by Paul Apple | Apr 21, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN SERVING GOD IS ALWAYS GOD’S HAND OF BLESSINGINTRODUCTION:There is a lot of talk about the “IT” factor when it comes to leadership in any realm. In sports or in politics or in business, you might describe the characteristics of an...
by Paul Apple | Apr 19, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD FINISHES WHAT HE STARTS –GOD’S PROVIDENTIAL CONTROL OF HISTORY DEMONSTRATED IN PERSIAN SUPPORT FOR THE COMPLETION AND DEDICATION OF THE JEWISH TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM AS WORSHIP IS RENEWEDINTRODUCTION:This first half of the book of Ezra concludes with the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 17, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: RESTARTING MINISTRY IN THE FACE OF DISCOURAGING OPPOSITION REQUIRES MOTIVATION FROM GOD’S WORD AND CONVICTION REGARDING THE SIGNIFICANCE AND LEGITIMACY OF THE MISSIONINTRODUCTION:Discouragement is a powerful tool of Satan. God’s people had returned from...
by Paul Apple | Apr 16, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S ENEMIES USE FAMILIAR TACTICS TO OPPOSE GOD’S WORK AND ACHIEVE TEMPORARY VICTORIESINTRODUCTION:When God’s people respond to the call to focus on God’s work, the enemy will quickly rise up in opposition. Fortunately, their tactics can be easily...
by Paul Apple | Apr 14, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: REVIVAL STARTS WITH RE-ESTABLISHING OBEDIENCE TO GOD IN WORSHIPINTRODUCTION:When you are starting from scratch, it is essential to focus on the matters of highest priority. For believers, our relationship to God can only be rekindled by obedience to God in...
by Paul Apple | Apr 12, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: RESTORATION OF THE TEMPLE INITIATED BY THE SOVEREIGN INTERVENTION OF THE DECREE OF CYRUS TO FULFIL COVENANTAL PROMISESINTRODUCTION:What’s so important about bringing captive Israel back to her homeland and rebuilding the temple to reinstitute the sacrificial...
by Paul Apple | Apr 6, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE ELEVATION OF MORDECAI TO GREATNESS IN THE PERSIAN KINGDOM PROTECTED THE JEWISH COMMUNITY BY THE PROVIDENCE OF GODINTRODUCTION:Here our short story concludes with this Epilogue extolling the greatness of Mordecai. Here was a little known Jew who was...
by Paul Apple | Apr 4, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: PROVIDENCE LEADS US TO VICTORY OVER OUR ENEMIES AND GIVES US CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION AS WE MEMORIALIZE GOD’S FAITHFULNESSINTRODUCTION:All power and authority comes ultimately from God. When He providentially raises up His servants and grants victory over the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD TRANSFORMS DESPERATION INTO DELIGHT IN SURPRISING WAYSINTRODUCTION:The personal deliverance of Esther and Mordecai was certainly significant. But the larger issue remains = the fate of the Jewish people as a whole. God’s promises about...
by Paul Apple | Mar 31, 2021 | Uncategorized
BIG IDEA: THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD LEVERAGES DIVINE APPOINTMENTS, PROTECTS GOD’S PEOPLE AND DESTROYS GOD’S FOESINTRODUCTION:The pattern of reversals continues in this next banquet narrative. Once again the dynamic interaction of the sovereignty of God and human...
by Paul Apple | Mar 29, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS SOVEREIGN CONTROL EVEN WHEN THE WICKED IMAGINE THAT THEY ARE IN CONTROLINTRODUCTION:What a reversal of fortunes! Haman starts out this chapter rejoicing in his recent promotion and looking forward to the extermination of the hated Jews....
by Paul Apple | Mar 29, 2021 | Sports
How could this have happened? After looking like a championship caliber team against Alabama, the Terps were reduced to a pedestrian performance by a sixth ranked Texas Longhorns group of over-achievers. The talent was definitely on the side of the Terps. But the...
by Paul Apple | Mar 29, 2021 | Sports, Top Ten Lists
10. Every time a player who is older than 24 starts to show consistent productivity, they trade him away for future prospects. That is painful for the fans — but seems like a proven strategy for teams in our rebuilding stage.9. They operate with the lowest payroll in...
by Paul Apple | Mar 26, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD PREPARES THE WAY FOR A REVERSAL OF FORTUNESINTRODUCTION:It is one thing to know the right thing that God wants you to do. It’s quite another thing to boldly step out in faith and do it. Here we see Esther breaking out of her passive...
by Paul Apple | Mar 25, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: PROVIDENCE POSITIONS YOU TO LEVERAGE YOUR GOD-GIVEN CALLING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR GOD’S PEOPLEINTRODUCTION:There are watershed moments in every person’s life where you are faced with critical decisions regarding fulfilling your God-given calling. Esther...
by Paul Apple | Mar 22, 2021 | Life, Pet Peeves
It started with the closing of Dan-Dee restaurant. My family lived for a time in Frederick MD and I came to love the country style meals with the relish dish and the fritters. But it catered to an older clientele and eventually was shut down. Haussner’s in downtown...
by Paul Apple | Mar 22, 2021 | Pet Peeves, Sports
The role of baseball announcer used to be sacred — the seat would be occupied by a legendary figure for decades. Kids growing up with their loyalty to their favorite team would find the familiar voice of the radio broadcaster both comforting and inspiring — a true...
by Paul Apple | Mar 10, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SATAN’S GOAL IS NOTHING LESS THAN THE EXTERMINATION OF GOD’S PEOPLEINTRODUCTION:The age-old conflict between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman is manifested here in the anti-Semitism of the Agagite Haman. Satan is acting behind the scenes in...
by Paul Apple | Mar 8, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD SOVEREIGNLY WORKS BEHIND THE SCENES DESPITE THE OSTENTATIOUS EXCESSES OF PAGAN DESPOTS AND THE CULTURAL ASSIMILATION OF GOD’S PEOPLEINTRODUCTION:When it seems like God is absent; when it seems like God is silent; when it seems like God...
by Paul Apple | Mar 2, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: IMPRESSIVE DISPLAYS OF SECULAR OPULENCE AND DOMINION EXPOSED AS IMPOTENT AND FUTILE AS GOD’S PROVIDENCE WORKS OUT HIS OWN KINGDOM AGENDAINTRODUCTION:Who really is in control on the world stage and in our own lives and destiny? This satirical treatment of the...
