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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for July 15, 2010
“If You Do X You Will Get Y”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
I love if-then statements.
If you clean up your room, then you can go to Disney World next weekend.
If-then statements tell you what to do, and what you will get if you do it.
Most of life is not that black and white, and frankly, neither is a lot of the Bible. But I decided to dig into the New Testament and uncover the most obvious, clearly stated if-then statements. And this comes from the New King James Version.
I created a little formula for myself during the research. I looked for scriptures that fit this formula, “If you do X, you get Y.”
Now I admit up front that some of these statements were made to specific people in the Bible, but I think that most Christians agree that these statements can be applied to all of us. So here goes, what I found to be the most clearly stated if-then statements of the New Testament.
If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (Matthew 6:14)
If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:15)
Jesus said, “If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” (John 12:26)
He said “…if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)
He said “…if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19)
He said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7)
He said, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:14)
He said, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23)
He said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23)
Jesus said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever…” (John 6:51)
He said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…” (John 10:9)
He said “…if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” (John 8:51)
He said if we love one another, then all will know that we are His disciples. (John 13:35)
If you just tuned in, let me remind you, we’re going through the most obvious if-then statements of the New Testament, judging by the formula “if we do X, we get Y.” We just finished the if-then statements of Jesus in the Gospels. Now let’s turn to the epistles.
“…if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)
“If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (First Corinthians 3:17)
We are His house if we “hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.” (Hebrews 3:6)
“…We have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end…” (Hebrews 3:14)
If we do not grow weary while doing good, and do not lose heart, in due season we shall reap. (Galatians 6:9)
“If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.” (Second Timothy 2:12)
If we show partiality between rich and poor, we commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. (James 2:9)
If we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (First John 5:14-15)
And finally, here are a couple that most every Christian will recognize.
“…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (First John 1:9)
And there you have it, some of the most obvious if-then statements of the New Testament; things you can bank on, according to the formula that if you do X, you will end up with Y.
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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