Every Day Light

[Judy Harder]

November 12



The ultimate test of character
Psalm 51:1-19
"Surely you desire truth in the inner parts ..." (v.6)

We examine now the seventh fruit of the Spirit -- faithfulness or fidelity. Faithfulness (Greek: pistis) is the quality of reliability or trust-worthiness which makes a person someone on whom we can utterly rely and whose word we can utterly accept.
It has been said that the ultimate test of a person's character is: Are there any circumstances in which that person will lie? If so, then that person's character is blemished. I know a Christian worker who puts in hours of service and who would work his fingers to the bone for anyone in need but, sadly, he cannot always speak the truth. That basic falsity cancels out much of the value of his accomplishments.

In a Third World country, where the leaders of churches are obliged to declare their property on their tax returns, one church owned a valuable gold cross. So that they would not have to pay so much tax, they decided to devalue the cross on their tax return and place its value at only a fraction of its real worth. One day the cross was stolen and cut up into small pieces. When the pieces were eventually recovered by the police, the church leaders went to court to prove they belonged to them. The judge called for a valuation of the gold and when told it was of very high value, he judged that the cross did not belong to the church as the stolen cross was of much higher value than the one listed on the church's tax return. So the gold was confiscated by the police. Those church leaders lost not only a cross -- they lost their character.

Prayer:

Father, impress upon me that not only do You desire truth in my inner parts but You have designed my being to function on truth. Unless I live in the truth and by the truth, I violate the structure of my being. Help me, dear Lord. Amen.

For Further Study
Eph. 4:1-25; Prov. 12:19; Lev. 19:11; Col. 3:9
1. What are we to put away?
2. What will be established forever?

[Judy Harder]

November 13

Riches with a capital "R"
Luke 16:1-13
"... if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?" (v.11)

We must not think that because faithfulness is listed among the last three qualities on Paul's list, it is of lesser importance. So important is it that Jesus says in our passage today: "He who is faithful with a trifle is also faithful with a large trust, and he who is dishonest with a trifle is also dishonest with a large trust" (v.10, Moffatt).
I have often said to myself: there is a young man with a great future in the things of God. Yet time and again, I have seen them fail in their fidelity to small obligations, and I have then said to myself: unless there are great changes, that person will end up like the children of Israel in the wilderness -- going around in circles. Look again at what Jesus said, this time in the Moffatt translation: "If you are not faithful with dishonest mammon, how can you ever be trusted with true Riches?" Here the basic principles are laid down. If you are not faithful in the trifling, you will not be faithful in the tremendous. If you are not faithful with the material (mammon), how can you expect to be entrusted with the spiritual -- Otrue RichesO?Notice how Moffatt spells the word "riches" with a capital "R." Why is this? Because spiritual richness is a richness that is so rich you just have to spell it with a capital "R." But Jesus says one more thing: "If you are not faithful with what belongs to another, how can you ever be given what is your own?" Those who are not faithful with other people's possessions finish up with nothing of their own.

Prayer:

Father, I am conscious that day by day You let me be tested with the little. Help me to be faithful there so that I can be trusted to handle a lot. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.

For Further Study
Matt. 25:14-30; 21:43; Song of Songs 1:6
1. What did the master say to the first two servants?
2. What was the confession of the writer of the Song of Songs?

[Judy Harder]

November 14

"Lies have short legs"
Luke 12:1-12
"There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known." (v.2)

Both the universe and ourselves are made for truth and honesty, and both the universe and ourselves are alien to untruth and dishonesty. The universe is made for the same thing as we are -- namely righteousness. Not only the face of the Lord, but the face of the universe is set against those who live below its standards.
I know that this may sound somewhat hollow in an age which appears to thrive on dishonesty and corruption, but I stand by it nevertheless. The universe is not built for the success of dishonesty and corruption. A lie breaks itself upon the moral universe, perhaps not today, not tomorrow -- but certainly at some point in the future. The Tamils of South India have a saying: "The life of the cleverest lie is only eight days." The Germans have a saying: "Lies have short legs." During the Second World War, they adapted that saying to, "Lies have one leg." That was because Goebbels, the Propaganda Minister, had one short leg. A passionate antagonist of Communism is reported to have said: "In our fight against Communism we are handicapped by our decency and honesty." Since when was honesty and decency a handicap? It is indecency and dishonesty that are handicaps; they bring us into bondage -- inwardly and outwardly. Governments, organizations and institutions which practice dishonesty will be broken from within. History has proved that. The Roman Empire collapsed, not from without but from within -- broken upon the rock of its own corruption. Believe me, no one gets away with anything in a moral universe. No one.

Prayer:

Gracious Father, I don't want my moral joints to creak with dishonesty, so dwell deeply within me by Your Spirit and lubricate them with the oil of Your honesty. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.

For Further Study
1 Cor. 4:1-5; Num. 32:23; Eccl. 12:14
1. What will happen when the Lord comes?
2. What can we be sure of?

[Judy Harder]

November 15

Doomed to drudgery
Acts 5:1-11
"... 'How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?' ..." (v.9)

The seventh fruit of the Spirit -- faithfulness -- is often sadly lacking in God's children. There are professing Christians who seem to think that things like tax evasion or making telephone calls from their office without permission are issues that have no direct bearing on their Christian life.
A minister watched a woman make a long-distance call from an airport pay-phone. Afterwards she told him: "I made a person-to-person call to myself at home and of course was told I was not there. This let my family know that I had arrived safely and there was no need to pay for the call, as I didn't get through to myself." She thought she was clever but she was just a clever fool, for calling herself up in this way just started a series of calls to herself on the inside of herself -- calls that would lead to even more serious moral violations. She sold herself -- cheap.

In Madras in India they tell the story of a farmer who, when selling milk to his customers, had to drive his cow and its calf from door to door. Why did he have to trudge in the hot sun day after day? There was a simple reason -- he could not be trusted. The housewives knew that he would water down the milk and so they made him milk the cow in front of their eyes. His dishonesty doomed him to drudgery. Dishonesty always does this. It may not bring drudgery on the outside but it most certainly brings drudgery on the inside. The worst thing about dishonesty is to be the person who is dishonest.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for reminding me that no dishonesty is worth the price I will have to pay for it -- inner conflict and unhappiness. Help me to be honest with You and also with myself. Amen.

For Further Study
Matt. 23:1-25; Prov. 11:1; 21:6; Hos. 12:7
1. What did Jesus say of the Pharisees?
2. What is the Lord's delight?

[Judy Harder]

November 16

The cement of society
Matthew 5:13-20
"You are the salt of the earth ..." (v.13)

One thing is becoming crystal clear as we continue meditating on faithfulness and fidelity -- nobody gets away with anything in a moral universe if that "anything" is dishonest and untrue. The whole history of humanity is a commentary on this. Remember the first lie uttered by Satan -- "You shall not surely die"? He keeps on repeating that well-worn but discredited lie to every member of Adam's race. Something dies in us the moment we are dishonest -- not the least, our self-respect. Death eats away at our hearts the moment dishonesty is let in. We are not so much punished for sin as by sin. I came across a statement in a book in which the writer said: "There are two major principles for getting and keeping political power: (1) let nothing, least of all truth and honor, interfere with success; (2) be honest and trustworthy in the little things, but boldly dishonest in the large ones." What would be the result of someone getting political power by following those two principles? I will tell you. Like blind Samson, they would pull down the pillars of society around their heads and the heads of others also.
It is the ten righteous men who spare the Sodoms of this world. Fidelity is the cement that holds society together; take it away and it destroys itself. I may be stretching imagination too far by saying this, but in my opinion the Christian presence, especially as it represents fidelity, holds the world on its course. Civilization would have disintegrated long ago were it not for the moral and Christian character that flows out of the Church into the world.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be one who holds the world together by my character. And let the hallmark of my character be fidelity to truth and righteousness. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.
For Further Study
Mark 9:38-50; 1 Thess. 1:8; Heb. 11:4
1. When is salt useless?
2. For what did Paul commend the Thessalonians?

[Judy Harder]

November 17

The eight points of testing
2 Corinthians 2:12-3:6
"... thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ ..." (v.14)

Some of the characteristics of faithfulness are honesty, reliability and a deep concern for truth. Another characteristic is the quality of carrying through on all God's commands to us -- keeping faith to the end.
To help us come through the times of testing everyone has to face at some time, the Holy Spirit builds into us the ability to see things through to the end. One writer has listed the eight fiercest tests a Christian faces in this world in this order: (1) Humiliation -- a savage and plausible attack on our reputation. (2) Suffering -- physical, mental or spiritual. (3) Bereavement -- especially in relation to a loved one whose death was "untimely." (4) Estrangement or treachery from one's family and friends. (5) Doubt -- deep, dark and awful. (6) Failure -- the breaking up of one's life work. (7) Dereliction -- the sense of being forsaken by God. ( A slow, painful and unillumined death.

Not all of us have all of them to meet, but meeting any one of them can be a strong and severe test. How does a Christian triumph in the midst of such fierce testings as are listed above? Any triumph we experience at such times is the triumph of the Holy Spirit. He dwells in us, not just for the pleasure of inhabiting our beings, but to lead us to victory over all our problems. Perhaps you are being called to face one or more of these eight points of testing this very moment. Then take courage -- the Holy Spirit is with you and in you to take you through the fire and bring you out triumphant.

Prayer: Father, I am grateful that Your Spirit dwells within me to lead me through to victory. Even in my darkest trials You are there, inspiring me and causing me to triumph in all things. Thank You, Father. Amen.

For Further Study
Luke 10:19; Psa. 44:5; Rom. 8:35-37;1 John 5:4
1. What was Jesus' promise to His disciples?
2. What was Paul's gripping conviction? Steadfastness

[Judy Harder]

November 18



Faithfulness and perseverance
For reading & meditation -- Luke 8:4-15
"... those ... who hear the word ... and by perseverance produce a crop." (v.15)

Our text for today in Moffatt's translation reads: "As for the seed in the good soil, that means those who hear and hold fast the word in a good, sound heart, and so bear fruit steadfastly." Note -- "so bear fruit steadfastly" -- only the steadfast are finally fruitful.The minister of a large church, when asked what was the outstanding need of his congregation, said: "Faithfulness. Fifty per cent of church members are hangers-on, getting a free ride, contributing nothing from purse or person; twenty-five per cent promise to do something and then, after a few stabs at it, drop out. They lack fidelity. The life of this church is carried on by the remaining twenty-five per cent." D. L. Moody, the great American preacher, said: "If we could get people who put their hand to the plow and never draw back no matter what the wind or weather, we would have a growing and powerful church."How many of us, I wonder, have loose ends, broken promises, half-fulfilled tasks cluttering up our lives? Whose fault is it? It cannot be the fault of the Holy Spirit, for He dwells in us to provide the power to see things through -- if we let Him. Success in this area of the Christian life, as in all areas, is letting go and letting God -- letting go of self-effort and surrendering to the power of the Spirit who is resident in us. As someone once put it -- the Christian life is not my responsibility, but my response to His ability. I tell you, never does the Holy Spirit appear more wonderful than when He appears in the fruit of faithfulness.
Prayer:

Father, I recognize yet again that the fruit of the Spirit can only develop in me to the extent that I am surrendered. Help me go more deeply into You, this day and every day. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

For Further Study
Gal. 6:1-9; 5:1; 1 Cor. 15:58; 1 Pet. 5:9
1. What conditions must we fulfil in order to reap a harvest?
2. In what are we to stand firm?

[Judy Harder]

November 19

"A virtue not greatly praised"
Matthew 11:20-30
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart ..." (v.29, NKJV)

We come now to the eighth fruit of the Spirit -- meekness or gentleness. The original Greek word, prautes, is translated in various ways in different translations of the New Testament. One version uses the word "tolerance," another "forbearance" and another "adaptability."The original Greek word has no exact synonym in English and after examining the various words used in the different translations of Galatians 5:22, my personal opinion is that the Good News Bible gets closest to it when it uses the word "humility." The words humility" and "meekness" are often seen together in the New Testament, as for example, in our text for today: "I am meek and lowly in heart." (Other examples are Eph. 4:2 and Col. 3:12.)The Christian in whom the Spirit dwells is a person who is meek, gentle and humble. It has been said that apart from love, nothing is more characteristic of a Christian, and nothing more caricatured and misunderstood than humility. The world has never had much time for humility. "Throughout time," says one writer, "it is a virtue that has not been greatly praised -- except by a few."To understand humility calls for a piercing spiritual perception which is given only to those who know God. A lady came up to me at the end of a Bible study I had given on humility and said: "I do love to hear a preacher expound on the subject of humility. You see, it is one of the greatest qualities, and I want to know as much as I can about it." I felt that somehow, in seeking to walk the path of humility, she had lost her way.
Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior and my Redeemer, I long so much to be like You -- meek, gentle and humble. And as I seek to walk the path of humility, help me not to lose my way. In Your dear Name I ask it. Amen.

For Further Study
Matt. 18:1-6; Prov. 16:19; Micah 6:8
1. How is greatness shown in Christ's kingdom?
2. What does the Lord require of us?

[Judy Harder]

November 20

Self-effacement -- to gain face
Philippians 2:1-11
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." (v.5)

We said yesterday that humility has not been praised -- except by a few -- in any age. Ancient writers regarded the quality of humility as a "servile, grovelling spirit." People today seem to view it in the same way and place it alongside the cringing spirit of Uriah Heep -- "I am so very 'umble, Master Copperfield." Perhaps it was this confusion that led to Gladstone, one of Britain's past Prime Ministers, to say: "Humility as a sovereign grace is the creation of Christianity." In choosing "humility" as the best translation of the Greek word used in the list of the fruit of the Spirit, we must be careful not to miss the thought that is contained in some of the other words used by translators, such as gentleness, meekness, forbearance, adaptability and tolerance. Threading them all together, we have a picture of this fruit of the Spirit as a gentle spirit of lowliness and humility with no arrogance but a joyous desire to serve.
Humility is not only misunderstood by the world; it is also largely misunderstood by the Christian Church. Some confuse it, for example, with self-belittlement. They think that by denigrating themselves or putting themselves down they are acting in humility. But by deliberately setting out to make themselves small, they are really trying to make themselves great. Self-effacement is their way of gaining face. They take the lowest place in order to be invited to go up higher. They express derogatory opinions of themselves in the hope that they will be contradicted. This is not real humility -- this is feigned humility: an unworthy substitute.

Prayer:

O Father, clarify my understanding so that I can discern between true humility and feigned humility. Help me to have a mind that is open to Your mind so that I comprehend all things clearly. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

For Further Study
Luke 14:1-11; Rom. 12:3; 1 Pet. 5:5
1. What did Jesus teach the disciples?
2. How are we to think of ourselves?

[Judy Harder]

November 21



The small dare not be humble
John 13:1-15
"Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power ... began to wash the disciples' feet ..." (vv.3-5)

Humility is not a cringing, servile attitude -- although, sadly, many Christians seem to view it in this way. Philip Brooks, a great American preacher, once said: "The true way to be humble is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your real height against some higher nature that will show you what the real smallness of your greatness is. Stand at your highest, and then look at Christ, then go away and forever be humble."The truly humble are conscious of greatness before they are conscious of humility. The passage before us today says: "Jesus, with the full knowledge that the Father had put everything into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God, rose from the supper-table, took off his outer clothes, picked up a towel and fastened it round his waist ... and began to wash the disciples' feet" (John 13:3?5, J.
B. Phillips). The consciousness of greatness was the secret of our Lord's humility. The small dare not be humble. But Jesus' greatness was rooted in God. Being in God made Him great -- and humble. Great because humble -- humble because great.

A Hindu said to a missionary: "I used to believe in idols but now I don't believe in them at all. I am coming round to believe that I myself am a god." He gave up his idols and made one of himself! When we lose our perspective on God, we lose our perspective on humility. It is as simple as that: no true vision of God -- no true vision of humility.

Prayer:

O God, help me, in my effort to understand humility, always to remember that it springs from a consciousness of greatness. I want my sense of greatness to be rooted in You -- then humility follows as easily as day follows night. Amen.

For Further Study
Luke 22:24-30; Matt. 11:29; James 4:10
1. How did Jesus say we show greatness?
2. What was Jesus' testimony