Mental Gymnastics - Apples of Gold - May 12, 2010 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 12, 2010

“Mental Gymnastics”

 

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

As soon as the mental gymnastics start . . . stop.

When the wheels start turning to rationalize and justify . . . stop.

If you can’t explain your actions truthfully and honestly and squarely . . . then stop before you even do them.

I’m giving you a little guard rail today, something that will help keep you on the straight and narrow.

It means you are going to have to understand your own mind.  You need to get in there and see how it works. 

There’s a little department in our head, and in that department their job is to justify our actions. 

It goes like this.  We think of something to do, and our conscience throws up a red flag.  Then this department goes to work to override the conscience.  The wheels start turning and all of a sudden we are doing the very thing our conscience told us not to do.  We were warned, but we did it anyway.  But we think we are in the clear because we have a good reason and we are ready to spit it out to anyone who asks.

The problem is, it won’t stand up to the light test.  You can read about the light test in Ephesians chapter 5.  It says, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”  Then it says “…everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible.”

So here is the guard rail that will protect you today.  Will your actions stand up to the light test?  If they were exposed to the light, if they became public, would you be ashamed?  Would you be discredited?  Would your reputation suffer?

If so, then don’t do it.  If you sense the wheels are turning in your head, looking for excuses, stop right there.  Don’t do it!

I was reading this week about a computer program that will cover your tracks.  It will keep anyone from knowing where you went on the internet. 

Would you like to have a program like that?  Would you like to have the freedom to go anywhere online and no one would know?  If so, then you are probably failing the light test. 

You know what?  There is nothing wrong with saying, “I won’t go there because I don’t want to be caught going there.  I won’t do certain things because I don’t want to be caught doing them.”

That’s another way of looking at the light test.  Would you do this if you knew you were going to be caught? 

This is about your integrity and your good name.  Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is more desirable than great riches…”

We need to deal in truth, not some half-twisted version of it.  We need to deal in light, not shades of darkness.

Have you ever seen a little kid try to lie?  They are terrible at it.  Their eyes and their body language betray them – but they don’t realize it!

The same is true for adults.  You can have your story all worked out ahead of time, yet people can see right through you.  No, maybe they can’t prove you’re lying, maybe they have no evidence, but that is not the point at all.  As Christians, we don’t want to eliminate the evidence.  We want to eliminate the sin!

We want to walk in the light as He is in the light!  We want to live in honor and integrity.  The Bible uses this word:  upright.  Titus 2:12 indicates that we should live “self-controlled, upright and godly lives.”

Set the bar high!  Don’t look for reasons to sneak the bar down.  Don’t be pathetic.  Don’t be weak, be strong!  Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might!

You can do it.  It can be done!  “Awake you who sleep.  Arise from the dead and Christ will give you light!”

Proverbs 21:8 says, “The way of the guilty is devious…” 

Don’t be devious.  Don’t look for ways to rationalize and justify and cover up your actions.  Let this be a warning to you right out of the gate.  As soon as your mind starts doing the mental gymnastics – don’t do it. 

“The way of the guilty is devious – but the conduct of the innocent is upright.”

That’s who you want to be.  You want to be counted among the innocent and the upright.  You want to be a person of the highest integrity, with a great reputation and an honorable name.

And that means you can’t do certain things. 

Remember Daniel.  His enemies dug deep to find any lack of integrity, and they couldn’t find one!

I want to be like that.  I want my track record to be squeaky clean.  I don’t want to slip things in under the shades of gray.  I want my actions to be able to pass the light test.  I want to conduct myself in a manner worthy of the gospel.  I want my life to square up with Amos’ plumb line.

Hebrews 13 uses this phrase, “live honorably in every way.”

Honor means no rationalizing, no excuses or justifications.

So here is your guardrail today, something to help keep you on the straight and narrow.

As soon as the mental gymnastics start . . . stop.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2010 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-

You Need Some Good Christian Friends - Apples of Gold - May 11, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 11, 2010

“You Need Some Good Christian Friends”

 

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

I signed a lease to live in a house with four other guys.

That was in the spring of my junior year in college.

Then that summer I gave my life to Christ.

In the fall we moved in together and “Surprise!  One of your housemates is a Jesus freak!”

Oh, they were still my friends, but now we had a lot less in common.  They wanted to do things I didn’t want to do, so I couldn’t really hang out with my old friends, but I didn’t have any new friends.  Now what?

I started going to a church, but I just didn’t click with the young people there.  Oh they were friendly enough, but honestly, I was looking for people with fire in their bones, people who were dying to the world and living for Jesus.  And by my definition, you weren’t dying to the world when you promoted the showing of a Stephen King movie right there in your facility.  Or when you are proud of your secular music collection.  Or when you don’t mind having a drink at the bar.

But then I wasn’t exactly Saint Douglas.  I spent much of that first year trying to find my footing as a Christian.  I would do good, then not so good, up and down.  And I’m not blaming my old friends, but at times they were a real stumbling block to me.  I should have been stronger, but spiritually I felt like a baby taking his first steps.

I finally got to the point where I said, “Lord, I’ve blown it.  I know You wanted to use me, but I’m just not strong enough.”

Then I was invited to a new Christian group there on campus, and I finally found some kids on fire for Christ.  And let me tell you, it made a big difference in my life.  My walk stabilized.  I grew spiritually.  It was just so nice to find other young people living the way I thought a Christian should live, the way I wanted to live. 

So instead of having friends that were tripping me up, I had friends that were building me up.  We all encouraged each other, and we all grew spiritually by being friends.

And that’s when I came to this conclusion.  If you are going to be a good Christian, I think you just have to have some good Christian friends.  Without them it’s going to be really hard to grow and stay strong in the faith.

Proverbs 12:26 says, “A righteous man is cautious in friendship…”

Why?  Because our friends are such a huge influence in our life. 

But you knew that.  The big question is not if we need good Christian friends, but how to find them!

Well here’s a couple of old sayings that can help:  “Birds of a feather flock together,” and “Like attracts like.”

If you want good, strong Christian friends, then start by being a good, strong Christian yourself.  When you do this, other strong Christians will be drawn to you, just like a magnet finds metal shavings in a pile of sawdust.

But that means you need a pile of sawdust, right?  So where is that pile of sawdust, if you’ll pardon the analogy?

Well that’s easy.  Christians gather at churches all across the country every single weekend.  So if you want to find some good Christian friends, then find a good Christian church and go to it.

“But Doug,” you say, “I go to church and I still have no Christian friends.  No one is reaching out to me.”

Well I have an answer for you.  This is what I’ve done at every church I’ve attended and it always works.

At your church, find something you like and volunteer.  Maybe it’s a committee or a work crew or whatever.  Just join it, and you will instantly begin meeting likeminded volunteers.  Instead of waiting for some social invitation that isn’t coming, get to work.  Then as you work beside people, you’ll get to know them and they’ll get to know you.  That is fertile ground for good Christian friendships.

It works the same at parachurch organizations.  If you like sports, for example, consider volunteering with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

We used to sing a Christian song years ago with these lyrics:

“We will work with each other, we will work side by side,
We will work with each other, we will work side by side,
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and crucify man’s pride.”

That’s what happens when you have good Christian friends.  They will guard you on the one side, but challenge you and hold you accountable on the other.

Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

Your friends can sharpen you spiritually, or dull you spiritually.  Which do you want?

Well the heart’s desire of most Christians is to grow and be spiritually strong.

And to do that I think you simply must have some good Christian friends.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2010 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-

Keep Your Eyes Open for Open Doors - Apples of Gold - May 7, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 7, 2010

“Keep Your Eyes Open for Open Doors”

 

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

I believe in “open doors.”

Here’s what I mean by that.  I think God opens doors of opportunity for us.

Paul said in First Corinthians 16 “…I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me…”

Paul told the Ephesians to make the most of every opportunity.  That’s what an open door is, an opportunity.

Have you ever had that happen?  You just look up one day and there is an open door; a new opportunity has presented itself.

In Revelation 3 Jesus told the church in Philadelphia, “See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.”

In Second Corinthians Paul said that he went somewhere and what did he find?  He found that “the Lord had opened a door” for him.

So this idea of open doors is not just some made up Christianese.  It’s not what some call “preacher talk.”  It’s a real thing that occurs.  God opens doors.

Most Christians probably agree with that.  The problem is not believing it, it’s properly identifying it when it happens.

Oh if God would just label those doors better!  Shoot off some fireworks, or turn on a siren and a flashing light.  “Hey look, I’m opening a door!”

Because face it, we live in the land of opportunity.  In a sense there are open doors everywhere.  Opportunities abound, especially if you are ready to work hard and think creatively. 

But this is how I’ve handled it.  This is just me, so take it for what it’s worth, but I have spent my entire Christian life praying that God would open and close doors.

Has He answered that prayer?  Is that how my life has worked?  Well I can’t prove it, but I think that’s what’s happened many times.

For example, my wife and I made an offer on a house.  There had been no other offers on the house, but we liked it and decided to buy it.  Now this was my prayer, “Lord, if this is a good house for us, please open the door; but if not, please close it.”

Shortly thereafter our realtor called and said that two other offers had suddenly come in on the house.  What interesting timing!  The realtor wanted to know if we wanted to raise our offer, just in case the others were higher than ours.  Well I just thought back to my prayer and I thought, “What are the odds of this happening, that two other offers suddenly came in on a house that had had no previous offers?”

So you know what?  I took that as God closing the door.  Now I can’t prove it.  Maybe He did and maybe He didn’t, but that is the way I prayed, and that is the way I took it.

I remember back in the 80’s, when I decided to get into Christian radio.  I sent out resumes to every Christian station in the state and prayed that God would open one door, and only one.  I figured that if I had more than one opportunity I would probably pick the one wrong.  Well I think God answered my prayer.  I heard from several stations, but only one had an immediate fulltime opening.  I took the job and worked there for about 20 years. 

Now some people criticized me for that, and I admit, I don’t have a good comeback for them.  Some would say, “Don’t just leave your job up to fate like that.  Target the best job and go for it.  Don’t wait for an open door, knock on a closed door.  Kick it down if you have to.”

I guess part of it comes down to being guided by the Holy Spirit.  If the Spirit gives you a goal to shoot for, then do it.  I agree that not every door will be gracefully opened for you.

For example, I was reading about Brother Andrew’s delivery of a million Bibles to a beach in China one night back in 1981.  Time magazine called it a “bold expedition.”  Well I’m sure the Chinese government didn’t just open the door and invite them in.  And yet what is the name of Brother Andrew’s worldwide ministry?  “Open Doors.”

In Acts chapter three we read about a man that was healed.  His healing drew a big crowd, and the Apostle Peter noticed.  He saw an opportunity, an open door.  He took advantage of it and preached to the crowd.

But now look at First Samuel 24.  David and his men were hiding in a cave, and suddenly King Saul was right there in front of them.  David truly had an open door to kill King Saul, and his men encouraged him to do it, even saying that God had given the opportunity.  But David knew better.  He only cut off the corner of Saul’s robe to prove that he could have killed him, and later even felt guilty for that.  So not every opportunity is a door opened by God.

First Corinthians 10:23 points out that not everything is helpful or beneficial.  So when you see an open door, ask yourself this.  Is it beneficial?

We need discernment.  We need to know the Word.  We need to know the voice of the Holy Spirit.  And we need to seek wise counsel from mature Godly believers.

So keep your eyes open for open doors, then like it says in Ephesians 5:16, make the most of every opportunity.

That’s the way I’ve tried to live, because that’s the way I think it works.

I really do believe it – that God Himself opens doors.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2010 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-

Popsicles - Apples of Gold - May 6, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 6, 2010

“Popsicles”

 

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

I slowly lowered the Popsicle from my mouth, stunned.

I had never seen anything like it before.

But what do you expect?  I was just a boy, sitting at my little grade school desk.

It was right around this time of year, and when our upstairs classroom would get a little stuffy the teacher would prop open the door that opened out onto the fire escape.

There was no air conditioning in schools back then, and in the winter our heat came from the radiator under the windows.

But this was springtime, a great time to play outside at recess then come back in, try to cool off and actually learn something.

Well this day was someone’s birthday, and that meant snacks for the whole class.  It was usually homemade cookies, or if you were lucky, Ding Dongs wrapped in aluminum foil.

The school day was almost over when the birthday girl’s mom showed up and you’re not going to believe it.  She brought Popsicles!

That’s right, genu-ine ice cold Popsicles for the whole class.  And not those cheap one-sticker Popsicles.  These were the two-stickers – twice the sugary goodness for everyone!

As I sat there at my little desk I thought, “What kind of person passes out Popsicles for their birthday?”  I think the glow of the Popsicles rubbed off on the birthday girl as I began to think, “Wow, this must be, like, the coolest girl ever.”

There was excitement in the room as she passed out the Popsicles.  And you know, you can’t really lollygag around when it comes to eating Popsicles. 

So I was devouring my Popsicle with the rest of the herd when I suddenly heard a little commotion over by the fire escape.  I looked up just in time to see the girl giggle at the fact that she had run out of Popsicles.  Everyone got one…but her.

“Hmmm,” I thought, as I returned to mine.  “That didn’t work out very well.  The birthday girl won’t get a Popsicle; that’s too bad.”

Now here is where my memory slows down to capture every detail.  I can still picture the boy to my left.  He sprang from his seat, but in my mind it’s all in slow motion.  He moved toward the birthday girl, and what was he doing?  He was pointing something at her.

Now I wish I knew what was going on in that boy’s head.  What happened at his house that morning?  What kind of things had he been seeing at home?

You know, a dad has a big impact on a son.  Little boys watch their daddy, and they pick up a lot of their traits.  And they especially pick up their attitude towards the opposite sex.

Oh, if dads would show a little more courtesy, a little more respect. 

Here’s a word you don’t hear much anymore:  chivalry.

That’s when a man is courteous to women, all women:  Moms and sisters, old and young, pretty and not-so-much.  He is kind to them, not for selfish gain, but just because he should be.  He looks out for their needs and their feelings.

Yes, he opens the door for them.  No, not because they can’t do it themselves.  Of course they can do it themselves, that’s not the point at all.  It’s just something nice to do for someone.

It’s called chivalry, and every man needs to learn it.

It’s the opposite of selfishness.  In our crass society, men often use women for their own pleasure or comfort.  They take advantage of them, and this should not be.

Chivalry includes manners and etiquette.  It includes social graces and wisdom and knowledge.  It includes emotional intelligence – how to do the right thing at the right time to look out for others.

And I think that includes special care for females. 

First Peter 3:7 tells husbands to honor their wives as the “weaker vessel.”  Now don’t get offended ladies.  That’s like comparing a rugged plastic pitcher of tea to a fine China tea pot.  Yes, the China is more fragile, and there’s nothing negative about it.  But it does deserve special care.

As Christians we are to love one another and serve one another and be kind to one another.  Ephesians even says to “submit to one another.”

So men, where is your chivalry?  Maybe it’s time to take it up a notch, and start showing more care for the fairer gender. 

And dads, keep in mind that your little boy is watching and he will mirror your attitude towards women.

I wonder if that’s what happened that day at Franklin Elementary School.  I wonder if that father’s attitude finally came busting out of his son.

I wonder if that’s why he jumped out of his seat, rushed toward the birthday girl and said, “Here.  You can have half of mine.”

And I slowly lowered the Popsicle from my mouth and let the lesson sink in.

The very important lesson of chivalry.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2010 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 Resurrection of the Dead - Apples of Gold - May 5, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 5, 2010

“The Resurrection of the Dead”

 

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

All who are in their graves will come out.

That’s what Jesus said in John chapter five.

Verse 28 says “…a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”

A day of resurrection is coming, and when it happens, you want to be on the right side.  In verse 24 Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

In John 6:40 Jesus said, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Jesus taught that there is a resurrection from the dead. 

In Mark chapter 12 the Sadducees, who didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead, asked Jesus a question about the subject, trying to trap him.  Well it didn’t work.  He told them they were in error because they didn’t know the Scriptures, and He finally told them, “You are badly mistaken.”

In verse 25 Jesus said, “When the dead rise…”

I hope you believe in the resurrection of the dead, because if you don’t, you are badly mistaken.  It is a core belief of the Christian faith.

First of all, Jesus Himself was raised from the dead, which we celebrate every Easter.  He predicted repeatedly that He would, and He did.  And afterward many witnesses proclaimed that He had, indeed, risen from the dead.  They saw Him, with their own eyes!

On the day of Pentecost Peter preached, “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.”

The book of Acts says that “with great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus…”

Listen closely to this portion of a sermon that Peter preached at the house of Cornelius.  “…God raised Him from the dead on the third day and caused Him to be seen.  He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen – by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.  He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.  All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

In Acts 13 we read a sermon by Paul.  He said, “…God raised Him from the dead, and for many days He was seen by those who had traveled with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem.  They are now His witnesses…”

According to Romans chapter one, Jesus’ resurrection proved a point.  It says Jesus was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead.

Acts 17 says that God “commands all people everywhere to repent.  For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man He has appointed.  He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

So God raised Jesus from the dead, and it’s important that we believe that.  Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Romans 4 says that Jesus was “raised to life for our justification.”

Now about the resurrection of the dead, listen to what Paul said to King Agrippa and those gathered in his courts.  He said, “Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?”

God will raise the dead, and listen to this description in First Thessalonians 4.  “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

This teaching of the resurrection of the dead is not some peripheral doctrine.  Hebrews 6 says that the resurrection of the dead is actually an elementary teaching.  It’s a cornerstone of Christianity.

Paul went into great detail on the subject in First Corinthians 15.  Verse 52 says “…for the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”  He says this perishable, natural, mortal body will be raised imperishable, spiritual and immortal.

He also said that if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Jesus Himself was not raised from the dead, our faith is in vain, and we are lost.

But the good news is that Jesus did rise from the dead, and there really is a coming resurrection for all the dead.

Jesus said it Himself.  A time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out.

That time is coming.  There will be a resurrection of the dead, and you want to be on the right side when it happens.

Jesus died and rose again for our justification, and now God calls everyone to repent and receive His forgiveness by believing in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and believing that God raised Him from the dead.

Then you will be ready; but ready or not, it’s coming anyway. 

The main event foretold by Jesus and Peter and Paul and millions of others.

The resurrection of the dead.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2010 The Arrow’s Tip 
 To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

What's Wrong With Preaching to the Choir? - Apples of Gold - May 4, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 4, 2010

“What’s Wrong With Preaching to the Choir?”

 

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

“You guys in Christian media, you’re just preaching to the choir.”

They say it like it’s some kind of sin.

“Yes, you have your little Christian subculture, your Christian music and books and seminars.  You have Christian radio and TV and websites.  The world is dying and going to hell and all you’re doing is reaching other Christians.  All you’re doing is preaching to the choir.”

Well first of all, I look at Christian radio like a modern day, open-air service.  Anyone can come by anytime and receive spiritual light.  And it’s going on 24 hours a day.

I’ve heard great testimonies of prisoners giving their lives to Christ while listening to Christian radio in jail. 

I had a blue collar guy tell me that before he committed his life to Christ he would rush out to his truck after work and listen to Christian radio – while he waited for his buddies to come out so they could go to the bar.

A mother told me about her son listening to Christian radio while he partied with friends around a camp fire. 

Tons of people outside the church have been mightily impacted by Christian radio, so I don’t buy the idea that we are only reaching Christians.

However, I’m sure our normal audience is mostly Christians, and probably the most dedicated Christians.  So, does that mean we are guilty of preaching to the choir?

Well . . . what’s wrong with preaching to the choir?

First of all, have you ever met a choir that didn’t need a little preaching?  No offense, choir members, but you know what?  We all need a little preaching, and probably a lot of preaching.

Here’s my point.  There is nothing wrong with preaching to the choir, by which I mean ministering to fellow Christians.  In fact, we are supposed to minister to each other.

First Corinthians 14:12 says, “Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.”  The King James says “…seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.”

Not only are we to build up the church, we are to excel at it.

Listen to this phrase in verse five, “…that the church may be edified.”  That is an important goal, the “edifying,” the “building up” of the church.

Look what Paul told the church in Second Corinthians 12:19, “…we do all things, beloved, for your edification.”  Another word for edification is “strengthening.”  We are to strengthen the church, to edify it, to build it up. 

Some people have the idea that all the preachers and teachers need to get out of the church and hit the streets.  We need to stop investing in Christian media and start using those dollars to reach the lost.

Well take a close look at Ephesians chapter four.  It says that God has called some to be apostles and prophets and evangelists and pastors and teachers – and what is their job?  “To prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature…”

We are the body of Christ and verse 16 says the body “grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Romans 14:19 says, “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”  As Christians we are very clearly told to edify one another.  First Thessalonians 5:11 says exactly that, “edify one another.”

That’s what we are doing here at Wave 94.  That’s why I have dedicated my life to Christian radio.  We are a creating a place on the radio dial that constantly builds up Christians. 

Listen to this trifecta from First Corinthians 14:3 – strengthening, encouragement and comfort.  We play music all day that does just that, strengthens, encourages and comforts the church.

Who do I write Apples of Gold for?  Primarily the church.

Am I preaching to the choir?  I sure am.

Yes, I hear from a lot of non-Christians, from atheists, and activists and people just generally telling me to shut up.  But that is not my primary target.

My primary target is my fellow believers, my fellow disciples, followers of Christ.

In the Great Commission, Jesus said to go and make disciples – and teach them everything Jesus commanded. 

Yes, that means reaching the lost; but once someone is reached, the work has just begun.  That’s followed by a lifetime of discipleship, of encouraging and exhorting and edifying.

We are to excel in building up the body of Christ.  We are to spend a lot of time and resources to maximize each part of the body and make it as strong as possible.

The body builds itself up in love.

So if you think there’s something wrong with expending a lot of effort to minister to the church, think again.  The Bible instructs us very clearly to do just that.  We need it.  We all need it.

So with that in mind, let me say it one more time.

There is nothing wrong with preaching to the choir.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2010 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-

Get Rid of All Invidia - Apples of Gold - May 3, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for May 3, 2010

“Get Rid of All Invidia”

 

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

Envy rots the bones.

That’s what it says in Proverbs 14:30.

Envy is one of the so-called “seven deadly sins” and it will eat you alive from the inside out.

Envy is a little different than jealousy and covetousness.  When I think of envy, I think of two things.  You want what someone else has, and you don’t want them to have it.

If you’ve ever tasted envy, then you know it’s poisonous.  You can easily understand why First Peter 2:1 says to get rid of all envy. 

The Latin word for envy is “invidia,” which makes it sound kind of catchy.  Get rid of all invidia.

So how can you get rid of all invidia, or envy?

I read an interesting phrase in a preacher’s biography last night.  Here’s the phrase:  “possessed by the Holy Spirit.”

He said we need to grow spiritually, to grow in our walk with the Lord, and that included becoming more and more possessed by the Holy Spirit.

The more we allow God’s Spirit to work inside of us, the more we yield to the Spirit’s qualities, the less envy we will experience.

Romans 8:5 says that those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

Back to First Peter 2.  Verse 2 instructs us to crave pure spiritual milk.  We are to crave the basic principles of God and His word, “that we may grow,” it says.

And envy is one of those things that we should grow out of.  We should grow away from it.  We should feel the bite and sting of envy less and less often as we mature spiritually.

So how do we get rid of all invidia?  By growing spiritually.  As we draw near to God and become more and more possessed of His Spirit, we should see the invidia falling away from us.

One reason is because the more we are controlled by the Spirit of God, the more love we will have for people.  And the “love chapter,” First Corinthians 13, says that “love does not envy.”

So the more we love people, the less we will envy them.  When you love people, you don’t want good things taken away from them – but that’s what envy wants.  Envy means you want it, and you want it taken from them.

I love my oldest daughter and I’m glad she has a house.  Of course I don’t want her to lose the house, because I love her.  There is no room for envy in that situation because love drives out the envy.

And this goes back to us growing spiritually.  As we grow spiritually, as we become more and more possessed by the Holy Spirit, we will naturally start loving people more, and we will naturally start envying them less.

So how to get rid of envy?  Grow spiritually and love people.

Envy wants to pull people down, but First Corinthians 8:1 says that “love builds up.”

Now look at Romans 12:15.  It says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice.”

When you truly rejoice with people, it’s hard to be envious of them.

When you truly love people, you will rejoice with them.  When you are envious, you don’t really love them and you sure won’t feel like rejoicing with them.

So how to get rid of envy?  Rejoice with those who rejoice!  Celebrate with them.

That is a very mature thing to do, especially when they have something you want.  But it won’t be hard to do as we mature spiritually.

Growing spiritually means we have a better handle on what is truly important.  We realize that having something someone else has is not important at all, but loving them is important.

It’s about getting our priorities straight, and that will come as we grow spiritually.  Envy will be crowded out as we become more and more possessed by the Holy Spirit.

So how to do it?  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit, and God will respond.  You will experience His love working through you.  You will grow in spiritual maturity and feel a true love for people around you.

And when they have something good, you will be free to rejoice with them!

It’s a process, yes it is, but it’s through this process that you will be able to get rid of all invidia.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2010 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-

Lord, Lead Us Not Into the Temptation Zone - Apples of Gold - April 30, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for April 30, 2010

“Lord, Lead Us Not Into the Temptation Zone”

 

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

Let’s talk about temptation.

The Lord’s Prayer says, “Lead us not into temptation.”

Where does the Lord’s Prayer come from?

It was taught by Jesus after one of His disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

So Jesus said, in Luke 11:2, “When you pray say, ‘Our Father in heaven…’”

That’s how the Lord’s Prayer starts.  We are praying to our Father in heaven.

Then in Luke 11:4 it says, “Lead us not into temptation.”

Put them together and you get this simple prayer, “Father in heaven, lead us not into temptation.”

So, does that mean God can lead us into temptation?

Well wait a minute.  James 1:13 says that God doesn’t tempt anyone.

So if God doesn’t tempt anyone, why do we need to pray “lead us not into temptation”?

That sounds like a contradiction, doesn’t it?

Well not if you look closely.  If I had a chalkboard right now I would draw a big circle, and I would label it The Temptation Zone.

Inside that circle, the temptation zone, you will be tempted.  All temptation takes place inside that zone. 

Now listen.  God is not doing the tempting.  God does not tempt anyone.  But it doesn’t say He won’t lead anyone toward the temptation zone.

“But Doug, isn’t that the same as tempting someone?”

No, it isn’t.  There is a line there, a difference.  So when Jesus tells us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation,” that is a very real prayer.  That is a prayer we need to pray, just as He instructed. 

Matthew 4:1 says that Jesus Himself was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  The Spirit didn’t do the tempting, but He did lead Jesus into the temptation zone.  See the difference?

Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus was “tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.”

Hebrews 2:18 says that Jesus “suffered when He was tempted…”

So you might say that Jesus got knocked around a bit inside the temptation zone.  It says He “suffered.”

So when Jesus said to pray, “Lead us not into temptation,” it’s almost like He’s saying, “Look, you don’t want to go there.  I’ve been there, and it’s not a nice place to be, so pray to your heavenly Father, ‘Lord, please do not lead me into the temptation zone.’”

Now the temptation zone is not the same as the sin zone.  Oh, it can definitely lead to the sin zone, but you can certainly come out of the temptation zone without sliding into the sin zone.

First Corinthians 10:13 offers a great picture of temptation.  It says, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.”  I love that illustration, that temptation seizes us.

I picture an unmarked van pulling up to the curb, and thugs in black jumping out and seizing you.  The thugs are the temptation, and the van is the sin.  They want to seize you and drag you into the van of sin.  I’ve seen people who really did have a “van of sin,” but anyway…

The temptation seizes you, and now what?  Is it inevitable that you are going to be thrown into the van of sin?  Not at all!

Back to First Corinthians 10:13.  It says, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

So first of all, we need to pray, “Lead us not into temptation.”  In other words, “Don’t lead us into the temptation zone.  Or, “don’t lead us down a street where temptation can jump out and seize us.”

BUT, if we are seized by temptation, that is not the end of the game, not at all.  God will provide a way out!  We can throw off the thugs and walk away without ever entering the van of sin.  We can throw off temptation before it drags us into the sin zone.

Now about the temptation zone.  James 1:14 says we are tempted when we are dragged away by our own desires and enticed.  So our own sinful desires can seize us.

And we also know that the devil, or Satan, is also called “the tempter.”  He tempted Jesus and he will tempt us.  So that’s two sources of temptation, but either way, even if temptation does seize us, we know there is always a way out.  Temptation never has to lead to sin if we don’t allow it.  James 4:7 says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

So even if the thugs of temptation jump out and seize us, all we have to do is resist.  If we put up a fight, temptation will leave us, like the devil left Jesus after His temptation.

Of course it says he left “until an opportune time,” and that’s the way it is for us.  The temptation thugs will return and try to seize us again, but once again God will give us the power to resist.

So a child of God never has to give in to temptation.

And you know what?  A lot of temptations can be avoided entirely, I think, if we will take this prayer seriously that Jesus told us to pray, and it’s simply this.

Lord, lead us not into temptation.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2010 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-

Running in the Dark - Apples of Gold - April 29, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for April 29, 2010

“Running in the Dark”

 

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

Ah, here’s a great story from high school.

One night I had some friends at the bowling alley and some friends at Pizza Hut.

The video game Space Invaders had just come out, and they had a table-top version at Pizza Hut, which was drawing a crowd.  But I was still a big pinball fan and rode with some guys to whip up the pinball machine that was at the bowling alley.

At some point I decided to leave the bowling alley and walk back to Pizza Hut where my car was.  It was dark and a bit chilly, so instead of walking I decided to run.

Well you know how towns can be.  There was a lot of bright lights around the bowling alley, then there was a little residential section, then more bright lights. 

The residential section was dark, but I kept running anyway.  In fact, darkness is a good reason to run a little faster, right?

So now I was barreling down sidewalk, and you know how towns can be.  All of a sudden I wasn’t on a sidewalk anymore.  I was just running on grass, which made it all the more difficult to see exactly where I was going.

But I couldn’t slow down, of course, because you sure don’t want to miss any excitement at Pizza Hut.  So I was running at top speed when all of a sudden I was literally slammed backwards to the ground.

I was stunned, to say the least, and sat there to gather my wits.  I looked around, but saw no one, and thankfully no one saw me.

I stood up, and then I caught a glimpse of my attacker.  It was a thick metal cable stretching from the top of a utility pole down to the ground. 

I dusted myself off and checked for injuries.  Unfortunately there was no blood or cool gashes, but then I noticed a big welt on my left side, at about my waist.  I traced the damage and wouldn’t you know it, there was a big red line diagonally across my chest to my right shoulder – a perfect line where the cable had lashed into me. 

Then the thought occurred to me, “What if I had been shorter?  It would have hit me right in the neck.”

A shiver ran up my spine, and I began walking carefully back to the car.

Now you might ask, as only a grownup could, “Why did you do it?”

Why did I slam my body into a metal cable?  Of course I didn’t mean to.  I was just running in the dark and…

Ah, there’s the point.  If I hadn’t been running in the dark, it wouldn’t have happened.  Nobody means to flog themselves with a metal cable, but it’s the kind of thing that happens when you go thrashing about in the dark.

In John 12:35 Jesus said, “The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.”

That’s not very profound, is it?  Did we really need Jesus to tell us that? 

Well listen, when Jesus speaks, it is profound.  So when Jesus says, “The man who walks in the dark doesn’t know where he’s going,” we need to look into it.

As you might guess, Jesus is talking about spiritual darkness.  A man who walks in spiritual darkness doesn’t know where he’s going.  Proverbs 4:19 says “…the way of the wicked is like deep darkness, they do not know what makes them stumble.”

Yesterday I read a story from World War II, about a bunch of people who hid from the Nazis in a cave, and when the Nazis were retreating near the end of the war, they bombed the cave opening and trapped the people inside. 

Eventually they were rescued, and when they came out the author said their skin was black from dirt and feces.  Well how on earth did that happen?  How did they end up covered in dirt and feces? 

Well they didn’t know.  It was pitch black inside the cave.  They couldn’t see a thing, day after day.  They didn’t know what was getting on them, and they had no means of washing it off anyway.  What a wretched way to live, right?

But that’s what’s happening to tons of people spiritually.  They are living in spiritual darkness.  They don’t know where they are going.  They stumble, but they don’t know what’s tripping them up.  They are spiritually covered with dirt and feces, which they can’t even see, and they have no means of washing off.

But I like what it says in Matthew 4:16, “…the people living in darkness have seen a great light…”

John 3:19 says, “…light has come into the world…”

John 1:5 says, “The light shines in the darkness…”

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.”

In John 8:12 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

And First Peter 2:9 says that God has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light!

As Christians, First Thessalonians 5:5 says we are all “sons of the light and sons of the day.”

Colossians 1:13 says that God has “delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love…”

Ephesians 5:8 says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Live as children of light…”

First John 1:7 indicates that we are to walk in the light as He is in the light.

So are you stumbling today, and don’t know why?  Are you falling?  Are you feeling dirty?  Have you lost your way?

Then come into the light – and Jesus is that light!  He will cleanse you and make you new.  He will be your light and bring light to your life.

You can see where you are going and stumble no more!  You can run at a full clip without worrying that a cable is going to smash you to the ground!

You can live an abundant life, that’s why Jesus came! 

And it starts with leaving behind our deeds of darkness, and coming into the light – the marvelous life-giving light of Jesus Christ.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2010 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-

Daniel: A Man of Prayer AND a Man of Learning - Apples of Gold - April 27, 2010 -vi-

Click here to listen to the radio version.   

Click here to search the AOG archives.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for April 27, 2010

“Daniel:  A Man of Prayer and a Man of Learning”

 

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

“I want to be like Daniel.”

“Oh, good.”

“Yeah, all he ever did was pray.”

“Wait a second.  All you think Daniel ever did was pray?”

“Yeah, like five times a day.”

“Well it was more like three times a day, but anyway, if that’s all you think Daniel did, you need take a good long look at the book of Daniel.”

Let’s start by looking at Daniel’s first big break.  Like many of the young Jewish men of his time, Daniel was hauled into exile by the king of Babylon. 

Then the king sent for the cream of the crop.  He was looking for young men who “possessed knowledge” and were “well informed.”

The king of Babylon was not looking for slackers.  He wanted young men who were already putting their brain to work.

Daniel was one of them.  Yes, he was a man of prayer, but he was also a man of learning.

Daniel 1:17 says God gave Daniel “knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom.”

Does that mean Daniel didn’t have to do anything but pray?  Not at all.  Just because God gives you the skill to learn doesn’t mean you automatically know everything. 

Daniel had the ability, but he still had to do the work.  He had to read and study and listen to teachers.  It says Daniel was taught the language and the literature of Babylon.

As you probably know, God also gave Daniel the ability to interpret dreams, which really opened doors for him in the kingdom.  Daniel 2 says the king placed Daniel in a high position and made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon

So in this lofty position of authority, what did Daniel do?  Did he just pray all day?  Can you really rule a province through nothing but prayer?

Later Belshazzar became king, and once again Daniel was given authority.

Then Darius the Mede took over the kingdom.

And who became one of Darius’ top officials?  Daniel! 

Now listen.  You know what happened to a lot of people when a kingdom changed hands?  Some lost their jobs, and some lost their heads! 

But not Daniel.  Daniel 5:12 says that Daniel was found to have “a keen mind and knowledge and understanding.”

And he continued to distinguish himself under King Darius, so much so that Darius decided to put Daniel in charge of the whole kingdom.

Yes, prayer helped make Daniel the great man that he was, but that was only part of it.  I think a huge part of it was Daniel’s mental diligence.  I think he continued to study and learn and grow in wisdom and knowledge. 

He probably knew economics and psychology.  He probably studied defense and military strategies, and agriculture and food production.  He probably oversaw scientific research and education.  I’m just guessing here, but when you are in charge of a kingdom, those are the things you must be in charge of.

Daniel was a well informed young man, and I think he stayed well informed throughout his life.  If God gave him a 5 brain, Daniel turned it into a 25.

One thing about Daniel, when you are that successful it makes other people jealous, and that’s how Daniel ended up in the lion’s den. 

But how did they actually get him into the lion’s den?  Well first of all they tried to find flaws in his leadership, and guess what?  There weren’t any.

If all Daniel did was pray all day, that would have been enough.  They could have charged him with slacking on his duties, but he wasn’t.  It sounds like he had every gear working smoothly.  The only thing they could trap him on was praying, so that’s what they did.

Now you could say this.  Maybe Daniel got all his great knowledge straight from God during his prayer times. 

God could certainly do that, but it’s not the usual way. 

Daniel did hear from God many times, but look at Daniel 9:2.  It points out that he studied the Scriptures.  For example, it says he learned things by reading Jeremiah.

If there was anybody who didn’t need to study the Bible it was the great prophet Daniel, and yet there he was, studying the Scriptures just like we all need to do.

So anyway, don’t get the idea that all Daniel did was pray all day.  His prayer times were important, but he also spent much of his days just like you and I – taking care of business.

Yes, Daniel was a great man of prayer.

And he was also a great man of learning.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2010 The Arrow’s Tip 
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(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
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