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

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 8, 2008

“Walkaway Wife”

 

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

Pinocchio was off for his first day of school.

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

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

So Honest John pounced on the opportunity.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How can we tell? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We find an important tip in Proverbs 12:5.

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


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

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

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 3, 2008

“Hiding Myself”

 

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

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

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

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

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

It’s a lack of personal interaction.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is the difference.  Personal interaction.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

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

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 2, 2008

“I Cheated in Sixth Grade Science”

 

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

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

One of them held up traffic just for a moment.

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

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

And he was swept away by the crowd.

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

I now had unlawful information.  What would I do?

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

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

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

Do I even need to read the rest? 

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

And that day my guesses were very educated.

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

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

I cheated. 

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

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

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

So I ate it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What does that mean in practical terms?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

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

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for December 1, 2008

“Where Can I Go and Meet With God?”

 

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

He was a teenage Muslim.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So where can we go to meet with God?

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

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

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

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


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

Disciples Are Made One Teaching at a Time - Apples of Gold - November 26, 2008 - ***Happy Birthday Mom!!!*** -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 26, 2008

“Disciples Are Made One Teaching at a Time”

 

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

Last night I was surrounded by a gang of young men.

We had a special Thanksgiving communion service at church, and the teenage twins living with us decided to invite their friends.

As the time approached for communion I thought, “Some of these boys might not know the first thing about communion – or Christ, for that matter.”

At that point I came to a fork in the road.  I could just let the service roll on, and whatever happened happened.  Or I could take advantage of this unique teaching opportunity.

I opted for action.  So I got their attention and said, “Meet me over there by the door.”

I told them all to “take a knee.”  It was like football practice as they huddled around the coach.  And I taught them about communion, the last supper, the body and blood, sin and forgiveness.

Then when the time came we all went together, all 11 of us, a family.  And everyone knew what it was all about, because someone took the time to tell them.

This, my friend, is how discipleship happens – one teaching at a time.

It reminds me of Isaiah 28:10 which says, “…precept upon precept, line upon line…here a little, there a little.”

Most of us know the “great commission” in Matthew 28.  Jesus said, “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

Sometimes we think that just means getting them the Gospel; you know, bring ‘em to the Lord and He’ll take it from there.  But that is actually only a sliver of the great commission.  Let me tell you, the heavy lifting is found at the end of that commission.  Matthew 28:20 says, “…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…”

Turning to Christ takes a moment.  Following Christ takes the rest of your life.

When I turned to Christ I took a discipleship class.  It lasted a few weeks and then it was over.  But actually, discipleship class is never over. 

When we think of the great commission we tend to think of evangelism.  But you know what I think of?  I think of teaching; teaching people to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

Yes, a lot of this happens within the formal church structure.  But please don’t leave it at that.

I like what it says in Deuteronomy 11:19.  It’s talking about training children, but I like it for all of us.  It says, “Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

See, all of these times are discipleship opportunities.  This is how discipleship happens, one teaching opportunity at a time.

I was working with a group of guys recently and they had the radio on.  The host was talking about dating, and it was definitely not a Christian show.  At one point one of the young men turned to me and said, “What do you think about that?”

See, that is how discipleship opportunities come along.  They may not be at 10:30 Sunday morning.  They might be at five o’clock Friday.  Actually they come along constantly and we need to be ready for them.

Back in the Boy Scouts we were taught two powerful words, “Be prepared.”  Paul said the same thing in Second Timothy 4:2, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.”

One day years ago I went out for an early morning jog.  I ran past a bar, and right in front I had to skip over a pool of vomit.  Sickening, I know – but what an illustration.

I ran back home and grabbed a couple of my kids.  I took them to the bar and showed them the vomit.  And I taught them about the dangers of alcohol and the virtues of sobriety.

One night my little boy woke up scared because high winds had kicked up.  I grabbed my Bible and we went outside.  We faced the eerie wind, and I read him the story about the scared disciples in the boat and Jesus walking to them on the water.

Yes, he can learn that story at church with a puffy-cheeked wind gust on a flannel graph.  But that doesn’t compare to learning it while you are scared, in the middle of the night, standing outside in the dark with the wind whistling all around you.

Discipleship doesn’t have to be a lesson.  It can simply be a “let’s talk about this.”

Now let me ask you, have you been in church a while?  Have you been on the receiving end of a lot of teaching?  If so, you may not realize just how much you have to offer.  A lot of wisdom you take for granted is desperately needed by others.

So watch for teaching opportunities to come along.  And I think God Himself will bring them along.  Be prepared.  Be ready to instruct and encourage with great patience. 

After all, it’s the great commission, to go and make disciples.

And this is how disciples are made – one teaching at a time.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

Don't Pull a Fast One - Apples of Gold - November 25, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 25, 2008

“Don’t Pull a Fast One”

 

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

We were newlyweds, and our naiveté was blood in the water as we walked into the car dealership. 

“Have you ever thought about leasing?”

“No.  Do a lot of people do that?”

“Oh sure.  It’s about half and half.  Half the people buy and half the people lease.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that.  Well golly, let’s go ahead and lease.”

Later we were ushered into a back room to sign our life away.  Very casually I asked the paperwork guy, “What percentage of your business is leasing compared to selling?”

“Oh, most people buy.  Only about 10% lease.”

That, my friend, is what I call “pulling a fast one.”

Have you ever been the victim of someone who pulled a fast one?

It happens a lot in business.  It’s why we still use the old Latin phrase “caveat emptor” – let the buyer beware.

What exactly does it mean to pull a fast one? 

Recently I was reading about basketball star Shaquille O’Neal.  The article said his mother handles some of his financial affairs, and his father – quote – “makes sure people don’t pull a fast one on me.”

Pulling a fast one means taking advantage of someone when they don’t see it coming. 

Now in a strict business setting, you leave it up to the other person to see it coming.  And if they don’t see it coming, well, their loss and your gain, right?

But as Christians, we are never in a strict business setting.  Oh, we still conduct business, but it always includes our faith, our belief system.

And this applies to much more than just business.  People do this to each other in all areas of life:  in marriage, at work, at school, even at church.  They pull a fast one.

A key element to pulling a fast one is that the other person doesn’t see it coming.  It’s the element of surprise.  It’s kind of mean, really.

Like going into a church board meeting and springing something. 

Or maybe you are holding something in reserve.  It’s your little trump card.  Some juicy tidbit of information, and baby, when the time is right, you are going to play that card and play it fast.

The point being that you win and they lose.  Ha ha.

But a Christian shouldn’t do that.  A Christian should never pull a fast one.

Look at Philippians 2:4.  It says, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

This is a somewhat unfamiliar concept in our culture today, and here’s why.

What is a cornerstone of our economy?  Competition.  It’s my business versus your business.  I’ll look out for my interest.   You look out for yours.

What is a cornerstone of our government?  Checks and balances.  Right versus left.  Executive versus legislative. 

What is a cornerstone of our legal system?  Defense versus prosecution.  It’s not that both sides pull together for justice.  It’s that both sides pull hard against each other, hopefully resulting in justice.

And now listen to this.  In business, in government, and in law, a great way to win is to pull a fast one.  You exploit a weakness.  They don’t see it.  You do.  And you win.  Ha ha.

It may be the American way, but it is definitely not the Christian way.  The Christian way is that we look out, not only for our own interests, but also for the interests of others.

What is best for me, and you?  What is best for us all?

This is God’s way, and it is the best way.

And it is the blessed way.

So are you getting ready to pull a fast one?  Don’t do it.  Instead do what it says in Philippians 2:4, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
Other phrases that come to mind;  “no drama,” “don’t do something bogus,” “speak the truth in love.”

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

Does God Care Where We Move? - Apples of Gold - November 24, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 24, 2008

“Does God Care Where We Move?”

 

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

Saturday I watched a man take a sledgehammer to his own cabinets.

They were beautiful.  Except at the bottom.

At the bottom they were rotten, ruined by the floodwaters of Tropical Storm Fay.

A group of us gathered to help the family rip everything out of their house.  Insurance won’t cover it, so it’s become a community project of sorts.

As I cut out rotten drywall, my feelings flipped from one to another, like a restless man with a remote control.  I felt sick to be tearing out someone’s home like that.  I felt grateful that it wasn’t me.  Then I felt bad that I felt grateful.  And finally I just felt glad to be on the team.  I can’t go back and prevent the damage, but I can certainly do my part to fix it.

We live in a quiet little neighborhood.  It’s not rich.  It’s not poor.  It’s just average American folks. 

But now we’ve sold our house.  We’re moving, but we don’t know where. 

Last week my wife and I consecrated a day of fasting and prayer.  We’re seeking the Lord, looking for direction.  “Do we rent or buy?  Do we stay in that part of town or move?  God, what is Your will?”

And my wife asked an important question.  “Does God care where we move?”

I said, “I don’t know.  I think so.  I think He has a plan, but I realize we have to make a choice, and quick.”

So what did I get out of our day of consecration?  Well, one scripture came to mind and stood out all day.  It was Proverbs 3:6, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

I think we do acknowledge Him in all our ways.  We want to serve the Lord.  We want our house to be a tool of ministry, a refuge, a place where people feel love and feel God. 

So Proverbs 3:6 says that we can expect Him to direct our paths.

What does that mean?  Here is what I told my wife.  I think we should proceed, see what opportunities are out there, ask around, be wise – and in that process the Lord will direct our paths.

But that doesn’t really answer the question, “Does God care where we move?”

I tend to think so, but it’s not like there is a Scripture that says, “I care where you move.”  Yes, there are times in the Bible when God specifically told people to move and where.  But there are also times when they just made decisions. 

In First Corinthians 16:4, Paul is talking about sending some men to Jerusalem.  Then he says he will go, too – “if it seems advisable…” 

It didn’t say he was fasting and praying and waiting for a direct word from heaven.  He just said, “If it seems advisable…”

So I think there are times when we get a direct word, and there are times when we simply move forward in wisdom.

At this point we have no direct word.  We have prayed for it and listened for it, but it appears we will end up doing whatever seems advisable.

And that’s how we ended up in our current house.  Three years ago we moved to Tallahassee, on what I believe was a direct word from God.  I think God led us to our church.  I think God led us both into fulltime ministry. 

But when it came to the house – no direct word.  No specific leadership, I don’t think.  I think we just put together some criteria and picked a house.  And that’s the way it seems like it’s going this time.

Oh, we’ve kicked around a lot of ideas.  Maybe we should go buy the nicest house we can.  Or maybe we should move into a poor neighborhood and try to do some good.  We can buy a fixer-upper and improve someone’s neighborhood.  We can buy something with lots of space so we can take people in as we have in the past.  Or we can save money and buy something smaller.

We can go in a lot of directions, but what does God want?  Does God care where we move?

Here is what I think.  Unless God gives us clear and obvious direction, then we are free to do what we think is best. 

And then the important thing is what we do when we get there.  Wherever we land, we are to love our neighbors.  We are to shine a light, like a city on a hill.  We are to “go and make disciples” and “go and bear fruit.”

Wherever we go, we are to go there with the intention of doing good.  James 4:17 says, “Anyone…who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”

Our goal is not to make ourselves comfortable.  In Mark 8, Jesus told us to lose our life for Him and the gospel. 

So as we pray and look for our next home, we are not looking for a place where we can be happy and satisfied.  We are looking to purchase a tool for the Kingdom; a place best suited, according to our finances, to meet the needs of the people God brings into our lives.

When we moved into this neighborhood, I had no idea that I would be helping a family recover from a flood.  But you know what?  There are needs in every neighborhood.  We don’t know what they are, but God does. 

So I’m trusting that the Lord will direct our paths.  And when we get there I trust that the Lord will use us to bear good fruit.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
One additional note, I think it is important that a husband and wife are in agreement on any such move.  Christian couples sometimes lose track of the fact that their first ministry is to each other, and it branches out from there.  There is only one person on the planet that God has made you “one” with, and that is your spouse. 

© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

MTV and Generation P - Apples of Gold - November 21, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 21, 2008

“MTV and Generation P”

 

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

Jeremy Delaplane works for MTV.

He spoke in Tallahassee last night about what MTV calls “Generation P,” which is basically the teens to 20-somethings

He said they thrive on being connected through their cell phones, laptops and other digital devices.

And then he said something that really struck me.  He said, “They can’t ever feel like they are not doing something.”

Boy is that ever true.  I have a house full of teenagers and I see that statement in action everyday.

Sunday I had three teenagers in the backseat for church, and at one point I was overwhelmed by clicking.  I looked back and all three of them were furiously pounding out text messages on their cell phones.  You’d think they were federal agents negotiating with the Kremlin.

The other day I was walking into a store and heard a bell ringing.  I looked over and saw the Salvation Army kettle, and the young lady behind it, ringing the bell with one hand and, get this, texting with the other.

The kids come home and want to get online.  “What for?” I ask.  “To check my stuff,” they say.  Their stuff being Facebook or MySpace or whatever the flavor of the month is.  But whatever it is, it must be checked, immediately.

Generation P.  They can’t ever feel like they are not doing something.

Here’s the word that comes to mind:  frantic.

It’s frantic activity.  My daughter will have five windows open on the computer screen.  Chatting with one friend isn’t enough.  She must have five chats going at once, while texting, listening to music, talking to whoever is in the room, eating, and…what?   You’re doing homework?

I’d blame the kids, but the adults are about as bad with all of our multi-tasking.  And what’s this about being so busy?  Are you sick and tired of hearing people say how busy they are?  Let’s just not say it anymore.  It’s a given, like breathing.  Everyone is busy. 

I pulled up to a stop light the other day and told the homeless man I’d take him to McDonald’s for lunch.  He was too busy, he said.

Just kidding, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

Now here’s the problem.  We are so busy we don’t take time to think.  We don’t evaluate our lives.  What are we doing?  Where are we heading?

Years ago I thought TV was a bad distraction.  People would have the noisemaker on all the time.  The house was never quiet, and they were never alone with their thoughts.  Now it’s TV with hundreds of channels, the internet, the mobile devices, and on and on.  Now we are covered up with layer upon layer of distraction.

They didn’t have all this stuff back in C.S. Lewis’ day, but he understood the power of distraction when he wrote The Screwtape Letters.

It’s a fictional account of a demon named Uncle Screwtape, and the letters are filled with demonly advice for his nephew. 

Well at one point he writes about a man in a library.  The man found himself relatively undistracted in the quiet of the library, and his thoughts turned to God and eternity and the big picture of life.  This alarmed Uncle Screwtape because he certainly didn’t want this man, his “patient,” to think about God; so what did he do?

His strategy was to distract the man by getting him out of the quiet library.  So he told the man he was hungry, and that he shouldn’t think about such important things on an empty stomach.  The man stepped out of the library, into the noise of the street; and his bigger, deeper thoughts evaporated into the distractions of daily life.

You know, there’s a Bible story about like this.  In Luke 10 we read about the sisters Mary and Martha.  Jesus Himself comes over for a visit, and Martha is extremely distracted with all the preparations.  Meanwhile, verse 39 says that Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.”

Martha finally burst in and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?”

And Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better…”

And what did Mary choose?  She chose to sit quietly at the feet of Jesus.  She listened to what the Lord had to say.

And I think that’s an example we all need to follow.  We need to take time to unplug and shut out the distractions.  We need to draw near to the Lord and listen for His still, small voice – the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us.

And this especially applies to Generation P who “can’t ever feel like they are not doing something.” 

Young people, please take time to turn off the cell phone, unplug the internet, power down the iPod and choose what is better; to sit quietly at the feet of Jesus.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

What Did Jesus Mean By Do Not Resist An Evil Person? - Apples of Gold - November 20, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 20, 2008

“What Did Jesus Mean By Do Not Resist An Evil Person?”

 

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

Atheists like to point out crazy things in the Bible.

For example, in Matthew 5:39 Jesus said, “Do not resist an evil person.”

Well what would happen if we stopped resisting evil people?

First of all, they would come into your house and take everything.  Or they might as well just take your house intact and boot you out.  Or better yet, keep you there as a slave.

The King James Version of Matthew 5:39 says “resist not evil.”

How would that play out in society?  Do we tell all the police, “Go on home, now.  Everything is fine.  We are no longer resisting evil.”

Might as well send the Army home, too.  Evil people, rejoice.  We are done resisting you.

The result would be anarchy.  Our towns would quickly become devilish haunts.  Terrorists would run free.  Other nations would battle to grab up our resources. 

Is that what Jesus meant by “Do not resist an evil person”?

Yesterday I met a young woman who was actually held hostage.  The hostage-taker was an evil man and he did evil things.  Does Jesus want us to let men like that roam free, attacking everyone they feel like attacking?

That’s what it sounds like, if you let that one verse stand alone. 

But verses don’t stand alone.  They are all part of the Scripture as a whole.  We can’t just pick one out here and there.  We need to know how they all fit together.

For example, we know that if we stop resisting evil people, the world will plunge into absolute chaos.  However, look what it says in First Corinthians 14:33, “…God is not a God of disorder but of peace…”

Romans 13 says that God Himself has established the governing authorities.  And one of their main purposes is to “bear the sword,” to be God’s “agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”

So we keep the Army and we keep the police force.  These are God’s chosen instruments for resisting evil people.

Okay, but now we have a problem.  We still have Jesus saying, “Do not resist an evil person.”

Well, maybe that’s not for society at large.  Maybe that’s just for me in my own dealings with someone.

Okay, does that mean I just let an evil person take advantage of me?  Hurt me?  Steal from me?  And I do nothing about it?

Well let’s see how that balances with what Jesus said in Matthew 18.  He said, “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.  If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.  But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

Wow, that’s pretty specific.  Jesus lays out exactly how to deal with someone who sins against you.  So I guess you don’t just let them get away with it.  You actually confront them and work to bring about justice.

Justice is important to God.  In Matthew 23, Jesus put the hammer down on the Pharisees for neglecting justice.  Through the Old Testament prophets God often spoke of the importance of justice.

And one of the key tenets of justice is that evil is resisted.

If someone does evil, God wants them resisted.  He wants his governing authorities to carry out justice.  He wants religious authorities to carry out justice.  And even on a personal level, when someone wrongs us, He wants justice.

Well that all makes sense.  And actually it’s the way we all live for the most part. 

But Jesus did say, “Do not resist an evil person.”  What on earth did He mean by that?

First of all, we need to know that Jesus was responding to the old saying “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”  In other words, if someone socks you in the eye, sock him in the eye.”  Jesus is telling us not to respond like that. 

Romans 12:17 says, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil.”  Verse 19 says, “Do not take revenge…”  And verse 21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

First Peter 3:9 says, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with a blessing…”  Verse 11 says we must “seek peace and pursue it.”

So I think in this case Jesus’ goal is peace.  An eye for an eye can quickly escalate into full scale war.  I think He’s saying, “If someone strikes you, don’t strike him back.”

But judging by the rest of Scripture, He is not saying to let evil people get away with it.  God wants peace and order and justice.  And to accomplish that we must properly deal with people who do evil deeds.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

The Noble Man Makes Noble Plans - Apples of Gold - November 19, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 19, 2008

“The Noble Man Makes Noble Plans”

 

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

Here is an old saying that I love.

“The noble man makes noble plans and by noble deeds he stands.”

Let me say that again.

“The noble man makes noble plans and by noble deeds he stands.”

There are four parts to this old saying.  The first part is “noble man.”

Let me ask you, are you a noble man?

What is a noble man?  He’s a man of superior character and morals.  He is dignified and generous, and has high ideals.

This is a goal to strive for – to be a noble man.

Then it says a noble man “makes noble plans.”

Now let me ask you, are you making noble plans?  Perhaps I should ask if you are making any plans at all.  If not, it’s time to make some.  It’s time to set some goals, then work for them.

It reminds me of what Edmund Burke said, “All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.”  It’s up to us to do something or else evil will prevail.

So a noble man makes noble plans.  Well what are noble plans?

Noble plans are idealistic.  You see how things should be, then you plan to make it a reality.

Think of Teen Challenge.  It was an idealistic vision, the idea of taking addicts and setting them free through Jesus Christ.  Now that plan is a reality, with locations all over the world. 

Someone saw the way things should be, then planned to make it a reality.  It was a noble plan.

The noble man makes noble plans.

The next part of that old saying is “noble deeds.”

See, you can be a noble person, with very high morals.  And you can make noble plans, seeing the way things ought to be and thinking about how to change them.  But nothing really happens until you start doing noble deeds.

What are noble deeds?  It’s what you do to carry out your noble plans.

That sounds obvious, but listen.  Sometimes people have noble plans, but then use ignoble deeds to carry them out.  They say the ends justify the means.

Not so for a noble man.  Yes, he has noble plans.  And to get there he uses only noble deeds.

See, everything is the high road with this guy.  His high morals invade everything he does, both his plans and his deeds.

And now the last half of the old saying.  It says, “…and by noble deeds he stands.”

Some people try to cut corners to carry out their noble plans, but what they do is undermine their foundation.  And that leads to a great fall.

But when you make sure all your deeds are noble, that every step in your plan is of the highest moral character, then you will stand.  Nothing can bring you down because your foundation is sure.

Now let me tell you where that old saying comes from.  It’s right there in Isaiah 32:8.  And here it is, one more time.

“The noble man makes noble plans and by noble deeds he stands.”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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

The Lowly Parking Spot - Apples of Gold - November 18, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 18, 2008

“The Lowly Parking Spot”

 

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

It was a decision I respected profoundly.

Just a little thing, but I cannot say how much it meant to me.

Our church was growing and the parking lot was getting crowded.  So the pastor asked the regulars to park farther from the front door, leaving the best spots for the newcomers.

And then you know what he did?  He started parking in the worst spot of all.  It was all the way around the building, off the asphalt and into the gravel.

This was the leader, the pastor, the CEO if you will.  Instead of taking the best spot for himself, which he certainly could have done, he took the worst spot.

Week after week I would arrive at church, look out there at the back forty, and there it was, the pastor’s vehicle in its humble parking spot.

My respect for Pastor Phil Nordstrom went through the roof, simply based on that decision and his consistency in sticking to it.

When I was a kid, my dad managed a grocery store.  He was the boss man.  He could have sat in his big office and bossed everyone around.

But I never saw him doing that.  Instead I remember my dad doing things all over the store.  He helped unload trucks and stock shelves.  I even remember him pitching in during rush hour and helping bag groceries, even taking them to people’s cars. 

He did some of the lowliest work, yet he was the top man.  It wasn’t flashy or glamorous, but it still has a powerful impact on me today.

Now think of Jimmy Carter, the former President of the United States.  Have you ever seen footage of him out working with Habitat for Humanity?  There he is, a former President, in his 80’s, out working with his hands, doing construction.

It’s lowly, and I thoroughly respect him for it.

It’s one of the things I love about Jesus.  Zechariah 9:9 says, “Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!  Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey…”

You’ve seen the Easter programs.  Here comes Jesus.  The Triumphal Entry.  The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

But wait a minute.  A triumphal entry?  Where are the legions of soldiers?  Where are the chariots and trumpets?  Where is the crown of gold and the royal robe? 

Not there.  Instead we simply have Jesus, “lowly and riding on a donkey…”

This is the same Jesus who said in Matthew 11:29, “…I am gentle and lowly in heart…”

This is the same Jesus who wrapped a towel around his waist, poured water into a basin, washed his disciples’ feet, and dried them with the towel.  And when he finished he said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

Philippians 2 says that Jesus humbled himself, and it says we should do likewise.  Verse five says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

Verse 3 says, “…in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”

I love that word “lowliness.”

That’s the way all Christians should be.  Lowly.  Considering others as better than ourselves.

Over my years in Christian radio I’ve been involved in a lot of Christian events.  I’ve seen a lot of Christian “stars.”  Some of them are lowly, and those are the ones I admire. 

We’ve all heard of pastors who have “fallen.”  You know the ones I respect?  The lowly ones.  The ones who are willing to submit to a plan of restoration.  The ones who don’t think of themselves more highly than they ought.

In Luke 14 Jesus said when you’re invited to a wedding feast, don’t take the best seat.  Instead, go sit in the lowest place.  The lowly place.

Take the lowly parking spot.

Do the lowly task.

We talk about being Christlike, about following Jesus. 

Well if we follow Him, what do we look forward and see? 

We see our King, lowly and riding on a donkey.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL  32315
(850) 926-8000
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God is First, Everything Else is Tied for Last - Apples of Gold - November 17, 2008 -vi-

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for November 17, 2008

“God is First, Everything Else is Tied for Last”

 

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

“Hey Doug, how are you going to handle the empty nest?”

I’ve been hearing that a lot lately.  My son is getting married in June, my oldest daughter is seriously dating and my middle daughter is preparing for college.  So as you can see, the empty nest is not far off.

People ask me this because they know we are very family oriented.  When you walk through our house you’ll see walls full of photos.  We have been in love with our children from day one.

But now let me say this.  Our children are not our god.  We have not built our lives on the foundation of family.

That may sound harsh, but it’s according to what Jesus said in Luke 14.  He said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple.”

“Wait a minute, Doug.  Did Jesus just say we had to hate our family?”

Yes, but not literally.  In the next verse Jesus said to carry a cross, but none of his disciples starting lugging wood on their back.  And none of them started despising their family.

It’s not literal, but it makes a strong point.  God is to come first.  He is to be so far in first place that everything else is tied for last, including our family.

So when our family changes, our foundation is not rocked because the family is not our foundation.

I think we Christians get this confused sometimes.  To illustrate I’ll make up a guy named Joe.

Joe is a hard working college graduate.  He loves sports and hanging out with his buddies.  Then he gets married and has a couple of kids. 

Somewhere along the line he comes to Christ.  The Lord begins to make big changes in Joe’s priorities.  Instead of spending so much time working and playing, he turns his attention to his wife and children.  He sees them in a new light, and God truly stirs up a true love in Joe for his family.

What happens is that Joe becomes the consummate family man.  He takes them on vacations.  He sacrifices his own desires for their desires.  He buys them gifts.  He really, really loves his family.

But if Joe’s not careful, they will start to come before God.  Next thing you know, Joe is coaching ball teams instead of helping at church.  Weekends find them away on little trips. 

Now listen to this.  God becomes just a piece of what is most important, which is the family.  God is just sort of patched in there somewhere.  Yes, Joe says God is their foundation, but in reality the family is the foundation.  Joe is known as a family man more than God’s man.

This may sound like a nice thing, but it really isn’t, not for a Christian.  If family comes first, then we cannot be His disciple.

Let’s go back to Luke 14.  Jesus said, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.  Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost…?” 

Then He tells another story in verse 31.  “Or suppose a king is about to go to war…will he not first sit down and consider” if he has enough men?

Jesus is talking about counting the cost.  First it was the cost of building a tower.  Then it was the cost of going to war.  Now what’s His point?

In verse 33 He brings it home.  “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”

Jesus is saying that there is a cost to being His disciple.  And He is telling us to count that cost.

And what is the cost?  It is putting Him first and everything else last.  Everything else is as if it was hated.  Everything else is as if it was gone.

So do you want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?  I know I do.

So I must examine the priorities and attitudes of my mind.  The Lord comes first.  He is my foundation.  He is the Master and I am His servant. 

I am not a family man.  I am God’s man.

But now listen to this.  By being God’s man, my family is better off.  My family is not the foundation, but it is built on the sure foundation of Christ. 

So when my children move on and we live in an empty nest, it won’t rock our world because the Lord is still our firm foundation, as always.

And someday, when my wife and I are gone, my children won’t be left with a crumbling family foundation because, again, the foundation is the Lord.

So at your house are you all about the family? 

Would changes in your family truly rock your foundation?

Then now is the time to come back and really put the Lord first in all things.  It’s time to put the Lord so far in first place that everything else is tied for last.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

May God bless you today!  With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
 
 
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
To subscribe to your own daily “Apples of Gold” e-mail, write dougapple@wave94.com.
If you want to be removed from this e-mail list, simply click reply and type UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line.
If you want to catch “Apples of Gold” in its original audio format, go to www.wave94.com
To search through the large archive of past articles, go here:  http://www.wave94.com/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive
If you have trouble reaching me at my main e-mail address, try this one:  douglas_apple@msn.com

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

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

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