595 - D.L. Moody and the Higher Christian Life Leaving Laodicea

“What Am I Missing?”As believers living in the Laodicean church age (Rev. 3:14-22), we often look back and marvel at the extraordinary lives of our Biblical heroes and spiritual giants who have gone before us. We see them in Scripture, read their biographies, watch movies about their lives, study their teachings, and aspire to experience the intimacy and devotion they had with God that allowed them to do great things. Yet, for many of us, there seems to be a sad disconnect between the vibrant, Spirit-filled experiences we admire in these heroes of the faith and the comparatively subdued, lackluster, and lukewarm reality of our own spiritual lives. And try as we may, we can’t seem to put our finger on why.
We find ourselves wondering, “Why does my spiritual life feel so different from theirs? Where is the promised power they exhibited that is so lacking in my own life?” Or, in essence, “Is this what Jesus meant when He talked about the abundant life in Him? I sure hope not. And if so, is there something I’m missing?” These questions are not uncommon, and they point to a deeper longing within our hearts— a desire to experience the fullness of life in Christ we see so graphically portrayed in the lives of these spiritual giants that is clearly missing in most of the church today.
This brings us to the encouraging part of our dilemma, which is finally recognizing this longing comes from Him. It is a God-given desire to know Him more and to experience the closeness and intimacy with God that is our promised birthright as one of His children. This unfilled longing is your invitation to pursue what has been referred to as the “Higher Christian life”— a life characterized by a profound, transformative relationship with Christ through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. And the door to this “abundant life” (John 10:10) Jesus promised is opened by your surrender to Him. It is really that simple.
Time For Self-ReflectionAs you begin this journey of embracing the Higher Christian life, take a moment to ask yourself a few questions about your own spiritual experience:
•  Have you ever felt a deep desire for more of God’s presence in your life?
•  Do you long to experience the joy, peace, and power that seem to characterize the lives of the spiritual heroes you admire?
•  And have you ever wondered what it would be like to live a life fully surrendered to and empowered by the Holy Spirit?
If you can relate to these questions, great— you’re in good company. The desire for a deeper, more intimate relationship with God is a common thread woven throughout the lives of countless believers throughout the ages.
Glimpses of the Higher Christian LifeTo better understand what the Higher Christian life entails, over the next few days, we will look at the lives of a few well-known spiritual giants who exemplified this way of living and their personal experiences with surrendering to the Holy Spirit that marked a dramatic change in their lives. I think these should prove to be not only instructive, but also encouraging.
We shall begin with Dwight L. Moody, more commonly known as D.L. Moody.
D.L. Moody (1837-1899)For those of you who may not be familiar with D.L. Moody, he was an American evangelist who founded the Moody Church in Chicago, the Moody Bible Institute (which still functions today), and the Pacific Garden Mission (I listen to their radio broadcasts weekly, and have for over thirty years). It is estimated that over a million people came to Christ under his powerful and passionate preaching in both the United Kingdom and across America. And, on a personal note, he is also one of my spiritual...