Tap Into the Wonder of God in Us - Apples of Gold - October 20, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 20, 2008

“Tap Into the Wonder of God in Us”

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

One of the great things about being a Christian is having the Holy Spirit inside me.

I don’t have to wonder where God is, out there roaming around the vast universe.  Yes, He’s out there, but He’s also right here, inside me, in the form of His Holy Spirit.

When I pray, I don’t have to scream out so He can hear me.  I don’t have to go to some temple somewhere because my very own body is His temple. 

In John 14:17 Jesus told His disciples what was coming.  He said that the Holy Spirit “will be in you.”

Romans 8:11 talks about the Spirit of God, “who lives in you.”

Second Timothy 1:14 says, “…the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”

Second Corinthians 1:22 says that God put His Spirit “…in our hearts…”

Ephesians 3:16 says His Spirit is in our “inner being.”

Not only is He in us, but Ephesians 5:18 tells us to “be filled with the Spirit.”  And over and over in the Bible we read about people who were, indeed, full of the Holy Spirit.

So God’s Spirit is in me, and look what that means, according to First Corinthians 3:16 and 6:19.  “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit lives in you?”  “Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you received from God?”

So how does a person get God’s Holy Spirit inside of them?

Well Jesus said in Luke 11:13 that God gives the Holy Spirit “to those who ask Him.”

Galatians 3:2 indicates that we receive the Holy Spirit by believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Verse 14 says it’s by faith.

In Acts 2:38 Peter preached, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

And I like that phrasing, which is also used in Acts 10:45 – “the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

“So Doug, are you saying the Holy Spirit is not inside you one minute, then the next minute He is?”

In Acts chapter two, the first disciples in Jerusalem were suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit. 

In Acts chapter 8, Peter and John went to Samaria, prayed with them to receive the Holy Spirit, and they did.

In Acts 19 Paul told the Ephesians about the Holy Spirit, and right there they received the Holy Spirit.

Where does this Holy Spirit come from?

First Peter 1:12 says the Holy Spirit is sent from heaven.

Jesus said in John 15:26 that He would send the Holy Spirit from the Father.

So what does the Holy Spirit do?

Ah, this is the good part.

First of all, you need to know what it says in Galatians 5:17.  The Holy Spirit wants what is contrary to our sinful nature.  So when the Holy Spirit comes in contact with our sinful nature, it brings conviction.  Then we can either accept that conviction, or run from it.

When we accept that conviction, the Spirit shows us our sinful state and our need for a Savior.

Then the Holy Spirit does an interesting thing.  According to John 15:26, He testifies to us about Jesus.

This is an incredible moment in your life.  The almighty Spirit of God lovingly takes you under His wing and tells you about Jesus Christ.  John 16:14 says He brings glory to Jesus.  If you ever wonder if it is really the Spirit of God speaking to you, this is how you will know.  He will always testify about Jesus Christ.

Then we have the choice of believing or rejecting the Gospel. 

When we believe, it triggers a marvelous chain of events. 

First Corinthians 6:11 says we are “justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

Then God puts His Spirit in our hearts.  Second Corinthians 5:5 says God gives us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 

Ephesians 1 says, “Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.”

Ephesians 4:30 says we are sealed with the Holy Spirit “for the day of redemption.”

Then the Holy Spirit communicates to us, speaking inside of us to our own spirit.  Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” 

First John 3:24 says that we know that God lives in us “by the Spirit He gave us.”

Then the Holy Spirit begins to bring freedom to our sin-shackled souls.  Second Corinthians 3:17 says, “…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

And He begins to sanctify us, setting us apart for the Lord.  Romans 15:16 talks about people “becoming an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”

First Peter 1:2 says we have been chosen for obedience to Jesus Christ, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit.

And the Holy Spirit begins to give us gifts like hope and love and peace and joy. 

And He begins to teach us.  Jesus said in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit will guide us “into all truth.”  Jesus even called the Holy Spirit “the Counselor.”

Romans 8:14 indicates that the Holy Spirit will lead us.

Romans 8 also says that the Holy Spirit will intercede for us.

Ephesians 2:18 says the Spirit gives us access right to the Father Himself.

Jude 1 says we can pray in the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 3:3 says we can worship by the Holy Spirit.

And this only scratches the surface of what the Holy Spirit does in our lives. 

So as a believer, are you in tune with the Holy Spirit?  Do you listen to His teaching and respond to His leading?  Galatians 6:8 talks about pleasing the Spirit.  Are you working to please the Spirit?

Ephesians 4:30 warns us not to grieve the Holy Spirit.

First Thessalonians 5:19 warns us, “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire…”

Perhaps you have not taken advantage of this beautiful gift from God.

Well now is the time.  Start today.

Tap into the wonder of God in us…the Holy Spirit.

Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

Why Are You Down On Shacking Up? - Apples of Gold - October 17, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 17, 2008

“Why Are You Down On Shacking Up?”

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

“Doug, why are you down on shacking up?”

“Shacking up” is slang for living with someone like you’re married, but you’re not.

And by “living like you’re married” I’m focusing on the physical intimacy part. 

Now I don’t blame people for wanting to be together.  In Genesis 2:18 God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Genesis 1:27 says that God created us male and female.  We were designed for each other, by God.

And now look at what else the Designer said, in Genesis 2:24.  “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”

Jesus reaffirmed this in Matthew 19, “…and the two will become one flesh.  So they are no longer two, but one.  Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Paul reaffirmed the same thing in Ephesians 5:31, so this is well established.  One man and one woman are united together and become one flesh.  No longer two, but one.  And Jesus said that God joins in.  That uniting of the two into one is actually done by God Himself.  And Jesus concludes by saying, “Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

This is a key difference between shacking up and really being married.  When two people are married, they have a commitment to stay together and be there for each other until one of them dies. 

But when two people are living together as if they are married, but they aren’t, the big difference is their refusal to actually unite, to become one, to be fused together until death.

“But Doug, we just aren’t ready for that yet.  Why can’t we enjoy what we have without making that lifelong commitment?”

The problem is not your friendship or your mutual support.  The problem is the physical intimacy.  Until you are married, it is wrong and a sin before God.

The Bible repeatedly condemns sexual immorality.  For example, First Corinthians 6:9 says that the sexually immoral will not inherit the kingdom of God.  Verse 18 adds that we should actually flee from sexual immorality. 

Galatians 5:19 says, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious…” and puts sexual immorality at the top of the list.

Hebrews 13:4 says “God will judge…all the sexually immoral.”

“Alright Doug, that’s fine.  Don’t be sexually immoral.  But that’s pretty broad.  What exactly does that mean?”

Okay, for example let’s go back to First Corinthians 6:18.  It uses the broad term “sexual immorality” because it covers a variety of things.  The word used in the original Greek is “porneia” which includes, among other things, fornication.

So what is fornication?  Basically it is sex between unmarried people. 

So there, I didn’t want to have to describe it to the nth degree, but there it is.

If you are shacking up, if you are living together as if you are married, but you aren’t, and that includes that aspect of physical intimacy, then you are committing the specific sin of fornication.

“But Doug, we are so in love.  And we want to express that love to each other.”

Well here is some advice for you from First Corinthians 7:9.  If you can’t control yourself, then get married, “for it is better to marry than to burn with passion,” it says.

Yes, we live in a sexed-up culture, but that’s nothing new.  In fact, it’s a good reason to get married.  First Corinthians 7:2 says, “…since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.”

It goes on to say, “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.  The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband.  In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.  Do not deprive each other…”

See, God designed men and woman for one another.  It is a blessed gift from the Creator, but it is only blessed when we do it His way.  And His way is that one man and one woman are joined together by Him for life, and do not separate.  In other words, you enter into a marriage covenant.  You get married.  Then you can freely express your love for one another physically.

God our Father has put up safe boundaries for us to operate within.  Everything outside these boundaries He calls sin, and we know that sin brings death, it brings a curse, it brings God’s judgment.

If you are shacking up, if you are sleeping together and aren’t married, then you are committing the sin of fornication.  Instead of showing love for one another, you are actually, in effect, cursing one another, and bringing down God’s judgment.

I know the movies and books make it look good; live together, sleep together, and live happily ever after.  But that’s not the way it works.  Anything outside of God’s plan is not a good plan.  If a couple isn’t completely committed to one another, then disaster is coming, hurt and pain and sorrow.

And if a couple is completely committed to one another, then I have two words for you.

Get married.

Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
“But Doug, what if we live together but don’t sleep together?”
That has two problems.  First, you put yourself directly in the path of temptation.
“But Doug, we don’t even see each other in that way, not at all.”
Which brings up the second problem, the appearance of evil, which the Bible says to avoid.
“But we aren’t doing anything wrong.  How should I know what it looks like?”
If people walking down your street point to your house and say, “Do you think they’re doing it?”  “Oh yeh, they’re doing it.”  Then it has the appearance of evil.

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

Power, Power, Wonder Working Power - Apples of Gold - October 15, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 15, 2008

“Power, Power, Wonder Working Power”

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

Adam and Eve sinned, and felt shame.

Their cover-up attempts were ineffective, then God stepped in.

It was an awesome and terrible event.  Some of His creations, some beautiful animals that He had so recently made out of His own creativity, were killed.  Their blood drained from them.

I wonder if it was the first time Adam and Eve had ever seen blood?  Were they horrified at the sight?  Sickened?  Were they ashamed and shocked at this new consequence for their sin?

God took the now lifeless carcasses of these unfortunate creatures and made garments of skin for the wayward first couple.  They could now adequately cover up, but oh, what a price.

It was the first time, but it was definitely not the last time that blood was shed because of human sin.

In the days of Moses, the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, a land of many false gods.  The Egyptians harshly mistreated the Israelites, and they cried out to God.  So God called Moses to deliver the people from Egypt – and to carry out a mighty judgment against the Egyptians.

The final judgment was this.  A “destroyer” would pass through the land, killing all the first born.  But the Israelite firstborn could be spared, if they killed a lamb and put its blood on the doorframe of their house.  The lamb would die, and its blood would spare the life of the child.  Yes, it was a bloody night, all because of the grievous sins of Egypt.

Of course the Israelites were sinners, too.  And once again blood would be shed to deal with it.  In fact, God instituted a whole system of sacrifices involving blood for sin offerings and guilt offerings and fellowship offerings.  And once a year the high priest used blood as a sin offering for the atonement of the people.

The blood of these animals was God’s chosen instrument.  In Leviticus 17:11 God said, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”

These blood sacrifices for sin were made generation after generation.  Untold gallons of blood shed for the sin of the people, because that’s what God told them to do. 

Hebrews 9:10 called it “external regulations.”  They went through the motions on the outside, but it didn’t make any changes on the inside.  Verse nine says that the “…sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.”

Hebrews 10:4 says, “…it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

Then Jesus Christ came on the scene, and He started talking about His own blood.  He said His blood was the blood of a new covenant, “which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

And Jesus’ blood was poured out…on the cross.  Romans 3:25 says that Jesus Himself became the “sacrifice of atonement.”

Then the Bible says He went to heaven.  He took on the role of high priest, entered the real tabernacle, into the real most holy place, and offered His blood as the real sin offering.

And God accepted Jesus’ blood as the complete and final sacrifice for sin.  Never again must a creature be killed to cover the sins of man. 

Romans 3 says we have all sinned, but now, through faith in the blood of Christ, we are made right with God, redeemed.

Romans 5:9 says we have been justified by Jesus’ blood, and saved from God’s wrath.

Ephesians 1:7 says we have “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

First John 1:7 says that Jesus’ blood “purifies us from all sin.”

Revelation 1:6 says that Jesus freed us from our sins by His blood.

Now you might ask, “What good does that do me today?”

First Peter 1 says that Jesus’ blood has redeemed us from the empty way of life handed down to us.

Hebrews 9 and 10 says that Jesus’ blood will actually cleanse our consciences so that we may serve the living God, starting right now.

Colossians 1 says that God did this so that we could be holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation.

Hebrews 10:22 says that now we can freely “draw near to God” because Jesus’ blood has cleansed us, enabling us to come into God’s presence.

Yes, blood is still the price for sin, but thank God He did away with all those animal sacrifices, which had no power to change us on the inside anyway.

Jesus’ blood was the perfect, once-and-for-all sacrifice for our sins.  Through faith in His blood we are forgiven, redeemed, and made holy in the sight of God.  Through His blood our conscience is cleansed, our life has new purpose, and we are free to draw near to God and come into His holy presence.

No wonder the old hymn says:

(play chorus by Shirley Caesar)

There is power, power, wonder working power
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is power, power, wonder working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

It's Time to Get Your Sins Forgiven - Apples of Gold - October 14, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 14, 2008

“It’s Time to Get Your Sins Forgiven”

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

My wife and I watched an old movie about David and Bathsheba last night.

David was played by Gregory Peck.  Now that man had the pipes…Gregory Peck!

We watched as they built this illicit relationship on sin and deception.  Their actions were despicable, illegal, and under the law of Moses, worthy of death.

At one point they showed them in this loving embrace, making big commitments to one another.  Never mind that they were married to other people. 

I turned to my wife and said, “A lot of people do that kind of thing, but I don’t know what they’re thinking.  The relationship can never be whole.  When it starts in sin like that, no matter what happens it will always have a piece missing.  It will just never be whole.”

Then I stopped and thought for a second.  “Well,” I said, “I guess I can’t discount forgiveness.  God can take all kinds of brokenness and make it whole when there is forgiveness.”

Later in the movie there is a dramatic scene where David goes into the tabernacle and bows before the Lord, completely humbling himself, confessing his sins, and actually preparing himself to be killed for them.

But he is not killed.  He is forgiven.

This is the same David who wrote Psalm 32:

1 Blessed is he
       whose transgressions are forgiven,
       whose sins are covered.
 2 Blessed is the man
       whose sin the LORD does not count against him
       and in whose spirit is no deceit.
 3 When I kept silent,
       my bones wasted away
       through my groaning all day long.
 4 For day and night
       your hand was heavy upon me;
       my strength was sapped
       as in the heat of summer.

 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
       and did not cover up my iniquity.
       I said, "I will confess
       my transgressions to the LORD"—
       and you forgave
       the guilt of my sin.

My friend, it’s time to stop carrying around the weight of your sin.  Like David said, it causes you to waste away.  Your life is not what it should be, not what it could be.  Sin saps your strength.  It chips away at your being, it gnaws away at your soul. 

But there is an easy solution to the sin problem. 

I like that little phrase David used in Psalm 32:2.  He said, “…in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

This is where it starts.  See, most of the time we deceive ourselves about our sin.  We tell ourselves that it isn’t actually sin, or that it isn’t that bad, or that it’s not really a problem.  But to do anything about our sin, we have to start by being honest.  We have to fan away that fog of self-deception so we can see clearly the way it is. 

We have sinned.

Okay.  That’s easy enough.  I’ve sinned.  Now what?

Look what David said in verse five.  “Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’”

So to deal with our sin, we start by being honest with ourselves, that we have sinned.  Then we are honest with God, and we confess our sins to Him.

I loved that part in the movie, where a humble and contrite David fell on his knees and confessed his sins to God.  It was wonderful to see him go from the hardness of his sin to the softness of his repentance.

Second Chronicles 7:14 paints this picture.  To deal with sin, we humble ourselves and pray.  We draw near to God and we turn from our wicked ways.  Then God brings forgiveness.

Repeatedly the Bible talks about repentance and forgiveness in the same breath.  Luke 24:47 says that “repentance and forgiveness of sins” will be preached in Jesus’ name to all nations.

Acts 2:38 says, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…”

Acts 5:31 says that Jesus, the Prince and Savior, gives us “repentance and forgiveness of sins…”

So we recognize our sins and confess them to God.  We repent of them.  We turn away from them and towards God. 

And now look at First John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

So today, it’s time to stop carrying around that sin.  Whether you realize it or not, it’s taking its toll.  It’s time to take an honest look at your life, and recognize the sin.  Then come before God and humble yourself.  Confess your sins to Him and repent. 

Then through Jesus Christ you will receive this most wonderful gift – forgiveness.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

Not One Headache in Almost Two Years - Apples of Gold - October 13, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 13, 2008

“Not One Headache in Almost Two Years”

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

Here is something to consider.

Since I went on the Daniel Fast I have not had one single headache.

That’s almost two years without a headache.

Now I admit, I was not a headache-prone person to begin with.  I never carried around my own little stash of pain pills. 

But I did get a headache now and then, and once in a while when I came home from work it would be bad enough that I would just pop some pills and go to bed.  Without giving it much thought I just chalked it up to too much time in front of a computer or the weather or who-knows-what.

Then in January, 2007 our church declared a 21-day Daniel Fast.  I had never been on a Daniel Fast, and I had never even heard of it until the year before.

It’s roughly based on Daniel in the Old Testament.  Daniel 1:12 says, “Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.”  And Daniel 10:2 says, “I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips…”

There are many variations on the Daniel Fast, but for me personally I settled on these five simple rules:
--Drink only water
--Eat no meat
--Eat no bread
--Eat no sweets
--Eat nothing fried.
Then as an addendum I included “avoid preservatives.”

So I started on this three-week Daniel Fast, and by the middle of the second day I had a huge headache.  It was a different kind of headache, though.  It sort of dulled my brain. 

On day three I woke up with a headache.  That was unusual for me because I never woke up with a headache.  Even when I had a headache I could always sleep it off and feel fine the next day.

And then by the middle of day three the headache started to break up, which was also unusual because if I had a headache earlier in the day, it never just went away.  But on that day it did, and by that evening I felt fine.

And I have not had a single headache since.

Now here’s a funny thing.  What about the things I blamed for causing my headaches?  All those conditions still exist, yet I get no headaches.

And it’s not like I was a terrible eater before, or terribly out of shape.  And I didn’t have any addictions like some people who drink Diet Coke all day, or coffee; or people who constantly munch on sweets. 

For me it wasn’t one big thing, but I guess it was everything, all added up.

Now I didn’t go into the Daniel Fast as a cure for headaches.  Like I said, I didn’t get that many to begin with. 

I went into the Daniel Fast as a way of drawing closer to God.  It’s a way to deny myself to better follow Jesus.  It’s a way to crucify my flesh in order to live more fully in the Spirit.

So my motivation was strictly spiritual, and I think I’ve grown spiritually because of the fast.

And then there is this byproduct, which reminds me of Daniel and his friends.  Daniel 1:8 says, “…Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine…” 

So his motive was spiritual.  As an orthodox Jew he did not want to defile himself before God by what he ate. 

But now look at the byproduct.  Daniel 1:15 says, “…they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.”

For me, the Daniel Fast was spiritually motivated, but it had a byproduct of eliminating all headaches.

By the way, I was a few months into the fast before the headache thing dawned on me.  I was telling someone about that initial headache and I just kind of blurted out, “And I haven’t had one since.” 

And now it’s going on two years, and still no headache.

Now you might say, “Gee, I should try that for my headaches.”  And that’s not a bad idea, but I say this.  If you are going to fast, why not go all the way and do it for spiritual reasons?  You will still get the physical benefits, plus the spiritual benefits which are actually more beneficial.

And for me, one of the spiritual benefits is the ability to stay on the fast.  I truly believe that not only did God call me to this fast, but that He also empowered me for this fast.  It has not been hard at all, and I’ve never been tempted to break it.

I first committed to 21 days like the others at church.  But somewhere in there I felt prompted to commit to the whole year.  Then at the end of last year I felt prompted to re-up for this year.  And I will likely recommit for 2009.

Now I’m not saying the Daniel Fast is the miracle cure for all headaches.  But if you suffer from headaches, it’s something you should consider.

The Daniel Fast eliminated all of my headaches, and I just thought you should know.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

Past Apples of Gold about the Daniel Fast, found on www.wave94.com:

The Discipline of Hunger:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=240

Daniel Fast, Month Five:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=298

Fasting Creates a Space for God:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=404

Daniel Fast, One Year:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=465

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

Look Beyond the Trial to the Blessing - Apples of Gold - October 10, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 10, 2008

“Look Beyond the Trial to the Blessing”

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

We took away his cell phone.

With kids these days, it’s a great form of discipline.  That cell phone is their connection to all their friends.  They think it’s their lifeline.

So when one of the twin 13-year-old boys living with us got in a little trouble at school, he lost his cell phone.

“Until when?” he asked.

I thought about it, then said, “Until you memorize a Bible verse.”

I figured that was a winner.  It’s good for the child to learn the Bible, plus it puts the ball in his court.  Instead of me picking some arbitrary timeframe, he can get the phone back whenever he has a mind to.

“No,” he said.

“Oh really?” I said.  “Fine.  I don’t care if you ever do it.”

That didn’t last long.  Soon enough he said, “When are you going to give me a verse so I can get my phone back?”

So I gave him a verse and he went right to work.  He went over it and over it and before the evening was over he had it down cold.  He got his phone back, and he still knows the verse.

Then his brother infracted and lost his phone, so I gave him a verse.

“Wait…that’s longer than my brother’s!  This isn’t fair.  This is…oh I can’t believe this.  I’ll never learn all that!”

“Fine.  I don’t care if you ever do it.”

And he went right to work.  Actually it was the Lord’s Prayer.  I told him, “Millions of people around the world have learned these verses.  It’s not that hard.”

So he powered through.  He said it over and over, adding line after line.  He didn’t really want to, but he knew he had to if he wanted his phone back.  And before the evening was out, he got it.

Like many teenage boys, these young men are not bookworms.  They are all about action.  So sitting still and focusing long enough to memorize some Bible was, for them, a real trial.

But they persevered.  They did it.  And they were blessed by getting their phone back, and they may not know it but they will be blessed by what they learned in the process.

See, we are always blessed when we persevere in the face of a trial.

Now our human tendency is to run from a trial.  It’s hard and we don’t like it. 

But God’s word tells us to look trials square in the eye and move forward.  We don’t turn from trials, we face them head on.  We do the hard thing.

James 1:2 makes what, on the surface, sounds like a ridiculous statement.  It says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds…”

Well we don’t want to face them at all.  How can we possibly consider it pure joy?

It’s not that the trial itself is pure joy.  It’s what comes afterward.

For the boys, they looked beyond their trial to the moment when they got their cell phones back.  They were able to face the trial and persevere because they saw beyond the trial to the blessing.

And that’s a good word for all of us today.  Look beyond the trial to the blessing.

James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial…”

Look what Hebrews 12:2 says about Jesus.  It indicates that He endured the cross because of the “joy set before Him.”

Not that the trial of the cross had any joy.  No, He looked beyond the trial to the blessing.  And in that case the blessing was the salvation of mankind.

So what trial are you going through today?  Maybe you find yourself under the rubble of our economy.  My goodness, the lead article of today’s Wall Street Journal said, “The market rout is rapidly wiping out vast amounts of wealth, casting a pall over households and businesses around the country.” 

So is there a “pall” over your house today?  Are you one of the many facing a severe trial?  How can you possibly apply James 1:2 and consider it “pure joy?”

The key is to look beyond the trial to the blessing.  And if you can’t see the blessing, then look a little further, on to the Blesser Himself.  Back to Hebrews 12:2 which says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”

Maybe it doesn’t sound quite logical, but it is spiritually sound.  Face your trial today, and not with dread but with joy.  Look beyond the trial to the blessing, and beyond that to the Blesser. 

And then we will be able to do the unbelievable.  To persevere under trial and consider it pure joy.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

That Shadow Belongs to Daddy - Apples of Gold - October 9, 2008 ***Welcome to the world nephew Anthony Michael Spracklen!*** -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 9, 2008

“That Shadow Belongs to Daddy”

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

A new Daddy was born this week.

He arrived at the same time as Anthony Michael Spracklen, my baby nephew.*

Maybe you don’t know Daddy Spracklen, but he’s going to be huge in the life of little Anthony.

I remember when I first felt the mantle of fatherhood settle on my shoulders.  I was coming home late one night after work.  I approached the door to our apartment building where my pregnant wife was sleeping inside; and the street light cast my shadow ahead of me.

It suddenly dawned on me that soon a pair of little eyes would see that shadow and feel safe.  They would see that shadow and feel love.  They would see that shadow and know that everything is going to be okay, because that shadow belongs to Daddy.

I remember as a kid when my Dad had to work late.  It’s like the house was missing a wheel until Dad came home. 

I think it’s that way for my family.  For a time years ago I spent one night a week out of state where I managed a second radio station.  My family hated it.  The day is unresolved when Dad doesn’t come home.  I didn’t like it either and changed my schedule.

Now it would be easy to be Dad if you were all-powerful.  But we’re not.  We carry this mighty responsibility without the capability.  We can’t possibly be “all that” to our kids.  Sometimes I feel the inadequacy dripping through my paper umbrella.

That’s when I turn to my Heavenly Father.  Sometimes I bow my head.  Sometimes I call out.  Sometimes I fall to my knees, turn my hands up and say, “God, I can’t do it without You.  I don’t know what to do.  I have no idea what is best.  To be a father I need You, Father.”

Right now our economy is tottering.  If you are a dad who provides for your family, every news cycle leaves that match-like odor of fear.

Well here is a verse we can cling to, Romans 8:15.  It says, “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’”

As a child of God, I am not a slave to fear.  It has no hold on me, no matter what is happening around me.  Instead I have received the Spirit of sonship, the Holy Spirit of God which bubbles up within me like living water and reaches up to my Father in heaven and says, “Dad!”

No, I don’t know exactly what God is up to.  He’s the Father and I’m the child and His ways are beyond mine.  I can’t even see Him…but I see His shadow.  I see His shadow and I feel safe.  I see His shadow and I feel love.  I see His shadow and I know everything is going to be okay, because that shadow belongs to Daddy.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
   
*  Welcome to the world Anthony Michael Spracklen, firstborn son of my little sister Jennifer and her husband Jeff, born Tuesday morning at 11:06, 5 pounds, 11 ounces, and 18 inches.   Or as my wife pointed out, “about half the size of my daughter Bethany!”

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

One Unguarded Moment - Apples of Gold - October 7, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 7, 2008

“One Unguarded Moment”

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

The officer kindly gave me a slip of paper.

“69 in a 55.”

“Did you know the speed limit was 55?” he asked.

“No, I didn’t.”

And I didn’t.  We were cruising down I-10 into Jacksonville Saturday, and who knew the speed limit would plunge from 70 to 55? 

I guess the guy who got pulled over behind me didn’t know either.

I looked later and there are actually two signs, as big as life, “55.”

Man.  Lose your focus for one minute and your wallet is considerably lighter.

And this little phrase popped into my mind, “One unguarded moment.” 

How many bad things have happened in one unguarded moment?

Have you ever gotten into trouble because you opened your big mouth in one spectacular unguarded moment?

What about temptation?  Nobody really cares if you don’t give in 99% of the time.  It’s what happens in that one unguarded moment that counts. 

Lives can be wrecked, reputations ruined, families plundered, all in one unguarded moment.

This is one reason I tell people not to drink alcohol.  Even one glass means your guard is one glass lower.

It’s also why I tell young people not to stay up all night.  The longer you stay awake, the lower your guard.

Life is like a minefield.  There are opportunities to blow yourself up at every turn. 

So what can we do?  Two things.

First of all, we take the advice of Ephesians 5:15.  We “walk circumspectly.”

I like that word circumspectly.  It makes me think of circumference and spectator, someone looking all around in a circle. 

That’s what you do in a mine field.  You walk circumspectly, eyes sweeping all around, knowing that one unguarded step could be your last.

Think of a recovering alcoholic.  They say to take it one day at a time.  Sometimes it’s one minute at a time.  You have to be on guard against taking a drink at all times.  Otherwise, if you let your guard down and temptation comes along, you’ve had it.

Are there certain temptations that you think are beyond you?  You don’t have to guard against them because, after all, you’re strong in that area.  Then First Corinthians 10:12 is for you.  “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”

So walk circumspectly, even watching out for temptations you think are beyond you.

Now this thing of being on guard all the time – does that mean we have to hunker down and stay on the defensive, paranoid of everything and everybody?

That leads to my next point:  walk in righteousness.

Listen to Proverbs 13:6, “Righteousness guards the man of integrity…” 

I don’t have to focus on guarding myself all the time.  Instead, I can concentrate my efforts on being a man of integrity, a man of righteousness.  When I do that, the guarding takes care of itself.  If I am always working to do the right thing, it sort of inoculates me against doing the wrong thing.

I like what it says in Psalm 101:2, “I will be careful to lead a blameless life…”  To me that means that if you poke around in my life, not only will you not find anything terribly wrong, you won’t even find anything suspicious.

Yes, that’s setting the bar high, but that’s how we guard our life.  We are such people of righteousness that there’s no room for the other stuff.

So has your life ever been hammered in one unguarded moment?  It’s happened to all of us.  We let our guard down and bam! 

But the good news is that we can do something about it.  We can keep the guard up and spare ourselves a lot of heartache. 

That doesn’t mean we hunker down and hide.  No, we get out and walk.  And we keep our guard up by walking circumspectly and walking in righteousness.

And when we do that, we can avoid the trouble that comes in that one unguarded moment.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
   
Walk Circumspectly means watching for speed limit signs.
Walk in Righteousness means obeying them!

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

Have You Ever met a Real VIP? - Apples of Gold - October 6, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 6, 2008

“Have You Ever Met a Real VIP?”

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

“He’s spending time with the President.”

That’s what my wife said about someone she knows.

“The President of the United States?” I asked.

“Yes.  I don’t know what he’s doing, but he’s with the President.”

Wow.  I’ve never even seen the President and this guy’s spending time with him.

Last week a friend of mine was at the vice-presidential debate in St. Louis.  From his cell phone he sent me a close-up photo of Sarah Palin.  I think he shook her hand.

It’s cool to be around important people.  It elevates you.

Even the guy who works at the golf course where Bobby Bowden plays.  “I shook his hand,” he said.

We all have stories to tell about our encounters with important people.  We remember them well because our senses are heightened.  When we get around VIPs, we tune in closely to all they do and say.

Well I just read about some men in the Bible who spent time with one of the all-time great VIP’s, the man named Daniel.

There they were, standing on the bank of the great Tigris River.  The story in Daniel 10 doesn’t say what they were doing, but what does anyone do on the river bank?  You mill around, chit-chat, and see who can skip rocks the farthest.  If you stay long enough, maybe you stop and listen to the water and think deep thoughts.    

And when you’re with a VIP, they are the center of attention.  Even when they aren’t talking, everyone keeps an eye on them.  It doesn’t matter whose event it is, when the VIP walks in it becomes their event.

So there was Daniel, along with the men paying attention to him.  They knew that Daniel was a spiritual man, a man of dreams and visions.  In fact, Daniel had been on a kind of fast.  For three weeks he had eaten no choice food; no meat or wine had touched his lips.  And he’d been in a state of mourning. 

And what do you do when you are with someone who has been mourning?  You try to cheer them up, to lighten their load, to get their mind off whatever is bothering them.

So I imagine those men sort of swirling around Daniel, maybe trying to entertain and amuse him.  Then one of them told a funny story, but Daniel didn’t laugh.

The room gets a little chilly when the VIP doesn’t laugh.

So they all looked at Daniel, looking for cues about what to do next.

Daniel was looking out…at nothing.  Oh he saw something, all right.  But there was nothing there.

It’s creepy when someone stares at nothing. 

And Daniel’s eyes got wide, and his face turned pale as death.  Suddenly he dropped like a rag doll, his face to the ground, his eyes closed.  Daniel was gone.

The men didn’t know what happened, and they didn’t stick around to find out.  That creepy feeling turned into sheer terror and they fled for their lives, running from the river bank and hiding. 

Meanwhile, Daniel had not been staring at nothing, but at a man who was actually a spiritual being above the river, unseen by the rest.  Daniel described him later as “a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist.  His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.”

A real VIP was on the scene.

Have you ever wondered who impresses the important people?  Well it’s the people who are more important than them. 

When Daniel had this encounter with a spiritual being, he was thoroughly impressed. 

And I don’t think this is just some remote Bible story.  I think spiritual beings are alive and well today.  The New Testament talks about angels and demons.  Much like Daniel, Paul in the book of Ephesians wrote about rulers in the heavenly realms.

Yes, I am impressed by this world’s important people.  But what would knock my socks off is an encounter with a spiritual being.  A good one, please, not a bad one. 

It hasn’t happened yet, not in some Daniel or Ezekiel-like vision.  But I’m hoping for it. 

No, I don’t know what I’m asking for.  It’s just that I believe in the spiritual realm and spiritual beings, and I would like to have an extraordinary, life altering brush with one of them; an undeniable encounter. 

I can’t even say that I’m praying for it, because I’m not.  But as I draw near to God in fasting and prayer, soaking up His Word and resisting evil, my mind is more and more captured by spiritual things.

And I look forward to the day when, like Daniel, I’ll have a story to tell. 

The day I spent time with a very real VIP.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
  
 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

What Are Your Chances of Getting a Call Like This? - Apples of Gold - October 3, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 3, 2008

“What Are Your Chances of Getting a Call Like This?”

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

(telephone)

“Hello Mr. Apple.  This is Philip Bartholomew, Attorney at Law.  I am pleased to inform you that you are the heir of a distant relative.  This gentleman has left you the tidy sum of $600,000.”

Wouldn’t that be great?  Who wouldn’t want to get a call like that?

Unfortunately, most of us never will.  In fact, many folks can look down the road and see that probably no one is thinking about leaving them any kind of inheritance. 

Now imagine if you were a slave.  Your slavery might be someone else’s inheritance, but you will have no inheritance at all, ever.

That’s the way it was for the Jews in Egypt.  Just a bunch of slaves.

Then God redeemed them, bringing them out of Egypt by His mighty power.  Eventually, under the leadership of Joshua, God led them into the Promised Land.  He gave them the land, and get this.  He called it their “inheritance.”

Over and over in the Old Testament that land is referred to as their inheritance. 

Now stay with me here.  If you receive an inheritance, what are you called?  An heir – H-E-I-R – heir.

Now listen to this in Ephesians 3:6.  “This mystery is that through the gospel, the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel…”

Does that mean we get a chunk of real estate in the Middle East?

Actually it’s much better than that.  First Peter 1:4 says that through Christ we receive “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.”  That’s because it is kept securely for us in heaven.

Hebrews 9:15 calls this “the promised eternal inheritance.”

Titus 3:7 says that, as heirs, we have “the hope of eternal life.”

Colossians 1:12 says our inheritance is in “the kingdom of light.”

You may or may not have any hope of inheritance in this world, but through Christ we have the hope of an incredible inheritance in the next!

See, the ancient Israelites were God’s heirs, and their inheritance was the Promised Land, a kingdom on the Eastern shores of the Mediterranean.  He prepared that land for them, then brought them into it.

And now, through Christ, we are God’s heirs, and our inheritance is eternal life in the kingdom of light.  It’s a kingdom, and He has prepared it.

Look at what Jesus told His disciples in John 14.  He said He was leaving to go and prepare a place for them.  And verse three says, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me…”

In Matthew 25 Jesus describes what it will be like when that happens.  Verse 31 begins, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.”

Now listen to what He says to those on His right.  “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” 

What a glorious day that will be! 

So maybe you don’t have any prospects of a great inheritance, no rich relatives anywhere on the horizon who are ready to make you their heir. 

But here’s the good news.  Through Christ we are heirs of God!  He has prepared an inheritance for us, eternal life in the kingdom of light. 

And it won’t be long now until we receive that inheritance.  He says, “Behold, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me.”

And soon we will hear these wonderful words, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world!”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
  
I can imagine a preacher taking this in a slightly different direction.  In my mind I can hear a dynamic sermon based on the comparison of the slaves in Egypt, who had no hope of an inheritance, to we who were slaves to sin, having no hope of any inheritance from God.  I can hear him preaching about our slavery to sin, and our poverty, and our hopeless situation we were in.  And then comes Christ, our Redeemer!  And like the Jews in Egypt, God takes us from having no hope of an inheritance to having a glorious inheritance made by God Himself.

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

Sin in the Camp - Apples of Gold - October 1, 2008 -vi-

This is one you really need to hear on our website:  www.wave94.com.  The music makes it…

 

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for October 1, 2008

“Sin in the Camp”

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

(dramatic music from the old world)

After Moses died, Joshua became the commander of Israel.

And the Lord made some mighty big promises to Joshua.  He said, “I will give you every place you set your foot, just as I promised Moses.” 

The Lord also said, “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land.  Do not be terrified or discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go!”

Then came the battle of Jericho, when Joshua and the whole army marched around the city.  The priests blasted the horns, and Joshua commanded the people, “Shout for the Lord has given you the city!”  And when the people shouted, the mighty walls of Jericho collapsed!  And Joshua’s fame spread throughout the land. 

But what Joshua didn’t know was that a little man named Achan had kept some of the Jericho plunder for himself, in direct disobedience to the Lord’s command.  And the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.

Well next up on the battle plan was a little town called Ai.  So Joshua sent some men to spy out the land, and when they returned they said, “They have very few warriors.  Why send our whole army?  Two or three thousand will do.  Why wear us all out for such a little place?”

So Joshua sent about three thousand soldiers to take the little town of Ai.  And tragedy struck the armies of Israel.  Not only did they not take the little town, but their soldiers ran for their lives.  The men of Ai chased them down, and many of them were killed.

And Joshua and the elders fell face down before the Lord, tore their robes and sprinkled dirt on their heads, humiliated and dismayed. 

What happened to all those great promises?  “Don’t be discouraged,” He said.  “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life,” He said.  “I will be with you wherever you go,” He said.  What happened to all that?

Well the Lord God heard them and spoke directly to their leader.  “Get up!  What are you doing on your face?  There is sin in the camp.  Israel has broken my command and kept some of the plunder for themselves.  That is why Israel cannot stand against her enemies.  Tomorrow morning, march them all out tribe by tribe and family by family and discover the man who has disgraced all of Israel!”

So march them out they did, and Achan’s hidden sin was revealed.  Justice was done, the Lord’s blessing returned, and Ai was taken easily. 

And the horns blast a message through the eons of time.  God’s promises are true and He’s true to His word. 

And we…we must make sure there is no sin in the camp.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

The Three Ingredients of Envy - Apples of Gold - September 30, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for September 30, 2008

“The Three Ingredients of Envy”

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

Envy is one of the so-called “seven deadly sins.”

So do you have it?  Can you look in your heart and find envy?

Here’s what to look for.  There are three main ingredients. 

First there is you, the envier.  Second there is the envied, or what we will call “The Rival.”  And third there is what you want that they have, which we will call “The Goods.” 

So there is you, your rival, and the goods.

Now let’s look at where envy begins.  It starts with the comparison.  If we don’t compare, we don’t envy.  But as soon as we start to compare what we have with what others have, we are stepping towards envy.

And it doesn’t have to be a material possession.  It can be anything that our rival seems to have more of, including happiness or contentment.

I asked earlier if you have envy.  Now let me ask you this:  Do you have a rival?  Is there someone that just sort of drives you crazy because they just seem to have it better?

Think about Cain and Abel.  Why on earth did Cain kill his brother?  It happened after God accepted Abel’s sacrifice, but not Cain’s.  At this point the deadly sin of envy grew in Cain’s heart.  All the ingredients were in place.  Cain had a rival, his brother; and his brother had the goods, in this case the acceptance of God.

In reality it had nothing to do with Abel.  Abel didn’t make Cain’s sacrifice acceptable or unacceptable.  Abel only came into the picture when Cain compared himself to him. 

See, it’s the comparison that opens the door to envy. 

So Cain compared himself to Abel and saw that Abel had the goods and he didn’t.  Then instead of spotting the envy and getting rid of it, Cain focused on his rival, and ended up killing his own little brother. 

Here is another way to look for envy in your heart.  Is there someone who makes you feel distress just by thinking about what they have that you don’t?

Proverbs 14:30 says that envy rots the bones.  You can just feel it eating away at you.

This is what the Jewish leaders felt when Jesus came along.  He spoke with authority and did miracles, and the people flocked to Him. 

The Jewish leaders wanted the admiration of the crowds.  That was the goods.  But Jesus had more of it, making him the rival.  Envy finally ate away at them so much that they drug Jesus before Pilate to be crucified.  Now look at what Mark 15:10 reveals.  It says that Pilate knew it was “out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him.”

Of course envy doesn’t always lead to murder.  Sometimes it just motivates you to keep up with the Joneses.  You end up doing things out of envy, motivated by your rival. 

Listen to what Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 4:4.  “And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor.  This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

I wonder how many church initiatives have been motivated, not by the call of God, but by envy, based on something a rival did.  “Uh oh.  First Baptist has a podcast.  Well we’ll get one too…with video!”

In Mark 7, Jesus said that envy is an evil that comes from inside of us, from our heart.

Galatians 5 says that envy is an act of the sinful nature.

First Peter 2:1 says, “…rid yourselves of all…envy…”  How can we do that?

First Corinthians 13 gives us the antidote for envy.  Verse four says, “Love…does not envy…”

When you love someone, you won’t envy them.  They will not be your rival.  You will be glad for the goods they have, whether you have them or not. 

For example, I love my son.  If he ends up more successful, more prosperous, more popular than me, I won’t be envious in any way.  I totally love him, so I can rejoice in his successes with no envy whatsoever.  We will never be rivals because I love him so much.

As Christians we are to love everyone, so that should do away with envy altogether.

And another tip for dealing with envy is to stop the comparisons.  Don’t be looking at someone else’s life to see how yours stacks up.  This is poison and opens the door to envy; or like it says in James 3:14, “bitter envy.”

So take a look in your heart.  Is there someone you would consider a rival?  Someone who has certain “goods” that you want?  Someone who causes you distress just thinking about what they have?

If so, then you might be harboring envy, and it’s time to get rid of it.  You can start with a little prayer like this, “Lord, please help me rid myself of all envy.  Help me stop comparing myself to others like that, and help me to love them as You want me to love them.  Amen.”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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