John Harper’s Last Convert - Sharing the Gift of Christmas One Minute before You Die
When I became pastor of The Moody Church in 1980, I knew one of the church rooms was named Harper Hall in memory of the Scottish evangelist who was on a journey to The Moody Church but drowned when the Titanic sank in April 1912. Only recently, however, did I learn the full story of this remarkable man.
Harper’s reputation as an evangelist was so well known that he was invited to speak at The Moody Church in 1910. I have in my possession a …
The assassination of Muammar Gaddafi marked another victory for the “Arab Spring”—the revolutionary wave of demonstrations, protests, and fighting that has shaken the Arab world, including Egypt, Libya, Tanzania, and at least a half dozen other Arab nations.
Dictators in other such countries must be “shaking in their boots,” as the saying goes. No wonder several leaders in the region agreed to step down, heading off uprisings in their own countries.
These protests are extraordinary in that they involve people who have, for the most part, suffered silently under cruel dictators who wantonly …
I believe the evangelical church has finally been forced to conclude we cannot depend upon politics to turn this country around, bring us back to biblical principles, or reverse the anti-Christian bigotry developing in the courts, the media, and the wider culture. Only the church, armed with the Gospel, is able to bring lasting change in the hearts and lives of people. God’s House—and not the White House—holds the key to the future of our nation.
If there’s ever been a time for the church to stand tall, it’s today—whether it’s with or without support …
I reject the fear of the future, for I believe that the future is in your hands.
I reject the fear of evildoers, for your Word says, “Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident…For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will lift me high upon a rock.”
I renounce the fear of rejection, for David wrote in your holy Word, “For my father and mother have forsaken me, but …
I have witnessed many marriages I believed to be good, go bad—filled with rancor, immorality, divorce, and the like. What a far cry from the wedding day, when the bride and groom believed there were no difficulties they could not conquer with love — and they fully expected to live happily ever after!
In my observation, several root causes surface after marriage, some of which could have been anticipated before the “I do’s” were said. Love—or what passes for love—often blinds us to the realities of who a potential spouse really is. So what are …
Before the heavenly choir arrived, a single angel of the Lord appeared in the sky and hovered above a group of frightened shepherds who were guarding their flocks in the cool night air. However, it was not just the angel that surprised the shepherds—suddenly midnight was turned into midday. “The glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified” (Luke 2:9). The angel spoke to them, telling them not to be afraid but to receive with great joy the news they were hearing: “Today in the town of David a …
