How to Live a More Peaceful Life - Apples of Gold - December 1, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 1, 2009

“How to Live a More Peaceful Life”

 

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

“All this training and I never got to kill anybody.”

That’s what a friend of mine said one time when he was home on leave.

I didn’t know what to say.  It kind of shocked me.

I think he really wanted to go to battle, to kill some enemies.  He had all the training.  He was all revved up to go, but it never happened.  He didn’t see any action.

Well, to me, that was the point.  We want soldiers completely prepared for action, and the very fact that they are so prepared helps ensure that they will not see any action.

In a fallen world there will always be bullies.  I saw it often on the playground growing up.  If you want to see a microcosm of the world at large, just watch kids on the playground. 

And what do bullies do?  They prey on the weak.  Just think back through your own experience.  I don’t remember the strongest boys being bullied.  It was always the weaker boys.  The bullies avoided the stronger boys, for obvious reasons.

Do you remember the ads for Charles Atlas back in the day?  It was a body building system targeted towards 98-pound weaklings.  And one of the stated purposes of the program was to keep you from being picked on by bullies. 

Yes, you could live a more peaceful life simply by being stronger.  It’s true for boys on the playground, and it’s true for nations. 

And I think it’s true spiritually as well.  We will live more peaceful lives as we grow in spiritual strength.

Ephesians 6 says, “…be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.”

We are not to be weak, we are to be strong . . . in the Lord.

Verse 11 says, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

Verse 12 says our battle is against “…the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Yes, there is a devil.  There are spiritual forces of evil, and they have evil plans. 

I see the devil and his forces as the ultimate bullies.  First Peter 5:8 says the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Then verse nine says, “Resist him, standing firm in the faith…”

A lion on the prowl is a lot like a bully.  Who is their prime target?  The weak.  Why would a hungry lion bother with the strongest antelope in the herd?  The weakest will be just as tasty with a lot less effort. 

Lions will avoid adult rhinos.  Why?  Because they are too big and strong.  They are just too much trouble.

Well it makes sense to me that maybe it works the same way in the spiritual realm.  If the devil is looking for someone to bully, wouldn’t he just go for the easy target, the spiritually weak?

To me, that’s a real good reason to obey Ephesians 6:10, “…be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.”

Here’s a story from Second Chronicles 17.  It says that King Jehoshaphat sought God and followed His commands.  Then verse 10 says, “The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not make war with Jehoshaphat.”

See, Jehoshaphat made himself strong in the Lord, and he built up his armies.  The surrounding nations took notice, a fear settled on them, and they decided not to make war with Judah.

This is called peace through strength.  A strong boy has more peace on the playground.  A strong rhino has more peace in the savanna.  A strong nation has more peace in the world.

And I believe a strong Christian has more peace in his life.

Now I have no special sight into the spiritual realm.  I don’t see a demon behind every rock and a devil on every hilltop.  But the Bible makes it clear that we have such spiritual foes, and that we must strengthen ourselves in the Lord to stand against them.

So would you like more peace in your life?  Can you fathom the possibility that the devil is a bully and you are his 98-pound weakling?

Then it’s time for some spiritual body-building.  Instead of turning to Charles Atlas, we turn to the Lord God Almighty. 

We heed the counsel of Ephesians 6:10, to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

It’s called peace through strength, and I believe it holds true in the spirit just as it holds true in the world.

We can live more peaceful lives as we grow in spiritual strength.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


Someone is going to say, “But Doug, you need to tell people that being strong in the Lord doesn’t guarantee a peaceful life.”  That is true, it’s not a guarantee, but it’s a general principle.  Being a strong nation doesn’t mean you’ll never be attacked.  Being a strong boy doesn’t mean you’ll never get hit on the playground.  Being an adult rhino doesn’t mean the lions will never ever try to take a bite out of you.  But the principle is still true, you are more likely to live in peace if you are strong than if you are weak.

© 2009 The Arrow’s Tip 
 To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)

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

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

The New Tallest Structure in the World - Apples of Gold - November 30, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 30, 2009

“The New Tallest Structure in the World”

 

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

How high can Superman jump?

Why, he can jump over the Empire State Building!

When I was a kid, that was the ultimate measurement.  When you wanted to say how high or tall something was, you simply compared it to the Empire State Building.

Then along came the Sears Tower, and the World Trade Center.  And now, dwarfing them all, is the Burj Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.  The exterior of the Burj Dubai is now complete.

And get this.  It’s over twice as tall as the Empire State Building. 

The builders of the Empire State Building used around 60,000 cubic yards of concrete.  The builders of the Burj Dubai used about that same amount of concrete . . . in the foundation.

That’s over a hundred thousand tons of concrete, in the ground, before they even started building up. 

The foundation for the Burj Dubai begins over 160 feet deep in the ground.

When it opens in January it will be a modern marvel, but it sure didn’t pop up over night.  They say the construction will have taken over 22 million man-hours.

Now there are some pretty simple lessons we can draw from this.  If you want to build something tall and strong, it’s going to take a lot of time and effort, and you have to start with a deep, rock-solid foundation.

That’s true for building a skyscraper, and it’s true for building a good life.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about Jesus’ words in Matthew 7.  In verse 24 He said, “…everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

Then in verse 26 He said, “…everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.”

Okay, so do you want to be a wise man or a foolish man?  Do you want to build your house on the rock or on sand?

I’ve lived long enough now to see both ways.  I’ve seen people build their lives on the rock and I’ve seen the stability they get from it.  And I’ve seen people build their lives on the sand, and the resulting problems and instability.

So what is the key to building our lives on rock?  Jesus said it is hearing His words and putting them into practice.

It’s a two step process.  Hear His words, then put them into practice.

Today, let’s focus on step one:  hearing His words.  Have we heard Jesus’ words?  Do we really know what Jesus said?

Most people hardly know anything Jesus said.  Most of us have a mind full of various philosophies and ideas that we’ve picked up from all over the place:  from our parents, our teachers, our friends; plus television and books and movies and music and magazines.  And throw in our own desires and inclinations and that makes up our personal philosophy of life.

Well here’s the way I see it.  Our life is solid in areas where our philosophy intersects with Jesus.  But any place our ideas veer away, then we are building on sand and the results will be ugly.

So if we don’t want ugly results, then we must hear the words of Jesus, and put them into practice.

But like I said, there is a general ignorance of what Jesus said.

I see it in my own life.  Even though I’ve spent years studying the Bible, I’m afraid my own philosophy still includes some sandy spots.

So I am ready to begin a new building program.  I want to build my life to be tall and strong in the Lord, so I must begin with a deep, rock-solid foundation. 

It starts with hearing the words of Jesus, but Jesus warned that some people are “ever hearing but never understanding.”  I don’t want to be that guy.  I want to be a guy that hears and understands.

I want to hear the words of Jesus in a way that I never forget, in a way that I comprehend them, in their proper context.

It takes a lot of man hours to build a proper foundation.  It takes a great commitment – a lot of time and effort.

So here is what I’m going to do.  Starting tomorrow I’m going to begin memorizing the book of John.

I’m going to do it in my usual way – one verse per weekday.  With well over 600 verses, it will take me over three years. 

And knowing how things go, I will miss a weekday here and there, so here is my schedule.

Right now I’m just over 46 years old.  My goal is to have the entire book of John memorized before I turn 50.

I announced that to a group of young men last night, and one of them popped out that he could do it a lot faster.

I don’t doubt that at all.  It’s not a very aggressive plan.  But it will allow me to really marinate in the words of Jesus.  They will become part of me and shape my philosophy and my life in ways that, right now, I can’t even imagine.

Like I said, it’s a new adventure, and I’m excited about it.  It’s like standing at the bottom of a mountain, preparing to climb.  It’s like staring at a piece of dusty ground and preparing to dig a deep foundation on which to build a skyscraper.

So the book of John – I’m going for it.  I want that deep foundation.  I want to build on the rock, and that comes by hearing the words of Jesus and putting them into practice.

I can’t do that without truly knowing the words of Jesus, and that’s where the Bible memorizing comes in.

So anyway, learn the lesson of the Burj Dubai.  If you want to build something tall and strong, it’s going to take a lot of man-hours and a strong foundation.

And the way we do that in our lives is just like Jesus said – by hearing His words, and putting them into practice.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


One other thought – I’m going to turn 50 one way or another.  The time will pass whether I do this or not.  I would rather set a goal and meet it than just let the time pass without such a goal.


© 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-

Do You Think You Will Cry? - Apples of Gold - November 25, 2009 -vi-

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To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 25, 2009

“Do You Think You Will Cry?”

 

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

“Do you think you will cry?”

That’s what I keep hearing as we prepare for our firstborn’s wedding, which is this Saturday.

She is the daughter of a radio man, and when she was tiny I used to get up at 4 a.m. to do the morning show.  And she got into this weird habit.

I would be sitting at the breakfast table in our little apartment, and here she would come, out of the crib, in her little footed pajamas.  I would hear the plastic feet padding down the hallway into the kitchen, and she would climb up on a chair and join me for breakfast.

Before she ever started school she was on the radio, plus I would use her voice for special projects, such as this one I made for her mom.  I had the tape recorder rolling, and her tiny little voice was all primed to say, “Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!”  She practiced it a few times and we were all ready to go in 3…2…1… 

And then, with a sly twinkle in her eye she said, “Happy Birthday Mom!”  And she squealed with laughter at having pulled a fast one on her old dad.

We took her to Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, and read her bedtime stories and said prayers every night.

Then one day I was at a prayer meeting with some other men at church, and out of the blue this question popped into my mind.  “Are you going to send your children to the lion’s den?”

My daughter wasn’t old enough to go to school yet, but in my heart I knew what that question was about.  So we checked it out, and ended up sending her (and all of our children) to a local Christian school. 

There she memorized scripture and sang Christian songs and made Christian friends.  And we enjoyed what some call the golden years, from when your child is about 5 to about 13. 

Then some of her friends went to the public high school.  We kept her in the fledgling high school program at the Christian school, but she didn’t like it.  The summer before her sophomore year she was really chomping at the bit. 

This is where things start to get sticky for parents.  At some point, kids have to begin making their own decisions, but what is that point?  And which decisions? 

I prayed and prayed about it, and then I went for a long walk with my daughter.  And I finally said, “I want you to stay in the Christian school for your sophomore year.  Then you can decide.”  And I stressed the importance of seeking the Lord and seeking wisdom before she made that decision.

Well she chose the public school, and all the usual temptations were there waiting for her. 

Oh, she was still a pretty good girl.  She worked three jobs to pay for her own car.  She stayed in church and never rebelled against us or turned our home into a pit of misery, nothing like that.  But she certainly stepped over some boundaries and did things unpleasing to God and her parents.

It’s one of the greatest challenges of parenting.  How far do you let your 17-year-old go in making their own decisions?  We talked about it often, and prayed a lot.  And sometimes it’s just anguish as you let out the rope and see what they do with it.

And sometimes you have to step in and lay down the law.  But at that age, if you don’t do it with love and wisdom, you might just push them away.  It’s a minefield, and you have to walk through it circumspectly.

I remember one night when her mom was out of town, and I was painting our laundry room as a surprise.  And my daughter was helping me. 

Well she wanted to go do something and I told her no.  And she tried a couple of different angles and I finally just cracked down hard.  Absolutely not. 

So she left to go to work, and there I sat, alone in the middle of the basement floor.  I started praying and crying out to God, interceding for my daughter.

Meanwhile, I was listening to some new singles that were sent to the radio station.  And right then a song by Kathryn Scott came on, “At the Foot of the Cross.”

And during the song my heart finally broke for my daughter.  And I wept alone on that cold basement floor. 

Well she went away to college, and we figured she was doing things she shouldn’t be doing.  But, amazingly, she called almost every day.  She had no idea how thrilled I was when she would call while walking to class, just to tell me how cold it was up there.

And then I believe God opened the door and led me to take the job in Tallahassee.  When we decided to make the move, the first person I called was our daughter.  We wanted her to know as soon as possible so she could decide whether to stay in Illinois or move with us. 

And she started crying.  And she immediately said she was coming with us. 

Later on she told us the story.  She knew that moving to Tallahassee was her chance to start fresh, to repent and create a new life. 

And that’s what she did.  She surrendered her life to the Lord, caught fire spiritually, and got deeply involved in church. 

And there she met a fine young man who is also on fire for Jesus.  And now they are getting married Saturday. 

And you want to know if I’m going to cry…


(close with old tape of “Happy Birthday Mom...Happy Mother’s Day!”)




© 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-

Ingratitude Is No Small Sin - Apples of Gold - November 24, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 24, 2009

“Ingratitude Is No Small Sin”

 

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

Second Timothy three says, “…mark this:  There will be terrible times in the last days.”

Wow, terrible times.  This Apples of Gold is off to a good start already.

“There will be terrible times…”  Then it launches into a list of what people will be like during those terrible times.  For example, it says they will be proud and boastful and abusive.  They will be lovers of money but not lovers of good.  They will be lovers of pleasure but not lovers of God.  They will be loveless and unforgiving, slanderous and brutal. 

And now listen to what else is on that terrible list.  They will be ungrateful.

What helps make the times terrible?  People being ungrateful.

This is something we need to look for in our own lives.  Are we ungrateful?

It is a sin, you know, being ungrateful.  And I like the way Nancy Leigh DeMoss said it on her radio program yesterday, “Ingratitude is no small sin.”

But we have so much, and we take it for granted.  Plus, we work hard.  We’ve earned a lot of what we have.  So I would understand it if you said, “Doug, I just don’t feel grateful.”

Something else, we tend to compare ourselves to people who have more and better.  So we look up, and compare ourselves down, and it’s hard to feel grateful when you have so much less.

The way I handle that is, instead of looking up and comparing down, I look down and compare up.  It’s easier to be thankful for every meal when you think about those who don’t have a meal.  You’re more grateful for your job when you think about those who don’t have a job. 

It’s a simple change of perspective.  Instead of looking at those who have more and feeling ungrateful, you look at those who have less and it makes you more grateful.

Now let’s talk about the “feeling.”  What do you do if you just don’t feel it?  You don’t feel grateful.

Well I think this falls in the category of “fake it ‘til you make it.” 

The Bible tells us over and over again to give thanks.  Psalm 107:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”

Ephesians 5:20 tells us to always give thanks to God the Father for everything.

First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you…”

Colossians 2:7 uses this phrase, “…overflowing with thankfulness…”

So according to those verses, thanksgiving should always be flowing out of us, for all things, in all circumstances.  We are always giving thanks, whether we feel it or not.

But . . . as we do it, I think it changes our perspective.  Even if we are faking it, I think it still changes our perspective. 

Giving thanks forces us to think of things to be thankful for, and that prepares us to actually be more thankful. 

I have experienced this personally.  I decide to give thanks to God, so I begin telling Him what I’m thankful for.  Then in the process of giving thanks, I begin to feel thankful.  In fact, at times I’ve had a great wave of gratitude sweep over me, just sensing how blessed I really am.

And you know, there is a humility in gratitude.  It’s realizing I’m not “all that.”  My blessings are not because I deserve them, but because of God’s grace.

Gratitude is also a foil for covetousness.  We are less likely to covet what others have when we are truly thankful for what we have.

Have you ever heard of a thankful spoiled brat?  No.  The act of giving thanks inoculates you from being spoiled.

Have you ever heard of a thankful jerk?  No.  It’s hard to be a jerk when you are always overflowing with thankfulness for everything in all circumstances.

Giving thanks changes your perspective.  It changes your attitude. 

And listen to this.  It actually changes who you are.  It changes the very dynamic of your being.

So like it says in Psalm 147:7, “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving…”

Or like the man did in Psalm 119:62, rise at midnight to give thanks.

Whether you feel grateful or not, give thanks to the Lord.  Be grateful always – yes, on Thanksgiving Day, and every day.

Just make the decision and do it.

And if you decide it’s no big deal, then let this linger in your mind for a while.

Ingratitude is no small sin.


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-

Love Rushes In - Apples of Gold - November 23, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 23, 2009

“Love Rushes In”

 

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

A bunch of young people came over yesterday to eat us out of house and home.

Suddenly a call came in that someone needed help, the all-hands-on-deck kind of help.

Well we certainly had the hands.  All we needed was the rally cry, so I gave it. 

And then I repeated a line that I have used many times.  “When someone shows you how to love them, and you can easily do it, then just do it.”

Sometimes loving people is complex and challenging, but often it is quite simple.  When the need is obvious, you don’t even have to think about it.  Just leap in and do it.

It’s like antibodies in our bloodstream.  When bacteria enters our bloodstream, antibodies rush in to deal with it. 

And that’s what we do when we love people.  When the alarm is sounded, love rushes in.

Yesterday the Ronald McDonald House in Tallahassee celebrated its 20^th anniversary.  In case you don’t know, the Ronald McDonald House is a place where family members can stay for little to no money while their children are receiving serious medical treatments.  That’s a great example of love rushing in to meet a need.

In Luke 10 Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan.  This man was traveling down the road, minding his own business, when suddenly he saw a man beside the road who had been robbed and beaten half to death.  The Samaritan saw the obvious need and rushed in to meet it.  He cared for the man’s wounds, carried him to an inn and paid the man’s expenses.

The Good Samaritan is a great example of love rushing in.

Probably the greatest example of love rushing in is Jesus dying for us.  First John 3:16 says, “This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down His life for us…”

And then the verse closes with this admonition.  “And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”

Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

Jesus had a lot to say about love.  In John 13:34 He said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

In the very next verse He said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

He said it over and over again, just like in John 15:17, “This is my command, love each other.”

In Matthew 22 Jesus said the greatest commandment in the law was to love the Lord, and the second greatest commandment was . . . “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Romans 12:10 says, “…love is the fulfillment of the law.”

First Corinthians 16:14 says, “Do everything in love.”

Chapter 14 says, “Follow the way of love…”

First Peter 1:22 says, “….love one another deeply, from the heart.”

As a Christian, I am to grow in many virtues, but Colossians 3:14 says, “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

We are each a part of the body of Christ, and listen to what Ephesians 4:16 says, “…the whole body….builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Don’t miss the connection there, the connection of love and work.  Yes, we build each other up in love, as each part does its work.

Galatians 5:13 tells us to “serve one another in love.”

First Thessalonians 1:3 uses this phrase, “…your labor prompted by love…”

One popular Christian song says, “Love is a verb.” 

Yes, love is an action word.  First John 3:18 tells us not to just love with words, “but with actions.”

This is what marks us as Christians.  People will know we are Christians by our love.

So how do we love people?  Well one way is to just keep our eyes open.  Opportunities to love people will make themselves obvious. 

And like I always say, when someone shows you how to love them, and you can easily do it, just do it.

Because that’s the way love operates.  When someone is in need, when someone is hurting, or even when someone is just lonely, this is what love does.

Love rushes in.


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-

Symptoms of a Midlife Crisis - Apples of Gold - November 20, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 20, 2009

“Symptoms of a Midlife Crisis”

 

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

The midlife crisis.

That’s what a friend and I were discussing.  We talked about people we knew who had gone off the deep end at some point, slipping into a midlife crisis.

Then he said, “I wonder why we never went through a midlife crisis.”

Well I think it’s because we are both very solid in who we are in Christ.  We know who we are and we know where we are headed. 

What exactly is a midlife crisis?  For that answer I turned to a woman who counsels people going through it, Karen Knott, and she said there are various symptoms to look for.

One of them is, you look in the mirror, and you don’t know that person staring back at you.  You feel like you lost yourself somewhere along the way.

When I heard that my first thought was, “So stop looking in the mirror and get out there and do something!” 

Then I asked myself, “When I look in the mirror, as a middle-aged man, what do I see?”  Well for one thing, I look right past the face.  I pay no attention to aging.  I never think, “Oh, gee, what happened to that young man?” 

My mind is focused on the Lord and my relationship with Him and living a life worthy of Him and coming clean with Him.  I want to follow Him and do His work and be the man He wants me to be. 

I want to carry out the mission He has for me.  I want to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  I want to run the race and keep the faith. 

And I want to minister to people, to love them and help them and teach them. 

These things all flow from my relationship with God, and they are so all-occupying that I don’t have time for “navel-staring.”

Plus, when I look at myself I actually look past the exterior.  I am more concerned with my mind and heart and soul, the real me, the part that God is looking at, and the part that I am accountable for.

I have never looked in the mirror and felt like I lost myself.  I look in the mirror and see someone who was found by the Lord, found and redeemed and rescued.  And now He defines my life and my goals and my purpose.

Karen says another symptom of a midlife crisis is “worrying about where your life is going.”

Well Jesus told us not to worry.  I know that’s easier said than done, but I know who holds the future!  When you serve the Omnipotent One, you don’t have to get too strung out about the future.  And when you fully believe in eternity, and that death is far from the end of the road, you just don’t get all cramped up about the next 10 or 20 years.

Another symptom of a midlife crisis is having feelings of regret.  That’s another great thing about being a Christian – the past is taken care of.  Sins are forgiven.  We are clean before the Lord.  And you know what?  Our errors and missteps can be redeemed!  God can yank our foolishness right out of the fire and do something with it.

Faith in the Lord overpowers our regrets!  We can simply trust in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

Another symptom of a midlife crisis is a sense of loss, that time is slipping away and your best years are behind you.  Well I say that’s ridiculous.  And I guess I say that out of my keen sense of the eternal.  I see life going way beyond death.  Yes, this old body won’t make it for the long haul, but oh my goodness, there is so much more ahead for us – a little bit now, then a whole lot in eternity!  And I’m looking forward to all of it, knowing that the Lord will guide me through both the rough and peaceful waters.

Another symptom of a midlife crisis, according to Karen, is “feeling almost invisible.”  I could say a lot about that, but one thing that comes to mind is that in a loving church family, no one is invisible.  The church is a community of love.  Yes, in the world you might be invisible if you aren’t one of the young and beautiful or rich and powerful.  But in the church it’s a different ball game.  This is one thing I like about having small group meetings within the church.  It helps to make sure that no one is invisible.

Another symptom of a midlife crisis is feeling trapped.  You are stuck in a deep, boring rut and that’s where you will die.  Well my experience as a Christian has never felt that way.  Serving God may not always be a sunny day at the beach, but He has a way of making things exciting and challenging, and bringing new adventures and opportunities into your life.  Following the Lord is a great adventure, the exact opposite of a deep, boring rut.

Well, those are just a few symptoms of what some people call a midlife crisis.  And maybe you are feeling some of those things today.  Maybe you do look in the mirror and feel your life slipping away and that it’s all downhill from here.

Well the good news is, God loves you!  And His work in your life is far from over.  This adventure has only just begun! 

So get in with the Lord.  Spend time with Him in prayer and worship.  Draw near to Him, and dive into His Word.  See how you can put His precepts into practice in new and exciting ways.

And just watch – as God begins to stir more and more in your life, soon all those symptoms will drop off the radar and it won’t even cross your mind anymore.  You won’t even think about such a thing as going through a midlife crisis.


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-

To the Struggling Young Man - Apples of Gold - November 19, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 19, 2009

“To the Struggling Young Man”

 

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

To the struggling young man:

You’ve been living your life, and you’ve gotten into some trouble.  There just has to be more than this, you think, and you’re starting to think about God.

You were raised in church, said you believed in Jesus, and you’ve even prayed some prayers.  You would call yourself a Christian, but for the most part you’ve been living like the rest of the world.

But now are thinking about a change.  You need something different, something more.  Where do you start?

Well let’s start here.  Are you really a Christian, a born again Christian?  Have you repented of your sins?  Have you experienced godly sorrow for your sins?  Have you bowed your head and humbled yourself before the Lord and Savior?

This is the great transaction, and this is when the Holy Spirit takes up residence inside you.  If this has happened, you should see the fruit of the Spirit in your life. 

But if you have been living a worldly life, you should ask yourself, “Have I really been born again?”

But you know what?  Let’s not get too picky about the past, because what matters is that right now you get right with God. 

Here is what you’ve been doing.  You’ve been living in the flesh.  You’ve been living by your earthly, carnal nature.  You’ve basically been doing what you felt like doing.  “If it feels good, do it.”

James says we are dragged away by our evil desires and enticed.  Paul calls it our “old man.” 

Well if you want a change, you need to put off the old man and put on the new man.  You want to stop obeying your evil desires.  You want to stop living in the flesh and start living in the spirit.

This is not about changing your behavior to start acting like a good little boy.  It doesn’t mean you stop smoking pot and instead join the United Way.  It’s not about becoming a productive member of society or even finding a wife and starting a family.

The goal is not to become a good person.  The goal is not to break away from the crowd you’re currently running with.

The goal is the get a hold of God!  The goal is to be filled with His Spirit and learn to walk in the Spirit. 

This is a radical change of your worldview.  It will be very different.  Your flesh will want to turn back, even if there is no “back” to go to.  Your enemy the devil will try to trip you up, anything to keep you away from God.

Look, the Lord has awesome plans for your life!  He has created you and gifted you in marvelous ways!  The enemy knows that and wants to keep you all tied up and gagged and out of the game.

You can be a tremendous influence on others for years to come!  But you have to start building your life on the rock.  Up until now you have pretty much just been building on sand which seems to be fine – until the storm comes.  Then you realize just what a terrible foundation sand is.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:24, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

So you need to learn the words of Jesus.  You need to get into that Bible and find out what Jesus said, then build your life on His words.  Plus you will have the Holy Spirit inside of you to help you understand it and help you apply it to your own life.

Have no doubts, this is a spiritual matter.  It’s not about changing your habits or your friends or your location.  It’s about getting right with God and learning to walk with Him, learning His principles, and learning to walk in the Spirit instead of the flesh.

This will take time.  It won’t all happen overnight, but it can begin immediately.

It starts with making sure you are a born again Christian, repenting of sin and surrendering your life to the Lord.  Then it’s about becoming a disciple of Jesus, learning His ways, submitting to His leadership, denying yourself and following Him.

Believe me, this is the great change you are looking for.  This is what you heart desires and your soul is aching for. 

When I did this, I remember feeling different.  I literally felt like an empty spot inside me had been filled.  I didn’t feel the empty spot before.  I didn’t realize I had an empty spot, but when the Lord filled it, then I could tell the difference.  I somehow felt “solid” inside.

Your enemy will tell you to put it off, that it can wait.  Your flesh will demand to be fed, but you are starting to see where that leads.  It doesn’t fulfill.

But the Lord does.  The Lord keeps His promises, and He is a sure, unwavering foundation.  You can build your life on Him.

So don’t delay.  Make the move.  Do what you know God is calling you to do.  Break away from your past, from the old way, from the fleshly, carnal way, and run to God.  Run to Jesus.  Run to your Father with His arms open wide, ready to accept you as His dear child, lavishing His love and forgiveness on you. 

He has a plan for your life, and believe me, it is the very, very best thing you can possibly do.


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 Can You Say to a Skeptic? - Apples of Gold - November 18, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 18, 2009

“What Can You Say to a Skeptic?”

 

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

God reveals Himself through creation. 

Through creation He reveals Himself to everyone, Christian or not.  Romans 1 says that “what may be known about God” is plain to us because God made it plain to us through creation. 

Verse 20 says, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

So when someone says, “I don’t believe in God because I can’t see Him;” we can say, “Look around.  God revealed Himself to us through His creation.”

Now let me tell you another way that God reveals Himself to everyone:  through His joy.

Joy is a beautiful thing, a good thing, and James 1 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…”

So joy is from God, a gift from God that He has given to everyone.

“Now wait a minute, Doug.  I thought real joy was only for believers.  After all, it’s a fruit of the Spirit.”

Well everyone experiences moments of joy.  Watch a young couple in love.  Watch a young mother with her new baby.  Watch a child with his favorite toy.  Watch baseball players rush the mound when they win the World Series.

Proverbs 27:9 even says that “perfume and incense bring joy to the heart…”

There’s a long list of things that bring joy to everyone, saint and sinner alike.  This joy is from God, and it’s a testimony to the existence of God, just like creation.

Let’s go back to Acts chapter 14, to Lystra, where Paul and Barnabas were missionaries.  Starting in verse 15, Paul delivered an impromptu sermon.  Here is what he said.

“We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless (idols) to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.  In the past, He let all nations go their own way.  Yet He has not left Himself without testimony…”

Okay, this is where it gets good.  Paul is about ready to tell us how God has left Himself a testimony to all people of every nation.  Back to his sermon.

“Yet He has not left Himself without testimony:  He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; He provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”

Now these people were heathens.  They worshipped ancient idols, and yet God blessed them.

What?  Yes, you heard right.  God blessed the idol-worshipping heathens.

Look what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew chapter five.  He said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.  He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

That’s just the way God does it.  He provides certain things for everyone on the planet, and according to Paul’s sermon one of those things is joy.  He said that God filled those heathen hearts with joy.

That doesn’t sound right, does it?

But that is one way God reveals Himself.  Joy is a great feeling.  It’s a natural high.  It’s wonderful!  And it’s a gift from God – a testimony of His existence. 

However, that joy is short-lived.  Job 20 verse five says, “the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.”

See, joy is from God, but sin suffocates joy.  If joy is like a fire, then sin is like dirt that is shoveled onto it.  It smothers it.

That is why there is so much joy when people get saved.  God forgives their sins and lifts that suffocating lid from their joy. 

A great example of that is the Philippian jailer in Acts 16.  Verse 34 says, “he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God – he and his whole family.”

First Peter 1:8 says, “…even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”

For non-Christians, joy tends to be very situational and fleeting.  But as we mentioned earlier, joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.  We Christians have the Holy Spirit inside of us, and one thing He does is give us joy in all situations.

James 1 talks about joy when we face trials.

Hebrews 10 talks about Christians who were joyful, even when their property was confiscated.

Second Corinthians talks about Christians going through the “most severe trial” and in “extreme poverty,” yet they experienced “overflowing joy.”

Paul said in Second Corinthians 7:4, “I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.”

And we’ve barely scratched the surface.  The Bible is full of references to joy.

Joy is a gift from God, and He gives it to everyone.

So the next time you’re talking to a skeptic, and you bring up the point that God reveals Himself through creation, try throwing this one in there as well.

God has revealed Himself to us through the joy that He has placed in our hearts.


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-

The Kitchen Table (an original short story) - Apples of Gold - November 17, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 17, 2009

“The Kitchen Table”

 

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

(traditional country music plays in the background)

Jimmy lit a cigarette.

Old country western played on the radio above the sink.

He ran his finger along the latest burned spot on the table.  The last cigarette of the day often ended up as a burn spot on the table.

He set the lighter on top of the pack and slid them over by the dirty gold ashtray.  He reached for the small stack of mail.

“Resident.  Resident.  Bill.  Bill.  Hmm, what do we have here?”

It was a personal letter, hand addressed to James Donahue.

The only people who called him James were his mother and his sister.  His mother died two years ago, and he hadn’t seen his sister since the funeral.

He tapped the envelope on the table, put the cigarette in his mouth, and held the envelope up to the light.  He squinted and tilted his head as the smoke curled into his eyes.  He saw that the letter was away from the end of the envelope, making it safe to tear the end off, which he did with precision.

And he never tore the stamp.  Somewhere in childhood he heard that tearing a stamp was like letting the flag touch the ground.  He knew better now, but he still just never tore the stamp.

How many dumb things like that do we pick up in childhood?  He remembered Ronnie Cochran in 3^rd grade telling him that peanut butter was made only from that little tiny piece at the top of the peanut.  He never believed it, but he never forgot it.

His dad told him once . . . nope.  Not gonna think any warm thoughts about Dad. 

He took a deep drag on the cigarette, exhaled through his nose, and unfolded the letter.

“Dear James.”  Not “Hi James,” or “Hello James,” or even, “Hey James.”  Just “Dear James,” about like a thank you note to Grandma that you were forced to write.  “Dear Grandma, thanks for the cool Elvis ring.  I hate Elvis and I never wear rings, but thanks.”

“I was thinking about you today while I was doing laundry.  Remember when we used to have to help Mom wring out the clothes with the wringer, and your hand got caught?  I cried and cried because I thought they were going to have to cut off your hand like Uncle Mack.”

He looked down at his right hand, holding the cigarette.  “If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee.”

Where did that come from?  Not a good thought, but maybe he would have been better off if he would have lost his hand as a child.  Think of all the things he would not have done if he didn’t have the hand to do it with.  The places that hand had been.

He lowered his eyes involuntarily as shame darkened his mind.

He tapped the ash off the cigarette.

A steel guitar pined on the radio.

What was he going to do?  He didn’t want to spend the rest of his life this way, working second shift, getting home at 11:30, smoking his dinner and falling asleep at the kitchen table. 

He refocused on the letter.

“James, I’m worried about you.  You never call or stop by, and I know it’s a two-way street, but I get so busy with the kids.  I know that’s lame, but it is true.”

Why did he stop going over there?  He knew he was welcome, but it was like he just didn’t belong.  It was too clean, too bright, too innocent.  It was better (he looked up at his bare fluorescent light and hated it), yes it was better, but it wasn’t him.  This stained red and white table, this chair with the plastic seat, these dirty ceiling tiles – this was him.

And he disgusted himself.

“So anyway, dear brother, as I did the laundry and thought about you I thought, ‘Why not have him over for dinner after church?’  And then I thought that you might like our church.  You don’t have to wear a suit or anything.”

His first feeling was to reject the offer out of hand.  But then he realized that he was just tired of that; tired of the same old not doing anything.

He scanned the letter, more of the same, more of the same, Love, Linda.  He slid it neatly back into the envelope. 

And for the first time in a long time he felt something like God, like maybe God was in there somewhere.

And he felt unworthy, so unworthy.

And he felt . . . loved. 

So loved.

He reached over and, through blurry eyes, crushed out his cigarette.

He folded his strong, yellowed hands.

And he let go.


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-

Building Specific Spiritual Muscles - Apples of Gold - November 16, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 16, 2009

“Building Specific Spiritual Muscles”

 

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

A man I know tells a story about being initiated as a freshman football player.

The coach wanted him to practice with the varsity team, but some of the varsity players decided to throw up a little resistance.  They ganged up on him, took him outside, forced him into a manhole, put the lid on and left him.  Finally the coach heard about it and he was rescued.

So why didn’t he just go outside and practice?  It’s what he wanted to do.  It’s what the coach wanted him to do.  Why didn’t he do it?

He didn’t do it because he faced resistance and he was not strong enough to overcome it.  If he would have had the strength, he could have overcome their resistance and done what the coach wanted. 

So here’s a definition of strength:  being able to overcome resistance.

This is easy to see in the physical realm.  If he wanted to be stronger, he could start pumping iron.  He could focus on his biceps and triceps and lats and glutes and delts and pecs.  He could become so strong that the next time those guys tried to resist him he could just push them aside and go do what he was supposed to do. 

This is a bit harder to see when we talk about spiritual strength.  Ephesians 6:10 says, “…be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.”  It goes on to say that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood,” but against “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  It even talks about the “wiles of the devil.”

In the same way that guy can focus on strengthening certain physical muscles, we can focus on strengthening certain spiritual muscles, which we find in Ephesians chapter six.  In each of these areas we face resistance, but by being strong we can overcome that resistance and do what the Lord wants us to do.

Verse 14 starts with truth.  We need to be strong in the truth.  The enemy resists us with deception and lies.  He clouds over the truth and even uses half truths. 

But we must always deal in truth.  We need to seek for truth and make truth a top priority.  And not the “here today, gone tomorrow” truth that this world offers, but the Lord’s rock solid, never changing, foundational, eternal truth.

We need to be strong in the truth.

Next we need to be strong in righteousness.  The enemy will resist this at every turn.  He will look for any way to taint us with unrighteousness – unrighteous thoughts, unrighteous words, unrighteous situations.  He mocks righteousness, puts it down, and gets people to do the same.  Being righteous is uncool.  It’s square.  Every generation has its own set of words to look down on righteousness, but that is just resistance.  We need to stand up against that resistance.

We need to be strong in righteousness.

Next we need to be strong in sharing the gospel of peace.  The enemy resists this.  Keep the gospel to yourself, he says.  Don’t be pushy.  Nobody wants to hear that.  Faith is personal, don’t talk about it.  He does not want the gospel of Jesus Christ even whispered.  He resists the gospel at every turn, and we need to stand against that resistance.

We need to be strong in sharing the gospel.

Next we need to be strong in faith.  The enemy tries to riddle our faith with doubt and unbelief.  How can you believe anything you can’t see, he whispers.  Science is real, faith is a fairy tale.  Hebrews 11:6 says without faith it is impossible to please God, and the enemy wants no one pleasing God, so he resists anything that affirms our faith.  We need to stand against that resistance.

We need to be strong in faith.

Next we need to be strong in our salvation.  The enemy will tell us it doesn’t matter, or that it was a long time ago, or that we were never saved in the first place.  He belittles salvation, mocks being “born again,” undercuts what Christ did on the cross to make us children of the Most High.  He says our redemption is nothing, but I say let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

We need to be strong in our salvation.

Next we need to be strong in the Word.  The enemy will resist us, try to hinder us from learning the Word.  He tells us it’s not true.  He tells us it’s hard to understand, that it’s not for today, that it’s not for every situation.  He keeps us busy, gives us a hundred things to do, anything but crack open that Bible!  He resists our plans to study scripture, and we need to stand against that resistance.

We need to be strong in the Word.

And finally we need to be strong in prayer.  The enemy resists our plans to pray.  He tells us it doesn’t work, it’s a waste of time, we’re talking to the ceiling.  There are better things to do.  Come up with a plan to pray and watch the resistance come out of the woodwork.  We need to stand up to that resistance.

We need to be strong in prayer.

These are all things we want to do.  They are things the Lord wants us to do.  So why don’t we do them? 

Because we face resistance.

Now remember our definition of strength:  being able to overcome resistance.

According to Ephesians 6 we want to be strong in the truth, in righteousness, in sharing the gospel, in faith, in our salvation, in the Word, and in prayer. 

The enemy resists us at every turn, but as we strengthen each of those spiritual muscles we will be able to overcome the enemy’s resistance and serve the Lord just as He wants us to do.


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
(850) 926-8000
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