The Prayer life of George Muller

When looking for a book on prayer, I came across a book with this subtitle, 'The Prayerful Life of George Muller.' Well, I'd recently seen a documentary that detailed some of his life, and that portrayed him as a man of vision and prayer, who trusted The Lord for the provision to house and educate the many orphans surviving the streets of Bristol. I'd heard his name before, and always assumed that he was an English man, so I was surprised to learn that he was German and that he came to England to be a missionary primarily to the Jews. 

I ordered the book, Robber of the Cruel Streets, and had a truly blessed week as I read about the prayer life of George, and couldn't help but be encouraged by this man's testimony of Jehovah Jireh, The Lord my Provider.

I have a VERY condensed version of the book here, just to give you a brief insight to what the power of God can do with all of our lives. Though this is a quick outline about George, it's really about the faithfulness of a loving God, who sees the beginning from the end.......

It's also the anniversary of George's promotion to Glory! He was 92..

GEORGE MULLER 1805-1898

Georges transition from a thieving, lying drunkard, to a praying, preaching man of faith is, as you can imagine, extraordinary.

George, aged 90

What can change a selfish, greedy, pleasure seeking, consequence defying, independent cheat, into a man desiring to live completely for another, Jesus, what ever the cost? George, though intelligent and educated, well schooled with opportunity to progress, was a rogue through and through, and thought nothing of stealing and lying to satisfy his love of luxury. As a child as young as 10, he was already a convincing skilled liar, deceiving his father in money matters. 

By the age of 14 he was stealing to fund his gambling and indulgent drinking sessions. All of this while he was studying and preparing to work as a minister in the Lutheran Church (his fathers plan, though George did not resist the idea to have a comfortable living as a hypocrite.....)

At 16, the law caught up with him as he found himself in Wolfenbuttle Jail after several weeks of going from village to village, running up huge tabs in hotels and Inns, eating and drinking as if he were a King though he had not a penny in his pocket. Remarkably, when caught and arrested, his father paid the monies owed to the hotels, including the Jail fee and Georges coach fare back home! This did nothing to change George's pleasure seeking heart, and he continued to lie and steal without remorse.

It's hard to imagine that this is the one who would choose to be financially dependent on an invisible God, who would swap his lifestyle to live hand to mouth each day while praying for the needs of orphans under his care. But that's exactly what did happen. God always has a plan......

When he was aged 20, an invitation was given to George by one of his former drinking pals, to a prayer meeting. Intrigued, he went. There, though he had been studying theology for years, he saw someone kneel to pray for the first time. He heard spontaneous prayer, something completely new to him, as prayer was usually very formal, read from the prayer book. The whole evening made a huge impression on him. People were gathered there because they wanted to be, and they were there to meet with God, not to hold a 'religious service.' He left the meeting with 'un-explainable joy.'

This prayer meeting was to change the whole direction that George thought he was set for, and it had been perfectly timed with people set in position to encourage and teach this professional rebel in the ways of Christ, which he gladly received. This new found joy far exceeded anything he had ever felt while living to sin. 

After his conversion, George felt called to life as a missionary, with prayer becoming a main focus in his life. The revelation that a Christian life is one that's fully surrendered to God was a surprisingly welcomed concept for one who had continually lived only for his own self gratification. 

God's calling on his life was to be in Bristol where he and his wife Mary would pioneer a work, caring the many orphans there, believing that God would provide. But as practice run for this life of faith, they first served at a church in Devon for a couple of years, not knowing that this was The Lord's training ground, preparing them to trust in God for greater things.

By the perfect planning of God, Mary's brother was to have a HUGE influence on them as a Christian couple. His name was Anthony Groves, an independent missionary who was serving in Baghdad, unsupported by the 'Church', and living 'by faith alone for daily provision.' He wrote this booklet to challene the mind sets of the time, subtitling it,

The Consideration of Our Saviour's Precept

"Lay not up for yourselves treasure upon earth."

This is available on Amazon

....which I also bought, devoured, and loved. No wonder young Mr and Mrs Muller were moved and inspired to break off with convention and actually believe that God would give them their daily bread, when asked! 

At a time when ministers financial needs were met by charging the congregation a pew fee (very common back then...), George was to go against this accepted tradition, insisting that the Gospel was not to be paid for. 

Here's a page from the book, Robber of the Cruel Streets, showing their response as a couple to their need to find an alternative source of income besides charging for seats in the church....

The Lord was to prove faithful, on every account, because He is. George and Mary determined together that they would not utter to another regarding their needs, they would simply take to The Lord, commit it to His keeping, and wait expectantly for Him to move on someones heart to give to them. In the beginning, they considered this to be an experiment, a chance to see if Anthony Grove's method (and God's method!) of 'praying in the provision' really worked on a daily basis. 

This was to be a very trying experiment. At times the Mullers were down to their last pence, and in need of food, but dared not tell others, as they believed that God would be glorified when He alone was depended on. If they couldn't trust Almighty God for their own daily bread, then the words of Jesus in The Lords prayer were full of false hope, and they would never trust Him for greater needs. They were tried to the hilt.

At one point, after many prayers had produced nothing, Muller's faith took a real dive when he said 'I began to say to myself I had gone too far in living in this way.' After some more time of wrestling with doubts, he rose from prayers to discover that a lady had been and left some money for them. It is not unusual to be tempted to rely on human help, as it is something that is done in the 'natural,' but here we've just seen a perfect example of God allowing someone He loves, to experience the temptation to doubt, for without it how can the man be an overcomer, and have his faith honoured?

God alone was praised when George returned to his study, with provision in hand, knowing that victory had been won. The Lord IS faithful, and this trial of faith (which became part of their every day life) was to be won time and time again as both George and Mary sought all provision from God alone.

Here's a peek inside the book again...........

(sorry it's a little blurred)

It is of no surprise, that in the years to come God abundantly blessed this prayerfully dependent couple with remarkable increase, though they lived in reliance daily. George had learned the skill of accurate book keeping, and he purposely recorded every transaction. Each coin that came in, by whom, and when and why it was spent. This was to prove necessary down the line, for people found it impossible to believe that George could afford to pay for and run an orphan house, when he had no income. 

St Wilson Street, the first four Orphan houses

When he prayed for another house, provision came, staff came, utensils, clothes, furniture all came, and all through prayer. Food was prayed in daily, and came daily. There was no back up plan. Either the Lord brought food, or the children had nothing to eat. They eventually had four orphan houses in a row, but they were soon to outgrow even this, as The Lord increased George Muller's vision.

As time went on, the Mullers were to buy land and build what is known as the Ashley Downs Orphanages. In 1845 he had a contract for the land, initially to rehouse 300 children. Four years later the first building was ready and the orphans moved from Wilson street to their new home. 37 years later there were five buildings and 2000 children in their care! All provided for through prayer, not one fundraising campaign.

All of this is a testimony to the power of prayer, asking God, believing it shall be given, trusting on His ability to provide for His own work. George Muller and his wife was moved to try this as a simple experiment, trusting God for their daily bread, little knowing that the Lord was preparing them to trust in Him for the daily bread of 2000 children, staff, and themselves, AND clothes, furniture, land, schooling, my goodness!!

In between the chapters of the book I am sifting from are prompters regarding the readers own prayer life. Here's a little paragraph that is worth considering and putting into practice....

Many find a close-kept notebook record of dated requests and answers to prayer an indespensible way not only of listing things to pray for, 

but as a record of considerable encouragement. 

We all easily forget, and to see something listed as 'prayed for' and then ticked off, 

is a concrete reminder. 

As Muller said "It is a cleaer testimonial of God's faithfulness." p117

So, why not consider creating your own prayer diary as a testimony to Gods faithfulness?

Lilias Trotter

A few months ago, while looking at some inspiration for some new painting ideas, I just 'happened' across an incredible story of an artist who, at the cross roads crisis, chose to follow the words of Jesus, to "Seek first the Kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33). I found myself on an incredible adventure as I read an inspiring account of lady who lived out her faith in Christ by loving obedience. This lady was called Lilias Trotter. 

from AZ Quotes

Born in a privileged house, and raised in Victorian London, Lilias wanted for nothing, and her artistic talent soon blossomed and she was given opportunity to develop her skills when her art came to the attention of art critic John Ruskin. Now, although she was very talented in drawing and painting, this wasn't the only thing she was interested in. Fully aware of the poverty around her, and with the desire to bring Christ to the hopeless, she was heavily involved in all kinds of social work (which was not so unusual for ladies from a wealthy background at that time).

A woman ahead of her times, she had no fear in wandering the dangerous streets of London at night, alone, looking for prostitutes in which to offer the hope of a new life to. She was secretary to the YWCA, and held regular bible studies for the many ladies who came to London finding work as house maids. When D.L Moody came to England for an evangelistic tour, she was a volunteer counselor for after meeting ministry, trained under Moody to lead a hungry soul to the bread of Life, Jesus. You can read much more online (what did we do before Google?), but I've given you the gist. 

Anyway, crisis point.....John Ruskin saw incredible potential in Lilias, and said to her, that if she devoted herself whole heartedly to art, then "she would be the greatest living painter and do things which would be immortal." By this time, Jesus had beat Ruskin to it, and after some consideration and prayer, Lilias knew that her heart and devotion had already been given gladly to another, and could not be shared. She turned Ruskin's offer down and continued to spend the next ten years ministering selflessly to the many women of London who had found themselves in a life of prostitution, much to Ruskin's dismay.

Lilias watercolour

So what plan did The Lord have for Lilias? She though that she would spend her life in London working for the YWCA, amongst the girls she loved and cared for, but to her surprise, The Lord was to change her direction as her path was crossed by two ladies with a burden for 'the unreached in foreign lands.' She says this..... 

"I quite expected to spend my life in the Y.W.C.A. and was not interested in missionary work, but I was thrown a good deal with Adeline Braithwaite and Lelie Duff, and I felt that both of them had taken to heart the outer darkness in a way I had not. I do not remember that they said anything to me personally about it, but one felt it right through them. They were all aglow. I saw that they had a fellowship with Jesus that I knew nothing about. So I began to pray, “Lord, give me the fellowship with Thee over the heathen that Thou hast given to these two!”

It was not many weeks before it began to come—a strange, yearning love over those who were “in the land of the shadow of death”—a feeling that Jesus could speak to me about them, and that I could speak to Him—that a great barrier between Him and me had been broken right down and swept away.

I had no thought of leaving England then, no thought even at first of trying to stir others at home. But, straight as a line, God made my way out into the darkness before eighteen months were over. And through eternity I shall thank Him for the silent flame in the hearts of those two friends, and what it did for me. Neither of them has ever had her path opened into foreign work, but the light of the Day that is coming will show what He has let them do in kindling other souls.”

They Knew Their God Volume 1

Which leads to this............Part two of Lilias adventures, far from London this time..... 

LILIAS TROTTER 1854-1928

On this day in 1888, Isabella Lilias Trotter of London left the homeland she had faithfully served in, and boarded a steam ship with two other sisters in faith, and sailed to pioneer a new mission work in the Algiers.

Taken from public Domain

After years of ministry in England, she became aware of a calling from God as 'North Africa' was consistently whispered into her soul. She could not deny it, and when a visiting missionary from there held a meeting, asking if anyone was being called to go, without hesitation she said "He is calling me."

Her weak heart caused her to fail the health requirements held by the North African Mission, but undeterred, she made arrangements to travel to Africa with two like minded trusted sisters in faith, and to work self funded thanks to her wealth and contacts. 

After four days at sea, the trio sailed into the North African Harbour, singing 'Crown Him Lord of all!' Lilias was aged 34, with no experience of foreign missions, but had every confidence and reliance on the One who was sending her. 

"Three of us stood there, looking at our battle field, non of us fit to pass a doctor for any society, not knowing a soul in the place, or a sentence of Arabic, or a clue for beginning work on untouched ground: we only knew we had to come. Truly if God needed weakness, He had it!"

Leaving behind all that was familiar, and the many good works that she had laboured over, Lilias went on to unknown territory with the love of the Lord in her heart, and the Gospel on her lips. 

As a gifted artist, she combined both painting with literature to illustrate lessons to help others grow in their walk with God. 

She used this beautiful combination to encourage the saints back home through monthly YWCA articles, where she had served as secretary for some time, and also to create gospel booklets and literature in the Arabic native language. She also produced a wordless picture book explaining the gospel of Christ, as One who came to seek and save that which was lost, which was used in countless villages and towns to reach those who had never before heard the name of Christ.

Watercolour by Lilias of the land and people who captivated her heart

Well trained in Bible study leadership and writing, she wrote this article just one month before she was called by The Lord to mission work. She pictured in a particular article, an eaglet balancing on a stick hanging from the safety of the nest..........

"The face of the cliff goes sheer down-how can it venture into that great gulf, with untried wings? But it gathers up its courage at last, and dashes out. There is the giddy depth below, its strength is failing already; one or two feeble flaps, and it drops down-down-a moment more, and, all unseen, it knows not whence, strong warm wings are beneath, and it is being borne along up into a place of safety. The mother bird has swooped underneath it. There was no risk after all! Now see our Father's explanation, written as it were, below the picture. "As an eagle stirs up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings; so The Lord alone did lead him." Deuteronomy 32:11-12"

This understanding of the utter reliablility of The Lord God, was to see her through forty years of ministry in this desert land. She truly loved the people, and the love of the Lord flowed out of her as she delighted to bring news of salvation to a people who had sat in darkness for so long. The story of the cross was the most precious gift she travelled with, saying later, "It is so beautiful to be able to tell it for the first time." "Oh, it is wonderful to be allowed to break the silence in which God has been loving them all the time. We believe there will be a real work of the Spirit among these mountains." She often worked tirelessly enduring months of travel across the desert to reach more villages, sowing where non had sown before, with villagers longing for her and her company to stay with them. Though she was well able as an organiser and leader, she knew that apart from the leading of the Holy Spirit, the work would be to no avail. She wrote in her diary in 1895,

Lilias mountain  art, "Prepared as a Bride"

"One learns slowly that one can do nothing mechanically in this itinerating work, 
that one cannot choose a place, 
or settle to stay long in it, 
or push into many houses, 
simply because it is large and important. 
We want to learn 
'Wheresoever the Spirit was to go they went, there was their spirit to go.' 
Ezekiel 1:20

By 1907, this small missionary team was named the "Algiers Mission Band," and by 1920 there were thirty full time workers with fifteen mission stations across Algeria. with Lilias continuing to lead the organisation through prayer and vision. In 1964, this Band merged with the North African Mission, and is known today as Arab World Ministries.

For forty years she kept a page a day journal in which she wrote and painted her daily actions, thoughts and learnings from her time with The Lord in Algeria. Here's a snippet....

By Lilias Trotter, from the book Parables of The Cross

This dandelion has long ago surrendered its golden petals, and has reached its crowning stage of dying; the delicate seed-globe must break up now, it gives and gives until it has nothing left......There is no sense of wrenching: it stands ready, holding up its little life, not knowing when or where or how the wind that bloweth where it listeth may carry it away. It holds itself no longer for its own keeping, only as something to be given: a breath does the rest, turning the 'readiness to will' into the 'performance' (2 Corinthians 8:11). 

Parables of the Cross by Lilias Trotter