The Bible NETWork ~ Impacting the World for Christ one post at a time!

FRIDAY OCTOBER 12
“Am I trying to please people?” Gal 1:10 NIV
TAKE THE STRESS OUT OF SERVING GOD (1)

Whether we are ordained ministers or lay people, we aren’t exempt from stress. A
deadly combination of traits seen frequently in those serving God produces inferiority
and perfectionism—traits that make us obsessive-compulsive performers who
think we’re inadequate and that our service is never satisfactory. As a result we become:
(a) Over-responsible:We think we must do everything ourselves. (b) Irresponsible:We think
nothing we do is acceptable so we shouldn’t tackle anything. (c) Uncertain: Vacillating
between A and B, we feel like losers either way we go. Understand this: it’s the stress we
generate, not the demands of the service, that wears on us. And nothing stresses us like
people-pleasing! Paul says, “Am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please
people, I would not be a servant of Christ,” because he’d previously lived for people’s
acceptance. Now he found himself unable to be an effective servant of Christ and still
worry about people’s opinions. People-pleasing must not be your motivation for serving,
because: (1) It won’t work. Every vote you capture loses you others. (2) It makes you
attempt the impossible. The more you fail to please people, the harder you try. So you get
caught in a cycle of pressure, failure and discouragement. (3) You become the source of
your strength. Jesus avoided this exhausting lifestyle. “The Son can do nothing by himself.
He does only what he sees the Father doing” (Jn 5:19 NLT). Only when God is your
source, do your stress levels go down!

SATURDAY OCTOBER 13
“I…contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.”
Col 1:29 NIV
TAKE THE STRESS OUT OF SERVING GOD (2)

You say, “Since serving successfully is a joint effort requiring cooperation with others
who will often disagree with me, what’s God’s alternative to people-pleasing?” Paul
answers, “Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus” (Co 3:17
NLT). You represent the Lord Jesus! You are His servant, and He alone is qualified to judge
your service. And it gets better; you are “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do
good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:10 NIV). Regardless of
people’s opinions, God created you for a specific field of service. So celebrate your calling
and embrace your destiny. When you do that, it takes the stress out of serving God. You
are called by God, and all of heaven’s resources are available to you. “God is working in you,
giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Php 2:13 NLT). God is your
source of wisdom and capability, so trust Him to carry the concerns of your ministry or
career. “I…contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” Yes, there’s some
labor and struggle required, but you are never the sole proprietor. The energy is His, and
it’s working continually in you. You are the glove and He’s the hand that fills it, controls
and activates it. So relax, and just stay connected to Him. He will “equip you with all
you need for doing his will…[and] produce in you…every good thing that is pleasing to
him” (Heb 13:21 NLT).

SUNDAY OCTOBER 14
“I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”
Ge 32:30 NLT
YOU’RE HERE FOR A REASON

The Bible says Satan works “day and night” building a case against you (See Rev 12:10).
But with God’s Word “in your mouth and…heart” (Ro10:8 NCV) you can overcome
him. When Satan says give up, God says stay the course (See Mt 5:11-12). When Satan
tells you to “look out for number one,” God says put the other guy first (See Php 2:3-4).
When Satan says it’s okay to hold grudges, God says forgive as often as it takes (See
Mt 6:14-15). When Satan says get even, God says be a peacemaker (See Ro 12:18-19).
When Satan tells you to take all the credit, God says glorify Jesus (See Jn 17:5). When
Satan says clean up the outside and people won’t notice the inside, God says He looks at
your heart (See 1Sa 16:7). When Satan says you’re ugly, God says you’re “wonderfully
made” (Ps 139:14 NKJV). When Satan says you’re alone and nobody understands
you, God says He’ll never leave you and that He has plans for your life (See Dt 31:6
and Jer 29:11). David said, “I know you are pleased with me…you have not let my enemies
triumph over me. You have preserved my life” (Ps 41:11-12 NLT). The Devil will play
the race card, and if that doesn’t work he’ll try the childhood memories card, or he’ll dredge
up your past sins and remind you of all the broken promises and dreams. Jacob said, “I
have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” Bottom line: God has a plan for
your life; otherwise you wouldn’t be here!

MONDAY OCTOBER 15
“There hath no temptation taken you.” 1Co 10:13
IT’S JUST PART OF LIFE’S JOURNEY (1)

Paul writes, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to [mankind].”
Notice the word “taken.” Suddenly you’re “taken” by a set of circumstances you didn’t
create, don’t want, and don’t know how to get out of. Understand this: You don’t pick the
test, the test picks you! You don’t get to choose who breaks your heart, or who gets on your
nerves, or who lets you down. When you first held your child you didn’t think that one day
you’d be down at a detention center trying to get them out of lock-up. You couldn’t have
known that a routine checkup would have you in the hospital fighting a life-threatening
illness. Maybe your problem is so personal and embarrassing that you’re afraid to even
discuss it with anybody. So you walk the floor at night praying, “Lord, get me out of this
or I’m finished!” Even Paul wrote, “We despaired…of life” (2Co1:8). When you’ve been
“taken” by a situation you learn three things: (1) Don’t judge others. The Bible says, “Every
man is…drawn away by his own lust, and enticed” (Jas 1:14). When you don’t know what
somebody’s been through or the circumstances which have conditioned them, be quiet.
If you have to talk about it, talk to God! (2) Don’t tell your troubles to the wrong people. Look
for people who will share your burden, not spread your problem. (3) Bring it to Jesus. “Let
us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and
find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb 4:16 NIV).

TUESDAY OCTOBER 16
“But such as is common to man.” 1Co 10:13
IT’S JUST PART OF LIFE’S JOURNEY (2)

The Bible says your struggle is not unique, it’s “common to man.” Your secret is not
really a secret, it’s just a secret shared by others who are equally afraid to talk. The only
time we tend to be honest is when we’re in trouble. As long as we think we can manage
our dysfunction, we don’t talk about it. You are not the only one who got married and
then wanted a divorce, or lost control and lashed out, or quit a job and now doesn’t have
a job to go to. This is important to know, because it takes away your feeling of isolation
and enables you to overcome self-pity. It also helps you to say, “If others made it, then by
God’s grace I can too.” Perhaps you wonder if God is judging you, or the Devil is attacking
you, or if you did something to bring it on yourself. No, it’s just part of life’s journey!
You’ll notice in Scripture that God doesn’t whitewash His heroes. He doesn’t exempt the
people He uses from struggle and sorrow. “These things happened to them as examples
and were written down as warnings for us” (1Co10:11 NIV). Every age and every stage of
life brings a different test, and a different level of testing. You can’t pray away the tests of
life, or quote Scripture and make them disappear. God never promised you a trouble-free
trip to heaven. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have
peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world”
(Jn 16:33 NIV).

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 17
“But God is faithful.” 1Co 10:13
IT’S JUST PART OF LIFE’S JOURNEY (3)

Here’s a promise you can stand on when your world has been shaken: “But God is
faithful.” Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass
away” (Lk 21:33). In a world of uncertainty you can sing, “On Christ the solid rock I stand,
all other ground is sinking sand.” Your job, your health, your relationships and your investments
are all “sinking sand.” But God’s faithfulness is as solid as a rock. He will be faithful
to you in the delivery room, in the operating room, in the nursing home, in the
unemployment line, in the criminal proceedings, and in the divorce court. The Psalmist
wrote: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of
the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall
strengthen your heart” (Ps 27:13-14 NKJV). Focusing on God’s faithfulness will keep
you from falling apart, giving up, having a nervous breakdown or losing your mind. Be
honest; hasn’t God been better to you than you’ve been to Him? Hasn’t He been faithful
when you’ve been unfaithful, and consistent when you’ve been inconsistent? “The gifts and
calling of God are without repentance” (Ro11:29). When God gives you a gift, He doesn’t
take it back. When He makes you a promise, He won’t break it. Even when Abraham died,
God remembered His promise and blessed his children down through the generations.
Why is this important to know? Because when you begin to see God’s faithfulness to you,
it will make you want to be faithful to Him.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 18
“He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.”
1Co 10:13 NIV
IT’S JUST PART OF LIFE’S JOURNEY (4)

The Bible says, “He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” You have
been tempered for the test! Like tempered steel or glass, certain additives have been
placed within you to increase your ability to stand up to the pressures life will throw at you.
The fact that you’ve been exposed to this level of testing is a sign that God has given you
the grace to handle it. He’s not going to let you escape this trial because He’s equipped
you to deal with it. So stop feeling sorry for yourself, or giving up, or saying you can’t take
it anymore.
Not everybody in a gym can handle the same level of weight because each is at a
different stage of development. But the trainer knows. He will push you to your limit, but
he will never add one weight more than you can carry. God is a good trainer and He’s
working according to a plan. He not only knows the right technique, He knows how much
weight needs to be added in order to get you to the next stage of development. He will
let you strain, shake, and sweat, but He won’t let you break. While you are focused on temporary
stuff like getting a better house or car or job, He has something entirely different
in mind: “We…are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which
comes from the Lord” (2Co 3:18 NIV). Once you understand this and line up your will with
God’s will, you’ll begin to appreciate what He’s doing and cooperate with Him.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 19
“God…will…make a way of escape.” 1Co 10:13
IT’S JUST PART OF LIFE’S JOURNEY (5)

Look at the last part of this verse: “[God] will…make a way of escape, that ye may be
able to bear it.” Before the Army sends you into battle it first sends you to boot camp.
You’re up at dawn running miles with a heavy backpack, climbing over barricades,
crawling through mud with the sounds of gunfire all around you, taking orders from authority
figures you don’t like, who make you do stuff you don’t want to do. But when
you pass the test you get to wear the uniform and fight for your country. Now with that
picture in mind, reread these words: “But will with the temptation also make a way of
escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” The Living Bible says, “So that you can bear up
patiently against it.” God is looking for people who are able to bear up under training,
then go out and win the battle with the Enemy.
For every problem, God has a solution. But it may not be the solution you have in
mind! Satan’s strategy is to defeat you by wearing you down, so winning is not a matter
of escape but of endurance. Tenacious faith and commitment is one of the great themes
of Scripture. It’s also the secret of victory. When their prison doors miraculously opened,
Paul and Silas realized that God’s plan for them was not to escape but to stay there and
win the jailer and his family to Christ. Sometimes God’s “way of escape” is to keep you
where you are and use you to bring glory to His name.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 20
“Catch…the little foxes that spoil the vines.” SS 2:15 NKJV
LITTLE FOXES

Michelangelo once sculpted a figure out of marble while a friend watched. Later his
friend went away on business and when he returned he said, “I see you haven’t
worked on your sculpture.” The great artist replied, “I’ve been working constantly on it
since you left.” His friend asked, “How’s that possible?” Michelangelo replied, “I’ve softened
a line here, straightened the lip there, defined the muscles more clearly, polished this
and sharpened that.” His friend said, “But those are trifles!” Michelangelo replied, “Trifles
they may be, but trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle!” Solomon writes,
“Catch…the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.” One Bible
teacher put it this way: “Small things that seem unimportant can spoil ‘tender grapes,’ like
a relationship, a career, or a life dedicated to Christ. How many marriages fail because
spouses paid no attention to the little things? How many athletes lost competitions because
of tiny missteps? Many of us can see the big picture of our lives and our relationship with
God, but we neglect the details necessary for bringing it all into focus. We must attend to
‘trifles’ if we hope to succeed. As we act faithfully in the little things God will bless us with
greater opportunities. We’ll develop the faithfulness and obedience to conquer the great
issues in life.” Only when you’re faithful in small things will God entrust you with greater
things (See Mt 25:21). So, what “little foxes” do you need to catch today? Little resentments,
little habits, little areas of dishonesty? Nip them in the bud. Deal with them, and
watch how it changes your life.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 21
“The…years of abundance…came to an end.” Ge 41:53 NIV
HOW TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL SECURITY

The Bible says: “Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain…The seven years of abundance
in Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph
had said. There was famine in all other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was
food” (vv.49-54 NIV). In his book Surviving Financial Meltdown, Ron Blue teaches us some
valuable principles for achieving financial security: (1) Think long-term. The longer term
your perspective, the better financial decisions you’ll make. Set goals in writing for the
future. Invest for the long term and worry less about short-term ups and downs in your investment
portfolio. (2) Spend less than you earn. To accomplish this you need to know
what you’re earning and what you’re spending. Make a spending plan (or, if we dare use
that loathed term, a budget). Monitor how you’re doing. Develop the self-control to avoid
overspending. If you consistently spend less than you earn over a long period of time,
you will do well financially. (3) Maintain emergency savings. A reserve set aside will help
you ride out the surprises life throws at you. You must spend less than you earn to build
savings. Savings will then help you avoid debt. These principles work together. (4) Minimize
the use of debt. Debt increases risk. It may allow you to do more and have more now, but
it will reduce your ability to have more in the future. These four financial principles are so
simple that they may easily be overlooked, yet they’ve stood the test of time.

MONDAY OCTOBER 22
“Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.” Php 2:3 TM
PLAYING THE LESSER PART

Frances Green was an elderly lady living on a pension. Every year she sent a dollar to
the Republican National Convention. One day she received an invitation to meet
President Reagan. Not realizing the RSVP should include a generous donation, she scraped
up every cent she had and took a four-day train ride across America. She slept sitting up
because she couldn’t afford a sleeper. When she arrived at the White House and found her
name wasn’t on the guest list, she was heartbroken. Overhearing her story, a Ford Motor
executive contacted a presidential aide and got clearance to give Frances a tour and introduce
her to the president the next day. But the following morning there was a military
uprising overseas and the president was in high-level meetings. When Frances showed
up at the White House the executive showed her around and walked her past the Oval
Office hoping she’d at least get a glimpse of the president. As they passed he looked up,
stood up from his desk and announced, “Frances! Those darn computers fouled up again!
If I’d known you were coming I’d have come out to get you myself!” The little woman
from California had nothing to give the president that day, but there was something he
could give her, so he made time in his busy schedule.
Paul says, “Don’t push your way to the front…Put yourself aside, and help others get
ahead.” In other words, be willing to play second fiddle. Remind yourself that God sees,
God evaluates, and God rewards. So, today go out of your way to help somebody.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 23
“We are labourers together.” 1Co 3:9
GROWING INTO LEADERSHIP (1)

Acartoon shows an executive sitting forlornly behind a big desk. Standing meekly on
the other side of the desk is a man dressed in work clothes who says, “If it’s any comfort
to you, it’s lonely at the bottom too.” The truth is, you’ll meet lonely people at the top,
on the bottom, and in the middle. Loneliness is not a positional problem, it’s a relational
one. The Bible says, “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly” (Pr18:24 NKJV).
The saying, “It’s lonely at the top,” was never made by a great leader. Stop for a moment
and think about that. If you’re all alone, nobody is following you. And if nobody is following
you, you’re not really leading. What kind of leader would leave everyone behind?
An ineffective one. An insecure one. A dysfunctional one. Effective leadership is about
lifting people, not elevating yourself. And to lift people you must get close to them. As a
leader you must always remember these three things: (1) To have credibility, you must
make it to the top. Many folks are willing to give you advice on things they have never
experienced, but credibility comes from paying the price to achieve personal success.
(2) To have respect, you must acknowledge that you didn’t get to the top by yourself. Sir
Edmund Hillary climbed Mount Everest because he had the right team. You need one too.
(3) To have fulfillment, you must take others to the top with you. “We are labourers together.”
True success is shared success, and it only happens when you’re willing to invest in the lives
of others.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 24
“I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings.”
Ro16:22 NLT
GROWING INTO LEADERSHIP (2)

Paul surrounded himself with people who were willing to lay down their lives for him
(See Ro16:3-4). Some of them are virtually unknown. Ever hear of Tertius? He recorded
Paul’s thoughts so we could read them. We all know about Timothy, but do you know
about Gaius? “He is my host and also serves as host to the whole church” (Ro16:23 NLT).
Many served in the shadows so Paul could work in the limelight. Sadly, when some leaders
arrive at the top they spend their time trying to push others off it. They play “king of
the hill” because of immaturity, insecurity and competitiveness. That may work for a time,
but it doesn’t last long. When your goal is to knock others down, your time and energy
are spent watching out for people you think would do the same to you. It’s a miserable
way to live, and it’s no fun for those who have to work with you. Jules Ormont said, “A
great leader never sets himself above his followers except in carrying responsibilities.” If
you’re in a leadership position, don’t rely on your title to convince people to follow you.
Build relationships. Win people over. When you don’t love people, you’re only a few steps
away from manipulating them. When that happens you’ll have a high turnover. A few
years ago the three great tenors—José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti—
were performing together. When a reporter tried to find out if there was any rivalry among
the superstars, Domingo said, “No, you can’t be rivals when you’re together making music.”

THURSDAY OCTOBER 25
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me.” Ps 139:23 NLT
GROWING INTO LEADERSHIP (3)

In his Pogo cartoon strip, Walt Kelly said, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.” The
hardest person in the world to lead will always be yourself. Human nature seems to
endow us with the ability to size up everybody except ourselves. After having a victorious
Goliath experience, followed by a devastating Bathsheba experience, the Psalmist
wrote, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life”
(vv.23-24 NLT). That’s a prayer you need to pray every day because we all have two
problems. What are they? (1) We don’t see ourselves as we see others. If we don’t look at
ourselves honestly and realistically, we will never understand where our personal difficulties
lie. And if we can’t see them, we won’t be able to lead ourselves effectively. It’s said
that Frederick the Great of Prussia met an old man who was walking ramrod straight in
the opposite direction. “Who are you?” Frederick asked. “I am a king,” replied the old man.
Frederick laughed. “Over what kingdom do you reign?” Proudly the old man replied, “Over
myself.” (2) We are harder on others than we are on ourselves. We judge others according
to their actions, while we tend to judge ourselves according to our intentions. When we
do the wrong thing, we let ourselves off the hook because we believe our motives were
good. And the problem is, we are usually willing to do that over and over before requiring
ourselves to change!

FRIDAY OCTOBER 26
“The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise
seek it out.” Pr 18:15 NIV
GROWING INTO LEADERSHIP (4)

The story’s told of two Irishmen out hunting, when one of them falls to the ground. He
doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy
whips out his cell phone and calls 911. Frantically, he tells the operator, “Paddy is dead!
What can I do?” The operator says, “Just take it easy. First let’s make sure he’s dead.” There
is silence, then a shot is heard. The guy’s voice comes back on the line and says, “Okay,
he’s dead, now what?” When you are under pressure you can fail to hear what’s being
communicated, and the results can be fatal. So: (1) In order to lead people you must first
understand them. You must have insight into the human heart. Sensitivity toward the
hopes and dreams of people is essential for connecting with people and motivating them.
(2) Listening can keep problems from escalating. Good leaders are attentive to small issues.
They pay attention to their intuition. Not only do they listen to what’s being said, they
also hear what’s not being said. They are secure enough to ask for honest feedback, and
not become defensive when they receive it. (3) Listening establishes trust. Dr. David Burns,
Adjunct Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine,
said, “The biggest mistake you can make in trying to talk convincingly, is to put your
highest priority in expressing your own ideas and feelings. What people really want is to
be listened to, respected, and understood. The moment they are, they become more
motivated to understand your point of view.”