Advice From The Love Doctor - Apples of Gold - January 14, 2009 -vi-

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To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 14, 2009

“Advice From The Love Doctor”

 

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

Jim and Elisabeth were dating.

They liked each other, maybe loved each other, but Jim wasn’t ready for a commitment.

Oh, he was a good Christian guy.  He just didn’t know if she was the one.  Or maybe he just wasn’t ready to commit to anyone.

But there was no denying the electricity in the air.  The philosopher Agur said he did not understand the way of a man with a maiden, but we all know what it feels like.

And Jim and Elisabeth felt it, like a powerful magnet drawing them together.  Love was in the air.

Now if this was a popular TV show, what would happen later that night?  What kind of advice would these two get from today’s so-called love doctors?

Can you see the advice column? 

“Dear Jill, I really like this guy.  Can we sleep together?  What are the rules?  Signed, Puppy Love.”

“Dear Puppy Love, Go for it!  It’s your body and your relationship.  No one can tell you what’s right for you.  It’s not a question of morals or what anyone else has to say. What matters is that you feel safe and comfortable.”

Now that advice is absurd, but you probably didn’t even blink when you heard it.  This is the kind of thing that is being passed off as good advice these days.

Thankfully, Elisabeth did not turn to Dear Jill for advice.  And Jim’s respect for Elisabeth went through the roof.

Listen to this excerpt from Jim’s journal on September 13^th:

“She has been gone just one hour.  What thunders of feeling I have known in that short time.  I could not read the neon lights as I turned away from the bus, and somehow couldn’t face the people as they passed me.  My lip kept contorting, and I could not seem to look natural without twisting tight together both my lips.  How terrible I sound sobbing.  Not like myself at all, but uncontrolled grating, animal sounds – and tears that trickled over my jaw and to my throat.  Leaving her is terrible.  I remember three times now.  The station in Chicago as she walked alone down the tracks next to a Sante Fe train on her way to Wycliffe.  Then her face in the back window of the taxi on Washington Street behind the Stupe last September.  And now this – her twisted brow, the tragic pain of her glance.  And she goes off – still wondering.”

Wow, what did Elisabeth do to stir up such emotion in this man?  I can assure you, it was not by following the advice of the “love doctors.”

Let’s go back to Jim’s journal from September 13^th.  Listen to this:

“Her uprightness makes it so hard.  She loves, I know, but oh, how bitter is love unexpressed.  And she will not let me hold her, hardly touch her, for she says, ‘I am not mine to give you.’”

Stop right there.  Did you catch that?

Here’s Jim, completely drawn in by this woman, so much so that he was literally grieving her departure.  And what did she do to cause this reaction?

Here are Jim’s words again: 

“…she will not let me hold her, hardly touch her, for she says, ‘I am not mine to give you.’”

Did she want to touch?  Of course, she is human.  She is a woman in love.  She grieves the separation as well. 

So why not just take the advice of the day and go for it?  What held her back?

Here is what held her back.  “I am not mine to give.”

Not mine to give?  What’s that all about?

It’s from First Corinthians 6.  It says, “Flee from sexual immorality.”  It says, “…your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit…”  And it says, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.”

I’m sure Elisabeth felt the temptation to fall into the arms of Jim Elliot before they were married.  The drawing power of the physical can feel undeniable.  But she denied herself by focusing on this important truth.

It’s a truth that everyone dating needs to pay close attention to.

It’s a truth that when you apply it, you will eventually enjoy love that the “love doctors” can only imagine.

And that truth is simply this.

I am not mine to give.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
Excerpts from “The Journals of Jim Elliot,” edited by Elisabeth Elliot, published by Revell in 1978 (pp.154, 155).

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

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

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

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

The Skinny Mirror - Apples of Gold - January 13, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 13, 2009

“The Skinny Mirror”

 

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

I picked out a handful of shirts and went to the fitting room.

I put one on, looked in the mirror and said, “Whoa, that’s a nice looking shirt.”

I went for the side view and it looked good, too.

Too good.

I checked some other angles and, you know, I’d heard of this before, but there it was, right before my eyes.

A skinny mirror.

Oh I looked tall and lean.  I think it even threw in a tan and biceps.

The mirror was not telling the truth, but it sure made me feel good.

A skinny mirror might sound like a good thing, but it isn’t.

Now listen to this.  If it’s not true, it’s not good.

Here’s a great quote from Thomas Watson in the 1600’s.  He said, “The best mirror is not that which is most gilded, but that which shows the truest face.”

A mirror that is not true will cause you to take incorrect action.

A skinny mirror might cause you to buy clothes that actually aren’t that flattering.

A fat mirror might cause you to starve yourself.

Only a true mirror leads to correct action.

This applies to non-literal mirrors as well.

James 1 talks about the Word of God as a mirror.  But it’s definitely not a skinny mirror.

If you’re fat, the Word says, “You’re fat.”

If you’re corrupt, the Word says, “You’re corrupt.”

Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God “penetrates.”  It “judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

But here’s the thing.  We don’t want our thoughts and attitudes judged.  Who wants to be judged?  Just leave me alone.  I’m okay, you’re okay – okay?

Since we don’t want to be judged, we look for mirrors that don’t judge us. 

And what we end up with are skinny mirrors. 

Take my reading materials, for example.  James 1:21 says that “moral filth” is “prevalent.”  That means it’s likely that I have some moral filth on me.  So will my reading materials reflect back that moral filth so I can see it?  Or do I read things that don’t really reflect much moral filth, if there even is such a thing?

See, reading material is a mirror.  The question is, is it a true mirror?  Does it accurately reflect back to me the truth about my life?

You know what?  A lot of lives are messed up because something is broken and they take incorrect action to fix it.  And they do that because the mirror they are looking at is untrue.

So what is your mirror?  What are you using to see your life reflected back to you?  Hollywood magazines?  Sports Illustrated?  Vanity Fair?  You’ll see your reflection in these, but is it a true reflection?

No, the true reflection comes from looking intently into the Word of God.  Then we will know the truth.  Then we can make wise decisions.  Then we can take proper action.

So much in this world is just a skinny mirror. 

What we need is more of the true mirror, the true reflection that comes from the penetrating Word of God


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

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

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

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

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

I Am the Lord, In Its Time I Will Do This Swiftly - Apples of Gold - January 12, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

 

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 12, 2009

“I Am the Lord – In Its Time I Will Do This Swiftly”

 

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

Are you waiting for God to come through for you?

Are you praying for a breakthrough, yet it seems like nothing is happening?

Then I have a word for you, from Isaiah 60:22.  It says, “I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.”

That’s a great message in three parts. 

The first part is “I am the Lord,” which pretty much settles everything.

The third part is “I will do this swiftly,” which is hard to swallow when you keep waiting and waiting.

But the second part clears it up a bit.  It says, “…in its time…”

Yes, it will happen swiftly…when the time is right.

You may not see any progress.  You might feel like giving up, but do not lose heart.  It can all change in an instant. 

God told Noah He was going to flood the earth, but He didn’t, not for a long time.  But then in an instant the floodgates were opened.

God told Abraham and Sarah that they would have a baby, but they didn’t, not for a long time.  But then in an instant Sarah became pregnant with Isaac.

God foretold the coming of the Messiah, but He didn’t come, not for a long time.  But then suddenly He was here.  And in one weekend He shed His blood, died, and rose again for our salvation.

Just before His ascension, Jesus told the disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait. 

Wait?  Why wait?  Why wait for anything?

It’s the waiting that drives us crazy.  It’s like a huge waste of time.

But Jesus told them to wait, so they did. 

Then, in its time, He did it swiftly.  On the day of Pentecost they were suddenly baptized with the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus had said.

Saul was an enemy of the faith, persecuting Christians.  But in an instant, on the road to Damascus, his life was completely changed.  It didn’t happen soon enough to save Stephen before he was stoned.  It didn’t happen before some Christians were arrested.  But it finally did happen, and when it happened, it happened swiftly.  Saul became Paul.  He was quickly and suddenly changed.

In my own life, many people were praying for me.  It probably seemed like I would never come around.  But then one night at a little church God just reached out and took me for His own.  It may not have happened soon, but in its time it happened swiftly.

The Israelites were slaves in Egypt longer than the United States has been in existence.  I’m sure each generation cried out for freedom.  But in its time, it happened swiftly.

Moses spent 40 years tending sheep in the wilderness.  Forty years is a big chunk of life.  He probably thought that was it; but then – the burning bush.  In its time, Moses’ life changed swiftly.

King Hezekiah turned the nation back to the Lord, and look what it says in Second Chronicles 29:36.  “Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for His people, because it was done so quickly.”

Yes, we all want things done quickly, and we want them done right now.  But often God doesn’t work that way.  Often He wants us to wait. 

I remember working in secular radio, and one day I felt the conviction that if I could do my work as a full time ministry, then I should.  So I applied at a couple Christian radio stations and waited for God to hand me a job.

It didn’t happen.

I prayed and prayed, but it didn’t happen.

What’s the deal with this?  I thought God wanted me to serve Him fulltime?  Now I step out and nothing happens?

I wrestled with that for a few months, but I stayed open to God’s plan.  Then, in its time, it happened swiftly.  I was hired by a Christian radio station, got married that Saturday, and our honeymoon was spent moving, starting our new life together in a completely new situation.

So are you waiting on the Lord today?  Don’t give up.  In Luke 18 Jesus said to always pray and not give up. 

It may seem like the Lord’s answers are slow, but Second Peter 3 indicates that the Lord is not slow, He’s just patient.  But then when the time is right, boom!  He is swift, like a thief in the night.

So don’t lose heart.  Don’t give up hope.  Keep the faith and keep trusting in Him. 

And hold onto this word today.

“I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

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

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

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

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

Come On, God - Not Today -- Apples of Gold - January 9, 2009 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 9, 2009

“Come On, God – Not Today”

 

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

“Realtor Needs Type A+ Blood Donated Fast”

As soon as I read that on Tallahassee.com this morning I felt the icy hands of dread.

I have A positive blood.  I jokingly brag about it.  “What type of blood do you have?  Well mine is A plus!”

I know this because I have given blood.  But I am definitely not excited about it.  The whole needle-in-your-arm, blood-draining-into-a-bag thing kind of makes me queasy. 

So I stared at that headline and thought-slash-prayed, “No, Lord.  Come on…”

But there was the need, plainly spelled out.  A need I could easily meet.

I have a pretty simple motto.  If I see a need I can easily meet, then I don’t even have to think about it.  Just do it.

I’ve said this many times.  If someone shows you how you can bless them, and you can easily do it, then just do it. 

You don’t have to think about it.  You don’t have to weigh out the pros and cons. 

You see, many times you can’t bless someone easily.  Many times it’s not obvious even how to bless them. 

So when it is easy and obvious, why waste any time?  Just do it.

That’s my motto, anyway.  But this morning that crashed head on into another motto I have. 

Don’t bleed.

“Come on, God.  Not today.  Today I’m…  I’m…”

And for the life of me I couldn’t come up with one single good excuse.

Other than I’m selfish about my blood.

Selfish and fearful. 

Even though it doesn’t really hurt.  Even though it will be totally fine and I know that. 

It’s like eating shrimp.  The act is fine; it’s the thinking about it that gives me a swirly.

I’m memorizing the book of Ephesians and I’m up to chapter 5 verse 2. 

Now this is a stunning verse when you really think about it.

It tells us to “walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us…”

That’s nice and pretty so far.  But it’s the rest of the verse that will blow your mind.  It says Christ has given Himself for us as “an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

Ephesians 1 says we have redemption through Christ’s blood.  Chapter 2 says Jesus reconciled us to God in one body through the cross.

Yes, Jesus was an offering.  He offered up His body, He shed His own blood and died on the cross.  He was a human sacrifice to God.

The whole scene is gory and blood-splattered and outrageous.  The sights and smells of what we call “the passion of the Christ” are disturbing.  In our hyper-clean, non-agrarian culture, most of us would have found it disgusting.

And yet Ephesians 5:2 says that it was a sweet-smelling aroma.

In my little mind that is almost incomprehensible.  How could anything so terrible be considered sweet smelling?

Back to Ephesians 5:2.  Look what it says Jesus did.  It says He “has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

The emphasis is on what Christ did and why He did it.  He offered Himself as an offering and a sacrifice, and He did it because He loved us.

This was the sweet smelling aroma.  His love and His sacrifice.  He loved so much that He was willing to give up His own body and blood, even to the point of death.

And now we are to love just like that.  Verse one says we are to be “imitators of God.” 

Can I do it?  Can I love like that?  Christ gave all of His blood.  Can I give some of mine?

I can, so I should.

And I pick up the phone to make that call…


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

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

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

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

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

Tim Tebow's Eye Black - Apples of Gold - January 8, 2009 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 8, 2009

“Tim Tebow’s Eye Black”

*

 

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

Tim Tebow puts scripture on his eye black.

He’s the quarterback for the Florida Gators, who play Oklahoma tonight for the college football national championship.

Eye black is that inky smudge players put below their eyes to make them look cool.  I mean to make them see better.

A while back I saw the camera zoom in on Tebow and right there on his face it said, “Phil 4:13.”

That’s Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

I love the fact that Tebow so boldly acknowledges Jesus Christ in the public arena.

Saturday night another boldly Christian quarterback will be playing a high profile game.  Kurt Warner will lead the Arizona Cardinals against the favored Carolina Panthers.

Again, I love the boldness of Warner when it comes to acknowledging Jesus Christ.

Jesus indicated in Matthew 10:32 that this is exactly what we should do.  We should all acknowledge Jesus Christ publicly.

So the question is, what are you doing to publicly acknowledge Christ?

A fish logo on your car?  Yes, that’s good.

Christian t-shirts?  Good.

I love what Steve Smith does right here in North Florida.  He has pulled together a group of men that goes out and does good deeds in the community.  Then they pass out a little card that says, “Why We’re Here.”  It explains that because of Jesus Christ, they do good deeds as a way of putting God’s love into action.

A woman told me recently about going to a meeting where most of the people would clearly not be Christians.  She had the habit of wearing a cross necklace, and someone told her, “You should not wear that to the meeting.  People will be offended.” 

She wore it anyway.  It was her way to publicly acknowledge Jesus Christ.

Are you on Facebook?  There are certain people you can always count on to blast out a powerful light for Christ. 

How about a manger scene in your front yard at Christmas?

I remember my brief stint at a country music station.  I put a Christian poster up on my bulletin board.  It was not popular.

You know what I love?  I love it when these community festivals feature Christian singers on their outdoor stages.  It’s great to be walking through a park somewhere and hearing the Lord’s praises echoing through the crowd.

See You at the Pole – now there’s a great way to publicly acknowledge Jesus at the public schools.

The National Day of Prayer right here at the capitol.  It’s an afternoon of boldly acknowledging Christ as the state lawmakers go about their business.

And the Bible reading we do on the steps facing the Supreme Court building.

In college a group of us created our own personal tracts.  They simply told how Jesus had changed our lives.  They included our name and even our phone number.

When my wife and I were dating, she was part of a group that put its picture in the newspaper – a group of people publicly acknowledging Jesus Christ and the impact He had on them.

Some businessmen simply put a little cross on their lapel.

Now let me ask, what are you doing to publicly acknowledge Christ?

Remember football superstar Reggie White?  He signed a lot of autographs, and he always included a Bible verse.

Really, you are only limited by your creativity.  Be original.  Be you.  Just don’t be ashamed.

Second Timothy 1:8 says, “…do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord…”

Paul wrote in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel…”

Jesus said in Mark 8:38, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

So whatever you do, don’t be ashamed.

Instead, be bold.  Be public.  Be proud.

Find some way, like Tim Tebow with his eye black, to publicly acknowledge Jesus Christ.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

*  Photo from the St. Petersburg Times:  http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/article956080.ece

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

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

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

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

Be Careful Little Christian Who You Date - Apples of Gold - January 6, 2009 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 6, 2009

“Be Careful Little Christian Who You Date”

 

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

In high school we played what the teacher called “The Economics Game.”

We were each assigned to a certain situation, then turned loose to make the most of it.

A friend of mine talked to some students who had already played the game, and he came up with a winning strategy.

It was a lot like life, really.  Most of the kids didn’t know what they were doing, so it was easy to take advantage of them and build our little empire. 

At the end of the first semester I was way ahead in the game.

Then came the punishing twist.

At the start of the second semester the teacher reversed the scores!

Where I once was in the lead, now I was in last place.

But actually we had planned for that.  After the reversal my friend raced into the lead and won the second semester.  And I think we both got A’s in the class.

Now go back to that score reversal.  There I was, leading the pack, only to be thrown to the back of the line.

I think about that every time I read Philippians chapter 3.

Paul was leading the pack.  Compared to his fellow Jews he was more zealous, more righteous, a “Hebrew of Hebrews,” he said.

But now listen to Philippians 3:7.  “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss…”

It’s just like my score in the Economics Game.  Paul was way ahead, only to realize that the very things that put him in the lead were actually things that put him behind!

How could that be?

It’s because all those things just got in the way of knowing Christ.

Paul said, “Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ…”

Do you realize what he is saying here?  He is saying that anything that doesn’t help him grow in the Lord is actually a negative, a loss.  It’s rotting, stinking trash.

Now let’s talk about dating.  Are you dating someone who isn’t helping you grow in Christ?  I don’t care how wonderful they are.  Yes, they are putting points on the board, running up your score.  With them you feel like a winner!

But actually, no.  Your score is going the other way.  If they aren’t helping you grow in Christ, then what seems like gain is actually loss.

Peter had a moment like this.  In Mark chapter 8 Jesus told his disciples how He would suffer and be killed.  Peter rose to the occasion.  He was ready to run up the score.  He took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him. 

I imagine Peter saying things like, “Huh-uh Jesus.  Not on my watch.  As long I’m here, no one is going to lay a hand on You.  Bank on it.”

I think to Peter this was a grand moment, a chance to show Jesus his deep love and loyalty.

But all of a sudden, what he thought was a great gain turned out to be a huge loss.

Mark 8:33 says Jesus rebuked Peter.  “Get behind me, Satan!  You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

What a statement!

This is where the rubber meets the road.  Do we have in mind the things of God or the things of men?

It’s a wonderful feeling to be attracted to someone and find out they are attracted to you.  It can feel like heaven on earth.  But to really know the score we have to run it through this filter:  “Do I have in mind the things of God or the things of men?”

Let’s say you are dating someone.  They’re so cute!  You get queasy thinking about them.  They’re smart and fun and hard working and polite.  Win, win, win. 

But they aren’t on fire for Christ. 

Listen to this.  They just aren’t that impressed with Jesus.

And you think this is a winning situation?

My friend, do you have in mind the things of God or the things of men?

You are in danger of waking up one day to a giant score reversal!  Everything you thought was a gain turns out to be a loss. 

And it’s not just dating.  It’s your career.  It’s how you handle money.  It’s your education.  It’s everything you do with your time.  In every area of life we must ask, “Do I have in mind the things of God or the things of men?”

The things of men can give us a nice score for a while.  But then comes the score reversal.  Like Paul we will suddenly see things the way they really are. 

And like Paul we will see that it’s loss, it’s just so much stinking trash compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.
 

Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

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

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

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

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

Are My Hands Clean? Is My Heart Pure? - Apples of Gold - January 5, 2009 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 5, 2009

“Are My Hands Clean?  Is My Heart Pure?”

 

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

It started with two old women in a very humble cottage.

They were sisters.  One was 82; the other 84, and blind.

It was after World War II in Scotland, and these old women were greatly burdened by what they saw as the appalling state of their own parish.  Apparently no young people at all went to the church.

Well the sisters decided to make it a special matter of prayer.  And one particular Bible verse gripped them.

It was Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring…”

They set aside two prayer times each week.  Every Tuesday and Friday night starting at 10 p.m. they would get down on their knees and start praying.  And they proclaimed that verse, “Lord, You said You would pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground.”

Eventually their fervor spread to the church leaders, who started their own Tuesday and Friday night prayer meetings, in a barn.

After about a month and a half of these prayer meetings, one night one of the leaders read Psalm 24.  He read, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart…”

And the man began asking himself, “Are my hands clean?  Is my heart pure?”

And they were all gripped with the conviction that if they really wanted God to move, then they themselves must have clean hands and a pure heart.  They realized that a God-sent revival must ever be related to holiness.

And eventually God did move in a powerful way on that island of Lewis in the Scottish Hebrides.  And the church was once again filled with young people turning to the Lord.

Isn’t that a great story?  I love it!  I just heard it the other day on the internet, on a website called Sermon Index.net.*  It was an old, scratchy recording of a man who was there for that great revival 60 years ago.

First of all, I can just see those two old women in a humble cottage.  Two aged sisters looking out for each other.  And their social life probably revolved around the church. 

They could have just been happy with that, hanging out with other senior citizens until the Lord called them home.

But no.  I think the Spirit of God was stirring inside them.  They saw the absence of young people in church and felt a burden for them.

They could have complained.  They could have gossiped.  But instead, they prayed.  They devoted themselves to prayer. 

They didn’t wait for someone else to call a prayer meeting.  They didn’t shake their heads and wish that “they” would do something about it. 

Instead they said, “On these days at these times, we will pray.”

I love that.

Plus they picked a certain verse to stand on in their prayers.  Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground…”

These two old women prayed earnestly and consistently, calling on the Lord to pour water on the thirsty and to flood the dry ground.

Then somewhere along the line their passion spread.  Some church leaders saw the need for such prayer and they, too, devoted themselves to seeking the Lord on Tuesday and Friday nights.

Then the Lord responded to their prayers.  The Spirit of God stirred up this question from Psalm 24.  “Are your hands clean?  Is your heart pure?”

Lately I’ve been meditating on Ephesians 4:30 which says, “…do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…”

If my hands aren’t clean and my heart isn’t pure, then I am grieving the Holy Spirit.  And if I’m grieving the Holy Spirit, then how can He work through me?  If He doesn’t work through me, then what on earth am I doing?  If I am not bearing good fruit, then what am I even about?

No, I must bear good fruit.  To do that I must have God’s Spirit working through me.  So I must not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, which means I need clean hands and a pure heart.

So just like that man in the barn 60 years ago, I lift up my hands and say, “Lord, do I have clean hands and a pure heart?” 

I must have.  I simply must have.  If I want to see revival; if I want my church to grow; if I want our young people to be saved and on fire for God; then I must have clean hands and a pure heart.

So I pray, “Lord, quench the thirsty.  Flood the dry ground.  Bring conviction of sin among your leaders.  Stir within us in power so that we can stand before You and say, ‘Yes, through Christ I have clean hands and a pure heart so that I may be of full service to my King!’”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
*  http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=376

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

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

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

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

What Is Your Brain Buzzing About? - Apples of Gold - January 2, 2009 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 2, 2009

“What Is Your Brain Buzzing About?”

 

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

From the time you get up your brain is buzzing about something.

Sometimes you can’t sleep because your brain is buzzing.

I say buzzing because, like bees buzz willy-nilly around a hive, our brains buzz all around a subject.

It would be interesting to jot it down, then go back and look at it at the end of the year.  “What my brain was buzzing about today.”

I don’t know if this happens to you, but almost everyday when I wake up there is a song on my mind.  I don’t know why that is.  I’m not a musician.  I don’t sleep with music on.  But for most of my life this has been true.  I wake up with a song in my head.

That means right out of the gate my brain is buzzing about something…a song. 

But now listen to this.  It matters what song it is.  That song influences my thinking, my mood, my day. 

And it could be any song I’ve ever heard.  I know this is weird, but it’s true.  It could be a good song or a bad song; a song that’s good for me, or a song that just isn’t good for me to even think about.

But you know what?  I learned a long time ago not to leave this to chance.  Many years ago I started setting my radio alarm clock to a Christian station.  That way when I wake up the first song to make an impression on my mind is a good song.

Nowadays I use my cell phone as my alarm clock, and, for example, right now my alarm is set to play “Revelation Song” by Gateway Worship. 

And it always works.  That first song I hear leaves an impression on my mind.  And I love starting my day with the opening strains of “Revelation Song” which says, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, holy holy is He.”

So everyday my brain starts buzzing immediately on the holy, worthy Lamb of God.  I love it.

And it’s not just the mornings.  Music will get your brain buzzing anytime.  The question is, what does it get your brain buzzing about? 

Now here’s the thing.  You can control it.  You control it by choosing wisely what music you let enter your brain in the first place. 

And of course this applies to much more than music.  Right now I am memorizing the book of Ephesians.  I add one verse each weekday.  Then I constantly rehearse them in my mind, stringing them all together, and meditating on them.

It’s like an in-depth Bible study constantly buzzing in my brain.  In the mornings when I’m getting ready, what’s running through my head is the book of Ephesians. 

Let me tell you, it radically changes your day when you meditate on the Word of God.  It reminds me of Psalm 1:2 which talks about the blessed man who meditates on God’s words “day and night.”

See, your brain is always buzzing about something.  Why not start memorizing the Word so that it’s buzzing about the things of God.

2009 begins Year Three of my Daniel Fast.  That leads to a certain buzzing every day in my brain.  It’s a buzz that I am denying myself to follow Jesus.  I want to be an offering, a living sacrifice for Him.  Denying myself certain foods keeps those thoughts buzzing in my brain all the time.  Every time I eat, every time I think of eating, my brain buzzes thoughts like, “Lord, I love You.  Lord, I want to serve You.  Lord, I need You.  I need You desperately.  I can do nothing without You.  Lord, I want to bear good fruit.  Lord, I am denying myself in order to take up my cross and follow You.”

There’s nothing like a fast to get your brain buzzing!

We are still doing the 8:08 prayer time at our house.  Each night at 8:08 my cell phone alarm goes off and we stop whatever we are doing, gather whoever is in the house together and we pray.  When this happens, it doesn’t matter what your brain was buzzing about beforehand.  It suddenly changes.  All the buzzing turns toward God and the real needs of people that we bring to Him in prayer.

A regular prayer time will really affect the buzzing in your brain.

Are you a news junkie?  Do you have a news channel IV stuck in your veins?  Stop and think about what that causes to buzz in your brain.  Crime and controversy.  Politics and “pop tarts.”  Oh it gets your brain buzzing alright. 

Or maybe it’s sports, sports, sports.  Is your brain buzzing on sports all day?  Oh, there’s enough sports to do it.  And if real sports aren’t enough, now we have fantasy sports you can buzz about.

Or maybe it’s movies.  Do you find yourself quoting movie lines?  What you quote is obviously what your brain is buzzing on.

Now here’s the point.  Our brains are always buzzing, thinking about some topic.  And often we don’t even try to control what we’re buzzing about.  We just let whatever come into our brain and buzz around for a while.

This year let’s be more proactive.  Let’s control the buzz. 

Let’s set ourselves up for a blessed year like the man in Psalm 1, and he did it by simply letting his brain buzz about the things of God all day long.


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-

Make a Vow to the Lord - Apples of Gold - December 31, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 31, 2008

“Make a Vow to the Lord”

 

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

I love what it says in Psalm 76:11.

Make vows to the Lord…and keep them.

It doesn’t say what kind of vows to make.  It goes into no detail.  It simply says, make vows to the Lord and keep them.

As we start a new year, it’s a great time to make a vow to the Lord. 

For example, I have renewed my Daniel Fast for another year.  That is a vow to the Lord.  It’s not something I have to do.  It’s not a law or a commandment.  It’s just a vow, something I’m promising to do for Him.

I like the word vow instead of promise, even though it means basically the same thing.  To me the word vow is stronger.  You can have a “pinkie promise,” but there’s no such thing as a “pinkie vow.”  A vow is for the strong. 

You say you will do it, then you do it.  It doesn’t matter how hard it gets.  It doesn’t matter if it costs you your life, you do it.

Make a vow to the Lord and keep it.

Keeping a vow builds character.  It builds stamina and perseverance.

Vows give you purpose and focus.  They give you clarity in your decisions.

A vow becomes a benchmark from which other decisions are made. 

For example, let’s say I vow to donate $1,000 to the church building fund on a certain date.  I start socking away the money in a savings account, but then just as the date arrives, my car’s air conditioner breaks.  What should I do?

Remember, a vow becomes a benchmark from which other decisions are made.

I must…don’t miss this…I must give the $1,000 that I vowed to give on the date that I vowed to give it.  That decision was final when I made the vow.  No circumstance can change it. 

“But Doug, you’re going to melt in the Florida heat.”

Has nothing to do with it.  Nothing.  That vow, that $1,000, is completely disconnected from my need for an air conditioner. 

Listen.  I would rather melt to death than break my vow.

That’s why vows are for the strong.  Don’t make one unless you will keep it.

I vowed to memorize the book of Ephesians before my son’s birthday in March.  I am plugging away and I’m halfway through chapter 4. 

Let me tell you, at times I’ve felt lazy.  Some days I don’t want to think about it.  But my vow, my commitment pushes me forward.  I said I will do it, and I will do it. 

A vow gives you backbone.  It gives you guts. 

Now I’m thinking of Antipas.  Revelation 2:13 says Antipas was a faithful witness for Christ who was put to death in Pergamum. 

Tradition says there was a showdown.  They demanded that Antipas pinch some incense into the altar of Caesar. 

Let me tell you, the practical thing to do would have been to just pinch the incense.  But Antipas refused.  Why?

I think it’s because somewhere along the line he made a vow.  So when they demanded that he perform this worship to Caesar, he didn’t even have to think about it.  The vow was his benchmark.  His next decision was based on his vow to worship none but the Lord. 

He refused to pinch the incense, so they pitched Antipas into the brazen altar.  He died.  But he did not break his vow.

A vow is a hammer.  Let everything else get out of the way.

Ecclesiastes 5:4 says, “When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it.  He has no pleasure in fools…”

Don’t make a vow lightly.  Proverbs 20:25 says, “It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows.”

Don’t make a vow willy-nilly.  This isn’t child’s play.  God has no pleasure in fools.  Take your time and think it through.

But then do it.  Make it happen.  You’ll come out a better person on the other side.

So as we leap into this new year, think about Psalm 76:11 and how it might apply to your life.

Think about making a vow to the Lord…and keeping it.


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-

How Can We Live Up to God's Standard? - Apples of Gold - December 30, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 30, 2008

“How Can We Live Up to God’s Standard?”

 

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

Over there is God’s standard, and over here is us.

We are supposed to live up to His standard.  We are supposed to be holy and righteous.  We are supposed to be all good and no bad.

At least we know what we are supposed to be like.  That’s a start.

But just because we know God’s standard doesn’t mean we can live up to it.

It’s like knowing we are supposed to eat right and exercise.  We know it, but that knowledge provides no power to actually do it.

So how can we live up to God’s standard?

Or maybe the first question is, why don’t we already live up to His standard?

Paul addressed this in Romans 7.  He admitted that he did not live up to God’s standard.  And why not?  Because of the “sin living in me,” he said.  It’s because of “my sinful nature,” he said.

Paul said he wanted to live up to God’s standard, but the sinful nature inside him had its own ideas.

He said, “…in my inner being I delight in God’s law…”  Boy, I know that feeling.  Something inside me thrills at the thought of God and His righteousness.  Have you ever felt that?  Just thrilled and awed and overjoyed while thinking of God and His holiness and His purity.

Paul felt that.  But he also felt something else.  It was his sinful nature.  It was sin rattling around inside him, pulling him away from God and toward sin.

I know that feeling, too.  I don’t want it, but I feel it. 

Paul described it as sin at work in the members of his body.  He said, “When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” 

In fact, it frustrated him so much that he declared in Romans 7:24, “What a wretched man I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

This is where Jesus comes in. 

Romans 8:3 indicates that we cannot live up to God’s standard because our sinful nature prevents us from doing so.  That leaves a big gap.  God’s standard over there, and us over here.

Then God sent His Son Jesus who died as a sin offering for us. 

Now listen to what this did.  It cleared the way for God’s Holy Spirit to come and live inside of us.

Before, we were powerless to live up to God’s standard.  But now, through Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit – and there is our power!

Listen to Romans 8:1-2.  “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”

Yes, we still have a sin nature.  But we are no longer its slave.  Through Jesus, the Holy Spirit has come inside of us and broken the chains.  We are no longer slaves to sin.

So now, as Christians, we have two guiding voices inside of us.  We have God’s Spirit, calling us to God’s standard, and we have our sin nature, calling us to sin.

It is now our choice.  Which voice will we listen to?  We can either set our minds on what the sinful nature desires, or we can set our minds on what the Spirit of God desires.

One voice leads to death.  The other voice leads to life and peace.

One voice is hostile to God.  Can you hear that voice calling out from inside you?  The voice of the sin nature, it’s hostile to God.

The other voice tells us we are God’s children and cries out, “Abba, Father!”

So how can we live up to God’s standard?  Romans 8:4 says it’s by living “according to the Spirit.”  It’s by listening to God’s Spirit inside of us and heeding what He says.

This is why it is important not to grieve the Spirit or quench the Spirit; because it is only by the Spirit of God inside of us that we can overcome our sin nature with its stench of death.

So if you are looking for a New Year’s resolution this year, here is a good one. 

“This year I will make a more concerted effort to listen to, and heed, the Spirit of God inside me.”


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 Sarcasm Hall of Fame - Apples of Gold - December 29, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 29, 2008

“The Sarcasm Hall of Fame”

 

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

If there was a Hall of Fame for sarcasm, this would be in it.

It was the 1988 vice-presidential debate between Senator Dan Quayle and Senator Lloyd Bentsen. 

Quayle was only in his 40’s, with about a dozen years of experience in Congress.  At one point in the debate Tom Brokaw questioned Quayle’s experience. 

Quayle said, “I have as much experience in the Congress as Jack Kennedy did when he sought the presidency.”

Then came Bentsen’s now famous response.

“Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy.  I knew Jack Kennedy.  Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine.  Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.”

The crowd erupted.  It was a terrific zinger which sliced Quayle down to size. 

And what was Quayle’s comeback?  All he could muster was, “That was really uncalled for, Senator.”

Uncalled for, perhaps.  But it put Lloyd Bentsen in the Sarcasm Hall of Fame.  He was greatly lauded for it, and Quayle was roundly mocked. 

Bentsen’s sarcasm had done its job.  It’s the job sarcasm is usually used for, to cut someone down.

I googled the word “sarcasm” and I was surprised at what I found. 

Sarcasm is “witty language used to convey insults or scorn.”

It’s used to sneeringly mock a person, to insult or wound them.

Sarcasm is “marked by mocking.”

It is “a cutting form of wit intended to make its victim the butt of contempt or ridicule.”

Sarcasm is meant to be unpleasant to someone or to make fun of them.

It is caustic words for the purpose of wounding another.

Interestingly, the word sarcasm comes from a Greek word that means “to tear flesh.”

Now not all sarcasm is meant to wound.  On a rainy day you might say, “Wow, what a nice day.” 

But what I’ve seen over the years is that sarcasm becomes a habit, a way of speaking.  And it’s especially true for smarter people.  Notice that sarcasm includes being witty. 

A sarcastic person sees a situation the way it is, then can quickly twist what they see into a distorted, sarcastic version of that truth.  Then they make a remark based upon that twisted truth.

For example, Dan Quayle said he had as much Congressional experience as Jack Kennedy.  That was true.  Then Lloyd Bentsen took that truth and twisted it.  He twisted it as if Quayle was saying that he was like Kennedy as a whole.  Then Bentsen made his remarks based upon that twisted truth.

I know all about the habit of being sarcastic because I’ve lived it.  I was not raised in a sarcastic home, but I think I picked it up from television.  I loved to laugh, and my favorite shows as a teenager were Saturday Night Live and Monty Python’s Flying Circus.  I also loved the comedy of Steve Martin. 

And I was drawn to friends who also enjoyed this type of humor.  We became very sarcastic people, mostly just for laughs.  Oh, we were very witty.

But as I grew up, and as I started trying to live for God, I realized that lacing my conversations with sarcasm was not a good thing.  People got hurt.  I blurted out things I shouldn’t have.  I was mostly just trying to be funny, but the very nature of being witty and quick means that you are not being thoughtful.  You blurt out the first sarcastic thing that comes to your mind and bam!  The damage is done.

Sarcasm can really mess up a marriage.  In the emotional ups and downs, with all the pressure points, if you have the habit of being sarcastic, you are bound to blurt out hurtful words and cut your spouse to the quick.  You will both end up with your guard up all the time, which makes it impossible to grow very close to one another.

And sarcastic parents can really cut some deep wounds into their children.

I think sarcasm is often about one-upmanship.  “Ha ha!  I’m better than you.”  I think it has an element of pride.  “I’m smarter than you, quicker than you, wittier than you.”

But this is not at all how a Christian should be.  Ephesians 4:29 says that only good should come out of our mouth, “that it may impart grace to the hearers.” 

Verse 32 says we should be “kind to one another” and “tenderhearted.”

Colossians 4:6 says our conversation should always be “full of grace…”

If you aren’t sure whether you are being sarcastic, or if you think your sarcasm is okay, just pay attention to the way people respond.  Are they ever hurt?  Do they feel like you are putting them down or making them look foolish? 

If so, then your sarcasm is over the line.  It’s hurting people, and it is ungodly.

We’re coming up on the time for New Year’s resolutions, so here’s one to think about. 

If the shoe fits, maybe a good resolution would be, “This year I am going to stop being so sarcastic.”


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-

Should We Pray Before We Eat? - Apples of Gold - December 23, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 23, 2008

“Should We Pray Before We Eat?”

 

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

We always pray before we eat.

It doesn’t matter where we are, we stop and give thanks for the food.

Whether it’s a fancy restaurant or fast food, we stop, bow our heads and thank God.

I like it when the kids invite their friends along.  Sometimes we push tables together; ten or fifteen people causing a stir in the restaurant with all the buzz and chatter.  But then just before we eat – silence.

And someone thanks the Lord.

And then almost unconsciously, when the prayer is done, there is a chorus of amens.

This is all perfectly natural for us, but in our world today it stands out.  I remember one time we prayed at Cracker Barrel and a lady came by to thank us.  “You don’t see that very often,” she said, “And I just wanted to say how much I appreciate it.”

Now we don’t do it to draw attention.  We aren’t pretentious.  We aren’t loud.  We just do it because it is important.

Sometimes at home I give a little reminder before we pray.  I’ll say something like, “I know we take this food for granted.  But not everyone has food.  So we need to be serious for a moment and truly thank God for this blessing.”

If you were raised this way, you probably don’t think anything of it.  Praying before a meal is second nature.

But maybe you weren’t.  Or maybe you were, but don’t like it.  Maybe it seems like an odd religious ritual.  So why do it?

In Matthew 14:19, just before Jesus fed the five thousand, it says he took the loaves and fish, looked up to heaven, and “He gave thanks.”

In Matthew 15 Jesus repeated the miracle to feed four thousand, and once again before they ate, He gave thanks.

That may sound like an incidental to the story, but now look at John 6:23.  It tells of people on boats, and it says they “landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.”

Now isn’t that interesting?  Of all the things they could have said about that location, they brought up that wee little incidental.  It was where the people ate “after the Lord had given thanks.”

In Matthew 26, during the Last Supper, Jesus took the bread and “gave thanks” before they ate it. 

In Luke 24, after His resurrection, Jesus joined two men in Emmaus for a meal.  Before they ate, Jesus stopped and gave thanks.

In Acts 27, Paul was on a ship full of people.  After a time of danger, Paul encouraged them all to eat.  Then verse 35 says, “…he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all.  Then he broke it and began to eat.”

First Corinthians 10:30 mentions eating a meal with thankfulness, thanking God for the food.

Now some people will point out that there is no law in the Bible about praying before meals, and that’s true.  It is not a legal requirement.  So why do it?

Well, in addition to the examples of Jesus and Paul, we have First Timothy 4:3 which says that God created food “to be received with thanksgiving…” 

Then we have some sweeping, overall instructions about being thankful, such as Ephesians 5:20 which tells us to always give thanks to God the Father for everything. 

Colossians 2:7 says we should be “overflowing with thankfulness.”

Colossians 3:17 says that whatever we do, we should do it with thanksgiving to God.

First Thessalonians 5:18 says to “give thanks in all circumstances…”

Now none of this requires a public, out-loud prayer before eating.  But I’ve found it a great way to remember to be thankful, to be thankful on purpose. 

Yes, it could be a silent prayer, but then that’s not exactly “overflowing with thankfulness.”

Now, I don’t pray before every molecule of food enters my mouth.  And in certain circumstances I don’t make it public at all, not because I’m ashamed, but just because sometimes it’s out of place.

And right before a meal is not a good time to launch into a long prayer.  The food is ready.  People are hungry.  To stretch it out is just irritating.

So don’t make it irritating.  Don’t annoy people.  But do overflow with thankfulness.  Give thanks in all circumstances, and that includes mealtime.

So I say, pray before you eat.  It may not be a law, but it’s a wonderful habit that reminds us to be thankful, and I think it pleases the heart of God.


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-