You're listening to a bonus episode of the Daily Article podcast, presented by the Denison

Forum. Empowered Day 29. Serving through your gifts, the greatest three preachers of the last

three generations are probably Charles Spurgeon, Dwight Moody, and Billy Graham.

What do they have in common?

Here is what Spurgeon said of himself, recorded in the preface to his collected sermons.

Recollect who I am and what I am, a child, having little education, little learning, ability or talent. Without the spirit of God,

I feel I am utterly unable to speak to you. I have not those gifts and talents which qualify

me to speak. I need an a flotis from on high. Otherwise, I stand like other men and have not to say may

that be given me for without it I am dumb and God used him to preach to 10

million people across his ministry D. L. Moody was the son of an alcoholic who died when

Moody was four years old. He completed seven grades of school. He said of himself,

I know that other men can preach better than I can. All I can say is that when I preach,

God uses me. And he did. More than a million souls came to Christ through

him. And here is what Billy Graham said of himself. I have often said that the first thing I am going to

do when I get to heaven is ask, why me, Lord? Why did you choose a farm boy from North Carolina to preach to so many people, to have such

a wonderful team of associates, and to have a part in what you were doing in the latter half

of the 20th century?

I have thought about that question a great deal, but I know also that only God knows the answer. And he has preached to more people

than anyone in Christian history. Why did God use these men so effectively? Because they serve

Jesus with humility. It's been said that you were saved to serve. It is equally true that you were gifted by the

spirit to serve. When you use your gifts to advance yourself, God cannot use or honor them.

When you use your gifts to advance the kingdom, you will find God working through your life

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