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George Muller: Man of Faith and Miracles (Men of Faith)

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George Muller was the pastor of a small church in England in the early 1800s. In those days, churches were financed by pew rents. Families would rent the pew where they sat each Sunday and from these funds, the pastor would be paid and other expenses of operation met. The pews in the best locations cost more. Rev. Muller became convinced that pew rents were contrary to the will of God, and after several months as pastor on a salary, announced to the congregation that he would no longer receive a salary, but that they should place a box in the chapel into which they could place offerings to support him. He further announced that he would tell only God of his needs.

In 1833, he became pastor of Bethesda Chapel in Bristol. There were many orphans on the streets, and Reverend Muller began inviting some to his home to eat breakfast each day and then taught them from the scriptures. In 1834 he established some day schools to help them get an education and conducted Sunday School for them on Sunday. In 1836, God moved him to establish a small orphanage in the neighborhood in a rented house. He added more rented houses, and then was moved by God to acquire land at the edge of town (Bristol) and build a modern orphan's home in 1849. He continued to add buildings for many years until there was space for over 2,000 orphans. Reverend Muller depended entirely on contributions to meet all the building construction and operating money and his personal living expenses.. Yet he had a firm rule, based on his personal belief that he should never ask anyone for a contribution - in fact, never even tell anyone who asked whether the orphanages were in need of funds. He asked only God in his prayers, and always was very specific in his petitions to God. God moved him to keep meticulous records of his prayer requests and there results. In journals he dated and recorded each request on the left hand side and then dated and recorded the results opposite on the right hand side. His biographers had a lot of material to work with.
Reverend Muller undertook nothing, even the smallest expenditure, unless he felt it was the will of God. He was asked how he sought the will of God. This is his reply:
1. "I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the Lord's will, whatever it may be. When one is truly in this state, it is usually but a little way to the knowledge of what His will is.
2. Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impressions. If so, I make my self liable to great delusions.
3. I seek the will of the Spirit of God through or in connection with the Word of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I lay my self open to great delusions also.
4. Next I take into account providential circumstances. These plainly indicate God's will in connection with His Word and Spirit.
5. I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to me aright.
6. Thus through prayer to God, the study of the Word, and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge, and if my mind is thus at peace, and it continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly."
Mr. Muller was asked how well this worked.
"I never remember", he wrote in 1895, three years before his death at the age of 93, "in all my Christian course, a period now of sixty-nine years and four months, that I ever SINCERELY and PATIENTLY sought to know the will of God by the teaching of the Holy Ghost through the instrumentality of the Word of God, but I have always been directed rightly. But if honesty of heart and uprightness before God were lacking, or I did not patiently wait upon the Lord for instruction, or if I preferred the counsel of my fellow men to the declarations of the Word of the living God, I made great mistakes."

I was so moved by what I had read, that I decided my children should have copies. I found paperback editions were available and ordered several copies to give to family and friends. I re-read the book several times, taking it on airplanes when I traveled and became convinced that if this book meant so much to me, I should give copies away. I ordered 100 copies. I gave copies to the members of my Sunday School class, members of church committees and to many individuals. At least one individual I gave one to, who is a member of a different church, began buying and giving copies to people. At the time I am writing this, I have given over 200 copies of the book.

This book is truly an evangelistic tool.

As a living example of George Mullers legacy, having spent my childhood 1939 - 1954 in the surroudings of the Orphange situated at Ashley Down, Bristol, England. This book brought back so many memories for me. Some I try to forget, but now I am 60 years of age and reflect on the effect the teachings have had on my life, I remain eternally grateful for the upbringing, teachings and character building I received during the most informative years of my life. I thouroughly reccommend it to any person looking for answers to their 'inner self' providing there is room for Christianity in their lives

In 1946, on my 13th birthday, my Sunday School teacher gave me a copy of this book. In 1992, I found it in my mother's home and re-read it. It was a life changing experience. I have bought and given away more than 200 copies since then.

One thing that makes George Muller's biography's unique is the amount of documentation that his biographer's had to work with. Each year, he published a detailed report of activities, but more meaningful were the journals he kept in which he listed all prayer requests and the outcomes of those requests.

Muller was born in 1805 in Prussia. As a young man, he decided not to tell anyone of his needs, but to rely solely on prayer. God taught George Muller faith and trust by continually testing him, but always providing what he needed. Muller was motivated in 1836 to start an orphanage for 30 street children in Bristol, England. Over the years, as a result of his prayers, the orphanage grew to house over 2000.

Muller lived to be 93. In his later years, he was honored internationally and invited to visit and speak in many cities. Beginning in 1875 he made 17 trips and visited 42 countries, telling his story of faith, trust, and prayer.

This is an inspiring book. It is filled with stories of many actual experiences that help the reader grow his or her own faith.

I had heard of George Muller and how he was a man of prayer and faith but I really didn't understand the story of George Muller until I happened to read this short book by Basil Miller on his life. Truly, Muller searves as an example of a life of faith, prayer, obedience, and faithfulness unders whatever circumstances he found himself until his very last day.

This short book (159 pages) offers the reader a short glimpse into the life of George Muller. Much like our Saviour (John 21:25), this book does not explore the true life of Muller. It does, however, give the reader a quick look at his life and it will indeed challenge your faith. Muller's prayer life alone should touch a nerve in every true disciple of Jesus and call us all to a deeper life of prayer. Muller demonstrated that he took Jesus' words serious when Jesus told us to pray and not give up (Luke 18:1) and that whatever we ask in faith we will receive for his glory and honour (John 14:12-14).

Overall, Miller's work is to the point and a solid read. I greatly enjoyed the layout of the book which you would expect in a biography such as this. Miller covers George Muller's life from birth to death and he shows us the highs and lows of Muller all in between. I also greatly appreciated the fact that Miller reveals that Muller is just like you and I in the sense that he was a sinner in need of a graceful Saviour (Romans 3:23-24). Muller's life will have an impact on your soul.

Over a hundred years after his death, the life and faith of George Müller still ministers to me. I am constantly challenged and exhorted by his testimony.

His father sent him to seminary hoping to secure a good job that would provide for him (and his father and mother). The irony there is that George was an unconverted sinner who was reveling in debauchery and sin sick. He converted his life upon seeing someone genuinely praying upon their knees.

After this conversion, he saw the beauty and joy of prayer and gave up his regular salary and simply prayed for his every day provisions. In his journal he states that he would pray and money and food would simply show up. It tells that God answered more than 50,000 of his simple requests for daily provision. He prayer focused to building several orphanages which housed thousands of children. He also traveled and shared his faith to 42 countries up until he was 93 years old. He stated that he read his Bible more than two hundred times in his life and that one hundred of those were on his knees. What an amazing picture of a tender yearning to hear God speak.

Simply through prayer and never through public plea, this man of God was given millions of dollars in the 1800's. His life and testimony is fascinating. May you be challenged to pray and expect God to answer you.

This book was very well written. I found myself filling the side margins with notes and underlining quotations.

It is inspirational and extremely beneficial to anyone who wants to read about someone who had their priorities in order.

If you need your faith built up, this is the book for you. One of the most encouraging, solid, Biblically-sound books I have ever read. George Mueller truly was a man of faith, and simply reading about his life is edifying and will strengthen your walk with God, whether you are a new believer or one who's been around the block of faith for a while. Highly recommended.

"George Muller: Man Of Faith And Miracles" is a great read of the man who became known for the orphanage ministry he led.

Among the areas covered include:

1. His early life as an unbeliever.
2. Coming to faith in Christ.
3. 66 years as pastor of a church in England.
4. Family life - outlived his daughter and two different wives.
5. Starting and overseeing the ministry of an orphanage to several hundred children.
6. Many missionary travels to several countries, including the USA.
7. Countless instances of God answering his prayers to provide food and money for the orphanage.

I was particularly inspired when reading the accounts of how God was so faithful in answering Muller's prayers for provision for his own needs and that of the orphanage's. Indeed, God blesses when we do what He calls us to do!

Enjoyable read. Highly recommended.

I highly recommend this excellent book to see how God works in the hands of the faithful. Small paperback and easy reading.

Although I read this wonderful book in 1978 when I first accepted Jesus in my life, its words still resonate within my spirit. Muller's faith that food would arrive at the orphanage when the children sat at the dinner table in front of empty plates hungry, is among the great answers to prayer and faith in the God he knew so well. He truly experienced first hand the verse in Hebrews 11:1, where we are told the nature of faith..."it is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." For George Muller, faith was believing that God told the truth.

This book is a must for every Christian struggling with belief in a supernatural God who is able to hear them when they pray. Highly recommended.

Charles Hamilton Sr, Former Executive Director Northwest Teen Challenge, author: "From Darkness To Light" and "A Step Of Faith." [...]From Darkness To Light