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| 1. | The Pharisees |
| "Pharisees―outwardly but not inwardly religious; self-righteous and censorious of other's manners and morals." -Webster The Pharisees were a sanctimonious sect in Jerusalem 2000 years ago. It was one of their number who "went up into the temple to pray" and said, "God, I thank Thee that I am not |
| 2. | Fatal Inattention |
| It was a cold, clear winter morning, and Scott decided to walk to work. He was young and healthy, and the thought of a brisk walk in the cold air was appealing. Sticking his radio in his jacket pocket, he clipped the earphones over his ears and started out. Not |
| 3. | Rescued! |
| Many years ago my parents with their eight children were returning home from a visit at my grandparents' home across the state. Though only six years old at the time, I remember so well the near tragedy that occurred. |
| 4. | "Doctor, Don't Let Me Die!" |
| The resident doctor bowed his head in silent prayer to God for help in this newest case brought into the burn ward. The patient, scarcely twenty years old, had been burned over 95% of his body. He was the victim of a fiery truck accident. At the bedside was his |
| 5. | "No Profit" or "Great Gain" |
| Which are you working for: "No Profit" or "Great Gain"? Which is to be yours as the result of all your toil and labor in life? Are you wisely directing your efforts? Are you employing your energies in the right direction to get the best reward for their expenditure? |
| 6. | Christ Is Coming! |
| "What's coming out of all this?" exclaimed a very bewildered man as he read the news headlines reporting the earth-shaking events occurring almost everywhere today. To this a Christian gave the following reply: |
| 7. | The Cave |
| It wasn't too easy to reach the cave. It meant a hike through the woods and then a scramble, helped along with ropes, to the mouth of the cave. But the little group of campers followed their guide manfully and at last they were inside. |
| 8. | Just as You Are |
| How many there are who think that they must feel differently, or that they must improve their condition before they come to Jesus! That is a mistake. |
| 9. | Jesus Gave Her Water |
| You would have loved Aunt Gertie. We met her first in a little gospel hall in Gordon Bay, Ontario. She was very old―one of the pioneers―and had attended the meetings there all her long, strenuous life. Her face was all furrows and wrinkles, her hands work worn and hard. But |
| 10. | "Just Lippen to Jesus" |
| In the broad Scotch translation of the New Testament, the word "lippen" is used for the English word "believe." For example, John 3:16 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) reads: "For God se loved the world as to gie His Son, the only begotten ane, that like ane wha lippen till him sudna dee, but |
| 11. | ”Are You Crazy?” |
| Joe, a college student, was returning to his dorm late one night when he stopped his car for a traffic light. A man jumped into the seat beside him and roughly thrust a gun against his side, ordering, "Drive on, and don't do anything to attract attention!" |
| 12. | Healed |
| "There never was such misery as mine," said poor, sick Barbara as she tossed restlessly on the hospital bed. "I don't think there ever was such pain!" |
| 13. | My Sinful Nature |
| An apple tree bears apples. The apples are the fruit of the tree, but are not the tree itself. The tree is that upon which the apples grow, and if each apple were picked off, the tree would still be an apple tree. Its nature would remain unchanged. |
| 14. | Opportunity |
| A criminal, who had never before heard of God's love to sinners, was condemned to die. According to his country's laws he had no hope of receiving mercy for his crimes. However, one who had himself received forgiveness for all his sins told God's message to the condemned man. |
| 15. | A Tale of Two Horses |
| Many years ago, not far from our farm was a pasture where droves of unwanted horses were processed for fox food and dog food. To me it was a dreadful place. |
| 16. | The Joy of Salvation |
| The only people on earth who know lasting happiness or have an entrance into the joys of salvation are true "born again" Christians. Knowing that their sins have been forgiven and washed away by the precious blood of Christ, and that they are saved for all eternity, what could |
| 17. | A Useless Ticket |
| How wonderful it seems to ride above clouds, high above the earth, looking down on the world beneath. The time it takes to fly from one place to another is so short that we hardly realize the distance. |
| 18. | The Smoke Alarm |
| Too late―too late! The fire had too great a head start, and when the fire fighters arrived, the fierce heat prevented them from going inside until the flames were brought under control. Then the sad search began, and soon the bodies were brought out―one―and another―and another. Three people lay dead |
| 19. | "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus" |
| Years ago a great conference of religions was held in Chicago. Practically every religion in the world was represented, and the delegates heard many great speeches and discussions. |
| 20. | Dream or Reality? |
| A dream? No, it was a nightmare! |
| 21. | The Fear of Death |
| There was once a dear old Scotch woman who wanted badly to go to the city of Edinburgh, but for years she could not be persuaded to take the railway journey because of her great dread of a tunnel through which she would have to pass. One day circumstances arose |
| 22. | Have You Raised Anchor? |
| Two drunken sailors wished to cross an arm of the sea in Scotland one night. The inlet was not wide, and usually it was crossed in twenty minutes. The two sailors were anxious to get over as quickly as possible and, getting in their boat, they set out with all |
| 23. | Still Waiting |
| I went to visit a fisherman who was deeply concerned as to his soul's salvation. "I am lost!" he said. "There is no grace for me. I did not open my heart when the Savior stood before its door, knocking. Now He has gone away." |
| 24. | "This Man Receiveth Sinners" - Luke 15:2 |
| 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. (Luke 15:2) It is interesting to notice four classes of people who are mentioned in the gospel of Luke as receiving blessing. |
| 25. | Rich for a Moment |
| A ship was sinking off the coast of South America. Part of its cargo was a large shipment of Spanish coins. In the hope of saving some of them, a number of boxes were brought on deck, but the ship was sinking so fast that the sailors soon realized their |
| 26. | I Want More Time |
| An old woman of eighty wanted to become a Christian, but she had a problem. So she asked several Christian friends to come and talk with her. They urged her to accept Jesus as her Savior. |
| 27. | Because God Says It |
| Elsie, with her box of water colors, was coloring pretty texts. Her aunt, suffering from a burnt foot, was unable to go out, so Elsie, desiring to keep her company, was painting texts to be given to the crippled boys and girls in the Children's Hospital. |
| 28. | The Lost Sheep Found |
| On the battlefield lay the wounded soldier. Around him were dead comrades who had fallen in the struggle, and he, weak with the loss of blood, feared his end was near. |
| 29. | Pathan or Christian? |
| In India there lived a Kazi (a judge of a civil court) who was also a Pathan and a Mohammedan. Soon after trusting in Jesus Christ as his Savior, he went back to his frontier home in Afghanistan where he was entertained by his brother. |
| 30. | Saved by a Thread |
| A tall chimney had been completed and the scaffolding was being removed. One man remained on the top to supervise the process. All seemed to go well, except one detail had been overlooked. A rope should have been left for him to descend by, but somehow it had been forgotten. |
| 31. | A Need That Is Greater |
| A man who had been sick for thirty-eight years lay beside the Pool of Bethesda. We read of him in John, chapter 5, verses 2 through 15. He had no friend to put him in the water, and lay helpless while others stepped down before him. |
| 32. | The Cure for Fear |
| The patient was known to be dying. All that doctors, medicine, and hospital care could do had been done, and nothing remained but to make his last days as comfortable as possible. The doctor, a caring, compassionate person, stopped often by the hospital room for a "cheering-up" visit. |
| 33. | "Pull Over" |
| The eastbound lanes of the four-lane highway were jammed bumper-to-bumper with commuters on their way into the city to work. Impatient motorists jockeyed for position in the never-ending stream of humanity. |
| 34. | Jesus Is Enough |
| In a large hospital lay a young Irish boy of about 15 years of age, but who looked less than 12. His body was undersized, and emaciated, and his small, pinched face was white and sad. Small wonder that he excited the sympathy of a missionary visiting the ward! |
| 35. | A Friend of Sinners |
| "A friend of sinners!" What a name―what a title to give anyone! What man of the world would not consider it a disgrace to be called "a friend of sinners"? And yet that was what they called Jesus when He was here upon earth. |
| 36. | Nine Religions |
| A man said he had tried nine religions, and had even been baptized in three different faiths, but none had helped him. |
| 37. | Confession |
| Perhaps you have already come to Christ and have been saved by Him. If so, God knows this, and you know it, but God wants you to let others know it. He wants you to own that you belong to Christ. This is what is meant by "confession." |
| 38. | Skrudur Rock |
| On December 27, 1986, a British tanker sailed right into the Skrudur Rock off the east coast of Iceland. The ship, named the "Syneta," was dashed to pieces. |
| 39. | Board the Train to Life |
| A poor immigrant was discovered walking on the tracks of a railroad in New Jersey. On his back he carried a huge bundle, and as he trudged on, tired and lame, he resembled the man in Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress with his burden. |
| 40. | A Moment of Time |
| It is in a moment that the most solemn of all decisions is made―the soul's surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ. The soul itself, amid the conflict of emotions, may scarcely be able to tell the precise moment when the Yes is spoken, or it may have been back |
| 41. | Will You Live to Be 100? |
| Since the Social Security Administration began to keep records of old age in this country, there has been a great change. Here are some of their figures: |
| 42. | Be Prepared! |
| Bobby Leach was the second person to brave Niagara Falls and live. He performed his death-defying stunt when he was 49 years old―sealed in a barrel. |
| 43. | Too Cheap |
| A preacher of the gospel had gone down into a coal mine during the noon hour, to tell the miners of the grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ. After telling them the simple story of God's love to lost sinners, of man's state and God's remedy―the offer of |
| 44. | "Let Go of Your Rope" |
| All bound and secured in his flotation vest, (Which oversized garment he clutched to his chest,) |
| 45. | Dennis the Cat |
| Dennis was uneasy. One minute, he had been sleeping soundly, enjoying a real "catnap". The next, wide awake, he had a sudden sense of something wrong. |
| 46. | Blind Landing |
| On a dare from his copilot, the pilot of a Soviet airliner attempted a blind landing and crashed. |
| 47. | A Great Deliverance |
| Sailor Bob sat in a bar with his friend, Jack. He had just returned from a long voyage, and now he was busy catching up on his drinking. |
| 48. | Delivered From the "Pit" |
| With a drink in my hand, a girl at my side, in a jammed crowd in a New York night club listening to one of the top bands―who would have thought the time was going to end in tears rather than cheers? As I sat high-spirited at the lounge table |
| 49. | Will Come |
| The last opportunity of hearing God's gospel
WILL COME.
The last opportunity of accepting it
WILL COME.
The last moment of your life on earth
WILL COME!
"Boast not thyself of
TOMORROW,
For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." |
| 50. | Behold the Man |
| "How disappointing! He didn't keep his promise. When we elected him we were sure he would change things." |
| 51. | The Gospel of Joy |
| The gospel of Christ is a gospel of joy. Never forget that the gospel is "good tidings of great joy." That is how it is described in the Book of books―the Bible. And do not forget the words that follow: "Which shall be to all people." Luke 2:10 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. (Luke 2:10). It |
| 52. | Standing Before the Judge |
| Standing before the judge was a brazen young man who had just been convicted of committing a crime. The judge, having found him guilty, uttered the sentence: "Thirty days in jail!" |
| 53. | He Took My Whipping for Me |
| Many years ago, there was a certain school, among the mountains of Virginia, which no teacher could handle. The boys were so rough that the teachers resigned. |
| 54. | A Happy Ending |
| "And they lived happily ever after." A "happy ending"―now, that's the way for a story to end. All troubles over, all problems solved, all relationships neatly worked out, and nothing ahead but enjoyment of the new and permanent pleasures. |
| 55. | Thirsty |
| "Just give me a glass of cold water, please." |
| 56. | How Do You Olean House? |
| Some of the ancient cliff-dwellers of Arizona had an interesting way of cleaning house. The smoke of their fires filled their old stone dwellings and covered their walls with a black layer of soot. When this became intolerable they did not wash or scrape it off, but calmly went to |
| 57. | A Message of Mercy |
| A man stood looking into the water as a scrap of paper came floating down the stream, tossed from ripple to ripple. "I am just as helpless," said he to himself, "borne downwards by a tide which I cannot stem, and from which I cannot escape. There is no one |
| 58. | The Convict |
| "Well, friend, you haven't much longer to serve," said a guard to a convict. "What do you think of doing when you leave here?" |
| 59. | What Is "Grace"? |
| What is the meaning of grace? Grace is free, undeserved, unmerited favor. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Rom. 3:23, 24 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (Romans 3:23-24). Because of Christ's work on the cross, |
| 60. | The Red Light |
| It was a stormy night, about thirty years ago, and we were rushing along on the Midnight Express at top speed. As we roared around a curve I suddenly saw a red light flash right in front of us, and my heart almost stopped. |
| 61. | Are We Free? |
| The Roman philosopher, Epictetus, said, "No man is free who is not master of himself." If we are free, how can we explain the addicts of drink and drugs, the chain smokers, the slaves of passion and pleasure? |
| 62. | The Gospel Message |
| Christ's words to a ruler of the Jews come ringing down through the ages: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3). |
| 63. | Caught" “Red-Handed” |
| The bank teller lifted shocked, unbelieving eyes to the man in front of her window. This couldn't be happening to her! It was mid-morning in a new and beautiful suburban shopping center bank; this was no place to be face-to-face with terror. |
| 64. | Memories |
| Some things just don't last. A beautiful sunset, a special occasion―these things pass away. Once on a beautiful autumn day I walked through the woods in North Carolina, crossed a small stream, clambered up a steep hillside and found myself in a tree-lined meadow. It was gorgeous! The meadow was |
| 65. | Just Another Day |
| It was just one day a normal day in just one town, a very average, normal town. Look at the news reports: |
| 66. | The Kloof of the Crying Child |
| There is a story, a legend, that is told around the fires in Africa when the day's work is done. In South Africa there is a kloof―a glen―called the Kloof of the Crying Child. As the story goes, it is haunted by a strange demon from whose power some have |
| 67. | Asleep in a Burning Bed |
| The mattress was on fire, smoke was pouring from the room, and a policeman was shaking him but he still slept on! |
| 68. | "Far Too Easy a Way" |
| The simplicity of the gospel prompts many people to say that believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is "far too easy" a way to get to heaven. |
| 69. | I Can Do Nothing |
| In one of the wards of a hospital lay a man, dying. A servant of Christ told him of God's free grace, of His willingness to save, and how He had saved the thief on the cross. The sick man said, "I believe it all." |
| 70. | Don’t Panic |
| King's Cross Station is a busy place, the busiest station in London. Five subway lines are served there, as well as British Rail trains. Throngs of commuters pass through it daily, the flow of traffic changing direction with the time of day. |
| 71. | Pain |
| Albert was lying in the hospital in much pain. It was difficult to talk with him because spasms of pain were causing him to groan and cry out. |
| 72. | Choose Life! |
| It was near the close of a long and tiring day. We had been visiting among Indians at a reserve in the north, and had spoken to all who would listen about the love and grace of God in offering a full and free salvation to any sinner who turned |
| 73. | A Pauper's Grave |
| Big headlines proclaimed: "HEIR TO FOUR MILLION DOLLARS IN PAUPER'S GRAVE." A newspaper reporter, writing about it, said: "Every heir to four million, or four hundred million, lies in a pauper's grave. Every corpse is a pauper. 'There are no pockets in shrouds,' no bank accounts in the place to |
| 74. | For Seeking Souls |
| "Oh that I knew where I might find Him!" |
| 75. | Heather’s Rescue |
| The railroad ran right through the farm where little Heather lived, and one warm summer day she was having fun walking along the tracks in her bare feet, trying to keep her balance on the rails. Pete, her little dog, was scampering along beside her. |
| 76. | "Never Enough!" |
| Perry Ellis "had it all." A designer who had won eight Coty awards, he was at the top of his profession. He was at the head of a multi-million dollar business, with one of the most beautiful showrooms in New York City. Charm and talent had won tremendous popularity for |
| 77. | The Last |
| There is an end to everything here. There is the last year, the last day, the last invitation to come to Christ, and the last offer of pardon. Yes, the last time will come when those eyes of yours will see the bright sunlight. Then the last beat and throb |
| 78. | The Love of God |
| Do you think that God's salvation, as a gift, is too easy? True, all you need to do is receive that gift, and with it you are assured of eternal life. |
| 79. | Maximilian Kolbe |
| A remarkable thing happened during the last days of July, 1941, at the dreaded Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. A prisoner escaped from Block 14! The next day Deputy Commander Fritsch arrived in crisply pressed uniform and shining jack boots. He ordered all the prisoners to line up in the |
| 80. | Only a Touch |
| Poor woman! She had suffered for twelve years, and had been to many physicians, but nothing had helped her. In fact, she was only growing worse. In her search for healing she had spent all that she had― hopeless, penniless, she had no other resource. |
| 81. | "If a Man Does the Best He Can" |
| "I don't believe in your doctrine," said a sailor to a Christian. "My opinion is that if a man does the best he can, it will be all right with him in the end." |
| 82. | The ''Robber's Bible |
| The time: about two hundred years ago. |
| 83. | God Will Not Sell His Blessing |
| Money cannot buy God's blessing; if it could, the rich alone could claim it, and the poor would go wanting forever. But God has made His salvation free; it is an absolute gift from Him to all who will receive it. |
| 84. | Opportunity |
| A criminal, who had never before heard of God's love to sinners, was condemned to die. According to his country's laws he had no hope of receiving mercy for his crimes. However, one who had himself received forgiveness for all his sins told God's message to the condemned man. |
| 85. | How Foolish We Are! |
| Times were bad and money was scarce. Poor Mary Smith watched her bills mounting up and her rent getting farther and farther behind, and was terrified. Surely the landlord would soon be at her door with an eviction notice and she would be put out on the street. How could |
| 86. | Here I Am!” |
| Heavy storms had been sweeping across the flat Louisiana parishes, and thunder was still muttering in the distance when a small boat set out on Lake Bistineau. It was not a good time to take a boat out, but lawyer Graves Thomas wouldn't wait any longer. He just had to |
| 87. | Dear to God |
| What is man? |
| 88. | Happiness |
| `Tis Jesus only that can give |
| 89. | Procrastination |
| The steamship, Central America, on a voyage from New York to San Francisco, sprung a serious leak in mid-ocean. Another vessel, seeing her distress, bore down toward her. Perceiving the danger to be imminent, the captain of the rescue ship spoke to the Central America, asking, "What is |