Listening to the Giants

The first time I read The Memoir and Remains of Robert Murray McCheyne this brief entry affected me greatly. Nov. 9—Heard of Edward Irving’s death. I look back upon him with awe, as on the saints and martyrs of old. A holy man in spite of all his delusions and errors. He is now with his God and Saviour, whom he wronged so much, yet, I am persuaded, loved so sincerely. How should we lean for wisdom, not on ourselves, but on the God of all grace! I am sure many of you are thinking, “Who is Edward Irving (1792-1834)?” Well, much controversy comes with this man. First, he is known by some as the “father of the modern tongues movement” . He held to the subsequent filling of the Holy Spirit (i.e. second blessing after conversion). It is important to note that Irving himself never spoke in tongues.  Second, his focus (some would say obsession) was prophecy . Specifically, Irving held to pre-millennialism and to the pre-tribulational view of the rapture. His positi...

In my opinion, the best biography written on George Müller is George Müller of Bristol , written by A.T. Pierson. One of my favorite sections of the biography is when Pierson presents a list of 24 important steps, steps that he believes were essential in the spiritual formation of George Müller. Here are the first six: 1. First of all, his conversion. In the most unfortunate manner and at the most unexpected time God led him to turn from the error of his way, and brought him to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 2. Next, his missionary spirit. That consuming flame was kindled within him, which when it is fanned by the Spirit and fed by the fuel of facts, inclines to unselfish service and makes one willing to go wherever, and to do whatever the Lord wills. I would also add that Müller’s missionary spirit was not a global missionary spirit. Many Christians have the wrong idea of missions, which in turn, limits their usefulness in their present context or simply f...

Every Christian should sit at the feet of George Müller. His discipline and his faith are worthy of study, but most of us need to learn how Müller pleaded with God. The excerpt below gives us a snapshot into his prayer life: “This method of holy argument —ordering our cause before God, as an advocate would plead before a judge—is not only almost a lost art, but to many it actually seems almost puerile (this means infantile or childish …I didn’t know what it meant). And yet it is abundantly taught and exemplified in Scripture. Abraham in his plea for Sodom is the first great example of it. Moses excelled in this art, in many crises interceding in behalf of the people with consummate skill, marshalling arguments as a general-in-chief marshals battalions. Elijah on Carmel is a striking example of power in this special pleading. What holy zeal and jealousy for God! It is probable that if we had fuller records we should find that all pleaders with God, like Noah, Job, Samuel, David, Danie...

I will get right to it. Müller was the #2 pastor in his church. Was it stretching for him? Look and see: “Mr. Müller found opportunity for the exercise of humility, for he saw that by many his brother’s gifts were much preferred to his own; yet as Mr. Craik would come to Bristol only with him as a yokefellow, God’s grace enabled him to accept the humiliation of being the less popular, and comforted him with the thought that two are better than one, and that each might possibly fill up some lack in the other, and thus both together prove a greater benefit and blessing alike to sinners and to saints—as the result showed. That same grace of God helped Mr. Müller to rise higher—nay, let us rather say, to sink lower and “in honor preferring one another,” to rejoice rather than to be envious; and like John the Baptist, to say within himself: “A man can receive nothing except it be given him from above.” (p. 98) The reader might be tempted to think, “That is not hard. I would be humbl...

Do you think you were a “bad kid”? Maybe you were, but so was George Müller. Here is a look at his early years: “His own brief account of his boyhood shows a very bad boy and he attempts no disguise. Before he was ten years old he was a habitual thief and an expert at cheating. In time, card-playing and even strong drink got hold of him. The night when his mother lay dying, her boy of fourteen was reeling through the streets, drunk; and even her death failed to arrest his wicked course or to arouse his sleeping conscience. And—as must always be the case when such solemn reminders make one no better—he only grew worse.” (pgs. 18-19) Yet God is in the business of rescuing lost sinners and being patient with them, as this account below will show: “Of course a man that had been so profligate and prodigal must at least begin at conversion to live a changed life. Not that all at once the old sins were abandoned, for such total transformation demands deeper knowledge of the word and ...

Throughout the next few weeks, this blog will examine certain “snapshots” of D.L. Moody, which I hope will bring a deeper appreciation for this servant and a greater love for the God whom he gave his life to. Below is an interaction between Dr. William Plumer, professor at Columbia Theological Seminary and D.L. Moody, which gives the reader some insight into his “child-like thirst”: Mr. Moody: “ Is any given amount of distress necessary to genuine conversion?” Dr. Plumer: “Lydia had no distress—we read of none. God opened her heart, and she attended to the things spoken of by Paul. But the jailer of Philippi would not have accepted Christ without some alarm.” Mr. Moody: “Well, Doctor, what is conversion?” Dr. Plumer: “Glory be to God there is such a thing as conversion. To be converted is to turn from self, self-will, self-righteousness, all self-confidence, and from sin itself, and to be turned to Christ.” Mr. Moody: “Can a man be saved here tonight, before twelv...