If you have never read George Muller of Bristol – I highly recommend it. Muller was a man intent on having the glory and grandeur of God demonstrated in every moment of His life.
Growing up in a dreary and sinful life, after he found Jesus (or rather when Jesus got a hold of Him) he sought to show the world that God was capable of providing for his EVERY need. Even after starting several orphanages in England with no money – He held tight to Jesus as his source for everything … food, clothing, etc – not only for himself but also for every orphan in his care. May we live such lives of trust and reliance upon our Saviour!
I was reading a chapter from the book this morning and came across two statements I thought to share:
The Lord, to show his continued care over us, raises up new helpers. They that trust in the Lord shall never be confounded. Some who helped for a while may fall asleep in Jesus; other grow cold in the service to the Lord; other be as desirous as ever to help, but no longer able; or, having means, feel it to be his will to lay them out in another way. But in leaning upon God, the Living God alone, we are beyond disappointment and beyond being forsaken because of death, or want of means, or want of love…. How precious to have learned, in any measure, to be content to stand with God alone in the world, and to know that surely no good thing shall be withheld from us, while we walk uprightly!
Muller had incredible experiences of prevailing prayer to which he wanted to make plain the scriptural teaching on the point, thus he wrote out
Five grand conditions for prevailing prayer:
- Entire dependence upon the merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the only ground of any claim for blessing (see John 14.13-14; 15:16, etc)
- Separation from all known sin. If we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us, for it would be sanctioning sin (Psalm 66.18)
- Faith in God’s Word of promise as confirmed by His oath. Not to believe Him is to make Him both a liar and perjurer (Hebrews 6.13-20; 11.6)
- Asking in accordance with His will. Our motives must be godly; we must not seek any gift of God to consume it upon our own lusts (1 John 5.13-15; James 4.3)
- Importunity in supplication. There must be waiting on God and waiting for God, as the hubandman has long patience to wait for the harvest (James 5.7, Luke 18.1-8)
The biographer explains: “The importance of firmly fixing in mind principles such as these cannot be overstated. The first lays the basis of all prayer in our oneness with the great High Priest. The second states a condition of prayer found in abandonment of sin. The third reminds us of the need of honoring God by faith that he is, and is the Rewarder of the diligent seeker. The fourth reveals the sympathy with God that helps us to ask what is for our good and His glory. The last teaches us that, having laid hold of God in prayer, we are to keep hold until His arm is outstretched in blessing.”