This perpetual calendar includes:
- Remarkable testimonies of souls won to the Savior
- Explanations of gospel concepts
- Answers to frequently-asked questions
- Stories of real-life witnessing opportunities
- Encouragements and tips for sharing the glorious gospel
June 12
“I being in the way, the Lord led me” (Gen 24:27). I was packing for a coastal boat trip in Iceland. With a prayer for guidance, I was selecting some leaflets that explained God’s good news when my eye fell on some French ones. I took them with me…After steaming round the coast for some days, the shipwrecked crew of a French trawler was taken on board. I got in touch with the captain and asked him how many the crew numbered. “Twenty-three,” he replied. I told him I had something for them to read, but was not sure if I had enough. I went below and hunted for the French tracts. There were exactly twenty-three! Some may put such things down to coincidence. If such incidents were rare, that would be reasonable. But when similar instances occur time after time, especially synchronizing with times of prayer, and are common in the live of thousands of believers, the proof of God’s care is difficult to refute. — Arthur Gook, Can a Young Man Trust His God? pp 9-10
Today’s Reading: Psalms 54-56 Memorize: Luke 9:35June 11
The message we preach is “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) for now grace reigns in life and through righteousness (Rom 5:17, 21). It is “the gospel of His Son” (Rom 1:9) for God gave His only Son that He might bring many sons to glory (Heb 2:10). It is also “the gospel of Christ” (Rom 1:16), the climax to the story of the long-promised Messiah; this fulfillment of God’s promises is the message of which Paul was not ashamed (he uses it 10x). And “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace” (Rom 10:15) for it is the Word of Reconciliation. Thus sinners can also claim it as “the Word of Truth, the gospel of your salvation” (Eph 1:13). Finally it is “the gospel of the glory of the blessed God” (1 Tim 1:11, r.v.). George Goodman writes: “What a wondrous title! It means that God in it reveals His true character, for glory is manifested character. He is seen to be love; His righteousness is vindicated; His grace satisfied; and His holy Name is honored.”
Today’s Reading: Psalms 51-53 Memorize: Luke 5:24June 10
A.T. Pierson told of Alexander MacLaren using the illustration of a compass “with one foot firmly set in the true center, and the other describing a circle which, while that center was preserved, could not possibly err in width or range of circumference. Our first necessity is to get the truth center and fix there the point of our compass, and then, however wide the circle of our activity, we shall always be right, scriptural, spiritual; and, on the contrary, if we have not the true center and do not keep it, our best enterprises, by whatever name called, will be more or less failures.” Pierson adds, “If we are to sweep a wider circle of power round now unoccupied territory, and have real progress rather than apparent and superficial advance, the compass of all our plans must fix its foot in the firm, pivotal center of believing prayer and the higher holiness that is bound up inseparably with devout and privileged communion with God.” — Forward Movements of the Last Half Century, pp viii-ix
Today’s Reading: Psalms 48-50 Memorize: Luke 4:22June 9
“There is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee” (Ps 73:25). In his book Heaven’s Cure for Earth’s Care, George Henderson tells the following story: A Christian woman who had just finished reading T.H. Huxley’s Life and Letters was asked with some anxiety by a friend whether her faith had suffered any eclipse under the shadow of a mind so brilliant and so utterly unbelieving as the great scientist’s. “Oh, no,” she answered, “my need went so much deeper than anything Professor Huxley had to offer. I was like a lost child looking for its mother, to whom someone insists on showing a piece of embroidery. What would that mother’s handiwork matter to the agonized little child until it was safe in her loving arms? And what are all the marvels of God’s creation to me, though Professor Huxley sets them forth as no one ever saw them before, unless I have found Him for whom my soul longs unspeakably—the Lord my God, my Father, my Friend, my Savior!” (pp 48-49)
Today’s Reading: Psalms 45-47 Memorize: Luke 3:21-22June 8
J.F. Strombeck, in his book, So Great Salvation, suggests God’s salvation is great because it is available to such a great number: “the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe” (Rom 3:22). As well, it is great because of what was required to accomplish it: Christ must be “made in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom 8:3) must “suffer for sin” (1 Pet 3:18), must be “made sin” for us (2 Cor 5:21), as well as being made a curse for us (Gal 3:13), to name a few. It is also great because of what it includes: deliverance from the reign of Satan, redemption from the penalty of God’s law, all trespasses forgiven, reconciliation to God, and being born again by God, so he is made part of a new creation in Christ. The Holy Spirit is given to dwell within him forever and he is also sealed by the same Spirit. In fact, every provision is made through this salvation. But of course salvation is also great because it is our great Savior who made it possible.
Today’s Reading: Psalms 40-44 Memorize: Luke 1:35June 7
Abdullah did not see why the Messiah must die for our sins. I took him to Genesis, telling him the story of a holy, faithful, and loving God who created humans to enjoy a close relationship with Himself. Next, we heard of God’s prohibition to Adam (2:16-17). I asked Abdullah, “Did God tell Adam that if he ate the forbidden fruit he must begin to pray, fast, give alms, and perform good deeds to ‘balance out’ his bad deeds?” “No!” replied Abdullah, “God told Adam, ‘In the day you eat of it, you will surely die!’” By going back to this original story, Abdullah understood that the penalty for sin was death and separation from God (something his religion had not taught him). In Genesis 3, we saw how sin infected the human family, but that, on the same day, God gave a promise to send a Savior and painted a picture (the first blood sacrifice for sinners and a covering for their shame). By the death of an innocent victim, God could punish sin without punishing the sinner. — P. B.
Today’s Reading: Psalms 37-39 Memorize: Mark 14:55-56June 6
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9). Repentance simply means “a change of mind.” Man naturally does not think rightly about himself, sin, God, or the way of salvation. In order to be saved, he must be re-educated by the Word of truth. This change of thinking should lead to believing God: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17). In reality, repentance is agreeing with God concerning the verdict that I deserve to be executed for my sins. Such repentance should evidence itself in “fruits” or “works” suitable for repentance (Mt 3:8; Acts 26:20). If a person is told something he did not know before, for example that the road he was traveling ended in a precipice, a change of mind would surely lead to a change of direction, otherwise he has not truly had a change of mind, has he?
Today’s Reading: Psalms 34-36 Memorize: Mark 10:15