George Müller: a man of prayer and much faith

George Müller came up in Living Faith this morning. Sheila and I were just reading about him last night. She read this phenomenal stat on him that over his life, 91,000 English pounds pass through his hands. Of that, he gave away 82,000 pounds. I know he gave to the China Inland Mission because I am reading a book on Hudson Taylor right now and it mentions the funds that came into the mission from Müller.

Here are some glimpses into his life and ministry.


http://chi.gospelcom.net/GLIMPSEF/Glimpses/glmps036.shtml

George Müller, Man of Faith and Prayer

THE ORPHAN CHILDREN all had their dinners and were ready for bed. They always felt loved and cared for in the Bristol orphanage; little did they know that the orphanage had no money and there was no food for breakfast the next day. Though he did not know how, George Mueller was confident the Lord would provide for the orphans--after all, wasn't he a "Father to the fatherless" (Psalm 68:5)? Mr. Mueller went to bed, committing the care of the orphans to God. The next morning he went for a walk, praying for God to supply the orphanage's needs. In his walk he met a friend who asked him to accept some money for the orphanage. . . Mr. Mueller thanked him, but did not tell the friend about the pressing need. Instead, he praised God for the answer to prayer and went to the orphanage for breakfast.


No Salary for George

George Müeller had joyfully dedicated his "whole life to the object of exemplifying how much may be accomplished by prayer and faith." When he had moved to Bristol in 1832 to take the pulpit of Gideon chapel, he and his wife Mary decided not to accept a salary from the congregation. They wanted to daily depend upon the Lord for their needs, and they accepted only unsolicited freewill offerings. Mueller's journal is full of the amazing ways the Lord directed funds to them throughout his sixty-six years of ministry.


http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Biographies/1531_George_Muellers_Strategy_for_Showing_God/

The three chief reasons for establishing an Orphan-House are: 1. That God may be glorified, should He be pleased to furnish me with the means, in its being seen that it is not a vain thing to trust in Him; and that thus the faith of His children may be strengthened. 2. The spiritual welfare of fatherless and motherless children. 3. Their temporal welfare.37


He spent most of his life in Bristol, England and pastored the same church there for over sixty-six years—a kind of independent, premillennial, Calvinistic Baptist church that celebrated the Lord's supper weekly and admitted non-baptized people into membership. If this sounds unconventional, that would be accurate. He was a maverick not only in his church life but in almost all the areas of his life. But his eccentricities were almost all large-hearted and directed outward for the good of others.


The accomplishments of all five branches were significant, but the one he was known for around the world in his own lifetime, and still today, was the orphan ministry. He built five large orphan houses and cared for
10,024 orphans in his life. When he started in 1834 there were accommodations for 3,600 orphans in all of England and twice that many children under eight were in prison. One of the great effects of Mueller's ministry was to inspire others so that “fifty years after Mr.
Mueller began his work, at least one hundred thousand orphans were cared for in England alone.”




Another web site:

WEC's tradition of "trusting God alone" for provision comes from Scriptures and the influence of the life of George Mueller. In the 1800's, Mueller (also spelled "Muller") was guided by God to begin an orphanage in Bristol, England, on the basis of faith in the promises of God. He made no appeal for funds. Rather, he asked God to move in people's hearts so they would give toward the care of the orphans. Mueller's testimony to God's faithful provision influenced Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, [film] and later C. T. Studd, founder of WEC, who began his missions career with Taylor in China.

Reflect on the words of Mueller:

"Over the years, the Lord has faithfully taken care of us financially in our work of caring for the orphans by constantly raising up new supporters. God's promise is that they that trust in the Lord shall never be confounded. . .
For one reason or another were we to lean upon man, we would inevitably be disappointed; but, in leaning upon the living God alone, moment by moment, we are beyond disappointment and beyond being forsaken because of death, or of not having enough to live on or enough love or because of the needs of other works also requiring support.
How precious to have learned to stand with God alone in the world, and yet to be happy and confident, and to know that 'no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.' (Psalm 84:11)"
Some who read or hear of Mueller's adventures of faith say, "Oh, he had a very special gift of faith, but I couldn't live like that!"
Mueller argues,

"It is the selfsame faith which is found in every believer. . . Oh, I plead with you, do not think me an extraordinary believer, having privileges above others of God's dear children, which they cannot have, nor look on my way of acting as something that would not do for other believers. . . .
Do but stand still in the hour of trial, and you will see the help of God if you trust in Him."


http://www.theopenscroll.com/muller.htm