Scripture Passages that Most Influenced George Müller’s Life

Have you ever snuck a peak at someone’s Bible to see what they highlighted, wrote notes about, or what they deemed to be influential and life changing in their lives?

I remember once having the opportunity to see a page of DL Moody’s Bible and some of the highlights he made—it was a wonderful delight to see how this man of God treasured Scripture.

I recently came across an article by AT Pierson, the author of George Müller of Bristol, in which he revealed some of the most influential Bible passages for George Müller (note: a short biographical overview of Pierson is included at the end of this article).

For those who don’t know, George Müller was an incredible man of faith who is best known for his orphanage work in Bristol, England. By the end of his life, Müller cared for over 10,000 orphans, began over 100 schools, and offered Christian education to over 120,000 children. From the time he became a Christian, he determined to live by faith in God alone, deciding not to ask people for financial support but rather asking God to move people to provide all he needed—and God continually provided for every need.

What would such a man as Müller deem significant and precious from God’s Word? AT Pierson remarks that …

Certain marked Scripture precepts and promises had such a singular influence upon this man of God, and so often proved the guides to his course, that they illustrate Psalm 119:105:

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
And a light unto my path.”

Those texts which, at the parting of the way, became to him God’s sign-boards, showing him the true direction, are here given, as nearly as may be in the order in which they became so helpful to him. The study of them will prove a kind of spiritual biography, outlining his career. Some texts, known to have been very conspicuous in their influence, we put in capitals.

Scripture Passages that Most Influenced George Müller’s Life

• “GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.” (John 3.16)
• “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm.” (Jeremiah 17.5)
• “O, fear the Lord, ye His saints; for there is no want to them that fear Him.” (Psalm 34.9)
• “Owe no man anything, but to love one another.” (Romans 13.8)
• “SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU.” (Matthew 6.33)
• “The holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation.” (2 Timothy 3.15)
• “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7.7-8)
• “WHATSOEVER YE SHALL ASK IN MY NAME, THAT WILL I DO, THAT THE FATHER MAY BE GLORIFIED IN THE SON: IF YE SHALL ASK ANYTHING IN MY NAME I WILL DO IT.” (John 14.13-14)
• “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body what ye shall put on… Take, therefore, no thought for the morrow.” (Matthew 6.25-34)
• “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.” (John 7.17)
• “If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8.31-32)
• “And the eunuch said, See, here is water: what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.” (Acts 8.36-38)
• “Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death.” (Romans 6.3-4)
• “Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread.” (Acts 20.7)
• “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a man in vile raiment; and ye have respect unto him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool, are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?” (James 2.1-6)
• “Having, then, gifts differing according to the grace that is given us.” (Romans 12.6)
• “All these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” (1 Corinthians 12.11)
• “Not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.” (Philippians 4.17)
• “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body what ye shall put on”… “Behold the fowls of the air… Consider the lilies of the field… For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.” (Matthew 6.25-32)
• “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.” (Matthew 6.19)
• “SELL THAT YE HAVE AND GIVE ALMS.” (Luke 12.33)
• “A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven.” (John 3.27)
• “Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name.” (Acts 15.14. Compare Matthew 13.24-30, 36-43)
• “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come… Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3.1,13)
• “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing.” (2 Corinthians 6.14-18)
• “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4.6)
• “MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE.” (2 Corinthians 12.9)
• “Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.” (1 Corinthians 7.20, 24)
• “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3.16)
• “OPEN THY MOUTH WIDE, AND I WILL FILL IT.” (Psalm 81.10)
• “Mine hour is not yet come.” (John 2.4)
• “He took a child, and set him in the midst of them and when He had taken him in His arms, He said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in My name, receiveth Me; and whosoever shall receive Me, receiveth not Me, but Him that sent Me.” (Mark 9.36-37)
• “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12.18)
• “For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” (Hebrews 12.10-11)
• “WHAT THINGS S0EVER YE DESIRE, WHEN YE PRAY, BELIEVE THAT YE RECEIVE THEM, AND YE SHALL HAVE THEM.” (Mark 11.24)
• “He that believeth on Him shall not be confounded.” (1 Peter 2.6)
• “O Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come.” (Psalm 65.2)
• “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul.” (Psalm 66.16.)
• “A FATHER OF THE FATHERLESS.” (Psalm 68.5)
• “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of His correction.” (Proverbs 3.11)
• “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.” (Psalm 103.13)
• “JESUS CHRIST THE SAME YESTERDAY, AND TO-DAY, AND FOR EVER.” (Hebrews 13.8)
• ” Tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6.34)
• “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” (1 Samuel 7.12)
• “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” (Psalm 34.8)
• “All the fat is the Lord’s.” (Leviticus 3.16)
• “I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me.” (Psalm 40.17)
• “Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” (Psalm 37.4)
• “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” (Psalm 66.18)
• “Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for Himself: The Lord will hear when I call unto Him.” (Psalm 4.3)
• “JEHOVAH JIREH.” (The Lord will provide.) (Genesis 22.14)
• “HE HATH SAID, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE; SO THAT WE MAY BOLDLY SAY, THE LORD IS MY HELPER.” (Hebrews 13.5-6)
• “Be thou not one of them that strike hands, or of those that are sureties for debts.” (Proverbs 22.26)
• “He that hateth suretyship is sure.” (Proverbs 11.15)
• “I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” (2 Corinthians 12.15)
• “Ye are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3.26)
• “CASTING ALL YOUR CARE UPON HIM FOR HE CARETH FOR YOU.” (1 Peter 5.7)
• “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4.6)
• “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe thou shouldest see the glory of God?” (John 11.40)
• “WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD.” (Romans 8.28)
• “Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18.25)
• “Of such (little children) is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19.14)
• “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8.32)
• “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” (James 1.17)
• “The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.” (Psalm 34.10)
• “There is that scattereth and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” (Proverbs 11.24-25)
• “Give and it shall be given unto you: good measure, pressed down and shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6.38)
• “The liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.” (Isaiah 32.8)
• “For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good. (Mark 14.7)
• “Let not then your good be evil spoken of.” (Romans 14.16)
• “Let your moderation (yieldingness) be known unto all men.” (Philippians 4.5)
• “MY BRETHREN, COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YE FALL INTO DIVERS TEMPTATIONS (i.e. TRIALS); KNOWING THIS, THAT THE TRYING OF YOUR FAITH WORKETH PATIENCE, BUT LET PATIENCE HAVE HER PERFECT WORK, THAT YE MAY BE PERFECT AND ENTIRE, WANTING NOTHING.” (James 1.2-4)
• “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not into thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3.5-6)
• “The integrity of the upright shall guide them; but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.” (Proverbs 11.3)
• “Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established.” (Proverbs 16.3)
• “For I say through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure faith.” (Romans 12.3)
• “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord.” (Psalm 27.14)
• “After he had patiently endured he obtained the promise.” (Hebrews 6.15)
• ” VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, WHATSOEVER YE SHALL ASK THE FATHER IN MY NAME, HE WILL GIVE IT YOU.” (John 16.23)
• “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparing; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9.6)
• “Ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6.20)
• “THEY THAT KNOW THY NAME WILL PUT THEIR TRUST IN THEE: FOR THOU, LORD, HAST NOT FORSAKEN THEM THAT TRUST THEE.” (Psalm 9.10)
• “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye the Lord forever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.” (Isaiah 26.3-4)
• “If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not.” (2 Corinthians 8.12)
• “BE YE STEADFAST, UNMOVABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD, FOR AS MUCH AS YE KNOW THAT YOUR LABOUR IS NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD.” (1 Corinthians 15.58)
• “Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.” (Galatians 6.9)
• “Oh how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men! (Psalm 31.19)
• “THOU ART GOOD AND DOEST GOOD.” (Psalm 119.68)
• “I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.” (Psalm 119.75)
• “My times are in Thy hand.” (Psalm 31.15)
• “The LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.” (Psalm 84.11)
• “Hold Thou me up and I shall be safe.” (Psalm 119.117)
• “Behold I come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every man according as his work shall be.” (Revelation 22.12)
• “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20.35)
• “Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6.11)
• “Able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3.20)
• “Them that honour Me I will honour.” (1 Samuel 2.30)
• “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1.7)

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Arthur Tappan (A.T.) Pierson (March 6, 1837 – June 3, 1911) was a Christian leader and pastor who preached over 13,000 sermons, wrote more than fifty books, and was good friends with several well known Christian leaders such as DL Moody, George Müller, CI Scofield, and Charles Spurgeon. Pierson is noted for succeeding Spurgeon as the pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London from 1891 to 1893 and for writing George Müller’s grand biography George Müller of Bristol.

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What are some of your most influential and “life verses” from Scripture? Leave a comment on the deeperChristian Facebook page.

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