by Paul Apple | Oct 29, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: TESTING GOD BY DOUBTING HIS POWERFUL PRESENCE TO PROVIDE EXPOSES OUR SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY BUT ENHANCES GOD’S PATIENCE AND GRACEINTRODUCTION:Time after time the Lord leads His children into difficult circumstances in order to test their hearts. Certainly by...
by Paul Apple | Oct 28, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PATTERN OF MANNA DISTRIBUTION REFLECTS THE UNIQUENESS OF THE SABBATH AS A HOLY DAY SET ASIDE FOR REST AND WORSHIPINTRODUCTION:The sabbath must be appreciated by the Jews as a gift from God to facilitate rest and worship. Now in the church age we practice...
by Paul Apple | Oct 27, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE BREAD OF HEAVEN MUST BE GATHERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS AND CONSUMED THAT DAYINTRODUCTION:The bread of heaven which God freely provided every day as a gracious gift for all the Israelites in the wilderness had to be gathered and consumed...
by Paul Apple | Oct 27, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD PUTS A STOP TO GRUMBLING BY MANIFESTING HIS PRESENCE AND HIS PROVISIONINTRODUCTION:Despite God’s demonstrated faithfulness and goodness, God’s people are quick to grumble and complain. When tough times of testing pop up, we have a tendency to pop off....
by Paul Apple | Oct 25, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD DIRECTS BOTH OUR TRIALS AND HIS GRACIOUS PROVISION TO MANIFEST HIS SUPREME GLORYINTRODUCTION:The entire book of Exodus is all about God getting glory for Himself – enhancing His reputation in the eyes of both His covenant people and His defeated enemies....
by Paul Apple | Oct 24, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: OUR CIRCUMSTANCES ALWAYS CHANGE, BUT OUR FAITH IN GOD’S PROVISION SHOULD NEVER WAVERINTRODUCTION:How quickly their change in circumstances caused a reversal in attitude of God’s people — from faith and thanksgiving and praise and worship to despair and...
by Paul Apple | Oct 23, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED DELIVERANCE SHOULD CELEBRATE GOD’S- VICTORY- POWER- UNIQUENESS- DOMINIONINTRODUCTION:This song of Moses artfully sets the standard for how believers should worship and praise their Redeemer for His powerful deliverance. The echoing...
by Paul Apple | Oct 19, 2020 | Sports
WE HAD IT ALL THE WAY . . . UNTIL WE ALMOST LOST ITKey Play of the Game — Matthew Judon blowing up the mesh point on the two point conversion attempt at the end of the game to try to force overtime. He was assisted on the tackle by L. J. Fort.Key Player of the Game —...
by Paul Apple | Oct 18, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: AS WE STEP OUT IN FAITH THE POWERFUL SALVATION OF THE LORD GLORIFIES HIS NAMEINTRODUCTION:The crossing of the Red Sea is one of those classic bible stories that is foundational for the Christian faith. God directs His people into desperate circumstances...
by Paul Apple | Oct 12, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DESPERATE SITUATIONS CALL FOR FAITH INSTEAD OF FEAR IN LIGHT OF GOD’S CONTROL AND HIS DESIRE TO GLORIFY HIS NAMEINTRODUCTION:God is not bashful about leading His people into seemingly impossible situations. In this text we find the Israelites, no sooner than...
by Paul Apple | Oct 12, 2020 | Sports
To quote Coach Harbs: “The defense played lights out!” That was a dominant performance by the defensive coaching staff and players for the entire game.Consistent pressure on rookie QB Joe Burrow made him look pedestrian. Seven sacks will intimidate anyone — 5 of these...
by Paul Apple | Oct 11, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DIVINE GUIDANCE USES PERPLEXING AND CHALLENGING PATHS TO BOTH PROTECT AND PREPARE US FOR WHAT LIES AHEADINTRODUCTION:Illustration: I love the spooky Halloween oriented commercial where you have the four terrified victims trying to determine what route to...
by Paul Apple | Oct 10, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SYMBOLIC ACTS OF COMMEMORATION HELP GOD’S PEOPLE APPRECIATE THEIR DELIVERANCE AND REDEMPTIONINTRODUCTION:Having explained the Passover, Moses now goes into more detail about 2 observances that will help God’s people remember, celebrate and perpetuate God’s...
by Paul Apple | Oct 10, 2020 | Pet Peeves
Why do you need a bag for your purchases at any local pharmacy or grocery store? Not because of the item(s) you bought but to have a place to stuff the annoying long paper trail of useless coupons attached to your cash register receipt. Who has time to sort through...
by Paul Apple | Oct 10, 2020 | Pet Peeves
What makes for a good pencil? Actually it is not the writing point. Every pencil does a fairly good job of writing. It is the quality of the eraser that makes for a good pencil. I hate erasers that smudge instead of effectively performing their intended function. I...
by Paul Apple | Oct 9, 2020 | Sports, Top Ten Lists
Quoting from Andy Nesbitt’s column in the USAToday after the game:Tom Brady had a rough night in Chicago. He absolutely lost it on his offensive linemen after a dreadful drive that had about a million bad penalties.He got sacked by Khalil Mack, who then tossed one of...
by Paul Apple | Oct 8, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE CITIZENS OF GOD’S KINGDOM (WHICH IS OPEN TO ALL WHO WILL BELIEVE) MUST CELEBRATE GOD’S FAITHFULNESS ACCORDING TO HIS INSTRUCTIONSINTRODUCTION:God showed His remarkable faithfulness to His promise to His servant Abram regarding His elect people, “Know for...
by Paul Apple | Oct 5, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PASSOVER AND THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD SPEAKS TO US TODAYINTRODUCTION:These critical Old Testament events and feasts are foundational for our understanding of what God has accomplished for New Testament saints through the...
by Paul Apple | Oct 5, 2020 | Sports
This was a bounce back game for the Baltimore Ravens. The universe is once again restored to its orderly state. The Ravens are who they are and the Washington Football Team are who they are. Big plays and third down conversions probably spelled the difference. Lamar...
by Paul Apple | Oct 3, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: ONLY THE PERSONAL APPLICATION OF THE BLOOD OF THE PASSOVER LAMB BRINGS DELIVERANCE FROM BONDAGE AND DESTRUCTIONINTRODUCTION:Suspense has been building as we have worked our way through the nine plagues. The natural expectation would be that the author would...
