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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for March 11, 2011
“Thoughts I Refuse to Entertain”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
Some thoughts I refuse to entertain.
Yes, they come knocking, but I won’t let them in. I hear them come up on the porch, but I refuse to entertain them, or show them any kind of hospitality at all, other than a stone cold “take a hike.”
One of those thoughts is, “I don’t feel like getting up today.” I never entertain that thought. If it bothers to pay me a visit, I kick it out immediately. When my alarm goes off, I get up. I want to get up. “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” In fact, my alarm is a praise song that immediately starts my day on the right foot.
Another thought I refuse to entertain is, “I don’t feel like exercising.” As you might imagine, my job in radio is not exactly physical. You don’t get much of a workout turning a microphone off and on, so I exercise. I love the results. I love the health and the feeling of wellbeing that it brings, so I do it. Sure, the thought pops up sometimes, “You don’t feel like doing this today.” Or sometimes, when I’m out jogging, the thought occurs to me, “Wow, this is hard, I should just turn around and go home.”
But those are thoughts I refuse to entertain. They pop up, but I immediately shoot them down. I refuse to think about them at all. I have decided to exercise and it’s not up for debate.
I have also decided to memorize the book of John. It’s a big job, and once in a while the thought pops up, “You need a break,” or “You’re getting burned out.” That is a thought I refuse to entertain. I immediately stamp it out, because I am committed to this. I will not let some random, loopy thought drag down my attitude. It’s a wonderful job, a rewarding job, a job I love to do that will bear some of the best long-term fruit of my life, and I refuse to think for one second about quitting or even delaying it.
Now listen to this. I refuse to entertain any critical thoughts about my wife. Let that sink in for a minute. I refuse to entertain any critical thoughts about my wife. I am committed to her forever, until death do us part. No, we certainly aren’t perfect people, but I refuse to let my mind marinate in critical thoughts. Where’s the value in that?
Many spouses end up in a downward spiral of critical thinking. They get stuck on something and can’t get it out of their head. Maybe it’s several somethings, and they sink their teeth into them like a bulldog. They are critical, negative thoughts about their spouse, and they will not let them go.
What’s the point? Does that help you reach the goals in your marriage? Do you even have goals in your marriage?
Some of the goals for my marriage are found in Ephesians chapter 4. Paul wrote, “I…beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Man, that is an awesome scripture for marriage! We are to walk worthy of the calling of God. We are to walk in gentleness and humility and patience. We are to bear with one another in love. We endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
How can I do all that while entertaining critical thoughts about my wife? I can’t, so I don’t. I refuse to entertain critical thoughts about my wife. If they pop up, I kick them out, and I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful the results are!
Ephesians 4:7 goes on to say, “To each one of us grace was given…” She was given grace. I was given grace. We both have been given grace, and God’s grace is sufficient for our marriage; so for me to think critical thoughts of the recipient of God’s grace…that would be counterproductive and I won’t do it.
These thoughts stand in the way between me and things that are important. That’s why I refuse to entertain them.
Listen to me. You do not have to think about every thought that comes along. Some of them must be booted out immediately!
People who have affairs – they started with thoughts that should have been booted out.
People who commit crimes – all crimes begin with thoughts that should have been booted out.
Fear – some people live their lives in fear instead of faith, and those fearful thoughts need to be booted out and replaced with faith in the Almighty.
I refuse to think anything negative about my job. Some people turn thoughts about their job into a thorn in their side. They dwell on the negative and live in the critical. They whine about going to work and everything about work. Why do that? Do not dwell on anything negative or critical about your job. That’s just thought poison. Work as unto the Lord, the Bible says. (Colossians 3:23) If our work is unto the Lord, then we have no business dwelling on critical thoughts about the Lord’s work.
Some people dwell on negative things from the past. Talk about a worthless waste of good brain power! Forgive, forget and move on.
Some people dwell on doubts about God. Yes I see where they are coming from, but God saved me. He changed my life. I see His good fruit in my life, so even though I don’t understand it all, the debate about God is over. It’s a non-issue, so I refuse to entertain any doubtful thoughts about God.
What does the Bible say about controlling our thoughts?
Colossians 3:2 tells us to set our minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Philippians 4:8 says, “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.”
That is what we are to focus our brain power on, thinking on things that are good, and things that are of God.
And with that in mind, there are some thoughts I simply refuse to entertain.
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
© 2011 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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