There once was a man...

There once was a man who lived life to the fullest. He was able to get anything he wanted. As a young man in his later teens and twenties, he was able to scam his way into getting money to keep his stock of booze and women flowing through his home and life. The guy was such a scoundrel that he would even steal from his own father, he was a deeply evil man. One could say he did what he wilt. Soon his wicked ways caught up to him, he was placed under arrest and soon committed to prison to fulfill a sentence for his debauchery.

While in prison he had a long time to reflect on what he had done to his friends and family. Reluctantly, his father paid for his debts he had built up due to his wicked ways. Unfortunately, his time in the prison did not change his wild ways, not even his religiously strict father who would beat him was able to change his ways.

The man of whom I am speaking was George Muller.

George Mueller was known worldwide for building orphanages for street kids who were dying from starvation and implement weather in the town of Bristol in England. He managed to do this in a very in ordinary way. He did not ask for money to run the orphanage, nor did he do anything that regular charities would do, no his ways were very different.

After his worldly playboy living he turned to the church to help him change his ways. Not really thinking of anything but a proper way to life a rich lifestyle instead of cheating he knew that a career in the church would help him see that money to life his luxurious lifestyle he always wanted. But, one night this all changed.

It was a night in which George Mueller was invited to the house of businessman, Johan Wagner, that he found the true meaning of Faith in God. The night was a Bible study, Mueller was listening to the word as like he had never read it. He saw through these people he was studying with, that the legalistic religion he was brought up in was not the right way and that these people had something different, they had love. The love of God shown through to him, and the for the first time he was happy, because he had learned of the love of God.

This changed everything for him. Mueller would study the bible for days on end until he would pass out from lack of sleep. George started to preach and then travel to preach he was married and had children, one dying in infancy. Through many trials and hardships while preaching he managed to stay in faith not even crying tears of agony over the loss of his son, he considered it a joy to know that his child was in a better and much happier place than he was.

As children would start coming to his door foraging for food, he and his wife grew in much compassion for the growing population of orphans on the street. This lead to him praying for what to do. After many days of waiting for an answer he grew to realize God was leading him to start and orphanage.

The legend of George Mueller was taught to me as a young child, my grandmother told me of how, his children in the three orphanages he managed to start only through the provisions of The Lord, never were without clothes nor without food. George would pray for food and daily there would a delivery of what they needed, whether it was food or supplies for the daily needs or clothing God would send someone to deliver the items, sometimes even at the very last minute. These people of the community usually, through early hours of the morning would be driven out of their beds to get up to start whatever they were being led to do.

Although there was a seven-year period that was called by Mueller himself as, “severe testing”. Mueller’s faith in God’s provision never failed. The quote I have found is testimony that during these years, Mueller knew anxiety. He said, “The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.”(from Streams in the Desert 366 Daily Devotional by L.B. Cowman pgs. 17-18)

Truly the life of George Mueller is great testimony to us still today some 200 years later that Faith in God and the answers we need can and will be fulfilled by God.

The bible shows us time and time again God wants us to trust in him in all things. Saying things like, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). Search the scriptures read what Jesus has to say about the sparrow and the lilies of the field in Matthew 6:25 -34. Learn what James said in chapter four about not having because you are not asking correctly. Learning to trust the Lord in all things will change your ways of praying to Him.

Like Mueller, we to will see God move in our lives fixing the things that we cannot. There are also times we learn more about God and trusting in Him only for everything is when we are not in our comfortable place. Like Mueller’s seven years of, “severe testing” He learned more to trust in God than in his first years of the orphanage.  For example, George made sure to pray to God asking for the buildings to be available to house the children and for teachers to donate their time to help the orphanage etc. Bu the one thing he didn’t ask God for to be delivered to him was the orphans themselves, so Mueller did so, he asked God to be the children to him and God did so, so much so that he had in one of three houses there were 30 young ladies. (info for this mini-bio is from video on George Mueller of YouTube)

To learn to trust in God more than you have ever in your life, there will be times of true struggle, there times are when we will find ourselves in a rut. We ask God and others why we cannot get a break. These are the times we need to remember God’s promises. Read the bible, pray, read the bible more, and when you pray, make them of worship and honoring God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.(from Streams in the Desert 366 Daily Devotional by L.B. Cowman pgs. 17-18)

When in prayer keep praying until you know your truly with your whole heart believe God will do it, whatever that it is in your life. If you do not see signs of action from God keep praying telling God, you are still believing for it. Pray in a way that is fruitful not lacking life. Praise God in word and in hymns. Then when you get to the point you cannot pray anymore, wait and see that God is good.

Remember Psalm 40 (ESV)

“I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry.
² He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.
³ He put a new song in my mouth,
    a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
    and put their trust in the Lord.

⁴ Blessed is the man who makes
    the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
    to those who go astray after a lie!
⁵ You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
    your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
    none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
    yet they are more than can be told.

⁶ In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
    but you have given me an open ear.^[a]
Burnt offering and sin offering
    you have not required.
⁷ Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
    in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
⁸ I delight to do your will, O my God;
    your law is within my heart.”

⁹ I have told the glad news of deliverance^[b]
    in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
    as you know, O Lord.
¹⁰ I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
    I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
    from the great congregation.

¹¹ As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
    your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
    ever preserve me!
¹² For evils have encompassed me
    beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
    and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
    my heart fails me.

¹³ Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
    O Lord, make haste to help me!
¹⁴ Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
    who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who delight in my hurt!
¹⁵ Let those be appalled because of their shame
    who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

¹⁶ But may all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
    say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
¹⁷ As for me, I am poor and needy,
    but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
    do not delay, O my God!