Does God Care Where We Move? - Apples of Gold - November 24, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 24, 2008

“Does God Care Where We Move?”

 

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

Saturday I watched a man take a sledgehammer to his own cabinets.

They were beautiful.  Except at the bottom.

At the bottom they were rotten, ruined by the floodwaters of Tropical Storm Fay.

A group of us gathered to help the family rip everything out of their house.  Insurance won’t cover it, so it’s become a community project of sorts.

As I cut out rotten drywall, my feelings flipped from one to another, like a restless man with a remote control.  I felt sick to be tearing out someone’s home like that.  I felt grateful that it wasn’t me.  Then I felt bad that I felt grateful.  And finally I just felt glad to be on the team.  I can’t go back and prevent the damage, but I can certainly do my part to fix it.

We live in a quiet little neighborhood.  It’s not rich.  It’s not poor.  It’s just average American folks. 

But now we’ve sold our house.  We’re moving, but we don’t know where. 

Last week my wife and I consecrated a day of fasting and prayer.  We’re seeking the Lord, looking for direction.  “Do we rent or buy?  Do we stay in that part of town or move?  God, what is Your will?”

And my wife asked an important question.  “Does God care where we move?”

I said, “I don’t know.  I think so.  I think He has a plan, but I realize we have to make a choice, and quick.”

So what did I get out of our day of consecration?  Well, one scripture came to mind and stood out all day.  It was Proverbs 3:6, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

I think we do acknowledge Him in all our ways.  We want to serve the Lord.  We want our house to be a tool of ministry, a refuge, a place where people feel love and feel God. 

So Proverbs 3:6 says that we can expect Him to direct our paths.

What does that mean?  Here is what I told my wife.  I think we should proceed, see what opportunities are out there, ask around, be wise – and in that process the Lord will direct our paths.

But that doesn’t really answer the question, “Does God care where we move?”

I tend to think so, but it’s not like there is a Scripture that says, “I care where you move.”  Yes, there are times in the Bible when God specifically told people to move and where.  But there are also times when they just made decisions. 

In First Corinthians 16:4, Paul is talking about sending some men to Jerusalem.  Then he says he will go, too – “if it seems advisable…” 

It didn’t say he was fasting and praying and waiting for a direct word from heaven.  He just said, “If it seems advisable…”

So I think there are times when we get a direct word, and there are times when we simply move forward in wisdom.

At this point we have no direct word.  We have prayed for it and listened for it, but it appears we will end up doing whatever seems advisable.

And that’s how we ended up in our current house.  Three years ago we moved to Tallahassee, on what I believe was a direct word from God.  I think God led us to our church.  I think God led us both into fulltime ministry. 

But when it came to the house – no direct word.  No specific leadership, I don’t think.  I think we just put together some criteria and picked a house.  And that’s the way it seems like it’s going this time.

Oh, we’ve kicked around a lot of ideas.  Maybe we should go buy the nicest house we can.  Or maybe we should move into a poor neighborhood and try to do some good.  We can buy a fixer-upper and improve someone’s neighborhood.  We can buy something with lots of space so we can take people in as we have in the past.  Or we can save money and buy something smaller.

We can go in a lot of directions, but what does God want?  Does God care where we move?

Here is what I think.  Unless God gives us clear and obvious direction, then we are free to do what we think is best. 

And then the important thing is what we do when we get there.  Wherever we land, we are to love our neighbors.  We are to shine a light, like a city on a hill.  We are to “go and make disciples” and “go and bear fruit.”

Wherever we go, we are to go there with the intention of doing good.  James 4:17 says, “Anyone…who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”

Our goal is not to make ourselves comfortable.  In Mark 8, Jesus told us to lose our life for Him and the gospel. 

So as we pray and look for our next home, we are not looking for a place where we can be happy and satisfied.  We are looking to purchase a tool for the Kingdom; a place best suited, according to our finances, to meet the needs of the people God brings into our lives.

When we moved into this neighborhood, I had no idea that I would be helping a family recover from a flood.  But you know what?  There are needs in every neighborhood.  We don’t know what they are, but God does. 

So I’m trusting that the Lord will direct our paths.  And when we get there I trust that the Lord will use us to bear good fruit.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
One additional note, I think it is important that a husband and wife are in agreement on any such move.  Christian couples sometimes lose track of the fact that their first ministry is to each other, and it branches out from there.  There is only one person on the planet that God has made you “one” with, and that is your spouse. 

© 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-

MTV and Generation P - Apples of Gold - November 21, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 21, 2008

“MTV and Generation P”

 

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

Jeremy Delaplane works for MTV.

He spoke in Tallahassee last night about what MTV calls “Generation P,” which is basically the teens to 20-somethings

He said they thrive on being connected through their cell phones, laptops and other digital devices.

And then he said something that really struck me.  He said, “They can’t ever feel like they are not doing something.”

Boy is that ever true.  I have a house full of teenagers and I see that statement in action everyday.

Sunday I had three teenagers in the backseat for church, and at one point I was overwhelmed by clicking.  I looked back and all three of them were furiously pounding out text messages on their cell phones.  You’d think they were federal agents negotiating with the Kremlin.

The other day I was walking into a store and heard a bell ringing.  I looked over and saw the Salvation Army kettle, and the young lady behind it, ringing the bell with one hand and, get this, texting with the other.

The kids come home and want to get online.  “What for?” I ask.  “To check my stuff,” they say.  Their stuff being Facebook or MySpace or whatever the flavor of the month is.  But whatever it is, it must be checked, immediately.

Generation P.  They can’t ever feel like they are not doing something.

Here’s the word that comes to mind:  frantic.

It’s frantic activity.  My daughter will have five windows open on the computer screen.  Chatting with one friend isn’t enough.  She must have five chats going at once, while texting, listening to music, talking to whoever is in the room, eating, and…what?   You’re doing homework?

I’d blame the kids, but the adults are about as bad with all of our multi-tasking.  And what’s this about being so busy?  Are you sick and tired of hearing people say how busy they are?  Let’s just not say it anymore.  It’s a given, like breathing.  Everyone is busy. 

I pulled up to a stop light the other day and told the homeless man I’d take him to McDonald’s for lunch.  He was too busy, he said.

Just kidding, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

Now here’s the problem.  We are so busy we don’t take time to think.  We don’t evaluate our lives.  What are we doing?  Where are we heading?

Years ago I thought TV was a bad distraction.  People would have the noisemaker on all the time.  The house was never quiet, and they were never alone with their thoughts.  Now it’s TV with hundreds of channels, the internet, the mobile devices, and on and on.  Now we are covered up with layer upon layer of distraction.

They didn’t have all this stuff back in C.S. Lewis’ day, but he understood the power of distraction when he wrote The Screwtape Letters.

It’s a fictional account of a demon named Uncle Screwtape, and the letters are filled with demonly advice for his nephew. 

Well at one point he writes about a man in a library.  The man found himself relatively undistracted in the quiet of the library, and his thoughts turned to God and eternity and the big picture of life.  This alarmed Uncle Screwtape because he certainly didn’t want this man, his “patient,” to think about God; so what did he do?

His strategy was to distract the man by getting him out of the quiet library.  So he told the man he was hungry, and that he shouldn’t think about such important things on an empty stomach.  The man stepped out of the library, into the noise of the street; and his bigger, deeper thoughts evaporated into the distractions of daily life.

You know, there’s a Bible story about like this.  In Luke 10 we read about the sisters Mary and Martha.  Jesus Himself comes over for a visit, and Martha is extremely distracted with all the preparations.  Meanwhile, verse 39 says that Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.”

Martha finally burst in and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?”

And Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better…”

And what did Mary choose?  She chose to sit quietly at the feet of Jesus.  She listened to what the Lord had to say.

And I think that’s an example we all need to follow.  We need to take time to unplug and shut out the distractions.  We need to draw near to the Lord and listen for His still, small voice – the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us.

And this especially applies to Generation P who “can’t ever feel like they are not doing something.” 

Young people, please take time to turn off the cell phone, unplug the internet, power down the iPod and choose what is better; to sit quietly at the feet of Jesus.


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-

What Did Jesus Mean By Do Not Resist An Evil Person? - Apples of Gold - November 20, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 20, 2008

“What Did Jesus Mean By Do Not Resist An Evil Person?”

 

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

Atheists like to point out crazy things in the Bible.

For example, in Matthew 5:39 Jesus said, “Do not resist an evil person.”

Well what would happen if we stopped resisting evil people?

First of all, they would come into your house and take everything.  Or they might as well just take your house intact and boot you out.  Or better yet, keep you there as a slave.

The King James Version of Matthew 5:39 says “resist not evil.”

How would that play out in society?  Do we tell all the police, “Go on home, now.  Everything is fine.  We are no longer resisting evil.”

Might as well send the Army home, too.  Evil people, rejoice.  We are done resisting you.

The result would be anarchy.  Our towns would quickly become devilish haunts.  Terrorists would run free.  Other nations would battle to grab up our resources. 

Is that what Jesus meant by “Do not resist an evil person”?

Yesterday I met a young woman who was actually held hostage.  The hostage-taker was an evil man and he did evil things.  Does Jesus want us to let men like that roam free, attacking everyone they feel like attacking?

That’s what it sounds like, if you let that one verse stand alone. 

But verses don’t stand alone.  They are all part of the Scripture as a whole.  We can’t just pick one out here and there.  We need to know how they all fit together.

For example, we know that if we stop resisting evil people, the world will plunge into absolute chaos.  However, look what it says in First Corinthians 14:33, “…God is not a God of disorder but of peace…”

Romans 13 says that God Himself has established the governing authorities.  And one of their main purposes is to “bear the sword,” to be God’s “agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”

So we keep the Army and we keep the police force.  These are God’s chosen instruments for resisting evil people.

Okay, but now we have a problem.  We still have Jesus saying, “Do not resist an evil person.”

Well, maybe that’s not for society at large.  Maybe that’s just for me in my own dealings with someone.

Okay, does that mean I just let an evil person take advantage of me?  Hurt me?  Steal from me?  And I do nothing about it?

Well let’s see how that balances with what Jesus said in Matthew 18.  He said, “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.  If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.  But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

Wow, that’s pretty specific.  Jesus lays out exactly how to deal with someone who sins against you.  So I guess you don’t just let them get away with it.  You actually confront them and work to bring about justice.

Justice is important to God.  In Matthew 23, Jesus put the hammer down on the Pharisees for neglecting justice.  Through the Old Testament prophets God often spoke of the importance of justice.

And one of the key tenets of justice is that evil is resisted.

If someone does evil, God wants them resisted.  He wants his governing authorities to carry out justice.  He wants religious authorities to carry out justice.  And even on a personal level, when someone wrongs us, He wants justice.

Well that all makes sense.  And actually it’s the way we all live for the most part. 

But Jesus did say, “Do not resist an evil person.”  What on earth did He mean by that?

First of all, we need to know that Jesus was responding to the old saying “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”  In other words, if someone socks you in the eye, sock him in the eye.”  Jesus is telling us not to respond like that. 

Romans 12:17 says, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil.”  Verse 19 says, “Do not take revenge…”  And verse 21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

First Peter 3:9 says, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with a blessing…”  Verse 11 says we must “seek peace and pursue it.”

So I think in this case Jesus’ goal is peace.  An eye for an eye can quickly escalate into full scale war.  I think He’s saying, “If someone strikes you, don’t strike him back.”

But judging by the rest of Scripture, He is not saying to let evil people get away with it.  God wants peace and order and justice.  And to accomplish that we must properly deal with people who do evil deeds.


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-

The Noble Man Makes Noble Plans - Apples of Gold - November 19, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 19, 2008

“The Noble Man Makes Noble Plans”

 

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

Here is an old saying that I love.

“The noble man makes noble plans and by noble deeds he stands.”

Let me say that again.

“The noble man makes noble plans and by noble deeds he stands.”

There are four parts to this old saying.  The first part is “noble man.”

Let me ask you, are you a noble man?

What is a noble man?  He’s a man of superior character and morals.  He is dignified and generous, and has high ideals.

This is a goal to strive for – to be a noble man.

Then it says a noble man “makes noble plans.”

Now let me ask you, are you making noble plans?  Perhaps I should ask if you are making any plans at all.  If not, it’s time to make some.  It’s time to set some goals, then work for them.

It reminds me of what Edmund Burke said, “All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.”  It’s up to us to do something or else evil will prevail.

So a noble man makes noble plans.  Well what are noble plans?

Noble plans are idealistic.  You see how things should be, then you plan to make it a reality.

Think of Teen Challenge.  It was an idealistic vision, the idea of taking addicts and setting them free through Jesus Christ.  Now that plan is a reality, with locations all over the world. 

Someone saw the way things should be, then planned to make it a reality.  It was a noble plan.

The noble man makes noble plans.

The next part of that old saying is “noble deeds.”

See, you can be a noble person, with very high morals.  And you can make noble plans, seeing the way things ought to be and thinking about how to change them.  But nothing really happens until you start doing noble deeds.

What are noble deeds?  It’s what you do to carry out your noble plans.

That sounds obvious, but listen.  Sometimes people have noble plans, but then use ignoble deeds to carry them out.  They say the ends justify the means.

Not so for a noble man.  Yes, he has noble plans.  And to get there he uses only noble deeds.

See, everything is the high road with this guy.  His high morals invade everything he does, both his plans and his deeds.

And now the last half of the old saying.  It says, “…and by noble deeds he stands.”

Some people try to cut corners to carry out their noble plans, but what they do is undermine their foundation.  And that leads to a great fall.

But when you make sure all your deeds are noble, that every step in your plan is of the highest moral character, then you will stand.  Nothing can bring you down because your foundation is sure.

Now let me tell you where that old saying comes from.  It’s right there in Isaiah 32:8.  And here it is, one more time.

“The noble man makes noble plans and by noble deeds he stands.”


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-

The Lowly Parking Spot - Apples of Gold - November 18, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 18, 2008

“The Lowly Parking Spot”

 

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

It was a decision I respected profoundly.

Just a little thing, but I cannot say how much it meant to me.

Our church was growing and the parking lot was getting crowded.  So the pastor asked the regulars to park farther from the front door, leaving the best spots for the newcomers.

And then you know what he did?  He started parking in the worst spot of all.  It was all the way around the building, off the asphalt and into the gravel.

This was the leader, the pastor, the CEO if you will.  Instead of taking the best spot for himself, which he certainly could have done, he took the worst spot.

Week after week I would arrive at church, look out there at the back forty, and there it was, the pastor’s vehicle in its humble parking spot.

My respect for Pastor Phil Nordstrom went through the roof, simply based on that decision and his consistency in sticking to it.

When I was a kid, my dad managed a grocery store.  He was the boss man.  He could have sat in his big office and bossed everyone around.

But I never saw him doing that.  Instead I remember my dad doing things all over the store.  He helped unload trucks and stock shelves.  I even remember him pitching in during rush hour and helping bag groceries, even taking them to people’s cars. 

He did some of the lowliest work, yet he was the top man.  It wasn’t flashy or glamorous, but it still has a powerful impact on me today.

Now think of Jimmy Carter, the former President of the United States.  Have you ever seen footage of him out working with Habitat for Humanity?  There he is, a former President, in his 80’s, out working with his hands, doing construction.

It’s lowly, and I thoroughly respect him for it.

It’s one of the things I love about Jesus.  Zechariah 9:9 says, “Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!  Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey…”

You’ve seen the Easter programs.  Here comes Jesus.  The Triumphal Entry.  The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

But wait a minute.  A triumphal entry?  Where are the legions of soldiers?  Where are the chariots and trumpets?  Where is the crown of gold and the royal robe? 

Not there.  Instead we simply have Jesus, “lowly and riding on a donkey…”

This is the same Jesus who said in Matthew 11:29, “…I am gentle and lowly in heart…”

This is the same Jesus who wrapped a towel around his waist, poured water into a basin, washed his disciples’ feet, and dried them with the towel.  And when he finished he said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

Philippians 2 says that Jesus humbled himself, and it says we should do likewise.  Verse five says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

Verse 3 says, “…in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”

I love that word “lowliness.”

That’s the way all Christians should be.  Lowly.  Considering others as better than ourselves.

Over my years in Christian radio I’ve been involved in a lot of Christian events.  I’ve seen a lot of Christian “stars.”  Some of them are lowly, and those are the ones I admire. 

We’ve all heard of pastors who have “fallen.”  You know the ones I respect?  The lowly ones.  The ones who are willing to submit to a plan of restoration.  The ones who don’t think of themselves more highly than they ought.

In Luke 14 Jesus said when you’re invited to a wedding feast, don’t take the best seat.  Instead, go sit in the lowest place.  The lowly place.

Take the lowly parking spot.

Do the lowly task.

We talk about being Christlike, about following Jesus. 

Well if we follow Him, what do we look forward and see? 

We see our King, lowly and riding on a donkey.


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 First, Everything Else is Tied for Last - Apples of Gold - November 17, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 17, 2008

“God is First, Everything Else is Tied for Last”

 

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

“Hey Doug, how are you going to handle the empty nest?”

I’ve been hearing that a lot lately.  My son is getting married in June, my oldest daughter is seriously dating and my middle daughter is preparing for college.  So as you can see, the empty nest is not far off.

People ask me this because they know we are very family oriented.  When you walk through our house you’ll see walls full of photos.  We have been in love with our children from day one.

But now let me say this.  Our children are not our god.  We have not built our lives on the foundation of family.

That may sound harsh, but it’s according to what Jesus said in Luke 14.  He said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple.”

“Wait a minute, Doug.  Did Jesus just say we had to hate our family?”

Yes, but not literally.  In the next verse Jesus said to carry a cross, but none of his disciples starting lugging wood on their back.  And none of them started despising their family.

It’s not literal, but it makes a strong point.  God is to come first.  He is to be so far in first place that everything else is tied for last, including our family.

So when our family changes, our foundation is not rocked because the family is not our foundation.

I think we Christians get this confused sometimes.  To illustrate I’ll make up a guy named Joe.

Joe is a hard working college graduate.  He loves sports and hanging out with his buddies.  Then he gets married and has a couple of kids. 

Somewhere along the line he comes to Christ.  The Lord begins to make big changes in Joe’s priorities.  Instead of spending so much time working and playing, he turns his attention to his wife and children.  He sees them in a new light, and God truly stirs up a true love in Joe for his family.

What happens is that Joe becomes the consummate family man.  He takes them on vacations.  He sacrifices his own desires for their desires.  He buys them gifts.  He really, really loves his family.

But if Joe’s not careful, they will start to come before God.  Next thing you know, Joe is coaching ball teams instead of helping at church.  Weekends find them away on little trips. 

Now listen to this.  God becomes just a piece of what is most important, which is the family.  God is just sort of patched in there somewhere.  Yes, Joe says God is their foundation, but in reality the family is the foundation.  Joe is known as a family man more than God’s man.

This may sound like a nice thing, but it really isn’t, not for a Christian.  If family comes first, then we cannot be His disciple.

Let’s go back to Luke 14.  Jesus said, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.  Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost…?” 

Then He tells another story in verse 31.  “Or suppose a king is about to go to war…will he not first sit down and consider” if he has enough men?

Jesus is talking about counting the cost.  First it was the cost of building a tower.  Then it was the cost of going to war.  Now what’s His point?

In verse 33 He brings it home.  “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”

Jesus is saying that there is a cost to being His disciple.  And He is telling us to count that cost.

And what is the cost?  It is putting Him first and everything else last.  Everything else is as if it was hated.  Everything else is as if it was gone.

So do you want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?  I know I do.

So I must examine the priorities and attitudes of my mind.  The Lord comes first.  He is my foundation.  He is the Master and I am His servant. 

I am not a family man.  I am God’s man.

But now listen to this.  By being God’s man, my family is better off.  My family is not the foundation, but it is built on the sure foundation of Christ. 

So when my children move on and we live in an empty nest, it won’t rock our world because the Lord is still our firm foundation, as always.

And someday, when my wife and I are gone, my children won’t be left with a crumbling family foundation because, again, the foundation is the Lord.

So at your house are you all about the family? 

Would changes in your family truly rock your foundation?

Then now is the time to come back and really put the Lord first in all things.  It’s time to put the Lord so far in first place that everything else is tied for last.


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-

I Want to Glow with the Radiance of His Glory - Apples of Gold - November 14, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 14, 2008

“I Want to Glow with the Radiance of His Glory”

 

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

The Bible says Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit.

Now let me ask you this.  What does a guy like that look like?

Or does it even show?

Well, we get a clue in Acts 7:15 when Stephen is on trial for his life.  It says, “All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.”

What does that mean, his face looked like the face of an angel?  Like we all know what that looks like.

Well here is how I see it.  I see Stephen with a radiance.  Kind of a mix of joy and peace.  Both humility and power.  Not power in himself.  No pride.  But complete confidence in God.  Total faith and trust in God.  In fact, he looks like God is leaking out of him.

That’s what I think Stephen looked like.  They described it as the face of an angel, but what it was was God leaking out of him.  Which makes sense since he was “full of the Holy Spirit.”  He was so full of God’s Spirit he was overflowing.

You know they ended up killing him.  Stoned him to death.  There he was, receiving his death sentence, and shining like an angel.

How can a guy do that?  How can you face a severe trial and still shine like an angel?

The key is that first thing we said about Stephen.  He was full of the Holy Spirit.

And you know, this thing of having the face of an angel isn’t just for Stephen.  It’s for me and you. 

Check this out in Second Corinthians 3:18.  It says that we “…reflect the Lord’s glory…”

It sounds like this is a process that takes place over time.  It says we “are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory…”

And this glory comes from the Holy Spirit within us.

Verse nine says that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is bringing about righteousness in our lives, and this comes with glory.  And this glory actually shines on our faces!

Second Corinthians 3 compares it to an Old Testament story of Moses.  In Exodus 33, just before he received the Ten Commandments, Moses said to God, “Show me your glory.”  And God did.

Then when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, it spooked everyone because his face was literally glowing.  Then over time the glow faded.

Well they bring that story up in Second Corinthians, and it says, yes, the glory on Moses’ face faded, BUT, this glory we are exposed to through the Holy Spirit – this glory will last!

That’s because Moses was exposed to God on the mountain, then he came down.

We, however, are exposed to God on the inside of us, in the form of the Holy Spirit.  God’s glory is inside of us, and the Bible says we are being transformed into His likeness. 

Remember God showing His glory to Moses on Mount Sinai?  Well we are starting to take on God’s appearance, His likeness, as we are transformed by the Holy Spirit.

We see this effect culminated in Stephen, whose face looked like that of an angel. 

Well you know what?  That’s what I want.  I want to be so full of the Holy Spirit that I’m glowing.  I’m radiating the glory of God. 

Second Corinthians 3:9 says that the ministry of the Holy Spirit brings righteousness.  So here is what I think.  I must let the Holy Spirit do His work inside me.  I must let Him bring about righteousness in my life.

I believe that the more I let Him have His way, the more righteous I will become, and the more I will be transformed into God’s likeness. 

And this will bring about that glow, that radiance.  I believe it will literally begin to show on my face, like Stephen. 

As I allow the Holy Spirit to have His way in me, my life will become more and more filled with the Spirit. 

I will become more and more righteous, and look what Psalm 37 says about righteousness.  It can shine like the sun rising in the darkness!

I want that.  I want to be so full of the Holy Spirit and righteousness that everywhere I go it’s like the sun at dawn, bringing God’s warmth and light into every situation.

I’m surely not there.  I have a long way to go.  But this is my prayer today.

“Lord, like Stephen, fill me with your Holy Spirit, fill me with your righteousness, so that no matter what trial I face, I will glow with the radiance of your glory.”


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-

If the Family of God Has a Name, What Is It? - Apples of Gold - November 12, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 12, 2008

“If the Family of God Has a Name, What Is It?”

 

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

I’m continuing to memorize the book of Ephesians.

It’s slow going because I’m only doing one verse each weekday.

That gives me time to really meditate on each passage and grind it into my soul.

Here are the practicals.  I have a printout of each verse in Ephesians in my car.  Before I leave for work each morning I read that day’s verse a couple of times, enough so that I can say it without looking at it.  You might say the verse is now in my “random access memory,” but it’s not really recorded to my hard drive.

I keep repeating it until I have a bit of a grasp on it.  Then I go back a couple of verses and repeat it all together.  By the time I am about halfway to work I usually have a pretty good handle on the new verse.

Then I think about how this new verse ties in with the other verses.

For example, I just memorized Ephesians 3:14 and 15, which says, “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…”

That’s just two verses, but when you stop and meditate on them, they are absolutely loaded!

But now look at the last part.  It says, “…from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…”

My first question is, “Who is the whole family?”  It doesn’t really say, but my best guess from the context is that it’s talking about the family of God; we, the people of God.

So I am part of this family of God, but now comes the curious part.  It says “from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.”

Well…what is that name?

If our family has a name, what is it?

At my house, we are the Apple Family.  I got my name from my father.  When we married, my wife took on my name and became an Apple.  When we had children, they, too, became Apples.  Our family is named after the father.

So back to that Bible verse.  If the family of God is named after the Father, what is that name? 

Now let me say this.  The Bible doesn’t dwell on this point, so I don’t think it’s that important.  It might not even be a literal name.  Maybe it’s more like we were “named” to the team.  But even then, teams have a name, right?

So in my Bible memory time I started thinking back over the previous verses in Ephesians.  Is there any clue as to what our family name might be?

And right out of the gate, in Ephesians 1:1, I got a clue.  It says, “…to the saints who are in Ephesus…”

Then again in Ephesians 1:18 it calls us saints.  In 2:19 it refers to saints as well as “members of the household of God.”  In fact, Ephesians refers to us as saints nine times.

So then I thought, “Well, what does ‘saint’ mean?  How do you define saint?”

So I looked it up.  One definition I liked was this:  “one of God’s chosen.”

Another definition said, “one separated from the world and consecrated to God.”

Another one simply said, “a believer in Christ.”

So I don’t know if Ephesians 3:15 is referring to an actual name, but if I had to fill in that blank on a test I think I would write, “Saints.”

In the NKJV the word saint is used 96 times, in both the Old and New Testaments.

Actually, when I first thought of a name for the family of God I thought of the word “Christian,” but that shows up far fewer times in the Bible than saints.

I also thought of the “I Ams” but that was too dogfoodish.

So I guess saints it is.  I like what it says in Daniel 7:27, “the saints, the people of the Most High.”

I also like what it says in First Corinthians 14:33 when it talks about “all the congregations of the saints.”

And that’s what we are, isn’t it?  Yes, we go to our own churches, but aren’t they just little congregations of the saints, little pieces of the whole?

Let me tell you, I’m glad to be a member of the household of God, and it’s a household with a name.  Yes, people, we are the children of the Most High, and we have a name.

We are…the Saints!


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-

The Moment That Changed Michael W. Smith's Life - Apples of Gold - November 10, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 10, 2008

“The Moment That Changed Michael W. Smith’s Life”

 

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

We went to the Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith concert at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre Saturday night.

For me, the highlight of the evening was the young man sitting behind us.

Yes, he was mentally challenged, and his whole being vibrated with joy at the thought of seeing his absolute all time favorite artist, “Smitty.”

When a song began that he liked, he squealed with joy, “Oh, I LOVE THIS SONG!” 

He wasn’t obnoxious.  He wasn’t rude.  He just responded with great enthusiasm to this singer whose songs he loved so much.

So there was Michael W. Smith – performing.  And there was this young man – responding.

At one point Michael talked about the second most important moment in his life, just behind his salvation.

He said he was looking at himself in the mirror one day, shaving.  And all of a sudden a routine moment became a divine moment. 

Suddenly he sensed the Lord speaking to him.  He said something like, “You know that I love you, but did you know that I like you?  I really do.  And you know what else?  I’m actually quite fond of you.”

Those words, that divine moment, changed the life of Michael W. Smith. 

He said that up until that time he had been performing for God.  If he could just be good enough, just minister enough, be obedient enough – then he could please God. 

After that divine encounter he saw things differently.  Now, instead of performing for God, he is responding to God.

He said that is something we all need to grasp, and when we do, it will radically change our lives.

So what about you today?  Are you performing for God or responding to God?

On the outside Michael W. Smith may not look much different.  He still writes songs and plays concerts.  But the difference is on the inside, his motivation.

Instead of writing Christian music as his required work for God, now he writes Christian music as a response to God, responding to all of God’s love for him.

Do you see the difference between performing and responding?

Let’s take a look at Romans 12:1.  It’s a familiar passage that says we should offer our bodies as living sacrifices.

Now there are two ways to go about it.  One is by performing our duty. 

“Oh boy, here I go.  I have to do this to make God happy.  It’s a pain, but it’s my duty to perform.”

But that doesn’t take into account the first part of that verse.

Here is how Romans 12:1 starts:  “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices…”

Look at the middle part again, “…in view of God’s mercy…”

So first of all, we look at God’s mercy.  We ponder and meditate on God’s great mercy for us.  Ephesians 2:4 says that God is “rich in mercy.”  It also says that God has “great love for us.”

So our thinking begins with God and what He’s done for us and how He feels toward us.  He loves us!  And He has great mercy for us! 

God is the initiator.  He started this relationship.  Through Jesus He forgives our sins and clears the way for us to come to Him. 

He is reaching out to us in love, and we accept Him.  We believe and put our faith in Him.

Then what?  Then many times we turn it into a drudgery.  Serving the Lord becomes a duty we must perform.

Like a child we ask, “Do I have to?” then we tell ourselves, “Yes, you have to.”  And we perform our duty for God so He will be happy, or at least so He won’t be mad.

That is performing for God.

But there is a better way.  It is responding to God.  We realize all He’s done for us, we receive all that He has for us, and we respond.

It’s just like that young man at the concert.  He didn’t leap up and shout for Michael W. Smith because he had to.  It wasn’t a drudgery or a task he had to perform.

Instead, it was his joyful and exuberant response to the artist who had blessed him so many times.

And that is how our Christian life should be.  Yes, we offer up our bodies as living sacrifices, but not because it’s a duty we must perform.  Instead it is our joyful response to the One who has blessed us so many times.


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-

Sick Guy by the Pool - Apples of Gold - November 7, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 7, 2008

“Sick Guy by the Pool”

 

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

So there’s a sick guy by the pool.

Crippled, actually.  He can’t get up.

He’s by the pool because of this whacky story about an angel that “stirs the water.”

He has this crazy notion that if he can be the first person in after the water is “stirred,” then he will be healed.

He’s been lame for over 30 years, so I don’t know what makes him think anything’s going to change.

But boy does he have faith in that water.

Sounds dumb, doesn’t it.  Why would he have faith in the water?

Enter Jesus, who walks over and says, “Do you want to get well?”

“Sir,” he says, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred.  While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Freeze that right there.  Look at that man’s face.  Look at his eyes.  It’s almost childlike, this total belief he has in that whole stirring of the water thing.

I mean, he is serious about getting into that water.  And you can see the frustration and disappointment, just because someone else always gets in the water before he does.

Why does he believe in this obvious fairy tale?  Why does he keep trying?

Oh, that’s an easy one.

Because when he can’t get in first, when he looks over and sees someone else’s toes break the surface of the water – they get better.  They are healed.  They walk away, problem solved.

No, it hasn’t happened to him, but he believes because he sees it happening to others.

You know what?  It doesn’t take a mountain of faith to believe it can happen to you when you see it happening to others.

So how is your faith level today?  If it’s low, if it seems like God isn’t doing anything, then go where the water is stirring, where God is changing people’s lives.  Get around those people.

When you get around people who are on fire for God, people full of the Spirit – your faith level will soar!

That crippled man by the pool.  He didn’t need much faith at all.  It was obvious what God was doing for the others, and easy to believe it could happen to him.

So get around people where God is moving. 

Where is that?

Find people who are truly seeking the Lord; people who are drawing near to Him.

These are people who love the Word of God.  The Bible is their bible.  They study it and learn it and do it.

These people pray and spend time with God.  They are humble before Him, grateful.

They surrender their will to God’s will.  Their life is not their own.

Today I heard a radio interview and the lady said, “I was thinking about the past, back when we were more passionate.”

Well let me tell you, there are plenty of passionate, sold out Christians right now!  These people love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.

Get around those people and watch your faith grow!

It won’t even take any effort.  That man by the pool didn’t have to muster up faith in the water.  He saw with his own eyes its effect.

And you won’t have to muster up faith in God when you get around fired up Christians.  You will see with your own eyes what God can do in someone’s life, and you will know He can do it for you.

So build your faith.  Find a place where the water is stirring.  Find some people whose God is the Lord and who bow their knees to Him.

And your faith will grow in ways you never thought possible.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
This Bible story is found in John chapter 5.

© 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-

Passion for the Lord - Apples of Gold - November 5, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 5, 2008

“Passion for the Lord”

 

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

The Florida Gators are ranked fourth in the nation after crushing their archrival Georgia.

Gator quarterback Tim Tebow said, “We were playing with passion...and that lasts a lot longer than emotion does.”

See, emotion can get you hyped up before the big game.  But it’s passion that will push you through to the end of the game.

This week I heard that many brides actually cry when find their perfect wedding dress.  See, emotions can get you hyped up before the big wedding.  But it’s passion that will push you through over the long haul of marriage.

Have you ever seen someone weeping at a church altar?  In fact, it’s such an emotional place that many churches keep a box of tissues right there on the altar.  Emotions can lead you to make big commitments to God.  But when you walk away from the altar, it’s the passion that pushes you to keep those commitments.

Emotions are the fireworks on the 4^th of July.  Passion is the soldiers on the wall every day of the year.

My son was a high school wrestler.  Before a match he would get himself psyched up, but he didn’t have a passion for it.  During the summer the passionate wrestlers were pumping iron.  They found places to wrestle all year long. 

Now get this.  They were passionate about wrestling, whether it was wrestling season or not.

Speaking of wrestling, my son broke his arm one time and I took him in to get a cast.  There was another guy in there, and he was all decked out in Gator gear; hat, shirt, shorts – all Gator orange and blue.  And get this.  Guess what colors he wanted for his cast?  I’m telling you, this man was passionate about the Gators, in season and out.

Emotions can pack a stadium when the team is winning.  But it’s the passionate who come out even when it’s painful.

And I think that’s what separates emotion from passion.  It’s how they respond to pain.

Remember when Mel Gibson came out with the movie “The Passion of the Christ”?  What did he mean by “The Passion”?  Well it really just means “the suffering of the Christ,” and if you saw it, you know it truly was all about His suffering.

How did Jesus respond to all that suffering?  Well He didn’t give up.  Instead, He powered through.  John 10 tells us that Jesus had a passion for us sheep, so much so that He was even willing to lay down His life for us.

And now comes the big question.  In return, do we have a passion for the Lord?  Or is it really just emotions?

What’s the difference? 

The difference shows up when the going gets tough. 

It’s easy to be a Christian when God is blessing and things are going well.  You just feel good about God. 

But how do you feel about God when things sour?  When the bank account goes down?  When the next day brings suffering instead of relief?

First Peter 4:19 indicates that when we suffer we should stay fully committed to God.

When I think of having passion for the Lord, I think of Scriptures like Second Kings 20:3 which talks about being faithful with “wholehearted devotion.”

First Chronicles 28:9 talks about serving God with “wholehearted devotion” and “a willing mind.”

First Corinthians 7:35 talks about living in “undivided devotion to the Lord.”

Second Corinthians 11:3 talks about having a “sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

Romans 12:11 says, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

To me, that’s passion for God.  It’s commitment and devotion, zeal and spiritual fervor.

So the question is, what do we have for the Lord, emotions or passion?

It’s hard to tell during the pregame, when everything is all hype and music.  But when the hitting starts, then we will know. 

If we give up and walk away, it was just emotions. 

But if we stay and dig in – the old blood, sweat and tears – then that’s a good sign that we have a true passion for the Lord.

Passion lasts longer than emotions.

Passion helps us keep our commitments everyday, in season and out, in good times and bad.

So if you feel like giving up today, if your emotional tank is drained, then flip the switch.  Tap into the tank that will push you through over the long haul. 

The wholehearted, undivided passion for 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
-vi-

There Will Be No Drinking In My Administration - Apples of Gold - November 1, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 1, 2008

“There Will Be No Drinking In My Administration”

 

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

“As president, there will be no drinking in my administration.”

Can you imagine how that would go over? 

“No drinking at our meetings.  No drinking at our fundraisers.  No drinking at our membership drives.  As long as I’m president, we will be an alcohol-free organization.”

Oops, that’s too much “change” isn’t it?  A bit too “mavericky.”

But that’s what I did.  Back in my college days I was elected as the next president of our chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. 

We had a lot of members, and the way we signed them up was by having membership drives in a bar.  People would drink up, then sign up.  Some of them would be hard workers, you know the old 80/20 rule.  And the rest just helped you look successful by padding the numbers.  They didn’t do much work, but they liked a good party.

Then I became the president.  We had our first big meeting…in a classroom.  We had a good agenda.  Big plans.  It was going to be a great year, starting our own university P.R. firm. 

Oh yeah, and no meetings in bars. 

80% of the people became cows at a new gate.  Eyes got big.  Heads swayed.  They herded away and didn’t come back.

The 20% didn’t really get it either, but they were ready to work, so they stayed.

And, you know, I can’t say it was a big step of faith.  I wasn’t leaping out as God’s man of faith and power.  My decisions weren’t based on a revelation from an angel.  I just thought, “Hey, this drinking and meeting in bars is ungodly and if I’m the leader I’m not gonna do it.”

It sounds really bold and glorious, but let me tell you, it was really just lonely. 

Have you ever been there?  Have you ever made the hard decision that left you outside the circle?

That’s what happens when you take up your cross and follow Jesus.  As you drag that cross down the straight and narrow, the crowd does not join you.  And sometimes they surround you, making you feel like you are the only one walking the holy road.

The prophet Elijah knew that feeling.  In his day there was King Ahab and Queen Jezebel and all the cool swingers in the palace.  And then there was Elijah.

At one point Elijah felt so alone and discouraged he actually prayed that God would just take his life.  He felt like he was the only one left standing for God.

Then God showed up.  And among other things He told Elijah that He was, indeed, not alone.  In fact He said that there were seven thousand others who were also standing for the Lord. *

Here old Elijah thought he was the only one, but there were seven thousand others.

In Romans 11 Paul writes about Elijah and the seven thousand.  Then in verse five he says, “So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.”

Did you catch that word “remnant”?  I love that word.  Remnant.

Think of a remnant of fabric.  After the bulk of the fabric is sold or used up, what’s left is the remnant.

As a Christian in this old world, I definitely feel like a remnant.  Do you ever feel that way?  Like everyone else is moving in one direction, and there you stand?

Maybe you feel this way in your own family.  You are careful what you bring up because you’re tired of rocking the boat or being “too Christian.”

Or maybe it’s at work.  Maybe they tell you to “leave your religion at home.”  Everyone else hangs out together, and then there’s you, “the Christian.”

Or maybe it’s at school.  Maybe you’re just trying to blend in, tired of feeling like the lone sheep in a cave full of wolves.

Well, my friend, you are not alone.  You are part of the remnant, the thousands who have not bowed their knee.  No, we are not the majority.  Have the godly ever been the majority?  Not in Elijah’s day.  Not in Paul’s day.  And not in our day. 

We are not the majority, but we are not alone.  Together we make up the remnant, what’s left after all the others have rushed off in the ways of the world. 

And we are not part of the remnant by accident.  Romans 11:5 says we were chosen.  Verse 22 says it’s out of God’s kindness.  Then it encourages us to “continue in His kindness.”

So if you feel like the odd man out today because of your faith, don’t go weak on us.  Stand strong, knowing that you are not alone.  You represent us, the remnant, in your little corner of the world.  God chose you to be one of us, and His kindness will strengthen you today; strengthen you to stand tall as a distinguished member of this unique group.

The Remnant.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
*  First Kings 19:18

© 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-