George Mueller, Orphanages Built by Prayer

Check out this link for a brief account of George Muller.

Remember, God can still do in our lives what He did for Mr. Muller and the thousands of orphans who were the beneficiaries of His love and care!

One Of These Days

A guy can dream can't he?

Earlier last week I stood at one of the easternmost parts of Canada and looked across the Atlantic (by faith) to Bristol, England.

One of these days I'll hop on a plane, fly to London, rent a car and drive to Bristol. 'Til then I'll continue dreaming of the day I arrive on Ashley Down in Bristol where George Muller's orphanages stood.

Praise God for the legacy Mr. Muller left!

Note: The buildings that Muller used for his orphanages (pictured) are still standing but they are now used by the City of Bristol College. It will still be exciting to see them!

More Comments on Muller's Autobiography

I thought the following quotes regarding Muller's autobiography were worth sharing. What an excellent, comprehensive volume!

George Muller: An Autobiography - George Muller

"I am so pleased that Westminster Literature Resources has published this new edition of George Muller's Autobiography. The story you will read in these pages is one of the most remarkable episodes in the history of the Christian church. As you read through its pages, you will see something of the growth of the man and his ideas. His conviction was that God is the living God and the secret of life is to delight yourself in Him." - Roger Steer, Author and Trustee of the British and Foreign Bible Society

"George Muller has for years been a pace-setter for me in prayer. His Autobiography is a veritable orchard of faith-building fruit. I have found Muller's way absolutely crucial in my own life: to be with the Lord before I am with anyone else and let Him speak to me first." - John Piper, Bethlehem Baptist Church

ISBN 0-9647552-0-3 Clothbound, 736 pages

Summary of Muller's Life

For a brief but inclusive portait of George Muller's life by Ed Reese, check out the following link:

GEORGE MULLER

Review - Robber of the Cruel Streets

Yesterday I received my much anticipated copy of the DVD chronicling the life of George Muller, ROBBER OF THE CRUEL STREETS.

I put it in my notebook computer right away and I was not disappointed. This DVD was produced in Britain so the accents of the actors seemed "real".

The producers have done a real service to the present generation, many of whom are unaware of Mr. Muller and his legacy.

I've read much concerning Muller and by Muller himself. I feel that ROBBER OF THE CRUEL STREETS portrays the caregiver of 1,000's of orphans, fairly and accurately.

His friendship with two other godly men of his time, Henry Craik and Anthony Norris Groves is heartwarming.

Order a copy and get acquainted with this hero of the faith. The DVD is available through Vision Video. Your faith will be challenged! What God did through George Muller...he can still perform today!

Musings on Muller

This post appeared on our PILGRIM SCRIBBLINGS blog in March of 2005.

George Muller - Man of Faith

My love for books parallels that of George Muller (I guess). Since I was a young boy I've had a passion for Christian reading and I've collected books since then. For 15 years I owned a Christian bookstore and "bookselling" is still in my blood. While in Florida recently I visited about six different Christian bookstores. The following excerpt appears on the Muller Foundation web site (see link to the left) or click here: www.mullers.org I'd love to hear from other book lovers and find out what you're reading these days. I have a framed picture of George Muller at my office and I've often been asked if he is my grandfather. I reply by stating who it is but also mentioning that he "fathered" much of what I believe about "faith" and "trusting God".

This appears on the Muller Foundation site:

"George Müller was a staunch believer in the power of Christian literature. With the setting up of SKI(Scriptural Knowledge Institute) in 1834 George Müller became committed to the distribution of Bibles and tracts, not only in English but also in other languages. In that same year he founded a Bible Warehouse and Bookshop in Bristol and as the need increased it became necessary for this part of George Müller's work to be moved to separate premises. Therefore, in 1852, the Bible and Tract Warehouse, and Bookshop, was opened in Park Street, Bristol.

The work carried on from these premises for nearly ninety years until the Second World War, when the shop was destroyed by fire. The work was then transferred temporarily to other premises. These were in an area of Bristol which was away from the mainstream of city life and therefore the shop for many years occupied an unimportant role. After much prayer and waiting upon God, a new building was purchased in Park Street near the original site. This shop was opened in 1957, under the title 'Evangelical Christian Literature'.

Subsequently two other branches were opened in Bath (in 1974), and in Weston-super-Mare (1984). Yet another example of the faithfulness of God. The shops carried a very wide range of Christian books and other literature, and every need was catered for from the general reader to the serious student. The fourth object of SKI is 'To aid in supplying the wants of Missionaries and Missionary Schools'. A proportion of the profits from the bookshops were sent to support missionaries in other countries and provided Bibles for people in countries where they are in short supply.

As a result of the increasing sophistication of the Christian bookselling market, it was decided in the early 1990's to sell the shops to other Christian booksellers; the business in Bath was sold to Scripture Union and the businesses in Bristol and Weston-super-Mare to an arm of Operation Mobilisation, "Send the Light". Since then, STL has taken over the SU bookshops and all three are part of STL trading under the name Wesley Owen Books and Music. The properties in Bristol and Weston-super-Mare remain under the ownership of the Müller Homes."

Robber of the Cruel Streets

This week I ordered a copy of a new DVD entitled Robber of the Cruel Streets. It is a depiction of George Muller's life of trust in an all-sufficient Christ.

As soon as I receive my copy I'll view, review and pass along my comments. As you might imagine, I can't wait until it arrives.

Mr. Muller insisted that he didn't have "the gift of faith" any more than other believers. He just took God at His Word.

Are you? Am I?

Books, Books and More Books

Greetings, friends! Welcome to the George Muller site. One of my hobbies over the years has been collecting books especially those by the founder of the orphanages in Bristol, England, Mr. Muller.

Here is a photo of some of those books. One set that I'm still looking for is "A Narrative of Some of the Lord's Dealings With George Muller". There are still some sets in print...it's just hard to find them. Dust and Ashes Publishers have printed a reprint (see earlier post) but I'm looking for one of the original 6 volume sets.

I thank God for His dealings with this man who simply trusted Him. I'm continuing to learn from this man of God from a past generation.

For more on the Muller Foundation which continues to keep his legacy alive, check out this link.

George Muller Impacted J. Hudson Taylor

Note: Here is a "post" from my PILGRIM SCRIBBLINGS blog.

George Muller and J. Hudson Taylor have impacted my life more than any other individuals. Their lives of simple faith in the promises of God (from His Word) launched me into a "faith" ministry that has seen God provide in remarkable and miraculous ways over these 30 plus years. That doesn't mean that I don't sometimes worry. I still haven't conquered that giant in spite of Peter's invitation to cast all our worries and anxieties on a faithful God. (1 Peter 5:7)

Here's another Muller "post" from my archives. Read it and be challenged afresh. I was.

As you know George Muller is one of my heroes. His life of complete dependence on God has inspired many over the years. Maybe few people realize how much Muller influenced another great man of faith, J. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, now known as the Overseas Missionary Fellowship.

Muller undertook to support Taylor and many other missionaries with the China Inland Mission back in the 1800's.

Muller wrote a letter which accompanied his generous gifts to these missionaries. Here's what he wrote to these servants of the Lord on one occasion:

"My chief object is to tell you that I love you in the Lord; that I feel deeply interested about the Lord's work in China, and that I pray daily for you. I thought it might be a little encouragement to hear of one more who felt for you and who remembered you before the Lord. But were it otherwise, had you even no one to care for you, or did you a least seem to be in a position as if no one cared you you, you will always have the Lord to be with you. Remember Paul's case at Rome (2 Timothy 4:16-18). On Him then reckon, to Him look, on Him depend; and be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him, and expect help from Him, He will never fail you. An older brother who has known the Lord forty-four years, who writes this, says to you for your encouragement that He has never failed him. In the greatest difficulties, in the heaviest trials, in the deepest poverty and necessities, He has never failed me; but, because I was enabled by His grace to trust in Him, He has always appeared for my help. I delight in speaking well of His Name."- George Muller
Let's learn to trust Him wholly..."for those who trust Him wholly, find Him wholly true."

Some Of My Collection

Visitors to my office often ask if the elderly man in this photo is a relative.

I'll continue this "post" later...

I'M BACK!!!

To continue where I left off...when asked if this man is a relative, I respond, "Yes, it's George Muller, my father in the faith, the man who taught me what it really means to trust God implicitly". Not that have "fully" learned the secret but I'm well down the road to discovery.

Later I'll post a picture I took of my collection of books either by or about Mr. Muller.

Hebrews 11:1 is meaning more to me as I learn to trust God.

Portraits of Heroes

A great book...George Muller of Bristol

by A. T. Pierson. Check it out!

Provincial Boundaries

Have you left the province of comfort recently and ventured into the neighboring area of trust? It's worth the trip, scary as it might seem.

"The province of faith begins where probabilities cease and sight and sense fail." - George Muller

Bits 'N' Pieces About Muller

George Müller - 1805-1898
(also spelled Mueller, Muller)

English Evangelist and Philanthropist; a man of faith and prayer.

Without ever asking anyone other than God, he received over $7,200,000 dollars (in 1800's money) through prayer alone.

Born in Prussia in 1805, by age 10 George was inventing plans to embezzle the government monies his father had charge of. His school years were years of drunkenness and immorality. At age sixteen he was jailed for failing to pay his bills.

The University he attended had 900 Divinity students. George said that there were only about nine who truly feared God. He continued in sin until at age 20 he received Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour.

George married and became a Pastor, but refused his salary when he found out it was collected from "pew-rents." He decided to live on faith from that time forward.

Müller established Orphanages in Bristol, England, and founded the "Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad." His life was characterized by prayer, faith, and self-denial in the cause of Christ.

During his lifetime, he established 117 schools which educated more than 120,000 young persons, including orphans.

In 1875, at the age of 70, and until age 87, he had a 17-year ministry of world-wide Evangelistic tours, which also raised money for his orphanages and the thousands of children in them.

He would live for another six years. At the time of his death at age 93 in 1898, the church that he pastored in Bristol had about 2,000 members.

More From Muller re Mistakes

“If honesty of heart and uprightness before God were lacking or if I did not patiently wait on God for instruction, or if I preferred the counsel of my fellow-men to the declarations of the Word of God, I made great mistakes.” - George Muller

So true in my own experience! O that we would learn to wait...wait patiently...until we hear the voice of the Father.

The Life of Faith

I'm certain that George Muller would have displayed something like this on his walls, both at home and in the orphanages.

He trusted God implicitly even though the evidence of God's provision wasn't always before him.

Oh that we would live a life of faith, trusting God and believing that what He says in really true!

A Narrative

For years I've searched for the 6-volume set by Muller entitled "A Narrative of Some of the Lord's Dealings With George Muller".

Recently this autobiographical classic was reprinted in two volumes by Dush and Ashes Publications. Check out their link at: http://www.dustandashes.com

If you ever find any copies of the six-volume set, hold onto them or let me know and I'd gladly buy them from you.

I continue to thank God for godly men like George Muller and J. Hudson Taylor who have been teaching me how to trust Him more fully.

Excellent Links

Here are some excellent links concerning George Muller: http://www.christiansintouch.com/greatMen_GM.cfm

http://chi.gospelcom.net/kids/glimpsesforkids/gfk008_2.php

http://prayerfoundation.org/prayer_heroes_george_muller.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_M%C3%BCller

If you know of some great links concerning Mr. Muller, please send them along. It's amazing what you can find using Google.

Classic Biography

One of the finest books I've read on George Muller was penned by another great man of God, A. T. Pierson. For more on this classic biography, check the following link:


http://www.thebereancall.org/products/b97555.php

If you've read something by Muller or about this extraordinary man, please let us know. Thanks!

NOTE: Please let us know how we can improve this blog on the life and ministry of George Muller.

Bringin' 'Em Back

Driving to work tonight I got wondering who I'd like to bring back from the grave for a meeting of the minds. If I could have a conference with a dozen (12) people who have died, who would they be? Morbid? I don't think so! I'd love to have these twelve individuals sitting around a table for an evening. I'd be picking their brains. Asking for advice. Inquiring how they were able to do what they did. Here's a list that I came up with (in no particular order):

1. My father, Chester W. Fisher
2. George Muller, Orphanage Builder and Man of Faith
3. Jim Elliot, Martyred Missionary
4. The Apostle Paul
5. Jesus, of course
6. Amy Carmichael, Missionary to India
7. Grandma Fisher
8. Charles Spurgeon, Prince of Preachers
9. J. Hudson Taylor, Missionary to China
10. Grandma Powers

Now who would be on your list? Please let me know, just for fun! THANKS!

Fascinated

Since I was a young boy I have been fascinated and challenged by the life of implicit faith personified by George Muller.

Here are three of his quotes. I'll post more later.

"A servant of God has but one Master."

"It ill becomes the servant to seek to be rich, and great, and honoured in that world where his Lord was poor, and mean, and despised."

"At last I saw Christ as my Saviour. I believed in Him and gave myself to Him. The burden rolled from off me, and a great love for Christ filled my soul. That was more than fifty years ago. I loved Jesus Christ then, but I loved Him more the year after, and more the year after that, and more every year since."

Here is a picture of some of the Muller orphanage buildings at Ashley Down in Bristol, England.

Friends of the Friend of Orphans

Due to the number of people I've met who have been impacted by the life, teachings and writings of George Muller of Bristol, England, I'm setting up a web site and a group of friends for mutual encouragement in the "life of faith.

Book reviews, famous quotes by George Muller, testimonies of how his life impacted others, etc. will be included.

Thanks for your interest. Contact the web administrator at: dwfisher@nexicom.net

May we determine to trust God and take him at His Word. What God did in the 1800's through George Muller can still happen today. Let's trust Him!

God bless!

David W. Fisher