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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for May 12, 2010
“Mental Gymnastics”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
As soon as the mental gymnastics start . . . stop.
When the wheels start turning to rationalize and justify . . . stop.
If you can’t explain your actions truthfully and honestly and squarely . . . then stop before you even do them.
I’m giving you a little guard rail today, something that will help keep you on the straight and narrow.
It means you are going to have to understand your own mind. You need to get in there and see how it works.
There’s a little department in our head, and in that department their job is to justify our actions.
It goes like this. We think of something to do, and our conscience throws up a red flag. Then this department goes to work to override the conscience. The wheels start turning and all of a sudden we are doing the very thing our conscience told us not to do. We were warned, but we did it anyway. But we think we are in the clear because we have a good reason and we are ready to spit it out to anyone who asks.
The problem is, it won’t stand up to the light test. You can read about the light test in Ephesians chapter 5. It says, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Then it says “…everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible.”
So here is the guard rail that will protect you today. Will your actions stand up to the light test? If they were exposed to the light, if they became public, would you be ashamed? Would you be discredited? Would your reputation suffer?
If so, then don’t do it. If you sense the wheels are turning in your head, looking for excuses, stop right there. Don’t do it!
I was reading this week about a computer program that will cover your tracks. It will keep anyone from knowing where you went on the internet.
Would you like to have a program like that? Would you like to have the freedom to go anywhere online and no one would know? If so, then you are probably failing the light test.
You know what? There is nothing wrong with saying, “I won’t go there because I don’t want to be caught going there. I won’t do certain things because I don’t want to be caught doing them.”
That’s another way of looking at the light test. Would you do this if you knew you were going to be caught?
This is about your integrity and your good name. Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is more desirable than great riches…”
We need to deal in truth, not some half-twisted version of it. We need to deal in light, not shades of darkness.
Have you ever seen a little kid try to lie? They are terrible at it. Their eyes and their body language betray them – but they don’t realize it!
The same is true for adults. You can have your story all worked out ahead of time, yet people can see right through you. No, maybe they can’t prove you’re lying, maybe they have no evidence, but that is not the point at all. As Christians, we don’t want to eliminate the evidence. We want to eliminate the sin!
We want to walk in the light as He is in the light! We want to live in honor and integrity. The Bible uses this word: upright. Titus 2:12 indicates that we should live “self-controlled, upright and godly lives.”
Set the bar high! Don’t look for reasons to sneak the bar down. Don’t be pathetic. Don’t be weak, be strong! Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might!
You can do it. It can be done! “Awake you who sleep. Arise from the dead and Christ will give you light!”
Proverbs 21:8 says, “The way of the guilty is devious…”
Don’t be devious. Don’t look for ways to rationalize and justify and cover up your actions. Let this be a warning to you right out of the gate. As soon as your mind starts doing the mental gymnastics – don’t do it.
“The way of the guilty is devious – but the conduct of the innocent is upright.”
That’s who you want to be. You want to be counted among the innocent and the upright. You want to be a person of the highest integrity, with a great reputation and an honorable name.
And that means you can’t do certain things.
Remember Daniel. His enemies dug deep to find any lack of integrity, and they couldn’t find one!
I want to be like that. I want my track record to be squeaky clean. I don’t want to slip things in under the shades of gray. I want my actions to be able to pass the light test. I want to conduct myself in a manner worthy of the gospel. I want my life to square up with Amos’ plumb line.
Hebrews 13 uses this phrase, “live honorably in every way.”
Honor means no rationalizing, no excuses or justifications.
So here is your guardrail today, something to help keep you on the straight and narrow.
As soon as the mental gymnastics start . . . stop.
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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