SUNDAYS WITH JOYCE

Apologetics

1. Be light o the world    Mathew 5:14    Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

2. Be ready with answer    1 Peter 3:15    But, sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

3. Be salt    Matthew 5: 13    Ye are the salt of the Earth: but if the salt has lost its savor, where with shall it be salted? It is henceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men

4. Contend for the faith    Jude 3    Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

5. Paul reasoned with the Jews and the Gentiles    Acts 17:2; 18:4,9    And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scripture. And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

 

 

 

 

Paid In Full

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he rose his voice to his father and said "with all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, a sudden feeling of sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt.7:11, "And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?"

As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God's blessings because we can't see past our own desires?