Torch, Spring 1982

I \ HE PRAYED PERSISTENTLY One of George Mueller's curious habits was to make note of each time he prayed for something. Thus, he could record, "From the end ofNovember, 1850, to this day March 12, 1862, not one single day has been allowed to pass, without this contemplated enlargement [additional orphan houses] being brought before God in prayer, and generally more than once a day." Upon one occasion when God seemed to delay in answering prayer that Mueller was convinced was in His will, he stated that, " ... instead of praying once a day with my dear wife about this matter, as we &ad been doing day by day for years, we should now meet daily three times, to bring this before God." HE EXPECTED ANSWERS Is it not true that today we hear many open-ended prayers? These are petitions that are safely worded so that if God does not answer, the petitioner will not feel badly. Frankly speaking, there is little expectation of specific answers from . God. How sad. George Mueller's orphanages would have languished had it not been for his expectant faith to believe that God would 9 answer prayer. "You ask," questioned Mueller, '"How may I, a true believer, have my faith strengthened?"' He then listed some tips which helped to increase his faith and motivated him to expect answers from God. 1. Ask God for faith. James 1: I 7 states that good gifts come from God . Faith is indeed a good gift- ask Him for it! 2. Read God's Word carefully . It contains hundreds of promises. If you ask God for what He has already promised, you are sure to get an answer (I John 5: 14, 15) . 3. Meditate on God's Word. All too much of our reading is "surface" reading. We need to pause more often to think about what God has said and, most importantly, what He is saying to me. Often, it is at these quiet times that we hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit. 4. Do not tolerate known sin in your life . The Scripture is clear: sin hinders communication with God (Psalm 66:18). Therefore, confess it (I John 1:9) and clear the way for God to answer your prayer. 5 . Do not shrink from situations that require faith. God uses trials to build us up (James I :2-4). 6. Allow God the opportunity to answer in His best time for you. Resist giving God a deadline and , therefore, seeking your own answer. 7. Keep track of your prayers and how God answered (Proverbs 10: 14; Hebrews 2: 1). Such a record, filled with a history of God's faithfulness to your prayer life, will do wonders for your faith. And it will make a wonderful heritage to leave to your loved ones. ONE LONG CONNECTED PRAYER George Mueller's prayer life was, and is, one to be studied by the Christian Church. He has shown us that simple trust in God is never rejected but, rather, it is the simple source of mighty prayer power. The results of his prayers, from early manhood to the glorious old age of 93, afford us a striking example of faith in action - believing God will do what He says. Mueller would assure us that we all can have this same faith if we would with earnest effort make our lives one long connected prayer. Editor's note: George Mueller is only one ofa host ofwhat Ron and Rebekah Coriell call "Heroes of the Faith." Ii is their contention that these Christian men and women of character have been too long forgotten . Yet they are truly heroes. It is the Coriells' hope that, as the stories of these great saints are told, the next generation of Christian children might grow up with a new and better set of heroes.