How Is Your Prayer Life? - Apples of Gold - August 14, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 14, 2009

“How Is Your Prayer Life?”

 

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

Today I want to inspire you to pray – to pray more often, to pray with more fervency, and to pray with more faith.

The Bible is full of praying people.  Abraham prayed, and so did Moses and Elisha.  Peter prayed, and Paul, and even Jesus.  Especially Jesus.

Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed (Luke 5:16), and He taught others to do the same.  He said, “…when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.  Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)

Mark 1:35 speaks of Jesus praying very early in morning, but prayer can be done anytime.  Acts 3:1 says Peter and John went to pray at three in the afternoon.  While in prison, Paul and Silas prayed at about midnight. 

We know that Daniel prayed three times a day.  The book of Acts says the early church “joined together constantly in prayer.”  It says they “devoted themselves” to prayer, and we are to do the same (Colossians 4:2).  We are told to be “faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12) and to “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  And Jesus taught in Luke 18 that we should “always pray and not give up.”

In fact, that’s one of the keys to answered prayer – not giving up. 

First Chronicles 5:20 says that God “answered their prayers, because they trusted in Him.”

Jesus said, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:22) 

He said, “…I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”  (Mark 11:24)

James 5:15 speaks of “the prayer offered in faith…” and verse 16 says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

The Lord “hears the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29) and “His ears are attentive to their prayer…” (1 Peter 3:12).  And First John 5 says that if He hears us, then we know that we have whatever we ask of Him.

Do we have to get in a certain position when we pray?

Well Moses spread out his hands when he prayed.  (Exodus 9:29)

Daniel got down on his knees, and so did Peter.  (Daniel 6:10, Acts 9:40)

Acts 21:5 says all the disciples and their wives and children knelt down on the beach and prayed.

Solomon knelt with his hands spread out toward heaven.  (1 Kings 8:54)

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed with his face to the ground.  (Matthew 26:39)

In John 17 He prayed with his face turned toward heaven.

Paul wrote to Timothy that he wanted “men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer…” (1 Timothy 2:8)  And he wrote to the Corinthians that men should not pray with their head covered, and that women should not pray with their head uncovered.  (1 Corinthians 11)

James said that when we draw near to God, He draws near to us.  Deuteronomy 4:7 says, “…the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to Him.”

Hannah prayed in her heart, saying nothing out loud.  (1 Samuel 1:13)

The early church “raised their voices together in prayer to God.”  (Acts 4:24)

But the big question is, does praying do any good?

Well, the servant prayed that he would find a wife for Isaac, and even before he finished praying, here came Rebekah.  (Genesis 24)

Isaac prayed for his barren wife, and Genesis 25 says, “The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.”

Elijah prayed that it would not rain, and it didn’t.  Then he prayed again, and it rained.  (James 5)

After having Samuel, Hannah said, “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him.”  (1 Samuel 1:27)

The Lord heard Hezekiah’s prayer and added fifteen years to his life.  (Isaiah 38:5)

The Lord answered Manasseh’s prayer and restored his kingdom.  (2 Chronicles 33:13)

Jonah prayed from the belly of the fish and his life was spared.  (Jonah 2)

Zechariah prayed for his barren wife, and John the Baptist was born.  (Luke 1)

Peter and John prayed for people to receive the Holy Spirit, and they did.  (Acts 8)

Peter prayed for Tabitha who was dead, and she came back to life.  (Acts 9:40)

The church prayed for Peter, and he was released from prison.  (Acts 12)

And I could go on and on.  The Bible is full of answered prayer, and so is church history.

Yes, as it says in the old English, prayer “availeth much.”

So be inspired today!  God answers prayer, and He rewards those who pray.

So if your prayer life is lacking, if your fire has cooled and you’ve lost your spiritual edge – then be inspired to set aside some time, to get alone with God, and pray.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


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

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

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

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

This, My Friend, Is The Place That Never Was - Apples of Gold - August 13, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 13, 2009

“This, My Friend, Is The Place That Never Was”

 

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

Have you ever read a book straight through in one day?

No, not a comic book, a real book.

I almost never do, but I did Sunday.  It’s called “The Traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews.

At one point the traveler found himself in a monstrous warehouse.  It was full of clothes and shoes and furniture.  There were photographs of cars and homes and even children.  There were blueprints for new inventions.

And there on a pedestal was a stack of paper.  On the pages were cures for things like cancer.

As the traveler pondered all the amazing things in this warehouse, the angel Gabriel appeared.

After the initial shock wore off, the traveler turned to the archangel and said, “What is this place?”

“This, my friend, is The Place That Never Was.”

You see, the warehouse was full of things that God was ready to deliver to people, but for whatever reason, the people gave up.  They quit working or praying or hoping. 

“Why do we quit?” the traveler asked.  “Why do I quit?”

“You quit because you lack faith,” said the angel. 

Now I realize that’s just a fictional account, but I love that line, with Gabriel standing there, flexing his wings and saying, “This, my friend, is The Place That Never Was.”

It’s like a warehouse of lost opportunities and unfulfilled potential.

It’s things we could have done, if we didn’t lack faith or courage or persistence.

Before he left, Gabriel said to the traveler, “You have everything you need.  You know that you are not alone.  You are being guided.  There will never be a reason to lose faith.”

That sounds really wonderful and mysterious, doesn’t it?  An angel saying to you, “You are not alone.  You are being guided.”

If only it were true, right?  If only it wasn’t just some made up line in a work of fiction.

Ah, but it is true!

We aren’t alone, and we are being guided.

Don’t you remember that Jesus said He is the Good Shepherd?  In John 10 he said, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” 

It also says, “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” 

Maybe a more familiar passage is the 23^rd Psalm, you know, “The Lord is my Shepherd” with such great phrases as, “He leadeth me,” and “Thou art with me.”

So it’s true.  We aren’t alone, and we are being guided – by the Lord, the Good Shepherd.

David also wrote in Psalm 139, “…Your hand will guide me…”

Psalm 48:14 says, “For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end.”

So it’s true, and the author summed it up so well by having Gabriel say to the traveler, “You are not alone.  You are being guided.  There will never be a reason to lose faith.”

Man, why would you lose faith if you knew you were being guided?

I don’t know about you, but for me those are great words of hope.  I am being guided, therefore I never have a reason to lose faith.

So I keep my faith.  I trust in the Good Shepherd to lead me and guide me.  I move forward with courage and persistence.  I will fulfill God’s call on my life. 

And, in the end, I hope there is nothing with my name on it in The Place That Never Was.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


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

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

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

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

Cash for Clunkers - Apples of Gold - August 12, 2009 -vi-

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 12, 2009

“Cash for Clunkers”

 

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

So we bought the van in 1999. 

It was a 2000 Grand Voyager.

My wife kept saying how much she liked “fire engine red,” and this was going to be her first chance ever to pick out a brand new vehicle.  So what did she do?  She bought a silver van, just like her old silver van.

On Day 1 she declared, “No one is going to eat in my new van.”

Our kids were 12, 10, 8 and 6.

On Day 2 they started eating in the van.

On Day 1,124 my daughter was babysitting the neighbors’ kids.  That night she backed out of their driveway and “Where did that mailbox come from?”

On Day 1,565 a boy that was staying with us scraped his handlebar down the side of the van.

Not to be outdone, on Day 1,566 his twin brother got the other side.

On Day 1,828 my son was visiting a friend.  That night he backed out of their driveway and “Where did that tree come from?”

On Day 1,969 one of the hubcaps mysteriously disappeared. 

On Day 2,020 another hubcap disappeared.

By Day 2,199 my wife had gone from not allowing food in the van to sloshing around pool chemicals in the van.

On Day 3,285 the air conditioner gave up the ghost.  But at least the power windows still work.

On Day 3,350 the bottom of the front bumper fell off.

On Day 3,467 I actually saw my youngest hit the curb three times in a row while moving the van from the driveway to the street.

On Day 3,512 the power windows still work – you just don’t know on what days.

Monday my daughter said the van started jerking when she started it. 

It now has over 200,000 miles on it.  Do they still have demolition derbies?

Ah, but now there is a light at the end of the tunnel – “Cash for Clunkers.”

Wow!  The government is giving away money!  Just free money – all you have to do is trade in your old clunker for one that gets better gas mileage.

Our old van is the perfect candidate.

So I called the Ford dealership.  I asked if our van qualified and he said he would call me back.  I’m still waiting.

I called the Mazda dealership.  Bad news.  It doesn’t matter what kind of gas mileage your van gets.  It only matters what the government says it gets, and the government says it gets 19 miles per gallon, one mile per gallon too many!

Yes, that’s right, our old Plymouth Voyager is officially not a clunker.

So my wife texted me.  “What do you want to do?”

See, my youngest daughter is now driving a van with bad gas mileage, no air conditioner, and windows that go down but may not go back up.  How can you love your child and not give her the very best car possible?

Easy.  The same way John Rockefeller bought only one bicycle for his children to share.

See, loving your children does not always mean giving them the very best. 

How can that be? 

Well it goes back to my goals as a parent.  My number one goal is that they have their own relationship with God.  And number two is that they grow up to be self-sufficient, autonomous human beings that not only provide for themselves but that also contribute to society.

And one way I encourage them to be self-sufficient is by not handing them everything. 

You need transportation?  Here is the old van.

Oh, you want something nice?  Then here is a newspaper.  Look for “Help Wanted.”

Sound cruel?

Not to me.  My oldest daughter really wanted a nice car, so at one point she was even working three jobs and budgeting her money to get it.  Now she is already a homeowner at 22 years old.

One of my goals is that she be self-sufficient, and I don’t think she would be nearly this far along if I would have just handed her a new car when she turned 16.

Yes, I love my children very much, which is precisely why I don’t just give them the very best sometimes.

Philippians 1 says, “And this is my prayer:  that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best…”

That’s the kind of love I want for my children, the kind that has deep insight, that discerns what is best for each of them.

And sometimes the best way to love your children is to just let them drive the old clunker for a while.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


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

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

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

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

Are You Going Through a Trial? - Apples of Gold - August 11, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 11, 2009

“Are You Going Through a Trial?”

 

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

Wood splintered as they broke into the house.

Oh sure, lots of houses are broken into, but this time was different.

This time it was my house.

Glass shattered as they broke out a window.

No one was there, and there were no next door neighbors.

We had moved out, and now the house was for sale.

And vacant.

Did you know that you must change your insurance policy when the house is vacant?  

I’m sorry.  It really doesn’t matter how much insurance you have.  The house was vacant, you see.  Vacant.  I know there is a lot of damage, but the house was vacant.

Glass shattered again.  There goes another window.

I’m sorry.  We’ve followed up all leads and there really are no suspects.  We’ll keep our ears open, but basically the case is closed.

More glass shattered, with not a soul around to stop it.  More damage.

Oh, they had one crazy night in the Apple’s old house.

Have you ever tried to sell a house after vandals have wrecked it?  It’s not exactly a strong selling point.

But we had to sell that house.

See, we had moved away, at what we thought was the calling of God.  We had to pay for a new place to live, but we still had a mortgage on the old place.

We had stepped out in faith, and things were tight.  Someone who owed me money decided not to pay, which was a crippling blow right out of the gate.  The cost of living was higher and our family income was lower. 

And every day that house didn’t sell was a real test of my faith.  I fully believed that we had followed the Lord’s leading, but I thought the path would be a little more paved.

Now there were many good things, don’t get me wrong; many blessings and confirmations.

But in my weak mind they were being overshadowed by this financial storm cloud. 

And then came the vandals.  The realtor called to share the bad news.

And it was an emergency because the windows had been broken out and bad weather was coming.

Thankfully many friends from our old church rallied to our side and made the necessary repairs.

I was truly humbled and thankful, but now more than ever, that financial storm cloud raged over me.

What would happen if the vandals returned?  They could go right back the very next night.  I couldn’t tread on our friends again.  And we certainly couldn’t afford to keep paying for repairs.

Many people told me to keep the faith, but that’s easy to say when you aren’t the one under the pressure.

What happens when the money runs out?  You look like a fool, that’s what.  Your foolish decisions and your foolish faith leave you at the top of the pile of fools.

I was definitely going through a trial, and what does James chapter one say about trials?  It says they are “the testing of your faith.”

Trials are a test of our faith.  When the going gets tough, will we keep trusting Jesus?  Will we keep our eyes fixed on Him?  Will we keep our minds set on things above, not on things on the earth?

That particular trial was a few years ago now, and I can look back and say that it all worked out.  We sold the house.  There was no more vandalism.  I never asked anyone for money but some was given anyway.  And even in the tightest moments every single bill was paid and paid on time.  There was not even one late payment.

Now I must say, I do not feel like I had a lot of faith during that time.  I envisioned a lot of worst-case scenarios and my words were not exactly full of faith.

However, I never turned back from what I believe God called me to do.  I wasn’t happy about everything, I wasn’t always encouraged and strong, but I never turned back.

And now here we are, on the other side of the trial, and I can say, “Thank you Lord for bringing us through.”

Our family has been super-blessed since we made that move; the Lord has done great things and the enemy has suffered loss.

So if you are going through a trial today, let me tell you what so many people told me:  keep the faith.  Keep your eyes on the Lord, and don’t turn back. 

This trial is simply a testing of your faith, so keep moving forward.  And in the end, like it says in First Peter 1:7, your faith will be proved genuine and will result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


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

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

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

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

Yes, This Is My Truck, and Yes, I Will Help You Move - Apples of Gold - August 10, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

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Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 10, 2009

“Yes, This Is My Truck, and Yes, I Will Help You Move”

 

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

Here is one of my all-time favorite bumper stickers:

“Yes, this is my truck.  No, I won’t help you move.”

I laugh every time I see it, because isn’t that the way it is, truck owners?  Some people you never hear from – until they get ready to move.

I don’t know about you, but almost every move I’ve ever made was with the help of friends with trucks. And now that my kids are older, I even rely on their friends with trucks.

I remember years ago there was a group of us at church that spent a lot of time together, and only one man in the group had a truck.  The rest of us borrowed it so often that we started calling it “the truck,” as if it was no longer his truck.  We acted like it belonged to all of us.

And he was cool with that.  I don’t remember him turning anyone down.  I’m sure that his truck received a lot of unnecessary wear and tear simply because he loaned it out so often. 

Now I’ve never owned a truck, but I’ve owned a few vans in my time, and vans also get a lot of requests.  I can’t count how many school trips and youth group trips we’ve loaned our van for.  Our vans have hauled band equipment and camping gear and loads of kids dumping sodas and French fries and sugar coated gummy worms.

We still have one van we bought brand new in 1999.  It now has over 200 thousand miles on it, and you should see the inside of that thing.  It’s hauled kids thousands of miles and it shows.  But what better way to get kids to church camp than to borrow the Apples’ old van?

This also happens with tools.  Take, for example, a pressure washer.  It’s the kind of thing you don’t need that often, so why buy one when your friend has one?

It also happens with skills.  I know how to finish dry wall, so that’s a call I get a lot.  I have a friend who is an electrician, so that’s a call I make a lot.

We used to live by a friend who was a nurse.  How many times did I hear my wife on the phone talking about one of our kids and saying, “Can you come take a look at this?”

And if you know how to fix computers, then you probably get more calls than anyone. 

Now back to that bumper sticker.  It says, “Yes, this is my truck.  No, I won’t help you move.” 

Some people mean that.  “No, I won’t help you.  Now git.”

But even the gruffest man will probably still help his family. 

And this is one thing I love about being in church.  You instantly have a really big family, and it’s a family that loves to share.

That’s the way the church has been from the beginning. 

Acts 2:44 says, “All the believers were together and had everything in common.”

Acts 4:32 says “No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.”

Some went so far as to even sell their property and give the money to help those in need.

So church people tend to be very generous.  But in my experience, this generosity is usually not organized.

In other words, if I need the help of someone with a truck, then it’s my responsibility to make friends with a truck owner. 

But I can picture a busy single mother out there who makes friends with a few ladies in the church, but none of them have a truck.  What now?

Here’s where the organizers in the church come in.  How hard would it be to establish a little church moving crew?  Find a few guys with trucks and make it easy on folks in the church.  All they have to do is call the leader who will then organize the moving they need done.

Yes, there is a lot of sharing going on in the church, but most of it is unorganized.  The extroverts and networkers are getting their fair share, but what about the more quiet people, the less pushy people who don’t want to be so bold as to ask a stranger at church for help?

This is where organized sharing comes in.  I’ve seen churches offer free car tune-up days and free yard work days.  Our church has free health screenings. 

The fact is, a lot of church members are more than happy to share what they have, but unless the person in need is their friend, then how will those two get together?

So this is something to think about.  How can you organize the sharing in your church?  How can you link up those in need with those who can meet those needs?

Yes, many people will do that networking on their own.  But many won’t.

So this is a call to you organizers in the church.

How can you help people share?

How can you get those people together?

How can you organize those church members who are generous enough to say, “Yes, this is my truck, and yes, I will help you move!”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


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

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

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

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

What Are You Known For? - Apples of Gold - August 5, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 5, 2009

“What Are You Known For?”

 

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

So I flipped through my Facebook friends and asked myself, “What are they known for?”

Or more accurately, “What do I know them for?”

And here is what I came up, just a few of them off the top of my mind:

Adam – quietly putting his faith into action.

Alecia – fun loving.

Ali – always smiling.

Andrea – a nurse.

April – on fire and intense for God.

Bill – a school teacher.

Bill – an outdoorsman (I wanted to say redneck, but I didn’t).

Bill – a car salesman.

Brent – very scientific.

Brett – moved his family to Colorado at the Lord’s leading.

Cayden – a drummer with the personality to match.

Chelsea – a beauty queen.

Chet – always makes me laugh, I’m still laughing just seeing his profile picture.

Christie – a worship leader with consistent passion year after year.

Dana – a Cub fan, which is sad to say since I went to both high school and college with Dana, and yet most prominent in my mind is the stain of being a Cub fan – sorry to all you Cubbies out there.

Anyway, it’s an interesting exercise.  Try it.  Just think of people you know and ask yourself, “What are they known for?”

And perhaps a more interesting exercise would be to find out what other people think you are known for.

And there really is no wrong answer, because if they say they know you for something, then that’s what you are known for, at least to them.

It’s what you do.  It’s what you say.  It’s how you act.

Proverbs 20:11 says, “Even a child is known by his actions…”

So the question is, “What are you known for?”

The other day an atheist let me know what I was known for from his perspective.  He said I was a “radio propagandist.”

Most adults are probably known for their occupation:  pastors, doctors, nurses, farmers, firemen, salesmen…  Students are known for the school they attend, unless they are a standout in something, such as athletics.

I thought of all this after reading First Thessalonians 1:8 which says, “…your faith in God has become known everywhere.”

The Thessalonians became known everywhere for their faith in God. 

So I ask myself, “Am I known for my faith in God?”

Romans 16:19 says, “…your obedience has become known to all.”

So I ask myself, “Am I known for my obedience to God?”

Acts 6:3 says, “…choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.”

Am I known for being full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom?

First Timothy 5:10 talks about being well known for good deeds, which makes me ask, “Am I well known for good deeds?”

In Matthew 12:33 Jesus said, “…a tree is known by its fruit.”

How people know me is a pretty good indication of what I really am.  They may not know everything about the tree, they may not have seen every side of the tree, they may have only seen one piece of fruit from the tree.

But you know how it is – one piece of fruit gives you a pretty good indication of what the tree is really like.

So today, here is something to truly ponder.

Ask yourself this simple question, “What am I known for?”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


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

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

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

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

A Message for Dads - Apples of Gold - August 4, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for August 4, 2009

“A Message for Dads”

 

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

My wife and I have been together for over a quarter century.

And in that time I have only ever asked for one painting.

It’s by Ron DiCianni and it shows a father kneeling at his son’s bedside.

The boy is asleep with his little Teddy Bear, unaware that his father is praying earnestly for him.

Meanwhile, outside the bedroom window is a celestial glow as an angelic being stands guard.

If you look closely you can also see a more sinister being with malice on his mind.

I love the painting because I am a praying father and I believe the painting represents the truth.

DiCianni titled this work “Spiritual Warfare.”  Now I’m not really sure how spiritual warfare works, but here’s what I get out of the painting.

Because Dad is praying, an angel stands guard outside the home.  Spiritual forces of evil would like to get at that home, but the angel prevents it, and the angel is there because Dad is praying.

The alternative is Dad not praying.  If Dad isn’t praying, you get the impression that the angel would not be there.  And if the angel isn’t there, then the evil being has ready access to the home.

Now I realize it’s just a painting, and the reality of things is not quite that simple.

But, as a husband and a father of four, I believe I must battle in the spiritual realm for my family.

I think often of the mental picture I get from Ezekiel 22:30.  It says, “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land…”

The King James says, “And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me…”

It talks about building up the wall and making up the hedge.  What are the wall and the hedge for?  To keep out invaders.

That’s what’s going on in the DiCianni painting.  The angel is blocking invaders from the home as the dad prays.

The dad is building up the wall, so to speak.  He is making up the hedge to keep invaders out.

Now most dads know about keeping invaders out in the physical realm.  We provide homes in more secure neighborhoods rather than scary neighborhoods.  We have locks on our doors and lights around the house.  Maybe we have a security system or a watch dog or a 12 gauge.  We do what we can to build a hedge of protection around our family.

But what about a hedge of spiritual protection? 

Look, do you believe in spiritual warfare?  It’s all over the Bible and I could quote passage after passage. 

Your family has spiritual dangers just like it has physical dangers.  Dad, what are you doing to protect your family spiritually?

I don’t know if this is exactly how it works, but here is the way I imagine it.  When I am living right, seeking the Lord, praying and obeying – then that helps build up the hedge around my family.  But if I let my guard down, if I get sloppy in my walk with the Lord, if I make more worldly decisions than spiritual decisions, then that takes a bite out of the hedge.  If I keep that up, the hedge starts to look like you gave a two-year-old clippers and turned them loose on a big afro.

I read an article the other day about a man who liked to watch the Girls Gone Wild videos.  He was just a dad with this little guilty pleasure – no big deal, right? 

So one day he sat down to watch a new video – and suddenly there was his own daughter on the screen, exposing herself.  He said all he could think about was the tens of thousands of men who would watch that video, looking at his little girl as nothing more than a sex object.

To me, that is the opposite of the dad praying in Ron DiCianni’s painting.  Here was a dad who did not stand in the gap for his family.  Instead of building up a protective hedge, he lowered it. 

So Dad, what are you doing?  Are you building up the hedge around your family, or lowering it?

What will it take for you to realize how important this is?

Yes, you know to protect your home from physical dangers.

And now I hope you take more seriously the importance of protecting your home from spiritual dangers.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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

You can see the DiCianni painting here:

http://www.christcenteredmall.com/stores/art/dicianni/spiritual-warfare.htm

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

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

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

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

Every Debt That You Ever Had - Apples of Gold - July 31, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 31, 2009

“Every Debt That You Ever Had”

 

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

It’s a great thing to have your sins forgiven!

I know psychiatrists have their mumbo jumbo about, “Well, that’s nice for you.  If it makes you feel better to think some ‘god’ out there has forgiven your sins, well that’s just great.  More power to you.”

But have you ever tried to talk yourself into something you don’t believe? 

Like, try to talk yourself into believing that a relative just gave you a thousand dollars.  That’s ridiculous, right?  Unless they did just give you a thousand dollars.  And then you don’t have to talk yourself into believing it, because it really happened.  It may seem unreal.  It may be amazing and wonderful.  It may stir up a wide variety of emotions.  But you don’t have to talk yourself into some mind game about whether you got the money or not.  You got it.  You know you got it because you can look in your account and there it is. 

Well that’s what happens when you truly receive God’s forgiveness for your sins.  I have seen this happen to thousands of people, and I know it has happened to millions.  They bring their sins to the Lord, that heavy burden of their sins, and He forgives them. 

And it’s a glorious thing!  You can see the look on their face.  They brighten.  The load is lifted.  They weren’t forgiven before, and now they are. 

It’s not a mind game because before, when they looked at their account, they saw their sin.  It was big and black and heavy and ugly.  It was a ruiner, a destroyer. 

But then they come to Jesus and they lay it out before Him.

“Here is my sin, Lord.  I lay it before You.  I confess it.  I did it.  I am a sinner.  I need forgiveness.  Lord Jesus, please forgive me.”

And He does!  And then they look at their account, and their debt has been wiped clean! 

Oh yes, it has great psychological benefits, just as God designed it to have.  It’s a great leap toward mental health when your sins are forgiven.

Big sins.  Little sins.  Old sins.  New sins.  Accidental sins and on-purpose sins.  One-time sins and habitual sins.  Bring them all to Jesus.  Confess them.  Lay them out before Him, and He will forgive them!  The slate will be wiped clean.  “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be like crimson, they shall be as wool.”  “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.”

This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Yes, it’s the old fashioned Gospel, the Gospel that saved sinners in tents, at wooden altars, and on sawdust floors.  It’s the Gospel that saved St. Augustine and the Apostle Paul.  It’s the Gospel that rescued C.S. Lewis and Charles Colson.  It’s the Gospel that caused Kurt Warner to say, “Thank you Jesuuuuus!” when he won the Super Bowl.  

It’s the message that is still setting people free everyday, everywhere.  It’s so important that millions of people, after receiving it themselves, have dedicated their lives to spreading it around the world.

“What a message!” they say.  “I must tell everyone!  I must spread this to every soul I can!  Everyone must hear this wonderful news!”

Luke 24 says that repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in Jesus name to all nations.

This is the message to all nations, that Jesus Christ will forgive your sins!

You can be relieved of that terrible burden.

In Psalm 32 King David said, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.”

At the Last Supper Jesus said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Acts 10:43 says, “All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believe in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

In Acts 2:38 Peter said, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 13:38 says, “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.”

Ephesians 1:7 says “…we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”

First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Oh, how many songs have been written about this free and wonderful gift of the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ?

One of my all time favorites was written by Michael Kelley Blanchard.  It says:

“Be ye glad, oh, be ye glad,
Every debt that you ever had,
Has been paid up in full by the grace of the Lord,
Be ye glad,
Be ye glad,
Be ye glad!”


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


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

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

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

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

Calibrate Your Conscience - Apples of Gold - July 30, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 30, 2009

“Calibrate Your Conscience”

 

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

The other day I pulled up behind a sleek sports car at a stoplight.

A heavily tinted driver’s window rolled down, and out came a pretty little feminine arm with a bright pink bracelet, and matching bright pink fingernails.

And then came the finishing touch.

She was holding a cigarette.

I know, I know.  Smoking these days is not a sign of intelligence. 

But it is a sign of wealth.

I saw a blurb in the Bradenton Herald that said in Florida the average cost of a pack of cigarettes is now over $5.00.

Over 20% of that is state taxes, which has sent some Floridians over the state line to buy their smokes.

A local TV station did a report on it, and they also said that more people were buying their cigarettes on the internet.

But here’s the thing.  If you live in Florida, and you buy cheaper cigarettes online, you are still liable for the state cigarette tax.

That’s what the reporter said, and then he wrapped up his story with something that made me laugh. 

He said, “If you feel guilty about not paying the state for cigarettes bought over the internet, you can download a form from the Florida Department of Business…”

I laughed out loud!  I’ll bet this is not one of those times when a website suddenly crashed from too many hits.

In fact, I bet that – out of the over 18 million people who live in Florida – not one single person has downloaded that form to pay their buck-thirty-four cigarette tax.

Can you see the pink bracelet girl sitting in Starbucks with a friend?

“I feel so guilty.”

“Why?”

“I’ve been buying cigarettes online and not paying the state tax.”

Now go back to what that newscaster said.  He said, “If you feel guilty…”

If you think about it, that’s an odd thing to say about the law of the land. 

I mean, shouldn’t he have said, “You must fill out this form and pay your taxes”?

But instead he said, “If you feel guilty…”

Now think about this.  A bunch of people breaking the law, and probably no one feeling guilty about it.

What does it mean? 

Well get this picture in your head.  I work in radio and we have control boards with meters.  The meters are supposed to tell you exactly what’s going on, but sometimes they get out of whack.  The needles might be barely bouncing, but the sound is really loud. 

What that means is that the meters need to be calibrated.  So you send a test signal through the board, and you reset the meters.  Only then will the meters give you accurate readings.

Our conscience is like that.  It’s like a meter that measures guilt. 

When our conscience is properly calibrated, we will feel guilty when we do wrong.

When our conscience is out of whack, we can do wrong and not feel guilty.  Or we can feel guilty when we don’t do wrong.  Either way it’s messed up.

First Timothy 4:2 talks about having a seared conscience.  It loses its accuracy. 

So we need to calibrate our conscience.

Now think of the Word of God as the test tone.  Scripture tells us what’s right.  It is the pure, unwavering tone that we can set our meters to.

So we go to the Word, and as we receive that pure tone, then the Holy Spirit goes to work inside of us. 

John 16:8 indicates that the Holy Spirit’s expertise is the proper use of guilt. 

Guilt is a good thing.  It’s a meter that warns us when we do wrong.  It’s like a red alert at a nuclear facility.  It must be working properly to avoid a meltdown.

When we do wrong, our conscience should warn us so that we can repent, turn from it and turn back to the Lord.

But our conscience can be seared.  It can give false readings.

That’s why we need to stay in the Word.  It’s that pure test tone that the Holy Spirit uses to make our guilt readings accurate and useful.

So get in the Word.  Be open to the Holy Spirit.

And if you ever find yourself doing wrong and not feeling guilty about it, then you know it’s time – time to calibrate your conscience.


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


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

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

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

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

Church Is Not Some Place You Go - Apples of Gold - July 29, 2009 ***Happy Birthday to my baby sister Jennifer!!!*** -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 29, 2009

“Church Is Not Some Place You Go”

 

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

Church is not some place you go.

It’s not a little weekend sliver of your life.

“What are you doing tomorrow?”

“I’m going to church.”

“You go to church?  I didn’t know that.  Why?”

“I don’t know.  I was raised in church and I still like it.  It helps keep my head screwed on straight.  And it’s nice to just have a little peace once in a while.”

See, when we think about church, we think about going to church.

Then we mature a little bit and we think about joining a church, by which we mean that non-profit organization that meets in that building over there.

What I’m saying is, we think about church as a time-on, time-off kind of thing.  It’s like we clock in and clock out, I’m on the church clock, now I’m off the church clock.

But the church is not like a theatre you go to, then leave.  It’s not like the Rotary or the Lion’s Club.

When you become a Christian, you become a member of the body of Christ.

That’s what the church is, according to several passages including Ephesians 1 which says, “…the church, which is His body…”

So the church is the body, and Jesus is the head.  Colossians 1:18 says Jesus “…is the head of the body, the church…”

Ephesians 5:23 says, “…Christ is the head of the church, His body…”

Now this is something we can all relate to!  We all have a body.

Now think about this.  The parts of your body don’t clock in and clock out.  It’s not a part-time gig. 

The same is true for the parts of the body of Christ.  If you are a Christian, then you are part of the body of Christ, and that is a full-time, 24/7 position.  There is never a time when you are not part of the body.

And there are advantages to being part of the body of Christ.

Think if you were a kidney.  Would it be better to be the kidney of a health nut or the kidney of a drug addict?  The health nut, of course, because that person would feed and care for you properly.

Well that’s what Christ does for His body, the church.  Ephesians 5 says He feeds and cares for it, “…for we are members of His body.”

Colossians 2:19 says God causes the body to grow.  The New King James says it “grows with the increase that is from God.”

And now listen to this.  First Corinthians 12:12 says, “The body is a unit…”

Have you ever seen a baseball player make a great catch?  His whole body must work together as a unit to make that catch.  They eyes have to watch the ball.  The feet and legs have to run to it.  The inner ears have to keep his balance.  The arm has to stretch out and the hand has to squeeze.

The body, as a unit, made that catch.

Back to First Corinthians 12.  It says, “The body is a unit…made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.  So it is with Christ.”

So here we are, full-time members of the body of Christ, no clocking in and out.  We are different parts, but we make up one unit.  And we need to work together, in unity.

First Corinthians 12:27 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

So here is your question today.  Are you working properly as a full-time part of the body?

Remember, you are not part of the body sometimes.  No, you are a part of the body always.

Romans 12:5 says, “…so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

So we each belong to one another as parts of the same body.  Ephesians 4 indicates that we are to serve one another, and this builds up the body. 

Verse 16 says the body “grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

So the question is, are you doing your work?  Are you holding up your end of the deal?

The body of Christ, the church, grows more healthy, it grows bigger and stronger, as each part does its share of the work.

So remember, church is not some place you go, then leave.  You don’t clock in and out. 

No, the church is the body of Christ, and you are a full-time member of that body.

And the question is, are you doing your work as your part of the body of Christ?


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


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

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

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

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

Who Does Jesus Think He Is? - Apples of Gold - July 28, 2009 -vi-

To listen to the radio version, click here.

 

To search archives, click here.

Apples of Gold
 

Radio Script for July 28, 2009

“Who Does Jesus Think He Is?”

 

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

The instruments of death were in their hands.

“We are going to kill you, right here and right now.”

“Why?”

“For the crime of blasphemy.  You, a mere man, claim to be God.”

“So you accuse me of blasphemy because I claim to be God’s Son?”

At this, they rushed Him, but He slipped away.

It wasn’t the first time the Jewish leaders tried to stone Jesus.

They were proud descendants of Father Abraham, so Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

In John 8:57 they replied, “You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham!”

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “Before Abraham was born, I am!”

And once again, the instruments of death were in their hands.  They were going to kill Jesus, by stoning, but Jesus “hid Himself,” the Bible says, “slipping away from the temple grounds.”

Well, in a way, I guess you can’t blame the Jewish leaders.  Jesus certainly did make some whopping claims about Himself; but instead of being blasphemous and worthy of death, they were actually true.

So let’s take a look at some of these whopping claims.

In John 3:13     Jesus said that He came down from heaven.

In John 8:42     He said He came from God.

In John 3:16     He said He was God’s one and only Son.

In John 17:5     He said that He had glory with the Father before the world began.

In John 16:15   He said that all that belonged to His Father was His.

In John 14:10   He said that He was in the Father and that the Father was in Him.

In John 10:30   He said that He and the Father are one.

In John 14:9     He said that anyone who had seen Him, had seen the Father.

In John 3:17     He said that God sent Him here to save the world.

In John 12:49   He said that God commanded Him both what to say and how to say it.

In John 15:10   He said that He had obeyed His Father’s commands.

In John 8:54     He said that God glorifies Him.

In John 4:26     He said He was the Messiah.

In Mark 2:10    He said that He has authority on earth to forgive sins.

In Matt. 26:28 He said His blood was poured out for the forgiveness of sins.

In John 10:18   He said that He had authority to lay down His life, and to take it up again.

In John 14:6     He said that no one comes to the Father except through Him.

In John 5:23     He talked about people honoring Him just as they honor God the Father.

In John 6:27     He said that God the Father had placed His seal of approval on Him.

In John 17:4     He said that He completed the work God gave Him to do.

In John 17:2     He said that God gave Him authority over all people.

In Matt. 28:18 He said that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him.

In Matt. 11:27 He said that all things had been committed to Him by His Father.

In Matt. 16:27 He said He is going to come in His Father’s glory with His angels.

In Matt. 24:30 He said He will come on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

In Matt. 19:28 He said He will sit on His glorious throne.

And In Matthew 25:32 He said He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory, and all the nations will be gathered before Him.

And just who does Jesus say that He is?

In Matthew 23:10         He is the Teacher.
In John 10:14               He is the Good Shepherd.
In John 3:13                 He is the Son of Man.
In John 14:27               He is the Peace Giver.
In John 15:11               He is the Joy Giver.
In John 6:33                 He is the Life Giver.
In John 15:1                 He is the True Vine.
In John 6                      He is the Living Bread, the Bread of Life and the Bread of God.
In Matthew 12:8           He is the Lord of the Sabbath.
In John 8:12                 He is the Light of the World.
In John 4:25                 He is the Messiah.
In John 11:25               He is the Resurrection and the Life.
In John 14:6                 He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
In John 10:28               He is the Giver of Eternal Life.
In John 3:17                 He is the Savior of the World.
In John 18:37               He is the King.
In John 5:27                 He is the Judge.
In Matthew 16:16         He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
In Revelation 1:8 and 22:13 He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, who was and who is and who is to come, the Almighty!

And that, my friend, is who Jesus is!


Comments?

E-mail me:  dougapple@wave94.com.

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


© 2009 The Arrow’s Tip 
 
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(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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