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TEN MILLION DOLLARS FOUND IN TIN CANS!
Donald L. Phillips Ph.D.
Part I
Here is a recent news item: “Gold coins worth ten million dollars, found in old rusty tin cans!” It tells of a couple in California who found these old rusty tin cans containing numerous gold coins worth over ten million dollars. Most people are thinking, “I wish that was me because I could certainly use ten million dollars right now.”
As I heard this news, my thoughts went immediately to 2 Corinthians 4: 7 (In several versions). “If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious treasure, Jesus, and His Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us.”
“Thank you Father for the awesome treasure you have given to the followers of Christ, and we know that treasure is Jesus and His Kingdom.”
If you are a follower of Christ, you have the greatest and most precious treasure anyone could ever possess. That treasure is Jesus and His kingdom and is worth far more than all the riches in the world. and He wants us to make Him known to a world that desperately needs Him now.
Here is a story that helps illustrate a very important message I am trying to convey:
A very wealthy man and his son traveled the world to purchase famous paintings. The man’s son was drafted into the military and went to Viet Nam. He was killed in battle attempting to rescue his comrades. The father was deeply grieved.
A few months later a man came to visit him and told him that he was one of the men his son saved. He told him that he and his son were good friends and they both loved the arts. The visitor went on to tell him that he was somewhat of a portrait painter himself. He said he painted a portrait of his son and gave it to the father as a gift. The father was amazed at how the artist had captured the features of his son. The father treasured the painting of his son more than the others.
A short time later the father died and his estate came up for sale. The auctioneer presented the painting of the son as the first item to be auctioned. “What am I bid for the son?” The crowd said, “We don’t want to bid on that painting because the painter is unknown.” The auctioneer continued the auction. “What am I bid for the painting of the son?” A man from the back of the room stood up and said, “Sir, I am the gardener for this estate. I loved that young man; he was like my own son. I would like to buy that painting but all I have is one hundred dollars. “Do I hear two hundred?” No further bid so the gardener paid his one hundred dollars and took possession of the painting of the son.
Then the auctioneer announced that the auction was closed. The audience was enraged. The auctioneer reported to the audience that there was a stipulation in the will that said, “WHOEVER GETS THE SON, GETS THE WHOLE ESTATE.”
May God help us know how blessed we are to have Jesus and His Kingdom living in us. What an awesome treasure! Let us share this treasure with the world!
In part two I will deal with Matthew 6:19-21 “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.” (The Message)
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You can order his book: “Healing Broken Lives and Relationships” through Amazon, Barnes and Noble etc. It is available in hard copy or eBook format.
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