A mighty man of God.
What traits does the person who God uses have? Can you and I be effectively used by God? What sort of person does God use? According to R. A. Torrey, such a person was Dwight Lyman Moody (1837-1899). Moody left a continuing legacy. You can read his story HERE.
Torrey observes that Moody exhibited seven distinct and important godly characteristics. He was:
1) A Fully Surrendered Man
2) A Man of Prayer
3) A Deep and Practical Student of the Bible
4) A Humble Man
5) Free from the Love of Money
6) Consumed with Passion for the Salvation of the Lost
7) Definitely Endued with Power from on High
Andrew Alexander Bonar also mentions D. L. Moody several times in Bonar’s biography, Diary and Life. On one occasion when Moody was visiting Scotland, Dr. Bonar:
…came into one of these [Finnieston Church] meetings after it began, he walked to the front of the platform, and, laying his hand on the rail, he said, “I feel the breath of the Holy Spirit in this place tonight.” The words, and the solemn way in which they were uttered, were the means if awakening a young woman who was present. ~ Andrew Bonar – Diary and Life (p 327)
D. L. Moody was just the sort of person God uses, and used mightily. In the following article, R. A. Torrey details the reasons.
Excerpt:
Eighty-six years ago (February 5, 1837) [as reckoned at the time of the essay], there was born of poor parents in a humble farmhouse in Northfield, Massachusetts, a little baby who was to become the greatest man, as I believe, of his generation or of his century—Dwight L. Moody. After our great generals, great statesmen, great scientists and great men of letters have passed away and been forgotten, and their work and its helpful influence has come to an end, the work of D. L. Moody will go on and its saving influence continue and increase, bringing blessing not only to every state in the Union but to every nation on earth. Yes, it will continue throughout the ages of eternity.
My subject is “Why God Used D. L. Moody,” and I can think of no subject upon which I would rather speak. For I shall not seek to glorify Mr. Moody, but the God who by His grace, His entirely unmerited favor, used him so mightily, and the Christ who saved him by His atoning death and resurrection life, and the Holy Spirit who lived in him and wrought through him and who alone made him the mighty power that he was to this world. Furthermore: I hope to make it clear that the God who used D. L. Moody in his day is just as ready to use you and me, in this day, if we, on our part, do what D. L. Moody did, which was what made it possible for God to so abundantly use him.
The whole secret of why D. L. Moody was such a mightily used man you will find in Psalm 62:11: “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that POWER BELONGETH UNTO GOD.” I am glad it does. I am glad that power did not belong to D. L. Moody; I am glad that it did not belong to Charles G. Finney; I am glad that it did not belong to Martin Luther; I am glad that it did not belong to any other Christian man whom God has greatly used in this world’s history. Power belongs to God. If D. L. Moody had any power, and he had great power, he got it from God…keep reading
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