Never Stop Listening to Instruction - Apples of Gold - January 20, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 20, 2009

“Never Stop Listening to Instruction”

 

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

“Lecturing is the worst form of teaching,” he lectured.

In fact, all he ever did was lecture.

He knew better.  He knew how to be a good teacher, but he lost it somewhere.

No illustrations.  No hands-on instruction.  Not even a flannel graph.  Just lectures.

How can someone go from being a popular teacher to a boring old lecturer?

Easy.  He simply stopped listening to instruction.

He didn’t even listen to his own instruction.

I remember when the pastor announced that he was going to teach a Wednesday night series on marriage.  One older gentleman told me he didn’t need to go.  He’d been married a long time and teaching like that was just for young couples.

That’s a dangerous place to be.  You are asking for trouble in your marriage if you ever stop listening to instruction.

I’ve been a parent for over 20 years now, but I’ve never stopped listening to instruction.  I still soak up radio shows like “Family Life Today.”  

Yes, I’ve heard most of the information before, but now listen.  That’s the point.  Even if I’ve heard it all before, I must keep listening.  I must never stop listening to instruction.

Sometimes older people get out of the swing of going to church.  “I’ve heard it all before,” they say.  So they stay home and watch Turner Classic Movies.

Have you stopped going to seminars in your industry?  Have you stopped reading trade journals? 

I’m a fan of Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols.  He seems to be hyper-focused, so I was surprised when I read about something he does before a lot of games. 

Listen to what he said, “I talk to guys I admire anytime I have the opportunity…about baseball, about family. Just that 5 or 10 minutes before a game is enough. That's how you learn.”

So there’s Albert the MVP, talking to guys before games and saying, “That’s how you learn.”

He’s still listening.  And if he wants to stay on top he will never stop listening.

Now listen to Proverbs 19:27.  “Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.”

If we stop listening we will stray.

It’s like we all have a bad GPS unit inside of us.  If we keep listening to instruction, the GPS gives proper directions.  But when we stop listening to instruction, our GPS sends us the wrong way.
 
It reminds me of the lyrics to “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”  It says, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it.”

We are all prone to wander, prone to go astray – even when we know better.

The key is not just to learn something one time.  We have to keep learning it.  We have to go back and hear it again and again – because we are prone to wander.

Recently I read an article about writing radio commercials.  Now I’ve written tons of commercials.  I’ve taught others to write commercials.  You’d think I’d have it down by now.  But I have to keep learning.  I must keep listening to instruction or I will stray from knowledge.

I know a bit about computers, but I still read my daily e-mail from Kim Komando. 

I have to keep listening to instruction about how to take care of my body. 

I need continuous instruction on marriage matters and money matters and spiritual matters.

Plants constantly need water, and we constantly need instruction.  We need to plant ourselves by a steady stream of instruction, lest we stray from the words of knowledge.

So what about you today?  Do you have a steady stream of instruction?  Are there areas in life where you think you’ve heard it all before and don’t need to hear anymore?

Think again.

We are all prone to wander.

So meditate for a moment on these words from Proverbs 19:27. 

“Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
© 2009 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 Was Raised in Whitesville - Apples of Gold - January 19, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 19, 2009

“I Was Raised in Whitesville”

 

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

I fell down in church yesterday.

You should have seen it.  It was spectacular.

The church has a TV show, and I am a camera man.

Sunday I ran a handheld camera on stage, and it happened just as I turned to step off one of the risers. 

Now keep in mind, it’s not just some guy with a camcorder.  You have the TV camera, plus a headset with a microphone, a communications device on your belt, a metal clip hanging from your pants and a bunch of wires running from you to who-knows-where.  And the camera is strapped to your hand, which is a good thing when you plan to take a flying leap.

So right in the middle of the music, I turned to step off the riser onto a little step, and wouldn’t you know it, the little step tipped over.  I didn’t even know what hit me. 

Bam!  I was instantly flat on my back, thankfully behind the riser where only a few people onstage could see me.  But I went down hard with the little step underneath me.

The next thing I knew two people were helping me up.  Two people not of my race, which is no surprise since over half the people on the stage were not of my race.  Of course that had nothing to do with it.  It had nothing to do with anything.

And that’s the wonderful part of the story, besides the fact that I didn’t break my neck and die. 

Our church is a beautiful blend of race.  If Dr. King had a dream about a church where no one was judged by their color, I think our church would be mighty close to that dream.

Now I was never a racist, but let me start with this.

I was raised in Whitesville.

I wasn’t racist because there was no one to be racist against. 

As a boy my main exposure to black people was when we went to Cardinal baseball games in St. Louis.  Some of them were scary, like the ones lurking out on the streets.  Some of them were helpful, like the ones selling souvenirs.  And mostly they were my heroes on the field, men like Lou Brock and Bob Gibson.  I had their posters on my bedroom wall.

Now I’ll bet there were some homes where that was not allowed, but not my home.  As far as I can remember our home was truly colorblind.  A person’s color had nothing to do with anything.

But like I said, it was Whitesville.

I went away to college, but it was mostly white, the college and the town.  I was friendly with a few African Americans, but we spent no real time together.

Then as an adult I spent many years at a church in Illinois where the pastor had a real heart for integration.  He worked hard to bring the races together and had some success.  But try as he might, Sunday morning remained, for the most part, segregated.

So for most of my life I had very limited exposure to African Americans.

Then I moved to Tallahassee.

The city of Tallahassee is only 60% white, which means you would have to actually work at it to stay segregated. 

Then we chose a church that is only half white, if that.

And let me tell you what this has done for me.  For the first time in my life, it has put me in a situation of true integration.  Sometimes I look around and I’m the only white face in the room.  And it doesn’t matter.

I was never racist, but I noticed.  Now for the first time in my life I walk in a room and it doesn’t even cross my mind. 

And what made the difference was simply time together with many individuals of a different race.  Getting to know them as individuals.  Working with them as individuals. 

Notice I’m stressing the word “individuals.”

Racism means lumping people together, as if “they” are all the same.

Of course, that’s ridiculous.  I sure don’t want to be lumped in with so many nutcase white people.  And I shouldn’t lump other people together. 

Each person should be looked at as an individual.  The color of their skin has nothing to do with it.

I love being part of such a racially mixed church.  It has changed my life.  I didn’t even know it needed to be changed, but it has.

Second Thessalonians 1:3 talks about our love for each other increasing.  In the church, as the body of Christ, our love for one another should just grow and grow and grow.

And that includes an ever-growing love for our brothers and sisters of other races.

The kind of love I felt just yesterday, when my brother and sister rushed over to help me – the poor guy flat on his back, this middle-aged man from Whitesville.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
© 2009 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-

Mandatory Organ Donation - Apples of Gold - January 16, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 16, 2009

“Mandatory Organ Donation”

 

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

Why don’t we have mandatory organ donation?

People need organs.  Good organs are being buried everyday.  What’s the hang-up?

Is it because people should have the right to say what happens to their bodies?

Not when you’re dead.  Dead people have no rights.

Or maybe the family should choose. 

That’s nice, but not when people die because they make the wrong choice.

Why would someone choose not to donate organs? 

Maybe they are just uncomfortable with the idea. 

That’s not enough to override the needs of others.

Maybe they want to maintain the dignity of the body of their loved one.

Organ harvesting can be as dignified as any other surgery.  And what’s undignified about giving what you don’t need to someone who desperately does? 

It’s creepy. 

Yeah, and so is most everything else that happens in surgery, and, for that matter, everything that happens behind the curtain at the funeral home.

Well what about religious objections? 

First of all, no major religion objects to donating organs.

What about the sacredness of the body or something like that?

Okay, let’s quickly look at what the Bible says about our bodies.  Let’s start with James 2:26 which says, “…the body without the spirit is dead…”

2 Peter 1:13 says we live “…in the tent of this body…”

In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul writes about either being at home in the body – or at home with the Lord and away from the body.

This body is a dwelling place for our spirit, as long as the body is alive.  But when the body dies, our spirit leaves. 

See, the real us is actually our spirit.  For now they are together, but one day they will separate.

When Jesus died, Matthew 27:50 says, “…He gave up his spirit.” 

When Stephen was stoned to death in Acts 7:59 he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Now let me ask you this.  My uncle lost his hand in a farming accident.  Was he suddenly less of himself?  No, he was still 100% himself because his spirit was intact.  People lose all sorts of parts and survive.  And they are still 100% themselves because their spirit, not their body, is the real them.

First Corinthians 15:44 talks about a natural body and a spiritual body.

The point is, the Bible presents no good reason for not donating your organs after you are dead.  At that time it’s no longer even you.  The real you, your spirit, has departed.  The body will simply go into the grave and decay.  If certain parts could have been saved and used for someone else, then it’s nothing but a waste and a shame to bury them.

God tells us to love people.  I think mandatory organ donation shows great love for the people who need organs, and honestly, I see no down side.

“But Doug, we can’t have the government telling us what to do.”

Oh good grief.  The government tells us what to do all the time.  We let them take tons of our money while we are alive, surely we can give up our organs after we are dead. 

And government in this case is simply the organizing mechanism for saving lives. 

What if you were the one in line desperately needing an organ donation?  Do want to just hope and pray that enough kind souls put that little check mark on their driver’s license?  I sure don’t.  People don’t pay attention to that stuff until it hits them.

So I vote for mandatory organ donation.

I think it’s the loving, Christian thing to do.

And until then, please, please, please make sure that you are a registered organ donor.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
© 2009 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-

Advice From The Love Doctor - Apples of Gold - January 14, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 14, 2009

“Advice From The Love Doctor”

 

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

Jim and Elisabeth were dating.

They liked each other, maybe loved each other, but Jim wasn’t ready for a commitment.

Oh, he was a good Christian guy.  He just didn’t know if she was the one.  Or maybe he just wasn’t ready to commit to anyone.

But there was no denying the electricity in the air.  The philosopher Agur said he did not understand the way of a man with a maiden, but we all know what it feels like.

And Jim and Elisabeth felt it, like a powerful magnet drawing them together.  Love was in the air.

Now if this was a popular TV show, what would happen later that night?  What kind of advice would these two get from today’s so-called love doctors?

Can you see the advice column? 

“Dear Jill, I really like this guy.  Can we sleep together?  What are the rules?  Signed, Puppy Love.”

“Dear Puppy Love, Go for it!  It’s your body and your relationship.  No one can tell you what’s right for you.  It’s not a question of morals or what anyone else has to say. What matters is that you feel safe and comfortable.”

Now that advice is absurd, but you probably didn’t even blink when you heard it.  This is the kind of thing that is being passed off as good advice these days.

Thankfully, Elisabeth did not turn to Dear Jill for advice.  And Jim’s respect for Elisabeth went through the roof.

Listen to this excerpt from Jim’s journal on September 13^th:

“She has been gone just one hour.  What thunders of feeling I have known in that short time.  I could not read the neon lights as I turned away from the bus, and somehow couldn’t face the people as they passed me.  My lip kept contorting, and I could not seem to look natural without twisting tight together both my lips.  How terrible I sound sobbing.  Not like myself at all, but uncontrolled grating, animal sounds – and tears that trickled over my jaw and to my throat.  Leaving her is terrible.  I remember three times now.  The station in Chicago as she walked alone down the tracks next to a Sante Fe train on her way to Wycliffe.  Then her face in the back window of the taxi on Washington Street behind the Stupe last September.  And now this – her twisted brow, the tragic pain of her glance.  And she goes off – still wondering.”

Wow, what did Elisabeth do to stir up such emotion in this man?  I can assure you, it was not by following the advice of the “love doctors.”

Let’s go back to Jim’s journal from September 13^th.  Listen to this:

“Her uprightness makes it so hard.  She loves, I know, but oh, how bitter is love unexpressed.  And she will not let me hold her, hardly touch her, for she says, ‘I am not mine to give you.’”

Stop right there.  Did you catch that?

Here’s Jim, completely drawn in by this woman, so much so that he was literally grieving her departure.  And what did she do to cause this reaction?

Here are Jim’s words again: 

“…she will not let me hold her, hardly touch her, for she says, ‘I am not mine to give you.’”

Did she want to touch?  Of course, she is human.  She is a woman in love.  She grieves the separation as well. 

So why not just take the advice of the day and go for it?  What held her back?

Here is what held her back.  “I am not mine to give.”

Not mine to give?  What’s that all about?

It’s from First Corinthians 6.  It says, “Flee from sexual immorality.”  It says, “…your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit…”  And it says, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.”

I’m sure Elisabeth felt the temptation to fall into the arms of Jim Elliot before they were married.  The drawing power of the physical can feel undeniable.  But she denied herself by focusing on this important truth.

It’s a truth that everyone dating needs to pay close attention to.

It’s a truth that when you apply it, you will eventually enjoy love that the “love doctors” can only imagine.

And that truth is simply this.

I am not mine to give.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
Excerpts from “The Journals of Jim Elliot,” edited by Elisabeth Elliot, published by Revell in 1978 (pp.154, 155).

© 2009 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 Skinny Mirror - Apples of Gold - January 13, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 13, 2009

“The Skinny Mirror”

 

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

I picked out a handful of shirts and went to the fitting room.

I put one on, looked in the mirror and said, “Whoa, that’s a nice looking shirt.”

I went for the side view and it looked good, too.

Too good.

I checked some other angles and, you know, I’d heard of this before, but there it was, right before my eyes.

A skinny mirror.

Oh I looked tall and lean.  I think it even threw in a tan and biceps.

The mirror was not telling the truth, but it sure made me feel good.

A skinny mirror might sound like a good thing, but it isn’t.

Now listen to this.  If it’s not true, it’s not good.

Here’s a great quote from Thomas Watson in the 1600’s.  He said, “The best mirror is not that which is most gilded, but that which shows the truest face.”

A mirror that is not true will cause you to take incorrect action.

A skinny mirror might cause you to buy clothes that actually aren’t that flattering.

A fat mirror might cause you to starve yourself.

Only a true mirror leads to correct action.

This applies to non-literal mirrors as well.

James 1 talks about the Word of God as a mirror.  But it’s definitely not a skinny mirror.

If you’re fat, the Word says, “You’re fat.”

If you’re corrupt, the Word says, “You’re corrupt.”

Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God “penetrates.”  It “judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

But here’s the thing.  We don’t want our thoughts and attitudes judged.  Who wants to be judged?  Just leave me alone.  I’m okay, you’re okay – okay?

Since we don’t want to be judged, we look for mirrors that don’t judge us. 

And what we end up with are skinny mirrors. 

Take my reading materials, for example.  James 1:21 says that “moral filth” is “prevalent.”  That means it’s likely that I have some moral filth on me.  So will my reading materials reflect back that moral filth so I can see it?  Or do I read things that don’t really reflect much moral filth, if there even is such a thing?

See, reading material is a mirror.  The question is, is it a true mirror?  Does it accurately reflect back to me the truth about my life?

You know what?  A lot of lives are messed up because something is broken and they take incorrect action to fix it.  And they do that because the mirror they are looking at is untrue.

So what is your mirror?  What are you using to see your life reflected back to you?  Hollywood magazines?  Sports Illustrated?  Vanity Fair?  You’ll see your reflection in these, but is it a true reflection?

No, the true reflection comes from looking intently into the Word of God.  Then we will know the truth.  Then we can make wise decisions.  Then we can take proper action.

So much in this world is just a skinny mirror. 

What we need is more of the true mirror, the true reflection that comes from the penetrating Word of God


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

© 2009 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 Am the Lord, In Its Time I Will Do This Swiftly - Apples of Gold - January 12, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

 

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 12, 2009

“I Am the Lord – In Its Time I Will Do This Swiftly”

 

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

Are you waiting for God to come through for you?

Are you praying for a breakthrough, yet it seems like nothing is happening?

Then I have a word for you, from Isaiah 60:22.  It says, “I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.”

That’s a great message in three parts. 

The first part is “I am the Lord,” which pretty much settles everything.

The third part is “I will do this swiftly,” which is hard to swallow when you keep waiting and waiting.

But the second part clears it up a bit.  It says, “…in its time…”

Yes, it will happen swiftly…when the time is right.

You may not see any progress.  You might feel like giving up, but do not lose heart.  It can all change in an instant. 

God told Noah He was going to flood the earth, but He didn’t, not for a long time.  But then in an instant the floodgates were opened.

God told Abraham and Sarah that they would have a baby, but they didn’t, not for a long time.  But then in an instant Sarah became pregnant with Isaac.

God foretold the coming of the Messiah, but He didn’t come, not for a long time.  But then suddenly He was here.  And in one weekend He shed His blood, died, and rose again for our salvation.

Just before His ascension, Jesus told the disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait. 

Wait?  Why wait?  Why wait for anything?

It’s the waiting that drives us crazy.  It’s like a huge waste of time.

But Jesus told them to wait, so they did. 

Then, in its time, He did it swiftly.  On the day of Pentecost they were suddenly baptized with the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus had said.

Saul was an enemy of the faith, persecuting Christians.  But in an instant, on the road to Damascus, his life was completely changed.  It didn’t happen soon enough to save Stephen before he was stoned.  It didn’t happen before some Christians were arrested.  But it finally did happen, and when it happened, it happened swiftly.  Saul became Paul.  He was quickly and suddenly changed.

In my own life, many people were praying for me.  It probably seemed like I would never come around.  But then one night at a little church God just reached out and took me for His own.  It may not have happened soon, but in its time it happened swiftly.

The Israelites were slaves in Egypt longer than the United States has been in existence.  I’m sure each generation cried out for freedom.  But in its time, it happened swiftly.

Moses spent 40 years tending sheep in the wilderness.  Forty years is a big chunk of life.  He probably thought that was it; but then – the burning bush.  In its time, Moses’ life changed swiftly.

King Hezekiah turned the nation back to the Lord, and look what it says in Second Chronicles 29:36.  “Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for His people, because it was done so quickly.”

Yes, we all want things done quickly, and we want them done right now.  But often God doesn’t work that way.  Often He wants us to wait. 

I remember working in secular radio, and one day I felt the conviction that if I could do my work as a full time ministry, then I should.  So I applied at a couple Christian radio stations and waited for God to hand me a job.

It didn’t happen.

I prayed and prayed, but it didn’t happen.

What’s the deal with this?  I thought God wanted me to serve Him fulltime?  Now I step out and nothing happens?

I wrestled with that for a few months, but I stayed open to God’s plan.  Then, in its time, it happened swiftly.  I was hired by a Christian radio station, got married that Saturday, and our honeymoon was spent moving, starting our new life together in a completely new situation.

So are you waiting on the Lord today?  Don’t give up.  In Luke 18 Jesus said to always pray and not give up. 

It may seem like the Lord’s answers are slow, but Second Peter 3 indicates that the Lord is not slow, He’s just patient.  But then when the time is right, boom!  He is swift, like a thief in the night.

So don’t lose heart.  Don’t give up hope.  Keep the faith and keep trusting in Him. 

And hold onto this word today.

“I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

© 2009 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-

Come On, God - Not Today -- Apples of Gold - January 9, 2009 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 9, 2009

“Come On, God – Not Today”

 

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

“Realtor Needs Type A+ Blood Donated Fast”

As soon as I read that on Tallahassee.com this morning I felt the icy hands of dread.

I have A positive blood.  I jokingly brag about it.  “What type of blood do you have?  Well mine is A plus!”

I know this because I have given blood.  But I am definitely not excited about it.  The whole needle-in-your-arm, blood-draining-into-a-bag thing kind of makes me queasy. 

So I stared at that headline and thought-slash-prayed, “No, Lord.  Come on…”

But there was the need, plainly spelled out.  A need I could easily meet.

I have a pretty simple motto.  If I see a need I can easily meet, then I don’t even have to think about it.  Just do it.

I’ve said this many times.  If someone shows you how you can bless them, and you can easily do it, then just do it. 

You don’t have to think about it.  You don’t have to weigh out the pros and cons. 

You see, many times you can’t bless someone easily.  Many times it’s not obvious even how to bless them. 

So when it is easy and obvious, why waste any time?  Just do it.

That’s my motto, anyway.  But this morning that crashed head on into another motto I have. 

Don’t bleed.

“Come on, God.  Not today.  Today I’m…  I’m…”

And for the life of me I couldn’t come up with one single good excuse.

Other than I’m selfish about my blood.

Selfish and fearful. 

Even though it doesn’t really hurt.  Even though it will be totally fine and I know that. 

It’s like eating shrimp.  The act is fine; it’s the thinking about it that gives me a swirly.

I’m memorizing the book of Ephesians and I’m up to chapter 5 verse 2. 

Now this is a stunning verse when you really think about it.

It tells us to “walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us…”

That’s nice and pretty so far.  But it’s the rest of the verse that will blow your mind.  It says Christ has given Himself for us as “an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

Ephesians 1 says we have redemption through Christ’s blood.  Chapter 2 says Jesus reconciled us to God in one body through the cross.

Yes, Jesus was an offering.  He offered up His body, He shed His own blood and died on the cross.  He was a human sacrifice to God.

The whole scene is gory and blood-splattered and outrageous.  The sights and smells of what we call “the passion of the Christ” are disturbing.  In our hyper-clean, non-agrarian culture, most of us would have found it disgusting.

And yet Ephesians 5:2 says that it was a sweet-smelling aroma.

In my little mind that is almost incomprehensible.  How could anything so terrible be considered sweet smelling?

Back to Ephesians 5:2.  Look what it says Jesus did.  It says He “has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

The emphasis is on what Christ did and why He did it.  He offered Himself as an offering and a sacrifice, and He did it because He loved us.

This was the sweet smelling aroma.  His love and His sacrifice.  He loved so much that He was willing to give up His own body and blood, even to the point of death.

And now we are to love just like that.  Verse one says we are to be “imitators of God.” 

Can I do it?  Can I love like that?  Christ gave all of His blood.  Can I give some of mine?

I can, so I should.

And I pick up the phone to make that call…


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

© 2009 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-

Tim Tebow's Eye Black - Apples of Gold - January 8, 2009 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 8, 2009

“Tim Tebow’s Eye Black”

*

 

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

Tim Tebow puts scripture on his eye black.

He’s the quarterback for the Florida Gators, who play Oklahoma tonight for the college football national championship.

Eye black is that inky smudge players put below their eyes to make them look cool.  I mean to make them see better.

A while back I saw the camera zoom in on Tebow and right there on his face it said, “Phil 4:13.”

That’s Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

I love the fact that Tebow so boldly acknowledges Jesus Christ in the public arena.

Saturday night another boldly Christian quarterback will be playing a high profile game.  Kurt Warner will lead the Arizona Cardinals against the favored Carolina Panthers.

Again, I love the boldness of Warner when it comes to acknowledging Jesus Christ.

Jesus indicated in Matthew 10:32 that this is exactly what we should do.  We should all acknowledge Jesus Christ publicly.

So the question is, what are you doing to publicly acknowledge Christ?

A fish logo on your car?  Yes, that’s good.

Christian t-shirts?  Good.

I love what Steve Smith does right here in North Florida.  He has pulled together a group of men that goes out and does good deeds in the community.  Then they pass out a little card that says, “Why We’re Here.”  It explains that because of Jesus Christ, they do good deeds as a way of putting God’s love into action.

A woman told me recently about going to a meeting where most of the people would clearly not be Christians.  She had the habit of wearing a cross necklace, and someone told her, “You should not wear that to the meeting.  People will be offended.” 

She wore it anyway.  It was her way to publicly acknowledge Jesus Christ.

Are you on Facebook?  There are certain people you can always count on to blast out a powerful light for Christ. 

How about a manger scene in your front yard at Christmas?

I remember my brief stint at a country music station.  I put a Christian poster up on my bulletin board.  It was not popular.

You know what I love?  I love it when these community festivals feature Christian singers on their outdoor stages.  It’s great to be walking through a park somewhere and hearing the Lord’s praises echoing through the crowd.

See You at the Pole – now there’s a great way to publicly acknowledge Jesus at the public schools.

The National Day of Prayer right here at the capitol.  It’s an afternoon of boldly acknowledging Christ as the state lawmakers go about their business.

And the Bible reading we do on the steps facing the Supreme Court building.

In college a group of us created our own personal tracts.  They simply told how Jesus had changed our lives.  They included our name and even our phone number.

When my wife and I were dating, she was part of a group that put its picture in the newspaper – a group of people publicly acknowledging Jesus Christ and the impact He had on them.

Some businessmen simply put a little cross on their lapel.

Now let me ask, what are you doing to publicly acknowledge Christ?

Remember football superstar Reggie White?  He signed a lot of autographs, and he always included a Bible verse.

Really, you are only limited by your creativity.  Be original.  Be you.  Just don’t be ashamed.

Second Timothy 1:8 says, “…do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord…”

Paul wrote in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel…”

Jesus said in Mark 8:38, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

So whatever you do, don’t be ashamed.

Instead, be bold.  Be public.  Be proud.

Find some way, like Tim Tebow with his eye black, to publicly acknowledge Jesus Christ.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

*  Photo from the St. Petersburg Times:  http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/article956080.ece

© 2009 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-

Be Careful Little Christian Who You Date - Apples of Gold - January 6, 2009 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 6, 2009

“Be Careful Little Christian Who You Date”

 

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

In high school we played what the teacher called “The Economics Game.”

We were each assigned to a certain situation, then turned loose to make the most of it.

A friend of mine talked to some students who had already played the game, and he came up with a winning strategy.

It was a lot like life, really.  Most of the kids didn’t know what they were doing, so it was easy to take advantage of them and build our little empire. 

At the end of the first semester I was way ahead in the game.

Then came the punishing twist.

At the start of the second semester the teacher reversed the scores!

Where I once was in the lead, now I was in last place.

But actually we had planned for that.  After the reversal my friend raced into the lead and won the second semester.  And I think we both got A’s in the class.

Now go back to that score reversal.  There I was, leading the pack, only to be thrown to the back of the line.

I think about that every time I read Philippians chapter 3.

Paul was leading the pack.  Compared to his fellow Jews he was more zealous, more righteous, a “Hebrew of Hebrews,” he said.

But now listen to Philippians 3:7.  “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss…”

It’s just like my score in the Economics Game.  Paul was way ahead, only to realize that the very things that put him in the lead were actually things that put him behind!

How could that be?

It’s because all those things just got in the way of knowing Christ.

Paul said, “Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ…”

Do you realize what he is saying here?  He is saying that anything that doesn’t help him grow in the Lord is actually a negative, a loss.  It’s rotting, stinking trash.

Now let’s talk about dating.  Are you dating someone who isn’t helping you grow in Christ?  I don’t care how wonderful they are.  Yes, they are putting points on the board, running up your score.  With them you feel like a winner!

But actually, no.  Your score is going the other way.  If they aren’t helping you grow in Christ, then what seems like gain is actually loss.

Peter had a moment like this.  In Mark chapter 8 Jesus told his disciples how He would suffer and be killed.  Peter rose to the occasion.  He was ready to run up the score.  He took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him. 

I imagine Peter saying things like, “Huh-uh Jesus.  Not on my watch.  As long I’m here, no one is going to lay a hand on You.  Bank on it.”

I think to Peter this was a grand moment, a chance to show Jesus his deep love and loyalty.

But all of a sudden, what he thought was a great gain turned out to be a huge loss.

Mark 8:33 says Jesus rebuked Peter.  “Get behind me, Satan!  You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

What a statement!

This is where the rubber meets the road.  Do we have in mind the things of God or the things of men?

It’s a wonderful feeling to be attracted to someone and find out they are attracted to you.  It can feel like heaven on earth.  But to really know the score we have to run it through this filter:  “Do I have in mind the things of God or the things of men?”

Let’s say you are dating someone.  They’re so cute!  You get queasy thinking about them.  They’re smart and fun and hard working and polite.  Win, win, win. 

But they aren’t on fire for Christ. 

Listen to this.  They just aren’t that impressed with Jesus.

And you think this is a winning situation?

My friend, do you have in mind the things of God or the things of men?

You are in danger of waking up one day to a giant score reversal!  Everything you thought was a gain turns out to be a loss. 

And it’s not just dating.  It’s your career.  It’s how you handle money.  It’s your education.  It’s everything you do with your time.  In every area of life we must ask, “Do I have in mind the things of God or the things of men?”

The things of men can give us a nice score for a while.  But then comes the score reversal.  Like Paul we will suddenly see things the way they really are. 

And like Paul we will see that it’s loss, it’s just so much stinking trash compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.
 

Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

© 2009 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-

Are My Hands Clean? Is My Heart Pure? - Apples of Gold - January 5, 2009 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 5, 2009

“Are My Hands Clean?  Is My Heart Pure?”

 

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

It started with two old women in a very humble cottage.

They were sisters.  One was 82; the other 84, and blind.

It was after World War II in Scotland, and these old women were greatly burdened by what they saw as the appalling state of their own parish.  Apparently no young people at all went to the church.

Well the sisters decided to make it a special matter of prayer.  And one particular Bible verse gripped them.

It was Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring…”

They set aside two prayer times each week.  Every Tuesday and Friday night starting at 10 p.m. they would get down on their knees and start praying.  And they proclaimed that verse, “Lord, You said You would pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground.”

Eventually their fervor spread to the church leaders, who started their own Tuesday and Friday night prayer meetings, in a barn.

After about a month and a half of these prayer meetings, one night one of the leaders read Psalm 24.  He read, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart…”

And the man began asking himself, “Are my hands clean?  Is my heart pure?”

And they were all gripped with the conviction that if they really wanted God to move, then they themselves must have clean hands and a pure heart.  They realized that a God-sent revival must ever be related to holiness.

And eventually God did move in a powerful way on that island of Lewis in the Scottish Hebrides.  And the church was once again filled with young people turning to the Lord.

Isn’t that a great story?  I love it!  I just heard it the other day on the internet, on a website called Sermon Index.net.*  It was an old, scratchy recording of a man who was there for that great revival 60 years ago.

First of all, I can just see those two old women in a humble cottage.  Two aged sisters looking out for each other.  And their social life probably revolved around the church. 

They could have just been happy with that, hanging out with other senior citizens until the Lord called them home.

But no.  I think the Spirit of God was stirring inside them.  They saw the absence of young people in church and felt a burden for them.

They could have complained.  They could have gossiped.  But instead, they prayed.  They devoted themselves to prayer. 

They didn’t wait for someone else to call a prayer meeting.  They didn’t shake their heads and wish that “they” would do something about it. 

Instead they said, “On these days at these times, we will pray.”

I love that.

Plus they picked a certain verse to stand on in their prayers.  Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground…”

These two old women prayed earnestly and consistently, calling on the Lord to pour water on the thirsty and to flood the dry ground.

Then somewhere along the line their passion spread.  Some church leaders saw the need for such prayer and they, too, devoted themselves to seeking the Lord on Tuesday and Friday nights.

Then the Lord responded to their prayers.  The Spirit of God stirred up this question from Psalm 24.  “Are your hands clean?  Is your heart pure?”

Lately I’ve been meditating on Ephesians 4:30 which says, “…do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…”

If my hands aren’t clean and my heart isn’t pure, then I am grieving the Holy Spirit.  And if I’m grieving the Holy Spirit, then how can He work through me?  If He doesn’t work through me, then what on earth am I doing?  If I am not bearing good fruit, then what am I even about?

No, I must bear good fruit.  To do that I must have God’s Spirit working through me.  So I must not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, which means I need clean hands and a pure heart.

So just like that man in the barn 60 years ago, I lift up my hands and say, “Lord, do I have clean hands and a pure heart?” 

I must have.  I simply must have.  If I want to see revival; if I want my church to grow; if I want our young people to be saved and on fire for God; then I must have clean hands and a pure heart.

So I pray, “Lord, quench the thirsty.  Flood the dry ground.  Bring conviction of sin among your leaders.  Stir within us in power so that we can stand before You and say, ‘Yes, through Christ I have clean hands and a pure heart so that I may be of full service to my King!’”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
*  http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=376

© 2009 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 Is Your Brain Buzzing About? - Apples of Gold - January 2, 2009 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 2, 2009

“What Is Your Brain Buzzing About?”

 

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

From the time you get up your brain is buzzing about something.

Sometimes you can’t sleep because your brain is buzzing.

I say buzzing because, like bees buzz willy-nilly around a hive, our brains buzz all around a subject.

It would be interesting to jot it down, then go back and look at it at the end of the year.  “What my brain was buzzing about today.”

I don’t know if this happens to you, but almost everyday when I wake up there is a song on my mind.  I don’t know why that is.  I’m not a musician.  I don’t sleep with music on.  But for most of my life this has been true.  I wake up with a song in my head.

That means right out of the gate my brain is buzzing about something…a song. 

But now listen to this.  It matters what song it is.  That song influences my thinking, my mood, my day. 

And it could be any song I’ve ever heard.  I know this is weird, but it’s true.  It could be a good song or a bad song; a song that’s good for me, or a song that just isn’t good for me to even think about.

But you know what?  I learned a long time ago not to leave this to chance.  Many years ago I started setting my radio alarm clock to a Christian station.  That way when I wake up the first song to make an impression on my mind is a good song.

Nowadays I use my cell phone as my alarm clock, and, for example, right now my alarm is set to play “Revelation Song” by Gateway Worship. 

And it always works.  That first song I hear leaves an impression on my mind.  And I love starting my day with the opening strains of “Revelation Song” which says, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, holy holy is He.”

So everyday my brain starts buzzing immediately on the holy, worthy Lamb of God.  I love it.

And it’s not just the mornings.  Music will get your brain buzzing anytime.  The question is, what does it get your brain buzzing about? 

Now here’s the thing.  You can control it.  You control it by choosing wisely what music you let enter your brain in the first place. 

And of course this applies to much more than music.  Right now I am memorizing the book of Ephesians.  I add one verse each weekday.  Then I constantly rehearse them in my mind, stringing them all together, and meditating on them.

It’s like an in-depth Bible study constantly buzzing in my brain.  In the mornings when I’m getting ready, what’s running through my head is the book of Ephesians. 

Let me tell you, it radically changes your day when you meditate on the Word of God.  It reminds me of Psalm 1:2 which talks about the blessed man who meditates on God’s words “day and night.”

See, your brain is always buzzing about something.  Why not start memorizing the Word so that it’s buzzing about the things of God.

2009 begins Year Three of my Daniel Fast.  That leads to a certain buzzing every day in my brain.  It’s a buzz that I am denying myself to follow Jesus.  I want to be an offering, a living sacrifice for Him.  Denying myself certain foods keeps those thoughts buzzing in my brain all the time.  Every time I eat, every time I think of eating, my brain buzzes thoughts like, “Lord, I love You.  Lord, I want to serve You.  Lord, I need You.  I need You desperately.  I can do nothing without You.  Lord, I want to bear good fruit.  Lord, I am denying myself in order to take up my cross and follow You.”

There’s nothing like a fast to get your brain buzzing!

We are still doing the 8:08 prayer time at our house.  Each night at 8:08 my cell phone alarm goes off and we stop whatever we are doing, gather whoever is in the house together and we pray.  When this happens, it doesn’t matter what your brain was buzzing about beforehand.  It suddenly changes.  All the buzzing turns toward God and the real needs of people that we bring to Him in prayer.

A regular prayer time will really affect the buzzing in your brain.

Are you a news junkie?  Do you have a news channel IV stuck in your veins?  Stop and think about what that causes to buzz in your brain.  Crime and controversy.  Politics and “pop tarts.”  Oh it gets your brain buzzing alright. 

Or maybe it’s sports, sports, sports.  Is your brain buzzing on sports all day?  Oh, there’s enough sports to do it.  And if real sports aren’t enough, now we have fantasy sports you can buzz about.

Or maybe it’s movies.  Do you find yourself quoting movie lines?  What you quote is obviously what your brain is buzzing on.

Now here’s the point.  Our brains are always buzzing, thinking about some topic.  And often we don’t even try to control what we’re buzzing about.  We just let whatever come into our brain and buzz around for a while.

This year let’s be more proactive.  Let’s control the buzz. 

Let’s set ourselves up for a blessed year like the man in Psalm 1, and he did it by simply letting his brain buzz about the things of God all day long.


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-