Disciples Are Made One Teaching at a Time - Apples of Gold - November 26, 2008 - ***Happy Birthday Mom!!!*** -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 26, 2008

“Disciples Are Made One Teaching at a Time”

 

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

Last night I was surrounded by a gang of young men.

We had a special Thanksgiving communion service at church, and the teenage twins living with us decided to invite their friends.

As the time approached for communion I thought, “Some of these boys might not know the first thing about communion – or Christ, for that matter.”

At that point I came to a fork in the road.  I could just let the service roll on, and whatever happened happened.  Or I could take advantage of this unique teaching opportunity.

I opted for action.  So I got their attention and said, “Meet me over there by the door.”

I told them all to “take a knee.”  It was like football practice as they huddled around the coach.  And I taught them about communion, the last supper, the body and blood, sin and forgiveness.

Then when the time came we all went together, all 11 of us, a family.  And everyone knew what it was all about, because someone took the time to tell them.

This, my friend, is how discipleship happens – one teaching at a time.

It reminds me of Isaiah 28:10 which says, “…precept upon precept, line upon line…here a little, there a little.”

Most of us know the “great commission” in Matthew 28.  Jesus said, “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

Sometimes we think that just means getting them the Gospel; you know, bring ‘em to the Lord and He’ll take it from there.  But that is actually only a sliver of the great commission.  Let me tell you, the heavy lifting is found at the end of that commission.  Matthew 28:20 says, “…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…”

Turning to Christ takes a moment.  Following Christ takes the rest of your life.

When I turned to Christ I took a discipleship class.  It lasted a few weeks and then it was over.  But actually, discipleship class is never over. 

When we think of the great commission we tend to think of evangelism.  But you know what I think of?  I think of teaching; teaching people to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

Yes, a lot of this happens within the formal church structure.  But please don’t leave it at that.

I like what it says in Deuteronomy 11:19.  It’s talking about training children, but I like it for all of us.  It says, “Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

See, all of these times are discipleship opportunities.  This is how discipleship happens, one teaching opportunity at a time.

I was working with a group of guys recently and they had the radio on.  The host was talking about dating, and it was definitely not a Christian show.  At one point one of the young men turned to me and said, “What do you think about that?”

See, that is how discipleship opportunities come along.  They may not be at 10:30 Sunday morning.  They might be at five o’clock Friday.  Actually they come along constantly and we need to be ready for them.

Back in the Boy Scouts we were taught two powerful words, “Be prepared.”  Paul said the same thing in Second Timothy 4:2, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.”

One day years ago I went out for an early morning jog.  I ran past a bar, and right in front I had to skip over a pool of vomit.  Sickening, I know – but what an illustration.

I ran back home and grabbed a couple of my kids.  I took them to the bar and showed them the vomit.  And I taught them about the dangers of alcohol and the virtues of sobriety.

One night my little boy woke up scared because high winds had kicked up.  I grabbed my Bible and we went outside.  We faced the eerie wind, and I read him the story about the scared disciples in the boat and Jesus walking to them on the water.

Yes, he can learn that story at church with a puffy-cheeked wind gust on a flannel graph.  But that doesn’t compare to learning it while you are scared, in the middle of the night, standing outside in the dark with the wind whistling all around you.

Discipleship doesn’t have to be a lesson.  It can simply be a “let’s talk about this.”

Now let me ask you, have you been in church a while?  Have you been on the receiving end of a lot of teaching?  If so, you may not realize just how much you have to offer.  A lot of wisdom you take for granted is desperately needed by others.

So watch for teaching opportunities to come along.  And I think God Himself will bring them along.  Be prepared.  Be ready to instruct and encourage with great patience. 

After all, it’s the great commission, to go and make disciples.

And this is how disciples are made – one teaching at a time.


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-

Don't Pull a Fast One - Apples of Gold - November 25, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 25, 2008

“Don’t Pull a Fast One”

 

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

We were newlyweds, and our naiveté was blood in the water as we walked into the car dealership. 

“Have you ever thought about leasing?”

“No.  Do a lot of people do that?”

“Oh sure.  It’s about half and half.  Half the people buy and half the people lease.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that.  Well golly, let’s go ahead and lease.”

Later we were ushered into a back room to sign our life away.  Very casually I asked the paperwork guy, “What percentage of your business is leasing compared to selling?”

“Oh, most people buy.  Only about 10% lease.”

That, my friend, is what I call “pulling a fast one.”

Have you ever been the victim of someone who pulled a fast one?

It happens a lot in business.  It’s why we still use the old Latin phrase “caveat emptor” – let the buyer beware.

What exactly does it mean to pull a fast one? 

Recently I was reading about basketball star Shaquille O’Neal.  The article said his mother handles some of his financial affairs, and his father – quote – “makes sure people don’t pull a fast one on me.”

Pulling a fast one means taking advantage of someone when they don’t see it coming. 

Now in a strict business setting, you leave it up to the other person to see it coming.  And if they don’t see it coming, well, their loss and your gain, right?

But as Christians, we are never in a strict business setting.  Oh, we still conduct business, but it always includes our faith, our belief system.

And this applies to much more than just business.  People do this to each other in all areas of life:  in marriage, at work, at school, even at church.  They pull a fast one.

A key element to pulling a fast one is that the other person doesn’t see it coming.  It’s the element of surprise.  It’s kind of mean, really.

Like going into a church board meeting and springing something. 

Or maybe you are holding something in reserve.  It’s your little trump card.  Some juicy tidbit of information, and baby, when the time is right, you are going to play that card and play it fast.

The point being that you win and they lose.  Ha ha.

But a Christian shouldn’t do that.  A Christian should never pull a fast one.

Look at Philippians 2:4.  It says, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

This is a somewhat unfamiliar concept in our culture today, and here’s why.

What is a cornerstone of our economy?  Competition.  It’s my business versus your business.  I’ll look out for my interest.   You look out for yours.

What is a cornerstone of our government?  Checks and balances.  Right versus left.  Executive versus legislative. 

What is a cornerstone of our legal system?  Defense versus prosecution.  It’s not that both sides pull together for justice.  It’s that both sides pull hard against each other, hopefully resulting in justice.

And now listen to this.  In business, in government, and in law, a great way to win is to pull a fast one.  You exploit a weakness.  They don’t see it.  You do.  And you win.  Ha ha.

It may be the American way, but it is definitely not the Christian way.  The Christian way is that we look out, not only for our own interests, but also for the interests of others.

What is best for me, and you?  What is best for us all?

This is God’s way, and it is the best way.

And it is the blessed way.

So are you getting ready to pull a fast one?  Don’t do it.  Instead do what it says in Philippians 2:4, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
Other phrases that come to mind;  “no drama,” “don’t do something bogus,” “speak the truth in love.”

© 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-

Does God Care Where We Move? - Apples of Gold - November 24, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 24, 2008

“Does God Care Where We Move?”

 

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

Saturday I watched a man take a sledgehammer to his own cabinets.

They were beautiful.  Except at the bottom.

At the bottom they were rotten, ruined by the floodwaters of Tropical Storm Fay.

A group of us gathered to help the family rip everything out of their house.  Insurance won’t cover it, so it’s become a community project of sorts.

As I cut out rotten drywall, my feelings flipped from one to another, like a restless man with a remote control.  I felt sick to be tearing out someone’s home like that.  I felt grateful that it wasn’t me.  Then I felt bad that I felt grateful.  And finally I just felt glad to be on the team.  I can’t go back and prevent the damage, but I can certainly do my part to fix it.

We live in a quiet little neighborhood.  It’s not rich.  It’s not poor.  It’s just average American folks. 

But now we’ve sold our house.  We’re moving, but we don’t know where. 

Last week my wife and I consecrated a day of fasting and prayer.  We’re seeking the Lord, looking for direction.  “Do we rent or buy?  Do we stay in that part of town or move?  God, what is Your will?”

And my wife asked an important question.  “Does God care where we move?”

I said, “I don’t know.  I think so.  I think He has a plan, but I realize we have to make a choice, and quick.”

So what did I get out of our day of consecration?  Well, one scripture came to mind and stood out all day.  It was Proverbs 3:6, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

I think we do acknowledge Him in all our ways.  We want to serve the Lord.  We want our house to be a tool of ministry, a refuge, a place where people feel love and feel God. 

So Proverbs 3:6 says that we can expect Him to direct our paths.

What does that mean?  Here is what I told my wife.  I think we should proceed, see what opportunities are out there, ask around, be wise – and in that process the Lord will direct our paths.

But that doesn’t really answer the question, “Does God care where we move?”

I tend to think so, but it’s not like there is a Scripture that says, “I care where you move.”  Yes, there are times in the Bible when God specifically told people to move and where.  But there are also times when they just made decisions. 

In First Corinthians 16:4, Paul is talking about sending some men to Jerusalem.  Then he says he will go, too – “if it seems advisable…” 

It didn’t say he was fasting and praying and waiting for a direct word from heaven.  He just said, “If it seems advisable…”

So I think there are times when we get a direct word, and there are times when we simply move forward in wisdom.

At this point we have no direct word.  We have prayed for it and listened for it, but it appears we will end up doing whatever seems advisable.

And that’s how we ended up in our current house.  Three years ago we moved to Tallahassee, on what I believe was a direct word from God.  I think God led us to our church.  I think God led us both into fulltime ministry. 

But when it came to the house – no direct word.  No specific leadership, I don’t think.  I think we just put together some criteria and picked a house.  And that’s the way it seems like it’s going this time.

Oh, we’ve kicked around a lot of ideas.  Maybe we should go buy the nicest house we can.  Or maybe we should move into a poor neighborhood and try to do some good.  We can buy a fixer-upper and improve someone’s neighborhood.  We can buy something with lots of space so we can take people in as we have in the past.  Or we can save money and buy something smaller.

We can go in a lot of directions, but what does God want?  Does God care where we move?

Here is what I think.  Unless God gives us clear and obvious direction, then we are free to do what we think is best. 

And then the important thing is what we do when we get there.  Wherever we land, we are to love our neighbors.  We are to shine a light, like a city on a hill.  We are to “go and make disciples” and “go and bear fruit.”

Wherever we go, we are to go there with the intention of doing good.  James 4:17 says, “Anyone…who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”

Our goal is not to make ourselves comfortable.  In Mark 8, Jesus told us to lose our life for Him and the gospel. 

So as we pray and look for our next home, we are not looking for a place where we can be happy and satisfied.  We are looking to purchase a tool for the Kingdom; a place best suited, according to our finances, to meet the needs of the people God brings into our lives.

When we moved into this neighborhood, I had no idea that I would be helping a family recover from a flood.  But you know what?  There are needs in every neighborhood.  We don’t know what they are, but God does. 

So I’m trusting that the Lord will direct our paths.  And when we get there I trust that the Lord will use us to bear good fruit.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
One additional note, I think it is important that a husband and wife are in agreement on any such move.  Christian couples sometimes lose track of the fact that their first ministry is to each other, and it branches out from there.  There is only one person on the planet that God has made you “one” with, and that is your spouse. 

© 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-

MTV and Generation P - Apples of Gold - November 21, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 21, 2008

“MTV and Generation P”

 

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

Jeremy Delaplane works for MTV.

He spoke in Tallahassee last night about what MTV calls “Generation P,” which is basically the teens to 20-somethings

He said they thrive on being connected through their cell phones, laptops and other digital devices.

And then he said something that really struck me.  He said, “They can’t ever feel like they are not doing something.”

Boy is that ever true.  I have a house full of teenagers and I see that statement in action everyday.

Sunday I had three teenagers in the backseat for church, and at one point I was overwhelmed by clicking.  I looked back and all three of them were furiously pounding out text messages on their cell phones.  You’d think they were federal agents negotiating with the Kremlin.

The other day I was walking into a store and heard a bell ringing.  I looked over and saw the Salvation Army kettle, and the young lady behind it, ringing the bell with one hand and, get this, texting with the other.

The kids come home and want to get online.  “What for?” I ask.  “To check my stuff,” they say.  Their stuff being Facebook or MySpace or whatever the flavor of the month is.  But whatever it is, it must be checked, immediately.

Generation P.  They can’t ever feel like they are not doing something.

Here’s the word that comes to mind:  frantic.

It’s frantic activity.  My daughter will have five windows open on the computer screen.  Chatting with one friend isn’t enough.  She must have five chats going at once, while texting, listening to music, talking to whoever is in the room, eating, and…what?   You’re doing homework?

I’d blame the kids, but the adults are about as bad with all of our multi-tasking.  And what’s this about being so busy?  Are you sick and tired of hearing people say how busy they are?  Let’s just not say it anymore.  It’s a given, like breathing.  Everyone is busy. 

I pulled up to a stop light the other day and told the homeless man I’d take him to McDonald’s for lunch.  He was too busy, he said.

Just kidding, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

Now here’s the problem.  We are so busy we don’t take time to think.  We don’t evaluate our lives.  What are we doing?  Where are we heading?

Years ago I thought TV was a bad distraction.  People would have the noisemaker on all the time.  The house was never quiet, and they were never alone with their thoughts.  Now it’s TV with hundreds of channels, the internet, the mobile devices, and on and on.  Now we are covered up with layer upon layer of distraction.

They didn’t have all this stuff back in C.S. Lewis’ day, but he understood the power of distraction when he wrote The Screwtape Letters.

It’s a fictional account of a demon named Uncle Screwtape, and the letters are filled with demonly advice for his nephew. 

Well at one point he writes about a man in a library.  The man found himself relatively undistracted in the quiet of the library, and his thoughts turned to God and eternity and the big picture of life.  This alarmed Uncle Screwtape because he certainly didn’t want this man, his “patient,” to think about God; so what did he do?

His strategy was to distract the man by getting him out of the quiet library.  So he told the man he was hungry, and that he shouldn’t think about such important things on an empty stomach.  The man stepped out of the library, into the noise of the street; and his bigger, deeper thoughts evaporated into the distractions of daily life.

You know, there’s a Bible story about like this.  In Luke 10 we read about the sisters Mary and Martha.  Jesus Himself comes over for a visit, and Martha is extremely distracted with all the preparations.  Meanwhile, verse 39 says that Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.”

Martha finally burst in and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?”

And Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better…”

And what did Mary choose?  She chose to sit quietly at the feet of Jesus.  She listened to what the Lord had to say.

And I think that’s an example we all need to follow.  We need to take time to unplug and shut out the distractions.  We need to draw near to the Lord and listen for His still, small voice – the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us.

And this especially applies to Generation P who “can’t ever feel like they are not doing something.” 

Young people, please take time to turn off the cell phone, unplug the internet, power down the iPod and choose what is better; to sit quietly at the feet of Jesus.


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 Did Jesus Mean By Do Not Resist An Evil Person? - Apples of Gold - November 20, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 20, 2008

“What Did Jesus Mean By Do Not Resist An Evil Person?”

 

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

Atheists like to point out crazy things in the Bible.

For example, in Matthew 5:39 Jesus said, “Do not resist an evil person.”

Well what would happen if we stopped resisting evil people?

First of all, they would come into your house and take everything.  Or they might as well just take your house intact and boot you out.  Or better yet, keep you there as a slave.

The King James Version of Matthew 5:39 says “resist not evil.”

How would that play out in society?  Do we tell all the police, “Go on home, now.  Everything is fine.  We are no longer resisting evil.”

Might as well send the Army home, too.  Evil people, rejoice.  We are done resisting you.

The result would be anarchy.  Our towns would quickly become devilish haunts.  Terrorists would run free.  Other nations would battle to grab up our resources. 

Is that what Jesus meant by “Do not resist an evil person”?

Yesterday I met a young woman who was actually held hostage.  The hostage-taker was an evil man and he did evil things.  Does Jesus want us to let men like that roam free, attacking everyone they feel like attacking?

That’s what it sounds like, if you let that one verse stand alone. 

But verses don’t stand alone.  They are all part of the Scripture as a whole.  We can’t just pick one out here and there.  We need to know how they all fit together.

For example, we know that if we stop resisting evil people, the world will plunge into absolute chaos.  However, look what it says in First Corinthians 14:33, “…God is not a God of disorder but of peace…”

Romans 13 says that God Himself has established the governing authorities.  And one of their main purposes is to “bear the sword,” to be God’s “agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”

So we keep the Army and we keep the police force.  These are God’s chosen instruments for resisting evil people.

Okay, but now we have a problem.  We still have Jesus saying, “Do not resist an evil person.”

Well, maybe that’s not for society at large.  Maybe that’s just for me in my own dealings with someone.

Okay, does that mean I just let an evil person take advantage of me?  Hurt me?  Steal from me?  And I do nothing about it?

Well let’s see how that balances with what Jesus said in Matthew 18.  He said, “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.  If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.  But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

Wow, that’s pretty specific.  Jesus lays out exactly how to deal with someone who sins against you.  So I guess you don’t just let them get away with it.  You actually confront them and work to bring about justice.

Justice is important to God.  In Matthew 23, Jesus put the hammer down on the Pharisees for neglecting justice.  Through the Old Testament prophets God often spoke of the importance of justice.

And one of the key tenets of justice is that evil is resisted.

If someone does evil, God wants them resisted.  He wants his governing authorities to carry out justice.  He wants religious authorities to carry out justice.  And even on a personal level, when someone wrongs us, He wants justice.

Well that all makes sense.  And actually it’s the way we all live for the most part. 

But Jesus did say, “Do not resist an evil person.”  What on earth did He mean by that?

First of all, we need to know that Jesus was responding to the old saying “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”  In other words, if someone socks you in the eye, sock him in the eye.”  Jesus is telling us not to respond like that. 

Romans 12:17 says, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil.”  Verse 19 says, “Do not take revenge…”  And verse 21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

First Peter 3:9 says, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with a blessing…”  Verse 11 says we must “seek peace and pursue it.”

So I think in this case Jesus’ goal is peace.  An eye for an eye can quickly escalate into full scale war.  I think He’s saying, “If someone strikes you, don’t strike him back.”

But judging by the rest of Scripture, He is not saying to let evil people get away with it.  God wants peace and order and justice.  And to accomplish that we must properly deal with people who do evil deeds.


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 Noble Man Makes Noble Plans - Apples of Gold - November 19, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 19, 2008

“The Noble Man Makes Noble Plans”

 

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

Here is an old saying that I love.

“The noble man makes noble plans and by noble deeds he stands.”

Let me say that again.

“The noble man makes noble plans and by noble deeds he stands.”

There are four parts to this old saying.  The first part is “noble man.”

Let me ask you, are you a noble man?

What is a noble man?  He’s a man of superior character and morals.  He is dignified and generous, and has high ideals.

This is a goal to strive for – to be a noble man.

Then it says a noble man “makes noble plans.”

Now let me ask you, are you making noble plans?  Perhaps I should ask if you are making any plans at all.  If not, it’s time to make some.  It’s time to set some goals, then work for them.

It reminds me of what Edmund Burke said, “All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.”  It’s up to us to do something or else evil will prevail.

So a noble man makes noble plans.  Well what are noble plans?

Noble plans are idealistic.  You see how things should be, then you plan to make it a reality.

Think of Teen Challenge.  It was an idealistic vision, the idea of taking addicts and setting them free through Jesus Christ.  Now that plan is a reality, with locations all over the world. 

Someone saw the way things should be, then planned to make it a reality.  It was a noble plan.

The noble man makes noble plans.

The next part of that old saying is “noble deeds.”

See, you can be a noble person, with very high morals.  And you can make noble plans, seeing the way things ought to be and thinking about how to change them.  But nothing really happens until you start doing noble deeds.

What are noble deeds?  It’s what you do to carry out your noble plans.

That sounds obvious, but listen.  Sometimes people have noble plans, but then use ignoble deeds to carry them out.  They say the ends justify the means.

Not so for a noble man.  Yes, he has noble plans.  And to get there he uses only noble deeds.

See, everything is the high road with this guy.  His high morals invade everything he does, both his plans and his deeds.

And now the last half of the old saying.  It says, “…and by noble deeds he stands.”

Some people try to cut corners to carry out their noble plans, but what they do is undermine their foundation.  And that leads to a great fall.

But when you make sure all your deeds are noble, that every step in your plan is of the highest moral character, then you will stand.  Nothing can bring you down because your foundation is sure.

Now let me tell you where that old saying comes from.  It’s right there in Isaiah 32:8.  And here it is, one more time.

“The noble man makes noble plans and by noble deeds he stands.”


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 Lowly Parking Spot - Apples of Gold - November 18, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 18, 2008

“The Lowly Parking Spot”

 

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

It was a decision I respected profoundly.

Just a little thing, but I cannot say how much it meant to me.

Our church was growing and the parking lot was getting crowded.  So the pastor asked the regulars to park farther from the front door, leaving the best spots for the newcomers.

And then you know what he did?  He started parking in the worst spot of all.  It was all the way around the building, off the asphalt and into the gravel.

This was the leader, the pastor, the CEO if you will.  Instead of taking the best spot for himself, which he certainly could have done, he took the worst spot.

Week after week I would arrive at church, look out there at the back forty, and there it was, the pastor’s vehicle in its humble parking spot.

My respect for Pastor Phil Nordstrom went through the roof, simply based on that decision and his consistency in sticking to it.

When I was a kid, my dad managed a grocery store.  He was the boss man.  He could have sat in his big office and bossed everyone around.

But I never saw him doing that.  Instead I remember my dad doing things all over the store.  He helped unload trucks and stock shelves.  I even remember him pitching in during rush hour and helping bag groceries, even taking them to people’s cars. 

He did some of the lowliest work, yet he was the top man.  It wasn’t flashy or glamorous, but it still has a powerful impact on me today.

Now think of Jimmy Carter, the former President of the United States.  Have you ever seen footage of him out working with Habitat for Humanity?  There he is, a former President, in his 80’s, out working with his hands, doing construction.

It’s lowly, and I thoroughly respect him for it.

It’s one of the things I love about Jesus.  Zechariah 9:9 says, “Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!  Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey…”

You’ve seen the Easter programs.  Here comes Jesus.  The Triumphal Entry.  The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

But wait a minute.  A triumphal entry?  Where are the legions of soldiers?  Where are the chariots and trumpets?  Where is the crown of gold and the royal robe? 

Not there.  Instead we simply have Jesus, “lowly and riding on a donkey…”

This is the same Jesus who said in Matthew 11:29, “…I am gentle and lowly in heart…”

This is the same Jesus who wrapped a towel around his waist, poured water into a basin, washed his disciples’ feet, and dried them with the towel.  And when he finished he said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

Philippians 2 says that Jesus humbled himself, and it says we should do likewise.  Verse five says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

Verse 3 says, “…in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”

I love that word “lowliness.”

That’s the way all Christians should be.  Lowly.  Considering others as better than ourselves.

Over my years in Christian radio I’ve been involved in a lot of Christian events.  I’ve seen a lot of Christian “stars.”  Some of them are lowly, and those are the ones I admire. 

We’ve all heard of pastors who have “fallen.”  You know the ones I respect?  The lowly ones.  The ones who are willing to submit to a plan of restoration.  The ones who don’t think of themselves more highly than they ought.

In Luke 14 Jesus said when you’re invited to a wedding feast, don’t take the best seat.  Instead, go sit in the lowest place.  The lowly place.

Take the lowly parking spot.

Do the lowly task.

We talk about being Christlike, about following Jesus. 

Well if we follow Him, what do we look forward and see? 

We see our King, lowly and riding on a donkey.


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-

God is First, Everything Else is Tied for Last - Apples of Gold - November 17, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 17, 2008

“God is First, Everything Else is Tied for Last”

 

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

“Hey Doug, how are you going to handle the empty nest?”

I’ve been hearing that a lot lately.  My son is getting married in June, my oldest daughter is seriously dating and my middle daughter is preparing for college.  So as you can see, the empty nest is not far off.

People ask me this because they know we are very family oriented.  When you walk through our house you’ll see walls full of photos.  We have been in love with our children from day one.

But now let me say this.  Our children are not our god.  We have not built our lives on the foundation of family.

That may sound harsh, but it’s according to what Jesus said in Luke 14.  He said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple.”

“Wait a minute, Doug.  Did Jesus just say we had to hate our family?”

Yes, but not literally.  In the next verse Jesus said to carry a cross, but none of his disciples starting lugging wood on their back.  And none of them started despising their family.

It’s not literal, but it makes a strong point.  God is to come first.  He is to be so far in first place that everything else is tied for last, including our family.

So when our family changes, our foundation is not rocked because the family is not our foundation.

I think we Christians get this confused sometimes.  To illustrate I’ll make up a guy named Joe.

Joe is a hard working college graduate.  He loves sports and hanging out with his buddies.  Then he gets married and has a couple of kids. 

Somewhere along the line he comes to Christ.  The Lord begins to make big changes in Joe’s priorities.  Instead of spending so much time working and playing, he turns his attention to his wife and children.  He sees them in a new light, and God truly stirs up a true love in Joe for his family.

What happens is that Joe becomes the consummate family man.  He takes them on vacations.  He sacrifices his own desires for their desires.  He buys them gifts.  He really, really loves his family.

But if Joe’s not careful, they will start to come before God.  Next thing you know, Joe is coaching ball teams instead of helping at church.  Weekends find them away on little trips. 

Now listen to this.  God becomes just a piece of what is most important, which is the family.  God is just sort of patched in there somewhere.  Yes, Joe says God is their foundation, but in reality the family is the foundation.  Joe is known as a family man more than God’s man.

This may sound like a nice thing, but it really isn’t, not for a Christian.  If family comes first, then we cannot be His disciple.

Let’s go back to Luke 14.  Jesus said, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.  Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost…?” 

Then He tells another story in verse 31.  “Or suppose a king is about to go to war…will he not first sit down and consider” if he has enough men?

Jesus is talking about counting the cost.  First it was the cost of building a tower.  Then it was the cost of going to war.  Now what’s His point?

In verse 33 He brings it home.  “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”

Jesus is saying that there is a cost to being His disciple.  And He is telling us to count that cost.

And what is the cost?  It is putting Him first and everything else last.  Everything else is as if it was hated.  Everything else is as if it was gone.

So do you want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?  I know I do.

So I must examine the priorities and attitudes of my mind.  The Lord comes first.  He is my foundation.  He is the Master and I am His servant. 

I am not a family man.  I am God’s man.

But now listen to this.  By being God’s man, my family is better off.  My family is not the foundation, but it is built on the sure foundation of Christ. 

So when my children move on and we live in an empty nest, it won’t rock our world because the Lord is still our firm foundation, as always.

And someday, when my wife and I are gone, my children won’t be left with a crumbling family foundation because, again, the foundation is the Lord.

So at your house are you all about the family? 

Would changes in your family truly rock your foundation?

Then now is the time to come back and really put the Lord first in all things.  It’s time to put the Lord so far in first place that everything else is tied for last.


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-

I Want to Glow with the Radiance of His Glory - Apples of Gold - November 14, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 14, 2008

“I Want to Glow with the Radiance of His Glory”

 

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

The Bible says Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit.

Now let me ask you this.  What does a guy like that look like?

Or does it even show?

Well, we get a clue in Acts 7:15 when Stephen is on trial for his life.  It says, “All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.”

What does that mean, his face looked like the face of an angel?  Like we all know what that looks like.

Well here is how I see it.  I see Stephen with a radiance.  Kind of a mix of joy and peace.  Both humility and power.  Not power in himself.  No pride.  But complete confidence in God.  Total faith and trust in God.  In fact, he looks like God is leaking out of him.

That’s what I think Stephen looked like.  They described it as the face of an angel, but what it was was God leaking out of him.  Which makes sense since he was “full of the Holy Spirit.”  He was so full of God’s Spirit he was overflowing.

You know they ended up killing him.  Stoned him to death.  There he was, receiving his death sentence, and shining like an angel.

How can a guy do that?  How can you face a severe trial and still shine like an angel?

The key is that first thing we said about Stephen.  He was full of the Holy Spirit.

And you know, this thing of having the face of an angel isn’t just for Stephen.  It’s for me and you. 

Check this out in Second Corinthians 3:18.  It says that we “…reflect the Lord’s glory…”

It sounds like this is a process that takes place over time.  It says we “are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory…”

And this glory comes from the Holy Spirit within us.

Verse nine says that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is bringing about righteousness in our lives, and this comes with glory.  And this glory actually shines on our faces!

Second Corinthians 3 compares it to an Old Testament story of Moses.  In Exodus 33, just before he received the Ten Commandments, Moses said to God, “Show me your glory.”  And God did.

Then when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, it spooked everyone because his face was literally glowing.  Then over time the glow faded.

Well they bring that story up in Second Corinthians, and it says, yes, the glory on Moses’ face faded, BUT, this glory we are exposed to through the Holy Spirit – this glory will last!

That’s because Moses was exposed to God on the mountain, then he came down.

We, however, are exposed to God on the inside of us, in the form of the Holy Spirit.  God’s glory is inside of us, and the Bible says we are being transformed into His likeness. 

Remember God showing His glory to Moses on Mount Sinai?  Well we are starting to take on God’s appearance, His likeness, as we are transformed by the Holy Spirit.

We see this effect culminated in Stephen, whose face looked like that of an angel. 

Well you know what?  That’s what I want.  I want to be so full of the Holy Spirit that I’m glowing.  I’m radiating the glory of God. 

Second Corinthians 3:9 says that the ministry of the Holy Spirit brings righteousness.  So here is what I think.  I must let the Holy Spirit do His work inside me.  I must let Him bring about righteousness in my life.

I believe that the more I let Him have His way, the more righteous I will become, and the more I will be transformed into God’s likeness. 

And this will bring about that glow, that radiance.  I believe it will literally begin to show on my face, like Stephen. 

As I allow the Holy Spirit to have His way in me, my life will become more and more filled with the Spirit. 

I will become more and more righteous, and look what Psalm 37 says about righteousness.  It can shine like the sun rising in the darkness!

I want that.  I want to be so full of the Holy Spirit and righteousness that everywhere I go it’s like the sun at dawn, bringing God’s warmth and light into every situation.

I’m surely not there.  I have a long way to go.  But this is my prayer today.

“Lord, like Stephen, fill me with your Holy Spirit, fill me with your righteousness, so that no matter what trial I face, I will glow with the radiance of your glory.”


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-

If the Family of God Has a Name, What Is It? - Apples of Gold - November 12, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 12, 2008

“If the Family of God Has a Name, What Is It?”

 

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

I’m continuing to memorize the book of Ephesians.

It’s slow going because I’m only doing one verse each weekday.

That gives me time to really meditate on each passage and grind it into my soul.

Here are the practicals.  I have a printout of each verse in Ephesians in my car.  Before I leave for work each morning I read that day’s verse a couple of times, enough so that I can say it without looking at it.  You might say the verse is now in my “random access memory,” but it’s not really recorded to my hard drive.

I keep repeating it until I have a bit of a grasp on it.  Then I go back a couple of verses and repeat it all together.  By the time I am about halfway to work I usually have a pretty good handle on the new verse.

Then I think about how this new verse ties in with the other verses.

For example, I just memorized Ephesians 3:14 and 15, which says, “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…”

That’s just two verses, but when you stop and meditate on them, they are absolutely loaded!

But now look at the last part.  It says, “…from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…”

My first question is, “Who is the whole family?”  It doesn’t really say, but my best guess from the context is that it’s talking about the family of God; we, the people of God.

So I am part of this family of God, but now comes the curious part.  It says “from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.”

Well…what is that name?

If our family has a name, what is it?

At my house, we are the Apple Family.  I got my name from my father.  When we married, my wife took on my name and became an Apple.  When we had children, they, too, became Apples.  Our family is named after the father.

So back to that Bible verse.  If the family of God is named after the Father, what is that name? 

Now let me say this.  The Bible doesn’t dwell on this point, so I don’t think it’s that important.  It might not even be a literal name.  Maybe it’s more like we were “named” to the team.  But even then, teams have a name, right?

So in my Bible memory time I started thinking back over the previous verses in Ephesians.  Is there any clue as to what our family name might be?

And right out of the gate, in Ephesians 1:1, I got a clue.  It says, “…to the saints who are in Ephesus…”

Then again in Ephesians 1:18 it calls us saints.  In 2:19 it refers to saints as well as “members of the household of God.”  In fact, Ephesians refers to us as saints nine times.

So then I thought, “Well, what does ‘saint’ mean?  How do you define saint?”

So I looked it up.  One definition I liked was this:  “one of God’s chosen.”

Another definition said, “one separated from the world and consecrated to God.”

Another one simply said, “a believer in Christ.”

So I don’t know if Ephesians 3:15 is referring to an actual name, but if I had to fill in that blank on a test I think I would write, “Saints.”

In the NKJV the word saint is used 96 times, in both the Old and New Testaments.

Actually, when I first thought of a name for the family of God I thought of the word “Christian,” but that shows up far fewer times in the Bible than saints.

I also thought of the “I Ams” but that was too dogfoodish.

So I guess saints it is.  I like what it says in Daniel 7:27, “the saints, the people of the Most High.”

I also like what it says in First Corinthians 14:33 when it talks about “all the congregations of the saints.”

And that’s what we are, isn’t it?  Yes, we go to our own churches, but aren’t they just little congregations of the saints, little pieces of the whole?

Let me tell you, I’m glad to be a member of the household of God, and it’s a household with a name.  Yes, people, we are the children of the Most High, and we have a name.

We are…the Saints!


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 Moment That Changed Michael W. Smith's Life - Apples of Gold - November 10, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 10, 2008

“The Moment That Changed Michael W. Smith’s Life”

 

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

We went to the Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith concert at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre Saturday night.

For me, the highlight of the evening was the young man sitting behind us.

Yes, he was mentally challenged, and his whole being vibrated with joy at the thought of seeing his absolute all time favorite artist, “Smitty.”

When a song began that he liked, he squealed with joy, “Oh, I LOVE THIS SONG!” 

He wasn’t obnoxious.  He wasn’t rude.  He just responded with great enthusiasm to this singer whose songs he loved so much.

So there was Michael W. Smith – performing.  And there was this young man – responding.

At one point Michael talked about the second most important moment in his life, just behind his salvation.

He said he was looking at himself in the mirror one day, shaving.  And all of a sudden a routine moment became a divine moment. 

Suddenly he sensed the Lord speaking to him.  He said something like, “You know that I love you, but did you know that I like you?  I really do.  And you know what else?  I’m actually quite fond of you.”

Those words, that divine moment, changed the life of Michael W. Smith. 

He said that up until that time he had been performing for God.  If he could just be good enough, just minister enough, be obedient enough – then he could please God. 

After that divine encounter he saw things differently.  Now, instead of performing for God, he is responding to God.

He said that is something we all need to grasp, and when we do, it will radically change our lives.

So what about you today?  Are you performing for God or responding to God?

On the outside Michael W. Smith may not look much different.  He still writes songs and plays concerts.  But the difference is on the inside, his motivation.

Instead of writing Christian music as his required work for God, now he writes Christian music as a response to God, responding to all of God’s love for him.

Do you see the difference between performing and responding?

Let’s take a look at Romans 12:1.  It’s a familiar passage that says we should offer our bodies as living sacrifices.

Now there are two ways to go about it.  One is by performing our duty. 

“Oh boy, here I go.  I have to do this to make God happy.  It’s a pain, but it’s my duty to perform.”

But that doesn’t take into account the first part of that verse.

Here is how Romans 12:1 starts:  “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices…”

Look at the middle part again, “…in view of God’s mercy…”

So first of all, we look at God’s mercy.  We ponder and meditate on God’s great mercy for us.  Ephesians 2:4 says that God is “rich in mercy.”  It also says that God has “great love for us.”

So our thinking begins with God and what He’s done for us and how He feels toward us.  He loves us!  And He has great mercy for us! 

God is the initiator.  He started this relationship.  Through Jesus He forgives our sins and clears the way for us to come to Him. 

He is reaching out to us in love, and we accept Him.  We believe and put our faith in Him.

Then what?  Then many times we turn it into a drudgery.  Serving the Lord becomes a duty we must perform.

Like a child we ask, “Do I have to?” then we tell ourselves, “Yes, you have to.”  And we perform our duty for God so He will be happy, or at least so He won’t be mad.

That is performing for God.

But there is a better way.  It is responding to God.  We realize all He’s done for us, we receive all that He has for us, and we respond.

It’s just like that young man at the concert.  He didn’t leap up and shout for Michael W. Smith because he had to.  It wasn’t a drudgery or a task he had to perform.

Instead, it was his joyful and exuberant response to the artist who had blessed him so many times.

And that is how our Christian life should be.  Yes, we offer up our bodies as living sacrifices, but not because it’s a duty we must perform.  Instead it is our joyful response to the One who has blessed us so many times.


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
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Sick Guy by the Pool - Apples of Gold - November 7, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 7, 2008

“Sick Guy by the Pool”

 

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

So there’s a sick guy by the pool.

Crippled, actually.  He can’t get up.

He’s by the pool because of this whacky story about an angel that “stirs the water.”

He has this crazy notion that if he can be the first person in after the water is “stirred,” then he will be healed.

He’s been lame for over 30 years, so I don’t know what makes him think anything’s going to change.

But boy does he have faith in that water.

Sounds dumb, doesn’t it.  Why would he have faith in the water?

Enter Jesus, who walks over and says, “Do you want to get well?”

“Sir,” he says, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred.  While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Freeze that right there.  Look at that man’s face.  Look at his eyes.  It’s almost childlike, this total belief he has in that whole stirring of the water thing.

I mean, he is serious about getting into that water.  And you can see the frustration and disappointment, just because someone else always gets in the water before he does.

Why does he believe in this obvious fairy tale?  Why does he keep trying?

Oh, that’s an easy one.

Because when he can’t get in first, when he looks over and sees someone else’s toes break the surface of the water – they get better.  They are healed.  They walk away, problem solved.

No, it hasn’t happened to him, but he believes because he sees it happening to others.

You know what?  It doesn’t take a mountain of faith to believe it can happen to you when you see it happening to others.

So how is your faith level today?  If it’s low, if it seems like God isn’t doing anything, then go where the water is stirring, where God is changing people’s lives.  Get around those people.

When you get around people who are on fire for God, people full of the Spirit – your faith level will soar!

That crippled man by the pool.  He didn’t need much faith at all.  It was obvious what God was doing for the others, and easy to believe it could happen to him.

So get around people where God is moving. 

Where is that?

Find people who are truly seeking the Lord; people who are drawing near to Him.

These are people who love the Word of God.  The Bible is their bible.  They study it and learn it and do it.

These people pray and spend time with God.  They are humble before Him, grateful.

They surrender their will to God’s will.  Their life is not their own.

Today I heard a radio interview and the lady said, “I was thinking about the past, back when we were more passionate.”

Well let me tell you, there are plenty of passionate, sold out Christians right now!  These people love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.

Get around those people and watch your faith grow!

It won’t even take any effort.  That man by the pool didn’t have to muster up faith in the water.  He saw with his own eyes its effect.

And you won’t have to muster up faith in God when you get around fired up Christians.  You will see with your own eyes what God can do in someone’s life, and you will know He can do it for you.

So build your faith.  Find a place where the water is stirring.  Find some people whose God is the Lord and who bow their knees to Him.

And your faith will grow in ways you never thought possible.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
This Bible story is found in John chapter 5.

© 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

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