Apples of Gold: Synopses
 
 

Pips -- Pithy spiritual thoughts Read esay //    Back to titles

Spinning Wheels -- Thoughts while biking to work Read essay // Back to titles

Divine Arrangements-- When we follow Jesus' way, everything falls "naturally" into place -- but at a price Read essay //  Back to titles

He In Us-- He is more than a friend; He is closer than a brother. Read essay //  Back to titles

Count the Cost-- Is salvation a "good deal"? Read essay //  Back to titles

Forfeiting God's Blessings-- Many blessings Jesus by right should have received, but He passed them up for the sake of a greater goal Read essay //  Back to titles

God's Double Standard-- Why does God treat some people so much better than others? Read essay //  Back to titles

Life on the Cross -- How can the modern professional cope with the overwhelming sense of emptiness and irrelevance? Read essay //  Back to titles

Necessary Death-- Did Jesus really have to die for God to forgive us? Read essay //  Back to titles

Remember your Failures -- In what sense does God " forget " our sins?  Read essay //  Back to titles

The Most Unpleasant Task-- The one thing we may be remembered for may be the one thing we dreaded doing most Read essay //  Back to titles

Now you see Him, now you don't -- Why does He sometimes appear to disappear from our lives? Read essay //  Back to titles

Blessings of the Firstborn -- Biblically, the firstborn sons receive a special blessing.  Or do they?   Read essay //  Back to titles

The End of the Law -- The Old Covenant is fully unveiled in the New   Read essay //  Back to titles

Baby Steps -- Just as a mother encourages her child to walk, God encourages us to grow spiritually. Read essay // Back to titles

Heavenly Parent, Earthly Child -- There are many parallels between our relationship with our children and God's relationship with His. We may gain much profit and insight by comparing these two relationships. Read essay //  Back to titles

House Arrest -- How may we deal constructively with our loss of "freedom" as we grow older and become saddled with more and more family responsibilities?  Read essay //  Back to titles

To Love or not to Love?-- Are we ready to embrace ALL the consequences of God's love being shed abroad into our hearts?.   Read essay //  Back to titles
 
 

Why Do You Labor -- How can we make our accomplishments stand for eternity?  Read essay //  Back to titles

Works that Last -- How can we make our accomplishments stand for eternity?  Read essay //  Back to titles

Full Potential-- Did the apostle Paul live up to his full potential? Could Paul have accomplished more for Christ? Read essay //  Back to titles

Spiders and Flies--Most people are like spiders, caring only about the flies Read essay //  Back to titles

Professional Suicide -- Unless we die to ourselves in our professional careers, we may become suicidial. Read essay //   Back to titles

The Privilege of Abstinence -- Special callings within God's kingdom may require special abstinence.  Such abstinence is a voluntary privilege, not a yoke or imposed burden. Read essay // Back to titles

The Ministry of Failure-- Our greatest spiritual successes usually occur when we feel most like failures. Read essay //  Back to titles

Testing and Tempting -- Testing and temptation are two sides of the same coin   Read essay //  Back to titles

Loud Praise -- What praise does God consider loudest?   Read essay //  Back to titles

When Others Judge -- How should we respond to others' spiritual expectations?   Read essay //  Back to titles

Dining Companion -- Who would you most like to eat dinner with?   Read essay //  Back to titles

An Owl in the Desert-- How may we deal with feelings of indecision and isolation?  Read essay // Back to titles

Dilly-dallying in in Jerusalem-- Which do you choose: your own comfort, or the Lord's commission?  Read essay //  Back to titles

Turnover-- God delights in overturning our cherished habits and comfortable situations. Read essay // Back to titles

Christian Perfection -- Can a Christian achieve perfection, in this life? Read essay //  Back to titles

National Pride -- Was Jesus a Jewish patriot? Read essay //  Back to titles

Pride Kills-- Pride is spiritual murder. Read essay //  Back to titles

Us and Achan-- We too have idols we have buried in our hearts. Read essay //  Back to titles

Striking the Rock-- Woe to the Lord's servant who 'strikes the rock'! Read essay //  Back to titles

Patience First-- Why is patience first in Paul's list of love's characteristics? Read essay //  Back to titles

The Righteousness of Repose-- True righteousness involves perfect resting Read essay //  Back to titles

No Alternative-- Real faith has no alternative   Read essay //  Back to titles

Jesus' Self-Awareness-- Did Jesus of Nazareth fully understand who He was?  Read essay //  Back to titles

Self Worth-- The secular psychological concept of "self worth" is misleading and incomplete. Read essay //  Back to titles

The Good Confession --What does it really mean to make Jesus Christ your Lord? Read essay //  Back to titles

Zero Self-esteem--What does it mean to be totally dependent upon Christ? Read essay //  Back to titles

Content With Crumbs--The Canaanite woman asked for crumbs, and received a miracle Read essay //  Back to titles

Obstacle-- What prevents me from entering into the enjoyment of the Kingdom of Heaven? Read essay //  Back to titles

The Deep Within -- Our hearts may be deep pools of His Spirit.   Read essay //  Back to titles

Seeking the Secret-- Seeking IS the secret of a vital spiritual life. Read essay //  Back to titles

Romans 7 in Prayer, Romans 8 in Life-- In Romans 7 Paul cannot help but sin; In Romans 8 Paul is completely liberated from sin through the power of the Spirit. Do both apply to the believer? If so, how? Read essay //  Back to titles

Like a Little Child--How should we present ourselves before God in prayer? Read essay //  Back to titles

Life Prayers-- It is better to have life prayers than life goals. Read essay //  Back to titles

My Life Prayers-- My personal life prayers. Read essay //  Back to titles

Leave the Driving to Him--Do we try to conduct our own lives, or do we let God take the driver's seat? Read essay //  Back to titles

Ubiquitous Prayer-- We are supposed to pray everywhere, but do we?Read essay //  Back to titles

The Pharisee, the Publican, and the Christian-- Should Christians pray as the Pharisee did? Or as the publican did? Or neither?Read essay //  Back to titles

Ordinary Tasks, Extraordinary Prayers -- The ordinary responsibilities of our daily lives can move us to pray prayers of global scope and impact. Read essay // Back to titles

Erasing the Curse -- Our part in God's strategy of salvation Read essay //  Back to titles

Civil War -- When and why does God "take sides" in our fraternal conflicts? Read essay //  Back to titles

Civil War -- When and why does God "take sides" in our fraternal conflicts? Read essay //  Back to titles

Seeing and Perceiving-- When you walk down the street, do you perceive what you are seeing? Read essay //  Back to titles

The Revelation of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-- The Father draws us to the Son, but the Son reveals the Father to us. What does this mean? Read essay //  Back to titles

Children of the Father-- Believers in Christ are children of the Father. How about unbelievers? Read essay //  Back to titles

Evil Versus Evil-- The Old Testament is not the story of "good guys" versus "bad guys", but rather "bad guys" versus "bad guys". Read essay //  Back to titles

Satan in Heaven-- Does Satan still have direct access to God in heaven? Read essay //  Back to titles

Belief in the Unseen -- In science as well as faith, we infer the unseen from what is seen. Read esay //    Back to titles

The Revealer of Secrets-- God spared no pains to make Himself accessible and comprehensible to us. Read essay //  Back to titles