A Simply Supernatural Life: George Muller
(1805-1898)
Here is an example of a man who changed his world through prayer: George Muller (1805-1898) was a fantastic man of God who prayed with excellent results. He was an evangelist and the director of the Ashley Down Orphanage in Bristol, England. He was one of the founders of the Plymouth Brethren movement.
Here is an excerpt of an interview conducted with George when he was ninety-one. Read this carefully. You will be inspired and blessed!
Pastor Charles R. Parsons wrote:1
“A warm summer day found me slowly walking up the shady groves of Ashley Hill, Bristol. At the top the immense buildings which shelter over two thousand orphans, built by a man who has given to the world the most striking object lesson in faith it has ever seen, met my gaze.
The first house was on the right, and here, among his own people, in plain, unpretentious apartments, lives a saintly patriarch, George Muller. Passing through the lodge gate, I paused a moment to look at House No. 3, one of the five erected at a cost of $600,000.
The bell is answered by an orphan, who conducts me up a lofty stone staircase, and into one of the private rooms of the venerable founder of this great institution. Mr. Muller has attained the remarkable age of ninety-one. As I stand in his presence, veneration fills my mind. ‘Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man’ (Lev. 19:32).
He received me with a cordial handshake and bade me welcome. It is something merely to see a man by whom God has accomplished a mighty work: it is more to hear the tones of his voice; far greater than either is the privilege of being brought into immediate contact with his spirit, and of feeling the warm breath of his soul breathed into one's own.
The communion of that hour will be graven on my memory while life shall last. This servant of the Most High opened his heart to me, counseled me, prayed with me, and gave me his blessing.
In that hour the source of George Muller's great spiritual strength was clearly made manifest. The aged saint with all his faculties unimpaired, was eloquent the whole time on one theme, the praise of Jehovah, the great Hearer and Answerer of His people's prayers. My own words were few.
‘You have always found the Lord faithful to His promise, Mr. Muller?’
‘Always! He has never failed me! For nearly seventy years every need in connection with this work has been supplied. The orphans, from the first until now have numbered nine thousand five hundred; but they have never wanted a meal. Hundreds of times we have commenced the day without a penny; but our Heavenly Father has sent supplies the moment they were actually required. There never was a time when we had no wholesome meal. During all these years I have been enabled to trust in the living God alone. Seven million five hundred thousand dollars have been sent to me in answer to prayer. We have needed as much as two hundred thousand dollars in one year, and it has all come when needed. No man can ever say I asked him for a penny. We have no committees, no collectors, no voting, and no endowment. All has come in answer to believing prayer. God has many ways of moving the hearts of men to help us, all over the world. While I am praying, He speaks to one and another on this continent and on that to send us help. Only the other evening, while I was preaching, a gentleman wrote a check for a large amount and handed it to me when the service was over.’
‘I have read your life, Mr. Muller, and noted how greatly your faith has been tried at times. Is it so now?’
‘My faith is tried, as much as ever, and my difficulties are greater than ever. Besides our financial responsibilities, suitable helpers have to be found constantly, and suitable places provided for hundreds of orphans constantly leaving the homes. Then often our funds run very low; only the other week we had come nearly to the end of our supplies. I called my beloved helpers together, and said to them, 'Pray, brethren, pray!' Immediately five hundred dollars was sent us, then a thousand, and in a few days seven thousand five hundred came in. But we have always to be praying, always believing. Oh, it is good to trust in the living God, for He hath said, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee' (Heb. 13:5). Expect great things from God, and great things you will have. There is no limit to what He is able to do. Praises for ever to His glorious name! Praise Him for everything! I have praised Him many times when He sent me ten cents, and I have praised Him when He has sent me sixty thousand dollars.’
‘I suppose you have never contemplated a reserve fund?’
‘To do so would be an act of the greatest folly. How could I pray if I had reserves? God would say, 'Bring out those reserves, George Muller.' Oh no, I never thought of such a thing. Our reserve fund is in Heaven. The living God is our sufficiency. I have trusted Him for one dollar, I have trusted Him for thousands, and never trusted in vain. 'Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him' (Ps. 34:8).”
Note: In his homes, ten thousand destitute orphans have been received, trained, educated, and sent out into the world.
In his old age, he traveled nearly two hundred thousand miles in forty-two countries, preaching the gospel to three million hearers.
Having thus served God in his day and generation, his spirit, like that of Moses, was kissed away by the mouth of Jehovah when all alone in his room on the early morning of March 10, 1898. His age was ninety-three.”
Wow! That is so inspirational. Talk about a simply supernatural life!
Tell yourself, “If I believe God and pray, miracles will happen. If I obey the Holy Spirit, nothing will stop me from doing God’s will. If God can do it for George, God can do it for me!”
Excerpted from:
Charles Simms, Editor, An Hour With George Muller: The Man of Faith to Whom God Gave Millions. (Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan Publishing House, 1939).