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
January 11
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee” (Ps 119:11). My Bible teaches that if a man can bridle his tongue, he can bridle his whole body (see Jas 3:2). That was one of the first lessons I learned in my Christian life… My tongue began to be bridled by my heart, that was bridled by the Lord and His Word. Immediately after my conversion I began learning Bible verses, and I learned one a day for the first three years. In those years I learned my first thousand verses. A preacher said to me when I went to him for help about leading others to Christ, “I’ll tell you something. There is an answer in the Bible for every excuse that any man can give for not coming to Christ.” I believed him. Then I went alone to God in prayer and said, “God, if there is an answer to any man’s excuse, I promise You that I will never be caught on the same excuse twice.” That is but a little promise to make, but it changed the course of my life.—Dawson Trotman
Today’s Reading: Genesis 32-34 Memorize: 1 Chronicles 29:11-12January 10
“Pray for them…” (Mt 5:44). A survey prepared at Fuller Seminary was taken of 750 Muslims from 30 countries who had received the Lord Jesus. Here are the top five reasons that these Muslim considered Christ. 1. A true Christian lifestyle, a consistent testimony, the love Christians showed, plus respectful treatment of women. 2. The power of God in answered prayer, especially influential in countries isolated from other Christian influence. 3. Discontent with Islam, unhappiness with the Qur’an’s emphasis on God’s punishment, and no certainty of entrance into Paradise. 4. The ring of truth in the Bible, in spite of Muslim teaching that the Bible is corrupted. These Christians said the Bible proved itself, showing them their sin and the provision of God’s love in the Savior. 5. The Bible’s teaching about God’s love. The truth that God’s love was for all people, and therefore unconditional, is a moving thought to Muslims—as it should be to us all. —CT Leadership Journal
Today’s Reading: Genesis 29-31 Memorize: 2 Samuel 22:31January 9
“Are you saved, sir?” Harry Ironside asked a man at the close of a gospel meeting. “No, I can’t say I am, but I would like to be.” “Why? Do you realize you are a lost sinner?” “Of course, we’re all sinners.” “But are you a sinner yourself?” “I suppose so, but not what you’d call a bad sinner. I think I’m rather a good one. I always try to do the best.” “Then I fear there is little use showing you the way of salvation. Good sinners, together with honest liars, upright thieves, and virtuous scoundrels are far from ready to submit to God’s grace, which is only for poor, hell-deserving sinners who have no goodness to plead, but are ready to be saved alone by the work of the Lord Jesus.” Further conversation showed that the man was far from ready to be saved and would, according to his own declaration, take “his chances” as he was. “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God” (Rom 10:3).
Today’s Reading: Genesis 26-28 Memorize: 2 Samuel 14:14
January 8
Is there a difference between the teaching of Paul and James on whether a person is saved by faith alone or by faith plus works? Paul writes: “If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. What does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Rom 4:2-3). James says: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?” (Jas 2:21-22). Note the chronology of the events in Genesis 15:6; 17:11; and chapter 22. There is no contradiction. Abraham was declared right by simply taking God at His word (Gen 15). Later, he fulfilled the rite of circumcision (ch 17), unnecessary for his justification since that had already occurred. Much later, his offering of Isaac proved the reality of his faith in God’s word alone. We are justified by faith; if our faith is true, it will be justified by our works.
Today’s Reading: Genesis 23-25 Memorize: 1 Samuel 2:3
January 7
A key Bible word is justification, defined as “to judicially declare right so as to have the force of law.” A person is “justified freely by His grace” (Rom 3:24); “justified by faith” (Rom 3:28); “justified by His blood” (Rom 5:9); “justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor 6:11); and “by works a man is justified” (Jas 2:24). We also read that Christ was “raised again for our justification” (Rom 4:25). We might say that the grace of God is the motive for His providing justification, faith is the human response to His offer, the blood of Christ the price paid to effect it, the Spirit is the agent who accomplishes it, works are the evidence, and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus the guarantee. If you have received Christ as your Savior, you may say: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies” (Rom 8:32-33).
Today’s Reading: Genesis 19-22 Memorize: Deuteronomy 33:27
January 6
“The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls” (Lev 17:11). In his remarkable book, More Than Meets the Eye (p 26), physician Richard Swenson writes: “Red blood cells are tiny but plentiful. We each make over two million RBCs every second…If we took them all out of our body and laid them side by side they would go around the earth at the equator four times. I wonder if God paused when deciding to create red blood cells, realizing that His Son would die by shedding them. How much blood did Christ actually shed? We have no way of knowing. But without a doubt, He shed at least one red blood cell for every human who ever lived.” “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Eph 1:7). “Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood” (Rom 3:25). “Being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (5:9). Remember you’re blood-bought today!
Today’s Reading: Genesis 16-18 Memorize: Deuteronomy 32:29
January 5
“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?” (Lk 15:4). A blind woman once came to me and said, “Do you think that my blindness will hinder me from working for the Master?” “Not at all; it may be a great help, for others seeing your blindness may speak to you, and then you will have the opportunity of giving your testimony for Christ and leading them to the Savior.” “That’s not what I want,” she replied. “It seems to me a waste of time when one might be speaking to five or six hundred at once.” I answered that our Lord was able to speak to more than five thousand at once, yet He never thought personal work beneath His dignity or His gifts. Indeed, it was the work the Savior loved to do. We have more instances of our Savior’s personal work recorded in the Gospels than of His preaching. The one who is above personal work is above his Master. —R.A. Torrey
Today’s Reading: Genesis 13-15 Memorize: Deuteronomy 32:3-4