VIP PASS

My friend Stan went to the ball game last Sunday afternoon at the new stadium for the Minnesota Twins. I saw Stan later that night and he was still wearing his Twins “uniform” from the game (baseball cap, shirt, shorts, and socks). When I asked him about the game, I noticed that he had around his neck a lanyard with a plastic 4x6 card attached to it. I asked Stan what the plastic card was, he told me that it was an ESPN VIP Pass.   

Wow; what a great opportunity Stan had to walk through "Target Field", the brand new baseball stadium for the Minnesota Twins with really no one to stop him!  

I had a VIP Pass on a couple of different occasions in 1996 and found that it permitted me to go almost anywhere that I had wanted to go in the HHH Metrodome. I even went into the locker room just because I could! I was amazed at how quickly security people moved out of the way and opened doors for me all because of that pass. 

I asked Stan if he had used the pass to walk through the whole stadium. Stan said to me; “No, I came just to watch the baseball game.” I said to Stan; “You do realize that with that pass you could go almost anywhere that you wanted to go; including the press box; right?” Stan smiled at me and said; “No, I came just to watch the baseball game.” And the worst part was that the VIP Pass was only good for the duration of Stan’s time at the ball stadium last Sunday; after that it was no good.  

Stan is a great friend and someone who truly loves Jesus and continues to really be a great example of what a man of God looks like; I love him dearly. But Stan sure missed a great opportunity.   

I was reminded that so many Christians go through this life with a “VIP Pass” and never use it! Jesus came to give us “VIP” access to the Father at any time we want to! Jesus paid for our “VIP Pass” with His blood. The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us; “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).  

Did you catch that? The passage tells us to come during our time of need; not when we die and go to heaven- today; right now; when we are in trouble! Some people forget that Jesus knows what we are going through. In that same passage of Hebrews it tells us; “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15).  

That means that Jesus understands and is waiting, longing, and made it possible for us to come into His presence BODLY! That means speaking freely to Jesus; that is, frankness and bluntness in how we say it. In other words people in a burning building don’t pray religious prayers like; “Durst Thou not know that the flames encompasses my soul?” We simply use our “VIP Pass” and call out to Jesus; “HELP!”   

My Friends, don’t forget to use your “VIP Pass” as you are going through the “game of life”. And that the VIP Pass is only good for the duration of our time here on the earth; after that it is no good because we don’t need to have one.  

Jesus said; “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PANiveIKVX0&feature=related

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