"Preach the Word,

Recently I reread the life story of George Muller who, in the mid-1830s, cared for over 2,000 orphans in England – all by faith in God. Muller was a known as the man who got answers to his prayers. Before he died, he had listed in his journals over 50,000 answers to prayer.

When asked how he determined the will of God on any matter, Muller listed the following steps he believed were necessary:
     1. “I get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to any particular matter.”
     2. “I do not leave the result to feelings or simple impressions. That can make one open to great delusions.”
     3. “I seek God’s will through, or in connection with, his Word. If you look to the Spirit without the Word, you open yourself to delusion.”
     4. “I consider providential [God-controlled] circumstances.”
     5. “I ask God in prayer to reveal his will to me.”
     6. “I make sure I have a clear conscience before God and man.”
     7. “Every time I listened to men instead of God, I made serious mistakes.”
     8. “I act only when I am at peace, after much prayer, waiting on God with faith.”

Those who walk by faith, seeking only God’s perfect will, are often sorely tested and tried. More and more in my own life, I am finding out how important diligent prayer and Bible reading are. Sadly, not many of God’s people pray diligently nowadays. Instead, there is much TV viewing and very little of waiting on God.

When I give myself to prayer, my faith rises. And when I feed on God’s Word, my confidence in his power to lead and help me increases. The Lord becomes my banker, my advisor, my attorney.

May you find him doing the same for you.