Get Creative, For the Children's Sake - Apples of Gold - August 20, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 20, 2009

“Get Creative, For the Children’s Sake”

 

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

“Oh, we just don’t have that many kids in church anymore.  Hey, it’s impossible to compete with all these high tech movies and video games.  How can our children’s church, with our tiny little budget, even compare to what the world has to offer?”

Well first of all, we have something far better to offer.  The Gospel, the love of the Lord, forgiveness, truth, hope, wisdom and loving Christian companionship.  So at its foundation, the church beats the world hands down.

But the kids have to want to come.  You want the kids to beg their parents to bring them. 

How can you make that happen?  Through creativity.

You can’t just stand up in front of a classroom of kids and read a lesson out of a book.  Yeah, you might get away with that – for about a minute.  And then you’ve lost them.

But you can prevent that by being creative.  Yes, it takes more time, but if it’s worth doing at all, it’s worth doing right.  So go the extra mile and be creative.

That means you think and pray and come up with creative ways to drive your lesson home.  It means engaging the kids and giving them a chance to express themselves.

My son is involved in our children’s church – and he plays guitar.  I told him, “You need to get that guitar out.  Sure, you can preach to the kids, but if you really want them to sit up and pay attention, get out that guitar.”

Even adults like stories with guitars.  I remember going to a men’s meeting one time, and a pastor delivered his message while playing the guitar!  Instead of just standing up there talking, he had set his message to a guitar accompaniment.

See, as soon as you step out there and get creative, everyone sits up and pays attention.

So let’s say you wanted to teach a bunch of kids about Jonah.  Sure, you could just read them the story out of the Bible.  But is that going to make them rush out to their parents all excited?  Or are they going to whine the next time they have to go?

So get creative! 

In fact, just for kicks I went ahead and put together the story of Jonah in a way that would have all the kids hanging on your every word.

So here is the story of Jonah, with a little dash of creativity:

“Go preach against-ah Nineveh!”
He ran the other way.
Ol’ Jonah took a Joppa boat,
And heard the sailors say (they said)
“Tar-shish!  Tar-shish!”
Each wave that hit the sailboat said, “Tar-shish!”

Now let me stop right here and explain what will happen in a live setting.  When you get a bunch of kids together, it’s great to get them involved.  So at the end of each stanza I’ve built in this repetitive phrase.  When you get to the end, instead of saying it yourself, you can encourage them to shout it out, “Tar-shish!”  And let me tell you, by the end of this they will all be hanging on the edge of their seat, just waiting to see what they can shout out next!

Now back to the story, and at the end of each stanza just imagine a room full of kids shouting it out.

A violent storm arose and those
Old sailors were afraid.
They tossed the cargo overboard,
But downstairs Jonah laid (and fell)
Asleep!  Asleep!
The ship could sink, but Jonah was asleep!

The captain panicked, ran downstairs,
Said, “Joe, you better pray!”
They cast some lots to point the blame,
And what did those lots say? (they said)
“It’s him!  It’s him!”
With eyes on Jonah, each one said, “It’s him!”

“Who are you?” they cried out to him.
“I worship God the Lord.”
“What should we do?”  “I guess you’ll have to
toss me overboard into
the sea!  The sea!
They tossed him overboard into the sea!

The waves went down, a fish swam up,
And swallowed Jonah whole.
Three days and nights he stayed down there.
“What should I do?  Oh-ho!” (he said)
“I’ll pray!  I’ll pray!”
“The best thing I can do,” he said, “I’ll pray!”

The fish came up, and Joe came out,
And walked up on the land.
“Go preach against-ah Nineveh!”
And this time Jonah said,
“You know? I’ll go!  I’ll go!”
“I’d love to preach at Nineveh.  I’ll go!”

So Jonah preached, and they got right.
It was a glorious day!
And now, you know, God may call you.
And what are you going to say?  (you’ll say)
“I’ll go!  I’ll go!”
When God calls you, I hope you’ll say, “I’ll go!”

And now you have a riled up bunch of kids shouting that they will Go! when God calls them.

And now what about you?  Maybe this is God calling you to take your children’s ministry to the next level.

So is your children’s ministry a little weak?  Are your numbers down?  Are the kids just bored and staying away in droves?

Then try this. 

Get creative – for the children’s sake.


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-

Where, O Death, Is Your Sting? - Apples of Gold - August 19, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 19, 2009

“Where, O Death, Is Your Sting?”

 

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

You are just a blip on the radar.

That’s what James might say if he was writing today.

He was trying to get us to put our life in perspective.

What is your life?  It is a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Ecclesiastes says there is a time to be born…and a time to die.

Have you ever opened the newspaper to a blank obituary page?

Just this morning I received two text messages about people dying.

Counting everyone, about 150,000 people die each day.  That means about 500 people will die during this Apples of Gold.

This is no surprise, at least not since the Garden of Eden.

God told Adam and Eve not to eat from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

But the serpent told Eve, “You will not surely die.”

Well, that turned out to be a big lie, and death came into the world.  Romans 5 hammers that point home. 

Verse 12 says “…sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned…”

Romans 6:23 puts it this way:  the wages of sin is death.

So sin entered the world through Adam, and death entered the world through sin, and now because everyone sins, everyone dies.

Ecclesiastes 7:2 says death is the destiny of every man.  And then it adds, “…the living should take this to heart.”

Well death is something we don’t really want to take to heart.  We don’t even want to think about it.

Hebrews 2:15 talks about our fear of death. 

But then it says that Jesus Christ came to “free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

Verse 14 says that Jesus took on flesh and blood “so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil…”

Yes, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!

In First Thessalonians 4, Paul said he did not want them “to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.”  Through Jesus we have this hope:  “we will be with the Lord forever.”  And verse 18 says, “Therefore encourage each other with these words.”

We find more encouraging words in First Corinthians 15.  “Death has been swallowed up in victory.  Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

A little sidebar here – we only die once.  There is no reincarnation.  Hebrews 9:27 says that we will die one time.  After that comes the judgment.

Eventually there will be no more death.  Jesus said in Revelation 1:18, “I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

First Corinthians 15:25 says that Jesus “must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.”  And “the last enemy to be destroyed is death.”

In Revelation 20:14 we see death and Hades being thrown into the lake of fire.

And finally, in Revelation 21:4, “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

So, yes, our life is just a blip on the radar.  It is a vapor that is here and gone.

Soon enough we will be one of those 150,000 people that die every day. 

But we know the story.  We know that death came into the world through sin.

And we know that Christ came to save us from sin and deliver us from the fear of death.  That’s why Paul said, “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

That’s the same Paul who wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”  (Philippians 1:21)

So we can say, along with Paul, Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?  Thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

 
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-

Be the Best You Can Be With Accountability - Apples of Gold - August 18, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 18, 2009

“Be the Best You Can Be With Accountability”

 

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

She got front row tickets to the Guns N’ Roses concert.

And backstage passes.

“Why shouldn’t I be able to do whatever I want?” she said.

Then she added, “My parents weren’t with me, so there was nobody to stop me.”

The problem was, she had a big tennis match the next day.

I’m talking about Monica Seles, from her new book “Getting a Grip.”

She was a tennis star as a child, and by 17 she was tops in the world.

And she was ready to throw off her parents’ restraint.

She played poorly the day after the concert.  “But,” she said, “I hadn’t learned my lesson yet.”

Before this her family had always traveled with her.  But now she announced that she wanted to travel alone, without her family.

Her next tournament was in San Diego, and her late nights took the edge off her game; and she lost to rival Jennifer Capriati. 

The next tournament was in Los Angeles, and after a less-than-her-best showing, she made a decision.  No more trying to live like a celebrity.  She was going to refocus on the business of tennis.  And to make sure she did, she called her parents. 

See, the presence of her parents provided accountability.  That meant someone was watching her, was keeping track of her, and could hold her accountable. 

I look at it this way.  Her parents were there to shine a light on her actions.  She knew it wasn’t right to stay out half the night when she had a tournament the next day, but you know what?  It’s harder to do the right thing when no one is there shining a light on your actions.

Now think about this on a national level.  One reason we have a free press in America is so that the press can shine a light on the actions of government.  People in government are more likely to toe the line when the press is there to shine a light on them.

And this is true for us as Christians.  It’s easier to stay on the straight and narrow when our actions are out in the light.

That means someone else knows what we are doing.  Our actions are exposed.

Take, for example, our use of the internet.  At our house, a person’s use of the internet is out in the light.  The computer is in the living room between the TV and the fireplace. Everyone can see what you are doing.  In fact, the computer is hooked up to the TV, so last night, as I was on the internet, my daughter was watching everything I did up on the big screen.

Talk about accountability!  What if everything you did on the computer was showing on another screen somewhere?

Ephesians 5 says, “Have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”

It goes on to say, “…all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.”

I like that line, “whatever makes manifest is light.”

On the other hand, there is darkness.  Jesus said in John 3 that “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”

So as Christians, we should not be afraid to have our deeds exposed.  We should be perfectly willing to expose them to the light.  John 3:21 says, “…whoever lives by the truth comes into the light…”

How many times have I heard about Christians sneaking around, doing things they shouldn’t do?

If that’s you, then the best you can do is to expose your deeds to the light.    

For example, can anyone else read your e-mail or text messages?  Or do you kind of keep those tucked away in the dark?

What about your credit card receipts?  Or your video rentals? 

What if you had a surprise knock at your door in that hotel room?

See, it’s important that we shine a light on all areas of our life.  We need to lift the lid and let the light in.  That means other people can see what we’re up to, and that provides the accountability we need to stay on the straight and narrow.

Even at 17, Monica Seles realized she needed the accountability of her parents if she was going to be the tennis player she wanted to be. 

And we as Christians need accountability as well, so we can be the “people of the light” that God is calling us to be.


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-

Graphic Design, How Hard Could It Be? - Apples of Gold - August 17, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 17, 2009

“Graphic Design – How Hard Could It Be?”

 

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

The man had had enough.

He packed up all the equipment, brought it in and dropped it on a table.

He was out of there.

I remember standing there, looking at all that technology.  I didn’t know how to use it, but how hard could it be?

He was our resident computer expert, and I was a novice.  Most of what I knew about computers I learned by looking over his shoulder.

And now he was gone.  He quit suddenly, and he didn’t want to hear from us again.

But the work had to go on. 

So the time came when we needed a brochure.  Could I do it?  Of course I could do it. 

Had I ever done graphic design before?

No, but I’d seen it done.  You just drag the mouse and type and move pictures and there it is.

Plus we had the latest technology, Windows 3.1, and the vector graphics program CorelDRAW.

Now remember, the internet was nothing like it is today.  There weren’t a million websites with advice on everything under the sun.  Yes, we had CompuServe, but they charged by the hour, so the meter was running every time you dialed in.

For me, that meant I just had to dive in and learn CorelDRAW on my own.

But I had a great idea.  I would simply open one of the other guy’s files and rework it.

That went well enough to start with.  I tinkered around with it all afternoon and into the evening.  Things go amazingly slow when you don’t know what you are doing.

But I kept running into one problem.  Some of the graphics were just stuck together.  I would grab one and drag it, but the others would move along with it.

It didn’t make any sense to me, and it was maddening. 

Midnight became 2 a.m. and I was ready to pull my hair out.  “These are separate graphics.  Why are they together?  They must…come…apart.”

Finally – finally – I learned about “grouping.”  You can simply group and ungroup objects.

Now if you know about graphic design at all, you know about grouping, and you are probably rolling your eyes at my stupidity.  But look – I didn’t know.  How are you supposed to know things you don’t know?

I’ve learned many computer programs since then, and it seems like they are all maddening at some point.  Oh sure, they are easy enough to start with – until they just won’t do what you want them to. 

Then what?

When you run into a wall, and you don’t know what to do, then what?

Then you persevere, that’s what.

Yes, it might be easier to throw your hands up and quit.  But how is quitting going to get you where you want to go? 

Second Peter 1 says we should “make every effort” to add perseverance to our life. 

Verse 9 indicates that if we don’t have perseverance, we are “nearsighted and blind.”

Perseverance means you’re not a quitter.  It means you sink your teeth into things and don’t let go. 

Albert Einstein said, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”

“But Doug, you don’t know what I’m going through.”

I don’t doubt it’s a tough situation.  You are suffering. 

But you know what Paul said in Romans 5?  He said, “…we…rejoice in our sufferings…”

Why would they rejoice?

“…because we know that suffering produces perseverance…” he said.

Perseverance is an important character trait, and you get it by going through trials.  You hit a wall, but you don’t give up.  You keep pressing on and in the end you end up with the character trait called perseverance.

Hebrews 12:1 tells us to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

I know it’s Monday.  I know you might be going through a terrific challenge.

But don’t give up.  Press on!

And when you come out on the other side you will be a better person – a person of perseverance.


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-

How Is Your Prayer Life? - Apples of Gold - August 14, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 14, 2009

“How Is Your Prayer Life?”

 

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

Today I want to inspire you to pray – to pray more often, to pray with more fervency, and to pray with more faith.

The Bible is full of praying people.  Abraham prayed, and so did Moses and Elisha.  Peter prayed, and Paul, and even Jesus.  Especially Jesus.

Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed (Luke 5:16), and He taught others to do the same.  He said, “…when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.  Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)

Mark 1:35 speaks of Jesus praying very early in morning, but prayer can be done anytime.  Acts 3:1 says Peter and John went to pray at three in the afternoon.  While in prison, Paul and Silas prayed at about midnight. 

We know that Daniel prayed three times a day.  The book of Acts says the early church “joined together constantly in prayer.”  It says they “devoted themselves” to prayer, and we are to do the same (Colossians 4:2).  We are told to be “faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12) and to “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  And Jesus taught in Luke 18 that we should “always pray and not give up.”

In fact, that’s one of the keys to answered prayer – not giving up. 

First Chronicles 5:20 says that God “answered their prayers, because they trusted in Him.”

Jesus said, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:22) 

He said, “…I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”  (Mark 11:24)

James 5:15 speaks of “the prayer offered in faith…” and verse 16 says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

The Lord “hears the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29) and “His ears are attentive to their prayer…” (1 Peter 3:12).  And First John 5 says that if He hears us, then we know that we have whatever we ask of Him.

Do we have to get in a certain position when we pray?

Well Moses spread out his hands when he prayed.  (Exodus 9:29)

Daniel got down on his knees, and so did Peter.  (Daniel 6:10, Acts 9:40)

Acts 21:5 says all the disciples and their wives and children knelt down on the beach and prayed.

Solomon knelt with his hands spread out toward heaven.  (1 Kings 8:54)

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed with his face to the ground.  (Matthew 26:39)

In John 17 He prayed with his face turned toward heaven.

Paul wrote to Timothy that he wanted “men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer…” (1 Timothy 2:8)  And he wrote to the Corinthians that men should not pray with their head covered, and that women should not pray with their head uncovered.  (1 Corinthians 11)

James said that when we draw near to God, He draws near to us.  Deuteronomy 4:7 says, “…the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to Him.”

Hannah prayed in her heart, saying nothing out loud.  (1 Samuel 1:13)

The early church “raised their voices together in prayer to God.”  (Acts 4:24)

But the big question is, does praying do any good?

Well, the servant prayed that he would find a wife for Isaac, and even before he finished praying, here came Rebekah.  (Genesis 24)

Isaac prayed for his barren wife, and Genesis 25 says, “The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.”

Elijah prayed that it would not rain, and it didn’t.  Then he prayed again, and it rained.  (James 5)

After having Samuel, Hannah said, “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him.”  (1 Samuel 1:27)

The Lord heard Hezekiah’s prayer and added fifteen years to his life.  (Isaiah 38:5)

The Lord answered Manasseh’s prayer and restored his kingdom.  (2 Chronicles 33:13)

Jonah prayed from the belly of the fish and his life was spared.  (Jonah 2)

Zechariah prayed for his barren wife, and John the Baptist was born.  (Luke 1)

Peter and John prayed for people to receive the Holy Spirit, and they did.  (Acts 8)

Peter prayed for Tabitha who was dead, and she came back to life.  (Acts 9:40)

The church prayed for Peter, and he was released from prison.  (Acts 12)

And I could go on and on.  The Bible is full of answered prayer, and so is church history.

Yes, as it says in the old English, prayer “availeth much.”

So be inspired today!  God answers prayer, and He rewards those who pray.

So if your prayer life is lacking, if your fire has cooled and you’ve lost your spiritual edge – then be inspired to set aside some time, to get alone with God, and pray.


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-

This, My Friend, Is The Place That Never Was - Apples of Gold - August 13, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 13, 2009

“This, My Friend, Is The Place That Never Was”

 

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

Have you ever read a book straight through in one day?

No, not a comic book, a real book.

I almost never do, but I did Sunday.  It’s called “The Traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews.

At one point the traveler found himself in a monstrous warehouse.  It was full of clothes and shoes and furniture.  There were photographs of cars and homes and even children.  There were blueprints for new inventions.

And there on a pedestal was a stack of paper.  On the pages were cures for things like cancer.

As the traveler pondered all the amazing things in this warehouse, the angel Gabriel appeared.

After the initial shock wore off, the traveler turned to the archangel and said, “What is this place?”

“This, my friend, is The Place That Never Was.”

You see, the warehouse was full of things that God was ready to deliver to people, but for whatever reason, the people gave up.  They quit working or praying or hoping. 

“Why do we quit?” the traveler asked.  “Why do I quit?”

“You quit because you lack faith,” said the angel. 

Now I realize that’s just a fictional account, but I love that line, with Gabriel standing there, flexing his wings and saying, “This, my friend, is The Place That Never Was.”

It’s like a warehouse of lost opportunities and unfulfilled potential.

It’s things we could have done, if we didn’t lack faith or courage or persistence.

Before he left, Gabriel said to the traveler, “You have everything you need.  You know that you are not alone.  You are being guided.  There will never be a reason to lose faith.”

That sounds really wonderful and mysterious, doesn’t it?  An angel saying to you, “You are not alone.  You are being guided.”

If only it were true, right?  If only it wasn’t just some made up line in a work of fiction.

Ah, but it is true!

We aren’t alone, and we are being guided.

Don’t you remember that Jesus said He is the Good Shepherd?  In John 10 he said, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” 

It also says, “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” 

Maybe a more familiar passage is the 23^rd Psalm, you know, “The Lord is my Shepherd” with such great phrases as, “He leadeth me,” and “Thou art with me.”

So it’s true.  We aren’t alone, and we are being guided – by the Lord, the Good Shepherd.

David also wrote in Psalm 139, “…Your hand will guide me…”

Psalm 48:14 says, “For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end.”

So it’s true, and the author summed it up so well by having Gabriel say to the traveler, “You are not alone.  You are being guided.  There will never be a reason to lose faith.”

Man, why would you lose faith if you knew you were being guided?

I don’t know about you, but for me those are great words of hope.  I am being guided, therefore I never have a reason to lose faith.

So I keep my faith.  I trust in the Good Shepherd to lead me and guide me.  I move forward with courage and persistence.  I will fulfill God’s call on my life. 

And, in the end, I hope there is nothing with my name on it in The Place That Never Was.


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-

Cash for Clunkers - Apples of Gold - August 12, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 12, 2009

“Cash for Clunkers”

 

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

So we bought the van in 1999. 

It was a 2000 Grand Voyager.

My wife kept saying how much she liked “fire engine red,” and this was going to be her first chance ever to pick out a brand new vehicle.  So what did she do?  She bought a silver van, just like her old silver van.

On Day 1 she declared, “No one is going to eat in my new van.”

Our kids were 12, 10, 8 and 6.

On Day 2 they started eating in the van.

On Day 1,124 my daughter was babysitting the neighbors’ kids.  That night she backed out of their driveway and “Where did that mailbox come from?”

On Day 1,565 a boy that was staying with us scraped his handlebar down the side of the van.

Not to be outdone, on Day 1,566 his twin brother got the other side.

On Day 1,828 my son was visiting a friend.  That night he backed out of their driveway and “Where did that tree come from?”

On Day 1,969 one of the hubcaps mysteriously disappeared. 

On Day 2,020 another hubcap disappeared.

By Day 2,199 my wife had gone from not allowing food in the van to sloshing around pool chemicals in the van.

On Day 3,285 the air conditioner gave up the ghost.  But at least the power windows still work.

On Day 3,350 the bottom of the front bumper fell off.

On Day 3,467 I actually saw my youngest hit the curb three times in a row while moving the van from the driveway to the street.

On Day 3,512 the power windows still work – you just don’t know on what days.

Monday my daughter said the van started jerking when she started it. 

It now has over 200,000 miles on it.  Do they still have demolition derbies?

Ah, but now there is a light at the end of the tunnel – “Cash for Clunkers.”

Wow!  The government is giving away money!  Just free money – all you have to do is trade in your old clunker for one that gets better gas mileage.

Our old van is the perfect candidate.

So I called the Ford dealership.  I asked if our van qualified and he said he would call me back.  I’m still waiting.

I called the Mazda dealership.  Bad news.  It doesn’t matter what kind of gas mileage your van gets.  It only matters what the government says it gets, and the government says it gets 19 miles per gallon, one mile per gallon too many!

Yes, that’s right, our old Plymouth Voyager is officially not a clunker.

So my wife texted me.  “What do you want to do?”

See, my youngest daughter is now driving a van with bad gas mileage, no air conditioner, and windows that go down but may not go back up.  How can you love your child and not give her the very best car possible?

Easy.  The same way John Rockefeller bought only one bicycle for his children to share.

See, loving your children does not always mean giving them the very best. 

How can that be? 

Well it goes back to my goals as a parent.  My number one goal is that they have their own relationship with God.  And number two is that they grow up to be self-sufficient, autonomous human beings that not only provide for themselves but that also contribute to society.

And one way I encourage them to be self-sufficient is by not handing them everything. 

You need transportation?  Here is the old van.

Oh, you want something nice?  Then here is a newspaper.  Look for “Help Wanted.”

Sound cruel?

Not to me.  My oldest daughter really wanted a nice car, so at one point she was even working three jobs and budgeting her money to get it.  Now she is already a homeowner at 22 years old.

One of my goals is that she be self-sufficient, and I don’t think she would be nearly this far along if I would have just handed her a new car when she turned 16.

Yes, I love my children very much, which is precisely why I don’t just give them the very best sometimes.

Philippians 1 says, “And this is my prayer:  that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best…”

That’s the kind of love I want for my children, the kind that has deep insight, that discerns what is best for each of them.

And sometimes the best way to love your children is to just let them drive the old clunker for a while.


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 You Going Through a Trial? - Apples of Gold - August 11, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 11, 2009

“Are You Going Through a Trial?”

 

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

Wood splintered as they broke into the house.

Oh sure, lots of houses are broken into, but this time was different.

This time it was my house.

Glass shattered as they broke out a window.

No one was there, and there were no next door neighbors.

We had moved out, and now the house was for sale.

And vacant.

Did you know that you must change your insurance policy when the house is vacant?  

I’m sorry.  It really doesn’t matter how much insurance you have.  The house was vacant, you see.  Vacant.  I know there is a lot of damage, but the house was vacant.

Glass shattered again.  There goes another window.

I’m sorry.  We’ve followed up all leads and there really are no suspects.  We’ll keep our ears open, but basically the case is closed.

More glass shattered, with not a soul around to stop it.  More damage.

Oh, they had one crazy night in the Apple’s old house.

Have you ever tried to sell a house after vandals have wrecked it?  It’s not exactly a strong selling point.

But we had to sell that house.

See, we had moved away, at what we thought was the calling of God.  We had to pay for a new place to live, but we still had a mortgage on the old place.

We had stepped out in faith, and things were tight.  Someone who owed me money decided not to pay, which was a crippling blow right out of the gate.  The cost of living was higher and our family income was lower. 

And every day that house didn’t sell was a real test of my faith.  I fully believed that we had followed the Lord’s leading, but I thought the path would be a little more paved.

Now there were many good things, don’t get me wrong; many blessings and confirmations.

But in my weak mind they were being overshadowed by this financial storm cloud. 

And then came the vandals.  The realtor called to share the bad news.

And it was an emergency because the windows had been broken out and bad weather was coming.

Thankfully many friends from our old church rallied to our side and made the necessary repairs.

I was truly humbled and thankful, but now more than ever, that financial storm cloud raged over me.

What would happen if the vandals returned?  They could go right back the very next night.  I couldn’t tread on our friends again.  And we certainly couldn’t afford to keep paying for repairs.

Many people told me to keep the faith, but that’s easy to say when you aren’t the one under the pressure.

What happens when the money runs out?  You look like a fool, that’s what.  Your foolish decisions and your foolish faith leave you at the top of the pile of fools.

I was definitely going through a trial, and what does James chapter one say about trials?  It says they are “the testing of your faith.”

Trials are a test of our faith.  When the going gets tough, will we keep trusting Jesus?  Will we keep our eyes fixed on Him?  Will we keep our minds set on things above, not on things on the earth?

That particular trial was a few years ago now, and I can look back and say that it all worked out.  We sold the house.  There was no more vandalism.  I never asked anyone for money but some was given anyway.  And even in the tightest moments every single bill was paid and paid on time.  There was not even one late payment.

Now I must say, I do not feel like I had a lot of faith during that time.  I envisioned a lot of worst-case scenarios and my words were not exactly full of faith.

However, I never turned back from what I believe God called me to do.  I wasn’t happy about everything, I wasn’t always encouraged and strong, but I never turned back.

And now here we are, on the other side of the trial, and I can say, “Thank you Lord for bringing us through.”

Our family has been super-blessed since we made that move; the Lord has done great things and the enemy has suffered loss.

So if you are going through a trial today, let me tell you what so many people told me:  keep the faith.  Keep your eyes on the Lord, and don’t turn back. 

This trial is simply a testing of your faith, so keep moving forward.  And in the end, like it says in First Peter 1:7, your faith will be proved genuine and will result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.


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-

Yes, This Is My Truck, and Yes, I Will Help You Move - Apples of Gold - August 10, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 10, 2009

“Yes, This Is My Truck, and Yes, I Will Help You Move”

 

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

Here is one of my all-time favorite bumper stickers:

“Yes, this is my truck.  No, I won’t help you move.”

I laugh every time I see it, because isn’t that the way it is, truck owners?  Some people you never hear from – until they get ready to move.

I don’t know about you, but almost every move I’ve ever made was with the help of friends with trucks. And now that my kids are older, I even rely on their friends with trucks.

I remember years ago there was a group of us at church that spent a lot of time together, and only one man in the group had a truck.  The rest of us borrowed it so often that we started calling it “the truck,” as if it was no longer his truck.  We acted like it belonged to all of us.

And he was cool with that.  I don’t remember him turning anyone down.  I’m sure that his truck received a lot of unnecessary wear and tear simply because he loaned it out so often. 

Now I’ve never owned a truck, but I’ve owned a few vans in my time, and vans also get a lot of requests.  I can’t count how many school trips and youth group trips we’ve loaned our van for.  Our vans have hauled band equipment and camping gear and loads of kids dumping sodas and French fries and sugar coated gummy worms.

We still have one van we bought brand new in 1999.  It now has over 200 thousand miles on it, and you should see the inside of that thing.  It’s hauled kids thousands of miles and it shows.  But what better way to get kids to church camp than to borrow the Apples’ old van?

This also happens with tools.  Take, for example, a pressure washer.  It’s the kind of thing you don’t need that often, so why buy one when your friend has one?

It also happens with skills.  I know how to finish dry wall, so that’s a call I get a lot.  I have a friend who is an electrician, so that’s a call I make a lot.

We used to live by a friend who was a nurse.  How many times did I hear my wife on the phone talking about one of our kids and saying, “Can you come take a look at this?”

And if you know how to fix computers, then you probably get more calls than anyone. 

Now back to that bumper sticker.  It says, “Yes, this is my truck.  No, I won’t help you move.” 

Some people mean that.  “No, I won’t help you.  Now git.”

But even the gruffest man will probably still help his family. 

And this is one thing I love about being in church.  You instantly have a really big family, and it’s a family that loves to share.

That’s the way the church has been from the beginning. 

Acts 2:44 says, “All the believers were together and had everything in common.”

Acts 4:32 says “No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.”

Some went so far as to even sell their property and give the money to help those in need.

So church people tend to be very generous.  But in my experience, this generosity is usually not organized.

In other words, if I need the help of someone with a truck, then it’s my responsibility to make friends with a truck owner. 

But I can picture a busy single mother out there who makes friends with a few ladies in the church, but none of them have a truck.  What now?

Here’s where the organizers in the church come in.  How hard would it be to establish a little church moving crew?  Find a few guys with trucks and make it easy on folks in the church.  All they have to do is call the leader who will then organize the moving they need done.

Yes, there is a lot of sharing going on in the church, but most of it is unorganized.  The extroverts and networkers are getting their fair share, but what about the more quiet people, the less pushy people who don’t want to be so bold as to ask a stranger at church for help?

This is where organized sharing comes in.  I’ve seen churches offer free car tune-up days and free yard work days.  Our church has free health screenings. 

The fact is, a lot of church members are more than happy to share what they have, but unless the person in need is their friend, then how will those two get together?

So this is something to think about.  How can you organize the sharing in your church?  How can you link up those in need with those who can meet those needs?

Yes, many people will do that networking on their own.  But many won’t.

So this is a call to you organizers in the church.

How can you help people share?

How can you get those people together?

How can you organize those church members who are generous enough to say, “Yes, this is my truck, and yes, I will help you move!”


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-

What Are You Known For? - Apples of Gold - August 5, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 5, 2009

“What Are You Known For?”

 

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

So I flipped through my Facebook friends and asked myself, “What are they known for?”

Or more accurately, “What do I know them for?”

And here is what I came up, just a few of them off the top of my mind:

Adam – quietly putting his faith into action.

Alecia – fun loving.

Ali – always smiling.

Andrea – a nurse.

April – on fire and intense for God.

Bill – a school teacher.

Bill – an outdoorsman (I wanted to say redneck, but I didn’t).

Bill – a car salesman.

Brent – very scientific.

Brett – moved his family to Colorado at the Lord’s leading.

Cayden – a drummer with the personality to match.

Chelsea – a beauty queen.

Chet – always makes me laugh, I’m still laughing just seeing his profile picture.

Christie – a worship leader with consistent passion year after year.

Dana – a Cub fan, which is sad to say since I went to both high school and college with Dana, and yet most prominent in my mind is the stain of being a Cub fan – sorry to all you Cubbies out there.

Anyway, it’s an interesting exercise.  Try it.  Just think of people you know and ask yourself, “What are they known for?”

And perhaps a more interesting exercise would be to find out what other people think you are known for.

And there really is no wrong answer, because if they say they know you for something, then that’s what you are known for, at least to them.

It’s what you do.  It’s what you say.  It’s how you act.

Proverbs 20:11 says, “Even a child is known by his actions…”

So the question is, “What are you known for?”

The other day an atheist let me know what I was known for from his perspective.  He said I was a “radio propagandist.”

Most adults are probably known for their occupation:  pastors, doctors, nurses, farmers, firemen, salesmen…  Students are known for the school they attend, unless they are a standout in something, such as athletics.

I thought of all this after reading First Thessalonians 1:8 which says, “…your faith in God has become known everywhere.”

The Thessalonians became known everywhere for their faith in God. 

So I ask myself, “Am I known for my faith in God?”

Romans 16:19 says, “…your obedience has become known to all.”

So I ask myself, “Am I known for my obedience to God?”

Acts 6:3 says, “…choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.”

Am I known for being full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom?

First Timothy 5:10 talks about being well known for good deeds, which makes me ask, “Am I well known for good deeds?”

In Matthew 12:33 Jesus said, “…a tree is known by its fruit.”

How people know me is a pretty good indication of what I really am.  They may not know everything about the tree, they may not have seen every side of the tree, they may have only seen one piece of fruit from the tree.

But you know how it is – one piece of fruit gives you a pretty good indication of what the tree is really like.

So today, here is something to truly ponder.

Ask yourself this simple question, “What am I known for?”


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-

A Message for Dads - Apples of Gold - August 4, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 4, 2009

“A Message for Dads”

 

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

My wife and I have been together for over a quarter century.

And in that time I have only ever asked for one painting.

It’s by Ron DiCianni and it shows a father kneeling at his son’s bedside.

The boy is asleep with his little Teddy Bear, unaware that his father is praying earnestly for him.

Meanwhile, outside the bedroom window is a celestial glow as an angelic being stands guard.

If you look closely you can also see a more sinister being with malice on his mind.

I love the painting because I am a praying father and I believe the painting represents the truth.

DiCianni titled this work “Spiritual Warfare.”  Now I’m not really sure how spiritual warfare works, but here’s what I get out of the painting.

Because Dad is praying, an angel stands guard outside the home.  Spiritual forces of evil would like to get at that home, but the angel prevents it, and the angel is there because Dad is praying.

The alternative is Dad not praying.  If Dad isn’t praying, you get the impression that the angel would not be there.  And if the angel isn’t there, then the evil being has ready access to the home.

Now I realize it’s just a painting, and the reality of things is not quite that simple.

But, as a husband and a father of four, I believe I must battle in the spiritual realm for my family.

I think often of the mental picture I get from Ezekiel 22:30.  It says, “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land…”

The King James says, “And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me…”

It talks about building up the wall and making up the hedge.  What are the wall and the hedge for?  To keep out invaders.

That’s what’s going on in the DiCianni painting.  The angel is blocking invaders from the home as the dad prays.

The dad is building up the wall, so to speak.  He is making up the hedge to keep invaders out.

Now most dads know about keeping invaders out in the physical realm.  We provide homes in more secure neighborhoods rather than scary neighborhoods.  We have locks on our doors and lights around the house.  Maybe we have a security system or a watch dog or a 12 gauge.  We do what we can to build a hedge of protection around our family.

But what about a hedge of spiritual protection? 

Look, do you believe in spiritual warfare?  It’s all over the Bible and I could quote passage after passage. 

Your family has spiritual dangers just like it has physical dangers.  Dad, what are you doing to protect your family spiritually?

I don’t know if this is exactly how it works, but here is the way I imagine it.  When I am living right, seeking the Lord, praying and obeying – then that helps build up the hedge around my family.  But if I let my guard down, if I get sloppy in my walk with the Lord, if I make more worldly decisions than spiritual decisions, then that takes a bite out of the hedge.  If I keep that up, the hedge starts to look like you gave a two-year-old clippers and turned them loose on a big afro.

I read an article the other day about a man who liked to watch the Girls Gone Wild videos.  He was just a dad with this little guilty pleasure – no big deal, right? 

So one day he sat down to watch a new video – and suddenly there was his own daughter on the screen, exposing herself.  He said all he could think about was the tens of thousands of men who would watch that video, looking at his little girl as nothing more than a sex object.

To me, that is the opposite of the dad praying in Ron DiCianni’s painting.  Here was a dad who did not stand in the gap for his family.  Instead of building up a protective hedge, he lowered it. 

So Dad, what are you doing?  Are you building up the hedge around your family, or lowering it?

What will it take for you to realize how important this is?

Yes, you know to protect your home from physical dangers.

And now I hope you take more seriously the importance of protecting your home from spiritual dangers.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

You can see the DiCianni painting here:

http://www.christcenteredmall.com/stores/art/dicianni/spiritual-warfare.htm

© 2009 The Arrow’s Tip 
 
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)

Why “The Arrow’s Tip”?  Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold.  Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.”  I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.

Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL  32315
(850) 926-8000
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