Dear Celia - Apples of Gold - August 27, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 27, 2009

“Dear Celia”

 

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

There’s a man at a large wooden desk.

He looks without seeing at the specks of dust floating in the late afternoon sun.

As shadows lengthen across the room, he picks up his old fashioned pen and begins to write.

Dear Celia,

Regarding your last letter, I must reiterate that I want you to beware of being in the company of a young man alone after dark. 

Believe me, I understand your enthusiasm.  It’s the fall of the leaves, a most romantic time on a college campus, and a wondrous time to share with someone who makes your heart all aflutter.

And I realize that it may seem like you are the “lonely loser” as you put it, the one girl who goes home when the other girls are out alone with young men.

But you must listen to your old father.  When you go home, the young men think about you more, not less.  You become the mysterious one. 

Remember the story I read to you last summer?  “Verotchka” by Anton Chekhov.  Remember how Vera cast away her “woman’s enhancing inaccessibility.”

This not being alone with a young man after dark, it does not hinder your chances of marriage, as you suppose.  It does not “snuff out all opportunities for happiness,” though I appreciate your grand language!

Rather, it capitalizes on your “woman’s enhancing inaccessibility.”

Keeping yourself at arm’s length does not snuff out romance.  It stirs it!

I want to share with you a poem by Sara Teasdale.  It’s the reverse of your situation, for in the poem it is the young man who stayed at arm’s length.  You might think the young lady would have forgotten all about him, but listen to the poem:

Strephon kissed me in the spring,
Robin in the fall,
But Colin only looked at me
And never kissed at all.

Strephon’s kiss was lost in jest,
Robin’s lost in play,
But the kiss in Colin’s eyes
Haunts me night and day.

See?  Did Colin remove himself from all desirability by keeping his distance?  In fact, quite the opposite occurred.  Those other boys’ kisses were forgotten, but one kiss was locked away in her memory:  the kiss she never got!

Now you asked me, “Where does the Bible say to not be alone with boys?” 

I want to focus on one single letter of the alphabet:  s.  You wrote “boys” with an s. 

Someday I know you want to marry and have a family, and someday you will.  And the Bible says, “the two shall become one flesh.”

That day will come, but my dear Celia, do not awaken love before its time.  It is not boyS you want to be with, it is one fine young man; and not now, but when it is time.  I advise you not to awaken love until its time.

I could quote Second Timothy about fleeing youthful lusts, and I could quote Proverbs about “keeping thy heart with all diligence,” but you know those scriptures better than I.  This is not a Bible lesson.  This is a letter from your father.

 You have become a beautiful young woman, and I believe God has a particular plan for you.  And I don’t want you to miss that plan by becoming too quickly involved with a young man.  And that means keeping them at arm’s length, and avoiding situations that are too intimate.

And that means not being alone with them after dark.

Please consider this carefully.  Walk circumspectly.  Shine God’s holy light on the subject, and then make your decision accordingly.

Your mother and I love you very much and look forward to your every letter.

Sincerely,

Dad

 
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-

Fuzzy Doctrine - Apples of Gold - August 26, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 26, 2009

“Fuzzy Doctrine”

 

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

I have now spent over half my life working full time in Christian radio.

It’s a job that gives me a rare opportunity – to work with Christians from many different churches.

Yesterday a man asked me about people whose doctrine is fuzzy.  “What do you think about those people?  What do you say to them?  I mean, we have to get them straightened out.  They believe things that don’t line up with the Bible.  Why, they’re believing in the wrong Jesus.”

Well, here is what I’ve found over the years.  Jesus Christ has powerfully changed the lives of people from a variety of congregations. 

“Yes, but what if their doctrine is wrong?”

Well let me tell you, I’ve met people whose doctrine I thought was off-center, and yet the testimony of what Jesus has done in their life is glorious.

“What do you say to those people?”

Well here is what I want to know from them.

Did you realize you are a sinner?  Did you believe in Jesus as your savior?  Did you repent of your sin and ask the Lord to forgive you? 

And of course, they all did.

Do you believe that Jesus walked the earth a sinless man, was crucified and shed His blood for our sins, died and rose again?

And they all do.

Now if they don’t believe that, then yes, their doctrine is way off.  They may believe something, but they aren’t believing in the truth.

But now let’s get down to where I think the rubber meets the road.  When I am talking to someone who claims to be a Christian, I don’t drill down into what they believe about 12 key points of doctrine, or whatever.

Now don’t get me wrong.  I believe in correct doctrine.  We need to seek and find the rock solid truth in every area.

But look around.  There are Christians all over the place who believe a variety of things, and yet say that Jesus Christ changed their life.

So when I’m talking to someone who claims to be a Christian, here is what I want to know.  This is the evidence I am looking for that God is truly working in their life.

First of all, do they love people they didn’t want to love?

I think this is a key evidence of salvation.  In the natural, there are just people we don’t want to love.  There is no love in us for certain people. 

But when we become Christians, and God goes to work in our heart, all of a sudden we love people we didn’t want to love.

Look at Paul.  He hated Christians, but then he loved Christians.  And he loved his fellow Jews all the more.  And he loved the Gentiles.  He went from being a man of violence to being a man of love for all people.

That’s what you look for in someone who claims to be a Christian.  Do they love people they didn’t want to love?

Also, do they forgive people they didn’t want to forgive?  This is something people don’t fake.  They don’t even want to fake it.  If someone wrongs us, we have no problem being angry and bitter towards them. 

But when Jesus forgives us, when Jesus does His powerful work in our lives, all of a sudden we are ready and willing to forgive.  I think, for a Christian, forgiveness is natural.  Like it says in Colossians 3:13, we forgive as the Lord forgave us.

And third, do they feel convicted about things they didn’t feel convicted about before?  I heard the testimony of a man who had a very foul mouth.  He even went to church, but he had a foul mouth.  Then he got saved.  He truly became a born again Christian.  And suddenly he was very convicted about his language.  He repented.  He asked the Lord the clean up his speech.

Some people lie about everything, but when Jesus comes into their life, all of a sudden they are convicted about lying. 

So those are three things I look for in someone who claims to be a Christian.  Yes, I want to know what they believe about Jesus, but instead of checking every single point of doctrine, what I am looking more for are things like:  Do you now love people you didn’t want to love?  Do you forgive people you didn’t want to forgive?  And do you feel convicted about things you didn’t feel convicted about before?

To me, these are signs that someone has Christ in their life and the Holy Spirit of God is at work within them.

On the other hand, I’ve met Christians who could recite all the right doctrine, but where was the love?  Where was the forgiveness?  Where was the conviction?

So anyway, it’s been 23 years now – and 2 months and 10 days – over half my life I’ve been working in Christian radio full time. 

And one of the great privileges has been to meet and work with people who truly love the Lord Jesus, whose lives are changed, and who, no matter what congregation they are part of, truly show the evidence that God Almighty is at work in their life.

And when I know that the Spirit of God is at work in their life, then I know that He will lead them to all truth, and He can open their eyes to any fuzzy doctrine


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 Leaving God Out of the Process? - Apples of Gold - August 25, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 25, 2009

“Are You Leaving God Out of the Process?”

 

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

“Jeroboam thought to himself…”

We all do that, don’t we?  We think to ourselves.

That’s how we solve problems, isn’t it?  We ponder things.  We go over them, over and over in our head.

And then we come up with a plan.  We think to ourselves, then come up with a plan.

And that’s what Jeroboam did.

Now you need to know that Jeroboam was the new king of Israel.  He was originally a top official under King Solomon, but at some point he rebelled, Solomon tried to kill him, and he fled to Egypt.  Then when Solomon died, he came back, and the people made him king.

But part of the kingdom remained in the hands of Solomon’s son Rehoboam.  And Rehoboam had his throne in Jerusalem, where the temple was, while Jeroboam, even though he ruled over most of Israel, was stuck out in Shechem. 

And that’s where he started thinking to himself.  I imagine him sitting there, looking off toward Jerusalem, and thinking.

He started thinking about all the sacrifices, the feasts and festivals, the Passover and the Day of Atonement – things that would cause people to go to Jerusalem.  His people would be traveling straight to the capital of his rival!

And Jeroboam thought to himself, “If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to the king of Judah.  They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam.”

Jeroboam is being very practical here, right?  He’s just thinking through his problem and working on a solution, something we all do.

And he is doing something else we all are prone to do.  He is leaving God out of the process.

If you are working on a problem today, whether it’s personal or business or whatever, I have one question for you.  Are you leaving God out of the process?

Well there is no way that King Jeroboam should have left God out because it was God who made him king in the first place!

The story goes back to First Kings chapter 11.  One day a young Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem and ran into the prophet Ahijah.  There were alone out there in the country, and the prophet told Jeroboam, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes.” 

The prophet went on to say that the Lord was going to take most of the kingdom away from Solomon’s family because they had, among other things, worshipped false gods.

Then the Lord made this guarantee to Jeroboam.  “You will rule over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel.  If you do whatever I command you and walk in my ways and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you.  I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you.”

That’s what the Lord told Jeroboam, long before he became king.  So God told him he would be king, and he told him what to do when he became king.

And Jeroboam did become king, and now we come to First Kings chapter 12 verse 26:  “Jeroboam thought to himself.”

Now what Jeroboam should have been thinking about is that word from the Lord.  He should have stood on that word.  He should have drilled it into his head, making it the foundation for all of his thinking.

The Lord had made him king, and the Lord would keep him as king – as long as he did what the Lord said.

But when Jeroboam thought to himself, he did not think about the Lord’s word.  He only thought about practical, logical, realistic solutions to his problem.

And here was his solution.  To keep people from rushing off to worship in Jerusalem, he set up two golden calves and told the people to worship them.  He even said, “Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

What on earth?  The Lord had made him king, even prophesied it before it happened.  And all he had to do was keep the Lord’s commands, especially the command about not worshipping other gods.

God told him exactly how to remain the king, but Jeroboam started thinking to himself.  He left God out of his problem solving, and the next thing you know he did exactly what God told him not to do.

Long story short, Jeroboam’s blatant disobedience ended up with the complete destruction of his entire family, and another family took over the kingdom.

And it all went back to that day that Jeroboam thought to himself.

Just a few thoughts bouncing around in his head, and yet they were absolutely critical to him and his whole family.

So what about you today?  Do you find yourself thinking to yourself, trying to solve a problem, bouncing it around in your head?

Well don’t make the mistake Jeroboam made.  Go back to your foundation, to the things the Lord has done in your life previously.  Go back to the word of the Lord. 

Yes, it’s fine to think to yourself, but whatever you do, do not leave the Lord out of the process.


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 Word for Every Temptation - Apples of Gold - August 24, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 24, 2009

“A Word for Every Temptation”

 

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

What we need is a Word for every temptation.

That’s Word with a capital w, as in God’s Word.

That’s what Jesus had when He was tempted by the devil in Matthew chapter four.  He had a Word for every temptation.

When Jesus was hungry, the devil said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus could have said or done anything at that point.  He could have waved His hand and whisked the devil off into the Lake of Fire, or at least just slammed him up against a tree a few times.

But instead He simply responded with a Word.  In response to the temptation He told the devil, “It is written:  ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

So not only did Jesus respond to temptation with a Word, it was a Word about the Word.

We live on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

At least we are supposed to.  The Word of God should be of supreme importance in our lives. 

So let me ask you, are studying the Word like you should?

If not, then how do you expect to resist temptation?

Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

This is a key to resisting the temptation to sin.  We hide God’s Word in our heart.

We need to be people full of the Word.

When the devil tempted Jesus to hurl Himself off the temple, he dug up his own scripture about the protection of angels and built it right into the temptation.

Do you know the Word well enough to handle that kind of temptation? 

Don’t miss this point.  A temptation may come wrapped in the Word.  We must know the Word of God well enough to see through that.

Jesus responded to that temptation wrapped in the Word by, again, quoting the Word.  He said, “It is also written:  ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Learning the Word is a massive undertaking.  I have been studying it intensely for 25 years now, constantly, and I am still learning. 

And as I’ve said many times, I am a huge proponent of Bible memorization.  Nothing hides the Word in your heart like memorizing it.

By the end of September, I should have the book of Colossians memorized.  Before that I memorized the book of Ephesians.  Yesterday I told my daughter, “By the time your kids graduate high school I will have giant chunks of scripture memorized.”

“Wow, that’s amazing,” she said.

“Not really,” I said.  “It’s only one little verse each weekday.  Anyone can do it.  The power is when you just keep doing it and don’t quit.”

Paul told Timothy to correctly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).  It’s hard to do that when you don’t know it.

This is part of discipleship.  It’s part of the church’s job of making disciples.  We need to be teaching the Word of God, including how to use it to overcome temptation.

What that means is we pull out the Word as a light.  The Word is truth, and it dispels deceit and darkness.

Temptation has its greatest power in the darkness, but the Word is a light which blows it away.  That’s why when we use the Word in times of temptation, the temptation loses its grip on us.

In Matthew 4:9 the devil tempted Jesus with “all the kingdoms of the world” if He would bow down and worship him.  And again Jesus answered with the Word.  “Away from me, Satan! For it is written:  ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”

A real battle of temptation takes place in our mind; but when we can call up the Word of God for a particular temptation, it’s a battle we can easily win.

For example, when we are tempted to look at something we shouldn’t, we can quote Psalm 101:3, “I will set before my eyes no vile thing.”

When we are tempted to go hang out with people we shouldn’t, we can quote verse four, “Men of perverse heart shall be far from me…”

When we are tempted to join the little gossip circle, we can quote verse five, “Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence…”

When we are tempted to partake in deception, we can quote verse seven, “…no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.”

So remember, temptation has its greatest power in the darkness, but the Word of God is a light that dispels the darkness. 

Temptation involves deceit, but the Word of God is truth that uncovers deceit.

So dive into the Word.  Learn it.  Hide it in your heart.  Memorize it.

And then when the tempter comes calling…no problem!

Because as a person of the Word, you will have a Word for every temptation.


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-

Here's a Big Ol' Bible Word: Atonement - Apples of Gold - August 21, 2009 ***Happy Birthday to my wife Michele!!!*** -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 21, 2009

“Here’s a Big Ol’ Bible Word:  Atonement”

 

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

Here’s a big ol’ Bible word for you:  atonement.

I know, I know.  Unless you’re a Bible scholar, your eyes just crossed and rolled back into your head – which makes it really hard to drive.

An easy way to think of atonement is by splitting out those first five letters:  at one.

Have you ever heard of being “at one with nature”?  I picture someone sitting on a grassy hill, holding a flower, and watching deer frolic in the meadow.  “Ahhh, I’m at one with nature.”

But if I throw my old TV in the back of the pickup, which is full of cans, then I tear out across the grassy hill, cranking the stereo, spinning the tires, belching out smoky exhaust fumes, doing donuts and spinning around so that the cans and finally the TV just flail themselves across the meadow, while I flip cigarette butts and candy wrappers out the window – no.  That is not being at one with nature.

If you see a couple in a restaurant, and they are holding hands and looking into each other’s eyes – wow, they are at one.  But if they sit there bickering and finally storm out – no.  They are not at one with each other.

So atonement is taking things that are separated and bringing them back together.  With the fighting couple, for example, atonement means the differences are reconciled. 

This week I heard that Sean Penn and his wife are getting divorced for “irreconcilable differences.”  They are saying there is no atonement, they cannot possibly be at one, there is no reconciliation possible.

Atonement.  At one.

You can read a lot about atonement in the Old Testament. 

The big one is Leviticus 16 where it talks about the annual Day of Atonement.  That involved animal sacrifice and blood and a priest – and believe me, I’m skipping over a lot of details – but the end result was atonement. 

Verse 30 says, “…because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you.  Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins.”

Verse 34 says, “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you:  Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.”

So on the Day of Atonement, the people were brought back to a position of being at one with God.  Their differences were reconciled.  They were clean from all their sins.

Now blood was a crucial part of this atonement.  Listen closely to Leviticus 17:11, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”

We see something similar in the New Testament.  In Hebrews 9:22 it says, “…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

Well you’ve probably noticed that we are no longer doing animal sacrifices to pay for our atonement.  That’s because Jesus Christ became the one perfect final atoning sacrifice.

Hebrews 9:12 says, “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”

Jesus paid for our atonement once and for all!  We can be at one with God due to what Jesus has already done.

Romans chapter three covers this in depth.  Verse 25 says that Jesus is “a sacrifice of atonement.”

We can be at one with God.  How?  Verse 22 says, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe…”

Verse 24 says we are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

And verse 26 says that God “…justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

Hebrews 2:17 sums it up.  Jesus came to “make atonement for the sins of the people.”

So don’t be intimidated by this big word atonement.

Just split out those first five letters:  at one.

Atonement means we can be at one with God, with no sins getting in the way.

And thanks to the atoning work of the blood of Jesus Christ, our atonement is free to us, “through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”


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-

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

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

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.

 

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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 
 
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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
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