Apples of Gold
Radio Script for June 24, 2008
“Set Apart for the Service of God”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
Set apart for the service of God.
We need to be more like that.
Christianity is not a tack-on, something we tack onto our regular lives.
Christianity is a fire that consumes our life.
When you become a Christian, the fire of the Holy Spirit sweeps in and consumes.
“Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”*
This is the sanctified, set apart life God is calling us to.
Our life is no longer about our careers or our money. It’s not about our trips or our clothes or our degrees on the wall. It’s not about getting people to respect us or like us or say how good we look. It’s not about having fun or feeling good or chasing the next thrill. All of that is consumed in the fire.
When John the Baptist preached about Jesus he said, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
When you are baptized with fire, everything burnable burns. It is consumed, leaving only the fire.
Look what happened to Paul. When he became a Christian, his old life was consumed. It was gone. He was now set apart for the service of God.
Was that only for Paul? Is that only for super saints or maybe preachers?
No, this is for every Christian, every one of us who has had our sins forgiven by the blood of Christ. Revelation 1:6 says Jesus has made us to be priests to serve His God and Father.
Each and every Christian is set apart for service, as a priest.
When the devil tempted Jesus with many wonderful things, Jesus was not even phased. He said, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.”
But what happens when the rest of us our tempted? Here is what should happen. Nothing! It should have the same impact as spitting on a forest fire. You can’t even hear it sizzle over the roar of the blaze!
Like every Christian, Paul was set apart for service to God. In Romans 1:9 he said that he served God with his whole heart.
One day Paul had the incredible privilege of preaching to some high Roman officials. In Acts 26:22 he said, “…I stand here and testify to small and great alike.”
As he testified about Christ, one of the Roman officials interrupted him and shouted – he shouted – “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad!”
That’s the way the world sees Christians who are on fire for Jesus. They think we are nuts.
When that happens, we are tempted to turn down the burner. But you know what that means? It means we are trying to please men.
Look what Paul said in First Thessalonians 2:5, “We are not trying to please men but God…”
When we are on fire, our eyes are fixed on Jesus and nowhere else. We want to please Him and we aren’t concerned about pleasing people. And we aren’t concerned about pleasing ourselves, either.
Here is something that grieves me, and I am sick and tired of it. It’s Christians who turn down the flame of the Spirit in their lives. They want to please themselves and others. They want to enjoy some of the worldly pleasures. They want to have some good times. They still want to be Christians, but they want to simply tack Christianity onto a regular, worldly life.
This won’t work. Christianity is not a tack-on. Yes, you can turn down the flame, but what do you do when temptation calls? You will answer! Temptation will make an offer and you will accept.
Of course temptation is nothing more than a tiger pit, and you end up crashing to the bottom. No good ever comes from turning down the flame of the Spirit in your life. It just makes you lukewarm and disgusting.
It’s time we all turn up the flame! We do that by selling out to God. We say, “You know what? Everything else goes. Lord, I want all of You. Take over my life. I want to be set apart for Your service. Nothing else matters. This world has nothing to offer. I want to be the priest of God you have made me to be, starting right now.”
Yes, some of your old crowd might think you are nuts. But it’s time to build on the firm foundation and stop building on sand. It’s time to be sold out and stop wimping out. It’s time to be hot, not lukewarm.
Let it ring out loud and clear. Tell your flesh. Tell the devil. Tell the world. “As of today, as of this very hour, I am set apart for the service of Christ my King!”
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
* 2 Corinthians 5:17
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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