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
September 25
When Jim and Lil Dickson arrived in Taiwan (then Formosa) in 1927, .there was one unreached tribe of headhunters known as the Tyal (or Atayal) living in the mountains. Chi-oang, an elderly woman, was the first convert. Some objected to enrolling her in Bible school. What could this old woman do? But she persisted. The Japanese ruled the island from 1895 until 1945. But the elusive Tyal remained impervious to all attempts at Japanese control. Missionaries were forbidden to visit the Tyals and when Chi-oang began to travel with the gospel to her own people, they did everything they could to stop her, confiscating Bibles, and arresting those who listened to her. The missionaries were forced out at the start of WWII, but when they returned in 1946, they discovered 4,000 Tyal believers! When asked, “Who brought you the gospel?” they answered, “Chi-oang!” Young people had carried “the helpless old woman” from village to village with the good news of the Savior’s love.
Today’s Reading: Amos 1-3 Memorize: Romans 11:6September 24
If Christianity is so great, why are there so few Christians? Don’t underestimate how many the Lord will save. When Jesus said, “narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Mt 7:13-14), He was speaking about that generation of Jews, most of whom would reject Him. But was He speaking about all humanity? Will only a few be saved? Abraham was told that his spiritual children would be as numerous as the stars (Gen 22:17), and he believed God. John, on his tour of heaven, saw “a great multitude, which no man could number” who are saved, and he saw myriads more. But it is true that many refuse to come. Some want to suppress the truth (Rom 1:18); some stumble at its simplicity (Mt 18:3); others love their sin (Jn 3:19); still others cling in pride to their own efforts or religious notions. Yet even many of these, perhaps on their deathbeds, are rescued at the last, “like a firebrand plucked from the burning” (Amos 4:11)!
Today’s Reading: Joel 1-3 Memorize: Romans 10:11-13September 23
As a boy, I loved good Christian biographies. One day I found my father’s copy of Archibald Glover’s massive “A 1000 Miles of Miracle in China,” It is a must-read for serious saints. It tells the harrowing, miraculous story of some CIM missionaries fleeing the Boxers who were intent on killing “the foreign devils.” One scene is with me still. After unspeakable horrors, Glover’s pregnant wife, and mother of two young children, who had been such an example of faith, collapsed: “Oh, God has forsaken us! It can only be that we are not in His will or He would surely never have allowed us to come to this!” A fellow traveler, Miss Gates, knelt at her side and “holding her hand, she poured forth passage after passage, promise after promise, from the Scriptures, exalting His name, declaring His faithfulness…” “Instantly,” writes Glover, “the darkness was past…From that moment her glorious faith never wavered.” “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another” (1 Thess 5:11).
Today’s Reading: Hosea 12-14 Memorize: Romans 10:9-10September 22
There is today a pale, pathetic, and unflinching interpretation of the blessed gospel, which guarantees salvation as “a financially and socially upgrading experience”; then it finalizes the offer by “a superlative bonus in eternity and comfort world without end.” How different was Paul’s concept of a disciple of Christ! Look at his vivid interpretation: “I think God has exhibited us apostles as the lowest of the low—like gallows birds; for we have become a spectacle to the universe, both angels and men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, while you are most prudent Christians; we are feeble while you are strong; we are in disgrace while you are honored. To this very moment we are starving, thirsty, ragged, battered tramps; we are like the dregs and scum of society” (C. H. Dobb’s translation of 1 Cor 4:19-13). What an angry outburst this is at the Christianity of Paul’s day (and of our day, too), with vain effort to be acceptable to a Christ-hating world!— Leonard Ravenhill
Today’s Reading: Hosea 9-11 Memorize: Romans 10:4September 21
Is the Bible to be taken literally? Yes. And no. Like any great piece of literature, there are some literal, some figurative and metaphorical sections. If something is metaphorical, it does not mean it isn’t true; it is true but is being described in a different way. For example, we read about “chains of darkness” that imprison some rebellious angels (2 Pet 2:4). Are they literal chains? What good would iron chains be in holding spirit beings? But whatever they are, they do restrict the freedom of these angels. It should also be noted that some things are to be taken both literally and figuratively. Abraham’s “seed” are presented both literally (Rom 9:7) and figuratively (Gal 3:29). The Golden Rule of Bible interpretation has been stated as: When the plain sense makes common sense, seek no other sense. But we see that this is not the whole case. Instead, when we say we take the Bible literally, we mean we take it in its plain and obvious sense, unless indicated otherwise.
Today’s Reading: Hosea 6-8 Memorize: Romans 8:38-39September 20
“Neither were thankful” (Rom 1:21). Leonard Lindsted tells of an incident at a bus stop during the days of WWII. Rationing involved the use of “mills,” red plastic coins worth a fraction of a cent. A man dropped one, and it rolled through the crowd to Leonard’s feet. He picked it up and handed it back. “Thanks for a tenth of a cent!” the man said. “You’re welcome; you don’t meet many who would thank you for something like that.” “Whatever my faults, ingratitude isn’t one of them.” Lindsted saw the bus approaching. “I’m wondering, if you would express thanks for a mill, undoubtedly you would be thankful for even greater things.” “For example?” “Did you ever hear of the Lord Jesus?” “Yes, who hasn’t?” “Well you know He died on the cross for our sins. I never knew that till a few years ago. I thanked Him for dying for me. Tell me, when did you thank Him for dying for you?” A tinge of red crept into his cheek. With an inscrutable look, he disappeared onto the bus.
Today’s Reading: Hosea 1-5 Memorize: Romans 8:16-17September 19
My beloved first-born son and his precious wife have such a challenge with two special needs sons. As I grieved for them recently on a family holiday, the question gripped me, “Are you more compassionate than their heavenly Father?” Would I be like the one who snipped the restrictive opening of the chrysalis of an Emperor moth, only to watch the ease of the creature’s exit turn to tragedy? The struggles were needed to force the expansion of the wings, without which the moth could never fly. It has been well said that God had one Son without sin, but none without suffering. Those who question what has been called the “hardness of God’s love” unwisely fancy themselves more merciful than “the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort” (2 Cor 1:3). I don’t know what aspect of Christ’s loveliness is being worked into the characters of those I see suffering, but I know they will consider it to have been worth it when they at last are brought “to glory” (Heb 2:10).
Today’s Reading: Daniel 10-12 Memorize: Romans 8:1-2