The Gift of Prophecy - Apples of Gold - May 20, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 20, 2008

“The Gift of Prophecy”

Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.

First Corinthians 14:1 says, “…eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.”

Verse 39 says, “Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy…”

Ephesians 4:11 says that Christ “gave some to be…prophets…”

First Corinthians 12 says that “through the Spirit” each one is given “the manifestation of the Spirit” for the common good.  And what some receive for the common good is called “prophecy.”

Verse 27 talks about the parts of the body of Christ, and some parts are called “prophets.”

Romans 12:6 indicates that some men were given the gift of prophecy.

Acts 13:1 says there were prophets in the church at Antioch.

Acts 11:27 says there were prophets in the church at Jerusalem.

Acts 21:9 says there were four daughters of Philip who prophesied in Caesarea.

Verse 10 mentions a prophet named Agabus.

Acts 15:32 says that Judas and Silas were prophets.

In First Corinthians 14, Paul said it was important to coordinate the prophets and how they spoke during church meetings.

While preaching on the Day of Pentecost, Peter quoted from the prophet Joel who said, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophecy…”

He went on to say, “Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.”

So there are a lot of Bible verses that talk about prophets and prophecy.

Now for the longest time, I admit, I thought prophecy was only about telling the future.  A prophet told you what was going to happen someday.

But I’ve come to realize that a prophet is more than that.  So what is a prophet?

I like the definition of prophecy in my study bible:  “A communication of the mind of God imparted to a believer by the Holy Spirit.”

That’s easy for us to picture in the old days.  Some guy in a robe wondering around in the wilderness, then Bam! he gets a message from God and goes and shouts it all over town.  Kind of a weirdo, but yes, a prophet.

Or maybe we see a prophet like some wizard from the middle ages.  Something like Merlin.  We doubt it’s even true, but it’s a great story.

But the Bible talks quite matter-of-factly about prophets.  And not just in the Old Testament.  And it wasn’t just some spooky thing for strange loners.  It was something to be eagerly desired.

Apparently prophets were not rare, or you wouldn’t have to coordinate them in church meetings.  In fact, they were told to “be eager to prophesy.”

First Corinthians 12 tells us about the body of Christ, the church.  It is a unit made up of many parts.  Verse 28 says, “in the church God has appointed,” among other things, “prophets.”  This is an important part of the body of Christ.

Of course the importance of this part of the body is obvious.  The prophet is someone who hears from God and passes the message along to the rest of the body. 

This is not a message that someone made up.  It’s not cobbled together or imagined.  Second Peter 1:20 says, “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Wouldn’t it be great to hear from God?  Wouldn’t it be nice to know what He would say to us right now, today, for the circumstance we are currently dealing with?

I think that is the role of the prophet, to hear from God and speak to the people.

It sounds like going to a fortune teller, doesn’t it?  Like reading a crystal ball or tea leaves.  But here is what’s happened.  Because of false prophets and nuts and quacks, we have despiritualized the body of Christ.  These days if someone said, “I am going to the prophet to get a word from the Lord,” you might look at them like they were nuts. 

And yet this is a very legitimate part of the body of Christ – the role of prophet.  And it’s not to be a rare person.  There should be many people with this gift – where the Holy Spirit actually reveals God’s will to them and they pass it on to the rest of the body.

Of course, you have to be careful.  Ezekiel 13 indicates that some people “prophesy out of their own imagination.” 

Jesus said to “watch out for false prophets.”  He said we can judge a prophet by the fruit of their life, is it good or bad?  First John warns about false prophets, and says we need to test for truth and falsehood. 

First Thessalonians 5:19 says not to put out the Spirit’s fire and not to treat prophecies with contempt.  But it goes on to say we need to test everything, then hold onto what is good.

First Corinthians 14:29 says, “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.”

The most obvious way to test a prophecy is to see if it squares with the Bible.  How can it be a true “word from the Lord” if it contradicts the Word of the Lord?

What is the point of prophecy in the church? 

First Corinthians 12:7 says it’s for the common good.

Chapter 14 says, “…everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.”  It adds, “…he who prophecies edifies the church.”

Ephesians 4 indicates that prophets are to help “prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…”

I realize it’s a rather uncommon thing in the American church as a whole.  But in times like these, I want this part of the body active and working.  This is something the church needs – people who will stand in the council of the Lord, then tell us what He said. 

Why should we live without an important body part?  The church needs this – the strength and edification that comes from the role of the prophet.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
I love this passage from First Corinthians 14:24-25 – “But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!’”

I think a true prophet, when he hears from the Lord, is compelled to speak out.  I think this happens all the time in the church, whether or not that person is labeled a prophet.  They fulfill the role, whether they have the title or not.

Amos 3:8 says, “The Sovereign Lord has spoken – who can but prophesy?”

Jeremiah 20:9 says, “…His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones…”

Some people teach that First Corinthians 13 indicates that prophecies have ceased.  Verse 8 says, “…where there are prophecies, they will cease…”  Verse 10 says, “…but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.”  Some teach that the perfection has come, and that is the Bible.  Verse 12 says, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”  To me, this perfection has not arrived.  We don’t see “face to face.”  We don’t “know fully.”  We still live our lives here seeing “but a poor reflection as in a mirror.”  I think the perfection comes when Christ returns, when we finally see “face to face.” 

But I must say, some of the people who teach that will, themselves, spend time in prayer, seeking a word from the Lord.  Many pastors who don’t believe prophecy is for today will, nonetheless, pray and seek the Lord each week for a message for their congregations.  To me, that is filling the role of the prophet – to get a word from the Lord and deliver it to the people.

Another thought on that, if prophesies have ceased, what do we do with the two prophets in Revelation 11?  Why would they need to prophesy in the future if perfection has already come?

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

(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
-vi-

I Must Keep My Word, With No Loopholes - Apples of Gold - May 19, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 19, 2008

“I Must Keep My Word, With No Loopholes”

Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.

If I want to be a good Christian, then I must be a man of my word.

I must be a man of integrity.

If I say it, I must do it.

This applies to the big things in life as well as the small things.

If I tell my wife I will be home for dinner at six, then I better be home by six. 

If I say I will call you back about something, then I’d better call you back.

If I say I will meet you, then I will meet you.

If I say I will pray for you, then I will pray for you. 

If I say I will think about it, then I’d better think about it.

Anything else is of the devil.

“Whoa, that’s a leap.  How did the devil get in there?”

Jesus said it, I didn’t.  In the Sermon on the Mount He said, “Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

Why did He say that?  Because people were playing little games with their word.  What they said was true, only if they swore the right way, such as, “I swear by heaven,” or “I swear by Jerusalem.”  If you didn’t swear the right way, then you had a big loophole. 

Jesus closed all the loopholes.  Our word must have 100% integrity.  It must be true to the last drop.

In Numbers 30:1, Moses told the nation’s leaders that they must not break their word.  They must do everything they said they would do.

Sometimes people say they are just so busy.  Oh, is that a loophole?  No.  We must never be too busy to keep our word. 

Here is something that is very hard for some people to do.  Keep your big mouth shut.  It’s so easy to say you will do something.  We do this so often that we don’t think it’s any big deal when we don’t do what we say.

Some people just don’t want to say “No.”  They have no intention of doing it.  They know they probably won’t, but they say they will just so they don’t look bad, or to get you off their back.

This is a lack of integrity.  Better to have the guts up front to just say no, than to even leave the impression that you might do something that you know you probably won’t.

Here’s a popular loophole:  forgetfulness.  Listen, everyone forgets.  Old people forget.  Young people forget.  Everyone forgets. 

But to be a person of integrity means we don’t forget.  So how can we have integrity if everyone forgets?

That’s easy.  When you commit to something, write it down.  Do whatever you have to do to make sure you keep your word. 

I know an old guy who constantly tapes notes to himself on his steering wheel.  He knows he’s not going to forget to drive, so that’s where he leaves his reminders.  I know a woman who uses Post-It notes by the stack.

Now let me ask you, is forgetting your word as bad as breaking your word?  After all, you didn’t mean to forget.

Look at Proverbs 18:9.  “One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.” 

In the same way, the person who forgets to keep their word is brother to the one who breaks their word.  Their motives may be different, but they both lack integrity.

So forgetting to keep your word is no excuse.  It just shows you are slack in your work.

Here’s a big loophole:  “But when I gave my word, I didn’t know it would turn out like this.”

Ah, yes.  It’s suddenly going to cost you more than you thought.  A great time to look for loopholes, right? 

Wrong.  This is a great test of your integrity.  Psalm 15:4 talks about people who keep their word, “even when it hurts.”

First Chronicles 29:17 says, “I know, my God, that You test the heart and are pleased with integrity.”

How does God test our integrity?  By putting us in a costly situation.  If we keep our word, it’s going to cost us.  That is a great test of integrity.

Job was put in a costly situation.  Even his wife said, “Are you still holding on to your integrity?”  But Job’s integrity was solid, and he said that when God was done testing him, he would “come forth as gold.”

Even though it costs us, there are blessings when we keep our word. 

Proverbs 10:9 says, “The man of integrity walks securely.”

When you are a man of integrity, your path in life becomes a lot clearer.  You don’t have as many options to weed out, because most options lack integrity.  Proverbs 11:3 indicates that our integrity acts as a guide.

Galatians 6:4 says we should test our own actions.  We need to look at what we do and ask, “Am I a person of integrity?  Is my word good, all the time, every time?”

Yes, I want to be a good Christian.  I want to be a man of God.  And that means I must be a man of integrity, which means I must always keep my word, with no loopholes.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

(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
-vi-

How Dare You Question My Honor - Apples of Gold - May 16, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 16, 2008

“How Dare You Question My Honor”

Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.

In the old days, men fought to defend their honor.

If someone called you a liar, you said in your best gunslinger voice, “Let’s step outside and settle this.”

Or better yet, just pull out your gun and settle it now.

They called that defending your honor, but I think it’s more like pride.

See, there is a line between honor and pride.  Pride is very touchy, but honor stands strong.

And you know what?  I really don’t think honor has to be “defended.”

If you are truly honorable, it stands for itself, doesn’t it?  Do you really have to fight for your honor?  I think the whole idea of fighting over your honor shows you really don’t have it to begin with.

Where did I come up with that?  From Proverbs 20:3.  “It is to a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.”

Have you ever seen someone fly into a rage to defend their honor?  It immediately waters down their honor, doesn’t it?

I’ve seen people go off the deep end to defend the honor of their children or their spouse or other family members.  On the surface, it seems like a really noble thing to do.  “You said what?  Those are fightin’ words!”

But the Bible says it’s more honorable to avoid strife, not rush into it.

So there is a biblical form of honor, and a worldly form of honor.  Worldly honor is almost looking for strife, while biblical honor seeks to avoid it.

We don’t talk much about honor in America today.  We talk about getting ahead and the American Dream, and we talk a lot about our rights, but we rarely talk about honor.

I like what it says in Hebrews 13:18.  “We…desire to live honorably in every way.”

So what does biblical honor look like?

Let me tell you, biblical honor looks a lot like humility.

It starts with humility before the Lord.  He is Master and we are servants. 

Proverbs 22:4 says that humility and the fear of the Lord bring honor.

So to live honorably in every way we must start with humility before the Lord.

When it comes to worldly honor, you don’t see much humility.  It’s hard to be humble when you are cracking on people.

Now imagine the most humble person.  What would the most humble person do if someone questioned their honor?  Would they throw a hissy fit?  Actually, I picture them being very strong, and rather quiet.  I see them like a rock, like a boulder.  You can yell and even push, but the boulder won’t react.  It doesn’t have to.  It’s a boulder.

Proverbs 18:12 says that “humility comes before honor.”

So a key component to true honor is humility before God, and humility in general.

The next time someone dishonors you, can you react with humility?

“Doug, I can’t just stand there and let someone dishonor me or my family.”

I know.  It sounds unnatural, doesn’t it?  And that’s precisely the point.  This is something beyond human nature.  It’s of a higher order.  And that’s what true honor is, something of a higher order.  True honor is something the average man does not have.  We can only do it as we submit to the Lord and then He works within us.

True honor is when the Lord honors us.  Unless we are honorable in God’s eyes, we are not honorable at all.

So how can we be honorable in God’s eyes?

One way is by serving Jesus.  In John 12:26 Jesus said, “My Father will honor the one who serves Me.”

Some who serve Jesus are twice as honorable, according to First Timothy 5:17 – “the elders who direct the affairs of the church…especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.”

Proverbs 27:18 says it’s honorable to look after your master.

Proverbs 13:18 says it’s honorable to heed correction.

If you look closely, you see humility running through all of that.  It’s humble to look after your master – and it’s honorable.  It’s humble to heed correction – and it’s honorable.  It’s humble to be a servant, both a servant of Jesus, and a servant of the church – and it’s honorable.

So the next time someone questions your honor, don’t strike back.  Don’t start an argument and stir up strife. 

Instead, be humble before God and man, for it’s humility that truly proves your honor.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
Romans 2 gives us another way to be honorable – by always doing good. 

Proverbs 21:21 says that it’s honorable to pursue righteousness and love.

Ecclesiastes 10:1 says that a little folly outweighs honor.

Proverbs 25:27 says that it is not honorable to seek your own honor.

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

(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
-vi-

Did Jesus Mean We Should Cut Off Our Hands? - Apples of Gold - May 15, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 15, 2008

“Did Jesus Mean We Should Cut Off Our Hands?”

Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.

Jesus said, “If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.  It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”*

He also said to cut off your foot or gouge out your eye if they cause you to sin.

Now that’s some bloody, horrible imagery.  Why’d He get so graphic?

One reason was to pound home the horrors of “hell” and “eternal fire.”**  He was basically saying, “Hey, whatever it takes, you don’t want to go to hell.”

Have you ever tried to stop sinning?  Have you noticed it’s not easy?  In Romans 7, Paul said that sin was at work in the members of his body.

There is something within us that leans toward sin.  Have you ever driven a car that was out of balance?  You work to keep it straight, but it fights you.  That’s what life is like in this flesh.  Even when we have the best intentions, something just pulls us off course.

So should we start hacking off body parts?

For example, if your eyes cause you to lust, will blinding yourself stop all the lust?  No, because lust doesn’t come from your eyes.  Jesus said in Mark 7 that evil thoughts and immorality come from within, from our hearts.

So sin is not really a body problem, it’s a heart problem.  You can attack your body all day, but you won’t get to the sin problem until you get to your heart.

So what can we do about our hearts? 

Romans 2 talks about an “unrepentant heart.”  So what we need to do is repent of our sins.

Then, in our hearts, we need to believe in Jesus, that He is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead.***

When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, Acts 15 says He purifies our hearts.

Ephesians 3 says that Jesus comes to live in our hearts, and that triggers an avalanche of good things.

Romans 5 says God gives us His Holy Spirit, and pours His love into our hearts.

Second Corinthians 1 says that God’s Spirit is in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.  It’s God’s “seal of ownership” on us.

So the answer to the sin problem is not butchering your body, because sin starts in your heart.  We have to deal with the source of the sin.

We do that by repenting and believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Then God’s Holy Spirit comes into our hearts.  It’s God’s way of sealing our future, and we are no longer in danger of hell.

Now I wish that was the end of the story, and we never had to battle sin again.  Unfortunately, even though we have the Holy Spirit in our hearts, our flesh still pulls toward sin.

So now what?  Now do we start cutting off body parts?

No.  Romans 6:13 has a much better plan.  “Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather…offer the parts of your body to (God) as instruments of righteousness.”

If you notice that your eyes are causing you to sin, don’t attack your eyes.  Instead pray this little prayer, “Lord, I offer up my eyes to you as instruments of righteousness.”

What will your eyes be doing as “instruments of righteousness”?  Many things.  They can be used to study God’s Word.  They can be used to look around for needs to meet, for people to help. 

If your hand is prone to sin, don’t cut it off.  Just pray this little prayer, “Lord, I offer up this hand to you as an instrument of righteousness.”

“Well, Doug, that’s a bit of an oversimplification, don’t you think?”

Look.  If you are a Christian, then you already have all the tools you need to overcome sin.  The Holy Spirit within you is the awesome power of God! 

And the battle to overcome sin is not some battle of the titans.  There is only one titan, God.  So this little prayer handles sin like a sledgehammer handles a cell phone – it disables it, to put it mildly. 

So when you feel pulled toward sin, when your flesh wants to drag you down, put this little prayer to work.

“Lord, I offer up my body as an instrument of righteousness.”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 * Matthew 5:30
** Matthew 18:8
*** Romans 10

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

(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
-vi-

Why Do I Believe in God in a Suffering World? - Apples of Gold - May 14, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 14, 2008

“Why Do I Believe in God in a Suffering World?”

Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.

Many people don’t believe in God because of all the suffering in the world.

They would rather believe in no God at all than believe in a God that would allow so much evil and pain.

I think that’s a legitimate point.  If God is so powerful and God is so loving, why does He allow people to suffer?

Some people say it’s because we have free will, and some people use their free will to hurt others.  But if every human was made perfect right now, we would still suffer through natural disasters.  And if we found a way to protect everyone from that, there is still the suffering that comes when people die.

There is simply a brokenness that runs through all of creation.  It allows people to choose evil.  It allows mayhem in nature.  It allows things to decay.  And it allows death.

Why does God allow it?  You’d think He could just wave His hand and fix it.  We could all just live in a state of perfect bliss from now on, forever and ever.

My thinking backs me into a corner.  Okay, so what if we rule out God because of these things.  How do I explain my existence?  Many turn to big bangs and primordial soups, but I just think that’s silly. 

Take this notion that we evolved from monkeys.  If that’s so, then evolution is stupid.  Look at a monkey’s feet, then look at ours.  Which are more useful?  And who thought it was better that we have no tail?  And look at how fast monkeys get around.  Have you seen a monkey in the zoo just fly around that cage?  Who wouldn’t want that?  Why did evolution evolve away so many cool things? 

And if evolution is true, why wouldn’t we still have gills?  What was evolution thinking when it did away with the gills?  That we would never go back in the water?

I’m saying, if evolution means keeping the best features and shedding the rest, then give me the gills, give me the wings, give me the tail, give me the extra hands instead of feet, give me the speed.  I want to soar through the trees and land on my feet and fly to the sky and change colors with my background and sleep all winter.

Why did evolution take it all away?

Of course it’s silly.  And I realize I’m sidestepping all the science, but what I’m looking for is common sense.   I don’t believe in evolution because if it really works that way, humans would have kept all those awesome traits.

So I’m back in the corner.  How do I explain my existence?  Well, my thinking returns to God.  And I open my Bible and search for answers.

In Genesis 2:9 we read about “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”  I don’t know why there has to be evil.  Why can’t there just be good?  I don’t know, and I wish it wasn’t so, but there it is. 

Evil is mentioned before Adam and Eve commit their first sin.  When the serpent tempted Eve, surely that was a sin on the serpent’s part.  So sin and evil must have existed before Eve ate from the tree. 

So there is God, the creator, who is good and holy and righteous.  And then there is sin and evil, and we see those forces at work in the serpent.

Why did God allow it?  I have no idea.  I am just trying to figure out the what, because the why seems unreachable.

So Adam and Eve go ahead and sin.  First Corinthians 15:21 says, “death came through a man,” and verse 22 says, “…in Adam all die…” 

We all know that we all die.  And the Bible tells us the source of death:  Adam’s sin.  And through Adam’s sin, something like a genetic flaw was introduced into all creation. 

This genetic flaw brought death, and also decay.  Romans 8 says that the creation itself is in bondage to decay. 

It’s as if, there in the Garden of Eden, sin and evil and death and decay came knocking, and Adam and Eve said, “Come on in”

Sure, some say it’s a fairy tale.  But what’s their explanation?  And where are my gills and wings? 

To me, it makes sense.  I see that jagged tear running through the fabric of creation.

What explains people hurting other people?  I think sin is a great explanation.  We are born in sin.  We have evil desires.  Jesus said evil comes from inside of us, out of our hearts.

And to make matters worse, the Bible talks about evil spirits.  First John 5:19 says, “…the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”  

Ephesians 6:12 says there are “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” 

Revelation 12:9 describes Satan as the one “who leads the whole world astray.” 

It’s easy to see that the whole world is astray, and I can easily buy the explanation that it’s due to evil desires within and evil beings without.  Call it fantasy if you want, but to me it sure explains a few things.

But that’s not the end of the story.  Revelation 3:14 says that Jesus is the “ruler of God’s creation.”  

Hebrews 2:8 says that, yes, right now not everything is subject to the Lord, but that day is coming. 

First Corinthians 15:24 says, “Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.” 

And finally, as verse 26 says, “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”

Yes, this is a broken world, and I don’t know why God allows it.  But when I came to Christ myself, His forgiveness and redemption changed the course of my life.  I believe what the Bible says, and it’s more than just a brainwashing.  There is a living hope inside me that there is life after death, and that God, though mysterious, is working all of this toward a wonderful conclusion.

That is the reason for the hope that I have. 

And that is why I believe in God in a suffering world.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

(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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Is It Wrong to Date a Non-Christian? - Apples of Gold - May 13, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 13, 2008

“Is It Wrong to Date a Non-Christian?”

Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.

Is it wrong to date a non-Christian?

Here is what one person wrote:  “Date?  No I don’t think it’s wrong, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your morality.  But marriage is another matter.”

Wait a minute.  Since when are dating and marriage separate matters?  This person is looking at just one little piece of the road.  But what about the rest of the road?

Have you ever been on I-4 in Orlando?  If all you know about I-4 is what you see in Orlando, you’ll think it’s a north-south road.  But aha!  Yes, it’s north-south through Orlando, but it’s actually an east-west road.

See, there is a lot more to the road than what you see in Orlando.  And there is a lot more to dating a non-Christian.

So do I think it’s wrong to date a non-Christian?  Here is my advice.  If God is important to you, if you love Jesus and want to serve Him, if you want to be a living sacrifice, and glorify the Lord with all your being, then when it comes to dating, don’t even take a second look at a non-Christian, or even a lukewarm Christian. 

The great thing about being my age is that I’ve lived long enough to see where the roads of life lead.  And here is what usually happens. 

The Christian is attracted to the non-Christian.  It’s a physical thing.  “They are just so cute!” 

Now follow the timeline.

Instead of ruling out the non-Christian as “undateable,” they toy with the idea.  Then the moment comes when they find out the other person is attracted to them.  The fire is lit.  It was lit before the first date.  The moment two people are mutually attracted, the flame ignites.

They begin talking and spending time together.  Everyone is on their best behavior.  No one rocks the boat because it’s just so wonderful.

But that non-Christian is on an east-west road, and you are on a north-south road.  Yes, the roads have intersected for a time, but what happens as you move down the road, down the timeline?  You will want to pull north, and they will want to pull east.

At this point there are three options.  One of you can completely change directions and join the other, but that rarely happens.  Or you can split up and go your separate ways, but that’s hard to do when you’re so attracted.  Or what usually happens is this – compromise.  On the best days, they will go to church with you and support you in your religious stuff.  And they want you to support them in whatever their goals are.

But your goals aren’t the same.  How could they be?  You are going different directions.  You love the Lord, and they aren’t that interested.  Your passion is for the Kingdom of God, and their passion is…whatever, something in this world, something other than the Lord.

Now follow the timeline.  The next thing you know, you have children.  How are you going to raise them?  Do you want them to be fired up for God and love the Lord?  Don’t you wish your spouse would help with this, maybe even lead the way?

But they won’t.  They might even pull against you.  They don’t share your faith, at least not to that level.  And again, there will be more compromising.

What do you allow into your home?  Who will influence the children?  What kind of friends will you hang around with – people who build your faith, or not?  On and on the timeline goes. 

To be unequally yoked is to throw a giant wet blanket on your spiritual fire.  You want to pull north with all your might, but you are yoked to someone pulling east.  And this will happen year after year, decade after decade, on and on and on.

That’s the timeline.  When you think about whom you are going to date, you have to look at the timeline.  You have to realize that each decision leads to something further down.  There are no isolated chunks of timeline, they are all connected.  One piece leads right into the next.

The dating piece of the timeline leads right into the marriage piece of the timeline.  So, if you say you shouldn’t marry a non-believer, then you must realize you cannot date a non-believer.  And if you cannot date a non-believer, then you must realize you cannot even let yourself become attracted to a non-believer.

“But Doug, I can’t control who I’m attracted to.  It just happens.  They just walk in and ‘Wow!’”

Walk in where?  See, that is one way to control the kind of person you are attracted to.  If you are in a place for fired-up Christians, then the person who walks in is at least more likely to share your faith.

But yes, I understand the wow factor.  It’s potent, no doubt.  The wow factor almost ruined the great King David. 

So what can you do with the wow factor?  Just what I’ve said.  Look down the timeline.  Take a realistic look at what the future holds if you spend your life with that person. 

If you are young, it’s hard for you to look down the timeline because you’ve never been there.  So ask a wise, older person for their advice.  They’ve seen where the roads of life lead.

And, of course, pray about it.  The Lord will guide you.  You will be asking for His blessings on your family for the rest of your life, so it’s best to start now, before you take that next step down the timeline.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

(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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Can You Hear the Voice of God? - Apples of Gold - May 12, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 12, 2008

“Can You Hear the Voice of God?”

Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.

In John 10 we read about Jesus as the Good Shepherd.

It says that He knows His sheep and He calls them “by name.”

It says His sheep “follow Him because they know His voice.”

John 10:27 says, “My sheep listen to my voice.”

So what is this thing about hearing the voice of Jesus?

How do you know that God is speaking to you, and it’s not just some random, crackpot idea that zapped across your brain?  After all, some nutcases have gone out and killed people, then said that God told them to do it. 

Well, that wasn’t God.  Look at John 10:10.  Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

So if the voice in your head talks about stealing, killing and destroying – that’s not the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd wants His sheep to have life, and have it to the full.

Some people say they have heard the audible voice of God.  I have not, but I do believe that God has spoken to me.

If it wasn’t audible, then how?  I think that God has spoken to me through thoughts that pop into my head.

What makes me think that is God and not just my own thoughts?

Well, I can’t prove it.  I am just believing that John 10 is true, and that I will know the Shepherd’s voice.  Then as I draw near to the Lord in prayer, and I know He is drawing near to me like it says in James 4:8, I believe that He will speak to me.

Now let me say this.  The primary way God speaks to us is through His Word, the Bible.  The Word of God is the foundation for all of this.  God’s communication to us starts there.

I don’t know about you, but I want more than that.  I want and need God’s direction to be more specific.

We constantly run into forks in the road that the Bible alone doesn’t clearly illuminate.  Now what?  We need God’s specific direction.

Is that something God does?  When you read through the Bible you find God often giving people very clear direction.

In John 14, Jesus indicates that this guidance is available to us through the Holy Spirit, also known as “the Counselor.”  He said that the Counselor will teach us “all things.”  John 16:3 says He will guide us into “all truth.”  The Holy Spirit makes things known to us, with the end result being that Jesus is glorified.

So most of us would agree that God wants to speak to us.  The tricky part is learning to discern His voice when He gives us specific directions.

So far I have mentioned a couple of guidelines.  One is that the voice of God will not lead you to steal, kill and destroy, but instead the goal will be abundant life for His sheep.  Another guideline is that when God speaks to you, whatever He tells you to do will glorify Jesus.  

Here is another guideline for discerning the voice of God.  John 16:8 is again talking about the Holy Spirit, and it says, “He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment…”

I have heard people say that God told them their sin was okay.  But again, that is the voice of the “thief,” not the voice of the Good Shepherd.  When God speaks, there will never, ever be any approval of sin.  Instead, the voice of God will always bring conviction for sin.

Now let’s move beyond the basics.  You come to a fork in the road, and you want to hear directly from God what to do.  For example, let’s say you are a new college graduate, and you have two job offers.  You know that the job you take will affect everything in your life from here on.

You pray, “Lord, I don’t know which job to choose, but I must make a choice.  I will have to pick up that phone and tell them something.  What should I tell them?”

And then you listen for God to answer.  And perhaps all kinds of thoughts come screaming through your head.  “Yes!”  “No!”  “Stay!”  “Go!”

How do you know?

All I can lean on is Jesus’ words that His sheep know His voice.  If we are truly His sheep, then we will know.  We will just know.

I know that’s not very scientific.  But that’s the way I think it works.  In my life, yes, a lot of thoughts bubble through my brain, but then sometimes a thought just jumps out head and shoulders above the rest, and I just know, that’s the Good Shepherd.

The fact that you are reading this Apples of Gold is the result from many years ago when I was praying and suddenly this thought stood clear in my mind, “Write and be creative.”

That was it.  Just four words.  It’s not something I was praying about.  But all of a sudden the deck was cleared and that phrase stood alone, “Write and be creative.”  It didn’t happen immediately, but it was in the back of my mind from then on, that God wanted me to “write and be creative.” 

And I do it for the sheep to live life to the full, to bring conviction for sin, and for Jesus to be glorified. 

I could give you several more examples from my own life, but go ahead and ask the mature believers around you.  I think many will tell the same story, of times that they just knew that they knew that God was speaking to them.

And He will speak to you, because what Jesus said is true.  His sheep will know His voice.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

(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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Marriage Key: Soften Your Heart - Apples of Gold - May 9, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 9, 2008

“Marriage Key:  Soften Your Heart”

Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.

In Malachi 2:16 God says, “I hate divorce.”

If that’s true, then why did He make provision for divorce in the Old Testament?

Jesus answered that in Matthew 19:8.  He said, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard.”

Now I can think of a lot of reasons for permitting divorce, but I would not have come up with that one.  “Because your hearts were hard.”

What does that mean?

I scoured the Scriptures, looking for people whose hearts were hard.  What did they have in common?

First of all, when your heart is hard, it is not open to God.  You do not want to listen to God.  You don’t want to hear His word.  You don’t want to know about His plan or His design.  And you certainly don’t want to listen to any correction. 

A hard heart towards God separates us from God.  It separates us from His wisdom, which allows us to become ignorant.  It separates us from His light, which puts us in darkness. 

A hard heart loses its sensitivity.  It becomes insensitive to sin.  It starts to fill with pride and arrogance. 

When you have a hard heart, life is all about you, baby.  It’s about what makes you feel good. 

You don’t revere God or His word or His people.  You don’t care too much about anyone except yourself.

Now let’s go back to that divorce provision in the Old Testament.  Remember what Jesus said, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard.”

To me, Jesus is saying, “You want to know why that divorce provision is there?  It’s because you won’t listen to God.  You don’t care about His plan or His design.  You turn your back on His word, and you put yourself first instead.  You put your own plan ahead of God’s plan.” 

And what is God’s plan?  Well, it’s not even really a plan.  It’s a fact.  When a man and woman are married, Jesus said, “…the two will become one flesh.  So they are no longer two, but one.”

Then Jesus makes an awesome statement.  He says that when people get married, God joins them together.  God is the one who takes the two and makes them one.  And He concludes with this statement, “Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Now I know that there a host of things than can happen in a marriage.  The list of problems is endless.  It ranges from capital crimes to bad breath. 

So no matter what your issues are today, let the words of Jesus echo in your soul.  What I hear Him saying is, “Don’t become hardhearted.”

And listen, it doesn’t start with your spouse.  It starts with God.

Don’t let yourself become hardhearted toward God.  How can we do that?

We must stay open to Him and His word.  We must listen and heed what He says.  We must take our eyes off of ourselves and fix our eyes on Him.  We must humble ourselves before Him, and say, “Lord, not my will, but Your will be done.”

Go ahead and pray this simple prayer, “Lord, let my heart be soft towards You.”

Then God will soften our hearts, and along with that He will give us greater wisdom and understanding.  We will see things in a new light. 

When we are hardhearted we become selfish, and minor things about our spouse irritate us.  But when we are softhearted, God gives us new vision, and we can easily separate what’s important from what isn’t.

When we are softhearted, God can easily show us our own sin.  Then we can repent and turn from our sin instead of allowing it to harden our hearts even further.  Any sin that we hold onto, that we don’t repent of, that sin will harden our hearts.

Now let me skip back to this idea of God making the two one.  Why did He set it up that way in the first place?  Malachi 2:15 gives the answer:  “Because He was seeking godly offspring.”

God put the husband and wife together and made them one so that they would raise godly offspring.  That was His plan.  The ideal is parents whose hearts are soft before the Lord, staying together and raising godly children. 

Now I know you can’t control your spouse.  But you can control yourself, and for your own good, and the good of your children, you must have a soft heart towards God.

So I don’t know what your marriage problems are today.  Everybody’s got them, so what are we going to do about them?

Here is one thing we must do, a key to a good marriage.  We must soften our hearts before the Lord. 


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

(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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Texting Says I Love You - Apples of Gold - May 8, 2008 ***Happy 17th Birthday Bethany Apple!!!*** -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 8, 2008

“Texting Says I Love You”

Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.

The light turned green and here came the cars.

Except one.  It just sat there.

Finally the big semi behind it blasted its horn.

I wondered if the car had died.  Kind of rude to blast your horn at a poor soul whose car died.

Then it moved.  As it passed me I saw the young man driving.  I could be wrong, but it looked like he was feverishly sending a text message.

Sometimes I run a TV camera at church.  From my perch I can look down on the congregation.  And what do I see people doing during the service?  Punching out text messages.  One woman had the fastest thumb I’ve ever seen, and she wasn’t even looking.

Me?  Yes, I text, but I’m no good at it.  Last night, before church, I was trying to text my wife and walk at the same time and I about plowed into a guy.  It’s the new measure of coordination, can you walk and text at the same time?

I apologized, told him what I was doing, and he said, “Well, I guess I’m just old enough that I haven’t learned it yet, and I probably won’t.”

But I hope he does.  Not because I’m promoting text messaging, but because I am promoting communication. 

I know some people don’t like it, the texting, the cell phones, the e-mails, the instant messaging, all of it.  But I do, and let me tell you why.

It helps us stay connected.  It keeps relationships alive.  When there is communication there are more chances for bonding, for encouraging, for loving, for caring and helping each other.

I have some old friends who only send me “forwards.”  In other words, I never hear a personal word from them, they just forward e-mails that they like. 

Some people hate that, but I don’t.  It’s just like seeing someone everyday and they say, “Did you see that show last night” or “Did you read that article in the paper?”  No, it’s not personal.  It’s just sharing life, sharing things you like.  That’s an important part of any relationship, and e-mail makes it easy.

Someone asked me this week for ideas on how to bring the generations together, especially when the young people don’t seem interested in the old people.  My advice was for the old people to reach out, to communicate.  And the best way is for the old people to use the same communication tools as the young people.

This week my dad and my daughter were e-mailing each other.  She wants Grandpa to buy her a car when she turns 16.  It was just good old fashioned teasing, but done in a new way, via e-mail.  That communication wouldn’t have happened if my dad hadn’t made the effort to learn how to use the internet.

My wife stays in contact with her friends back in Illinois through text messaging.  I asked her why she doesn’t just call them.  She said texting is better when you just want to share a little thing or two.

She stays in touch with her high school friends through e-mail.  Whenever they write a message, they CC all the other friends so that everyone gets every e-mail.  It’s an easy way to stay in touch, even though they are scattered across the country.

One feature I love is the cell phone picture messaging.  Whenever I see something interesting, I can snap a picture of it and send it off to anyone on my contact list.  The other day there was an alligator in the pond next to our station’s tower, so I took a quick picture and sent it off.  When my daughter was singing on stage Tuesday night, other people could instantly see what she was doing through a simple “PIX message.”

And then there are web cams.  My brother-in-law has a new baby boy.  They’re in Chicago and we’re in Tallahassee, but the web cam allows us to see the baby and even talk to him.  There are husbands who travel on business who use the web cam each night to stay in touch with their family.

Talking about the importance of communication between a husband and wife – even though my wife and I go to our separate jobs every day, we stay in touch with quick text messages and e-mails.  Like today, when I go to the coast, I will have to take a picture and send it to my wife – so she knows I’m working as hard as she is.

The Bible tells us to love one another.  And a huge part of loving one another is good communication. 

Here’s what I think.  I think you aren’t loving very well if you aren’t communicating very well.  And with our modern technology, there is no excuse for not communicating. 

“But Doug, I’m not a technology person.”

Then this proverb is for you.  It’s Ecclesiastes 10:10 – “If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.”

So you can communicate the hard way – sure, go ahead and write letters if you want.  Use a quill pen if want.  It’s more work, but it’s still good communication.  However, it’s better to sharpen the ax.  And in this case, sharpening the ax means learning the new, easier forms of communication. 

Do the work now, and you will make communication so much easier.  Then you will communicate more, and you will actually be loving people more, which is what God wants.

I think I can boil all this down into one simple phrase, “Texting says, ‘I love you!’”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
Interesting note, my spell checker doesn’t recognize the word “texting,” yet a Google search returns over 7 million hits on the internet.

By the way, you should not send text messages during church or while driving.  And it’s rude to start texting when someone is talking to you.

And for things like Mother’s Day or, God forbid, your wedding anniversary, I don’t think a text message is going to cut it!

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

(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
-vi-

Lord, Be a Wall of Fire Around Me - Apples of Gold - May 7, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 7, 2008

“The Zechariah Zone”

Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.

It’s time to step into “The Zechariah Zone.”

When I read through the book of Zechariah, a lot of great verses jump out at me.

Like chapter 2 verse 5 when God says that one day Jerusalem will be a “city without walls.”  Then He says, “And I myself will be a wall of fire around it.” 

Man, you don’t need a wall around your city if the Lord is a “wall of fire” around it!  Talk about securing the perimeter.

Since reading that I’ve made that a prayer.  “Lord, be a wall of fire around me.”

But that’s not all.  He goes on to say, “…and I will be its glory within.”

It doesn’t tell me to make that a prayer, but I love the sound of it, the presence of the Lord both around me and within me.  So this is my new prayer, “Lord, be a wall of fire around me, and let Your glory rise within me.”

Now look at verse 13.  “Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.”

I picture the whole world, prattling on day after day in all its busy-ness and self-centeredness.  But then, a hush settles over the planet.  All of mankind is still before Lord – because He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.

One of the most quoted verses from Zechariah is chapter 4 verse 6, “‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

God was talking about how the temple in Jerusalem would be rebuilt.  It would not be by their natural strength, but through His Spirit.

Now stop and think.  What on earth does that mean?  Because listen, those guys still had to rebuild that temple, block by block.  It was by their strength.  In fact, twice in Zechariah chapter 8 God told them to let their “hands be strong” to build the temple.

This is hard to understand, unless you have ever been involved in a large building project.  Last night my daughter was part of a choir that sang at Bradfordville Baptist Church.  It’s a massive, new facility, absolutely beautiful.  I had nothing to do with it, but I bet it took an amazing number of hours and dollars to make it happen.  There are a thousand things that can stop a big building project.  You can work as hard as you want, but if people don’t work together, it’s not going to happen.  Sometimes all it takes is one person to oppose the project.

On a massive project like rebuilding the temple, what are the odds of everything coming together?  All the workers, the finances, the vendors, even the weather.  And in the case of rebuilding the temple, they definitely had some opposition. 

So God was telling them, “Strengthen your hands for the work, because it is going to happen.  This temple will be rebuilt – not because you are so strong, or so organized, or so well financed – but because I am going to make it happen.”  It’s “by my Spirit” says the Lord.

Another well-known verse is Zechariah 4:10, “Who despises the day of small things?”  This verse makes me look back over my life and I see many small things that turned into big things.  It makes me wonder – when God is involved in our lives – is anything really a small thing?

Here’s another cool verse in Zechariah – chapter 8 verse 3.  God said, “Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth.” 

In fact, truth is a recurring theme in Zechariah.  Chapter 5 has some strong words for anyone who “swears falsely.”  It says God will send a curse into his house.  That curse will “remain in his house and destroy it, both its timbers and its stones.”

That is a great illustration of the rotting power of not telling the truth.  Over the years I have met some tremendous liars.  You can’t believe a word they say.  And their lives are rotting.  They rot in business.  Their social lives are rotten.  Their family relationships are rotten.  To the degree that you don’t deal in truth is the degree that your life will rot.  It’s a curse from God that goes right into your house when you deal falsely. 

In 8:19 God says we should “love truth.”

Verse 16 says, “Speak the truth to each other…”

When it comes to swearing falsely, the Lord declares in verse 17 that He hates it.

If there is anything we can glean for ourselves from the book of Zechariah, this is a big one.  We must work to avoid misrepresenting the truth in all things.  Everything we communicate, even everything we think – let’s try to make it an exact representation of truth.

There a lot of other great passages in the book of Zechariah, including many prophecies of the Messiah.  But I’m out of time, so let me close with this from chapter 8 verse 21, “Let us go at once to entreat the Lord and seek the Lord Almighty.”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.

 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

(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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Don't Wreck a Relationship Over Stuff - Apples of Gold - May 6, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 6, 2008

“Don’t Wreck a Relationship Over Stuff”

Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.

Here is something that always makes me sick.

When I hear about relatives fighting over stuff.

It happens when someone dies.  This is the big chance.  Free stuff.  It’s going to be passed out like candy.  Eyes light up at the thought of it.  “What am I going to get?”  It’s Christmas morning, and Santa’s giving away everything.

I know, it’s only human, but people start thinking about what they are going to get.  They think about what they want, and even what they deserve. 

Now listen, to think like this is to manufacture gun powder in your brain.  Every thought you have about that stuff is another ounce of gunpowder.  You think and think, and the gunpowder piles up. 

Then comes the distribution.  This is the lighting of the match.  And unless the distribution goes exactly as everyone wanted, the match falls and the gunpowder goes off. 

If you spent a lot of time thinking about that stuff, you have piled up the gunpowder and you are going to explode.  And the casualties will be family relationships.

But if you spent no time thinking about the stuff, it won’t matter how it’s passed out.  You will be fine with it, and there will be no damage to the family.

“But Doug, I have needs.”

Yes, and the Lord said He would provide for you.  Trust in Him, not in somebody’s will.

“But Doug, there were some things I really wanted, not for the money but for the sentimental value.”

Sentimental value means it gives you good memories about the person.  Please don’t tell me your sentiments are so flimsy that they can be upset because someone else got the trinket.  You don’t need the trinket to enjoy the good memories.

“But Doug, I don’t care about any of the stuff.  It just bugs me that it wasn’t fair.”

You know what?  Let it go.  Don’t think another thought about it.  Remember, every thought like that is an ounce of gunpowder.  And the more you think about it, the bigger the explosion will be someday.

So you were shorted.  Let’s say you were totally cheated.  Robbed.  The biggest rip-off ever. 

Let it go.  No good comes from dwelling on it.

Here is what I think.  I think it all comes down to greed.  We can say it’s the fairness, or the sentimentality.  But it really boils down to what I want.  If I don’t get what I want, I will be upset and people are going to know about it.

That’s the opposite of how a Christian should be.

As Christians we are called to, first of all, love the Lord, and second of all, to love people.  And that includes the people we are mad at about the stuff.  We are to love them, but how can we love them with this division?

We have to take our eyes off the stuff and put our eyes on the Lord.  Then all of our thoughts about the people should be filtered through the love of God. 

When we do this, God’s peace will fill our hearts.  There will be no gunpowder, and no explosions.  There will only be peace and love. 

Now what if you got the stuff that someone else wanted?  You really want to stretch your faith?  You want to do something that will blow everyone’s mind?

Then give it to them.  Just give it to them.

“But Doug, then I won’t have it.”

Yes.  But you know what?  You aren’t going to have it for long anyway.  So what’s worth more, that little bag of earthly treasure, or the brilliance of doing something wonderful and extraordinary in the name of the Lord?

“But Doug, I need this.”

At what cost?  The cost of a wrecked relationship? 

I like what it says in First Corinthians 6:7, “Why not rather be wronged?   Why not rather be cheated?”

So you end up with less.  I’m reminded of the old Gospel song, “I’ve got the Lord, and that’s enough, that’s enough, that’s enough.”

And that’s what it comes down to.  Is God enough for you?  Can He make up for whatever you sacrifice for someone else?

Of course He can.  Like it says in Ephesians 3:20, He is the one who “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think…”

That is the Lord Almighty. 

So focus on Him.  Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit and drain away any animosity towards the others. 

You will be trading in a life of anxiety and broken relationships for a life of peace and the chance to really love people like God wants us to.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.

 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

(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
-vi-