It's Time to Make a Habit of Prayer - Apples of Gold - October 28, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 28, 2008

“It’s Time to Make a Habit of Prayer”

 

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

It was my habit.

I would get up early in the morning before daylight, bundle up and go outside.

There I would pray.  I would talk to God – about everything.

I would walk while I prayed.  I had a flashlight, and I walked the same path around our yard.

We lived in the country, and it was a big yard.  I would walk round and round, drawing near to God in prayer.

I was kind of proud as, over time, I saw a path begin to wear into the grass.  It helped me know that I was meeting one of my goals, to be a man of prayer.

And remember, I don’t pray because I’m wonderful.  I pray because I’m not wonderful, but God is.

I have a keen sense of my need for the Lord.  It’s like someone who knows they can’t swim.  They have a keen sense of their need for a life jacket.  Without Him I would sink like a rock.

If I’ve had any success as a husband and a father, if I’ve done anything right in ministry, if I’ve kept my priorities straight at all, some of the credit has to go to this habit of prayer.

It’s a habit I’ve maintained both when I’ve felt spiritually strong and spiritually weak.  Even when I’ve felt spiritually void, I never stopped praying.  When I felt good and clean, and when I felt foul and rotten, I never stopped praying.

Most people do not have a set time for prayer, and I don’t know how they do it.  How do you keep yourself on track without coming to the Lord?  How can you be involved in ministry at all if you are not faithful in prayer?  How can you run your home, your family, if you don’t consistently seek the Lord’s face, His favor and His will?

One of my favorite Bible characters is a man named Cornelius.  He was a centurion in the Italian Regiment.  Acts 10:2 makes a powerful statement about Cornelius.  It says, “He and all his family were devout and God-fearing…”

Did you get that?  It says he…and all his family…were devout and God-fearing.

If you have a family of any size, you know this is quite a statement.  That’s a bunch of people, each with their own free will.  They can each choose to be devout and God-fearing, or not.  Yes, you might be able to coerce them into going to church, but you can’t make them be devout and God-fearing.

So here was Cornelius, no weak man.  He was a centurion in the Italian Regiment.  That’s sort of like saying he was a Marine.  And he also had a family.  And all of them were devout and God-fearing.

So how did he do it?  How did Cornelius end up with this godly household?

Here is one of the keys.  It says he “prayed to God regularly.”

Look how it’s worded in other translations.  One says he “prayed to God always.”  Another says he “prayed continually to God.”  The Message says he “had the habit of prayer.”

And that’s a great example for us, which leads to this question.  Do you have the habit of prayer?

A habit means you do it habitually.  It’s part of your routine.  You brush your teeth before you go to bed.  You fix your hair before you leave the house.  You take your keys out before you lock the car.  These are habits.  You don’t write them into your schedule.  They’re a given.

So is prayer a given; part of your routine?

Hey, if it was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for us.

Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

Sounds like a one time event, but now look at Luke 5:16.  It says, “…Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Of course, prayer is found throughout the Bible.  It’s what God’s people do.  They pray.

So do you like what you find in the family of Cornelius?  Do you want the same for your family, that everyone would be devout and God-fearing?

Then one key is to follow his example of prayer.  And I think it’s best to pick a time when you can pray consistently. 

Yes, most Christians pray, but I’m afraid it’s lacking both quantity and quality.  And in turn it will lack the life changing, family changing power.

So make the change.  It’s time to move beyond tossing up prayers just before the pop quiz.  It’s time to follow in the footsteps of Cornelius.

It’s time to make a habit of prayer.


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-

But What Does the Scripture Say? - Apples of Gold - October 27, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 27, 2008

“But What Does the Scripture Say?”

 

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

I went to the altar in the summer of 1984.

It wasn’t a tearful event.  I didn’t hurl myself down and confess all my sins.

Instead I prayed one simple prayer.  “God (if you are real) I’m going to start reading the Bible, and I ask that you make it real to me.  Make it clear.  Let it just jump off the page to me.”

And that was it. 

And I started reading the Bible.  Now I had read the Bible before, but just didn’t get a lot out of it.

But after that trip to the altar, something was different.  I read the Bible and it started making sense.  The truth and the light started jumping off the page to me.

And over 20 years later it still does.  I open the Bible, start reading, and pretty soon I’m slapping myself in the forehead and saying, “Wow!  Look at that.  That is awesome!”

Sometimes I have to push it away, saying, “Oh Lord, that is too much.”

Sometimes I bow my head in repentance.  I’m challenged.  I’m encouraged.  I’m strengthened.  Crooked priorities are made straight.  And through it all runs a red strand of God’s love.

What happened to me 24 years ago reminds me of those guys in Luke 24:45.  It says, “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.”

See, people can read the Scriptures all day long, but it just doesn’t make much sense until God opens your mind.

It’s like what it says in First Corinthians 2.  Spiritual truths are spiritually discerned, revealed by the Spirit of God.

So do you find it hard to read the Bible, hard to understand what it’s saying?  Then ask God to reveal it to you.

Yes, God will reveal it to you, but it doesn’t do away with the need to study and to learn.  Second Timothy 2:15 talks about correctly handling the word of truth. 

Our goal should be to be like Apollos, who is talked about in Acts 18:24.  It says he was “a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.”

That’s what I want to be.  I told my wife the other day, “Some men are pounding economic facts into their brain, or political facts.  Some are full of sports facts.  But you married a guy who is memorizing Bible verses.”

One thing I like is that all those other facts change like shifting sand.  But the Word of God is unchanging.  You learn something from the Bible and it’s good for life.

Galatians 4:30 starts with a question:  “But what does the Scripture say?”

That is a question we should ask ourselves about everything.  Yes, I see the circumstances.  Yes, I hear what the world is saying.  But what does the Scripture say?

In Matthew 21:42 Jesus said, “Have you never read the Scriptures...?”

In Matthew 22:29 Jesus said, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures…”

Second Timothy 3 says that the holy Scriptures make us wise for salvation, and are useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

Romans 15:4 says that the Scriptures were written to teach us, encourage us and give us hope.

Some say, “Ah, it’s just another book written by man.”  But Second Peter 1 says that the prophecy of Scripture came from God to prophets “as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

“But Doug, can’t I just listen to my pastor?  Do I have to read the Bible for myself?”

Well guess what.  Sometimes pastors get it wrong.  Sometimes Bible teachers make mistakes.  And sometimes they flat out distort the Scriptures.  Second Peter 3:16 says that some people distort the Scriptures, “to their own destruction.”

Instead of just taking someone else’s word for it, we need to study the Bible ourselves.  We need to be like the people in Berea that we read about in Acts 17.  The Apostle Paul came and taught them, and instead of just taking his word for it, verse 11 says they “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

The Bible is no ordinary book.  It is full of spiritual truths that must be spiritually discerned.  But the Holy Spirit is ready to discern them for you, ready to teach you all things found in Scripture. 

So pray that simple prayer, “Lord, I’m going to read the Bible.  Please make it real to me.  Help me to understand it and to live it.”

Then dig in and start studying. 

Then when you face a situation in life, don’t ask what your friends are saying or what the world is saying.  The most important question you can ask is, “What does the Scripture say?”

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-

God Is Watching You - Apples of Gold - October 23, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 23, 2008

“God Is Watching You”

 

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

“God is watching you.”

“That’s all I really knew about God,” she said, “Because that’s all my mom told me.  I think it was just a mom-thing, you know, to keep me out of trouble.  And I guess it worked because I always had that in the back of my mind.  God is watching me.”

Well, maybe it was just a mom-thing.  But it is true.  God is watching us.

Psalm 33 says, “From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth – he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.”

So the Lord is watching all of us.  And not like an old man watching TV past his bedtime.  He is highly alert, considering everything we do.

Hebrews 4:13 says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Did you catch that?  It’s not just that God is watching, that He sees everything we do.  There’s more.  It says, “Everything is…laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Deep down I think everyone knows this; atheists, agnostics, everyone.  We all know deep down that we will be held accountable for what we do.  There is just a sixth sense about it.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has “set eternity in the hearts of men…”

It’s hardwired into us.  Romans 1 indicates that we all know God and know about God, but some of us choose to ignore Him.  Verse 18 uses this phrase, “suppress the truth.”

I think everyone is born with a sense that there is more to life than what we can see. 

Have you ever had one of those moments when you looked around and thought, “Is this even real?”

That’s because what we see is only temporary, but God has put eternity in our hearts.

Second Corinthians 4:18 says that “what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

It’s not that this world isn’t real.  It is.  God Himself created it.  But there is more.  There is something even more “real.”  It is the “unseen,” the eternal.

Like I said, I think we are all born with a sense that there is more to life than what we can see.  Deep down we know there is a God, and we just know that He is watching.

And we know that He is going to hold us accountable.

“Oh, Doug, I think God is busy doing a lot more important things that sitting around watching me all day.”

That’s like saying the sun can’t shine on California because it’s so busy shining on Florida.  The sun shines on the whole galaxy 24 hours a day, no big deal.  And it’s no big deal for God to watch all of us all of the time.

Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.”

Genesis 16:13 gives this name to God:  El Roi (pronounced ro-EE) – “The God Who Sees.”

“Well Doug, I think this whole ‘God is watching’ thing is just a fairy to tale made up to make kids behave.”

Yes, it should make kids behave, and grownups, too.  You can deny it with your head, but deep down you know it’s true.  God is watching.

Last night I hooked up my computer to my television.  It was weird because I was working on the computer in one room, and in the other room everything I did was being blasted onto the big TV screen. 

I thought, “Wow, talk about accountability.  Not only is everything I do showing up in the other room for all to see, it’s showing up much bigger and clearer than I can see it myself.”

And that’s the way it is with God.  Everything we do shows up on His big screen.  He sees it all, and He sees it more clearly than we do.

And He’s keeping track.  And He’s holding us accountable.

This is something to think about.  Yes, temptations come.  They always come.  And when they do, it’s helpful to keep this mind.

God is watching you.

Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 Some people will think this is trite or artificially ominous or threatening, or even backwards and religious and dumb.  I think those are arguments and deceptions cooked up to keep us from accepting and living by this plain and simple truth clearly portrayed in the Scriptures.
© 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-

Learn a Little Logic - Apples of Gold - October 22, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 22, 2008

“Learn a Little Logic”

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

Have you ever studied logic?

I did in college and I loved it.

You start with a basic syllogism, something like this:

All dogs are mammals.
My pet is a dog.
Therefore my pet is a mammal.

See, we started with two premises and came up with a logical conclusion.

Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it?

But the subject is much deeper than that.  There’s a lot to learn about logic, but it’s important for clear thinking.

Now here’s an example of obviously bad logic:

All dogs are mammals.
My pet is a mammal.
Therefore my pet is a dog.

It’s easy to see the faulty logic in that one because you already know about pets and mammals and you know that my pet mammal might actually be a black panther.

But sometimes it’s much harder to see faulty logic if you don’t know what to look for.

For example, someone might say:

A woman has a right to choose what she can do with her own body.
A pregnancy takes place inside a woman’s body.
Therefore a woman has a right to choose what she can do with her pregnancy.

That sounds logical, but it has a faulty premise.  A woman does not have a right to choose what she can do with her own body.  For example, she can’t be a prostitute.  She can’t sleep on the steps of the capitol.  She can’t yell “Bomb!” at the airport.  She can’t smoke crack.  She can’t even smoke a cigarette after lunch at Applebee’s.  My goodness, she can’t even cross the street at the wrong spot, just ask my daughter who was actually cited for jaywalking.

So you see, it helps to know logic, both how it should work and what makes it not work.

Logic is sort of like math.  Learning that 2 + 2 = 4 is easy enough.  But learning that -4 + -5 = -9 starts to stretch the mind a little.

Yes, it will take some work, but it’s important that we learn to think clearly.

Ephesians 4:14 indicates that some people are like babies.  It says they are “tossed back and forth,” “blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.”

See, there is a lot of deceitful scheming going on.  It’s an election year, which means we see a lot of cunning and craftiness. 

We also see this in the church.  In the name of the faith people teach all sorts of odd things.

How do we keep from falling for them?

One way is by learning to think logically.  It helps us see right through craftiness to the truth of the matter.

First Thessalonians 5:21 says, “Test everything.  Hold on to the good.”

Thinking logically is one way we test everything. 

Philippians 4:8 says we are to think about “whatever is true.”

Logic helps us drill down to the truth of the matter.

Romans 16:18 says that some people fall for “smooth talk.”  It says those people are “naïve.”

If you study logic, you will be less likely to fall for smooth talk.  You will be less naïve.

First Corinthians 14:20 tells us to stop thinking like children and to start thinking like adults.

The thinking of children is undisciplined and illogical.  It’s time we grow up in our thinking, and one way we do that is by learning to think logically.

Here is a specific example in the Bible when God rebukes the people for not thinking logically.  In Isaiah 44 the Lord points out that the people are making idols out of wood, the exact same wood that they use to build a fire for cooking or to keep warm.  They would actually, at the same moment, be cooking over part of the wood, while worshipping another part of the wood that they had whittled into an idol. 

God basically said, “These people don’t even stop to think about what they are doing.”

Does the same hold true for us?  Have we sharpened our minds enough to think logically?

I like what it says in Proverbs 4:7, “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.  Though it costs all you have, get understanding.”  Proverbs also talks about getting “knowledge” and “insight” and “good judgment”

And one way we can gain insight and good judgment is by studying this simple and deep subject of logic.

Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
Here is an interesting website I found.  It’s about teaching logic to homeschoolers:
http://www.fallacydetective.com/articles/read/learning-logic-at-home/
© 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-

Ten Thousand Kids on a Conveyor Belt - Apples of Gold - October 21, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 21, 2008

“Ten Thousand Kids on a Conveyor Belt”

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

Ten thousand new babies will be born in the United States today.

And they know nothing.

That’s 10,000 new kids on the conveyor belt.

And the conveyor belt rolls.

And 10,000 babies move from the hospital to home, some to splendor and some to squalor.

That’s 10,000 babies, and somebody has to teach them how to eat and how to go to the bathroom.

One of them is the next president, the next inventor, the next Super Bowl quarterback; but first someone has to teach them to tie their shoes.

Maybe it will be Mom and Dad.  But wait.  Many of the dads aren’t even in the picture.  Many of the moms are overloaded. 

But it doesn’t matter.  The conveyor belt never stops.

Ten thousand kids will turn four years old today.  Some have been hugged everyday, taught their colors and their numbers and the ABC song.  And others, well, nobody is really teaching them. 

Oh, they’re all learning.  But what are they learning?  And who is teaching them?

And the conveyor belt rolls.

Ten thousand kids become teenagers today.  Are they ready?  Lifelong values will be formed, but who’s helping form them?

They don’t know what’s going on.  They’ve never been teenagers before. They need help.  But whether they get it or not, the conveyor belt rolls.

And it will take some of them from junior high to jail.  And some will find that drugs make them feel better.  And alcohol.  And some will sleep around. 

Sure, some will have high moral values, and some won’t.  What will be the difference?

One difference will be the people standing there as the conveyor belt rolls by.

Yes, there are hopefully family and friends that walk along the conveyor belt, teaching them at every stage.

But then there are the thousands of people standing along the conveyor belt.  These are the people who teach the children something as they go past.

They are the neighbors.  The teachers.  The youth leaders. 

The ministers.  The coaches.  Even doctors and nurses.

They are writers of children’s books and the creators of music videos.

At each age on the conveyor belt the children are learning.  They are picking up values.  They are discerning what is important and what isn’t.

And that’s 10,000 new kids everyday, who start out knowing nothing, and end up knowing whatever we pass along to them.

Are you on the frontline next to that conveyor belt?  Are you actively involved in working with children?  Then hats off to you.  Thank you.

But what if you aren’t?  Maybe you’re like me.  Maybe you never wanted to be a school teacher. 

I have no desire to be a youth leader or even a coach. 

I’m not really a “kid person,” at least not like some people are.

But it doesn’t matter what I think I am.  There are 10,000 new kids coming today, and they have a lot to learn.  And they are going to learn it from whoever is willing to teach them.

Sure, kids are a lot of work.  They can be annoying, but what do they know? 

They know what they are taught.

And with so many kids on the conveyor belt, we have our work cut out for us.

And it’s more than just a nice idea.  It’s a God idea.

In Matthew 18 Jesus was talking to his disciples, and at one point He called over a child.  Then He said, “…whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me…”

Surely as Christians we would welcome Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  And that should translate into how we welcome children, because Jesus said that when we welcome a little child in His name, we welcome Him.

Ten thousand new babies will be born in the United States today. 

And they know nothing.

That’s 10,000 new kids on the conveyor belt. 

And the conveyor belt rolls.


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-

Tap Into the Wonder of God in Us - Apples of Gold - October 20, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 20, 2008

“Tap Into the Wonder of God in Us”

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

One of the great things about being a Christian is having the Holy Spirit inside me.

I don’t have to wonder where God is, out there roaming around the vast universe.  Yes, He’s out there, but He’s also right here, inside me, in the form of His Holy Spirit.

When I pray, I don’t have to scream out so He can hear me.  I don’t have to go to some temple somewhere because my very own body is His temple. 

In John 14:17 Jesus told His disciples what was coming.  He said that the Holy Spirit “will be in you.”

Romans 8:11 talks about the Spirit of God, “who lives in you.”

Second Timothy 1:14 says, “…the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”

Second Corinthians 1:22 says that God put His Spirit “…in our hearts…”

Ephesians 3:16 says His Spirit is in our “inner being.”

Not only is He in us, but Ephesians 5:18 tells us to “be filled with the Spirit.”  And over and over in the Bible we read about people who were, indeed, full of the Holy Spirit.

So God’s Spirit is in me, and look what that means, according to First Corinthians 3:16 and 6:19.  “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit lives in you?”  “Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you received from God?”

So how does a person get God’s Holy Spirit inside of them?

Well Jesus said in Luke 11:13 that God gives the Holy Spirit “to those who ask Him.”

Galatians 3:2 indicates that we receive the Holy Spirit by believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Verse 14 says it’s by faith.

In Acts 2:38 Peter preached, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

And I like that phrasing, which is also used in Acts 10:45 – “the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

“So Doug, are you saying the Holy Spirit is not inside you one minute, then the next minute He is?”

In Acts chapter two, the first disciples in Jerusalem were suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit. 

In Acts chapter 8, Peter and John went to Samaria, prayed with them to receive the Holy Spirit, and they did.

In Acts 19 Paul told the Ephesians about the Holy Spirit, and right there they received the Holy Spirit.

Where does this Holy Spirit come from?

First Peter 1:12 says the Holy Spirit is sent from heaven.

Jesus said in John 15:26 that He would send the Holy Spirit from the Father.

So what does the Holy Spirit do?

Ah, this is the good part.

First of all, you need to know what it says in Galatians 5:17.  The Holy Spirit wants what is contrary to our sinful nature.  So when the Holy Spirit comes in contact with our sinful nature, it brings conviction.  Then we can either accept that conviction, or run from it.

When we accept that conviction, the Spirit shows us our sinful state and our need for a Savior.

Then the Holy Spirit does an interesting thing.  According to John 15:26, He testifies to us about Jesus.

This is an incredible moment in your life.  The almighty Spirit of God lovingly takes you under His wing and tells you about Jesus Christ.  John 16:14 says He brings glory to Jesus.  If you ever wonder if it is really the Spirit of God speaking to you, this is how you will know.  He will always testify about Jesus Christ.

Then we have the choice of believing or rejecting the Gospel. 

When we believe, it triggers a marvelous chain of events. 

First Corinthians 6:11 says we are “justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

Then God puts His Spirit in our hearts.  Second Corinthians 5:5 says God gives us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 

Ephesians 1 says, “Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.”

Ephesians 4:30 says we are sealed with the Holy Spirit “for the day of redemption.”

Then the Holy Spirit communicates to us, speaking inside of us to our own spirit.  Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” 

First John 3:24 says that we know that God lives in us “by the Spirit He gave us.”

Then the Holy Spirit begins to bring freedom to our sin-shackled souls.  Second Corinthians 3:17 says, “…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

And He begins to sanctify us, setting us apart for the Lord.  Romans 15:16 talks about people “becoming an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”

First Peter 1:2 says we have been chosen for obedience to Jesus Christ, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit.

And the Holy Spirit begins to give us gifts like hope and love and peace and joy. 

And He begins to teach us.  Jesus said in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit will guide us “into all truth.”  Jesus even called the Holy Spirit “the Counselor.”

Romans 8:14 indicates that the Holy Spirit will lead us.

Romans 8 also says that the Holy Spirit will intercede for us.

Ephesians 2:18 says the Spirit gives us access right to the Father Himself.

Jude 1 says we can pray in the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 3:3 says we can worship by the Holy Spirit.

And this only scratches the surface of what the Holy Spirit does in our lives. 

So as a believer, are you in tune with the Holy Spirit?  Do you listen to His teaching and respond to His leading?  Galatians 6:8 talks about pleasing the Spirit.  Are you working to please the Spirit?

Ephesians 4:30 warns us not to grieve the Holy Spirit.

First Thessalonians 5:19 warns us, “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire…”

Perhaps you have not taken advantage of this beautiful gift from God.

Well now is the time.  Start today.

Tap into the wonder of God in us…the Holy Spirit.

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-

Why Are You Down On Shacking Up? - Apples of Gold - October 17, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 17, 2008

“Why Are You Down On Shacking Up?”

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

“Doug, why are you down on shacking up?”

“Shacking up” is slang for living with someone like you’re married, but you’re not.

And by “living like you’re married” I’m focusing on the physical intimacy part. 

Now I don’t blame people for wanting to be together.  In Genesis 2:18 God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Genesis 1:27 says that God created us male and female.  We were designed for each other, by God.

And now look at what else the Designer said, in Genesis 2:24.  “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”

Jesus reaffirmed this in Matthew 19, “…and the two will become one flesh.  So they are no longer two, but one.  Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Paul reaffirmed the same thing in Ephesians 5:31, so this is well established.  One man and one woman are united together and become one flesh.  No longer two, but one.  And Jesus said that God joins in.  That uniting of the two into one is actually done by God Himself.  And Jesus concludes by saying, “Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

This is a key difference between shacking up and really being married.  When two people are married, they have a commitment to stay together and be there for each other until one of them dies. 

But when two people are living together as if they are married, but they aren’t, the big difference is their refusal to actually unite, to become one, to be fused together until death.

“But Doug, we just aren’t ready for that yet.  Why can’t we enjoy what we have without making that lifelong commitment?”

The problem is not your friendship or your mutual support.  The problem is the physical intimacy.  Until you are married, it is wrong and a sin before God.

The Bible repeatedly condemns sexual immorality.  For example, First Corinthians 6:9 says that the sexually immoral will not inherit the kingdom of God.  Verse 18 adds that we should actually flee from sexual immorality. 

Galatians 5:19 says, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious…” and puts sexual immorality at the top of the list.

Hebrews 13:4 says “God will judge…all the sexually immoral.”

“Alright Doug, that’s fine.  Don’t be sexually immoral.  But that’s pretty broad.  What exactly does that mean?”

Okay, for example let’s go back to First Corinthians 6:18.  It uses the broad term “sexual immorality” because it covers a variety of things.  The word used in the original Greek is “porneia” which includes, among other things, fornication.

So what is fornication?  Basically it is sex between unmarried people. 

So there, I didn’t want to have to describe it to the nth degree, but there it is.

If you are shacking up, if you are living together as if you are married, but you aren’t, and that includes that aspect of physical intimacy, then you are committing the specific sin of fornication.

“But Doug, we are so in love.  And we want to express that love to each other.”

Well here is some advice for you from First Corinthians 7:9.  If you can’t control yourself, then get married, “for it is better to marry than to burn with passion,” it says.

Yes, we live in a sexed-up culture, but that’s nothing new.  In fact, it’s a good reason to get married.  First Corinthians 7:2 says, “…since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.”

It goes on to say, “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.  The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband.  In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.  Do not deprive each other…”

See, God designed men and woman for one another.  It is a blessed gift from the Creator, but it is only blessed when we do it His way.  And His way is that one man and one woman are joined together by Him for life, and do not separate.  In other words, you enter into a marriage covenant.  You get married.  Then you can freely express your love for one another physically.

God our Father has put up safe boundaries for us to operate within.  Everything outside these boundaries He calls sin, and we know that sin brings death, it brings a curse, it brings God’s judgment.

If you are shacking up, if you are sleeping together and aren’t married, then you are committing the sin of fornication.  Instead of showing love for one another, you are actually, in effect, cursing one another, and bringing down God’s judgment.

I know the movies and books make it look good; live together, sleep together, and live happily ever after.  But that’s not the way it works.  Anything outside of God’s plan is not a good plan.  If a couple isn’t completely committed to one another, then disaster is coming, hurt and pain and sorrow.

And if a couple is completely committed to one another, then I have two words for you.

Get married.

Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
“But Doug, what if we live together but don’t sleep together?”
That has two problems.  First, you put yourself directly in the path of temptation.
“But Doug, we don’t even see each other in that way, not at all.”
Which brings up the second problem, the appearance of evil, which the Bible says to avoid.
“But we aren’t doing anything wrong.  How should I know what it looks like?”
If people walking down your street point to your house and say, “Do you think they’re doing it?”  “Oh yeh, they’re doing it.”  Then it has the appearance of evil.

© 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-

Power, Power, Wonder Working Power - Apples of Gold - October 15, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 15, 2008

“Power, Power, Wonder Working Power”

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

Adam and Eve sinned, and felt shame.

Their cover-up attempts were ineffective, then God stepped in.

It was an awesome and terrible event.  Some of His creations, some beautiful animals that He had so recently made out of His own creativity, were killed.  Their blood drained from them.

I wonder if it was the first time Adam and Eve had ever seen blood?  Were they horrified at the sight?  Sickened?  Were they ashamed and shocked at this new consequence for their sin?

God took the now lifeless carcasses of these unfortunate creatures and made garments of skin for the wayward first couple.  They could now adequately cover up, but oh, what a price.

It was the first time, but it was definitely not the last time that blood was shed because of human sin.

In the days of Moses, the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, a land of many false gods.  The Egyptians harshly mistreated the Israelites, and they cried out to God.  So God called Moses to deliver the people from Egypt – and to carry out a mighty judgment against the Egyptians.

The final judgment was this.  A “destroyer” would pass through the land, killing all the first born.  But the Israelite firstborn could be spared, if they killed a lamb and put its blood on the doorframe of their house.  The lamb would die, and its blood would spare the life of the child.  Yes, it was a bloody night, all because of the grievous sins of Egypt.

Of course the Israelites were sinners, too.  And once again blood would be shed to deal with it.  In fact, God instituted a whole system of sacrifices involving blood for sin offerings and guilt offerings and fellowship offerings.  And once a year the high priest used blood as a sin offering for the atonement of the people.

The blood of these animals was God’s chosen instrument.  In Leviticus 17:11 God said, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”

These blood sacrifices for sin were made generation after generation.  Untold gallons of blood shed for the sin of the people, because that’s what God told them to do. 

Hebrews 9:10 called it “external regulations.”  They went through the motions on the outside, but it didn’t make any changes on the inside.  Verse nine says that the “…sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.”

Hebrews 10:4 says, “…it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

Then Jesus Christ came on the scene, and He started talking about His own blood.  He said His blood was the blood of a new covenant, “which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

And Jesus’ blood was poured out…on the cross.  Romans 3:25 says that Jesus Himself became the “sacrifice of atonement.”

Then the Bible says He went to heaven.  He took on the role of high priest, entered the real tabernacle, into the real most holy place, and offered His blood as the real sin offering.

And God accepted Jesus’ blood as the complete and final sacrifice for sin.  Never again must a creature be killed to cover the sins of man. 

Romans 3 says we have all sinned, but now, through faith in the blood of Christ, we are made right with God, redeemed.

Romans 5:9 says we have been justified by Jesus’ blood, and saved from God’s wrath.

Ephesians 1:7 says we have “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

First John 1:7 says that Jesus’ blood “purifies us from all sin.”

Revelation 1:6 says that Jesus freed us from our sins by His blood.

Now you might ask, “What good does that do me today?”

First Peter 1 says that Jesus’ blood has redeemed us from the empty way of life handed down to us.

Hebrews 9 and 10 says that Jesus’ blood will actually cleanse our consciences so that we may serve the living God, starting right now.

Colossians 1 says that God did this so that we could be holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation.

Hebrews 10:22 says that now we can freely “draw near to God” because Jesus’ blood has cleansed us, enabling us to come into God’s presence.

Yes, blood is still the price for sin, but thank God He did away with all those animal sacrifices, which had no power to change us on the inside anyway.

Jesus’ blood was the perfect, once-and-for-all sacrifice for our sins.  Through faith in His blood we are forgiven, redeemed, and made holy in the sight of God.  Through His blood our conscience is cleansed, our life has new purpose, and we are free to draw near to God and come into His holy presence.

No wonder the old hymn says:

(play chorus by Shirley Caesar)

There is power, power, wonder working power
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is power, power, wonder working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb.


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-

It's Time to Get Your Sins Forgiven - Apples of Gold - October 14, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 14, 2008

“It’s Time to Get Your Sins Forgiven”

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

My wife and I watched an old movie about David and Bathsheba last night.

David was played by Gregory Peck.  Now that man had the pipes…Gregory Peck!

We watched as they built this illicit relationship on sin and deception.  Their actions were despicable, illegal, and under the law of Moses, worthy of death.

At one point they showed them in this loving embrace, making big commitments to one another.  Never mind that they were married to other people. 

I turned to my wife and said, “A lot of people do that kind of thing, but I don’t know what they’re thinking.  The relationship can never be whole.  When it starts in sin like that, no matter what happens it will always have a piece missing.  It will just never be whole.”

Then I stopped and thought for a second.  “Well,” I said, “I guess I can’t discount forgiveness.  God can take all kinds of brokenness and make it whole when there is forgiveness.”

Later in the movie there is a dramatic scene where David goes into the tabernacle and bows before the Lord, completely humbling himself, confessing his sins, and actually preparing himself to be killed for them.

But he is not killed.  He is forgiven.

This is the same David who wrote Psalm 32:

1 Blessed is he
       whose transgressions are forgiven,
       whose sins are covered.
 2 Blessed is the man
       whose sin the LORD does not count against him
       and in whose spirit is no deceit.
 3 When I kept silent,
       my bones wasted away
       through my groaning all day long.
 4 For day and night
       your hand was heavy upon me;
       my strength was sapped
       as in the heat of summer.

 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
       and did not cover up my iniquity.
       I said, "I will confess
       my transgressions to the LORD"—
       and you forgave
       the guilt of my sin.

My friend, it’s time to stop carrying around the weight of your sin.  Like David said, it causes you to waste away.  Your life is not what it should be, not what it could be.  Sin saps your strength.  It chips away at your being, it gnaws away at your soul. 

But there is an easy solution to the sin problem. 

I like that little phrase David used in Psalm 32:2.  He said, “…in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

This is where it starts.  See, most of the time we deceive ourselves about our sin.  We tell ourselves that it isn’t actually sin, or that it isn’t that bad, or that it’s not really a problem.  But to do anything about our sin, we have to start by being honest.  We have to fan away that fog of self-deception so we can see clearly the way it is. 

We have sinned.

Okay.  That’s easy enough.  I’ve sinned.  Now what?

Look what David said in verse five.  “Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’”

So to deal with our sin, we start by being honest with ourselves, that we have sinned.  Then we are honest with God, and we confess our sins to Him.

I loved that part in the movie, where a humble and contrite David fell on his knees and confessed his sins to God.  It was wonderful to see him go from the hardness of his sin to the softness of his repentance.

Second Chronicles 7:14 paints this picture.  To deal with sin, we humble ourselves and pray.  We draw near to God and we turn from our wicked ways.  Then God brings forgiveness.

Repeatedly the Bible talks about repentance and forgiveness in the same breath.  Luke 24:47 says that “repentance and forgiveness of sins” will be preached in Jesus’ name to all nations.

Acts 2:38 says, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…”

Acts 5:31 says that Jesus, the Prince and Savior, gives us “repentance and forgiveness of sins…”

So we recognize our sins and confess them to God.  We repent of them.  We turn away from them and towards God. 

And now look at First John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

So today, it’s time to stop carrying around that sin.  Whether you realize it or not, it’s taking its toll.  It’s time to take an honest look at your life, and recognize the sin.  Then come before God and humble yourself.  Confess your sins to Him and repent. 

Then through Jesus Christ you will receive this most wonderful gift – forgiveness.


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-

Not One Headache in Almost Two Years - Apples of Gold - October 13, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 13, 2008

“Not One Headache in Almost Two Years”

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

Here is something to consider.

Since I went on the Daniel Fast I have not had one single headache.

That’s almost two years without a headache.

Now I admit, I was not a headache-prone person to begin with.  I never carried around my own little stash of pain pills. 

But I did get a headache now and then, and once in a while when I came home from work it would be bad enough that I would just pop some pills and go to bed.  Without giving it much thought I just chalked it up to too much time in front of a computer or the weather or who-knows-what.

Then in January, 2007 our church declared a 21-day Daniel Fast.  I had never been on a Daniel Fast, and I had never even heard of it until the year before.

It’s roughly based on Daniel in the Old Testament.  Daniel 1:12 says, “Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.”  And Daniel 10:2 says, “I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips…”

There are many variations on the Daniel Fast, but for me personally I settled on these five simple rules:
--Drink only water
--Eat no meat
--Eat no bread
--Eat no sweets
--Eat nothing fried.
Then as an addendum I included “avoid preservatives.”

So I started on this three-week Daniel Fast, and by the middle of the second day I had a huge headache.  It was a different kind of headache, though.  It sort of dulled my brain. 

On day three I woke up with a headache.  That was unusual for me because I never woke up with a headache.  Even when I had a headache I could always sleep it off and feel fine the next day.

And then by the middle of day three the headache started to break up, which was also unusual because if I had a headache earlier in the day, it never just went away.  But on that day it did, and by that evening I felt fine.

And I have not had a single headache since.

Now here’s a funny thing.  What about the things I blamed for causing my headaches?  All those conditions still exist, yet I get no headaches.

And it’s not like I was a terrible eater before, or terribly out of shape.  And I didn’t have any addictions like some people who drink Diet Coke all day, or coffee; or people who constantly munch on sweets. 

For me it wasn’t one big thing, but I guess it was everything, all added up.

Now I didn’t go into the Daniel Fast as a cure for headaches.  Like I said, I didn’t get that many to begin with. 

I went into the Daniel Fast as a way of drawing closer to God.  It’s a way to deny myself to better follow Jesus.  It’s a way to crucify my flesh in order to live more fully in the Spirit.

So my motivation was strictly spiritual, and I think I’ve grown spiritually because of the fast.

And then there is this byproduct, which reminds me of Daniel and his friends.  Daniel 1:8 says, “…Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine…” 

So his motive was spiritual.  As an orthodox Jew he did not want to defile himself before God by what he ate. 

But now look at the byproduct.  Daniel 1:15 says, “…they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.”

For me, the Daniel Fast was spiritually motivated, but it had a byproduct of eliminating all headaches.

By the way, I was a few months into the fast before the headache thing dawned on me.  I was telling someone about that initial headache and I just kind of blurted out, “And I haven’t had one since.” 

And now it’s going on two years, and still no headache.

Now you might say, “Gee, I should try that for my headaches.”  And that’s not a bad idea, but I say this.  If you are going to fast, why not go all the way and do it for spiritual reasons?  You will still get the physical benefits, plus the spiritual benefits which are actually more beneficial.

And for me, one of the spiritual benefits is the ability to stay on the fast.  I truly believe that not only did God call me to this fast, but that He also empowered me for this fast.  It has not been hard at all, and I’ve never been tempted to break it.

I first committed to 21 days like the others at church.  But somewhere in there I felt prompted to commit to the whole year.  Then at the end of last year I felt prompted to re-up for this year.  And I will likely recommit for 2009.

Now I’m not saying the Daniel Fast is the miracle cure for all headaches.  But if you suffer from headaches, it’s something you should consider.

The Daniel Fast eliminated all of my headaches, and I just thought you should know.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

Past Apples of Gold about the Daniel Fast, found on www.wave94.com:

The Discipline of Hunger:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=240

Daniel Fast, Month Five:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=298

Fasting Creates a Space for God:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=404

Daniel Fast, One Year:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=465

© 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-

Look Beyond the Trial to the Blessing - Apples of Gold - October 10, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 10, 2008

“Look Beyond the Trial to the Blessing”

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

We took away his cell phone.

With kids these days, it’s a great form of discipline.  That cell phone is their connection to all their friends.  They think it’s their lifeline.

So when one of the twin 13-year-old boys living with us got in a little trouble at school, he lost his cell phone.

“Until when?” he asked.

I thought about it, then said, “Until you memorize a Bible verse.”

I figured that was a winner.  It’s good for the child to learn the Bible, plus it puts the ball in his court.  Instead of me picking some arbitrary timeframe, he can get the phone back whenever he has a mind to.

“No,” he said.

“Oh really?” I said.  “Fine.  I don’t care if you ever do it.”

That didn’t last long.  Soon enough he said, “When are you going to give me a verse so I can get my phone back?”

So I gave him a verse and he went right to work.  He went over it and over it and before the evening was over he had it down cold.  He got his phone back, and he still knows the verse.

Then his brother infracted and lost his phone, so I gave him a verse.

“Wait…that’s longer than my brother’s!  This isn’t fair.  This is…oh I can’t believe this.  I’ll never learn all that!”

“Fine.  I don’t care if you ever do it.”

And he went right to work.  Actually it was the Lord’s Prayer.  I told him, “Millions of people around the world have learned these verses.  It’s not that hard.”

So he powered through.  He said it over and over, adding line after line.  He didn’t really want to, but he knew he had to if he wanted his phone back.  And before the evening was out, he got it.

Like many teenage boys, these young men are not bookworms.  They are all about action.  So sitting still and focusing long enough to memorize some Bible was, for them, a real trial.

But they persevered.  They did it.  And they were blessed by getting their phone back, and they may not know it but they will be blessed by what they learned in the process.

See, we are always blessed when we persevere in the face of a trial.

Now our human tendency is to run from a trial.  It’s hard and we don’t like it. 

But God’s word tells us to look trials square in the eye and move forward.  We don’t turn from trials, we face them head on.  We do the hard thing.

James 1:2 makes what, on the surface, sounds like a ridiculous statement.  It says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds…”

Well we don’t want to face them at all.  How can we possibly consider it pure joy?

It’s not that the trial itself is pure joy.  It’s what comes afterward.

For the boys, they looked beyond their trial to the moment when they got their cell phones back.  They were able to face the trial and persevere because they saw beyond the trial to the blessing.

And that’s a good word for all of us today.  Look beyond the trial to the blessing.

James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial…”

Look what Hebrews 12:2 says about Jesus.  It indicates that He endured the cross because of the “joy set before Him.”

Not that the trial of the cross had any joy.  No, He looked beyond the trial to the blessing.  And in that case the blessing was the salvation of mankind.

So what trial are you going through today?  Maybe you find yourself under the rubble of our economy.  My goodness, the lead article of today’s Wall Street Journal said, “The market rout is rapidly wiping out vast amounts of wealth, casting a pall over households and businesses around the country.” 

So is there a “pall” over your house today?  Are you one of the many facing a severe trial?  How can you possibly apply James 1:2 and consider it “pure joy?”

The key is to look beyond the trial to the blessing.  And if you can’t see the blessing, then look a little further, on to the Blesser Himself.  Back to Hebrews 12:2 which says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”

Maybe it doesn’t sound quite logical, but it is spiritually sound.  Face your trial today, and not with dread but with joy.  Look beyond the trial to the blessing, and beyond that to the Blesser. 

And then we will be able to do the unbelievable.  To persevere under trial and consider it pure joy.


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
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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-