SELF-INDUCED TRIALS LISTEN UP

Bible Reading: I Kings 12:1-19 Key Verse: verse 19-So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. Key Words: so Israel rebelled

JANUARY 1

When we listen to the wrong people and heed their counsel, we bring upon ourselves self-induced problems. Who you listen to or refuse to listen to will have everything to do with both your blessings and your cursings. Rehoboam refused the counsel of the old men who were much more experienced and had much more wisdom. Who we listen to does matter, and many of our self-induced trials come because we listen to those who say what we want to hear, rather than to those who tell us what we need to hear. A man came to his pastor for help because he was considering a divorce. The pastor counseled him to stay in the marriage and began to show the man Scriptures which spoke to the issue of marital commitment. He first used Ephesians 5:25, Husbands, love your wives. The man responded by saying, I dont love her. The pastor then turned to John 13:35, By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. The minister noted that they were both Christians and should be able to at least love each other as fellow believers. The husband replied, We fight all the time. The longer I stay with her the less I like her. The determined man of God then scrambled to Matthew 22:39, Love your neighbor as yourself. Pleadingly he asked, Will you at least try loving her as your next door neighbor? In response the man said, Pastor, you just dont understand. Were not even friends anymore. The pastors face lighted up with relief. Well, then, Ive got just the verse you need. Triumphantly he read Matthew 5:44, Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. This man wasnt looking for counsel; he was looking for someone to agree with him. People such as this are opening the door for a self-induced trial. What to do: If you are looking for someone who agrees with you, then get your counsel from a mirror.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS BITTERNESS

Bible Reading: Genesis 27:30-40 Key Verse: verse 34-And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a Key Words: he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry

JANUARY 2

great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.

Nothing produces more self-induced trials than does bitterness. Think of Esau, Shimei, Jonah, the Pharisees, and the list goes on and on. Bitterness destroys, not the one we are bitter with, but ourselves. A thorough study of the Edomites, who Esau fathered, reveals the horror of the self-induced trial which bitterness produces. One of the most powerful pictures of the embittered heart is seen in Herman Melvilles character Captain Ahab in Moby Dick. In a violent confrontation at sea, the great white whale dubbed Moby Dick had sliced off Ahabs leg. Ahab had been carried to his bunk in the bowels of the ship and there he lay, clinging to life, leg absent, during the return voyage. For long months of days and weeks, Ahab and anguish lay stretched together in one hammock, rounding in midwinter that dreary, howling Patagonian Cape, then it was, that his torn body and gashed soul bled into one another and so interfusing, made him mad. Ahab was eventually fitted with a peg leg, but there was no prosthesis for the soul. Obsessed with hate, Ahab set his face to search out and destroy Moby Dick, whatever the cost. He fitted a ship, hired a crew, and mounted a voyage of vengeance which led to his death, the destruction of his ship the Pequod, and the loss of all his men save one, Ishmael, who lived to tell the tale. Dont let bitterness destroy you, and it will unless you confess it and forsake it. What to do: We have a lot of people today trying to deal with anger management. Anger isnt the problem; bitterness is. Anger is the result of bitterness. Confess your bitterness, and youll get victory over your anger.

A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING
to understanding;

Bible Reading: Proverbs 2:1-9 Key Verse: verse 2-So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart Key Words: apply thine heart to understanding

JANUARY 3

If we fail to follow instructions or if we fail to make sure we understand the instructions given, we are headed for one of those self-induced problems. Paul Harvey reported the following on his radio broadcast for January 15, 1982: The respected American Medical News confirms what our For What Its Worth Department is about to relay. A patient complained of an earachehis right ear. His doctor prescribed eardrops an antibiotic. Are you with me to here? The doctor prescribed eardrops for an earache. When the patient got the eardrops prescription filled the pharmacist wrote on the bottle: Three drops in r for right ear. No space and no punctuation. For right ear, the instructions on the bottle read: r ear. That spells rear. The patient said later he knew it sounded like a strange remedy for an earache but he had dutifully applied the three drops to his rear for three days before the error was discovered. You cant follow correctly what you fail to understand; and it will produce some self-induced trials. What to do: Get understanding. If not, you may never get to the bottom of the problem.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS OUR CONSCIENCE

void of offence toward God, and toward men.

Bible Reading: Acts 24:10-21 Key Verse: verse 16-And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience Key Words: a conscience void of offense

JANUARY 4

The conscience is a compass that guides us in our decision-making. Now, dont misunderstand, we always obey Gods Word over our conscience; but a good conscience and the Word are always in agreement. I define the conscience as

those red flags that caution us about our direction; and when we fail to heed those flags we find ourselves in one of those self-induced trials. In Focus on the Family, Rolf Zettersten writes: A good friend in North Carolina bought a new car with a voice-warning system. At first Edwin was amused to hear the soft female voice gently remind him that his seat belt wasn't fastened... Edwin affectionately called this voice the 'little woman'. He soon discovered his little woman was programmed to warn him about his gasoline. 'Your fuel level is low,' she said one time in her sweet voice. Edwin nodded his head and thanked her. He figured he still had enough gas to go another 50 miles, so he kept on driving. But a few minutes later, her voice interrupted again with the same warning. And so it went over and over. Although he knew it was the same recording, Edwin thought her voice sounded harsher each time. Finally, he stopped his car and crawled under the dashboard. After a quick search, he found the appropriate wires and gave them a good yank. So much for the 'little woman.' He was still smiling to himself a few miles later when his car began sputtering and coughing. He ran out of gas! Somewhere inside the dashboard, Edwin was sure he could hear the 'little woman' laughing. What to do: You can sear your conscience but you will be sorry later. Heed those red flags; youll be glad you did.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS ENVY

the bones.

Bible Reading: Proverbs 14 Key Verse: verse 30-A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of Key Words: envy the rottenness of the bones

JANUARY 5

Jealousy is when you dont want others having what you have; but envy is you wanting what others have. Envy is like a cancer of the bone its painful and deadly for the one who is envious. According to an ancient Greek legend, a certain athlete ran well but placed second in the race. The winner was encompassed with praise, and eventually a statue was erected in his honor. Envy ate away at the man who had placed second.

He resented the winner, and he could think of little else. Eventually he decided to destroy the statue of the winner. Night after night, he went to the statue under cover of darkness, chiseling away at the base to weaken the foundation. Night after night as he chiseled in violent anger, he went too far. The heavy marble statue teetered on its base and crashed down on the disgruntled athlete. He died beneath the weight of the marble replica of the man he had grown to hate. His own envy destroyed himand it always will. What to do: Dont be envious of what others have. Enjoy what you have through Jesus Christ our Lord.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS JEALOUSY

Bible Reading: I Samuel 18:1-11 Key Verse: verse 8-And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he Key Words: What can he have more, but the kingdom?
said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?

JANUARY 6

There is a distinction between jealousy and envy. To envy is to want something which belongs to another person. You shall not covet your neighbors house, his wife or his servant, his ox or donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor. In contrast, jealousy is the fear that something which we possess will be taken away by another person. Although jealousy can apply to our jobs, our possessions, or our reputations, the word more often refers to anxiety which comes when we are afraid that the affections of a loved one might be lost to a rival. We fear that our mates, or perhaps our children, will be lured away by some other person who, when compared to us, seems to be more attractive, capable and successful. Can you not see the jealousy of King Saul through his words, What can he have more, but the kingdom? This jealousy will produce his self-induced trial of depression and attempted murder. The key to victory over jealousy is in understanding the potential in others and realizing God can use them as well as He can use you in specific areas. For many years Sir Walter Scott was the leading literary figure in the British Empire. No one could write as well as he. Then the works of Lord Byron began to appear, and their greatness was immediately evident. Soon an anonymous critic

praised his poems in a London paper. He declared that in the presence of these brilliant works of poetic genius, Scott could no longer be considered the leading poet of England. It was later discovered that the unnamed reviewer had been none other than Sir Walter Scott himself! How can you overcome jealousyby praise not by putting others down. Try, or you will become a victim of self-induced trials. What to do: Practice praising others not criticizing others.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS STEALING

Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Bible Reading: Malachi 3:7-18 Key Verse: verse 8-Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Key Words: yet ye have robbed me

JANUARY 7

More money is robbed from God each year than from banks, stores, or even the IRS. But those who rob from God ultimately fail people who steal from God are putting their money in bags which have holes (Haggai 1:6). Those who fail to give to God what is rightfully His are in reality robbing themselves and produce in their own lives many self-induced trials (Malachi 3:9). Zig Ziglar tells of a thief, a man named Emmanuel Nenger. The year is 1887. The scene is a small neighborhood grocery store. Mr. Nenger is buying some turnip greens. He gives the clerk a $20 bill. As the clerk begins to put the money in the cash drawer to give Nr. Nenger his change, she notices some of the ink from the $20 bill is coming off on her fingers which are damp from the turnip greens. She looks at Mr. Nenger, a man she has known for years. She looks at the smudged bill. This man is a trusted friend; she has known him all her life; he can't be a counterfeiter. She gives Mr. Nenger his change, and he leaves the store. But $20 is a lot of money in 1887, and eventually the clerk calls the police. They verify the bill as counterfeit and get a search warrant to look through Mr. Nenger's home. In the attic they find where he is reproducing money. He is a master artist and is painting $20 bills with brushes and paint! But also in the attic they find three portraits Nenger had painted. They seized these and eventually sold them at auction for $16,000 (in

1887 currency, remember) or a little more than $5,000 per painting. The irony is that it took Nenger almost as long to paint a $20 bill as it did for him to paint a $5,000 portrait! It's true that Emanuel Nenger was a thief, but the person from whom he stole the most was himself. What a shame! What to do: Give. It is more of a blessing than receiving.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS LITTLE THINGS BIG THINGS

trieth the hearts.

Bible Reading: Proverbs 17:1-8 Key Verse: verse 3-The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD Key Words: the refining pot is for silver

JANUARY 8

Have you given any consideration to the little things or what we consider the little things? Let me illustrate. Verse 1 what good is a freezer full of food if your family is in turmoil? Verse 2 what good is a purse full of silver without a refining pot? Verse 8 some gifts are better than a precious stone. life. We often produce self-inflicted trials when we fail to consider the little things in

The words Thank and Think hail from the same root, reminding us that thanksgiving comes from thinking about our blessings. Helen Keller once said, I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during their early adult life. It would make him more appreciative of sight and the joys of sound. Former Senator Richard Neuberger once said the experience of contracting cancer changed him. A change came over me which I believe is irreversible. Questions of prestige, of political success, of financial status, became all at once unimportant. In their stead has come a new appreciation of things I once took for granted eating lunch with a friend, scratching Muffets ears and listening for his purr, the company of my wife, reading a book or magazine in the quiet cone of my bed lamp at night, raiding the refrigerator for a glass of orange juice or a slice of

coffee cake. For the first time I think I am actually savoring life. I shudder when I remember all the occasions that I spoiled for myself even when I was in the best of health by false pride, synthetic values, and fancied slights. Stop each day and reflect on the little things in life youll be glad you did. What to do: Think and youll be thankful.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS STRESS

Bible Reading: Isaiah 40:18-31 Key Verse: verse 31-But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; Key Words: They shall mount up with wings as eagles
they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

JANUARY 9

When I talk with people about stress much, not all, is self-induced. Adams and Eves stress was self-induced, as was Abrahams in Genesis 12, along with Cains in Genesis 4, as was Uzziahs in II Chronicles 26. How can one overcome the self-induced trials of stress? Consider the eagle. In Isaiah 40, we are told that by waiting on the Lord, we will mount on wings like eagles. Eagles are majestic birds with remarkable vision. Scientists believe their vision may be eight times sharper than that of humans. They have powerful feet with talons that can grip like a vise. Their beaks are butcher-like, designed to cut and crush and tear their food. But most of all, eagles are built for flying. They have incredible speed, able to fly at sixty and eighty and one hundred miles an hour. They can do rolls and loops like an airplane doing tricks. Their wingspan extends to nearly eight feet. But eagles do not fly like sparrows or robins. Most birds fly through the air by flapping their wings, but eagles cannot flap very long. Theyre built for soaring, and thus they can go much further on little energy. God created our planet with invisible columns of hot air called thermals rising up here and there from the surface of the earth. Eagles find these thermals, fly into the invisible currents, stretch out their wings, and are lifted higher and higher into the sky as though ascending on an elevator. They may rise as high as fourteen thousand feet, so high in the heavens they can not be seen with the naked eye from earth.

When they reach those heights, they emerge from the updraft, wings still spread, and they soar this way and that way, downwards and sidewards, traveling for miles with very little exertion of strength. Dont be under stress be under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Its a lot less stressful. What to do: Wait upon the Lord (Isaiah 40:31).

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS THE TONGUE

Bible Reading: James 3:1-9 Key Verse: verse 6-And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue Key Words: the tongue is a fire

JANUARY 10

among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

This is a familiar portion of Scripture but its vital. The uncontrolled tongue causes us more problems than anything else. Peter said in I Peter 3:10, For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. A man working in the produce department was asked by a lady if she could buy half a head of lettuce. He replied, Half a head? Are you serious? God grows these in whole heads and thats how we sell them! You mean, she persisted, that after all the years Ive shopped here, you wont sell me half-a-head of lettuce? Look, he said, If you like Ill ask the manager. She indicated that would be appreciated, so the young man marched to the front of the store. You wont believe this, but theres a lame-brained idiot of a lady back there who wants to know if she can buy half-a-head of lettuce. He noticed the manager gesturing, and turned around to see the lady standing behind him, obviously having followed him to the front of the store. And this nice lady was wondering if she could buy the other half he concluded. Later in the day the manager cornered the young man and said, That was the finest example of thinking on your feet Ive ever seen! Where did you learn that? I grew up in Grand Rapids, and if you know anything about Grand Rapids, you know that its known for its great hockey teams and its ugly women.

The managers face flushed, and he interrupted, My wife is from Grand Rapids! The man replied, And which hockey team did she play for? The uncontrolled tongue produces many self-induced conflicts!! What to do: Genuinely turn your tongue over to God. That will give others a wellneeded break.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS LONELINESS

swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

Bible Reading: Luke 15:11-24 Key Verse: verse 16-And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the Key Words: And no man gave unto him

JANUARY 11

The prodigal went through all types of trials in his pursuit of happiness; but in the end he found himself in financial ruin and lonely. The following was taken from Moodys Anecdotes. Dr. Andrew Bonar told me how, in the Highlands of Scotland, a sheep would often wander off into the rocks and get into places that they couldn't get out of. The grass on these mountains is very sweet and the sheep like it, and they will jump down ten or twelve feet, and then they can't jump back again, and the shepherd hears them bleating in distress. They may be there for days, until they have eaten all the grass. The shepherd will wait until they are so faint they cannot stand, and then they will put a rope around him, and he will go over and pull that sheep up out of the jaws of death. Why don't they go down there when the sheep first gets there? I asked. Ah! He said, they are so very foolish they would dash right over the precipice and be killed if they did! And that is the way with men; they won't go back to God till they have no friends and have lost everything. If you are a wanderer I tell you that the Good Shepherd will bring you back the moment you have given up trying to save yourself and are willing to let Him save you His own way.

Often we go through self-induced trials because of our desire to seek acceptance and companionship from the world which leaves us desolate and in despair. Seek companionship from others who genuinely love the Lord and desire to serve Him. What to do: Remember, looseness always end in loneliness.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS A BAD DAY

the day long.

Bible Reading: Psalm 32 Key Verse: verse 3-When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all Key Words: all the day long

JANUARY 12

David is having a bad day. In order to understand his bad day we must understand that David is writing about the results of his immoral relationship with Bathsheba. Bad days dont just happen; they are not the results of bad luck. They are always for a reason. Many people experience bad days because of unconfessed sin in their lives. How can you tell when youre going to have a bad day? If you wake up face down on the pavement, youre in for a bad day. If you call suicide prevention and they put you on hold, youre in for a bad day. If you see a 60 Minute news team waiting in your office, youre in for a bad day. If your horn gets stuck on the freeway and youre following a group of Hells Angels, youre in for a bad day. If your boss says, Dont bother to take off your coat youre in for a bad day. If you wake up with your braces locked together on your teeth, youre in for a bad day. If you call your answering service and they tell you its none of your business, youre in for a bad day. If your income tax check bounces, youre in for a bad day. And last of all if you have unconfessed sin, youre in for a bad day.

Bad days dont just happen; there is always a reason. What to do: Evaluate your life: is your bad day a result of lack of organization, an attack by Satan, or unconfessed sin? There is always a reason.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS RESISTING TEMPTATION

Bible Reading: James 4:1-10 Key Verse: verse 7-Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will Key Words: Resist the devil
flee from you.

JANUARY 13

As you read verse 7 you find a three-fold command of God. Step one: we must submit to God. Step two: we must resist; but we will not resist until we submit. Step three: watch Satan flee; but we wont flee until we resist, and we wont resist until we submit. Reports the DENVER POST: Like many sheep ranchers in the West, Lexy Fowler has tried just about everything to stop crafty coyotes from killing her sheep. She has used odor sprays, electric fences, and scare-coyotes. She has slept with her lambs during the summer and has placed battery-operated radios near them. She has corralled them at night, herded them at day. But the southern Montana rancher has lost scores of lambsfifty last year alone. Then she discovered the llamathe aggressive, funny-looking, afraid-ofnothing llama...Llamas dont appear to be afraid of anything, she said. When they see something, they put their head up and walk straight toward it. That is aggressive behavior as far as the coyote is concerned, and they wont have anything to do with that... Coyotes are opportunists, and llamas take that opportunity away. Apparently llamas know the truth of what James writes: Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you (4:7). The moment we sense his attack through temptation is the moment we should face it and deal with it for what it is. When we fail to submit and resist, we will face the self-induced trial of falling into temptation!! What to do: Submit to God; resist the devil; watch him flee.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS THE WRONG LORD

Bible Reading: Hebrews 12:1-10 Key Verse: verse 2-Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for Key Words: Looking unto Jesus

JANUARY 14

the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

What we focus on plays a large role in our actions or what we do. In regard to our focus, Robert J. Morgan writes: When businessman Alan Emery was in the wool business, he once spent an evening with a shepherd on the Texas prairie. During the night, the long wail of coyotes pierced the air. The shepherds dogs growled and peered into the darkness. The sheep, which had been sleeping, lumbered to their feet, alarmed, bleating pitifully. The shepherd tossed more logs onto the fire, and the flames shot up. In the glow, Alan looked out and saw thousands of little lights. What were they? Then he realized those lights were reflections of the fire in the eyes of the sheep. In the midst of danger, he observed, the sheep were not looking out into the darkness (where the coyotes were), but the sheep were keeping their eyes set in the direction of their safety, looking toward the shepherd. They looked to the shepherd to protect them. I couldnt help but think of Hebrews 12: looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith . When we look to the wrong source for our strength, provision and protection, we produce a self-induced trial which with the right look, could have been prevented. What to do: Look unto Jesus!

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS IMPATIENCE

Bible Reading: Psalm 25 Key Verse: verse 21- Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. Key Words: for I wait on thee Waiting is not one of those things that most of us are good at. Joshua and Israel ran ahead of God at Ai and produced a self-induced trial.

JANUARY 15

Martha was not patient in John 11:21 when she said to Jesus, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. Elijah did not wait on God and ran from Jezebel. I repeat, waiting is not one of those things most of us are good at, but it is a part of the maturing process in our lives. Have you heard about the Chinese bamboo tree? The Chinese plant the seed; then water and fertilize it, but the first year nothing happens. The second year they water and fertilize it, and still nothing happens. The third and fourth years they water and fertilize it, and nothing happens. Then the fifth year, in a period of approximately six years, the Chinese bamboo trees grows roughly ninety feet. The question is, did it grow ninety feet in six weeks or did it grow ninety feet each year? The obvious answer is that it grew ninety feet in five years, because had they not applied the water and fertilizer each year there would have been no Chinese bamboo tree. Many self-induced trials come because of our lack of patience. What to do: Wait on the Lord. It will keep you from self-induced trials in such areas as finances and marriage.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS WORRY

Bible Reading: Genesis 4:9-24 Key Verse: verse 14-Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the Key Words: every one that findeth me shall slay me

JANUARY 16

earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

Worry is often the result of disobedience, so it was in Cains life. Cain brought upon himself many trials, not the least of which was the constant stress of worrying. The following quotes are not an endorsement of these individuals. I enjoyed their statements in regard to worry. Dr. Robert Eliot is a cardiologist from Nebraska. He has two rules for managing stress and worry. (1) Dont sweat the small stuff, and (2) its all small stuff. Dr. Peter Marshall, the late Chaplain of the United States Senate, once opened the Senate with this prayer: Help us to do our very best this day and be content

with todays troubles, so that we shall not borrow the troubles of tomorrow. Save us from the sin of worrying, lest ulcers be the badge of our lack of faith. Dr. Billy Graham says, Anxiety is the natural result when our hopes are centered on anything short of God and His will for us. Dr. Charles Mayo observes, Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, the whole nervous system. I have never known a man who died from overwork, but many who died from doubt. Oswald Chambers writes, All worry is caused by calculating without God. Worry is our indicator that our faith in God is like a bone out of joint; its dislocated. What to do: Invest your life for Gods glory in others. An occupied mind doesnt have time to worry.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS CREDIT CARDS

another hath fulfilled the law.

Bible Reading: Romans 13:9-14 Key Verse: verse 8-Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth Key Words: Owe no man anything

JANUARY 17

Credit cards what a problem! Now, before you become upset with me, you must understand, I have one credit card and I use it for emergencies only. The last time I used it was over five years ago. But you have to admit, as a whole, credit cards are reaping havoc on most American families. They are what I call a selfinduced trial. Let me give you something to consider. Before you whip out that plastic, remember, most people dont handle these little debt detonators very well. The fact is, nearly 75% of Americans who use credit cards make only the minimum payment each month. At that rate (minimum payments) you could spend the next thirty years paying back a $3,000 credit card debt and give the financial institution $8,000 worth of interest. Its the principle of compound interest in reverse. I read the following and concluded that most people handle credit cards as this lady did. She may have missed the point of New Years Resolutions. With an eagerness to make some changes in the area of financial habits, the lady called her credit card company and said, Id like to pay off my Master Card. Do you take Visa?

Remember, owe no man anything. If you cant pay it back, dont borrow it. What to do: Its better to do without than to buy what you cant afford to pay off down the road. You are producing in your own life a self-induced trial.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS EXCUSES

Bible Reading: Luke 14:12-24 Key Verse: verse 18-And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first Key Words: And they all with one consent began to make excuse.
said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

JANUARY 18

Those who make excuses face the self-induced trial of not being blessed. Its not that people cant; its that they wont. Can't and won't. Christians need to be very careful which one they choose. It seems that we prefer to use can't. "I just can't get along with my wife." "My husband and I can't communicate." "I can't discipline the kids like I should." "I just can't give up the affair I'm having." "I can't stop overeating." "I can't find the time to pray." "I can't quit gossiping." No, any Christian who takes seriously those five passages we looked at (there are dozens more) will have to confess the word really should be won't. Why? Because we have been given the power, the ability to overcome. Literally! One of the best books you can read on overcoming depression is a splendid work by two physicians, Minirth and Meier. The volume is appropriately entitled Happiness Is a Choice. These men agree that: As psychiatrists we cringe whenever [Christian] patients use the word can't. . . . Any good psychiatrist knows that "I can't" and "I've tried" are merely lame excuses. We insist that our patients be honest with themselves and use language that expresses the reality of the situation. So we have our patients change their can'ts to won'ts. . . .

If an individual changes all his can'ts to won'ts, he stops avoiding the truth, quits deceiving himself, and starts living in reality. . . . "I just won't get along with my wife." "My husband and I won't communicate." "I won't discipline the kids like I should." "I just won't give up the affair I'm having." "I won't stop overeating." "I won't find the time to pray" "I won't quit gossiping." I close by reminding each of us that those who made excuses in verse 18 missed the great supper in verse 24. The self-induced trial of excuses leaves us in spiritual hunger. What to do: Make up your mind: be truthful, dont say you cant.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS THE FAILURE OF SUCCESS

Bible Reading: II Chronicles 26:1-22 Key Verse: verse 16-But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his

JANUARY 19

Key Words: when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction

destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

Success is a good thing unless, of course, we believe that we are the reason for the success. Then success becomes the self-induced trial of failure and hurt. This is clearly seen, not only in the life of Uzziah, but also in the life of the rich farmer in Luke 12; and again in Joshua 6 and 7. After Israels victory at Jericho, they thought they could defeat Ai with only a few men, but most of all, without God. Success brought their failure. In 1999, the University of Alabama won the Southeastern Conference Championship. They had exceeded all expectations. The following year the preseason polls had them ranked as high as number three in the nation. They were to be in the hunt for a national championship. Unfortunately, the hunt for the national championship never developed. Alabama finished with a 3 8 record that year. It was later revealed that the success from the previous year had caused some of the coaching staff to think more highly of themselves than they ought to have thought; players thought they could win without proper practice. They began to feel as

though victories were assured because of the previous years success, but the result of their success was to fail totally. The coaches, players, and fans discovered that success today does not assure success tomorrow. Failure can and does often come because of the wrong attitude toward success. So I challenge you to be cautious or your successes today could be tomorrows failures. What to do: Understand the importance of humility, hard work, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, or your success today will be the failure of tomorrow.

SELF-INDUCED TRIAL EVIL HABITS

God dwelleth in you?

Bible Reading: I Corinthians 3:9-23 Key Verse: verse 16-Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of Key Words: ye are the temple of God

JANUARY 20

Paul asked a very searching question in I Corinthians 3:16, Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Then he went on to say in verse 17, If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. We would not think of desecrating and vandalizing a beautiful church building. We would not throw bricks through its stained-glass windows, pour paint on its carpets, or write vulgar and profane words on its walls. Yet in our thoughtlessness we sometimes defile our bodies through poor health habits. And is that not much worse than defacing a church building? A recent study shows that those who avoid tobacco, liquor, and the likes have 40% fewer diseased heart arteries than the rest of us. And their blood-cholesterol level is 15% lower than the general population. Clean living is not only good religion its good sense. When we poison our bodies with the things God condemns we bring upon ourselves many self-induced trials. May God grant you the self-discipline to avoid such vices. What to do: Enjoy it today; pay for it tomorrow.

SELF-INDUCED TRIAL A JOB

the streets.

Bible Reading: Proverbs 22:1-13 Key Verse: verse 13-The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in Key Words: There is a lion without

JANUARY 21

Proverbs 22:13 is a picturesque description of a fellow who gets up some morning and doesn't want to go to work. Heres how it reads, The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. His wife peeks out the window, but sees no lion. His children peer fearfully through the curtains, but see no lion. But to him, the lion is real, at least in his imagination, for he wants to stay home that day. An occasional reluctance to go to work is normal. But when an individual sees lions on his doorstep each morning, something is more at fault than his eyesight! His problem may be that he has a job, but not a calling. Max Lerner says a mere job has three characteristics: we want to get it over with the least possible effort, we want to finish it in the shortest possible time, and we want as much pay as possible. On the other hand, a calling is something you could no more help doing than you could help breathing. This was Robert Louis Stevensons philosophy, If a man love the labor of his trade apart from any question of success or fame, the gods have called him. Winston Churchill said there are two kinds of people. First, those whose work is work and pleasure is pleasure. And second, those whose work and pleasure are one. For the latter, he says, their working hours are never long enough. Each day is a holiday. And when ordinary holidays come, they are grudged as enforced interruptions in an absorbing vocation. If all you have is a job, then I feel sorry for you because all you have from day to day are trials rather than daily joys. What a shame. What to do: There is a difference between a job and a call. Obey your call; its more enjoyable than getting a job.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS THE INABILITY TO LAUGH AT ONESELF

Bible Reading: Psalm 126 Key Verse: verse 2-Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with Key Words: Then was our mouth filled with laughter

JANUARY 22

singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.

It is one thing to laugh at others but another to laugh at ourselves. Im convinced one sign of being mature is the ability to laugh at ourselves. We laugh easily at the foibles of others. But the ability to laugh at one's self is a helpful tension-breaker. True, life is serious. But dont take yourself too seriously. Youre not an Atlas, bearing alone the weight of the world! Abraham Lincoln is remembered as a sober, sad, and deeply reflective person. But he is also remembered for his wit and humor, including the knack of laughing at himself. Deeply hurt when he learned one of his own cabinet members called him a fool, he laughingly turned it aside. He is a very smart man, and if he thinks I am a fool, Lincoln observed, I had better look into the matter. The same wit was reflected when someone, poking fun at his lanky legs, asked how long a mans legs should be. Long enough to reach the ground, Lincoln retorted. The night Adlai Stevenson conceded the presidential election to Dwight D. Eisenhower, he called on Lincolns wit to assuage his disappointment. In his concession speech to his weeping admirers in Springfield, Illinois, Mr. Stevenson recalled Mr. Lincolns words on one occasion when he, too, lost an election. I feel like the little boy who stubbed his toe in the dark. He was too big to cry, and it hurt too much to laugh. Oftentimes when we mess up and others laugh at us, we respond with anger, failing to realize we are bringing upon ourselves the self-induced trial of being embarrassed. Think about it. What to do: It never hurts to laugh at yourself. It bats the alternatives.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS MARRIAGE

Bible Reading: John 2:1-12 Key Verse: verse 2-And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. Key Words: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

JANUARY 23

A marriage without Jesus is a self-induced trial waiting to happen. Some time ago a young man lets call him Joe reached the time in life when he began thinking of marriage. He was nervous about the whole thing, but he knew what he wanted in a wife, and he started looking around. His eyes roamed here and there, and he went out of his way to meet new girls. Finally he had met every girl in town, and had flirted with most of them. But only one stole his heart - Jo Beth. He worked his way into a relationship with her, and, to his great joy, she returned his affection. They fell in love, and one evening he proposed. She accepted. Their families were thrilled, and the word quickly spread through all their friends. Joe and Jo Beth just beamed. They couldn't hide their joy as they started planning their wedding. They chose the date. They contacted the minister. They talked about the flowers and the candles and the ceremony and the food. They started talking about the guest list. Who should they invite? They sat down and started compiling names. Their parents and grandparents and relatives, of course. Their friends. Their work associates. And then Joe said something interesting. Or maybe it was Jo Beth. Or perhaps it just came to them both at once. "What would you think of inviting Jesus himself? Let's add him to the wedding just like we'd invite anyone else. Let's send a special, formal invitation to Jesus Christ to be a part of our marriage." So they did. And Jesus Christ came. And when Jesus attends a wedding, you never know what will happen. And what happened on this occasion is recorded in the Gospel of John, chapter 2. Jesus took the occasion to perform his first miracle the turning of water into wine. It was evidently a young couple well known to Mary and Jesus. The Lord had undoubtedly sold wood products to people in Cana. He was, you remember, a carpenter, and Cana was only about three miles or eight miles from Nazareth, depending on which archaeological site is chosen. It seems that Mary felt a sense of responsibility to see that things went well at the wedding banquet, so it could well have been a relative. At any rate, the young couple didn't hesitate to invite Jesus to their wedding. Jesus wants to attend our weddings, live in our homes, and help us build our marriages. He wants to turn water into wine, ordinary relationships into very special ones. Charles Erdman put it this way: "All the signs wrought by our Lord were symbolic of the experiences which would result from faith in him. It is most significant, therefore, that his first miracle, which was an index to his whole ministry, was so related to the joy of a wedding feast."

A Christian marriage has the presence of Jesus Christ in it, filling the house, having His glow on the home, and making the relationships spiritual and special. And that makes all the difference. What to do: Remember, a marriage without Jesus is like a pool of water in the desert all dried up!!

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS A LACK OF DISCERNMENT

earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

Bible Reading: Luke 12:54-59 Key Verse: verse 56- Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the Key Words: ye do not discern this time

JANUARY 24

The word discern means the ability to look at an event and realize what is happening. A lack of discernment can be a real problem. In our text Jesus is rebuking the people because they could not discern that their Messiah had come and that their deliverance wasnt from Rome but from Satan. It was not a deliverance from government but from sin. Their lack of discernment caused them not only temporary trials but eternal trials. A lack of discernment leads to wrong decisions. A college coach was trying to convert one of his former players into a high school talent scout. The coach began talking about the kind of player they wanted. He was describing the kind of guy who gets hit and doesnt get up, when the enthusiastic scout jumped in, We dont want him! The coach agreed, and told of the guys who get up after getting hit once but who stay down after the next hit. The prospective scout knew that wasnt the guy they wanted either. Then the coach told about a player who just kept getting up after every time he got knocked down. The former athlete knew this was the player they wanted so he shouted, Thats the guy Ill look for! The coach said, No, dont you get it? We want the guy whos knocking everybody down! Discernment: we all need it! What to do: Everyone thinks they have discernment but most dont ask God to give them spiritual discernment. We need it; you need it.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS BEING FRUSTRATED

Bible Reading: Nehemiah 4:1-11 Key Verse: verse 2 and 6- 2And he spake before his brethren and the army of

JANUARY 25

Key Words: What do these feeble Jews? So built we the wall.

Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? 6So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.

It is no secret to some that Nehemiah is one of my favorite Bible characters. There are several reasons as to why he is one of my favorite. One of those reasons is that he seldom let others know how much they frustrated him. We all are frustrated from time to time by the actions or lack of action from others. The problem is many times the actions of others is done intentionally to frustrate us. There is an old saying that goes, Never let them see you sweat. The key to stopping people from intentionally frustrating you is to never let them know they are succeeding! If they know they are getting to you, theyll never stop. It is said of one of the famous composers that he had a rebellious son who used to come in late at night after his father and mother had gone to bed. And before going to his own room, he would go to his father's piano and slowly, as well as loudly, play a simple scale, all but the final note. Then leaving the scale uncompleted, he would retire to his room. Meanwhile the father, hearing the scale minus the final note, would writhe on his bed, his mind unable to relax because the scale was unresolved. Finally, in consternation, he would stumble down the stairs and hit the previously unstruck note. Only then would his mind surrender to sleep once again. Now, who was winning the battle of the minds? Pray for those who are your heavenly sandpaper and keep on keeping on for God. Make God the focus of your life; and remember, never let them see you sweat. What to do: Dont attempt to get even. This makes their game of frustration more fun.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS VOWS

Bible Reading: Jeremiah 44:20-30 Key Verse: verse 29- And this shall be a sign unto you, saith the LORD, that I will Key Words: I will punish you in this place

JANUARY 26

punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for evil:

The word vow means a solemn promise. We make vows to God all the time. When one gets married they make a vow. When one dedicates their life to Christ, they are making a vow. When one dedicates their infant to Christ (baby dedication), they are making a vow. We make financial vows all the time. Now, heres the problem: Ecclesiastes 5:4, When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. In Jeremiah 44:25 the people of Israel in their idolatry had vowed a vow to the queen of heaven (a false god), and they had paid their vow. They wouldnt fulfill their vow to God but they fulfilled their vow to a false god. Before we condemn the Israelites, lets evaluate our own lives. We make vows to the world and pay them (cars, houses, lands), but we refuse to fulfill our vow to God (marriage, tithing, missions, dedication). We take our vows to God so lightly today. This reminds me of the wealthy oil tycoon who lay on his deathbed and his pastor talked of Gods healing power. Pastor, he gasped, if God heals me, Ill give the church a million dollars. Miraculously, the man revived and within a few short weeks was out of the hospital. One day, several months later, he and the pastor chatted on the sidewalk in front of a hardware store. You know, the pastor said, when you were in the hospital dying, you promised to give the church a million dollars if you got well. We havent got it yet. Did I say that? the tycoon asked. I guess that goes to show how sick I really was! But let me remind you that when you make a vow unto God to defer not to pay it, for in deferring you bring upon yourself a self-induced trial!! What to do: Remember the old Fram Oil Filter commercial? You can pay me now, or you can pay me laterbut you will pay. Do what you promised to doits the right thing to do.

SELF-INDUCED TRIAL LOVE OF MONEY

Bible Reading: I Timothy 6:1-13 Key Verse: verse 10- For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some Key Words: for the love of money

JANUARY 27

coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

I know that our text is a familiar portion of Scripture. We hear about the love of money all the time, but its true the love of money is the root of all evil, and that love of money WILL produce many self-induced trials in your life. Just ask Achan in Joshua 7, or the Israelites in Nehemiah 5, or Solomon in Ecclesiastes 2, or Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5and we all know about Judas in Matthew 27. Many people think money is security, but I Timothy 6:9 warns that it can be just the opposite. A few years ago, columnist Jim Bishop reported what happened to people who won the state lottery: Rosa Grayson of Washington won $400 a week for life. She hides in her apartment. For the first time in her life, she has "nerves." Everyone tries to put the touch on her. "People are so mean," she said. "I hope you win the lottery and see what happens to you." When the McGugarts of New York won the Irish Sweepstakes, they were happy. Pop was a steamfitter. Johnny, twenty-six, loaded crates on docks. Tim was going to night school. Pop split the million with his sons. They all said the money wouldn't change their plans. A year later, the million wasn't gone; it was bent. The boys weren't speaking to Pop, or each other. Johnny was chasing expensive race horses; Tim was catching up with expensive girls. Mom accused Pop of hiding his poke from her. Within two years, all of them were in court for nonpayment of income taxes. "It's the Devil's own money," Mom said. Both boys were studying hard to become alcoholics. All these people hoped and prayed for sudden wealth. All had their prayers answered. All were wrecked on a dollar sign. The love of money WILL produce self-induced trials in your life. Put God first (Matthew 6:33), and always remember Proverbs 17:1, Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife. What to do: Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS UNCONFESSED SIN

word is not in us.

Bible Reading: I John 1 Key Verse: verse 10- If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his Key Words: If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar

JANUARY 28

Because of the humanistic world we live in, acknowledging wrong is becoming a thing of the past. We dont see ourselves as wrong, rather we simply say things like, I dont quite see it that way. There is a great example of this in the book of Malachi as the leader of Israel talks with the Lord. Note Malachi 1:2, I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacobs brother? Saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob. Malachi 1:6, A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honor? And if I be a master, where is my fear? Saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? Malachi 2:17, Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? Malachi 3:7-8, Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, But ye said, Wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. The result of a know-it-all mentality is unconfessed sin and the result of unconfessed sin are self-induced trials. What to do: Live by the Word, not by your word but Gods Word.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS SELF-CENTEREDNESS

because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

Bible Reading: Luke 12:16-31 Key Verse: verse 17- And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, Key Words: and he thought within himself

JANUARY 29

Examples of self-centeredness can be found throughout the Word of God: Adam and Eve, Cain, Achan, the Prodigal Son, Ananias and Sapphira, why even Satan himself. Someone once said that the problem with a self-made man is that he worships his creator. From an unknown source comes an article titled, "How To Be Miserable." It says, "Think about yourself. Talk about yourself. Use "I" as often as possible. Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others. Listen greedily to what people say about you. Expect to be appreciated. Be suspicious. Be jealous and envious. Be sensitive to slights. Never forgive a criticism. Trust nobody but yourself. Insist on consideration and respect. Demand agreement with your own views on everything. Sulk if people are not grateful to you for favors shown them. Never forget a service you have rendered. Shirk your duties if you can. Do as little as possible for others." I gave a little tea party this afternoon, at 3. "Twas very small, 3 guests in all - I, myself, and me. Myself ate all the sandwiches while I drank all the tea. Twas also I who ate the pie and passed the cake to me. Jesus calls a self-centered person a fool (verse 20) and that they all, as a result, produce in their own lives many trials and sorrows. What to do: Dont be self-centered, be Christ-centered.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS INDECISION

Bible Reading: Exodus 14:19-31 and Exodus 16:1-3 Key Verse: verse 14:31 and 16:3- 14:31And Israel saw that great work which the

JANUARY 30

Key Words: vs. 31, and the peoplebelieved and vs.3, diedin Egypt.

LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses. 16:3And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

It just seems that Israelites are just like uscant make up their minds. Moses is greatMoses is not greatMoses is great. Indecision leads to murmuring and discontentment, confusion. It leads to self-induced trials. I love the story told by former President Ronald Reagan in regard to indecision. Former president Reagan once had an aunt who took him to a cobbler for a pair of new shoes. The cobbler asked young Reagan, Do you want square toes or round toes? Unable to decide, Reagan didnt answer, so the cobbler gave him a few days. Several days later the cobbler saw Reagan on the street and asked him again what kind of toes he wanted on his shoes. Reagan still couldnt decide, so the shoemaker replied, Well, come by in a couple of days. Your shoes will be ready. When the future president did so, he found one square-toed and one round-toed shoe! This will teach you to never let people make decisions for you, the cobbler said to his indecisive customer. I learned right then and there, Reagan said later, if you dont make your own decisions, someone else will. Dont be indecisive; it will lead you into some self-induced trials. What to do: Make sure you follow God with all of your decisions.

SELF-INDUCED TRIALS AN EMPTY LIFE

Bible Reading: Psalm 90 Key Verse: verse 10- The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by Key Words: for it is soon cut off

JANUARY 31

reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

The tragedy of life is not that it must end, but that we accomplish nothing for Christ while we live. Have you ever considered how you spend your time? I would encourage you to keep a journal for just a day or two, and write down all you do and the time it takes to do it. You might be surprised as to how much time we spend doing nothing that really matters. Someone has calculated how a typical lifespan of 70 years is spent. Here is the estimate: Sleep Work TV Eating Travel Leisure Illness Dressing Religion Total 23 years 16 years 8 years 6 years 6 years 4.5 years 4 years 2 years 0.5 years 70 years 32.9% 22.8% 11.4% 8.6% 8.6% 6.5% 5.7% 2.8% 0.7% 100%

I often see believers and as I look into their eyes, I see emptiness because they are living their lives for things that mean nothing and produce emptiness. Its what I call the self-induced trial of not living for Christ a feeling of emptiness. You can end this life of emptiness today by living for Christ!! What to do: Make that journal and give God a minimum of 10% of your time. It all belongs to Him anyway.

I deeply appreciate the help of

Laurie Blankenship Trisha Bookout Kathy Endicott Cathy Fortenberry Sandy Lancaster Cathy Lang Marie Moore Mary Parsons John and Tascha Piatt Reba Pontbriand And my lovely wife, Linda

Without God using these people to help this devotional would not have been possible.

Dr. Mike Rouse