FIVE DOLLARS TO HEAVEN

FIVE DOLLARS TO HEAVEN

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $5.00 bill. He said, I am going to give this to one of you, but first, let me do this. He proceeded to crumple the bill up. He then asked, who still wants it? Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he replied what if I do this? He dropped it on the ground, and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. Now, who still wants it? Still hands went into the air. My friends, you all have learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it, because, it did not decrease in value. It was still worth five dollars. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come your way. We feel that we are worthless, but, no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value, dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do, or whom we know, but by who we are. You are special, don't ever forget it! Always count your blessings, not your problems.

The speaker went on to compare that $5.00 bill to the gift of salvation. He said salvation is a gift, just like that $5.00 bill to whoever would reach out and accept it. He said he can say it’s ours, but it really isn’t just on his word alone. Until we reach out and take it , it doesn’t yet belong to us. He then said “whoever wants salvation can come forward and receive it just like picking up this money on this table.” I went forward to receive salvation that night. I was 8 years old. My brother, only 4.5 years old at the time, went forward to receive $5.00, to the cheers of the crowd. Yes, I was embarrassed, being so young myself, but today realize that his faith had been just as strong as mine had been when Billy Graham had made both offers in a tent crusade on the grounds of Clearwater High School, in Clearwater, Florida in 1960. My grandmother, whom I call Gram, would tell you I went forward at church when I was only four. But this night is the first memory I have of receiving Christ into my heart.

by: Robert Edgar Burns