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
July 17
How easy it is to become preoccupied with earthly things. This was the story of Demas. Paul says of his former co-worker, “For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica” (2 Tim 4:10). It was not the present evil world, as we sometimes misquote it. In fact, he seems to have gone to Thessalonica to work with the church there. But Paul states that his decision was based on the present, rather than on the eternal. A divided heart is a dangerous heart. As someone said, “Wouldn’t it be a terrible thing if, when you got to heaven, you discovered that all you had done on earth could have been done by someone who wasn’t even saved at all!” It is said of those called “the enemies of the cross of Christ” that they “mind earthly things” (Phil 3:18-19). John makes it clear that I can either love the Father or the world, but I cannot love both. As Charles Spurgeon said, “God save us from living in comfort while sinners are sinking into hell!”
Today’s Reading: Proverbs 19-21 Memorize: John 6:37July 16
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 19:14). I was flying from Vancouver to California and sitting beside a woman who seemed impervious to all my efforts at witnessing. She spoke about her recent happy divorce, her pub crawls, her karma. Then she asked: “So what do you do?” “I can answer that in four sentences. ‘All have sinned.’ ‘The soul that sins dies.’ ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.’ ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.’” “Helen Newfield!” she replied. “I haven’t thought of her in years.” “Who’s Helen Newfield?” I wondered. “We lived in a poor neighborhood but Helen lived in a beautiful farmhouse with a garden and a playhouse. She would invite us on Saturdays for a tea party and give us money if we memorized Bible verses. Those were some of the ones I memorized.” There was the seed—after all those years—waiting to be watered. Thank God for all the Helen Newfields!
Today’s Reading: Proverbs 16-18 Memorize: John 6:35July 15
Imputation means to reckon, or to put to one’s account. “And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God” (Jas 2:23). A similar verse in Galatians 3:6 renders the word as “accounted to him.” We have the idea of this double imputation in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For He has made Him to be sin for us, the One who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” Included here is the idea of Substitution, where one takes the place of another. An inspired illustration was seen when the offerer’s hands were placed on the head of the animal soon to be sacrificed. In the case of the sin offerings, there was the imputation of sin from the offerer to the offering. In the case of the sweet savor offerings, the acceptance of the offering was imputed to the offerer. NB: A different word is used in Romans 5:13 where “not imputed” means “not registered with complete clarity.”
Today’s Reading: Proverbs 13-15 Memorize: John 6:28-29July 14
“Jesus said, Take away the stone” (Jn 11:39). Sister Abigail tells the story of a girl she met called Annie. She had been treated roughly by her mother and, as a result, her spine was damaged and she was invalided. As she grew, she despised her mother for the damage she had done. Abigail took her into their home, and under loving care Annie trusted the Savior. In time, Annie wanted a way to help with her own expenses. Near the Townsend home was a dry goods store where four young Christian ladies worked. They had told Abbie they wanted a place to get away at noon and have a good lunch. Mr. Townsend allowed Annie to use a room in their house as a tea room, and soon the business was so successful that a store was rented. When Annie needed help, Abigail suggested she hire her mother—the mother, before Annie’s conversion, she positively hated. But Christ had changed her heart, and her gracious forgiveness led her mother to also seek the Lord’s forgiveness.
Today’s Reading: Proverbs 10-12 Memorize: John 5:25July 13
I came across a website where a questioner asks: “Can anyone share some [illustrations] that they feel are sound theologically but are very gospel-centered?” One responder wrote: “The one that comes to mind is a grave representing spiritual deadness, and that person cannot give birth to themselves.…The person should then ask, ‘Then it’s impossible, isn’t it?’ And this gives an opportunity to say that it is indeed impossible with men, but not with God.” No doubt people in their sins are spiritually dead (see Eph 2:5). But what does Scripture say regarding the spiritually dead? Must they first be made alive in order to hear? I’d take the Lord Jesus’ word on this: “He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live” (Jn 5:24-25). Hear Him and live!
Today’s Reading: Proverbs 5-9 Memorize: John 5:24July 12
I was speaking on the righteousness of God and that man is proved to have none. A local preacher suddenly asked, “If a father was to give his son a task that he knew he could not do and then, because he did not do it, he thrashed him, would that be right?” I said, “Suppose you are a lifeboat captain sent to rescue the crew of a ship going to pieces on the rocks. You would not tell them to do their part and meet you a hundred yards off. You would pull alongside, and take them from the breaking wreck. Should you be blamed for that?” He by this time had forgotten his half infidel question, and said, “No, I don’t think I should.” I then explained how Christ was sent to save those who were lost who could not save themselves. Moses’ law will no more help in the salvation of a sinful soul than the laws of navigation will help save the shipwrecked crew. Yet man is blind to the grace of God in sending the lifeboat, after first giving the law to convict man of need for a Savior. — C.S.
Today’s Reading: Proverbs 2-4 Memorize: John 5:21-23July 11
A large share of skeptics are mere triflers. Their professed skepticism is only an excuse for sin. As a rule it is not wise to spend much time on an individual of this class, but give him something that will sting his conscience… A skeptic may say, “The whole Bible is foolishness to me.” You can reply, “Yes, that’s exactly what God says. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:18, ‘The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.’… It is foolishness to you because you are perishing.” It may be well to leave the skeptic without another word, but be careful not to produce the impression that you are joking. These words may also be helpful: “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” (1 Jn 5:10-11 – R.A.Torrey
Today’s Reading: Psalms 149-150; Proverbs 1 Memorize: John 4:25-26