I Was Blind but Now I See - Apples of Gold - July 16, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 16, 2009

“I Was Blind but Now I See”

 

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

Don’t you hate it when people talk about you like you are not even there?

That happened to me a lot, but I guess I understand.

When you’re blind, people act like you can’t hear.  So they talk about you when you’re right there, and then when they talk to you, they raise their voice. 

“Look,” I want to say, “People, I’m blind, not deaf.  I hear everything you say.”

I used to be real edgy about it, but then, it was a moment just like that that changed my life.

There I was, just listening as always, and I heard a swell in the crowd.  There was excitement among the people.

The next thing I know, someone was talking about me, just like I said.  I heard a man say, “Rabbi, whose sin caused this man to be born blind?  Was it his sin, or his parents?”

I shook my head.  I had asked such questions all my life.  Why me?  Why did I have to be blind?  It certainly wasn’t anything I had done, because I was born this way.  But then maybe God knew it was something that I would do, I don’t know.  I had enough “whys” to make my head spin, but really, there are no answers to such questions.

But that doesn’t stop people from asking them.  And they apparently don’t have a problem asking them right in front of me.

So they asked the rabbi who had sinned, me or my parents.

There was a pause.  I guess everyone was interested in the answer.  And no one was more interested than I!

“Neither,” a man said.  “Neither this man nor his parents sinned…”

Wow, this was a voice I had not heard before.  It was like listening to the expert or the genius.  It was fascinating, you just had to listen, and you knew something good was coming.

“So why did it happen?” someone in the crowd said.  “Why was this man born blind?”

“This happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”

What?  What did that mean?  How was the work of God displayed by me being blind?  What possible good could come from my blindness?

I heard someone spit at me.  Okay, here we go, spit on the blind guy.

I dropped my head so they at least wouldn’t spit on my face.

Then I felt a hand on my shoulder; a strong hand, but gentle.

“Here,” he said, and he lifted my head and pulled the hair back from my forehead.  Then he pulled his hand down over my eyes to close them, and I felt something warm.  He put something on my eyes.

Then he pulled his hands away and said, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam.”

Well some people were all too eager to take me there, so off we went.  On the way, they told me the rabbi was Jesus, and that he had spit on the ground, made a little mud, and put it on my eyes.

“Ewww,” I said.

“Oh no, that’s a good thing!” they said.  “Jesus is a miracle worker.  He has healed many blind people, and there is no doubt that when we wash this mud off your eyes, you will be able to see!”

And they were right!  I could see everything clearly, what joy!

So I went home, and yes, it was quite the spectacle.  People wanted to check me out.  I was the blind man who could see.  But then some said, “No, it just looks like him.”

Wow, I guess it’s not just blind people after all, because here they were again, talking about me like I wasn’t even there.

Finally I broke in, “Look, it’s me.  I am the man!”

“If so, then how did it happen?”

So I told them what Jesus had done.

“And where is he?”

“I don’t know.”

Now seeing was a real big deal to me, but I didn’t realize it was such a big deal to everyone else.  Next thing I know I was on trial before the Pharisees.  I told them the same story, and then they all started arguing in front me, saying things like, “Jesus is not from God.”

Finally they asked me, so I threw them a little zinger.

“He is a prophet,” I said.

Then they called in my parents, who didn’t really want to get involved, but at least they did admit that I was their son and that I really had been blind.

So they turned back to me.

“Give glory to God,” they said.  “This man’s a sinner.”

“I don’t know if he’s a sinner or not,” I said.  “But one thing I do know.  I was blind, but now I see!”

Then they wanted to hear the story again.  Now it’s a really great story, but I was tired of telling it to these guys.

“I already told you,” I said.  “Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you want to become his disciples, too?”

Then the insults started, so I piled it on.

“Look,” I said, “If he wasn’t from God, he could do nothing.”

“How dare you lecture us!” they said, and I guess they had had enough of me, so they threw me out.

Later I did meet Jesus, and for the first time I saw the face of my Savior.  And I too, became a believer.

I don’t know everything, that’s for sure.  And I still don’t really know why, out of all people, I was born blind, or why Jesus came to me.

But one thing I do know. 

I was blind, but now I see.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


Based on the story in John chapter 9.

© 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-

Dílis - Apples of Gold - July 15, 2009 ***A story for Devion*** -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 15, 2009

“Dílis”

 

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

There was a note on the door.

A date, a time, and a street he had never heard of.

He likely would have ignored it, but there was one more word that piqued his curiosity.

Dílis.

So at the appointed time, he got on his horse and rode into town.  It was basically an alley, and there he met three other men, all with the same note.

No one knew why they were there, and just as they began to introduce themselves a large, intimidating man opened a door. 

He ushered one man through the door into a small room.  There at a little wooden table sat an unkempt, impatient man. 

He slid a new book across the table. 

“What’s this for?”

“Dílis,” said the man at the table, and the intimidating man ushered him back outside.

Each of the four had a similar encounter.

The second man was given two beautiful sterling silver bracelets.

The third man was told that something would be waiting for him when he returned home.

And the fourth man received a map for a piece of property.

And the only explanation given was that one word:  Dílis.

The man who received the book was very excited.  He had always liked books, but this was the first one of his very own.  And just as he suspected, he loved it!  He loved reading it, and he loved owning it.  He built a special shelf in his little home just for the book.

One day he told a neighbor about his book and discovered that the neighbor had several books, so he worked out a deal.  “I will let you read my new book, if you will give me one of your old books.”

He made similar deals with other neighbors, and soon he had dozens of books in his little home.  Some of them he sold in the city, and eventually he used the profits to actually build a home with its own library.  He became known as both a great book dealer and enthusiast.

The second man took home the beautiful sterling silver bracelets.  He placed them on his mantel, and there they sat.  Soon they were so tarnished you hardly noticed them on the mantel. 

The man was a drinker, and one night, while drunk, he got the idea of putting the bracelets on his goat.  He laughed and laughed at the bracelets on the goat.  And even when he sobered up, he still thought it was great fun that he had a goat with bracelets.

The third man went home and found a pony.  He knew a thing or two about horses, and this pony just looked wild.  He really didn’t have time to mess with a wild pony, so he didn’t.  Oh, he fed it, sort of.  But mostly he just let it roam around wild in a fence out back.

The fourth man took the map and found the piece of property, which was adjacent to his own.  It was a thicket, full of thorns, and upon exploration he discovered some water in the middle of it.

One day while working on his own property he decided to clear out a path to that water.  Another day he widened the path.  With just a little extra work, a day here and a day there, he eventually cleared it all out.  It turned out to be a beautiful scenic spot around a nice pond.

Then one day there was a celebration in the city.  A new king had ascended to the throne, and now he was to be married.

He chose for his wife a beautiful and brilliant young woman.  And she liked surprises.

So on their wedding day a kingly procession formed, and instead of carrying her to the palace, they marched right out of the city.

Down the road they went, until they arrived at the home of the first man.  He ran out to meet them, and bowed low before the king.

“Sir,” said the king.  “You do not recognize me, but one day I gave you a book.”

The man’s eyes widened in recognition, and again, he bowed.

“That book belonged to this young woman.  Now tell us, what did you do with it?”

And the king and his lady were delighted to see the beautiful library which had sprung from just one book.

“Congratulations,” said the king.  “He who is faithful with little can be trusted with much.  I now make you the chief librarian of the entire kingdom!”

The procession moved on to the second man’s house.  He, too, bowed low before the king, but when asked about the bracelets, he began laughing.  He brought out his goat, still wearing the bracelets, which he thought was the funniest sight he had ever seen.

But the king did not laugh.  “These bracelets were for my queen on her wedding day.  And to think I had actually considered placing you in charge of the silver of the kingdom.  But he who is unfaithful with little cannot be trusted with much.  Men, take the bracelets off that goat.  And this disgraceful man, remove him from my sight!”

A similar fate awaited the third man.  The king was hoping he could take charge of the royal stables.  But instead, all the man heard was, “He who is unfaithful with little cannot be trusted with much.  Remove him from my sight.”

And finally the procession arrived at the fourth man’s house, and there the wedding was held, on the most finely manicured property any of them had ever seen.

“And you,” said the king, “You are in charge of beautifying all of the king’s land!”

“Oh thank you, my king,” said the man.  “Thank you.  And may I ask the king one question.”

“You may!” said the king.

“One word, you gave us.  That one word, Dílis, what is that?”

“That is my guiding principle.  That is how I decide who is worthy for advancement in the kingdom.  Whoever is faithful with little can be trusted with much.  And it can all be summed up in this one little word, Dílis.”

“Dílis,” he said.  “An ancient word which simply means faithful.”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


Inspired by the parable in Luke 19, written just for Devion.

© 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-

Young Men Dream of Being Stars in a Band - Apples of Gold - July 14, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 14, 2009

“Young Men Dream of Being Stars in a Band”

 

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

Young men dream of being big stars in a band.

Well at 18 years old, this young man was already getting a lot of attention.

One night he played at a dance and everyone was having a great time.

There he was, the star of the show, a point not lost on the young ladies.

But instead of reveling in the moment, for some reason his mind wandered, even as he played.

He thought of his late father, who had died when he was about 12.

He had watched his father’s slow decay, and one night, shortly before he died, he called his son to his side. 

He told him two things.  First he said, “Be good to your mother.”

Well he certainly did that.  After his father’s death, the young man dropped out of school to work on the farm in support of his mom and two sisters. 

And to raise extra cash, he began cashing in on his musical abilities.  He organized a band to play at parties and dances.  And even though he was still a teenager, they often played where alcohol was served.

But he had been true to his father’s request.  He had been good to his mother.

Life had been so busy that he almost forgot about the second request of his dying father.  What his father had said was, “Be good to your mother, and prepare to meet your God.”

Well on this night, at this dance, even while he played, those words weighed heavily on his mind.  And he heard them in the words of an old prophet, “Prepare to meet thy God.”

His hands continued to delight the crowd with the music they came for, but his mind grew more sober by the minute.

At one point the band took a break, allowing the full weight of his father’s words to settle on him.

When it came time for the band to retake the stage, he said he couldn’t do it.  He could not play anymore. 

The crowd began to call out for the music, so he stepped forward and spoke to the people.  He told them of his father and of his dying words.  He said he regretted the things he had been doing and that he would not do them anymore.

He said it might be okay if this life was all there is.  But in view of the life to come, he said, he must pursue another course. 

Then he asked that no one try to talk him out of it or stand in his way.

After that he started going to church, and shortly thereafter received Christ and was baptized.

As he matured in the faith, he began speaking publicly, sharing the gospel and leading others to Christ.

And once again his musical abilities began to draw a crowd.  Some even called him the “singing evangelist.”

He ended up baptizing over 11,000 people.

One spring he spoke in Dallas and led over 100 people to Christ.  Then he boarded a train for McKinney, just north of Dallas, for his next speaking engagement.

On the train he spoke with a Methodist minister, who asked about his success as an evangelist. 

He responded by saying, “It is a grand thing to rally people to the cross of Christ.”

And those were the last words of the singing evangelist.

At that point their train car ran off the tracks and rolled down an embankment.  Many were seriously injured, and one man was killed. 

His final words are etched on his tombstone in Rushville, Indiana, west of Indianapolis.  “It is a grand thing to rally people to the cross.”

His death, however, did not end the impact of the singing evangelist.

His name was Knowles Shaw, and he died in 1878 at the age of 43.

But his musical ability and his passion for souls still touches lives today through this one song we all know so well.

The lyrics say, “Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


You can read more about Knowles Shaw here:

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/s/h/shaw_k.htm

http://www.therestorationmovement.com/shaw.htm

© 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-

If You Are Stealing, Quit - Apples of Gold - July 13, 2009 ***Happy Birthday to my sister Julie!*** -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 13, 2009

“If You Are Stealing, Quit”

 

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

I was about nine years old when it happened.

I remember going out in the backyard – and they were gone.  They were all gone.

It was a weird and scary feeling because at first I had no idea what happened.

You see, there were tons of cherries on that tree just the day before.  But the next day they were gone.

Well as a nine year old boy all kinds of fantastic possibilities came to mind.  Maybe a spaceship hovered over the tree at midnight and sucked them all up.  Maybe wild animals came and ate them.

But then Mom had a more plausible explanation. 

Someone stole them.

Stole them?  Someone stole the cherries from our tree in the middle of the night?  Do people do such things? 

How did they do it?  Mom offered one idea.  Maybe they spread out a big sheet beneath the tree, then knocked the cherries down onto the sheet.  Then they gathered up the sheet and took off.  Mom probably didn’t say “took off,” but that’s what I heard.

You know, for a kid, it’s really creepy to find out people have been in your back yard stealing from you.

Now I realize it wasn’t the crime of the century, and today I’m so thankful it wasn’t anything worse.  But at the time it stirred up a lot of bad thoughts like, “What if they come back?  What if they want more than cherries next time?”  And it magnified every little noise you heard at night.  After all, you can’t say it’s nothing because you know of at least one night when it really was something.

Do you remember the first time something was stolen from you?  You lost more than the item, didn’t you?  You lost your peace and your trust.  You were left vulnerable and angry.  Maybe you wanted revenge.  Maybe you got revenge by stealing something yourself.

So do you see how stealing is so much more than the simple taking of an item?  When a thief comes calling, they cut a wide swath through your life.

But thieves don’t think about such things.  Mostly they just think about what they want and how to get it.  After a while it becomes a habit.  They don’t even think about paying for things they can steal.  I mean, why pay if you can get it for free?

Several years ago I saw a most interesting thing.  After church one day we ran to the grocery store.  I dropped my wife off at the door, then sat in the car with the kids. 

Well out of the store came this family, all dressed up and probably fresh out of church themselves.  They were walking toward their car, and one of the kids was ahead of the rest.  He had on a suit, and he had one arm across his chest, holding his suit jacket closed.

All of a sudden a box of Little Debbie cakes fell out from under his jacket.  He scrambled like mad to scoop it up, trying to make sure no one in the family saw him.  Judging by his actions, and just the look on his face, I would say that he had just shoplifted a box of Little Debbies.

Now why would a good church kid shoplift?  Because he knew what he wanted and he got it without paying for it.

Shoplifting is an epidemic.  I once knew a man who worked in security at a grocery store.  He was full of tales of shoplifters, people of all ages and races, some looking poor and some looking wealthy.

And yes, believe it or not, some church people.

I guess the same kind of thing was going on in the church at Ephesus, based on what Paul wrote “to the saints in Ephesus.”  Ephesians 4:28 says, “He who has been stealing must steal no longer…”

He doesn’t go off the deep end and beat people up.  He doesn’t condemn and judge them.  But he does tell them to quit.

And so I would say this to you today.  If you are stealing, quit. 

Here is what you are to do instead:  work.

That verse says to work, to do something useful.

The idea is that you work and bring in your own money.  Then instead of stealing things, you pay for them with the money you earned.

That is God’s way.  That is the best way for you and everyone else.

But it doesn’t stop there.  Ephesians 4:28 says, “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.”

This is God’s plan for your life – that instead of stealing, you work.  And you work for two reasons.  First, you work to provide for yourself so you don’t need to steal, and second, you work to make some extra, so you have something to share with those in need.

That is God’s way, and it’s the most excellent way!

So if you are stealing, God’s word for you today is . . . quit.  Quit stealing and focus on working. 

Work to provide for all your own needs, and work to have some extra, that you “may have something to share with those in need.”


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-

The Impact of a Good Mother-in-Law - Apples of Gold - July 10, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 10, 2009

“The Impact of a Good Mother-in-Law”

 

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

Here is a small but important piece of my upbringing.

It’s the way my grandma spoke to me about my father.

She had nothing but kind words to say about him.

She would tell me things like, “Your father is a good man.”

Now let me tell you, little comments like that go a long way in shaping a boy’s image of his father.

And here’s the result.  When my dad told me something, I respected it more based on what Grandma had told me.

Now remember, this was my dad’s mother-in-law. 

You know about the stereotypical mother-in-law, who is never pleased with the man who married her precious little princess.  She likes to get her digs in, just to put him in place now and then.

Well I am so thankful my grandma didn’t do that, because you see what happens?  Mother-in-laws become grandmothers, and grandmothers have a powerful impact on grandchildren – including what they think of their dad.

If Grandma is always badmouthing Dad, it undermines him in the eyes of the kids.

Oh, maybe she tries to be subtle, but believe me, kids pick up on subtle.

For example, Dad says something and Grandma says “Yeah, right.”

Grandma says things like, “Yeah, he’s a great man – in his own mind.”

Or what about this, the mother-in-law comes up with a little nickname for her son-in-law that is less than respectful.

Now you might think it’s kind of cute when he’s just that kid who married your daughter.  But it’s not cute at all when grandkids come along and your little nickname undermines their respect for their father.

Or what about this.  I’ve seen grandparents ingratiate themselves to their grandchildren by siding with them against the parents.

You might think it’s cute, but it undermines their respect.

For example, little Johnny is visiting Grandma, and Johnny says, “I can’t eat any candy today.  Daddy said so, because I’m in trouble.”

And Grandma says, “It’s alright.  You can have candy anytime at Grandma’s house.  It will be our little secret.”

Yes, maybe little Johnny will like you more and want to come over more, but at what price? 

Parenting is a hard job, and young parents need the full support of the grandparents.

Like I said, my grandma only told me very positive things about my dad, and it really impacted my respect for my father.

The Bible says repeatedly that children should obey their parents, and in First Timothy 3:4 it specifically mentions children obeying their father “with proper respect.”

Yes, a father can demand respect, but he’s a lot more likely to get it when the kids see others showing him respect. 

And as I experienced in my own life, one person who has great influence on children’s respect for their father is his mother-in-law.


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 Ending Supply of Girls - Apples of Gold - July 9, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 9, 2009

“Never Ending Supply of Girls”

 

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

“There is a never ending supply of girls…”

That is a quote from the newspaper that haunts me.

It was an article about the amount of porn that is created in Florida, second only to California.

They talked to one producer who said how great it was in Florida.  He said, “There is a never ending supply of girls who are willing…” 

That haunts me in so many ways.  It haunts me for the girls.  It haunts me for the men who are watching.  And it especially haunts me for the nation as our moral foundation crumbles.

The article said that obscenity prosecutions are down, and here’s why.  Obscenity is based on community standards, and with the avalanche of porn, community standards are changing.  What was once considered obscene and harmful is now considered just another form of entertainment.

We are not what we were, and the bigger question is, where are we headed?

Here is a glimpse into our future.  Actually, it’s already happening. 

See, we are less and less willing to go after pornographers as their material becomes more and more accepted by society.  So if there is a company down the street that is filming X-rated movies, well, what’s the big deal?

So what some companies are doing is charging men to come and “be” with their “models” on film.  The guys pay their money and go make a movie.

Now wait a minute.  All you have there is prostitution with a camera.  “Oh, but we’re just making a movie.”

Where are we headed?

Well if we stay on this course, more and more things will become acceptable.

Yesterday in Tallahassee a doctor was arrested for soliciting a 14 year old girl.  It was actually an undercover agent acting like a 14 year old girl when they met on the internet.

Now today, in 2009, he is in trouble.  But I seriously wonder if that will be true ten or fifteen years from now.

Of course it will, you might say. 

Oh?  Do you really think our moral slide is going to stop right where it is today?  Why would it?

As more and more young people are raised around pornography, with more and more of them actually participating in its creation, why wouldn’t the moral slide continue?  These are the leaders of tomorrow.  They are the lawmakers and the prosecutors and the judges. 

Honestly, when I think about all this, it makes my head spin.  I think we are going to turn our nation into some kind of Pottersville, if you remember the old movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  It was a dark, immoral place.  From a Christian perspective, it’s what happens when people just let go and give in to the base desires of the flesh.

So what I see is a downward spiral, and I don’t know what to do about it. 

Do you ever feel that way – like there is something just so big you can’t even wrap your mind around it, let alone know what to do about it?

I feel that way a lot, actually, and that’s why I pray this particular prayer.  I even have it written out on my desk.

It’s based on Colossians 1:9 and here it is, “Lord please fill me with the knowledge of your will.”

See, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, but God does.  His will is best, and I want to be filled with the knowledge of His will.

It’s actually a prayer that Paul and his companions prayed for the Colossians. 

Colossians 1:9 says, “…we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will…”

So when I don’t know what to do, which is often, I pray this simple prayer, “Lord, fill me with the knowledge of your will.”

The verse goes on to say, “in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” 

Then it talks about living a life worthy of the Lord, “fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God…”

Man, that’s exactly what I need.  I need to know His will.  I need more wisdom and spiritual understanding.  I want to fully please the Lord and bear fruit in every good work.

I only have so much time and energy and resources.  There is only so much I can do, and I want to make it count. 

And that means I don’t want to do things in my own strength or knowledge.  I don’t want to do my will, but His will.  He knows what is best. 

What I need is a laser-precision insight into things.  I want to know exactly what to do. 

If we hope to turn the tide on this moral slide, we need to do something, and it needs to be the right thing.

And to figure out what that is, I hope you will join me in praying this simple prayer, “Lord, please fill me with the knowledge of your will.”

Amen.


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-

Something My Wife Had Never Done - Apples of Gold - July 8, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 8, 2009

“Something My Wife Had Never Done”

 

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

My wife did something this week that she had never done before.

She cut my hair.

Now my wife is not a hair cutter.  She never cuts anyone’s hair, and she has no training.

But just for the kick of it, I asked her to cut my hair.  “It’s just hair,” I said, “What’s the worst that could happen?”

So she went to the store and bought the absolute cheapest hair clippers.  The box had already been ripped open, she said, but it was the last one they had, and she was pretty sure all the parts were there.

Now remember.  She went to the store and she bought the clippers.  Because as soon as she started cutting she said, “I think you’re going to regret buying the cheapest clippers.”

Okay, I admit, I did tell her to go cheap.  After all, it was just an experiment, just trying something new.

So she started cutting with a #4, but wasn’t satisfied.  “It doesn’t look any different,” she said.

Uh oh.  Her goal is to make me look “different.”

“Okay,” I said, “You can make it shorter on the sides, but leave it a little longer on top.”

“Oops.”

That’s what she said.  “Oops.  Now it looks like you have a big dent in your head.”

“Well, just blend it in,” I said.  “It’ll be alright.”

Then all the kids walked in and started commenting.  Now it was “hair cut by committee.”

Well there’s only one direction hair can be cut, you know, and that’s what I got.

Finally one daughter said, “Oh, just cut it all off.”

Oh yes, it was great fun.  For them.

When it was all over my wife looked at me, laughed, and then apologized.

And now here’s my point.  Listen to what I said. 

I said, “Oh it’s fine.  I’m not looking at this haircut.  I’m not really looking at the next five haircuts.  The haircut I’m looking at is the one a year from now, when you know exactly what to do.”

And here’s the principle.  It’s easier to deal with today’s frustrations when you are moving toward a goal.

See, it starts with the goal.  My goal is to get a good haircut, whenever I want, right there at home.  I may not have the best haircut today, but I can live with that as long as I’m moving toward my goal.

Now take a look at your own life.  Think of an area of frustration, and now let me ask you, are you moving toward a goal?

If not, then do this.  Picture a day in the future.  What do you want that day to look like?  Fix that picture in your mind, and start moving toward it.

It’s like the picture on a puzzle box.  You see the outcome, then you start putting the pieces in place.  But it would be very frustrating to work on a puzzle with no picture.

So you have to get that picture in your mind. 

That’s what a couple of guys did in the Bible. 

In Matthew 25 Jesus told the Parable of the Talents, talents being money.  A man passed out money to his servants, then left on a journey.

So there sat the servants with this money.  Now what?

Well here is what I think they did (two of them, anyway).  They pictured in their mind that day when the master returned.  What did they want that day to look like?

That became their goal, and they started working toward it.  I’m sure they had their frustrating moments, but they were much easier to cope with because they had a goal.

Since we’re talking about my wife today, I’ll tell you that she is taking classes at FSU – and that brings certain frustrations.  At times I’m sure she feels like quitting.  However, she can deal with those frustrations because she is working toward a goal.

So pray about it, then picture a day in your future.  What do you want that day to look like?

Fix that picture in your mind, then start putting together the pieces of the puzzle.

Yes, frustrations will pop up.  We all get a bad haircut now and then.

But today’s frustrations are so much easier to deal with when you are looking ahead and working toward a goal.


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-

Push Hard for Poshard - Apples of Gold - July 7, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 7, 2009

“Push Hard for Poshard”

 

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

When I lived in Illinois back in 1998 a man named Glenn Poshard ran for governor.

He was a Democrat, but he was more conservative than his Republican opponent, George Ryan – who ended up winning . . . and going to jail.

But anyway, Poshard had one of my all time favorite campaign slogans:  Push Hard for Poshard.

I liked it for many reasons.  First of all, it had a nice alliteration, with all the p’s and h’s.

Second, it helped you learn how to pronounce his name.  It wasn’t POSH-erd or POH-shard, it was puh-SHARD.

But most of all I liked the energy of it.  He knew his campaign was going to be an uphill climb.  His opponent had four times the money, and even though he was a Republican, Ryan had the support of many Chicago Democrats.

So the only way Poshard was going to win was if his supporters got out there to Push Hard for Poshard.

In the end, Poshard was unable to beat the odds, but I really like what he said in his concession speech.  He said, “The time for disappointment is only for this evening.  Tomorrow we go back to work.”

I like that attitude, that spirit.  To me he was saying, “I am here to do something.  I wanted to do it through the governor’s office, but that’s okay.  I will do it anyway.  I am here to serve, to work for the people, and win or lose, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

That election is ancient history now.  I even searched the internet for the phrase “Push Hard for Poshard” and turned up nothing about the campaign.

But I like it anyway.  It even slips out of my mouth sometimes, for things having nothing to do with politics.  Push Hard for Poshard.

It’s a mind-set of hard work, of determination, of not giving up.  You set your mind to something and then you do it.

It reminds me of Isaiah 50 which says something like, “I have set my face like flint.”

Do you know what flint is?  You know what steel is, right?  Well if you had a battle between steel and flint, who would win? 

Flint.  In fact, that’s one way to start a fire.  And that’s how a flintlock rifle works.  You strike the flint against the steel, and it actually shaves off bits of now blazing hot steel.

So when you set your face like flint, it means you are so determined to go in that direction that even steel won’t stop you.  The steel will fly off in fiery sparks and you will keep moving forward.

Set your face like flint.

That’s from Isaiah 50 verse 7. 

And I like what it says at the start of that verse, “Because the Sovereign Lord helps me…”

That’s true for all of us Christians.  The Lord helps us, therefore we can set our face like flint and move forward to do His will.

I like what it says in Hebrews 6:11.  It talks about being diligent to the very end.

That means you never give up.  You never stop. 

Verse 12 says, “We do not want you to become lazy…”

And it talks about the importance of having faith and patience.

So we are not lazy, but we are diligent.  We never give up. 

We have patience, knowing that planting seeds does not bring immediate results – but it will bear fruit in time.

And we have faith.  No, we can’t see everything that’s going on, but we believe, by faith, that following the Lord Jesus is the best thing to do and we will be diligent to do just that to the very end.

So do you feel like giving up today?  Do you feel like just giving in and letting a bit of laziness take over?

Don’t do it!

Instead, set your face like flint.  Be diligent in the Lord’s service. 

And just because it’s catchy, I always think of the phrase Push Hard for Poshard.

It has nothing to do with Poshard, but it has everything to do with pushing hard for the Lord, pushing hard to move forward, pushing hard to do the will of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


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-

The Pride of Your Heart Has Deceived You - Apples of Gold - July 6, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 6, 2009

“The Pride of Your Heart Has Deceived You”

 

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

He was raised around the wealth of the nation.

His father was a national leader, and when the time came, he, too, stepped onto the national stage.

He was a good man, and a Godly man, and he reaped the benefits.

He got involved with the military, and with his leadership his nation enjoyed great victories.

Then he got involved in building projects, again with great success.

And with each success he grew more powerful.  His fame spread, and other nations began to recognize him.

He ended up as the top man in the country, a position he seemed created for.  He was a true visionary, and from his administration came large building projects and growth in agriculture. 

Under his guidance, the army was well organized, well trained and well supplied.  He even formed a group of specialists to design new weapons and defense strategies.

Everything he touched seemed to be successful.  And for this his fame spread far and wide, and he grew even more powerful.

Sounds like a great position to be in, doesn’t it?  This guy sounds like the luckiest man on the face of the earth.

Well luck had nothing to do with it.

The man I’m talking about is Uzziah (you-ZIE-uh), King of Judah.

He ruled the land about 700 years before Christ, and he was king for about half a century.

Second Chronicles 26 tells us why he was so successful.

First of all, Uzziah had great mentors.  Verse four says his father did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.  Verse five says Zechariah “instructed him in the fear of God.”

When it came time to make his own choices, verse 4 says Uzziah also did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.  Verse 5 says, “He sought God…” and “As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.”

That fits nicely with Psalm 34:10, “…those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”

Psalm 105:4 says, “Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.”

Deuteronomy 4:29 indicates that if we seek the Lord our God, we will find Him if we look for Him with all of our heart and soul.

That’s what King Uzziah did, He sought the Lord.  And as long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

So Uzziah serves as a great example for us.

But then he also serves as a great warning.

There he was, one of the most successful men in the world.  Basically, he had it all. 

But it just wasn’t enough.

Second Chronicles 26:16 says, “But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.”

This is a huge danger when you enjoy a lot of success.  When enough things go right for you, you start to think it’s because you’re so wonderful.

It happens when you make money while others struggle, when you succeed while others fail, when your family is solid while others crumble, when you walk tall while others are bent low.

When that happens, it’s easy to stop seeking the Lord.  You take your eyes off God and begin looking at yourself.  You have the answers.  You know what to do, and everyone else would be more successful if they would just be more like you.

In the words of the prophet Obadiah, “The pride of your heart has deceived you.”

Or like the old proverb says, “Pride comes before the fall.”

In Uzziah’s case, he thought he was above the temple laws.  Only the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were consecrated to burn incense to the Lord. 

But Uzziah decided he would just go in and do it himself.  So he took a censor and entered the sanctuary.  There he was confronted by the priests.  “Courageous priests,” the Bible says.

Well Uzziah went into a rage.  How dare they try to tell him what he can and cannot do?

Then God stepped in.  Suddenly, right there on the spot, Uzziah was stricken with leprosy, which he had until the day he died.

It was a classic case of “Oh how the mighty have fallen.”

And that’s the life of Uzziah.

Let’s follow the great example of his younger years and seek the Lord with all of our heart.  God will give us success as we seek Him in all our ways.

And let’s heed the warning of his later years, that when success comes, we do not become proud.

Let us humble ourselves before our God so that it is never said of us, “The pride of your heart has deceived you.”


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-

A Lurch in the Spiritual Fabric - Apples of Gold - July 2, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 2, 2009

“A Lurch in the Spiritual Fabric”

 

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

You’re minding your own business.

Or at least you thought you were.

Then suddenly someone reacts to you.

They over-react to you.  Way overreact, and you don’t know why. 

Well, you kind of know why, but what you said doesn’t even resemble the intensity of the response.

You know the old saying, every action has an equal and opposite reaction.  But in this case, the reaction seems far magnified beyond the initial action.

I’ve witnessed this many times over the years.  It happens sometimes when you, as a Christian, simply shine your light.  You share a little bit of God’s truth, a little bit of the Gospel.

Now as a Christian, you probably didn’t think anything of it.  You are walking in the light, and so shining that light is just something you naturally do, as a matter of course.

This is spiritual light I’m talking about, so you can’t really see it.  But sometimes you shine that spiritual light right into the eyes of someone living in spiritual darkness – and it annoys the dickens out of them.

I’ve seen people react in ways that make no sense.  I’ve seen them become very angry and offended when, on the surface, there seemed to be no reason for it.

At first I didn’t know quite what to make of it.  It wasn’t logical or reasonable.  But after I saw it a few times I decided that it must be spiritual.

The Bible talks about spiritual warfare, but our physical senses usually don’t pick up on it, so it’s hard to know when something spiritual is going on.

But what we have is a very real clash of light and darkness. 

A classic verse on spiritual warfare is Ephesians 6:12.  “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Notice that it says that this world is dark.  And other scriptures point out that people are living in that darkness.  Colossians 1:13 calls it “the dominion of darkness.”

So the world is dark, people are living in the dark, and they are under the dominion of darkness.

Now look what Jesus said in John 12:46.  “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

So what God is doing, according to First Peter 2:9, is calling people out of darkness and into His marvelous light.

So we come to Christ, who is the light.  Acts 26:18 says He opens our eyes and turns us from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God.

So we leave the darkness and come into the light, to Christ.  And then in Matthew 5:14 Jesus tells us that we are the “light of the world.” 

Now here is where the clash begins.  Yes, we’ve come into the light and become the light of the world – but a lot of people haven’t.  They are still in darkness, under the dominion of darkness, even under the influence of Satan. 

And listen to what Jesus said in John 3:20.  “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”

So we, as Christians, by our very nature, will be light-shiners.  But those living in sin – now don’t miss the strength of this phrase – they hate the light.

Well when you hate something, you are bound to react very strongly when someone brings it up. 

Now I don’t claim to have any special vision into the spiritual realm.  I don’t see demons and angels prancing about.  But I fully believe in the spiritual realm, and I know there are spiritual things taking place.

And this hyper-reaction to a little bit of spiritual light is one way I perceive that something must be happening beyond the physical.

I call it a lurch in the spiritual fabric. 

To me it’s like there is a curtain that generally prevents us from seeing into the spiritual.  The curtain is seamless.  We don’t even know it’s there. 

But then something catches our eye.  It’s not natural.  It’s a lurch in the spiritual fabric.

That’s what I see when someone hyper-reacts to a little bit of light.  The strength of their reaction doesn’t make sense logically. 

But it makes perfect sense spiritually, once you realize that, as long as they are away from the Lord and under the dominion of darkness, they simply hate the light. 

So what do we do when this happens? 

Well first of all, pray for them.  Intercede for them.  Battle for them in the spiritual realm. 

And love them.  Be patient with them.  Be kind to them.

But don’t hide your light.  Don’t “put it away” when they are around. 

Light is exactly what they need! 

Jesus said we are the light of the world, and we shouldn’t fire up our light then hide it.  No, we put it on a stand so that it gives light to everyone!

The goal, Jesus said, is to shine our light for everyone, that they may see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven.


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-

Challenge for a Higher Position - Apples of Gold - July 1, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 1, 2009

“Challenge for a Higher Position”

 

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

Some people think of high school band as a place for the weak kids, but I guess that depends on your school.

At some schools the band is the most successful program going, and that means there is a lot of competition for the top spots.

Initially, the band director decides who goes where, but here is something I really like about the band system.  Just because the director sticks you somewhere doesn’t mean you are stuck there.

I played trumpet in high school, and we had a big section of trumpet players who sat all in a row.  And what would happen is, one day you would look down the row and see that someone had moved up a few seats.

How did they do it?  By schmoozing the band director?

No.  It happened through a system of “challenges.”  At anytime, one band member could challenge another for his position.  Then they would both play something for the band director, and whoever played the best won the challenge and earned the higher position.

My son was a wrestler in high school, and they had a similar system.  Let’s say he was the starter in the 140 pound weight bracket, but there was another guy at that weight who wanted his spot.  They would have what is called a “wrestle-off,” and the winner got to wrestle in the next tournament.

The thing I like about these systems is that they give people the chance to improve themselves.  You can go from a third trumpet to a first trumpet.  You can go from a bench warmer to a starter. 

Now listen.  This is for you.  Your fate is not sealed.  You don’t have to be stuck in whatever position you are in now.  You can advance, and you don’t have to wait for someone to come along and do it for you.  Yes, maybe someone put you in this position, but you can challenge for a higher position.

Take David, for example.  He started as just a shepherd boy, but one day he saw himself as a warrior defeating mighty Goliath.  In fact, I think that was God’s calling for David.

But when David talked to King Saul about it, Saul said no, he could not fight Goliath.

Saul saw David as nothing more than a shepherd boy, so what did David do about it?

Listen to this.  He challenged for a higher position.  He respectfully challenged Saul’s evaluation, and finally Saul relented and David did defeat Goliath.

But it would not have happened if David had not challenged for the higher position.

This applies in your work situation.  Do you think you belong in a higher position at work?  Then don’t just wait for someone to notice.  Challenge for the higher position.

And remember, it is best for everyone when you are in the position you belong in.

Think of the wrestling team.  Is it best for the team if the bench warmer never challenges the starter?  No.  It’s best for everyone when there are challenges.  It raises the level of everyone’s performance, and then you know for sure that the best wrestler is out on the mat.  It’s like it says in Proverbs 27:17.  “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

And yes, I think there is a spiritual element to this.  It’s about being all that God has designed you to be.

Listen to First Corinthians 3:5.  It says, “…the Lord has assigned to each his task.”  The King James says, “…even as the Lord gave to every man…”

I believe that God has given each of us some assigned tasks.  So if you have your eyes on a certain task, but your leader doesn’t see it, then within the proper, respectful channels, maybe it’s time to challenge for the higher position.

That’s what David did.  At first the leader didn’t see anything in David, but David challenged for the position.  He had a clear vision of God’s assigned task.

Now it’s not about challenging the leader.  After all, David is the same man who said he would not lift a hand against his master, the Lord’s anointed.

So it’s not about challenging the leader.  It’s about challenging for the higher position, the position you think God is calling you to.  It’s about getting to the place you are supposed to be so you can complete your assigned task.

So do you picture yourself in a better position than you are currently in?  Is it a better place to carry out God’s assigned task for your life? 

Then consider this today.

Consider taking the bull by the horns and challenging for the higher position.


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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