Sunday, April 13, 2008

50,000 answers to prayer

I read a devotional about George Mueller who recorded 50,000 answers to prayer in his lifetime (as a Christian).
"George Muller, founder of the Orphan Homes, Bristol, [England], wherein 16,000 orphans have been received, who received £1,500,000 in answer to prayer and faith alone was a Prussian by birth. When a student at the University of Halle, he was careless and unconcerned about spiritual matters. Although he was studying with the object of becoming a clergyman of the Established Church, he knew nothing whatever of the saving power of the Gospel. His conversion came about as follows: Through attending meetings in a private house in Halle, conducted by a devoted Christian, he became deeply interested and impressed with what he saw and heard. The simple believers that he came in contact with at these services had something which he did not possess. He longed for rest and peace to his troubled spirit, but was ignorant how it was to be obtained. He knew of no one who professed to be saved through faith in Christ's Blood. Things must have been at a low ebb spiritually. "I had no Bible and had not read it for years," he said: "I went to church but seldom; but from custom took the Lord's Supper twice a year. I had never heard the Gospel preached up to the beginning of November, 1825" — the month of his conversion. "I had never met with a person who told me that he meant by the help of God to live according to the Scriptures. In short, I had not the least idea that there were any persons really different from myself except in degree. Mr. Muller returned to the house several times, and not long afterwards saw that Christ by His sacrificial death on Calvary had borne sin's penalty, and died that he might be eternally saved. Through believing on the Lord Jesus he became a new creature. The Word of God became His joy and delight, old companions were given up, and although ridiculed and laughed at by his fellow-students, he boldly witnessed for Christ.

George Muller established 5 large Orphan Homes on Ashley Downs, Bristol; circulated millions of Scriptures and books, visited many countries, and entered into rest in 1896, in his 93rd year, leaving £160 in his will.

Copied by Stephen Ross for WholesomeWords.org from Twice-Born Men: True Conversion Records of 100 Well-Known Men in All Ranks of Life compiled by Hy. Pickering. London: Pickering & Inglis, [193-?]"
" (from http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bmuller3.html)

Two things are hitting me:
1. the 50,000 answers to prayer he recorded, and
2. how he met Christ - through a small home meeting.

I want to record thousands of answered prayer too, if the Lord wills, if I live to be somewhere near 93. The amazing thing about all the orphans he helped is that he didn't ask for money for them. He just prayed and God provided.
And I want to start a small group. I remember hearing about someone else getting saved and the group he went to was not necessarily called "Bible study" and they had supper together on Wednesdays. He came and ate and just took it all in at first.

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