Who Is Most Successful In Your Family? - Apples of Gold - February 4, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for February 4, 2009

“Who Is Most Successful In Your Family?”

 

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

Do you want to be successful?

Who doesn’t, right?

Donald Trump is successful.  The Pittsburgh Steelers are successful.  Barack Obama is successful.

Now let me ask you a question, and I want you to think for a second.  In your family – just off the top of your head, the very first person that comes to mind – who is most successful?

So who came to mind?  I’m going to guess that it was the person with the most money. 

Or maybe you have a family member that is famous to some degree. 

Or maybe it’s someone with a lot of education, or a business owner, or maybe even just someone with their own office.

But when I asked that question, “Who is most successful in your family?” someone came to mind, right?

But why that person?  What criteria in your head made you think of them as most successful?

This is important because it will tell you something about your definition of success.

And I suspect that most of us, especially when making a quick decision, have a worldly definition of success.

So if we all want to be successful, and our most prominent definition of success is worldly, then we are prone to value worldly success; or what I will call “success in the eyes of men.”

However, as Christians, our priority should be success in the eyes of God.  And let me tell you, they are not the same thing.

Take Jesus, for example.  When He walked the earth, He enjoyed little success in the eyes of men.  There was the magnificent Roman Empire, and then there was this little nothing Jew walking around little nothing Israel.

Jesus never went to Rome.  He had no trophy wife.  He did make a little splash around Jerusalem, but did not maximize the publicity.  And just when the ball would get rolling He would do something to kick it off course.

How would you have liked to have been Jesus’ publicity agent?  He didn’t write a book.  He didn’t bounce from city to city on speaking engagements. 

You know what?  He just wasn’t interested in being successful in the eyes of men.

In John 4:34 Jesus told us what He considered successful, “…to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.”

We need to plug this into our heads.  This needs to be our definition of success.  Someone is successful to the degree that they do the will and the work of the Lord.

Take the Apostle Paul and Julius Caesar.  Who was most successful?  Well by this definition, Paul was.  He was immersed in doing the will and the work of the Lord.

Now back to your family.  Who is most successful?  It should be the one who is most doing the will of the Lord.

Look at the kings in the Old Testament.  On what basis were they judged to be successful or not?  It was based on the degree to which they did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.

See, success has nothing to do with your money or your fame, your power or your education.  It’s not even your reputation or your standing in the church.  No, our level of success is just like the kings of old.  Are we doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord?

As you map out your goals for success, this must be at the top. 

Are you planning the success of your children?  Make sure this is at the top:  doing the will and work of the Lord.

So much of what we call success is really just success in the eyes of men.  But listen to Jesus’ words in Luke 16:15, “What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”

First Corinthians 3 says, “…the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.”

So, if we want to be successful, we need to first of all define what that is.

And we need to do away any worldly notions of success because sometimes what men so highly value is actually detestable to God.

Yes, we want to be successful, and it needs to be according to God’s definition.

And that comes down to doing God’s will and God’s work. 

We will be successful to the degree that we do what is right in the eyes of the 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-

How Can I Receive All the Blessings God Has For Me? - Apples of Gold - February 3, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for February 3, 2009

“How Can I Receive All the Blessings God Has For Me?”

 

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

“Dear Doug, how can I receive all the blessings God has for me?”

Great question.

First of all, let me say that all blessings are from God, and if it’s not from God, it’s not a blessing.

James 1:17 indicates that every good and perfect gift comes down from our Heavenly Father.

Psalm 16:11 says that at His right hand are “pleasures forevermore.”

So with God are all the blessings, and apart from Him are no blessings.

In my Bible, Deuteronomy 28 starts with this word in the heading, “Blessings.”  Then it goes on and lists all these wonderful blessings God offered the people of Israel.  Blessed, blessed, blessed – but with one caveat.  They had to “fully obey the Lord.” 

It’s like a giant fire hose of blessings would rain down on them – as long as they obeyed.  But as soon as they didn’t obey the hose would start to kink.

You see, sin is a barrier to God’s blessings.  We will be blessed, unless sin comes between us and God.

And here’s how it played out.  Their sin always came between them and God.  And that meant their sin always came between them and God’s blessings.  They just couldn’t “fully obey” Him.  They didn’t “carefully follow all the words” of the law.  They didn’t revere his glorious and awesome name.  They weren’t able to carefully follow the terms of the covenant.

See, that’s what it was – a covenant between them and God.  It was a great system, but it didn’t do them much good because the people couldn’t be good.  It was their covenant with the Lord, but they couldn’t uphold their end of the covenant.

Skip ahead to Hebrews 8:6.  Jesus came along as the mediator of a new covenant.  It’s superior to the old covenant, and get this.  “…It is founded on better promises.”

Wait a minute.  Better promises than all those promises in the old covenant? 

Yes.  The new covenant is founded on better promises.

Well what are they?

Hebrews 8 goes on to talk about the new covenant.  God says it won’t be like the old covenant.  “They did not remain faithful to my covenant,” declares the Lord, “And I turned away from them.”

But now buckle up for the new covenant.  Listen to these promises starting in Hebrews 8:10.

“I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people…they will all know me…for I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Now remember how we started.  With God are all the blessings, but sin separates us from those blessings.

Well this new covenant takes care of that sin.  Jesus Christ paid the price of our sin.  He purchased our forgiveness with His own blood. 

This kicks off the new covenant.  God forgives our wickedness and remembers our sins no more – when we turn to Jesus Christ.  Through faith in Christ we are cleaned and redeemed.  That obliterates the wall of sin that separates us from God.  It unkinks the fire hose of His blessings.

We literally become children of our Heavenly Father, the Most High God.  Galatians 3:26 says we become children of God “through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Now those are two powerful blessings from the new covenant.  First, God takes care of the sin that separates us from Him. Second, we become His children.

Then comes a super powerful aspect of this new covenant.  Galatians 3:10 says that by faith we “receive the promise of the Spirit.”

This is the Holy Spirit of the Living God, coming to be with us, and to actually live inside us.  He becomes our teacher and our comforter.  He leads us and guides us and convicts us.  Not only are we not separated from God, He has now taken up residence within us!

And remember, with God are all the blessings.  So now the source of all blessing is not a million miles away in some spiritual outer space somewhere.  He is right here!

So now what?  Can we just put it on spiritual auto pilot and wait for the blessings to come flying in?

No.  The next step is to start listening to the voice of God’s Spirit within us and walking in obedience.  Romans 8:5 says we “live in accordance with the Spirit,” with our “minds set on what the Spirit desires.”

Now we can still choose to sin, but we are no longer bound to sin.  We have the Spirit of God within us and as we listen to His voice we can stay clean before the Lord.  If we do sin, He convicts us and we can quickly confess our sin and repent.  This keeps us walking clean before God and prevents any kinks in that fire hose of blessings. 

So yes, God is the source of all blessings, but sin comes between us and those blessings. 

But thank God through Jesus Christ our sin is removed!  Our sin is forgiven and we are cleansed from all unrighteousness.  We are children of the Most High, and His Spirit lives inside of us.  As we listen to His Spirit we live in such a way that there is no wall between us, no kink in the hose of His blessings.

And that’s how we receive all the blessings God has for us!


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-

Don't Lower the Standard Just to Get a Laugh - Apples of Gold - February 2, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for February 2, 2009

“Don’t Lower the Standard Just to Get a Laugh”

 

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

I have always been a sucker for laughter.

Growing up I always migrated towards people who made me laugh.

I liked comedies and comedians, cartoons and comics.  I went from Charlie Brown to Bloom County to Calvin & Hobbes to Dilbert.  And don’t forget the Far Side.

And even though I wasn’t really asking for it, a lot of foul things were introduced into my life through comedy.

Just for the laughs I listened to Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx and Rodney Dangerfield.  Throw in Steve Martin and Saturday Night Live.

Oh, I had a lot of laughs, but I got something more.  These people also passed along their values.

The main value they passed along was, “What is acceptable to say?”

See, if they said it, then it must be okay to say.  And they were willing to say most anything to get a laugh.  In fact, sometimes the foul things were the funniest.

But you know what?  As Christians, there are some things we should not say.  There are some things that should never come up in conversation.  Ephesians 5 says these things include filthiness, foolish talking and coarse joking.

It says these are out of place for saints.  They are improper for God’s holy people.

So think about it.  Do you ever say things that fall into the categories of filthiness, foolish talking or coarse joking?

Now here is the danger zone.  I think we are more likely to say these things when we are trying to be funny.

Somehow, when it comes to being funny, we have received the values of the comedians more than the values of God. 

Now there’s nothing wrong with being funny.  Nothing wrong with a good laugh.  But it is wrong if it’s filthy, foolish or coarse.

I’ve seen pastors do this while preaching.  I’ve seen youth leaders do this, and Bible teachers.  All of a sudden they say something in order to get a laugh, but lo and behold, it’s filthy, foolish or coarse.

Most Christians, in their normal conversation, would not be filthy, foolish or coarse.  But somehow that standard gets lower when it’s time to get a laugh.

We are more willing to say something crass in order to get a laugh.

Comedy involves the element of surprise.  And since coarse joking is almost always a surprise coming from a Christian, it can cause the much desired laughter.

In other words, a great way for a Christian to get a laugh is to be coarse.

Laughter makes us feel good.  We’re happy!  Even if it’s a guilty pleasure, we’ll take the pleasure, thank you.

Okay, now let’s pull the lid off this thing.  What’s the difference if we all sit around and tell coarse jokes and have a good laugh?  It’s just talk, after all.  I mean, for example, we can joke about adultery all day long.  It’s not the same as doing it.

Well let me tell you.  Jokes matter.  Jokes change our attitudes.  When we laugh about things that are sinful, then we start to attach positive feelings to things God hates.

It will be hard to feel strongly against racism if you sit around and tell racist jokes all the time.

It will be hard to respect women if you tell jokes that demean women.

It’s hard to have a godly view of sex when you tell dirty jokes.

If you laugh a lot about drunk people, it’s hard to feel the depth of sadness and grief for them that we should.

What we choose to laugh about matters.

The Bible says that filthiness and foolish talking and coarse joking are not fitting for saints.  They don’t belong in our conversations. 

The first step is to stop saying these things ourselves.  We just decide that this is unacceptable and we stop saying them.

The second step is to stop listening to others who say such things, including comedians.

I believe these things grieve the Holy Spirit of God.  So let us examine our lives and work to do away with all communications that include filthiness, foolish talking, and coarse joking.

And let us beware of that oh, so subtle temptation – to lower our standards just to get a laugh.


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-

Welcome Home! - Apples of Gold - January 30, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 30, 2009

“Welcome Home!”

 

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

My wife and I were tucked away in the Seminole Room.

That’s a room in our house that is painted in the colors of the Florida State Seminoles.

We heard someone come in the front door, and I said what I always say, “Welcome home!”

I expected to hear the voice of one of our children, but all I got was a giggle.

It was our son’s fiancé. 

Why did she giggle?  I guess because I gave the big “welcome home” to someone who didn’t live there.

“That’s alright,” I said.  “You’re just like one of the family.”

The same thing happened last week.  Someone walked in the front door and went straight to the refrigerator.  “Welcome home,” I called out.  And one of my son’s friends sheepishly poked his head around the corner and smiled at me.  My son wasn’t even there.  Then another young man popped around the corner and said, “Hello, Mr. Apple.”

Why do I put up with this?  Why do I let non-family members walk in the door like that, and go to the refrigerator, no less?

Maybe it goes back to my own teenage years.  I don’t know when it started, but somewhere along the line I started entering my friends’ homes without knocking.  Not all of them, of course.  Just some of them.

And I liked it.  I really, really liked it.

Those homes became a home away from home.  The parents liked you and accepted you and you knew it.  Not that they put up with disrespect.  It’s more like they treated you like one of their own.

Some friends’ homes were like this, and some weren’t.  Some you didn’t dare enter without knocking.  And you certainly never entered if your friend wasn’t there.

But others, it didn’t matter if your friend was there or not.  You could go in and chat with the parents, or the siblings.  They really treated you like a member of the family.

I still appreciate what they did.  I felt their love, and you know what?  On some days you really needed it. 

My wife and I decided a long time ago that that’s the kind of house we would have – a place where our kids’ friends could just come on in.  Not to show disrespect, of course, but to be treated like a member of the family.

Now I’m not saying you have to let people walk in your house without knocking.  That certainly isn’t for everyone.

But what is for everyone is this.  It’s found in Romans 12:13.  “Practice hospitality.”

First Peter 4:9 says, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”

Recently I was the guest speaker at a church.  Afterward the pastor and his wife invited us to their home where they had prepared a full meal.  A few others were invited as well, and the house was full of joy and laughter.

That is hospitality.

In fact, most of the pastors I have known over the years are very good at hospitality.  They willingly open their homes and usually have a steady flow of traffic.

The people who lived in our house before us – they were given to hospitality.  They welcomed ministers and evangelists, and had an extra bedroom for these special guests.

Both Timothy and Titus say that church leaders should be “hospitable.”

In Acts 10 we read about Simon the tanner.  He lived by the sea, which sounds scenic, doesn’t it?  And verse 32 says that he showed hospitality to a very special guest – none other than Simon Peter.

Acts 18 says that Priscilla and Aquila had the Apostle Paul over to their home.

In Acts 16, Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from Thyatira, invited Paul and his entourage to stay at her house.

Acts 28 says a public official welcomed them into his home and entertained them hospitably for three days.

In Galatians 4:14 Paul said that the people welcomed him “as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself.”

Now that’s hospitality!

And when he got the chance, Paul also practiced hospitality.  In Acts 28 we see that for two years he had his own rented house, and it says he “welcomed all who came to see him.”

So how are you doing at showing hospitality?

It’s about making people feel welcome.  They should feel comfortable. And loved.  And liked. 

We are told to practice hospitality, and to me it kind of all boils down into these words when that front door opens:

“Welcome home!”


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 Fear My Wife - Apples of Gold - January 28, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 28, 2009

“I Fear My Wife”

 

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

I will now say something very odd.

I fear my wife.

How do you picture me now?  A 98-pound weakling?  A pathetic shell-of-a-man who gets beat if he forgets to pick up milk on his way home from work?

Well, that’s not the case at all.  I love my wife.  We have a great marriage and a happy home.  We just celebrated the 25^th anniversary of our first date. 

But I do fear her, and here’s what I mean by that.

I fear having to live without her.  She means so much to me, I don’t even want to think about life without her.  And you know, she could pick up and leave at any moment.  She’s not my slave.  This isn’t the dark ages.  She can just up and go.  And that would be a tragedy in my life.  So I fear her and the awesome power she has to hurt me if she really made up her mind to do so.

Now listen to this.  That fear keeps me in line.  I don’t want to hurt her or grieve her or even disappoint her.  I want her to be pleased with me, not displeased with me.

I want her favor.  I want her blessing.  I want the things she provides for my life.  Yes, if she left tomorrow I could stumble along without her, but I don’t even want to try. 

So I try to please her.  I want her to be happy.  I want what is best for her, and I will work to get it for her.  I will sacrifice for her.

And if you are married, you know your spouse can punish you, right?  It comes in many different forms, but it’s still a punishment.

Now you might be thinking, “What kind of whacked out situation is this?  That marriage is messed up.”

Not at all.  It’s a healthy marriage.  And one of the reasons it’s healthy is this one ingredient among many – I fear my wife.

When we hear the word “fear” we picture cowering in the corner while some maniac goes on a rampage.  That’s not the kind of fear I’m talking about. 

It’s more like this.  I fear my boss.  That doesn’t make me cower in the corner, weak and unproductive.  It actually strengthens me.  It makes me rise up and get to work.  It motivates me to do my best.

I fear him because, you know, he could fire me.  He could really mess with my life if he wanted to.  So that fear keeps me in line.  I want him to be pleased with me, not displeased with me. 

I want his favor.  I want his blessing.  I want the things he provides me.  Yes, if he fired me I could go find another job, but I don’t want to.

So I try to please him.  I want him to be happy. 

Now I’m not fearful and afraid.  I’m not scared or chicken.  He’s not a slavemaster.  But I do fear him.

Are you starting to see what kind of fear I’m talking about?

The other day I popped the hood on my daughter’s car.  I checked the tension on the belts.  If there’s no tension, it won’t work.  If there’s too much tension it won’t work.  It needs just the right amount of tension to work properly.

That’s how I see the fear I’m talking about.  It’s a kind of tension that keeps things working right.

With my boss, there is just enough tension to keep me working hard.  With my wife there is just enough tension to keep me striving to be a good husband.

And you know what?  The same is true with God.

Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…”

First Peter 2:17 says we must “fear God.”

Act 9:31 says the early Christians throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria lived “in the fear of the Lord.”

I know I do.  I fear God.  I am a God-fearing man, and here’s what I mean by that.

I fear having to live without Him.  He means so much to me, I don’t even want to think about life without Him.  That would be a tragedy in my life.

That fear of the Lord keeps me in line.  I don’t want to hurt Him or grieve Him or even disappoint Him.  I want Him to be pleased with me, not displeased with me.

I want His favor, His blessing, the things He provides for me.  So I try to please Him.  I want Him to be happy with me.  I want each day to end with Him saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

I fear the Lord, but that doesn’t mean I’m cowering and fearful.  I love my walk with Him, my life with Him.  He fills my life in every way with wonderful things.  I can’t go on without Him.  I don’t want to.  I won’t.

So my fear keeps me in line.  It keeps me on the straight and narrow.  It keeps me away from sin and drawing near to Him.

I fear the Lord, and you know what?

That’s a really, really good thing.


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-

Why Settle For Gravel When You Can Have Diamonds? - Apples of Gold - January 27, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 27, 2009

“Why Settle For Gravel When You Can Have Diamonds?”

 

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

Absalom hated Amnon.

Amnon didn’t realize it, I guess, because when Absalom invited him over for dinner, he went. 

Absalom hated Amnon because he had attacked his sister.  And now it was time for revenge.

So Amnon went, and what do you know – free wine!

If Amnon had his guard up at all, it didn’t stay up long.  The wine did exactly what Absalom wanted. 

The more Amnon relaxed, the more in danger he became.

And as soon as his tipping reached the tipping point, they killed him.

So how many drinks did Amnon need before his judgment was impaired?

One.

Impairment begins with the first drink.

Because it is so common, and because the alcohol industry spends billions of dollars on advertising, we tend to forget that alcohol is a psychoactive drug.

Now here’s what I’ve noticed.  There are a lot of people who would never, ever use recreational drugs, but they do use alcohol.  Even some Christians.

To me this is like keeping a pet rattlesnake.  Even if you are very careful, everyone in the house is at risk. 

Have you ever read the book “John Adams” by David McCullough?  The Adams’ had alcohol in their home, and their son John Quincy Adams was still an amazing success. 

And their son Charles became a drunk and died at 30 of alcoholism. 

When I read that I thought, “If they could do it all over again, I wonder if they would decide that they could have lived without the alcohol after all?”

Proverbs 20:1 says, “Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.”

How many drinks until the leading astray begins?

The King James says alcohol is a deceiver.  It is “raging.”

Habakkuk 2:5 uses this phrase:  “…wine betrays him…”

A traitor.  A liar.  A mocker.  A brawler.  Who would allow this in their home? 

Have you seen the ads for medicine, with all the disclaimers?

Can you imagine the disclaimer for alcohol?

Yet many Christians drink. 

Now today I’m not going to dive into shoulds and shouldn’ts, what’s a sin and what isn’t.

Instead, here’s what I think.  I think that alcohol is a cheap substitute for being filled with the Holy Spirit of God.

It’s interesting that the Bible contrasts the two – alcohol and the Holy Spirit. 

Ephesians 5:18 says, “Do not get drunk with wine…but be filled with the Spirit…”

“But Doug, I don’t get drunk.”

Forget about the “don’t” right now.  Focus on the “do.”  “Be filled with the Spirit.”

Luke 1:15 talks about John the Baptist.  The angel said, “He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit…”

In Acts chapter 2 the disciples were filled with the Spirit.  And what were they accused of?  Drinking too much wine.  And Peter said no, they weren’t drunk.  It was actually the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, that in the last days God would pour out His Spirit on all people.

It’s interesting, this contrast between the Holy Spirit and alcohol.

Here is what I think.  Some Christians drink because they hope to get something positive out of it.  However, far and away the better thing, the real thing, is to be filled with the Spirit. 

So I say throw out the bottle and pick up the Bible.

Get rid of the “spirits” and be filled with the Spirit.

Don’t be led astray by the cheap, pathetic substitute, the lying traitorous mocker.  It’s fool’s gold.  It’s settling for gravel when you could have diamonds.

Alcohol has risks for you and your children, maybe especially your children. 

But being filled with the Spirit of God is all positive, all rewards – real peace and love, wisdom and knowledge, joy and no regrets.

So if you think alcohol is okay, then stop settling for okay. 

Clear it out.  Make room for nothing but the best.

It’s time to draw near to God and be filled with His Holy Spirit.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

First Peter 5:8 tells us to be sober, vigilant, self-controlled and alert, because our enemy, the devil, is on the prowl, looking for someone to devour.  I often say this to Christians who say that one drink is okay:  One drink simply means you are one drink less sober.  You are one drink impaired, one drink less alert.  And if there really is a lion waiting to ambush you, how alert do you really need to be?

© 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-

A Tomato Fight Could Break Out Any Moment - Apples of Gold - January 22, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 22, 2009

“A Tomato Fight Could Break Out Any Moment”

 

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

Bash!  A tomato hit me right in the neck.

I turned to hurl a tomato in response but I threw it so hard it broke apart in mid air.

Bam!  Now I could feel tomato soaking down my back.

My vision narrowed in rage, locking on a target.  Every muscle tightened, poised to fire a fastball at my friend.

Yes, my friend.  They were all my friends.  But not anymore.  Not ever again.  I would rather have no friends than this pack of freaks and losers. 

A horn sounded out front.  “Your mom’s here!”

Good.  Get outta here.  I hope you die.

Believe it or not, just the day before, we were all best friends.  Everyone came over for my birthday.  I was nine.

It was a great party, really.  A sleepover.  The problem was…we didn’t sleep.

And you know what happens to 9-year-old boys when they don’t sleep.  They go insane.

Fast forward a few years to the summer of ‘98.  My wife was out in the yard playing wiffle ball with my son and his friends.  Suddenly our usually laid back son was over-the-top competitive.  He was bickering about rules.  He was arguing with his friends.  He finally swirled himself into a tizzy and ran off. 

My wife said to one of the boys, “What is his deal?” 

And the boy admitted that, well, they stayed up all night. 

Of course it’s not just 9-year-old boys.  Have you ever seen little kids who just need to go to bed?  They are liable to throw a fit about anything.

So what should a parent do with a child like that?  Argue with them? 

No.  Why bother arguing or even reasoning with them?  They are overtired and out of control.  The main goal is just get them to sleep.

And you know what?  This applies to grownups, too.

No, we usually don’t throw fits and start tomato fights.  But we do get cranky.  We don’t think straight.  The world gets darker when we don’t get enough rest.

There’s a neat story in the Bible about Jesus and His disciples.  In Mark chapter six, Jesus noticed that his disciples needed a little r-n-r.  In fact, verse 31 says that because so many people were coming and going, they didn’t even have a chance to eat. 

Now Jesus could have just told them to “cowboy up.”  You know, tough it out.  But listen to what He said:  “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Then verse 32 says, “So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.”

See, Jesus knows the importance of rest and relaxation.  There is a time for activity, then there is a time for no activity.  There is a time to put your mind and body at ease.

God Himself set the example for us at creation.  Genesis 2:2 says, “By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work.”

Years ago I heard Larry Burkett talk about his life as a workaholic.  He worked tons of hours each week in order to get ahead.  But then he started analyzing his work and he came to this conclusion.  The quality of his work suffered the longer he worked each day.  So he found that the best schedule for him was something like a 47 hour work week.

Yes, some people are just lazy.  But this message isn’t for them.  This is for people who don’t know when to stop.  You are the go-go guy.  And anyone who doesn’t go-go-go…well…they’re just annoying.

In fact, you’re probably annoyed by a lot of things.  Can you see the connection with those 9-year-old boys? 

With kids we know that too much action plus too little rest equals cranky children. 

And too much action plus too little rest equals cranky adults, too.

Do you feel guilty when you relax?  Of all the things to feel guilty about, this is not one of them.  Jesus told His disciples to relax.  God Himself rested from all His work. 

So have you been feeling “on edge” lately.  Does it feel like a tomato fight could break out any moment?

Well maybe you aren’t getting enough sleep.  Maybe there’s too much going on. 

Maybe it’s time to listen to these understanding words Jesus said to His disciples. 
 
“Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”


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-

Micah of Moresheth - Apples of Gold - January 21, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 21, 2009

“Micah of Moresheth”

 

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

I love the book of Micah in the Bible.

First of all, did you know that he was actually “Micah of Moresheth”?

Sounds like a character from “Lord of the Rings” or something:  Micah of Moresheth.

He was just a little man in a little country, but the Lord Almighty spoke through him with power.

And listen to the size of his audience.  Micah 1:2 says, “…listen, O earth and all who are in it…”

Micah came on the scene when true prophets of God were not highly regarded.  In fact, there’s kind of a funny moment in Micah 2:11 when he pointed out what kind of prophets were highly regarded.  It says, “If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ he would be just the prophet for this people!”

Yes, Mr. Prophet, tell us there will be plenty of wine and beer, otherwise, keep your big mouth shut.

But that was definitely not Micah’s way, which is why he ended up in the Bible.

Micah 3:8 tells us what kind of prophet Micah was.  Listen to this:

“But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.”

I love that!  He was filled with power; filled with the Spirit of the Lord.  And for what purpose?  To declare to the people their sin.

As for a lot of the other prophets, Micah 3:5 indicates that all you had to do was feed them and they would prophecy peace, or probably anything else you wanted them to prophecy.

Because of this crookedness, God pronounced this judgment on them:

“Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination.  The sun will set for the prophets…  The seers will be ashamed and the diviners disgraced.  They will all cover their faces because there is no answer from God.”

And it wasn’t just the prophets who were crooked.  Micah 3:11 says the leaders judged for a bribe and the priests taught for a price.

Micah 6 says the businessmen were corrupt, the rich men were violent, and the people were liars. 

In verse 19 the Lord delivered this ominous statement:  “Therefore, I have begun to destroy you, to ruin you because of your sins.”

He said, “You will eat but not be satisfied…  You will store up but save nothing…”

So through Micah the Lord tried to get the people to repent.

Micah 6:9 says, “Listen!  The Lord is calling to the city…”

Then I love this line:  “Heed the rod and the One who appointed it.”

God was bringing the rod down on the people because of their sins.

What could be done to turn back the Lord’s judgment?

Micah 6 says, “…Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings…?  Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil?  Shall I offer my firstborn…?”

What kind of sacrifice will make things right with God; to get Him off our back, so to speak?  That’s what the people wanted to know.

And the answer is in Micah 6:8:  “He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

I don’t know about you, but I see parallels with our nation today.  We put up with plenty of prophets and spiritual people – except anyone who talks about sin.

Our headlines tell us about crooked leaders and corrupt businessmen. 

This sounds like our country to me – in all of our prosperity, it seems like we eat but are not satisfied.  We store up but save nothing.

And I wonder if this line is true about America today:  “Therefore I have begun to destroy you, to ruin you because of your sins.”

As we continue to use worldly methods to put the lid on our economic meltdown, I think we need to “Heed the rod and the One who appointed it.”

Now listen to some of Micah’s closing comments: 

“…as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.”

“Who is a God like You, who pardons sin…?”

“You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.  You will again have compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”

I can’t say for sure how the Lord is dealing with America right now.  But I know that God never winks at sin, and I believe He brings His rod down on nations that do.

I don’t want be part of the problem.  I want to be one who acts justly and loves mercy and walks humbly with my God.

I want to be filled with power, filled with the Spirit of the Lord, just like that prophet of old…

Micah of Moresheth.


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-

Never Stop Listening to Instruction - Apples of Gold - January 20, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 20, 2009

“Never Stop Listening to Instruction”

 

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

“Lecturing is the worst form of teaching,” he lectured.

In fact, all he ever did was lecture.

He knew better.  He knew how to be a good teacher, but he lost it somewhere.

No illustrations.  No hands-on instruction.  Not even a flannel graph.  Just lectures.

How can someone go from being a popular teacher to a boring old lecturer?

Easy.  He simply stopped listening to instruction.

He didn’t even listen to his own instruction.

I remember when the pastor announced that he was going to teach a Wednesday night series on marriage.  One older gentleman told me he didn’t need to go.  He’d been married a long time and teaching like that was just for young couples.

That’s a dangerous place to be.  You are asking for trouble in your marriage if you ever stop listening to instruction.

I’ve been a parent for over 20 years now, but I’ve never stopped listening to instruction.  I still soak up radio shows like “Family Life Today.”  

Yes, I’ve heard most of the information before, but now listen.  That’s the point.  Even if I’ve heard it all before, I must keep listening.  I must never stop listening to instruction.

Sometimes older people get out of the swing of going to church.  “I’ve heard it all before,” they say.  So they stay home and watch Turner Classic Movies.

Have you stopped going to seminars in your industry?  Have you stopped reading trade journals? 

I’m a fan of Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols.  He seems to be hyper-focused, so I was surprised when I read about something he does before a lot of games. 

Listen to what he said, “I talk to guys I admire anytime I have the opportunity…about baseball, about family. Just that 5 or 10 minutes before a game is enough. That's how you learn.”

So there’s Albert the MVP, talking to guys before games and saying, “That’s how you learn.”

He’s still listening.  And if he wants to stay on top he will never stop listening.

Now listen to Proverbs 19:27.  “Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.”

If we stop listening we will stray.

It’s like we all have a bad GPS unit inside of us.  If we keep listening to instruction, the GPS gives proper directions.  But when we stop listening to instruction, our GPS sends us the wrong way.
 
It reminds me of the lyrics to “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”  It says, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it.”

We are all prone to wander, prone to go astray – even when we know better.

The key is not just to learn something one time.  We have to keep learning it.  We have to go back and hear it again and again – because we are prone to wander.

Recently I read an article about writing radio commercials.  Now I’ve written tons of commercials.  I’ve taught others to write commercials.  You’d think I’d have it down by now.  But I have to keep learning.  I must keep listening to instruction or I will stray from knowledge.

I know a bit about computers, but I still read my daily e-mail from Kim Komando. 

I have to keep listening to instruction about how to take care of my body. 

I need continuous instruction on marriage matters and money matters and spiritual matters.

Plants constantly need water, and we constantly need instruction.  We need to plant ourselves by a steady stream of instruction, lest we stray from the words of knowledge.

So what about you today?  Do you have a steady stream of instruction?  Are there areas in life where you think you’ve heard it all before and don’t need to hear anymore?

Think again.

We are all prone to wander.

So meditate for a moment on these words from Proverbs 19:27. 

“Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.”


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 Was Raised in Whitesville - Apples of Gold - January 19, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 19, 2009

“I Was Raised in Whitesville”

 

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

I fell down in church yesterday.

You should have seen it.  It was spectacular.

The church has a TV show, and I am a camera man.

Sunday I ran a handheld camera on stage, and it happened just as I turned to step off one of the risers. 

Now keep in mind, it’s not just some guy with a camcorder.  You have the TV camera, plus a headset with a microphone, a communications device on your belt, a metal clip hanging from your pants and a bunch of wires running from you to who-knows-where.  And the camera is strapped to your hand, which is a good thing when you plan to take a flying leap.

So right in the middle of the music, I turned to step off the riser onto a little step, and wouldn’t you know it, the little step tipped over.  I didn’t even know what hit me. 

Bam!  I was instantly flat on my back, thankfully behind the riser where only a few people onstage could see me.  But I went down hard with the little step underneath me.

The next thing I knew two people were helping me up.  Two people not of my race, which is no surprise since over half the people on the stage were not of my race.  Of course that had nothing to do with it.  It had nothing to do with anything.

And that’s the wonderful part of the story, besides the fact that I didn’t break my neck and die. 

Our church is a beautiful blend of race.  If Dr. King had a dream about a church where no one was judged by their color, I think our church would be mighty close to that dream.

Now I was never a racist, but let me start with this.

I was raised in Whitesville.

I wasn’t racist because there was no one to be racist against. 

As a boy my main exposure to black people was when we went to Cardinal baseball games in St. Louis.  Some of them were scary, like the ones lurking out on the streets.  Some of them were helpful, like the ones selling souvenirs.  And mostly they were my heroes on the field, men like Lou Brock and Bob Gibson.  I had their posters on my bedroom wall.

Now I’ll bet there were some homes where that was not allowed, but not my home.  As far as I can remember our home was truly colorblind.  A person’s color had nothing to do with anything.

But like I said, it was Whitesville.

I went away to college, but it was mostly white, the college and the town.  I was friendly with a few African Americans, but we spent no real time together.

Then as an adult I spent many years at a church in Illinois where the pastor had a real heart for integration.  He worked hard to bring the races together and had some success.  But try as he might, Sunday morning remained, for the most part, segregated.

So for most of my life I had very limited exposure to African Americans.

Then I moved to Tallahassee.

The city of Tallahassee is only 60% white, which means you would have to actually work at it to stay segregated. 

Then we chose a church that is only half white, if that.

And let me tell you what this has done for me.  For the first time in my life, it has put me in a situation of true integration.  Sometimes I look around and I’m the only white face in the room.  And it doesn’t matter.

I was never racist, but I noticed.  Now for the first time in my life I walk in a room and it doesn’t even cross my mind. 

And what made the difference was simply time together with many individuals of a different race.  Getting to know them as individuals.  Working with them as individuals. 

Notice I’m stressing the word “individuals.”

Racism means lumping people together, as if “they” are all the same.

Of course, that’s ridiculous.  I sure don’t want to be lumped in with so many nutcase white people.  And I shouldn’t lump other people together. 

Each person should be looked at as an individual.  The color of their skin has nothing to do with it.

I love being part of such a racially mixed church.  It has changed my life.  I didn’t even know it needed to be changed, but it has.

Second Thessalonians 1:3 talks about our love for each other increasing.  In the church, as the body of Christ, our love for one another should just grow and grow and grow.

And that includes an ever-growing love for our brothers and sisters of other races.

The kind of love I felt just yesterday, when my brother and sister rushed over to help me – the poor guy flat on his back, this middle-aged man from Whitesville.


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-

Mandatory Organ Donation - Apples of Gold - January 16, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for January 16, 2009

“Mandatory Organ Donation”

 

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

Why don’t we have mandatory organ donation?

People need organs.  Good organs are being buried everyday.  What’s the hang-up?

Is it because people should have the right to say what happens to their bodies?

Not when you’re dead.  Dead people have no rights.

Or maybe the family should choose. 

That’s nice, but not when people die because they make the wrong choice.

Why would someone choose not to donate organs? 

Maybe they are just uncomfortable with the idea. 

That’s not enough to override the needs of others.

Maybe they want to maintain the dignity of the body of their loved one.

Organ harvesting can be as dignified as any other surgery.  And what’s undignified about giving what you don’t need to someone who desperately does? 

It’s creepy. 

Yeah, and so is most everything else that happens in surgery, and, for that matter, everything that happens behind the curtain at the funeral home.

Well what about religious objections? 

First of all, no major religion objects to donating organs.

What about the sacredness of the body or something like that?

Okay, let’s quickly look at what the Bible says about our bodies.  Let’s start with James 2:26 which says, “…the body without the spirit is dead…”

2 Peter 1:13 says we live “…in the tent of this body…”

In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul writes about either being at home in the body – or at home with the Lord and away from the body.

This body is a dwelling place for our spirit, as long as the body is alive.  But when the body dies, our spirit leaves. 

See, the real us is actually our spirit.  For now they are together, but one day they will separate.

When Jesus died, Matthew 27:50 says, “…He gave up his spirit.” 

When Stephen was stoned to death in Acts 7:59 he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Now let me ask you this.  My uncle lost his hand in a farming accident.  Was he suddenly less of himself?  No, he was still 100% himself because his spirit was intact.  People lose all sorts of parts and survive.  And they are still 100% themselves because their spirit, not their body, is the real them.

First Corinthians 15:44 talks about a natural body and a spiritual body.

The point is, the Bible presents no good reason for not donating your organs after you are dead.  At that time it’s no longer even you.  The real you, your spirit, has departed.  The body will simply go into the grave and decay.  If certain parts could have been saved and used for someone else, then it’s nothing but a waste and a shame to bury them.

God tells us to love people.  I think mandatory organ donation shows great love for the people who need organs, and honestly, I see no down side.

“But Doug, we can’t have the government telling us what to do.”

Oh good grief.  The government tells us what to do all the time.  We let them take tons of our money while we are alive, surely we can give up our organs after we are dead. 

And government in this case is simply the organizing mechanism for saving lives. 

What if you were the one in line desperately needing an organ donation?  Do want to just hope and pray that enough kind souls put that little check mark on their driver’s license?  I sure don’t.  People don’t pay attention to that stuff until it hits them.

So I vote for mandatory organ donation.

I think it’s the loving, Christian thing to do.

And until then, please, please, please make sure that you are a registered organ donor.


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
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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
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