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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for May 25, 2010
“A Lethal Glass of Going Astray”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
“At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice.”
That’s how a powerful story begins in Proverbs chapter seven.
Looking down he saw a young man, “a youth who lacked judgment,” he said.
He watched the young man walk down the street, “in the direction of her house.”
It was just starting to get dark, and out stepped the woman. She kissed him boldly and said, “I looked for you and have found you! I have perfumed my bed and covered it with colorful, imported linens.”
“Come,” she said, “let us drink deeply of love until morning!”
Oh, and she dare not forget this important detail. “My husband is gone – far from home.”
Proverbs 7:21 says, “With persuasive words she led him astray.”
And that’s what I want to talk about today – things that can lead us astray.
That verse mentions one of the most dangerous: persuasive words.
How many times have we balked at sin, knew it was wrong, wanted to turn away – but then came those persuasive words. It’s hard enough to walk away from a tempting temptation, but throw in some persuasive words and that thing is deadly.
So what can we do? What that young man should have done – avoid the mouth with the persuasive words. If he would have walked somewhere else, he never would have heard those persuasive words.
The way to avoid being led astray by persuasive words is to stay completely out of earshot.
That proverb also points out another thing that can lead us astray: the opposite sex.
Think of ol’ King Solomon. First Kings 11:3 says, “He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines…”
Oh, and let me finish the verse, “…and his wives led him astray.”
How many men of God have been led astray by women? And yes, I know, it goes both ways, perhaps more the other way. How many godly women have been led astray by a smooth talking “devil in blue jeans”?
Throw those two together, persuasive words and the opposite sex, and you have just poured yourself a lethal glass of going astray.
Here’s another thing that can lead us astray – an improper desire for money.
First Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
They were on the right path, but then wandered from the faith. What led them astray? An improper desire for money.
Here is something else that can quickly lead us astray: alcohol.
Proverbs 20:1 says, “Wine is a mocker. Strong drink is a brawler; and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.”
In the Amplified version of Isaiah 28:7 we find this phrase, “…they stagger and are gone astray through strong drink…”
See how this gets slippery? It’s not a sin to talk to the opposite sex or think about money or have a sip of alcohol. But we must walk circumspectly. We must be aware that these have a powerful potential to lead people astray and we don’t want to be the next victim.
Here is another thing that can lead us astray: our friends.
Proverbs 12:26 says, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.”
This links back to persuasive words. Our friends can be so much more persuasive. They know how to push our buttons, how to talk us into things. So if we don’t want our friends to lead us astray, we must pick friends that aren’t astray themselves.
Now here’s a very influential group of people: our leaders. They are super-influential because we are supposed to submit to them and follow them – but not blindly. Isaiah 3:12 uses this simple and obvious phrase, “…your guides lead you astray…” Jeremiah 50:6 says, “My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray…”
And then there is nobody’s friend, the devil. Revelation 12:9 calls him “that ancient serpent the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.”
So be aware of these things that can easily lead us astray: persuasive words, the opposite sex, money, alcohol, friends, leaders and the devil.
And how to avoid going astray?
By keeping our eyes on the Lord, on the truth, on the true faith, and on the Word of God.
And if you have already gone astray, then read Luke 15 about the prodigal son and the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, and Luke 19 where we read that Jesus came to “seek and to save that which was lost.”
And for everyone who knows what it’s like to go astray and return to the Savior, we hear from the man who denied the Savior himself three times.
I’ll close with these uplifting words from First Peter 2:25.
“For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
© 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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