Coach Bowden's Crucible - Apples of Gold - August 25, 2010 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 25, 2010

“Coach Bowden’s Crucible”

 

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

Bobby Bowden was the legendary head football coach of the Florida State Seminoles.

He coached them through a golden era that included two national titles, and he racked up the second most career victories in college football history.

And for his success he was paid millions of dollars.

But the team struggled the last few years, and when the win totals shrink, so does the audience and the money.

And what does a team do when the wins go down?  They fire the coach.

But how do you fire a legend?

Meanwhile, Florida State made Jimbo Fisher the head coach in waiting.  If Jimbo wasn’t the head coach by January 2011, the university would pay him 5 million dollars. 

So it looked like Bobby Bowden’s head coaching position had a built in expiration date.  But when the Seminoles barely broke .500 last season, some university officials had seen enough.  A change must be made, they said.

Bobby Bowden retired early this year, and we didn’t hear much more about it . . . until this week.  Coach Bowden has returned to the spotlight as he promotes his new book, and yesterday he granted an interview to the Associated Press.

When asked about his departure from FSU he said, “I was pushed out, no doubt about it.”

“I didn’t want but one more year,” he said.  “Gosh, I’m 80.”

He said that university president T.K. Wetherell presented him with two options: either become a hands-off “ambassador coach,” or lose the coaching position altogether.

Wetherell later said that it was one of the most difficult things he had to do as university president.  It was more than just a president releasing a coach.  Wetherell had actually played for Bowden in the 60’s, and Bowden knew the Wetherell family.

“He and I were pretty close,” Bowden said in the Associated Press interview.

And then came this line in the article.  “Bowden said his relationship with Wetherell has likely been irreparably damaged.”

Coach Bowden said, “I doubt if I'll have a relationship with T.K. anymore.”

Well who can blame him?  The man basically fired him.  Is that what he gets for his years of loyalty and success?  Well, that and millions of dollars, but anyway…nobody likes to be fired, and all he wanted was just one more year.

Anybody would be upset.  Anybody would write off the other person.  Anybody could conclude that the relationship was damaged beyond repair.

However, Coach Bowden is very outspoken about his Christian faith.  He is one of the better known Christians in the country.  In fact, his new book is entitled “Called to Coach:  Reflections on Life, Faith and Football.”

There is no doubt that Coach Bowden is a classy guy and a man who has kept the faith, but judging by these reports, it appears that Coach Bowden faces a big hurdle.

Can he completely forgive the man who fired him?

Perhaps he has.  He probably has, but these reporters make it sound like he has a chip on his shoulder towards Mr. Wetherell.

And who can blame him, right? 

Probably all of us have felt betrayed, have felt the rug pulled out from under us by someone we trusted.  It’s a nasty bit of business.

But here is where our Christianity is put to the test.  This is the crucible that burns off the dross and reveals the true nature of our faith.

Can we forgive those who betray us?  Can we forgive them, and love them?

This sounds almost impossible, and who would even want to?

But it is possible through the Holy Spirit inside of a Christian, and we should want to out of love and obedience to the Lord. 

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you…”

Jesus taught in Mark 11:25 that if we hold anything against anyone, we must forgive him.

So if he hasn’t already, Coach Bowden needs to forgive T.K. Wetherell, and I hope and pray that their relationship is not irreparably damaged, but through the love and forgiveness of Christ, Coach Bowden will have nothing but Christlike things to say about his former boss.

It’s one thing to watch these people who are in the public eye (and remember, we only get a small and distorted view of things through the media), but the more difficult thing is to take a look at our own life and say, “Is there someone I must forgive?”

If a reporter stuck a microphone in your face and asked about someone who had hurt you, what would you say?

Well hopefully it would be your chance to really let Jesus shine through – through the love and forgiveness that are cornerstones of the Christian faith.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


You can read the AP news story here:  http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/24/sportsline/main6801523.shtml
You can find some other details about Coach Bowden’s relationship with FSU here:  http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3865923
You can order Coach Bowden’s new book here:  http://www.christianbook.com/called-faith-career-college-footballs-popular/bobby-bowden/9781439195970/pd/195987/1107622227?item_code=WW&netp_id=806251&event=EBRN&view=details#curr


© 2010 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-

He Didn't Want Anyone to Know - Apples of Gold - August 24, 2010 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 24, 2010

“He Didn’t Want Anyone to Know”

 

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

Billy peaked out the window down the drive.

Nobody.

He double checked the calendar.

No one would be home for hours.

Boy, had he been waiting for this! 

He almost pounced toward the kitchen sink.  He opened the cabinet underneath and reached way back, and there it was.

He had been planning for this moment, waiting with great anticipation.

He thought last Monday was the day, but then suddenly someone came home.  She might not have said anything, but he didn’t want anyone to know, not a soul.

People would look down on him if they knew.  It would hurt his “testimony” you might say. 

No good could come from anyone knowing, so he made sure no one would.

He pulled it out from under the sink and took a good, long look.  He was going to savor this.

Finally he unscrewed the lid and took one short sip . . . of poison. 

Yes, Billy drank poison and suffered the consequences.

Of course he knew there would be consequences, but for some dumb reason he thought there would only be consequences if he got caught.  Somehow he missed the point that poison poisons, period, whether anyone finds out or not.

The poison I’m talking about today is sin.

When it comes to sin, we often act like Billy.  It’s okay, as long we don’t get caught. 

But sinning is like drinking poison.  You will suffer, caught or not. 

Hebrews 12:1 talks about “…the sin which doth so easily beset us…”

Beset means “to attack from all sides.”

That’s what sin does.  It attacks from all sides.  It’s a marauder, plundering and pillaging.  It’s a destroyer.  James 1:15 says that sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.

Why would you want even a little of that in your life?

Here’s why.  Hebrews 11:25 refers to “the pleasures of sin for a season.”

We see that slice of pleasure and we want it – the forbidden fruit.

But we are also smart enough to know that we don’t want other people finding out.  They will make our lives miserable, but the sin?  We can control that. 

But sin besets.  It attacks from all sides.  It never does any good and there is no controlling it.

Here in Florida we do “controlled burns” in the forest to prevent wildfires.  When it comes to sin, though, there is no such thing as a controlled burn. 

It’s like the old saying, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay, and keep you longer than you want to stay.”

Is it too simplistic to say “don’t play with sin”?

Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death.

Sin attacks what it touches, so the goal is to not let it touch anything in your life.

Romans 6:13 warns us not to yield to sin.  Don’t give it any quarter.

So are you toying with sin?  Do you think it’ll be okay, as long as you keep others from finding out?

That is not true, my friend.  Sin damages everything it touches.  It has nothing to do with getting caught.

So remember this.  Sin is poison, and no one gets away with drinking poison.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2010 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 Silver Bullet of Lawn Care - Apples of Gold - August 23, 2010 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 23, 2010

“The Silver Bullet of Lawn Care”

 

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

I am no landscaper.

I graduated college without a single botany class, and I’m just not terribly interested in plants, though I thank God for them.

So one day I moved my family into a rental house that was formerly occupied by plant people.  The woman told me all the things they had done – planted this here, transplanted that there, on and on. 

Well, I was not a worthy heir of their plant kingdom, and I felt bad about it.  I felt bad for the landlord whose property value was about to drop.

So when he came by one day I simply confessed that I was flora challenged and asked him if there was anything specific he wanted me to do besides keep everything trimmed, and here’s what he said.  He said that all he really wanted me to do was this simple act.

Pull the weeds.

I told him that was easy enough, and that’s what I did.  When I saw anything besides grass pop up in the lawn, I pulled it out by the roots.

Now that may sound routine, but guess what?  I had never done it before.

My lawn care arsenal consisted of a power mower and that was it.  As long as everything was mowed, I was good.

But I admit, my lawns didn’t look that great.  Yes, from the road they were green, but a closer inspection revealed all kinds of yucky looking nongrasslike vegetation.

But now I had the silver bullet of lawn care!  Just pull the weeds.

This also applies to our spiritual life.  For example, Colossians 3:8 tells us to rid ourselves of anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy and filthy language.  That’s a list of spiritual weeds we are to yank from our lives.

First Peter 2:12 says to rid ourselves of all malice and all deceit, of hypocrisy and envy and slander, evil speaking of every kind; again, a laundry list of spiritual weeds.

Ephesians 4:31 says to get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander and every form of malice.

These are weeds in our lives that must be pulled out by the roots.

So what happens if we don’t pull the weeds from our life?

Well remember this:  weeds are competition. 

In your yard or garden, there is a competition for space and light and water and soil nutrients.  The more the weeds get, the less there is for the good plants.

And the same is true in life.  We only have so much time and energy.  We can’t waste it on weeds like wrath and malice, deceit and hypocrisy.

So we need to pull the weeds because weeds are competition.

Something else – weeds are not stationary.  They aren’t like rocks.  If you leave the weeds, they will grow and reproduce. 

One gardening rule of thumb is:  Don’t let weeds go to seed. 

Another old saying is:  One year’s seeding means seven years’ weeding.

If you pull the weeds now, you will spare yourself a ton of work later.  But if you leave them, they will grow and reproduce, both in your life and in the lives of those around you.  One day you will look up and see weeds everywhere that you are responsible for.

So don’t let weeds go to seed.  Start pulling them up today.

Another interesting point about weeds is that they can shelter harmful insects and diseases.  They can harbor and spread plant pathogens that infect and degrade the quality of the good plants.

The same is true for our spiritual weeds.  For example, if you don’t root out the weed of hypocrisy, it will infect and degrade your good spiritual qualities. 

One reason people don’t like weeds is that they are unattractive.  They are a nuisance.  Some have thorns or prickles, they poke you or cling to your clothes.  Some have chemicals that cause skin irritation.  Weeds can be downright nasty – all good reasons to get rid of them.

So what is the first step? 

Look for them.  Simply take time to look for weeds. 

It’s true in your yard, and it’s true in your life.

Often we don’t take any time to look for the weeds in our heart and soul. 

So here is your reminder to do that.  Take some time to be quiet before the Lord.  Open your Bible and contemplate these lists of “weeds.”  Then look for them.

And when you find them, don’t leave them.

Instead, make a determined and consistent effort, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to rid yourself of these ugly, annoying weeds.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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



© 2010 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-

You Are a Teacher - Apples of Gold - August 20, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 20, 2010

“You Are a Teacher”

 

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

“You don’t tuck in t-shirts.”

And with that short sentence, teaching was done.

It didn’t take place in a classroom.  It simply happened when a woman looked at a man across the way whose shirt was tucked in and said, “You don’t tuck in t-shirts.”

I wasn’t taking a fashion class.  I wasn’t researching men’s styles.  I was just in the right place at the right time and a teacher stepped forward and taught me something.

That’s an example of how we are all in the business of teaching. 

This is a primary, foundational structure of our existence – us teaching each other.

And guess what?  That’s the way God set it up.

Now to me, this is a bit frightening.  Why on earth He left the teaching up to us, I have no idea.  It sounds like a formula for disaster.  Nonetheless, that is what He did.

For example, Jesus taught His disciples, then promptly left them.  And what did He say before He left?  According to Matthew 28 He basically said, “Go, teach all nations, teach them everything I have taught you.”

God did the same thing in the Old Testament.  He personally passed the lessons on to Moses, but then left the rest of the teaching up to the people.  “Teach them to your children and to their children after them,” it says in Deuteronomy 4:9.

“What?  You mean You aren’t coming back to teach the grandchildren Yourself?”

No, He wasn’t.  God delivered the basics, then left the teaching up to the people.

That means it is up to people like you and me.  It is up to us to teach everything that must be known.

Thankfully here in America we make education a high priority.  We understand that every child born must be taken from scratch and taught everything.  We have a gigantic public education system for this purpose, plus a huge private education system.  We have massive libraries and a free flow of information, all for the purpose of teaching people everything they need to know.

Does it sound like everything is well in hand?

Well it isn’t.  Not at all.  Teaching people is a constant task that never stops and always needs improvement.

And honestly, there a million different things that need to be taught.

So what is my point today?

My point is this.  You are a teacher.  The things you know to be true and right you must pass on to others.

I have a friend who is a tax accountant, and he is on Facebook.  While others are posting what their cat had for dinner, he is posting tax wisdom.  He is using the platform of Facebook to teach people about taxes.

I receive e-mails from a man in Washington, D.C.  He teaches me what is going on with the FCC that might concern this radio station.  I don’t pay for the e-mail.  He doesn’t get anything from me, and yet there he is, going out of his way to teach me. 

I listen to a radio program called Family Life Today.  Each day they are on the radio, teaching me how to have a better family.

I am attending a Sunday School class that is teaching me all about the Old Testament.  How am I supposed to know all that stuff?  Thank goodness someone is taking the time to teach me!

I know very little about car maintenance, but guess what?  When I run into something I wish I knew, what do I do?  I go to the internet where some random stranger has taken a lot of time to create a video to teach me.

So today’s question is, what are you doing to teach people?  Everyone needs to be taught, and you know some things, so what are you doing to teach them?

This is especially true of older people, I think.  If you are in the 60 and up crowd, what are you doing to teach others? 

I knew an older man who had built his own house and learned a few hard lessons.  And you know what he did?  He often stopped by construction sites and tried to teach people what he had learned the hard way.

Another school year is starting, and it’s easy to lay the burden of teaching on the professionals.  But they can’t possibly do it all.  There is simply too much to be taught.

So the ball is in your court.  You know things, and you need to teach them to others.  You can teach them to your child or your grandchild.  You can teach them to people at church or a civic group, or you can put them online and teach the world.

But whatever you do, realize this today.

You are a teacher.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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



© 2010 The Arrow’s Tip 
 To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

If You Want to Learn About Jesus - Apples of Gold - August 18, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 18, 2010

“If You Want to Learn About Jesus”

 

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

If you want to learn about Jesus, yes, read the four Gospels:  Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

But there is another book that is loaded with information about Jesus, and that’s the book of Hebrews.

And now let me share with you everything I learned about Jesus from the book of Hebrews (the New King James Version).

Jesus is the Son of God. (4:14)

He is the express image of God’s person.  (1:3)

Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory.  (1:3)

God made the worlds through Jesus.  (1:2)

Jesus upholds all things by the word of His power.  (1:3)

God appointed Jesus heir of all things.  (1:2)

God has spoken to us by His Son.  (1:2)

Jesus became flesh and blood. (2:10)

He came to do the will of God. (10:9)

He arose from the tribe of Judah. (7:14)

He suffered when he was tempted. (2:18)

Jesus was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. (4:15)

Jesus loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. (1:9)

Jesus is holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners. (7:26)

He endured hostility from sinners. (12:3)

He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. (5:8)

Jesus was made perfect through sufferings. (2:10)

In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to God. (5:7)

Jesus is the Mediator of the new covenant. (9:15, 12:24)

He is Mediator of a better covenant, an eternal covenant, established on better promises. (8:6, 13:20)

Jesus became a surety of a better covenant. (7:22)

Jesus offered up Himself once for all for the sins of the people. (7:27)

He endured the cross, despising the shame. (12:2)

He tasted death for everyone. (2:9)

Jesus died to destroy the devil. (2:14)

Through the eternal Spirit, Jesus offered Himself without spot to God. (9:14)

Jesus entered heaven itself, to appear in the presence of God for us. (9:24)

With His own blood Jesus entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. (9:12)

Jesus sanctified the people by His own blood. (13:12)

He made propitiation for the sins of the people. (2:17)

He put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (9:26)

By the will of God, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (10:10)

Jesus was offered once to bear the sins of many. (9:28)

He offered one sacrifice for sins forever. (10:12)

Jesus purged our sins. (1:3)

By one offering Jesus has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. (10:14)

The blood of Christ cleanses our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (9:14)

Jesus became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. (5:9)

Jesus is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (7:25)

Jesus was called by God as High Priest. (5:10)

He is a merciful and faithful high priest. (2:17)

He is a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses. (4:15)

Jesus is the apostle and high priest of our confession. (3:1)

He is a High Priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. (8:1)

He has an unchangeable priesthood. (7:24)

He is High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. (6:20)

Jesus is a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected. (8:2)

God brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead. (13:20)

Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. (1:3)

He sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (12:2)

He was crowned with glory and honor. (2:7)

Jesus has been perfected forever. (7:28)

His throne is forever and ever. (1:8)

All things are in subjection under the feet of Jesus. (2:8)

He sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. (10:12-13)

He is worthy of more glory than Moses. (3:3)

He has a more excellent name than the angels. (1:4)

He is higher than the heavens. (7:26)

Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep. (13:20)

He is the author and finisher of our faith. (12:2)

To those who eagerly wait for Him, Jesus will appear a second time. (9:28)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (13:8)

Yes, that’s a lot of information about Jesus.  And that’s why I say, if you want to learn about Jesus, make sure you read through the book of Hebrews.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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



© 2010 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-

Others Draw Strength from Your Strength - Apples of Gold - August 17, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 17, 2010

“Others Draw Strength from Your Strength”

 

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

“Here I am . . . 85 years old.”

That’s what Caleb said, 45 years after he and Joshua scouted out the Promised Land.

“I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out,” said Caleb in Joshua chapter 14.  “I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.”

I draw strength from a man like that.  When I see someone step forward in strength, it strengthens me.

I’ve spent time in various weight rooms over the years, and what do we like to put up on the walls?  Pictures of men who have paid the price, who have made themselves strong.  Their strength strengthens the rest of us.

Caleb wasn’t just physically strong.  He was mentally strong.  His mind was steeled for battle.

He was also strong in his convictions and in his faith.  He said “…my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear.  I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.”

I love reading about men who were strong in their faith.  Their strength strengthens me.

Here’s a story for you.  When I was a kid, I had a bedroom on the second floor, and outside my window was a roof that was kind of like a balcony.  Well one night I heard noises out there that scared me.  There was definitely a person just outside my window!

Well Dad came up, listened, opened the window, went out on the balcony, and wouldn’t you know it, a cat. 

That may not sound like a big deal, but Dad’s strength strengthened me. 

Dads, you must be aware of this.  Your strength strengthens your children, and your wife, too.  They will draw strength from your strength.

Have you ever read “Babylon Revisited” by F. Scott Fitzgerald?  It’s a short story about a man named Charlie who had overcome his alcoholism.  He returned to his old haunts in postwar Paris and encountered a couple he used to party with.  They were stuck in the same old drunken cycle while Charlie had sobered up and moved on. 

He didn’t really want to see them, but they were bent on seeing him.  Why?

Here is the author’s conclusion.  “They wanted to see him, because he was stronger than they were now, because they wanted to draw a certain sustenance from his strength.”

That’s the way it is, my friend.  One person draws strength from another.

And now my question for you.  Are you the kind of person people can draw strength from?

Paul told Timothy to be an example for the believers. 

When we set a good example, others can draw strength from us.

When I see a man being a good husband, it strengthens me to be a good husband.  I draw strength from his example.

In radio, when I hear someone do something excellent on the air, it strengthens me to be excellent.

I have friends who are hard workers.  They don’t quit when it gets hard or hot or their body aches.  They kick into a higher gear – and their strength strengthens me.

Before Jesus’ ascension, He told Peter in Luke 22 “strengthen thy brethren.”  Did he do that by saying strong words but being weak himself? 

No.  You strengthen others by being strong yourself!

Peter later wrote about the importance of “…being examples to the flock.”

The Bible says that Paul went all over the countryside strengthening the disciples.  Did he do that just by flapping his lips?  No!  He strengthened them in part by his example of strength!  They drew strength from his strength!

“But Doug, I don’t have any strength.”

Yes you do, from the same source as Peter and Paul and Caleb and David.

Paul said he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him.

David strengthened himself in the Lord.

First Chronicles says, “Seek the Lord and His strength…”

Second Chronicles says, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.”

So find your strength in the Lord, and be strong.  Set the example of strength, and as you do, know this.

Others will draw strength from your strength.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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



© 2010 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-

Slander No One - Apples of Gold - August 16, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 16, 2010

“Slander No One”

 

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

A friend of mine was a political candidate.

He was a popular and effective leader in the region, but had never run for public office.

The race was tight, so his party drafted a letter to be sent out in his name.  It basically took some shots at his opponent. 

Now this man was known for his class, and his faith.  He was a high-road kind of guy, and definitely not the kind to take cheap shots at people.

He opposed the sending of the letter.  The party thought it was good political strategy, and it probably was, but it contained something my friend would not be party to:  slander.

This may sound like typical political hijinks, but slander is something we must all be aware of.

There are two elements to slander.  First of all, it’s something that isn’t true; and second, it’s designed to hurt someone’s reputation.

So slander is false, and damaging.

And you know what?  It’s usually not in the form of a cleverly crafted strategy.  Slander usually just comes popping out of your mouth.

They say that politics should not be discussed in polite conversation.  One reason is because it is sure to produce slander.

For example, just bring up President Obama in a group of people, and someone is bound to spit out some slander.  And if that particular group doesn’t have anything slanderous to say about Mr. Obama, then trot out the name George Bush and watch the slander fly. 

“But Doug, I’m not speaking slander.  I’m only speaking the truth.”

Then I would ask, “How do you know it’s true?  What are your sources?  And do you know it to be the whole truth?”

Now I’m not famous, and I’ve been reported on only a few times.  But even with that little coverage, I’m amazed at how much they get wrong.  For example, one wedding announcement even had my wife marrying my dad instead of me. 

But when it comes to people like presidents, we take what our favorite news outlets or commentators say as the gospel truth and we spread it around.

Now look at your heart.  When you do this, are you hoping to take a shot at that person?  Are you hoping to damage their reputation, to take them down a peg or two?

If it’s false (and it may well be) and it’s designed to hurt their reputation (and you know in your  heart what you are trying to do) then it is slander.

In politics, slander kind of comes with the territory, even though it’s wrong.  From Sarah Palin to Hillary Clinton to your local mayor, just trot out their names and you are sure to stir up some slander.

But slander can come sliding out of the mouth in most any circumstance.  If your spouse does something to annoy you, and the kids say, “What’s wrong,” be careful what you say.  It will be so easy spew out something not entirely true designed to take a shot at your spouse.

It happens at work, when talking about the boss or about co-workers.  It happens when talking about the pastor or Great Aunt So-and-So.

It’s just so easy to let slander slip into the conversation. 

And listen.  It may not be an outright lie.  It may be a half truth or a distorted truth, or it may only be a reported truth that you really don’t know if it’s true or not; but you repeat it with the goal of taking a shot at someone.

Listen.  The goal of slander is to lower that person in the eyes of others.  You want people to think less of them.

Have you ever been the subject of slander?  I have.  All of a sudden it comes back to you that others have been talking about you, and what they said isn’t true.  Oh, it was reported as true – and there may have been a kernel of truth in it – but it was distorted or taken out of context or blown out of proportion.  It became something it truly wasn’t – and the worst part can be the fact that they actually wanted to hurt you, to bring you down, to damage your reputation.

And sadly, I have opened my own big mouth and spewed out slander – and if you are a true Christian, you can almost taste the poison as it sputters off your tongue.  I’ve been there and I despise it.

So what is the cure?

It’s really quite obvious. 

Love.

We are to love one another.  We are to love our neighbor.  We are to love everyone, friends and enemies alike.

Love is the foil to slander.

When you really love someone, it’s hard to slander them.  You don’t want to cut down someone you love.  You don’t want to damage their reputation or hurt them in the eyes of others.

So love is the foil to slander.  Focus on loving people, and slander will just slip away – even when discussing politics!

And if you need a scripture to nail this one down in your head, here is the admonition of Paul to Titus.

Titus chapter three verse two says this:  slander no one.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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



© 2010 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-

Gun Metal Blue - Apples of Gold - August 13, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 13, 2010

“Gun Metal Blue”

 

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

(begin music)

Gun metal blue.

That’s the color of car she wanted, and that’s what Chloe got.

Chloe Ranes was used to getting her way, being Daddy’s only girl.  The boys had to fight for themselves, but Chloe pretty much skated through life, wanting things one day and finding them in her room the next.

Or in this case, the garage.

That’s right.  Daddy had bought her the car she wanted; and because it didn’t come in anything close to “gun metal blue,” he had it painted.

(music transition)

“It wasn’t always easy for your father and I either, Chloe.  Marriage is challenging, but you need to proactively love your husband.  Here is one thing that really says, ‘I love you’ to your husband – when you respect him.

(music transition)

Chloe met a handsome young man, and it looked like her college life was going to pick up where her home life left off.  As young men always do, Jayden worked hard to impress the girl, and that included buying nice gifts.  Not diamonds or anything, he wasn’t rich, but he made up for it with style. 

And one summer night, when Chloe and her family were staying at their vacation house on the coast, they saw a bright flame way down the beach.  They watched it come closer and closer until – it was Jayden, carrying a real torch, and a real ring in a little box.

(music transition)

“Chloe, I know you’ve never been the cheerleader type, but you know what?  One great way to love your husband is to be his cheerleader.  God made you to be his helper and one thing that really helps is when you encourage and compliment him.”

(music transition)

One year later, on a beautiful summer’s eve, Chloe and Jayden were married on that same beach.  She wanted to arrive in a horse-drawn carriage, and Daddy fulfilled her dream, right down to the driver’s tuxedo.  As the sun set on the water, they said their vows.  And in a fitting tribute to Jayden’s proposal, instead of a unity candle, they each took a real torch and lit a bonfire on the beach.  There was dancing and fireworks.  Then they ran through a gauntlet of sparklers and departed in a Mitsubishi Eclipse – gun metal blue.

(music transition)

“Chloe, a power struggle will destroy a marriage.  You can’t try to be the boss of everything.  The Bible talks about wives submitting.  Yes, be a strong partner, but one way to love your husband is to submit to his leadership in your home.”

(music transition)

It didn’t take long for the new reality to set in as Jayden and Chloe settled in to their new home, which was actually an old apartment.  Jayden worked and Chloe went back to school.  She was used to coming home to a nice house and prepared meals and plenty of money.  Now she came home to a musty smell, food only if she made it, and a husband that harped about not spending money.  And he wore his shoes in the house and tracked dirt everywhere.  And when did he start belching?

(music transition)

“Chloe, love covers over a multitude of sins.  Do yourself a favor and don’t think about all his little shortcomings.  If you really want to proactively love your husband, do this.  Think continually about his good points.”

(music transition)

In the beginning, Chloe loved the way Jayden smelled.  She loved to snuggle up to him and touch him and be wrapped up in his arms.  It was so natural to just give herself to him, caught up in the rush.  But now she just felt annoyed when he rolled her way at night.  “After a day like this?  Is that all you ever think about?”

(music transition)

“Chloe, the physical act of marriage is very important, yes to your husband, and also to you, whether you think of it that way or not.  This is something that really says, ‘I love you’ to your husband, perhaps more than anything else you can say or do.”

(music transition)

Chloe sat in her car, engine running, but not going anywhere.  Her bags were in the back, packed with the motivation of just getting away from him.  What she thought would bring her so much happiness had just been a big plate of anger and frustration.  She had grabbed the mail, hopped in the car, turned on the radio, and noticed the letter from her mom.

(music transition)

“And finally, Chloe, you need to stop looking to Jayden to meet all your needs.  There is not a man on earth that can meet all the needs of a woman.  You need to look to the Lord for that.  Like it says in Psalm 16:11, “…in Thy presence is fullness of joy.”

(music transition)

Chloe finished college and she and Jayden started a business together.  They had a couple of kids, and yes, there were stressful days; but whenever she started to “feel that feeling,” she would pull out the letter. 

And at the bottom, underneath the words “Love, Mom,” was a Scripture reference.

Titus 2:4 – “…teach the younger women…to love their husbands…”

(music out)

Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


Thanks to the late Kristy Dykes, who was a pastor’s wife in Jacksonville, FL before passing away recently of cancer.  She is the one who came up with the “ways to love your husband,” which you can read on her blog here:
http://christianlovestories.blogspot.com/2006/11/how-to-love-your-husband.html


© 2010 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 Are You Doing in These Four Areas? - Apples of Gold - August 11, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 11, 2010

“How Are You Doing in These Four Areas?”

 

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

Four characteristics of a servant of the Lord.

That’s what I’m going to share with you today, taken directly from Second Timothy 2:24.

As a Christian, you are a servant of the Lord, and these character traits should be alive and obvious in your life.

Consider this a checklist or a measuring stick.  You can measure yourself against these four characteristics and see how you are doing.

Second Timothy 2:24 begins like this, “… a servant of the Lord must not quarrel…”

That means there is no bickering or disputing.  There is no “war of words.” 

The servant of the Lord is not contentious. 

Have you ever met someone who just seemed contentious?  You say something, and they always jump to the other side of the issue. 

I had a man tell me one time, “I’m just playing the devil’s advocate.”  I said, “Well, you have all the qualifications.”

Some people just like to debate and bicker.  Their day isn’t complete until they have picked a little fight with someone.

A room may be peaceful when they walk in, but when they walk out there is a good chance that the atmosphere will be buzzing with strife.

This is not a characteristic of a servant of the Lord.  The servant of the Lord “must not quarrel,” the Bible says. 

Do you find yourself in a lot of contentious situations?  Is there strife between you and a lot of people?  Maybe you think it’s them, but you need to think about this. 

Maybe it’s you.

The second characteristic of a servant of the Lord found in Second Timothy 2:24 is this.  He must be “gentle to all.”

Have you ever met someone who was gentle to all?  They are such a pleasure to be around!  I’m not talking about weakness or ignorance, I’m talking about gentleness.

To be gentle is to be Christlike.  Jesus said, “I am gentle and humble in heart.”

Second Corinthians 10:1 talks about the meekness and gentleness of Christ.

Galatians 5:23 says that a fruit of the Spirit is gentleness.  As the Holy Spirit has His way inside of us, we grow in gentleness.

Gentleness sounds like something for women maybe, or children, but Paul said in First Thessalonians 2:7 that he and the other men, when they were in Thessalonica, were as gentle as a mother with her own baby.  Repeatedly Paul said this was a prerequisite for church leadership – they must be gentle.

So…are you gentle?  Are you growing more gentle as time passes? 

Gentleness is a mark of a true servant of the Lord.

The third characteristic is the ability to teach.  Now that may not sound like a character trait.  That may sound more like a profession, for people with special training; but there it is, the Lord’s servant must be able to teach.

Actually, teaching can be quite simple.  You impart information in a way that the other person “gets” it. 

I’ve heard it said that if you know enough to know it yourself, you know enough to teach it to someone else.

This is something all Christians should be prepared to do.  If you don’t think you can teach anyone, then it’s time to step to the next level of spiritual maturity.

And the fourth characteristic of the servant of the Lord, according to Second Timothy 2:24, is patience.  The Greek dictionary I looked at said “patient of all ills and wrongs.”

So how are you doing on patience? 

Patience is a hallmark of the Christian. 

God Himself is patient, and is called the “God of patience.”

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit, and the more we allow the Spirit to work in us, the more patient we will be. 

If you think you are quite mature, but you are impatient, you are mistaken.  The thermometer of your maturity will go no higher than your level of patience.

Our Lord has great patience, the Bible says, and we are to be like Him.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be around people like this all the time?  Wouldn’t it make each day so nice?

Well there is little you can do about everyone else, but you can grow in maturity yourself, under the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit. 

And Second Timothy 2:24 can be a good measuring stick of how you’re doing – for the Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, able to teach, and patient.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2010 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 on Earth Are Treasures in Heaven? - Apples of Gold - August 10, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 10, 2010

“What on Earth Are Treasures in Heaven?”

 

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

When my children were students at a Christian school, we did a fundraiser called Pennies from Heaven.  We did it in February because, you know, Abe Lincoln is on the penny.

One key to a successful school fundraiser is to do it annually.  That gets people in the groove and they know what to expect from year to year.

So once we got it rolling, families would store up their change all year long, then bring it in for the fundraiser.

That’s a simple concept, isn’t it?  Store up your pennies at home all year, then give them to the school each February.

Now keep that in mind as we look at something Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount.  In Matthew 6 He said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Storing up – a simple concept, right?  I have a plastic box at home where I store up various hardware like nails and screws for simple household projects.  Whenever I do a job, I buy more than I need and store it up for the next job. 

But Jesus said to store up treasures in heaven.  He took the simple “storing up” concept and blew my mind with it.  “Storing up” I get.  But storing up treasures in heaven?

First of all, I don’t know where heaven is, so how can I go put things there?  And what exactly am I supposed to put there?  The word “treasures” is kind of vague.

Fortunately Jesus brought up “treasure in heaven” once again, while teaching His disciples in Luke chapter 12.  He said, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.  Sell your possessions and give to the poor.  Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.”

It doesn’t say where heaven is, and it doesn’t define the treasure, but at least it gives a concrete, earthly action.  He told them to sell their possessions and give to the poor. 

So giving what we have to help others in need – that’s the only concrete action I see there that leads to treasure in heaven.

Jesus brought up “treasure in heaven” again, during a conversation with a rich young man in Matthew 19.  He told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow Me.”

Once again there is this one concrete earthly action – giving what we have to help others in need.

This idea of storing up treasures comes up again in First Timothy chapter six.  It’s a message aimed at people who are well supplied with worldly goods, and here is what Paul told Timothy to tell them. 

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age…”

Again we find the same idea – giving what we have to help others in need.  We are to be generous and willing to share.

Jesus told us specifically to store up treasures in heaven, but how do we do that?

We aren’t given step-by-step instructions, but here is what appears to be taking place.  When we make certain “transactions” here on earth, a transaction also takes place in heaven.

For example, when we give to someone in need here on earth, it appears to be recorded as some kind of credit in our favor in heaven.  The more we give to those in need here, the larger our credit, or our “store of treasures” becomes in heaven.

Sometimes we only see things from a worldly perspective.  “If I give this away, then I will have less.”  But the heavenly perspective is, give it away, and in return you will have treasure in heaven.

Think of Jesus’ parable in Matthew 13.  He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.  When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

The man gave up all he had, because something much better was waiting at the end of the transaction.

That’s what the kingdom of heaven is like, Jesus said. 

And I think that’s what storing up treasures in heaven is like.  We give up things we currently have, giving them to those in need, and on the other end of the transaction we receive treasures in heaven.

The Bible doesn’t give us great detail on the subject, but here is what I believe.  When we give to others in need, it is not a loss for our account.  It’s more like a transfer, from an unprotected worldly account, to a fully protected heavenly account, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2010 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-

Life So Full That Hope Is Not Necessary - Apples of Gold - August 9, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 9, 2010

“Life So Full That Hope Is Not Necessary”

 

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

Boys left alone on an island.

That’s what we find in the classic novel “Lord of the Flies.”

They were stranded, far from home and family, with no real hope of being rescued, and yet they did not quickly slip into despair.

Why not?

Because they were too busy. 

The author said that life was so full that “hope was not necessary and therefore forgotten.”

They were boys, turned loose on an island!  There was much adventure and discovery.

Life was full, so hope was not necessary.

I love that observation, and I think it applies to our world today.

We can fill our lives with work and play and entertainment.  We have access to more information than ever in the history of the world.  There are more videos on Youtube than you can watch in a dozen lifetimes.  Keeping up with the news is impossible because there is new news every minute.  And thanks to Twitter, you can keep up-to-the-second with all your friends as well as your favorite celebrities. 

With our cell phones and text messages and Facebook and iPods and iPads, with cable and satellite and internet and now DVD’s coming out of soda machines, our lives are literally overflowing.

I think many Americans are like the boys on the island.  Their lives are so full that hope is not necessary and therefore forgotten.

But…I think that only lasts for a while.  At some point a nagging suspicion seeps in and says, “There’s got to be more than this.”

Well the good news is, there is more than this!

One of the hallmarks of Christianity is hope.

First, there is hope in the resurrection of the dead, as Paul taught in Acts 23:6.  In Romans 8:23 he said that our bodies would be redeemed someday.

Then there is the hope of eternal life, as it says in Titus 3:7.

First Thessalonians 4:13 says that, due to the resurrection of the dead and the hope of eternal life, we do not need to despair when a loved one dies.  It says we do not have to “grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.”

And here is the hope, that one day all of us believers will be together forever, “and so shall we ever be with the Lord,” it says in verse 17.

When a person becomes a Christian, when Christ becomes his savior, he is born into a living hope.  First Peter one says, “In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you…”

So not only do we have hope for the resurrection of the dead into life eternal, but we have hope for a heavenly inheritance.

Now listen to Romans 15:13.  I think this is a good description of the hope available to Christians.  It says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Not only do we have hope, but we can be overflowing with hope through the Holy Spirit inside of us. 

Hebrews 6:19 says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”

Colossians 1:27 offers this descriptive phrase, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

And get this!  It’s not because we are so good or so holy.  It’s because of the wonderful grace of God!

First Peter 1:13 instructs us to set our hope fully on the grace to be given us at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

My study bible says this about hope.  “It is the assurance of eternal life guaranteed by the present possession of the Holy Spirit.”

Yes, we live in a busy world; and busy people can live for a while without even thinking about hope. 

It’s like the boys in “Lord of the Flies.”  Life is so full that hope is not necessary.

But when there is a break in the busyness, then what? 

Then there is good news!  Through Christ we have hope:  the hope of eternal life and the hope of a heavenly inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, through the grace of God.

And this hope overflows inside of us through the Holy Spirit, and becomes an anchor for our soul, firm and secure.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


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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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