saved Lot his wife and his two daughters from God’s wrath on the evil of Sodom and Gomorrah the angels said to Lot: “flee and don’t look back!” But Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt. In Luke chapter 9 there three separate accounts of three different men who were told the requirements of the Kingdom of God in this life…One man came to Jesus and said “I will follow you” Jesus said “foxes have hole and the birds of the air have nests but the son of man has no place to bury his head.” The next man called by Jesus said: “let me first go bury my father”, Jesus told him “let the dead bury their own dead, but you go proclaim the Kingdom of God.” In other words you belong to the future not the past. The third man said “I will follow you but let me say good bye to my family first.” Jesus says “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom.” His current personal concerns seemed more important than his eternal concerns. No one can do any business effectively, if he is more concerned or more involved with other things. Those involved with the things of God, have to be sold out and resolved to move forward and not look back or they will be dived in their affections and devotion, we can’t continue resourcing our life before Christ. Only the one who endures to the end will be saved.

 Jesus sets the bar high, too high for divided loyalties. The promise of abundant life is only attained by renouncing our life before we met him and complete allegiance to him and his purposes. We have to die to ourselves and pick up our cross daily to obtain all he has promised. The question we all have to ask...Is it worth it. It was when we needed salvation. Will we be like Lot's wife who looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt. 

 The desire to return to our past will crystallize our hearts making them hard to the things of God. The seed that fell among the thorns was choked out with the desire of things other than God and his purposes.

The purpose of Your Christian life is worth so much more than anything this world has to offer, so much greater than anything that has its talons in you, drawing you back to the life you left.

 Colossians 1:26-27 says: “The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of the mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of Glory.”

God made the choice to bring life and ease of suffering of others through you! You have purpose and that purpose is great! Everything you have been through is not meant to hamstring you but to make your life a story that will bring freedom to other people and bring them to life.

Don’t check out, don’t stop…press in and find the abundance of getting involved with God’s plan that he formed from the time Adam and Eve sinned. You are vital to the entire church. So much so that Christ came from heaven to die for you and make you into a precious child in God’s family.

 It’s never too late because God’s gifts and calling are without repentance, in other words he doesn’t refuse you and keeps his promises.

Everything You've Got

Seekers of God need to do everything possible to grab a hold of God like the woman who had an issue of blood grabbed a hold of Jesus to be healed. According to Matthew 11:12 those who have a fire stoked in their hearts toward God will take the Kingdom of Heaven by force because they own a resolve that nothing will stand in their way! A resolution that cries out, "I will hunt as long as it takes until I obtain the goal of God himself! I will not be refused! That is the resolved life that will not fall prey to the half hazard attempt to relate with God. He is jealous and will not share our affections with anything or anyone else. he told a church in Ladeocia that their lukewarm attempt at pleasing him was so distasteful that he would spit them out of his mouth.
 Do you have that kind of resolve that woman with the issue of blood had, knowing that if she just touched Jesus she would be healed, or is our attempt to grab a hold of God half hearted? Dies lukewarm more describe our life in Christ than fervent heat in our heart for the things of God?

 God is a rewarder of those who diligently hunt for him. Jesus made the promise to us that if we ask for anything according to his will he would grant us the desire of our hearts. 

 Are you willing to ask with the intent of transforming your heart to take a hold of Jesus?

 Ask! 

Disciples of Christ Smell Bad To The World

What is your passion, what is it worth? How bad do you want to connect with God, to experience the benefits of his supernatural presence. Do you want to be used by him to change lives and be led by the Holy Spirit?

David was told by Samuel he would become the King of Israel. He waited for a year for God’s word to be fulfilled. Saul was now dead and David is being moved into his God given roll. Jerusalem is under the control of the Jebusites. In 2 Samuel 5:8 David tells his army the only way into the city and to conquer the Jebsuites is to enter through the water drainage system, in other words the city sewer system. David would make the man who waded through the smelly sewer of Jerusalem, the chief of his army. Understand that for the people of Israel Jerusalem was more than a city to call home. It represented all things God. The loving worship the temple provided intimacy with the creator as well as the place to receive forgiveness of sins. The city embodied all things that governed the Jewish life, the very identity of Jewish life was Jerusalem. For the Jew Jerusalem and the temple represented life, separation the city and temple was separation  from God himself.

 David telling his men they had to wade through the sewage of their lives that separated them from God to victory and restoration to God.

 We have lost our passion for God because we have made the choice to embrace sin in place of our first love. God desires to be our all in all, deeper than the influence of anything or anyone else. It is necessary to fight through the sewage of our sin to return to him, to be restored to intimacy with him. No longer being  caught detained by things that separate us from his presence but to wade through it. Disciples of Christ smell bad to the world and to other Christians who are not willing to make the difficult journey through the sewer. According to Matthew 11:12 “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.” Luke 16:16 says “The kingdom of God is preached, and every man is pressing into it.” The fight to leave our sinful life style and the culture that demands that we partake in it is violent and we have to fight violently to free ourselves from it.

 The violence that is guarding kingdom entrance is our sinfulness directed by our old nature and fed by and the enemy of our souls.

 Jesus taught three parables describing the value of entering into the principals of the kingdom of God and his presence. The first two are in Matthew 13:44-46. “The Hidden Treasure’ and ‘The Pearl of Great Price.” Within each parable  the man who finds the treasure and pearl both hide each one, so not to be found by someone else, they each go and sell everything they have in order to obtain the Kingdom of God and his ways. The third is found in Luke 15:8-10 where we find a woman laboring intently because she has lost a coin. The Parable indicates this coin was of great worth to the woman and she lights a lamp and begins to sweep her floor. She tirelessly sweeps until she finds her treasure. When she finds it she calls her neighbors to rejoice with her!

 What is our relationship with Jesus worth to us? The intimate contact that says I don’t care what the world around me is doing. I won’t be drawn away from what connects me with the living God by any one or any circumstance that demands separation from connecting with God. My union with God and my need to connect and stay close to him is worth anything on my part nothing is too hard, too consuming, or too costly to me. I’m not talking about church, I’m not talking about service to people, I am talking about anything that gets me closer to my personal contact with the Lord Jesus himself.

 Wading through the sewer of personal sin./ The feelings of bitterness, resentment, loss, fear, anger, a lack of trust, these are the shackles the enemy wants to burden me down with that keep me from relational freedom with Christ that bring abundance to my life.

Micah 6:8 sums up in simplicity what the Lord requires of us as his children: I have shown you oh man what the Lord requires of you to act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

 Whatever life altering steps, or personal sacrifice are necessary for us to find that place in life that makes Christ first in heart and deed are worth making. Learning to linger in his presence comfortably, not wanting to leave that place of hearing the tones of his voice speaking to our hearts that leave us with a drive to return as soon as possible, creating in a devotion to not let anything or anyone else keep us from this personal connection is worth any effort it takes to get in his presence and making that place the most comfortable place imaginable.

Get there!

 Linger there!

  Return there as often as humanly possible!