Don't Lean On a Splintered Reed - Apples of Gold - December 22, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 22, 2008

“Don’t Lean On a Splintered Reed”

 

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

It was the 4^th of July right before I got my driver’s license.

We had a bunch of people over and soon a hot game of volleyball broke out.

At some point someone launched a “homer.”  The ball sailed high into a tree – and didn’t come down.

I quickly scrambled up the tree to get the ball, no problem.

Now I had been a tree climber all my life.  I knew all the tricks of the trees.

I came down to a large limb, too large to wrap my arms around.  There was a smaller limb growing out of it, so my plan was to swing down from the larger limb, grab the base of the smaller limb, and drop down from there.

As I swung down, however, the smaller limb snapped right off.  And it happened at the most inopportune time, with my legs in the air and my back toward the ground.

I landed flat on my back, which knocked the wind out of me.

That’s not a pleasant thing, but I’d been there before.  Just catch your breath and everything will be fine.

But I wasn’t catching my breath.  And my brain was fuzzy.  I couldn’t even sit up.

What I didn’t realize was that when I fell, I put my arms back to catch myself – and my right arm snapped underneath me.

In the end it was nothing serious, just a broken arm.  But you know what?  I still feel it today – just an occasional discomfort right at the spot of the break.

And it all goes back to my decision to rely on something that was too small and too weak to be relied upon – that smaller limb.

So why did I do it?  Because I had done it before with no problems.  My experience up to that point was that, as long as you grabbed it at the base, a smaller limb could be relied upon.

Why do we so often have to learn our lessons the hard way? 

King Hezekiah didn’t seem like such a person.  Second Kings 18 says, “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord…”

Verse 5 says he “…trusted in the Lord…”

Verse 6 says, “He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow Him…”

Verse 7 says, “And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.”

And one thing he undertook was to rebel against the king of Assyria.  God’s chosen people would not kowtow to those pagans. 

In the 14^th year of his reign, however, Assyrian soldiers captured some of their cities. 

Now the key here is how Hezekiah responded.  Up until then he had been relying on the Lord.  But now look at verse 14.

“So Hezekiah king of Judah sent this message to the king of Assyria… “I have done wrong.  Withdraw from me, and I will pay whatever you demand…”

And what he demanded was a bunch of silver and gold.  So Hezekiah gave him all the silver from the temple of the Lord and from his own palace. 

And for the gold he again plundered the Lord’s temple.

So instead of relying on the Lord, Hezekiah relied on silver and gold.

But, as you can imagine, that didn’t stop the Assyrians.  They decided to come for Jerusalem as well. 

At one point the king of Assyria sent a message to Hezekiah saying, “On whom are you depending…?  Look now, you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces a man’s hand and wounds him if he leans on it!”

So Hezekiah relied on silver and gold, but it failed him.  Then the Assyrians said he was relying on Egypt, and I love that illustration.  “Egypt is like a splintered reed.  If you lean on it, it will pierce your hand.”

That’s a great illustration of what happens when we lean on anything but the Lord.  It’s unreliable.  If we lean too much it will pierce our hand.

It might be silver and gold.  It might be our network of allies, our friends and family.  But in the end there is only sure thing to lean on.

King Hezekiah finally rediscovered it.  He called upon the Lord, and through Isaiah the prophet the Lord predicted a mighty deliverance for His people.  And I love what 2 Kings 19:31 says, “The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”

And now the question comes to us all.  What are we relying on?  Is it our silver and gold?  Is it our network of allies? 

The truth is, all of these will fail.  They cannot be relied upon.  Lean too hard and, like a splintered reed, it will pierce your hand.    

Instead, we do like Hezekiah did originally.  We do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.  We trust in the Lord.  We hold fast to Him and do not cease to follow Him.

Then I think, like Hezekiah, the Lord will be with us and make us successful.

And I believe it will be like 2 Kings 19:31. 

“The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”


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 Blizzard Buries the Girl - Apples of Gold - December 19, 2008 -vi-

You might want to hear this one.  The music really sets the tone.  Go to www.wave94.com and click to hear today’s audio.

 

 

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 19, 2008

“The Blizzard Buries the Girl”

 

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

Staring out at an autumn moon,
Just 32 years old,
But a frost has taken hold,
So she closes out the cold.

Who’s to blame for the season’s change?
Where’s God in the winter wind?
Despair is a deadly friend,
So she stays in bed again.

And all the while the world just smiles and says…

But she cannot hear.
It’s weird.
The mirror reflects her tears.
And fear.
The memory’s too near.
How come?
Why her son?

The blizzard buries the girl.

Sadness comes and sadness goes,
But grief, he comes to stay.
He pushes friends away.
Her hair is turning grey.

What can we do for the grieving few?

One day she laughs, and then she cries.
There’s guilt for feeling joy.
She holds a little toy,
Must not forget her boy.

But springtime comes as it always does.

Walking out in a summer sun,
It’s bright and warm and fine.
She made the uphill climb.
Her eyes begin to shine.

Jesus does as He always does,
And her eyes begin to shine.


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-

Tracy Fell For Steve - Apples of Gold - December 18, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 18, 2008

“Tracy Fell For Steve”

 

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

Tracy fell for Steve.

And Steve liked Tracy.

It was all very romantic. 

Then throw in a little adventure.  There was a dragon on the loose.

And if that wasn’t enough, add to it the fact that people were coming down with some kind of disease, and the main symptom was a black oozy spot right in the middle of their chest.

But back to the romance.  Tracy was a police officer and Steve was in town as an investigator.  They began working together, and you know how it is.  They were just drawn to each other. 

Let the fun begin.

Oh, but there was one little problem.  Tracy was married.  To someone else.  But they were separated, so, whatever.

Meanwhile the dragon was killing people, and it seemed to be the people with the black oozy spot on their chest, right over their heart.

Many people in town had the black spot.  It caused them pain, but they were able to hide it. 

But what happened was the spot grew bigger.  The blackness would ooze and it smelled, like a dead animal.

Then an odd thing happened.  Once it got big enough, the person didn’t care.  It stopped hurting, and they quit hiding it.  Blackness would ooze down their chest.  It would get on their face and they just didn’t care.  They almost flaunted it. 

Once they got to that point everyone knew what came next.  The dragon got them.

Yes, there were some creepy things going on in that little town.

But not for Steve and Tracy.  They were on a romantic high.  The electricity was flowing and everyday was a great day just being together.

Then Steve noticed a tender spot, right in the middle of his chest.

Tracy got one, too.  And it hurt.

What was it the old man had said when he poked Steve in the chest? 

“Be glad it still hurts,” he had said.  “When you get close to the end, you don’t feel a thing.”

Yeah, that was the day he warned Steve about “shacking up” with a married woman.

But he didn’t heed the warning.  How could he?  Tracy was hot.  They had a great thing going, why not enjoy it?

And the tender spot over his heart grew dark.

And the dragon drew near.

Steve and Tracy decided to get away from the creepy little town.  They snuck out on horseback through the woods.  They had to be quiet, though, if they wanted to avoid the dragon.

But Tracy was not being quiet.  In fact, she was being kind of loud.

And then she started confessing.  “Did I ever tell you about Andy Schuller and me?”

It was happening.

“And then there was Jimmy . . .”

Steve looked at Tracy, and in the moonlight he could see a glistening streak of black crawling down her shirt.  And the stench was unmistakable.

“Tracy, are you in pain?”

“Pain?  Why should I be?”

“Don’t you see what’s happening, Tracy?  You’re talking crazy.”

“Just crazy for you.”

“No!  The old man said when you get this mark you get used to it and you don’t care anymore.”

She wasn’t listening. 

“Nothing’s going to happen to me, sweetheart.  I’ve got you now.  I win!”

Then she gave a drunken laugh as a new burst of black crawled down her chest like tar.

And the dragon moved in for the kill.

***

That’s just a tiny bit of the story found in Frank Peretti’s book “The Oath.” 

I really like the visual he provides when he describes sin and its effect on our heart.  It starts as just a tender spot that hurts.  If we continue to sin, the spot grows and starts to stink.  It hurts and we try to hide it – as long as we care.

But if we let it continue, we will get to a place where it stinks to high heaven and we are covered with its blackness.  However, we won’t feel the pain and guilt any longer, and we won’t try to hide it.  We will get to the point of actually flaunting our sin.  At that point we are ready to be devoured by the dragon.

Ephesians 4:19 describes this as “losing all sensitivity.”  The King James Version says “…being past feeling…”

You just don’t care anymore.  You sin, but you are past feeling.  It doesn’t register.  Even when everyone else smells it, when they see the blackness oozing from your heart, you don’t feel a thing.

This is why we can’t toy with sin.  It’s not a game, it’s a deadly disease.  The dragon is not a pet.  It is a destroyer.

So if you are playing with sin, stop.  You may be hiding it, but it will grow.  And if you stop caring – when you are “past feeling” – you’ll know you are being devoured.

The antidote?  Get right with God.  Repent of sin.  Turn to Him and be forgiven through Jesus Christ.

And though your heart is black with sin, it shall be as white as snow.  Though your sins are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Praise the Lord.


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 Butterfly Effect - Apples of Gold - December 17, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 17, 2008

“The Butterfly Effect”

 

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

So I pulled up to a stoplight at 5:30 in the morning.

There was one car across from me and one beat up old car beside me with his window rolled down.

We sat there for a moment, no other cars in sight.  It seemed silly, sitting there waiting for no one.

The man beside me grew impatient.  He actually started to pull forward, thinking the light would change, but it didn’t.  I heard him grumble through his open window.  His hand flew up in frustration.

The car across from me gave up and drove on through the red light.  I thought the man beside me would do the same, but he didn’t.  He lurched forward again, but stopped.

This actually all happened in less than a minute, by the way.

Finally the man beside me had had enough.  But for some reason he didn’t continue on through the intersection, even though he was already out there.  With a loud burst of what sounded to me like Spanish cursing, he jerked the wheel, turned right, and sped off in the other direction.

And, I’m not kidding, that very second the light turned green.

And I thought, “The world just changed because he couldn’t wait one more second.”

I imagined him speeding off in that other direction, followed by a whole chain of events triggered by the mere fact that he had changed his route. 

Maybe he pulled up to one of those smart lights, which changed when he got there.  Now his frustration has changed the whole traffic pattern.  Someone else has to stop who otherwise would have kept going.  Maybe that delay causes them to hit a deer they would have avoided.

So they have to take their car to a body shop that needs the business.  Bob the body shop guy makes just enough money to fly his mother in for Christmas.  His mother meets the nicest girl on the plane, and tells her about a great restaurant, which the girl goes to on the very night that a Zydeco band is playing, and she ends up marrying the washboard player.

And it all goes back to that guy who couldn’t wait one more second at the stop light.

Sounds far fetched, I know.  But isn’t that the way life happens? 

This is what we call “The Butterfly Effect.”

The name comes from the idea that the flapping of a butterfly’s wings might create small changes in the atmosphere that can ultimately affect large scale weather systems.

It’s sort of like barely turning your steering wheel will change your direction radically as you move down the road.

Little decisions can be quite important when we understand the potential effects.

If you think about it too much, it’s sort of frightening.  It could paralyze you from doing anything.

Well wouldn’t it be nice if God Himself just told us what to do?

I don’t know exactly how this works, but Galatians 5:18 talks about being led by the Spirit of God. 

That is what I want.  I want to be led by the Spirit.  If there is a butterfly effect coming from me, I want it to be God-led. 

And I do believe in this butterfly effect.  Our actions cause a ripple in the pond.  There is a sowing and reaping. 

When my grandfather chose to drink, it changed the world.

When my dad chose not to drink, it changed the world.

When my aunt took a little job at the university it changed the course of my life.

Our little decisions do matter, but there is no way we are smart enough or can possibly collect enough data to even know what the best choices are.

The best we can do is allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit of God.  I believe He will guide us through this maze of life as we tune in to Him.

Like I said, I don’t know exactly how it works, but I believe as we are led by the Spirit, He will guide us in decisions large and small. 

And yes, I think He’ll even guide us when we pull up to that stoplight that just takes a bit too long to change.


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-

Extreme Church Makeover - Apples of Gold - December 16, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 16, 2008

“Extreme Church Makeover”

 

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

First we had extreme makeovers, where they took people and made them far more attractive.

Then came extreme home makeovers, where the end result was a beautiful house.

Now what I want to see is extreme church makeovers.

The first thing you do in a makeover is take a close look at the weak spots, then decide how to strengthen them.

As I look at the church, here is a weakness I see.  Every week we fill up church buildings with people.  Plus we have big meetings and crusades that fill up stadiums.  It adds up to millions and millions of people. 

Now listen to First Corinthians 12:7, “…to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”

That means each one of those millions of people has a manifestation of the Holy Spirit.  It’s a gift that has been given to them to be used for the common good.

Verse 4 says the Holy Spirit has given out “different kinds of gifts.”

Verse 5 says there are “different kinds of service.”

Verse 6 says there are “different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.”

Verse 14 says, “Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.”

Verse 18 says, “...God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be.”

And verse 27 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

The imagery is clear.  Everyone one of us, as Christians, are parts of the body.  There are millions of us, and each one is a body part.

Now here is what I see as a weakness in the church.  We have a handful of body parts that we spruce up to no end; meanwhile the rest of them are virtually ignored.

Millions of body parts simply atrophy.

I mean, think about it.  Look out over all the congregations.  Imagine them sitting there, week in and week out.  That is a massive pool of talent.  And every week we say “Amen” and off they go for another week.  Oh, they’re busy all week.  But what about this manifestation of the Spirit they each have?  What about the different kinds of gifts and different kinds of service? 

This is where the extreme church makeover comes in.  We need to get every body part moving.

Now think about most congregations.  Most of them have one strong body part, the pastor.  Because face it, if the pastor isn’t strong you won’t even have a congregation. 

And these days congregations have a strong music program.  People like music, so we work to make sure the musical body parts are moving.

Then, because we want to reach families, we get the kid ministry body parts moving.

Then after that it starts to break down.  Yes, various churches have various ministries, but there are still masses of people who have so much to offer but for whatever reason it’s just not happening.

Have you seen the trend in government when special needs arise?  They see a gap in service, and the next thing you know we have a new position.  For example, when they realized the nation had a drug problem they created a new post for a drug enforcement advisor.  For national computer issues we have a cyber-security advisor.  After September 11^th they came up with the entire new Department of Homeland Security.

I think we need a post like this in our congregations, someone who is in charge of getting every body part moving. 

First Corinthians 12:28 says that some people have specific gifts of administration.  This is the kind of people you want in charge of activating the body.  People who are organizers.  People who are managers.  People who can see the different parts of the body and organize them and motivate them. 

Now let me say this.  I think there is a mistaken notion that all these body parts have to be put to work inside the local church.  Not so. 

Ministry takes place all the time all over the place.  Crucial ministry happens in the heat of the workday.  It happens late at night when families are hurting.  It happens on buses and in carpools; on committees and in neighborhoods. 

For this reason, all the body parts need to be working.  Ephesians 4:16 talks about every part doing its share of the work.

Many people don’t know this.  They think if they don’t have some specific church-service-talent, then there’s not much they can do.

Oh, but there is plenty they can do.  Each one has a gift, a manifestation of the Holy Spirit, millions and millions of them; and they fill our congregations on a weekly basis.

That’s why I think we need an extreme church makeover.  We need to recruit people with gifts of administration, then have them organize ways to equip and train and motivate so that every part of the body of Christ is working and strong and using the gifts God has given them.


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 Be a Stressed Out Peacemaker - Apples of Gold - December 15, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 15, 2008

“Don’t Be a Stressed Out Peacemaker”

 

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

Have you ever seen Star Trek, where someone gets “beamed up?”

They go in the transporter room and stand on this circle of light, and over their head is a big tube.  I guess some kind of rays come down on them and the next thing you know they are on the planet Argelius.

Now picture them standing there on that circle, and this shaft of light coming down over them.  Can you picture that?

That is the picture I see when I think of coming into the presence of God.

It’s not that God is the “old man” sitting way up there on a throne, far away.  It’s more like He is Light and Spirit.  He’s not separate.  Instead, He is actually both around me and in me.  He is coursing through me. 

I love the idea of standing in that shaft of light, the light of God’s presence.  It is there that I receive all I need, all my strength and peace and hope.

This enables me to deal with other people because I’m not counting on getting something from them.  I don’t need to receive from them because I am receiving what I need from God.

I’m not saying I’m the Lone Wolf.  We all need each other, and that’s the way God designed it.  We are all parts of the body of Christ. 

What I’m talking about is the inner needs of my soul; things like peace and joy and love.  I am not counting on people to provide these.  These come from God alone.

The holidays provide many occasions for stress.  People can stomp on your peace in an infinite number of ways.

When you throw a bunch of family members together, opportunities are ripe for turmoil.  You picture Currier and Ives but end up with cursing and hives

And I know, I know.  You’re the peacemaker.  You are the one who wants everything to work out, for everyone to be fine with everyone else.  Why can’t everyone just get along?

Maybe you’re feeling it right now, that gnawing in your gut that comes from stressing over how to keep the peace.

Let me tell you, it’s hard to keep the peace when the peacemaker is stressed out!

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers…” but how can you be a peacemaker when your own soul feels like a Cat. 5 hurricane?

I think the key is letting the Lord into the inner sanctum of your soul and keeping everyone else out.

In that Star Trek transmitter room, no person has access to the insides of those men.  But that shaft of light courses through every fiber of their being.

That’s the way I picture God.  When I come into His presence, He is a shaft of light that surrounds me and courses through me.  And He brings great peace to my inner being.

You have probably felt His peace.  It’s like total rest and satisfaction, like achieving a perfect balance. 

But then someone comes along and slams the balance.  Your peace flies out the window and you go from harmony to hatred in .3 seconds.

So how can you keep the harmony, even when someone is desperately trying to slap it out of you?

The key is to stay in the shaft of light, to stay in the presence of the Lord and keep receiving from Him.  And the great thing is, we have the Holy Spirit inside of us to help us do that.

In that shaft of light I am constantly receiving from God – and that includes His peace. 

First John 3:19 says our hearts find rest in His presence. 

Psalm 89:15 talks about walking in the light of His presence.

How can we do that?

One way is to keep our minds steadfast on the Lord. 

I like what Isaiah 26:3 says, especially in the King James Version:  “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee…”

And then it adds this little phrase, “…because he trusteth in Thee.”

So we put our trust in the Lord.  We trust Him to provide for us, including a great peace for our souls.  We keep our minds on Him and stay in that shaft of light, which is His presence.  And we receive from Him and Him only – we don’t let anyone else shovel their stuff into our inner man.

This gives us the peace we need.  And then we can actually be the peacemakers Jesus wants us to be.

So don’t be a stressed out peacemaker this holiday season! 

Instead, fill up with God’s peace by staying in the light of His presence.


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 Happens When You Hear the Word? - Apples of Gold - December 12, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 12, 2008

“What Happens When You Hear the Word?”

 

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

You know you’ve come across a good passage in a book when you take time to stop and underline it. 

And when you underline it, and highlight it, it must really be good.

But when you underline, highlight, and fold down the page corner? 

Well that’s what I did on page 140 of “The Journals of Jim Elliot.”

He describes a service where he was preaching.  Now listen and see if you have ever experienced this.

It says, “…the Lord seemed to melt our spirits in joy at the hearing of His Word.”

I know that feeling.  It’s when you hear the Word of God and it moves you – heart, soul and mind.  It touches your emotions, your will and your intellect. 

When that happens you are captivated by the Word.  The Spirit of God stirs within you and you say, “I want that.  I believe that.  I want to lose myself, count everything else as loss so as to obtain that.”

Now let me say that quote again from Jim Elliot.  It says, “…the Lord seemed to melt our spirits in joy at the hearing of His Word.”

That makes me wonder, why don’t our spirits melt in joy every time we hear His Word?  His Word certainly doesn’t change.  His power doesn’t change. 

Well if the seed of the Word is the same, then the difference must be in the soil; that is, in us.

So now let’s do a little soil preparation.  This is to prepare us to receive the Word of God in such a way that the Lord will melt our spirits in joy at the hearing of His Word.

One thing that prepares me to receive the Word is to simply be reminded of, to be primed by what the Bible says about the Word of God.  So buckle up and here goes.

God’s Word is the word of life.

It’s the word of truth.

His Word is the “Sword of the Spirit.”

The Word of God is not just something on the book shelf.  It actually lives in us.  It should dwell in us, and we need to let the Word dwell in us richly.

The Word of God actually is at work in us who believe.

We need to make room for God’s Word.

We need to taste the goodness of the Word.

Jesus said, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

So we need to receive the Word.

We need to receive instruction in the Word.

We need to humbly accept the Word.

We are to both hear the Word, and understand it.

We are to listen to the Word, and do what it says.

We are to hear the Word of God, and obey it.

We are to keep His Word, and hold firmly to it.

We are to honor the Word of the Lord.

Now this is not a private thing between us and God.  The Bible indicates the Word of God should “increase and spread.”

We should spread the Word of God.

We should speak His Word with boldness, courageously and fearlessly.

We should preach the Word, and be prepared to do so both in season and out of season.

We should proclaim the Word and teach the Word.

Now we don’t go at this like we are killing snakes.  No, we are to correctly handle the Word of Truth, and we must be careful not to distort the Word of God.

Charles Spurgeon said you don’t have to defend the Word of God, just like you don’t have to defend a lion.  All you really have to do is just turn it loose.

God’s Word is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword.  It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit.  It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Peter called it “the living and enduring Word of God.”

Yes, there are many words in this world, spoken and written by many people. 

But listen as Peter sums up the matter:  “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of the Lord stands forever.”

 
Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
Here are the scripture references, starting with God’s Word is the word of life:
Philippians 2:16
John 17:17
Ephesians 6:17
1 John 2:14
1 Thessalonians 2:13
John 5:38
Colossians 3:16
John 8:37
Hebrews 6:5
Matthew 4:4
Acts 11:1
Galatians 6:6
James 1:21
Matthew 13:23
James 1:22
Luke 11:28
John 8:51
1 Corinthians 15:2
Acts 13:48
Acts 12:24
Philippians 1:14
Acts 6:7
Acts 4:29
Acts 8:4
2 Timothy 4:2
Acts 8:25
Acts 15:35
2 Timothy 2:15
2 Corinthians 4:2
Hebrews 4:12
1 Peter 1:23-25

© 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-

Is There a Pogo in Your Life? - Apples of Gold - December 10, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 10, 2008

“Is There a Pogo in Your Life?”

 

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

That’s when Pogo came into his life.

Pogo was a wit, he said, a dressy man, a man about town.

“Here was sophistication,” he said, “glossy all over, and (dared one believe it?) ready to impart sophistication to us.”

They learned from Pogo all the latest fashions, but that was just the start.

“Pogo was a great theatrical authority,” he said.  “We soon knew all the latest songs.  We soon knew all about the famous actresses of that age.  We learned from him all the latest jokes; where we did not understand he was ready to give us help.  He explained many things.”

C.S. Lewis concluded by saying, “How gratifying, and how edifying, it would be if I could trace to Pogo all my slips from virtue…  Unfortunately this would be false.”

Now listen to this conclusion.  And by the way, this is from C.S. Lewis’ book entitled “Surprised by Joy.”  Listen as he sums up the impact of Pogo on his life.

“What attacked me through Pogo was not the Flesh (I had that of my own) but the World:  the desire for glitter, swagger, distinction, the desire to be in the know.”

If you could see the book, you would see that Lewis actually capitalized the word World.  He said he was attacked, through Pogo, by the World.

What exactly did he mean by the World?  Let’s look at the four things he mentioned.  The first one was the desire for glitter.

To me this means how I look.  I want to look good.  I want to dress sharp.  I want the right haircut.  I want perfect teeth and big muscles, and while we’re at it, throw in a Maserati.  When I show up I want to sparkle.

But Lewis said this desire for glitter is really an attack of the World.

Now look at the second thing he mentioned:  the desire for swagger.

Have you ever felt this “swagger?”  It’s confidence with a frothy head.  You walk in and you are in charge.  You know it and they know it.  It shows in your every motion.  It’s a great feeling.

But Lewis said this desire for swagger is really an attack of the World.

Third on his list is the desire for distinction.

I want to rise above the average commoner.  I don’t want to blend in with the rabble.  I want to be known and respected for what I do.  I want to be high on the Who’s Who of special people.

But Lewis said this desire for distinction is really an attack of the World.

And fourth on his list is the desire to be “in the know.”

I want to be an insider.  I don’t want to be “out of the loop.”  Is there a new technology?  Yes, I know about it.  A new fashion?  I’m wearing it.  Is there a gossip circle?  I am privy.  A new movie?  Seen it.  New book?  Read it.  New trend?  Tried it – even before you did.  I am not a dolt who doesn’t keep up with the times.  I am in the know.

But Lewis said this desire to be in the know is really an attack of the World.

Have you ever been attacked by the World? 

What does that even mean? 

The Bible spells out two ways of living:  God’s way and the World’s way.  These are two different systems.

When we are attacked by the World, it is the temptation to do things the World’s way.  It’s an invitation to participate in the World’s system of living.

Ephesians 2:2 calls it “the ways of this world.”

Romans 12:2 calls it “the pattern of this world.”

Colossians 2:20 calls it “the basic principles of this world.”

First Corinthians 1:20 calls it “the wisdom of the world.”

Second Corinthians 10:2 calls it “the standards of this world.”

The Bible says repeatedly that we should not live in the World’s way.

So how can we escape the corruption of the World?  Second Peter 2:20 says it’s by “knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 

See, it’s about knowing the Lord.  It’s walking with the Lord each day.  It’s about listening to the Spirit of God inside of us.  He will guide us to God’s system for living and away from the World’s system.

The World wars against our soul.  It tempts us and invites us to join in. 

But we are not of this world, and we should avoid living by its system.  

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world…”  And it goes on to say that, instead, we need to find out what God’s will is.

The World attacked C.S. Lewis with the desire for glitter, swagger, distinction, and the desire to be in the know.  The World may attack you in different ways.  But it’s always an invitation to participate in the World’s system of living.

Don’t fall for it.  It may not even seem like a sin, but don’t fall for it.  The World’s way is not God’s way.

So think about it and pray about it today.  Beware that the World does attack.  And beware of the Pogos in your life, through whom those attacks come.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
The Pogos in our life are the people through whom the World attacks.  They make the World’s system look good to us.  And like Lewis’ Pogo, it often comes with the offer of becoming more “sophisticated.”

© 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-

Walkaway Wife - Apples of Gold - December 8, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 8, 2008

“Walkaway Wife”

 

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

Pinocchio was off for his first day of school.

But someone else had other plans for the little wooden boy.

A puppet with no strings?  Surely there’s a way to make money off that.

So Honest John pounced on the opportunity.

Now listen to what he said to Pinocchio.  “Well, well.  Quite a scholar…a man of letters.”

See, Honest John didn’t come right out and say what he wanted.  He didn’t say, “Hey little boy, come here so I can sell you to Stromboli who will make money off you and throw you in a little cage.”

No, he started with flattery.  He called him a scholar.

He told Pinocchio he could be famous, “with that personality, that profile, that physique!”

Now if Pinocchio would have been paying attention he would have noticed that the flattering words were not true.  He was not a scholar.  After all, it was just his first day of school.  He did not have a good profile (especially when he told a lie), and as for his physique, his arms were like little sticks.

Next Honest John made what we call in the sales industry an “assumptive close.”  He closed the deal with Pinocchio by simply acting like the deal was done and started to hustle him over to Stromboli.

But then he did a very interesting thing.  Honest John began to sing.  Oh, the song sounded innocent enough.  But it was a subtle part of his plan to lure Pinocchio over to Stromboli so he could collect a fee.

The song said, “Hi-diddle-dee-dee, an actor’s life for me.  A high silk hat and a silver cane, a watch of gold with a diamond chain…it’s great to be a celebrity, an actor’s life for me.”

At this point Pinocchio’s conscience tried to break in and get his attention; his conscience being Jiminy Cricket.

But Honest John kept singing, “…with clothes that come from the finest shop and lots of peanuts and soda pop…”

Jiminy finally broke through and said, “Remember what I said about temptation?  Aha, well…that’s him.”

Finally Pinocchio heard some truth, and what was his reaction?

“Oh no, Jiminy, that’s Mr. Honest John!”

And off Pinocchio went, to a small taste of fame and a big dose of pain.

Now I know that’s just a kid’s story, but it’s a great illustration of a Biblical truth.  Proverbs 12:5 says, “…the advice of the wicked is deceitful.”

I’ll say it again.  The advice of the wicked is deceitful.

Start with that last word, deceitful.  Deceit means it’s not true, but we think it is.

I cannot stress how big this is.   We can be deceived, but think we aren’t.  We can think we are on exactly the right path doing exactly the best thing, and yet we aren’t.

How can we tell? 

Back to Pinocchio.  He received conflicting advice from two sources, Honest John and Jiminy Cricket.  Who should he listen to?  One promised years of labor in a boring old school.  The other promised fast fame and fortune.  Who should he listen to?

According to Proverbs 12:5 he should take into account their character.  Don’t just listen to the message, but also consider the messenger.

I heard a new phrase last week, “walkaway wife.” 

Dr. Gary and Barb Rosberg got a call on their radio show from a man whose wife had announced she was leaving.  She didn’t seem to have a good reason for it, and Barb called her a walkaway wife.

Then she asked an interesting question.  “Have any of her friends recently divorced and remarried?”

What she really wanted to know was, “Where is she getting her advice?”  If she’s getting it from divorced friends, then she might be getting advice such as, “Hey, it’s time to move on.  You deserve better.  You deserve to be happy.”

See, it is very important that you are careful about where you get your advice.  And it needs to be from people of the highest moral character. 

Now think about Honest John’s song.  I think songs can also be very persuasive for the walkaway wife.  You can literally fill your iPod with songs about new love and romance and being swept off your feet.  Combine these with the dream of a better life and the advice of less-than-moral friends, and suddenly it’s easier than you thought to simply walk away from your family.

So pay close attention to the advice you are getting.  It might be quite tempting.  And it might also be deceitful, but the very nature of deceit is that you don’t know it.

So how can you weed out the good advice from the bad? 

We find an important tip in Proverbs 12:5.

When getting advice, we need to make sure that the advice giver is of the highest moral character.


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-

Hiding Myself - Apples of Gold - December 3, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 3, 2008

“Hiding Myself”

 

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

The cover of New Yorker magazine showed Thanksgiving Day, then and now.

Both showed a family around the same dinner table after stuffing themselves; one today, and one in 1942.

In ’42 the conversation was lively around the table.  At the same table today there was no conversation.  Everyone was staring at the football game on a big TV.

Now I’m sure there are still plenty of people having Norman Rockwell Thanksgivings.  But for me, that magazine uncovered a certain symptom.

It’s a lack of personal interaction.

The other day I read a commentary, and the guy was railing against e-mail and text messages, said they were “impersonal.”  Now I love e-mail and texting, so I just shrugged the guy off.

But then I came across Isaiah 58:7.  It starts by saying that God’s desire is that we share our bread with the hungry.

If we do anything at all, how do we usually help the hungry?  Maybe we donate to the food pantry, or make a charitable contribution. 

But that verse makes it sound way more personal.  Share your bread with the hungry.

“Oh, you mean my bread?  Mine?  The same bread I’m eating?”

It’s one thing to help the hungry from afar.  But to share your own bread with them?  Hmmm.

Now back to Isaiah 58:7.  The next line says that God’s desire is that we help those who need shelter, and the New King James Version says this, “…bring to your house the poor who are cast out…”

Wow.  It’s one thing to throw a few dollars at the poor.  But to bring a poor person into my own house?  Are you crazy?

Here is the difference.  Personal interaction.

Personal interaction is messy.  It’s unpredictable.  It can be frustrating. 

No, it’s better to just keep them at arm’s distance, right?  Sure, help people.  But just don’t get too personal.  High fences make good neighbors.

And you know why we can say that?  Prosperity.  Our needs are met.  When we are doing fine, we don’t need anyone.  We are content with our own little lives.

And that is exactly what God is hammering in Isaiah 58.  He is saying, “Stop being content in your own life and ignoring the needs of others.”

“But Doug, I’m not ignoring the needs of others.  Why, I’m supporting 10 kids through World Vision.”

That’s great.  Don’t stop.  But now let’s look at the last line in Isaiah 58:7.  God’s desire is that we not hide ourselves.

The Message says, “…being available to your own families.”

I think this is more than just impersonally meeting needs, because you know what?  Human beings need more than just food and shelter.  We need personal interaction.

Am I a good father if I give my kids stuff but don’t personally interact with them?

Am I a good husband if I hand my wife my paycheck every week but don’t talk to her and share with her and listen to her?

Isaiah 58:7 indicates that I should not hide myself.  I should not hole up in my castle, inaccessible. 

Jesus set the example when He, the Son of God, took on flesh and walked among the people.  He got dirty, but He got involved.  He did not hide Himself.  He didn’t just sit on a throne and lob down miracles.  He touched people and looked them in the eye and talked to them.

This is where God’s heart is, and this is where our heart should be. 

So as you go about your day, think about ways you might be hiding yourself.

Then think about how God might want you to meet some needs, not impersonally, but with the human touch of personal interaction.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
*  It was the November 27, 2006 edition.

© 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 Cheated in Sixth Grade Science - Apples of Gold - December 2, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 2, 2008

“I Cheated in Sixth Grade Science”

 

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

The door finally opened and sixth graders exploded from the classroom.

One of them held up traffic just for a moment.

He stopped just long enough to say this to the kid in front of me.

He said, “The answers are D-A, D-A, D-A all the way down.”

And he was swept away by the crowd.

My heart raced.  Pupils dilated.  The disappearing ink that was recording my day was replaced by chisel and stone.

I now had unlawful information.  What would I do?

I walked in and sat down, dazed and alert.  Tests were handed out.  Multiple choice.  A through D.

I looked at the first question.  Ah, that’s obviously…D.

I looked at the second question.  My heart sank and my hands went clammy.  A.

Do I even need to read the rest? 

I tried to be honest.  I tried to put down what I would have put down without that information.  But it wasn’t like I hadn’t studied.  I knew the material pretty well.  And it was multiple choice.  And on a multiple choice if you don’t know you make an educated guess.

And that day my guesses were very educated.

In the end I went with D-A, D-A, D-A all the way down.

The papers were graded, and only two kids got a perfect score; me and that kid in front of me.  And the teacher explained that he was inspired by his toddler who kept saying “Dadadadadada” when he was making the test.

I cheated. 

I didn’t want to cheat.  I wasn’t prone to cheat.  I was not a cheater.  My front door was secure against the temptation of cheating.

But it came in the back door, and I wasn’t ready for it.  I hadn’t even thought about such a thing. 

Before I knew it, the temptation to cheat was already inside and setting a table of A+ cuisine.  And I do mean A+.

So I ate it.

Now let me ask you, what should I have done?

I find the answer in Ephesians 5:11.  It says, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”

What I did when I walked into that classroom is make a choice.  I could look at my situation with the light on or with the light off.  I tried both.  I looked at it with the light on and it just made me nervous.  Too much hassle.  And probably trouble.

And I looked at it with the light off.  Ah, much better.  Just cover it up. 

That’s what I did, but is that what I should have done?

First Thessalonians 5:5 says we are “sons of the light.”

John 3:21 says, “…whoever lives by the truth comes into the light…”

By contrast, verse 20 says that everyone who does evil “will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”

Yes, temptation came in uninvited.  But what I should have done was shine a light on it.

What does that mean in practical terms?

First of all it means I should have acknowledged it as evil.  Cheating may not seem so evil in this dark old world, but when you drag it into the light its nature is clear.

So I should have acknowledged it as evil, and decided to have nothing to do with it.

I sort of tried to do that on my own, but I couldn’t.  I was almost certain of all the answers anyway, so the cheating was not a big leap.  It was just a tiny little step, and on my own I couldn’t resist.

So in this case, after seeing it in the light and acknowledging it as evil, I should have exposed it to the teacher.  I think the best thing I could have done was to go to the teacher and say, “In the hallway I heard someone say that all the answers were D-A, D-A, D-A.” 

Then I could let the teacher take it from there.  I don’t know what he would have done, but I think I would have done the best thing I could do at that point.

Temptation has a way of sneaking in the back door, doesn’t it?  We don’t have to let it in for it to get in. 

But when you suddenly look up and see temptation setting a table for you, don’t pull the shades.  Remember, no matter how good it looks, the deeds of darkness are fruitless. 

Instead, expose it.  Shine a light on it.  Acknowledge it as evil.  And to really turn on the light, tell a responsible person about it.

After all, nothing runs temptation off faster than turning on the light.


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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Where Can I Go and Meet With God? - Apples of Gold - December 1, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 1, 2008

“Where Can I Go and Meet With God?”

 

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

He was a teenage Muslim.

Of course he was Muslim.  His parents were Muslim.  His friends were Muslim.  He lived in the Muslim country of Bangladesh.  What else would he be?

His father was an Islamic leader, his mother an Islamic school teacher, and their son was a model Muslim boy. 

He often prayed in the mosque, and now get this, he truly had a heart for God.  He wanted to know God.  He would kneel on his prayer rug with his head to the ground and cry out to God.

This man told me his story a few years ago – Dr. Abraham Sarker.

At one point, when he was 15, he had a very disturbing dream.  In fact, he had the same dream three times. 

He decided that he must hear from God, so he went to the mosque and started praying.  He said he prayed to hear an audible voice from God.

He prayed all night, seeking God and crying out to Him.  “But,” he said, “I did not hear from God.”
 
A couple of weeks later he was walking home from evening prayers.  Suddenly, he heard a voice in his own Bengali language.  It said, “Go and get a Bible.”

He looked around, but he was the only one on that gravel road.  Nonetheless, it was a clear, audible voice.  “Go and get a Bible.”

He had never even considered reading a Bible before, and for the next four years he looked but couldn’t even find one.  It wasn’t until he came to America as a Muslim missionary that he finally found a Bible and read it.  And soon after he became a Christian, and you can read all about it in his book entitled “Understand My Muslim People.”

Now let me tell you what struck me most about that story.  It struck me how there he was, seeking the Lord in a mosque, and God heard him and answered his prayer. 

Psalm 42:2 asks an intriguing question.  It says, “Where can I go and meet with God?”

That’s a great question.  Wouldn’t it be nice if it was that easy?  You know, like making a doctor’s appointment.  You make the appointment, then just go and meet with God.

We all have questions.  We all have problems.  Why can’t we just go and meet with God?

The woman at the well asked a similar question of Jesus in John chapter 4.  Should they worship God on the mountain or in Jerusalem?  Jesus basically dismissed the whole discussion about physical location.  He said, “…a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth…God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

The way Jesus talked, the idea of a special location for meeting with God wasn’t even worth discussing.  He leaped right over it.

Where did Abraham Sarker go to meet with God?  He went to the mosque.  It was all he knew.

As a Christian, do I think going to a mosque to seek God is wrong?  Of course, as a Christian, I don’t think the Muslims have it right, but I do think you can find God in a mosque.  You can find God in a bar. You can find God wherever you are because He is there.  Acts 17:27 says we can seek God and reach out for Him and find Him because “He is not far from each one of us.”

Psalm 139 says, “Where can I go from your Spirit?”  And the answer is basically nowhere.  Wherever you are, God is within reach. 

So we can meet with God wherever we are.  But if that’s true, then why does He often seem so hard to reach?

Well though the location doesn’t really matter, other things do.

For example, Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”

So it’s not just a routine appointment to meet with God.  We need to seek Him with all our heart.

Hebrews 11:6 clarifies things.  It says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

So to meet with God requires faith.  We must believe that He exists, and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

Ephesians 3:12 says that through faith in Christ we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Ephesians 2:18 says we have access to the Father.

Hebrews 4:16 says we can approach the throne of grace with confidence.

Hebrews 10:22 says we can draw near to God with sincere hearts, in full assurance of faith.

James 4:8 says if we draw near to God then He will draw near to us.

So where can we go to meet with God?

The answer is, right here; right wherever we are.  This is the place we can meet with God.  He is within reach, just like He was for Abraham Sarker in that mosque. 

We can cry out to God.  We can earnestly seek Him in faith.  We can draw near to Him, and like Dr. Sarker, we can expect to hear from Him.

So the question is not, “Where can I go to meet with God?” 

The real question is, “Am I ready to earnestly seek Him with all my heart?”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
You can read Dr. Sarker’s, and the testimonies of other former Muslims, here:
http://www.gospelformuslims.com/mbb_testimonies.php

© 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-