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...
by Paul Apple | Oct 2, 2020 | Christian
Accompaniments of Truth Psalm 85:10 Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.Exodus 34:6 Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger,...
by Paul Apple | Oct 1, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: HARDENED HEARTS FAIL TO RESPOND TO THE WONDERS OF GOD –- EXPERIENCING DEFEAT AND HUMILIATION INSTEAD OF VICTORY AND JOY- EXPERIENCING DEATH AND DEVASTATION INSTEAD OF LIFE AND PROTECTIONINTRODUCTION:The events recorded in Exodus detailing God’s dealings with...
by Paul Apple | Sep 30, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PLAGUES DEMONSTRATE GOD’S SOVEREIGN POWER IN MAKING MAN ACCOUNTABLE TO HIM FOR OBEDIENCE TO HIS DEMANDSINTRODUCTION:Man likes to imagine that he is in control of his own life. He can do what he pleases without any outside accountability or repercussions....
by Paul Apple | Sep 29, 2020 | Sports
For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, this embarrassing showing on the largest stage by the Baltimore Ravens has to be concerning. This was a game that had all of the hype and buildup. It was a chance at home for the Ravens to exorcise their demons of the past; to...
by Paul Apple | Sep 28, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE SOVEREIGN GOD PROVIDES SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO CONFIRM HIS MISSION OF REDEMPTION AND TO JUSTIFY HIS JUDGMENT AGAINST STUBBORN REBELLIONINTRODUCTION:Stubborn rebellion is not a wise course of action to pursue against the demands of a sovereign God. God’s...
by Paul Apple | Sep 26, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: BECAUSE GOD IS SOVEREIGN AND SUFFICIENT, OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S CALL IS THE ONLY OPTION THAT MAKES SENSEINTRODUCTION:Like Moses, we can easily be overwhelmed with a sense of our own inadequacy. But God is unwavering in His commitment to His kingdom agenda. He...
by Paul Apple | Sep 25, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: ADDITIONAL COVENANT ASSURANCES SUPPORT THE RENEWED COMMISSION TO FORTIFY THE LEADERSHIP OF MOSES AND AARONINTRODUCTION:Sometimes you just have to revert back to the old axiom: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!” The Lord knew that Moses and...
by Paul Apple | Sep 22, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DESPITE OPPOSITION AND FRUSTRATION, THE SERVANT OF GOD MUST CONTINUE TO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR ULTIMATE SUCCESSINTRODUCTION:When the divine mission is clear and the commitment has been made to boldly step out in faith and obey, the expectation is that God will...
by Paul Apple | Sep 21, 2020 | Sports
Another dominating performance by the Ravens on Sunday against the Houston Texans. I was able to “put the hay in the barn” early in the second half. (My wife hates for me to do that … but it is a game I play as to when to declare the game irrevocably won – trying to...
by Paul Apple | Sep 20, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: FINAL PREPARATION FOR SUCCESSFULLY FULFILLING GOD’S MISSION FOR YOUR LIFE INVOLVES:- COMMITMENT TO OBEY- CONFIDENCE IN GOD’S LOVE- CONSECRATION (INCLUDING NECESSARY REPENTANCE)- COLLABORATION (WITH OTHER LEADERS AND WITH GOD’S PEOPLE)INTRODUCTION:Moses has...
by Paul Apple | Sep 19, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: PERSISTENT HESITATION AND OBJECTIONS REGARDING OBEYING GOD’S CALL (DESPITE DIVINE ASSURANCES) END UP ANGERING GODINTRODUCTION:Our life as a believer should be all about pleasing our Lord Jesus Christ. But if you want to learn how to anger God, this account...
by Paul Apple | Sep 18, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE FULL WEIGHT OF GOD’S AUTHORITY STANDS BEHIND THE DIVINE CALL TO MOSESINTRODUCTION:It is significant that before issuing the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus points to His all-encompassing authority as the motivation to take courage and tackle...
by Paul Apple | Sep 14, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S DRAMATIC CALL TO MOSES DETAILS HIS COMMITMENT TO DELIVER FLOWING OUT OF HIS COMPASSION FOR ISRAEL’S BONDAGEINTRODUCTION:The burning bush theophany ranks right up there as one of the greatest attention-grabbers of all time. No surprise that Moses...
