Episode | 365 Christian Men

November 30. Robert Boyle. Not only was Robert a pioneer in scientific methods, the characteristics of air, and how gasses behave, but he was also a clear thinker about the things of God.

He wrote, “I am not a Christian, because it is the Religion of my Country and my Friends. I admit no man’s Opinions in the whole lump.” He goes on to say that he sometimes has disagreed with scientists and with the clergy. He wrote, “And when I choose to travel in the beaten Road, ’tis not because I find ’tis the Road, but because I judge ’tis the Way.”

On this date in 1660, Robert helped start the Royal Society of London, a group set up to promote scientific learning through experimentation—the world’s first such organization. Here’s his story.

Stand in the freedom of faith, and think outside the box!

Anyone who’s been to high school and done a science experiment can thank Robert. When he was born in 1627, even the idea of conducting an experiment was controversial! Scientists thought they could “discover” things by arguing within the confines of the rules of logic. Aristotle and others had established these rules 2,000 years before.

But Robert was different. He wanted to make discoveries by observing nature and drawing conclusions from what actually happened, not by dissecting somebody’s centuries-old ideas. He believed it was his duty to look for God’s purposes in nature.

Nature was God’s handiwork, so if you studied it, you would also learn more about God and His goodness.

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20 NIV).

Robert’s inquisitive faith gave him the desire to explore the hidden wonders of science.

You probably learned Boyle’s Law in chemistry class—the pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to the volume it occupies—and it was Robert who discovered it through this wonderful new idea of experimentation.

His early publications detailed how to perform a controlled experiment. Words like procedure, observation, and apparatus began with Robert. He even wrote a long paper on the sole topic of repeating “failed” experiments to learn from them.

Robert believed that if he thought outside the box instead of looking for what he wanted to see, he could discover something new. “Even when we find not what we seek,” he said, “we find something as well worth seeking as what we missed.”

When Robert first published his work based on controlled experiments, people ridiculed him. But he had to challenge the status quo and refuse to listen to his detractors.

Instead of giving in to criticism, Robert simply tried harder to document his work and prove his point. Over time, he won the respect of the scientific community.

As Robert took copious notes during his controlled experiments and published his results, other great thinkers were drawn to him. A group of them, who eventually became the Royal Society, met regularly to discuss their “out-of-box” thinking and to compare notes about their experiments.

Robert continued to experiment and then publish the results of his work, and he continued to question. He named his books things like The Sceptical Chymist and New Experiments and Observations. His work disproved many of Aristotle’s theories and opened brand-new fields like chemistry. Robert became so respected that the King of England sometimes dropped by to ask him scientific questions!

As Robert became popular for his scientific breakthroughs, he continued to have to fight the status quo. He was asked to be the president of the Royal Society, but he declined because he didn’t want to be bound to the Society’s oath. The upper crust of England’s social structure wanted to draw him into high society, but being popular took away from the things he really cared about.

How can thinking outside of the box expand your impact on the world? Stand in the freedom of faith, and think outside the box!

Burling, Alexis. Robert Boyle. Leaders of the Scientific Revolution. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2018.

Principe, Lawrence M. “Robert Boyle: Anglo-Irish philosopher and writer.” Britannica. Accessed August 21, 2020. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Boyle.

“Robert Boyle (1627 – 1691).” BBC: History. Accessed August 21, 2020. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/boyle_robert.shtml.

“The History of the Royal Society of London.” MacTutor. Accessed August 21, 2020. http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Honours/RShistory.html.

Story read by: Joel Carpenter

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November 29. Titus Coan. In the early 1830s, in the United States, Titus went in to a revival led by his cousin Asahel Nettleton and came out believing in Jesus. After his early training, Titus arrived in Hawaii, where he partnered with missionaries Sarah and David Lyman. The Lymans manned the outpost in Hilo, and Titus became a traveling evangelist. On this date in 1836, Titus made his first evangelical tour of Hawaii.

He journaled: “[There were] no roads, no bridges, and no horses in Hilo, and all my tours were made on foot.” So Titus learned the language and planned traveling/preaching tours, and he told everyone with breath that Jesus is Lord, and He’s here now, and He wants a life with you. Thousands of people poured into the Kingdom of God.

“Now they rallied in masses,” Titus wrote, “[they] were eager to hear the word.” And “The word fell with power, and sometimes as the feeling deepened, the vast audience was moved and swayed like a forest in a mighty wind. The word became like the ‘fire and the hammer’ of the Almighty.… Hopeful converts were multiplied, and there was great joy in the city.”

In 1836, the local church had had only 23 members. Soon, they had to build a second church that would hold 2,000, and that was packed almost to the point of suffocation. But there was tragedy too. A tsunami hit—with all its atrocity.

Titus wrote: “This event, falling as it did like a bolt of thunder from a clear sky, greatly impressed the people. It was as the voice of God speaking to them out of heaven, ‘Be ye also ready.’”

This revival made such an impact that within a single generation, the Hawaiian ruler Kamehameha III declared his kingdom to be a Christian nation. In today’s story, Titus is on an early evangelical tour.

No obstacle can block God’s plan for God’s man.

As Titus headed for his next preaching stop, the Hawaiian sky was blue, and the peaceful stream gurgled gently near where Titus stood. But a thunderous rumbling broke the stillness. And he jumped.

“Awiwi! Awiwi!” running natives called out. “O pea oe ika wai!” Quick! Quick or the waters will stop you!

His native companions ran downstream and leaped nimbly from boulder to boulder. Heart pounding, Titus grabbed his pole. He followed the natives and used the eight-foot-long stick for balance. Upstream, a column of turbulent water—maybe six feet tall—pounded toward him. Stunned, he stopped.

“Awiwi! Awiwi!” The cries broke through the haze of fear. And Titus splashed to the other side. He reached the bank right before the wall of water crashed down and swept past. His companions slapped him on the back, wide grins stretching across their faces. “When you hear the sound of many waters, you must move quickly, or you will be late to preach,” one said.

Or dead, Titus thought, and he nodded, too shaken to speak.

His companions picked up the calabash—a large gourd that stored their provisions, and Titus signaled he was ready. He wouldn’t miss a single appointment on this sixty-mile preaching tour. Everyone in his district needed the Gospel.

At the next village, men, women, and children gathered. Titus prayed silently. His Hawaiian had improved, but he didn’t want language mistakes to create barriers. Titus told the story of Jesus. And the Hawaiians peppered him with questions. Eventually, a nod from his guide indicated it was time to move on.

They hadn’t traveled far when Titus heard the now-familiar sound—rushing water. He glanced toward his guide.

“Don’t worry. The people of the next village expect you.”

When they reached the river, Titus stared at the churning current. Downstream, a mini-Niagara splashed over a drop of several hundred feet. Across the raging river, Hawaiians waved. But how could he reach them?

On the opposite bank, several strong, nearly-naked men locked hands, made a line, and entered the water. The human chain moved carefully across until the lead person gained a foothold near Titus. His guide explained the plan. Titus grabbed hold of the first strong shoulder and stepped into the swift current.

Titus slipped, but the sturdy native held strong. Titus grasped the next shoulder and the next, crossing on a “chain of bones, sinews, and muscles.”

Once on shore, Titus greeted the natives. As they walked, he talked about Jesus. They had reached the edge of the village when a regal man, nearly six-feet-tall, stepped into the path. Whispers erupted. This was the high priest of the volcano. A drunkard, adulterer, and murderer.

Titus breathed a quick prayer. A language barrier had not halted God’s plan. A raging river couldn’t stop it. Neither would a cultic leader. The priest squared his shoulders. Titus met his gaze and kept moving toward him.

The high priest stepped aside.

The village swarmed with people. Adults. Children. Invalids on the backs of their friends. Blind people led by family members. Titus told them about Jesus’ love. Their need for new life. That God would help them. Tears flowed. And many became Christians—including the volcano priest.

It was like that in nearly every village. When Titus returned home, scores of people came to town to hear more. Within a few months, its population of 1,000 swelled to 10,000. One Sunday, as Titus prepared to preach to a crowded room of two-thousand people, he thought of the obstacles of his 60-mile evangelistic tour. The roaring rivers. Cultic leaders. His own inadequacy. Weariness.

Not once did an obstacle block God’s plan.

“Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes” (Psalm 112:1, 7, 8 NIV).

What obstacle do you treat like a barrier? No obstacle can block God’s plan for God’s man.

Coan, Titus. Life in Hawaii. St. Helens, OR: Helps Communications, 2014.

Coan, Titus. Adventures in Patagonia: A Missionary’s Exploring Trip. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1880.

Story read by: Chuck Stecker

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November 28. George Mueller. Mueller was a thief and a gambler—up until he was 14. About his childhood, he wrote: “Despite my sinful lifestyle and cold heart, God had mercy on me. I was as careless as ever.… I never heard the gospel preached. Nobody told me that Jesus meant for Christians, by the help of God, to live according to the Holy Scriptures.”

But when Mueller was 20, there came a prayer meeting that changed everything. He wrote: “[Christ] began a work of grace in me. Even though I scarcely had any knowledge of who God truly was, that evening was the turning point in my life.”

Mueller went on to pastor a church for many decades. On this date in 1836, he opened his first infant orphan house—one of many orphan houses. He fed and dressed and educated the children so well that merchants complained of a lack of new young people to do servile labor. Mueller’s children got apprenticeships and opportunities.

For 17 years—beginning when he was 70—Mueller traveled and preached. At a time when there were no airplanes, he traveled more than 200,000 miles, and he preached in English, French, and German. When his audience didn’t understand one of those, his sermons were translated. Listen to this.

Because we know God is good, we can face reality and make a difference.

Imagine what it would be like to live in the London Dickens portrayed or on the south-side of Chicago or on the eastside of Detroit or just about anywhere in Haiti.

Faced with that kind of poverty and pain, how could you find the courage to stand with the suffering and do something good?

Mueller believed in a sovereign God who is good and does good. Mueller’s faith in the goodness of God gave him the confidence to tackle one of the greatest problems of his day: the tragic lives of England’s orphans.

In 1832, England had few orphanages, and the ones they had charged fees. If relatives didn’t take in orphaned children, they ended up in the workhouse, where poor food, inadequate heat, and lack of nurturing contributed to high mortality rates.

Mueller prayed about starting an orphanage, and provision arrived. In 1836, he and Mary, his wife, welcomed thirty girls into their own home—the beginning.

The pastor of a large church, Mueller never took a salary. He trusted God’s goodness to provide for his family—just as He trusted God would care for the orphans.

And God’s goodness was evident in all that was accomplished. Mueller’s orphanages cared for 10,024 orphans and provided such educational opportunities that he was accused of raising the poor above their natural station.

Mueller also established 117 schools, offering Christian education to more than 120,000 children. He never asked for money from anyone but God. Estimates of God’s provision (by today’s standards) range from several million to half a billion dollars.

Mueller clung to God’s goodness for himself—not just for those he served—even in times of great pain. At Mary’s deathbed, Mueller read from Psalm 84.

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).

Though he asked God to heal Mary, his ultimate hope was in God’s goodness. He preached Mary’s funeral service starting with Psalm 119:68, “Thou art good and doest good.”

Stories abound of Mueller’s simple faith in God’s goodness. Here’s a universal favorite. One morning the housekeeper came to Mueller because there was no food in one of the orphanages. He told her to seat the children in the dining room. He entered and prayed, thanking God for breakfast. Then they waited.

Within minutes, a baker showed up. He said he couldn’t sleep because he somehow knew the children would need bread. In the night he had baked three batches.

Soon there was another knock. The milkman’s cart broke down right in front of the orphanage. Rather than allow the milk to spoil, he offered Mueller free milk—enough to satisfy 300 thirsty children.

While Mueller cared deeply about the orphans, he said their care was not his primary objective. His end goal was to bring glory to God, showing Christians that God is faithful.

He said, “I desire that you may taste the sweetness of that state of heart, in which, while surrounded by difficulties and necessities, you can yet be at peace, because you know that the living God, your Father in heaven, cares for you.”

How does holding onto the truth that “God is good” help you live large? Do you have a favorite story from your life that shows God’s goodness? Because we know God is good, we can face reality and make a difference.

Elliff, Jim. “Introduction to a Million and a half in answer to prayer by George Muller.” Christian Communicators Worldwide. Published April 9, 2000. https://www.ccwtoday.org/2000/04/introduction-to-a-million-and-a-half-in-answer-to-prayer-by-george-muller/.

Müller, George. A Narrative of Some of the Lord’s Dealings with George Müller, Volume 2. London: J Nisbet & Co, 1886. pp. 398–399.

Whitney, Donald S. “What George Mueller Can Teach Us about Prayer.” Crossway. July 27, 2015. https://www.crossway.org/articles/what-george-mueller-can-teach-us-about-prayer/.

Story read by: Daniel Carpenter

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November 27. Keith Green. As a toddler, Keith sang “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” with perfect pitch. And his parents provided musical training.

Keith liked piano but not playing the long classical pieces. When he was expected to learn to read sheet music, he simply memorized the classical pieces and pretended to be sight-reading the notes when his teacher was there. When he learned to play chords on the piano, he began writing and singing his own songs. He was six years old.

Keith went searching for spiritual truth, and that took about fourteen years and led him through drugs and Eastern mysticism. Finally, Keith met a woman who introduced him to Jesus, and Keith married her and gave his life to Jesus.

Keith and Melody opened their home to anybody with a need or who wanted to kick drugs or to get off the street. Keith preached to them all, and their home became known as The Greenhouse.

Even in concerts, Keith said, “If you praise and worship Jesus with your mouth, and your life does not praise and worship him, there’s something wrong!”

On this date in 2001, Keith was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Here’s his story.

A guy can play it safe and live a comfortable life or take a risk and live an adventure.

Keith’s next move shook the music industry to its core.

People whispered: He’s going to do what? Why?

This is not generosity; it’s foolishness.

It’s going to make everyone else look greedy.

As a Christian musician in the 70s and 80s, Keith set a high bar. His life reflected the words in his songs. He lived his beliefs. Keith had an intense love for Christ along with radical ideas to serve others.

Most Christians steer away from radical Christianity. They live small lives while serving a big God. Keith and his wife Melody decided compromising their beliefs would be hypocrisy. So, they made difficult choices to live out their high standards. It would mean standing out and risking rejection and ridicule.

To live the radical life God wanted for them, the Greens chose first not to worry about money. Before they became Christians, they had been generous, always inviting people to stay with them. After they became Christians, their generosity grew. With their first freefall of money, they bought two houses and rented four more to house anyone in their lives who needed shelter.Even in the hippy culture, which was still prevalent, this was a radical move. When Keith signed on with Sparrow Records, a Christian record label, money started pouring in.

His albums shot to the top of the charts, and the Christian music industry took notice. The brave choices Keith and Melody made in spending their money to serve others was met with admiration. The Greens created Last Days Ministries to continue to serve others. Keith’s heart was to tell people about Jesus through his music and concerts.

The Greens wanted to reach every person they could. So, Keith decided to give his albums away for free or charge whatever people could afford. The Greens didn’t want anyone left out because they couldn’t afford an album. Last Days Ministries began sending albums to prisons and hospitals.

The Christian Music Industry began to question Keith’s motives. Sure, living for Christ meant living by God’s Word, but the Greens were being too radical. Were they doing this to look better than everyone else? Didn’t they know that this seemingly generous behavior would affect the other Christian musicians? The Green’s decision to give albums for free was simply wrong, according to the popular opinion.

But the Greens decided to do what they felt God was telling them, not to cave in to the pressure of the record companies. The risk was worth it.

In fact, Keith decided to let folks into his concerts for free. This decision drew more criticism and insults. But the Greens didn’t slow down. The ministry rented the venue for the concert, and then Keith took an offering for Last Days Ministries to help cover the costs. He and Melody did not receive any of the offerings because they were able to support themselves with their music royalties.

Passion for Christ requires courage to live an adventure, not a safe life.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, perfect and pleasing will” (Romans 12:2 NIV).

Is your life constrained by comfort zones? Or are you taking risks for Christ? A guy can play it safe and live a comfortable life or take a risk and live an adventure.

Green, Keith. “About Keith Green.” Last Days Ministries. Accessed August 21, 2020. https://‌www.lastdaysministries.org/Groups/1000008700/Last_Days_Ministries/Keith_Green/Bio/Bio.aspx.

Hazard, David, and Melody Green. No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1989.

Story read by: Peter R Warren, https://www.peterwarrenministries.com/

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November 26. Robby Dilmore. Robby is a car guy. He’s been a car guy since 1971, when he started out at the dealership—washing cars. Over about 27 years, he worked his way up from service to parts to sales to owning a dealership. And from there—the God of the universe called Robby to do more.

In 2006, he started The Christian Car Guy Radio Show, which is now syndicated nationally on 73 radio stations, streams live on the internet, and is podcast.

In 2008, he began hosting Kingdom Pursuit, a one-hour, live show on radio and internet. He also co-hosts Masculine Journey Radio and Disciple Magazine. And since the year 2000, he has taught the Special Needs Sunday School Class at Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, NC.

On this date in 2016, Robby posted “Four Days Late but Right on Time” on The Christian Car Guy website.

Don’t miss an opportunity to listen, lean into another man’s fear, and share Jesus.

Stretched to the limit, Robby was feeling strained trying to run a car dealership and to oversee details on the construction of a new building when Johnny, a top car-salesman, stopped in with some bad news.

“Robby, I’ve been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer,” Johnny announced.

Searching for the right words Robby replied, “I am so sorry to hear that, Johnny.” He rallied his positivity and added, “You’re going to be fine. I’ll pray for you. Don’t worry about it. I had cancer almost eight years ago, and I’m fine.”

The message seemed clear. Don’t worry. Keep your chin up. Now get out there, and do what you do best. Sell cars.

That wasn’t the reply the salesman was looking for. Robby had a settled faith in God, but Johnny wasn’t there yet. And he wasn’t interested in being reminded Robby had had cancer and was cured. He was concerned about his own life and looking for a listening ear, not a ‘don’t be worried about cancer’ pitch.

As Johnny turned away, Robby noticed the doomed look on Johnny’s face. It was then he realized he had missed a valuable opportunity—an opportunity to listen and lean into another man’s fear and share Jesus.

Early that August, Robby got a call from Johnny’s wife. She explained Johnny was lying in a coma at the hospital after surgery to remove his pancreas.

“Please come to the hospital,” she pleaded. “They aren’t sure he’s going to make it.”

When Robby got to the hospital, the doctor informed the family he might not make it through the night. The next few hours were critical.

Visiting with the family, Robby learned Johnny had once gotten angry with a preacher and quit going to church. That may have explained his reluctance to take part in any conversation about God. “Please pray for him,” his wife pleaded.

Robby spent the night praying for Johnny and himself as well. He had worked with Johnny for five years and had never shared the gospel with him. Robby promised God if He would give Johnny more time, Robby would introduce him to Jesus.

Four days after surgery, Robby learned that Johnny had come out of his coma. And Robby determined to make good on his promise. This time, he wisely asked God to give him the right words.

When he went to see Johnny, Robby said, “You know, Johnny, when you were in that coma, and things didn’t look good, I made a deal with God.”

“What kind of deal?”

“I promised that if He would give you some more time, I would help you to get to know Him better—and if you didn’t know Him, I would introduce Him.”

“A deal is a deal. You better get to it,” Johnny said.

And Robby did.

Later that afternoon, while listening to a song called “Four Days Late” by Bill and Gloria Gaither, the Holy Spirit enabled Johnny to put his trust in Jesus Christ. He placed his faith in the One who said:

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live’” (John 11:25 CSB).

Is there someone you’re hesitant to share Jesus with? Instead of assuming they aren’t ready to hear about Jesus, assume God has chosen you to tell them. Don’t miss an opportunity to listen, lean into another man’s fear, and share Jesus.

Dilmore, Robby. “Four Days Late but Right on Time.” The Christian Car Guy. Published November 26, 2016. http://christiancarguy.com/four-days-late-but-right-on-time-2/.

Dilmore, Robby. “Christian Car Guy Documentary.” YouTube video. Accessed August 21, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBPTndiZ9gcYhWb3nPciTpA.

Dilmore, Robby. The Christian Car Guy. Accessed August 21, 2020. http://christiancarguy.com/robby/.

Story read by: Nathan Walker

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November 25. David Brainerd. When Brainerd turned 20, he met Jesus. Brainerd writes: “My soul was so captivated and delighted with the excellence, loveliness, greatness … of God that I had no thought … at first, about my own salvation, and scarce reflected that there was such a creature as myself.”

Brainerd’s love did not grow cold. In his diary, he recorded this prayer: “Here I am, Lord, send me; send me to the ends of the earth; send me to the rough, the savage pagans of the wilderness; send me from all that is called comfort on earth; send me even to death itself, if it be but in thy service, and to promote thy kingdom.”

On this date in 1742, a Scottish missionary society called Brainerd as a missionary to Native Americans in Massachusetts. And Brainerd went—with much success.

But a little more than five years later, at the age of 29, Brainerd lay dying—in the house of his friend Jonathan Edwards. Edwards wrote: “He spoke to some of my younger children, one by one. When someone came into his room with a Bible, Brainerd said, ‘Oh that dear book: that lovely book! I shall soon see it opened: the mysteries that are in it, and the mysteries of God’s providence, will all be unfolded.’”

Danger often surrounds the believer, but God is our ultimate protection.

Brainerd never felt qualified to be a missionary.

In health, he was weak, and after riding a horse, he could barely walk. Sadness plagued him, and man, was it hard to spread the gospel to the Native American tribes of New England. Seemed he ate every meal with a side-dish of discouragement.

But within him, Brainerd had an undeniable fire. He burned to share the gospel.

He had his eye on visiting a particular settlement, but the natives who lived there had already been badly hurt by “visitors.” Through alcohol and greed of some of the Christians, the natives had come to see them as false and hypocritical. The natives wanted nothing to do with Christianity and often attacked any new settlers who came too close.

Brainerd’s friends begged him not to go. The settlement was far away in a dense forest, and they feared the natives would kill him.

But he ignored their protests and packed a tent and some essentials and headed into the forest. The journey was long, but uneventful.

Just outside the settlement, Brainerd pitched his tent, so he could pray and prepare for the first meeting.

But—unknown to Brainerd—some natives had followed him the last leg of his trip and watched him set up his tent. They hurried back to their chief to report that another one of those Christians had dared to enter their land.

It didn’t take long for the native council and their chief to dispatch a group of warriors to remove the intruder.

The warriors hid among the trees and watched Brainerd’s tent. He was still inside—probably still asleep. So the natives decided that as soon as he walked outside the tent, they would attack with arrows. They waited for him in silence.

But soon, they became impatient. Brainerd had been inside for too long. The warriors decided to slink closer to the tent to see what the missionary was up to.

They inched the tent flap back and saw Brainerd on his knees. He was saying words to God and asking Him to help the natives realize He loved them and sent Jesus to die for them. Such words sounded too good to be true. The strange visitor was talking to an Invisible Being—

Just then, from the ground, came a sudden hiss.

There! A rattlesnake had slithered toward Brainerd. And the man was still all focused on talking to the Invisible Being. They knew they should have run, but they couldn’t stop looking.

The snake slid in behind the missionary, ready to sink its fangs into Brainerd’s neck and poison him, but then it stopped. Head raised, it seemed to be looking around. It didn’t even hiss.

Why didn’t the snake move? the natives wondered. Why didn’t it kill the missionary?

Then the snake lowered its head, turned around, and glided out of the tent.

The warriors were shocked, but the strange missionary didn’t notice anything had happened. The warriors ran back to the chief and reported.

Later, when Brainerd went out to the village to meet the people, the tribe welcomed him with warmth. Led by their chief, the people seemed happy to meet him. And soon they told about the rattlesnake who had refused to kill him. Now, the tribe understood that the strange visitor was under the protection of the Great Spirit.

Brainerd was awestruck at how easily God brought him to the once-unreachable village. They wanted to hear his message. He told how God sent Jesus to die for them and take away their sins.

Brainerd was kind and loving, bringing them a message of hope.

“‘Because he loves me,’ says the LORD, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name’” (Psalm 91:14 NIV).

Has there ever been a moment when you were in danger, but God protected you? Danger often surrounds the believer, but God is our ultimate protection.

Calhoun, David B. “David Brainerd: ‘A Constant Stream.’” Knowing & Doing. Summer, 2011. https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/David% 20Brainerd_A_Constant_Stream_SinglePage.

Edwards, Jonathan. “The Life and Diary of the Rev. David Brainerd.” The Revival Library. Published by Tony Cauchi. Accessed August 19, 2020. http://www.revival-library.org/index.php/catalogues-menu/1725/the-life-and-diary-of-the-rev-david-brainerd.

Story read by: Daniel Carpenter

Story written by: Darren Sapp, darrenlsapp@gmail.com

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November 24. Paul Carlson. When the Christian Medical and Dental Society sent out an urgent call for doctors to go to the Congo, Carlson went for a six-month assignment. But even when he was back home, the people of the Congo and their huge need for doctors stayed with him.

So, in 1963, Carlson took a 75 percent pay cut, left cushy Redondo Beach, California, and moved his family to the Congo, to a clearing in the jungle with a yard full of crocodiles, which locals called “The End of the World.” It was a half mile from fresh water.

Carlson worked in a leper colony and an 80-bed hospital, which served 100,000 people. He spent almost all his time trying to heal, which included fixing plumbing or a car or seeing patients in nearby villages.

But the Congo was in political turmoil. Rebels arrested Carlson, accused him of being an American spy, and sentenced him to death. They sent him 300 miles away from his family and tortured him physically and mentally. Simba rebels used Carlson as a bargaining chip to get what they wanted from Belgian and American governments. When the rebels got their concessions, they reneged and kept Carlson alive to use him another day.

On this date in 1964, American and Belgian governments announced the end of this bargaining, and America and Belgium launched a rescue mission. The US sent airplanes, and Belgian paratroopers dropped on the outskirts of town, where Carlson was housed with other hostages. That’s where today’s story starts.

Courage is looking death in the face and trusting that God is God.

It was an early Tuesday morning when airplanes thundered over Stanleyville—a town perched along the Congo River, surrounded by jungle and magnificent waterfalls. Beautiful and busy, it was located directly in the middle of the African continent.

In the center of the city sat a quaint Victorian hotel. And outside, the hotel was surrounded by angry mobs and guards with heavy weapons.

But inside the walls, three men huddled together and cried out for God to move amid the chaos and turmoil. The Congolese government and the rebel groupswere in an uproar.

The Congo had just gained independence from Belgium, and with no stable government in place, rebel groups took over. They were holding all white people hostage. The air was thick with hostility. Among the hostages was medical missionary Paul Carlson.

In the middle of the chaos and noise, Carlson grabbed his friends and placed their lives in God’s hands. Carlson knew nothing else could be done. He had known that this moment would come.

The past few months, life had been a whirlwind—he had been captured by the rebel army at his home in the jungle of the Republic of the Congo. That house was where he served as a doctor to many of the locals, providing a skill they needed. He loved them with everything in him.

But at six on Tuesday morning, the US Airforce thundered overhead and woke Carlson. “In days like this we certainly have to leave the future in God’s hands.” Only two options remained: they would be rescued, or the rebels would use them as human shields against their opponents.

The hotel that housed the captives was heavily guarded, and that made escape impossible.

For a moment, everything was still, but then guards rushed in and herded the captives out onto the street. Bullets were flying, and the rebels were shooting every which way. The chaos was frightening, and captives were hit with stray bullets. Many started running for protection as did Carlson and his friend Chuck.

Running from the gunfire, they found a wall with a narrow space to fit through, one person at a time. Carlson ran to Chuck, and said “Go.” Chuck leaped over the wall, and reaching back, he grasped Carlson’s fingers. But it was too late. Bullets hit Carlson’s body, and he fell to the ground. One of Carlson’s friends saw his Bible and removed it from his pocket. These short but powerful words were underlined: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

“Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver usfrom Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up’” (Daniel 3:16–18 NIV).

Caught between life and death, where does your strength come from? Courage is looking death in the face and trusting that God is God.

Lemarchand, René. “Kisangani.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Published September 30, 2016. https://www.britannica.com/place/Kisangani.

Bridges, Lois Carlson. Monganga Paul: The Congo Ministry and Martyrdom of Paul Carlson, M.D. Chicago: Covenant Publications, 2004, pp. 124, 152–153.

Story read by: Joel Carpenter

Story written by: Abigail Schultz, https://www.instagram.com/abigail_faith65

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November 23. Sujo John. It’s been about two decades since Sujo and his wife Mary left Calcutta and moved to New York City.

In 2008, Sujo started “I Am Second,” a Dallas-based nonprofit experiment. His question was: What would happen if he cast a vision of a life lived for something greater than himself?

To answer that, his group started by telling twenty short-film stories about real people who had adopted a vision of a life lived for “something greater” even though they had gone through life-shattering events. By 2020, Sujo offered more than 130 films—stories told by actors, athletes, musicians, business leaders, addicts, and survivors plus written content and even free access to coaches to help people embrace this mindset. The content has been viewed more than 120 million times by people in more than 230 countries or territories. It helps a lot of people.

When Sujo and Mary first left Calcutta and moved to New York City, both were able to get good jobs. But it was 2001, and their offices were in the World Trade Center. Here’s what happened.

Eternity poses one question with only two answers.

On September 11, 2001, sitting at his desk on the eighty-first floor, Sujo was lost in thought. He was struggling with the reality that as a Christian he wasn’t sharing the gospel with others. He didn’t know what to do. What was God’s purpose in his life?

Those questions would have to wait. He got up and headed to the fax machine—

Then the world around him exploded. And the concussion knocked him down. The air filled with smoke, dust, and office debris. Shattered glass pelted him.

Sujo stood, and the entire building tilted. Through the windows, he could see fireballs shooting out from the floors above him. Fires broke out all around him, and jet fuel from the upper floors seemed to feed the fires.

Sujo picked his way around the jumble of office furniture heaped around him. He had to get to his coworkers and get down to the exit. He had to get out!

The stairwell was already packed with office workers from the floors above the eighty-first floor. It was slow going as the office workers flattened against the wall to make room for first responders heading up to the higher floors. Sujo wondered if those firefighters and medical teams would ever come back down.

It took fifty minutes for Sujo to reach the ground floor, and he rushed to the main entrance. He had to get to the South Tower to find his wife Mary and their unborn child.

But outside the situation was worse. The air—thick with soot and dust—made it hard to see where he was going. Then another explosion rocked the ground.

Right in front of him, the South Tower started to collapse. Turning back, Sujo joined a group of fifteen or twenty people. But nobody knew which way to go or what to do.

Standing there, Sujo’s heart was filled with a burning thought; did these people know about Jesus? Anxiety for them—for their eternal wellbeing—overcame him, and he started to yell, “Call upon the name of the Lord, and you will be saved!”

Even though he was hollering in his own voice, Sujo felt the assurance of the Holy Spirit speaking to each person there on the crumbling plaza. The entire group of men and women of many different faiths and perhaps some with no faith at all joined Sujo and cried out to Jesus to save them.

As the South Tower continued to fall, the soot and ash made it almost impossible to see. Falling debris piled all around, and somehow Sujo lost touch with the group. He couldn’t see them. Wasn’t sure of the direction. He was desperately trying to locate them—when the world around him erupted … the North Tower was collapsing.

Climbing over and around the rubble, he finally found them. They were all lying dead in the debris—in the spot where moments before they had called on Jesus to save them.

“Jesus, they just called upon your name. Why didn’t they make it? What had happened to them?”

Sujo stood there all alone, and the thought that he would soon join them overwhelmed him. There seemed to be no way out.

Then he heard that still small voice. “Son, they made their peace with me in their dying moments. They are resting with me in glory.”

Just then, through the dust and smoke, Sujo saw a blinking red light. He crawled over the rubble, and kept his eyes fixed on the red light. When he got to the street, there was nothing but a tangled wreck of vehicles. At the bottom was a crushed ambulance with one blinking red light … shining directly in his face.

“I know that God placed that light there to lead me out of Ground Zero that morning.” His wife Mary was also spared. She had been late and had never made it to her job in the South Tower.

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25–26 NIV).

Eternity poses one question with only two answers. What have you chosen?

John, Sujo. Do You Know Where You Are Going—One Man’s Story of September 11 and the Saving Grace of Jesus Christ. Hendon, VA: Lantern Books, 2002.

John, Sujo. “I Am Second.” White Chair Film. YouTube video. Published August 29, 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=CryxwzBuldc.

Story read by: Blake Mattocks

Story written by: Thomas Mitchell, http://www.walkwithgod.org/

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November 22. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. On this date in 1851, Jackson proclaimed his faith in Jesus publicly. He was 27 years old. By this time, he had graduated from West Point and had demonstrated his bravery in the Mexican-American War. He was promoted to Brevet General and then to Lieutenant General. Today’s story shows a little bit of how he began his career.

When a man is determined to learn, a poor start can become a rich finish.

Jackson arrived at West Point wearing Virginian homespun clothes and a felt hat. To hold his gear, he had slung saddlebags across his shoulders. But the other cadets were all well-dressed. His stance was awkward, his appearance “uncultured,” and “he felt like a duck in the desert.”

As an Appalachian orphan, compared to his classmates he had too little education, and his appearance underwhelmed. But what he lacked in spectacle, he made up for in grit.

He set to work right away, studying and trying his best to learn, but everything was a struggle. His lack of background education made his work harder, and he had always been a slow learner. His class ranking hovered toward the bottom even though he worked hard just to pass.

Whenever the teachers called him to the blackboard to solve math problems, he pressed so hard against the board that his face and clothes got covered in chalk. French class and drawing class challenged him terribly, and in infantry tactics, he was barely above middle grade. His first year, he felt so sure he was going to fail that he prepared a speech for his friends back home. He wrote that it was so hard they would fail too.

And then came the taunts.

His classmates saw Jackson as different. They hazed him for it, put him through rough exercises, forced him to run drills. They would make sure he failed.

But he kept on. He would not give up. He would not lose his temper. He would not let the doubters get under his skin. He wasn’t at West Point for his classmates or for his teachers. He was there to be the best soldier he could be and to learn, no matter how long it took him.

As lights went out at West Point for the night and Extinguish Lights was bugled, he put some coal in a grate, lit a tiny fire, lay on the floor, and huddled close to the light, so he could continue his studies as the other cadets slept. If he didn’t understand the previous lessons, he wouldn’t force himself forward until he was ready. Even if he was behind a day, he kept at it. A slow pace was better than skipping the lessons altogether.

His perseverance kept him on a focused path, and things began to change. Even his classmates noticed it. One, Dabney Maury, said that Jackson “looks as if he had come to stay.” Improvements didn’t happen immediately, nor did they happen in great jumps.

But as each month and year passed, Jackson’s marks took a steady climb, and when the four years of study ended and he graduated, he finished seventeenth out of seventy-two and was appointed a Second Lieutenant of Artillery.

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4 NIV).

Think of a task that has been difficult for you. How can perseverance help you accomplish your goals? When a man is determined to learn, a poor start can become a rich finish.

White, Henry Alexander. American Crisis Biographies: Stonewall Jackson. Philadelphia: George W. Jacobs & Company, 1908. Internet Archive. Accessed August 17, 2020. https://archive.org/details/stonewalljackson01whit.

Chase, William C. Story of Stonewall Jackson. Atlanta: D. E. Luther Publishing Company, 1901. Internet Archive. Accessed August 17, 2020. https://archive.org/details/storyofstonewall01chas.

Story read by: Chuck Stecker

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November 21. Mike Ratliff. Today’s story is about the time back when Mike was 37 years old. He was a loving and conscientious pastor who spent his time and his prayer caring for others. Then this happened.

Anxiety doesn’t mean your faith is weak. It means you have work to do.

Mike was in a deep sleep when he was suddenly jolted awake. His heart raced. The air was stifling. His breath felt like it was being pulled from his lungs, and he gasped to get it back. A terrible sense of doom hovered over him, and his mind felt overwhelmed with fear.

Mike felt like he was going to die at any moment, and he raced outside in the middle of the night. Settling on his porch, he forced the fresh air into his lungs. Though he had felt the panic before, it never came on him as strong as that night. He had never felt such an impending sense of doom that overtook all his senses and demanded relief now.

The next day, he saw a doctor who diagnosed him with panic disorder. The doctor said Mike had had a nervous breakdown.

Panic attacks? Anxiety? Nerves? He had rarely even thought such words. It was 1992, and he was a pastoral leader in the church. Men like him didn’t have problems like that; he was the one who helped others with their problems. What would his fellow church-goers think if they knew the man they saw at the pulpit struggled like this? He was a man of faith, not fear!

But the doctor could see that—despite his faith and love for God—fear was plaguing Mike. He reminded Mike the panic he was feeling wouldn’t kill him or make him stop breathing, but it was still a serious issue. One that warranted a visit to the psychiatrist.

Mike agreed, desperate to feel like his normal self again. After some tests and talks, Mike learned that he also had some depression. But the psychiatrist repeated what Mike’s family doctor had said. The panic wouldn’t last forever. It wouldn’t kill him or make him stop breathing, despite how he felt during an attack.

But the psychiatrist went one step further. He asked Mike if he wanted to overcome the anxiety.

Of course, Mike said, “Yes.” He wanted the panic attacks to stop.

The psychiatrist prayed with Mike at each session and told him to remind himself daily that he had the strength to overcome the panic. Even though others in his family struggled with panic, Mike still had the strength to fight the fear.

Mike had to tell himself, “I know what this is. I’ve been through this before, and it’ll pass. It won’t last forever.” Mike repeated those words daily, even on days he didn’t have panic attacks. The psychiatrist also gave him some temporary medications to help with the fight, and he continued sessions with the doctor to check on his progress.

“You can conquer it,” the psychiatrist said.

And Mike was determined to conquer it.

Recovery became a daily practice—not always easy. But within time, relief began to show. After two months, the anxiety lessened. Within five months, Mike was no longer on medication. Within six months, Mike was anxiety-free.

For 13 years, the panic had been gone. But in 2005, it returned. Mike had another panic attack. At first, he dreaded feeling the terrible anxiety again. He didn’t want to repeat his experiences from more than a decade before. But he remembered his old routine. “I overcame it before,” Mike told himself. “I can overcome it again.”

He repeated the same words he did before. Once again, the panic went away.

Mike’s struggle with panic disorder wasn’t easy to overcome. And a lot of people didn’t understand how he felt or how he could feel such fear despite being a man of faith who loved God. But Mike learned that feeling anxiety didn’t mean his faith was weak.

Rather, his faith gave him the strength to overcome anxiety. He and his psychiatrist had prayed before his sessions, and he was reminded that even though he was getting medical help, his faith could work along with the doctors.

“Faith requires work on our part,” Mike said. And his victory over anxiety led him to a new ministry that went past the pulpit and into the classroom. Because Mike had struggled with panic attacks, he was able to relate to others who suffered and to help them overcome their anxiety and other mental-health disorders. Mike spent years working as a counselor.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV).

Do you see any signs of anxiety in your life? If so, what is the next step in dealing with it? Anxiety doesn’t mean your faith is weak. It means you have work to do.

Based on an interview with Mike Ratliff, July 17, 2019.

Story read by: Daniel Carpenter

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