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even, that far less had come in than was received, still, after having come to the
conclusion, upon scriptural grounds, after much prayer and self-examination, I ought
to have gone on without wavering, in the exercise of faith and patience concerning this
object; and thus all the children of God, when once satisfied that anything which they
bring before God in prayer, is according to His will, ought to continue in believing,
expecting, persevering prayer until the blessing is granted. Thus am I myself now
waiting upon God for certain blessings, for which I have daily besought Him for ten
years and six months without one day s intermission. Still the full answer is not yet
given concerning the conversion of certain individuals, though in the meantime I have
received many thousands of answers to prayer. I have also prayed daily without
intermission for the conversion of other individuals about ten years, for others six or
seven years, for others from three or two years; and still the answer is not yet granted
concerning those persons, while in the meantime many thousands of my prayers have
been answered, and also souls converted, for whom I had been praying. I lay
particular stress on this for the benefit of those who may suppose that I need only to
ask of God, and receive at once; or that I might pray concerning anything, and the
answer would surely come. One can only expect to obtain answers to prayers which
are according to the mind of God; and even then, patience and faith may be exercised
for many years, even as mine are exercised, in the matter to which I have referred; and
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yet am I daily continuing in prayer, and expecting the answer, and so surely expecting
the answer, that I have often thanked God that He will surely give it, though now for
nineteen years faith and patience have thus been exercised. Be encouraged, dear
Christians, with fresh earnestness to give yourselves to prayer, if you can only be sure
that you ask things which are for the glory of God.
But the most remarkable point is this, that 6, 6s. 6d. from Scotland supplied
me, as far as can be known now, with all the means necessary for fitting up and
promoting the New Orphan Houses. Six years and eight months I have been day by
day, and generally several times daily, asking the Lord to give me the needed means
for this enlargement of the Orphan work, which, according to calculations made in the
spring of 1861, appeared to be about fifty thousand pounds: the total of this amount I
had now received. I praise and magnify the Lord for putting this enlargement of the
work into my heart, and for giving me courage and faith for it; and above all, for
sustaining my faith day by day without wavering. When the last portion of the money
was received, I was no more assured concerning the whole, that I was at the time I had
not received one single donation towards this large sum. I was at the beginning, after
once having ascertained His mind, through most patient and heart-searching waiting
upon God, as fully assured that He would bring it about, as if the two houses, with
their hundreds of orphans occupying them, had been already before me. I make a few
remarks here for the sake of young believers in connection with this subject: 1. Be slow
to take new steps in the Lord s service, or in your business, or in your families: weigh
everything well; weigh all in the light of the Holy Scriptures and in the fear of God. 2.
Seek to have no will of your own, in order to ascertain the mind of God, regarding any
steps you propose taking, so that you can honestly say you are willing to do the will of
God, if He will only please to instruct you. 3. But when you have found out what the
will of God is, seek for His help, and seek it earnestly, perseveringly, patiently,
believingly, expectantly; and you will surely in His own time and way obtain it.
To suppose that we have difficulty about money only would be a mistake: there
occur hundreds of other wants and of other difficulties. It is a rare thing that a day
occurs without some difficulty or some want; but often there are many difficulties and
many wants to be met and overcome the same day. All these are met by prayer and
faith, our universal remedy; and we have never been confounded. Patient, persevering,
believing prayer, offered up to God, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, has always, sooner
or later, brought the blessing. I do not despair, by God s grace, of obtaining any
blessing, provided I can be sure it would be for any real good, and for the glory of God.
1
The extracts are from a work in four volumes, The Lord s Dealings with George Muller. J. Nisbet
& Co., London.
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