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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for April 7, 2010
“Is This How You Want It to End?”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
They only scored 12 points.
They played the entire first half and only scored 12 points.
It was a team record for futility, and they did it last night while playing for the national championship.
I’m talking about the University of Connecticut – the UConn Huskies.
Now you need to know that UConn had not lost a game in two years. That’s two undefeated seasons in a row, a record, and yet halfway through the championship game they were getting clobbered.
So it’s halftime, and what do you say? What can a coach say that might turn things around in the second half?
One thing he said was something like, “Is this how you want it to end?”
And that’s a great question for all of us. No matter where we are in life, we can ask ourselves this question. “Is this how I want it to end?”
If the answer is no, then that should motivate us to change.
But perhaps you feel beaten. You are battered and bruised and worn out. You just don’t have the strength to keep going.
Maybe the Huskies felt that way, but then something happened. Their star player suddenly caught fire, and it strengthened the whole team! They went from looking disjointed and defeated to looking like the champions they are.
So maybe you are sitting there battered and bruised and worn out, but the good news is, as a Christian you are part of a team – the body of Christ.
And on this team we have a star player, Jesus. The Bible says He is the “head of the body.”
I am so glad the pressure is not on me. I don’t have to do all the scoring or make all the big plays. I am not the head, not the star, not the team leader. Jesus is.
I put my faith in Him to do the heavy lifting for the team.
Does that mean I just sit back and let Him do it all?
No, because I have my part on the team. I am part of the body of Christ; not the head, but still an important part.
Now remember the Huskies. They were down, but then they were strengthened by the team leader.
And if you are down today, you can certainly be strengthened by our team leader!
Luke 24:49 uses this phrase, “power from on high.”
Acts 1:8 uses this phrase, “…power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…”
Ephesians 3:16 talks about being strengthened with might through God’s Spirit inside us.
Ephesians 3:20 says that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to His power that works in us.
I’m sure you remember Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
I could go on and on, but you get the point. God gives us power through His Spirit inside of us. We have all the power and strength and might that we need.
So maybe it’s halftime, and you feel defeated. If so, I have a question for you. Is this how you want it to end?
If not, then look to the team leader, the head of the body. Look to Christ for new strength and motivation. Put your faith completely in Him.
Then be strong in the Lord! Allow the power of God inside you, the Holy Spirit, to rise up and have His way in your life.
He will energize you. He will strengthen you. He will come up with plays exceedingly abundantly above all you could ask or imagine, according to His power that works inside you.
If this is not how we want it to end, then it’s time for us to be energized by our Team Leader.
It’s time we start looking like the champions we really are!
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
(close with chorus from The Words I Say by Sidewalk Prophets – “be strong in the Lord…”)
2 Corinthians 2:14 “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.”
© 2010 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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