You Are Of Great Value

The baseball World Series holds a little more value for me this year with a Texas team in the running for the championship. It holds a lot of value for the people of Houston as they are in desperate need of something good in their life in the midst of recovering from the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Houston Strong! GO ‘STROS!

How much would you pay for a baseball? Not a baseball made of gold—one made of leather with red stitching just like any other baseball. You can get a whole bag of baseballs from a place like Wal-Mart for about $20. So what is the maximum you would pay for a baseball? What if I told you the ball had been used in a Major League Baseball game? What if I told you the ball had been hit for a home run? What if I told you the ball was Mark McGwire’s 70th home run from the 1998 season? Well, someone paid $3 million for that particular baseball. Why? What made that ball so valuable? It was deemed valuable because of the person with whom it was connected. The source matters!

A few years ago, Anne Marie Haldenstein was asked what the actual value of a human body was. Utilizing her chemistry background (PhD), she listed the elements in the body and researched their 2011 market values. She concluded that the average human was worth about a dollar, and if you could tan the skin (hide), you could raise that total to $4.50 or $5.00. Recently, Dr. James Farris cited a new study which places the value of a human at 43 million dollars. The difference is not inflation, but in things Anne Marie never thought to consider. Bone marrow, DNA, antibodies, reproductive components, and organs are in great demand and therefore quite expensive. However, there are aspects of our humanity that can’t be price tagged. How do we establish values for dreams or talents? How much is a person worth who discovers a cure for cancer? What is the love for your spouse or child worth? The place we hold in the hearts of those around us truly makes us irreplaceable and therefore - priceless.

[Matthew 6:25-34] What makes the Bible different from any other book? It is from God. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). What makes the Church different from any other institution? It is from God. “...And he (Jesus) is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead...so he might have the supremacy” (Colossians 1:15-20). Why are we so special? What makes mankind different from the plants and animals? We are made in the image of God. ...“Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…so God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:26-27). Because God exists and has created, there are numerous things that become valuable and important just because they are from God. “and, once made perfect, he (Jesus) became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). In all of this discussion, we have failed to address the most crucial part of humanity: the eternal soul that God has placed within each of us. Jesus asked his disciples two probing questions in Mark 8: 36-37 “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” Each of us possesses an eternal soul which possesses divine qualities. The source matters! We are each a treasure and of great value to God. Let’s start acting like it!

Are You An Heir?

My brother is settling into my deceased sister’s house in Houston, which was her wish for him to do after her passing. It’s not an inheritance to my brother, as that went to my nephew, but it opened the door for him to rent it for as long as he wants it. Well, it’s been a year and he still hasn’t moved everything from California to Texas yet, which he admittedly confessed to me last weekend – he should have made this move a long time ago. He is currently on his last round trip, and on his way west stopped by my house and stayed for the annual Peanut Festival Parade, then in his usual manner refocused on the bigger picture, got in his truck, and headed for the west coast, not to return until the end of next month. It amazes me how death can dramatically change the lives of the living.

You’ve probably never heard of her, but, Henrietta Garrett of Philadelphia passed away in 1930 at the age of 81. Only two of the less than a dozen people who attended her funeral on the wet gloomy day in November could be classed as relatives. She was a woman unknown to fame and the world. Later, in the 1950’s, the probate court broke the news that this woman had no children and had no will. It was learned that at her death she left a fortune of seventeen million dollars. Only then did thousands rise up to call her blessed. In the twenty-five years that had passed, the estate had grown to thirty million dollars, and twenty-six thousand people then claimed to be heirs. It seemed that everyone wanted a piece of the Garrett Snuff fortune and would do most anything to be heir. (For those of you who are younger, snuff was a powdered tobacco inhaled through the nose by users). As in most cases of this type, even today, the lawyers got most of the money.

[1Peter 1:3-5] While most of us will never see that kind of money, we nevertheless can have a greater claim. Have you considered what it means to be a child of God? Jesus gave His life on the cross for us – In His Word He tells us to live for Him. If you ask, most claim to believe in God – but we must not only believe in God, we must believe God! The words of the apostle Paul read: “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are God’s children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:16-17).

Some years ago Paul Harvey reported that a poll indicated just 27.4 percent (about 20% today) of the people in this country attend worship services at least once a week. That’s less than one-fourth! There are many legitimate things such as illness, health, necessary work, and other things that can prevent us from attending worship. Yet, some seem more concerned with business, entertainment, sports and “what I want to do” than they are in the precious gift of eternal life offered through our Lord and Savior. Worship is a time to strengthen our faith, grow in knowledge, and learn more about both His love and His wrath. God wants us to worship Him (John 4:23) and we should be anxious to honor and praise Him as we assemble together each Lord’s Day. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Then we will someday stand at the throne of God and joyfully sing, “How Beautiful Heaven Really Is”! & “What a Day That Will Be”! That’s the destiny of Christians – to be glorified with Christ! The will is probated (Hebrews 9:11-28) and you can lay claim to glory. Are you an heir?

Leftovers

At the risk of appearing snobbish or ungrateful, I’ve got a confession to make: I don’t like leftovers, i.e. cold food in need of being reheated. I always have the best of intentions to pull last night’s meal out of the refrigerator, throw it in the microwave, nuke it, and consume it, but I fail to do so time and time again. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’ve eaten my fair share of leftovers, but I can’t honestly say that I enjoy eating leftovers. The food never seems to taste or look the same. It lacks something after sitting in the refrigerator.

When President Abraham Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865, the inventory of items on his person, for some reason, just don’t seem to fit the profile of the highest ranking official of the United States of America. I don’t know why, but at first the items just didn’t seem to have that savory appeal I expected. Then it dawned on me the items only go to prove Lincoln was just a man with important employment status. Take note and see what I mean: The items consist of one pair of gold-rimmed spectacles with sliding temples and one of the bows was mended with string; one pair of folding spectacles in a silver case; an ivory pocket knife with silver mounting; a watch fob of gold-bearing quartz, mounted in gold; an oversize white Irish linen handkerchief with "A. Lincoln" embroidered in red cross-stitch; a sleeve button with a gold initial "L" on dark blue enamel; and a brown leather wallet, including a pencil, lined in purple silk with compartments for notes, U.S. currency, and railroad tickets. The wallet held a Confederate five-dollar bill and eight newspaper clippings. The clippings were from papers printed immediately before Lincoln's death, containing complimentary remarks about him written during his campaign for reelection to the Presidency. The Confederate five-dollar bill may have been acquired as a souvenir when Lincoln visited Petersburg and Richmond earlier in the month. Given to his son Robert Todd upon Lincoln's death, these everyday items, which through association with tragedy had become like relics, were kept in the Lincoln family for more than seventy years. They came to the Library of Congress in 1937 as part of the gift from Lincoln's granddaughter, Mary Lincoln Isham. Leftovers to be looked upon by generations, but never used again.

[Philippians 2:1-4] With respect to your Christian walk, do you realize that God is not interested in your leftovers? In fact, Jesus says that we are to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). Among other things, this means that God should come first in every aspect of our lives. Indeed, we should NOT give God our leftover love (Matthew 22:37-38), time (Ephesians 5:15-16), thoughts (Philippians 4:8), service (Galatians 5:13), or money (Proverbs 3:9). In the mind of God, such leftovers lack something. Being content with giving God the leftovers reveals something about the person who has this attitude. John said, “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:9-10). God loved us all so much in the midst of our sin that He took the initiative by sending His Son into the world to die in our place (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). God gave us His very best; in return, He expects the same. Indeed, contentment in giving God the leftovers exposes an ungrateful, selfish attitude. Leftovers are fine when it comes to nourishing our physical bodies. At times, leftovers are unavoidable, even necessary. However, with respect to God and our spirituality, a life of leftovers is unacceptable, especially when we take into account the example of His Son (Philippians 2:5-11).

Giving Of Life In Love

Amid the death and carnage of our country’s worse mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada on the night of October 1, 2017, acts of true heroism abounded. Here are three of their stories: * A Mandalay Bay hotel employee took a bullet to his back as he bravely shielded his wife from the gunfire during the Vegas massacre. William King, 38, was shot when the gunman unleashed on the Route 91 Harvest festival where he had been with his 26-year-old wife Kimberly. The Las Vegas father had been protecting his wife when the bullet struck him, tore through his body and exited his chest. It missed his heart and lungs by centimeters. As the panic set in around them, King held his bullet wound with one hand and grabbed his wife with the other as he forced her to run from the gunfire. The couple had been right in the middle of the crowd when the gunman unleashed a barrage of bullets. * Sonny Melton, 29, was at the Route 91 Harvest festival with his wife, Heather Melton. Heather Melton said her husband saved her life while gunfire was hitting the crowd. “He saved my life. He grabbed me and started running when I felt him get shot in the back,” she said. “I want everyone to know what a kindhearted, loving man he was, but at this point, I can barely breathe.” Melton is from Big Sandy, Tennessee. He was a registered nurse who worked at the emergency room and ICU at Henry County Medical Center. He also assisted his wife in surgery. * Jack Beaton had travelled to the festival to celebrate his 23rd wedding anniversary. But the night turned to tragedy when the shooting started, with the much-loved dad reportedly jumping in front of his wife Laurie to save her from the hail of bullets. His son wrote a tribute on Twitter, saying his dad was a “true hero”. * The 58 lives taken that night came from all walks of life, every one of them loved, and every one of them will be missed by someone.

[John 15:9-14] One of the darkest chapters of the Civil War is “The Palmyra Massacre.” In 1862, the Confederate Army released 45 Confederate prisoners from a Union stronghold and arrested a Union sympathizer, Andrew Allsman. Union Provost Marshal William R. Strachan re-took the post and demanded that Allsman be returned or 10 Confederate POWs would be executed. (This would be considered a war crime today.) The Confederacy didn’t give in to the blackmail. Ten men were escorted from the prison and forced to sit upon their own coffins. A hundred spectators gathered to gawk at the gruesome scene. The officer in command now stepped forward, and gave the word of command. The firing squad did their work. One of the ten men originally on the list of prisoners to be executed received a last-minute acquittal. The reprieved man was William T. Humphrey. You see, another soldier came forward, explaining that he was unmarried and without a family. He asked permission to take the place of Humphrey, stating that perhaps it would be better for a single man to die than a man with a family. If you go to that soldier’s grave, you will find a tombstone with this inscription: “This monument is dedicated to the memory of Hiram Smith. The hero who sleeps beneath the sod here was shot in Palmyra, October 17, 1862 as a substitute for William T. Humphrey, my father.” Hiram Smith paid the ultimate price for another. Likewise, Jesus paid the ultimate price for you. And the cross is his monument. “...For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:42-45). Someone died that you might live. We have been redeemed (Titus 2:11-14) Amen!