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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for September 27, 2010
“Worry Blocks the Word”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
Did you hear the Word this weekend?
Did you listen to a preacher or a teacher share a message from the Word of God?
If so, did you get anything out of it? Did you receive the impact that the Word is meant to have?
Or maybe it’s been so long since you were impacted by the Word that hearing it is no longer a priority. Maybe you’d rather spend your weekends boating than hearing the Word.
Here is one possible reason for that: worry.
Did you know that worry blocks the Word?
Worry is like weeds in your soul. It’s hard for the good seed of the Word to grow when it is choked out by weeds of worry.
In the Parable of the Sower, in Mark 4:19 Jesus said that among other things, the worries of this life come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful.
You may hear the Word, and it might even fire a little spark in your soul; but then the worries of this life creep in and choke it out, preventing it from growing and bearing good fruit in your life.
If it has been a while since you got something from a sermon, it could be that your worries are blocking the Word.
“But Doug, I have some real worries. If things don’t go right there’s going to be some real trouble. Of course I’m worried.”
Listen. You can take care of business without worrying about it. You still do your work, but you don’t have to take a big swig of anxiety every time you think about it. If you do, one of the negative side effects is that you choke the Word in your life. Worry chokes the Word.
Remember Mary and Martha in the Bible? Mary sat with Jesus, soaking up the Word, while Martha grew more and more anxious about preparations. Finally Jesus said in Luke 10:41, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.” The Word couldn’t get through to Martha because it was smoked out by her anxiety.
Jesus gave an excellent sermon about worry in Matthew chapter six. He said don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or drink or wear, because your heavenly Father knows what you need and He will take care of you. Jesus said to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you.
“But Doug, how can I stop worrying? I don’t do it on purpose. It just happens when I think about things.”
A main antidote for worry is prayer. Philippians 4:6 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
I like how it’s worded in the New Living Translation. It says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.”
First Peter 5:7 is a great verse about worry, telling us to cast all our care on Him, for He cares for us. Verse six talks about God’s mighty hand, which is comforting because one antidote for worry is to focus on God’s power and strength.
Like the song says, “We are weak but He is strong.” So what can we do when worry creeps in? We can cast that worry to the Lord, for He cares for us, and He is strong enough to do something about it, even when we aren’t.
The 23rd Psalm is a great antidote for worry. Just listen and see if it doesn’t cool your worry temperature down a degree or two. Here it is.
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
Proverbs 12:25 states the obvious: worry weighs a person down.
But a less obvious thing is that worry blocks the Word.
So if the Word has seemed distant to you lately, if you aren’t getting anything out of your Bible reading or sermons or lessons, then look for worry in your life; and if you find it, take it to the Lord in prayer. Cast your cares on Him and put your faith in Him to provide for you.
And if you ever find that the Word just seems dry or distant to you, remember this.
Worry blocks the Word.
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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