Prayer Tips
George Müller's effective prayer life was rooted in his practice of praying with an open Bible and meditating on Scripture, which allowed him to experience meaningful prayertime and receive from God.
George Mueller emphasizes the power of prayer through the practice of pleading God's promises found in Scripture. He highlights the importance of having an open Bible during prayer, using it as a guide to find specific promises to present to God. Additionally, Mueller discovered that meditating on Scripture enhances the quality of prayer, making it more meaningful and impactful. This connection between reading, meditation, and prayer is essential for a fruitful prayer life. Through these practices, Mueller was able to receive what he asked for in prayer.
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Two "Prayer Tips" from George Müller:
1. Open Bible Before Him, and His Finger Upon That Promise, He would Plead That Promise, and So He Received What He Asked
2. Müller's Discovery Was That After Meditating On Scripture He Was More Able to Experience a Meaningful Prayertime
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1. Open Bible Before Him, and His Finger Upon That Promise, He would Plead That Promise, and So He Received What He Asked
One of the mightiest men of prayer of the last generation was George Mueller of Bristol, England, who in the last sixty years of his life (he lived to be ninety-two or ninety-three) obtained the English equivalent of $7,200,000.00 by prayer. But George Mueller never prayed for a thing just because he wanted it, or even just because he felt it was greatly needed for God's work. When it was laid upon George Mueller's heart to pray for anything, he would search the Scriptures to find if there was some promise that covered the case. Sometimes he would search the scriptures for days before he presented his petition to God. And then when he found the promise, with his open Bible before him, and his finger upon that promise, he would plead that promise, and so he received what he asked. He always prayed with an open Bible before him.
-R. A. Torrey on George Müller; "The Power of Prayer," 1924 (P. 81)
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Note: R. A. Torrey was selected by Dwight L. Moody be in charge of his Chicago Bible Institute (now known as The Moody Bible Institute). When Dwight Moody died during an evangelistic campaign, R. A. Torrey was chosen to be his replacement, and thereafter had a ministry of Evangelism.
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Note: In German, when you cannot write an "umlaut" letter "ü" (for instance, on many of the old-style typewriters), you write "ue" instead. So you may see the name spelled either "Müller," "Mueller," or "Muller" (the latter is an incorrect spelling from the German standpoint, but often English writers use it)." ____________________________________________
2. Müller's Discovery Was That After Meditating On Scripture He Was More Able to Experience a Meaningful Prayertime
"Reading without meditation is unfruitful; meditation without reading is hurtful; to meditate and to read without prayer upon both is without blessing."
-William Bridge, Puritan Writer
Christian meditation (thinking deeply on Scripture) is "the missing link between Bible intake and prayer." If there was a "secret" to George Müller's prayer life, it was his discovery of the connection between meditation and prayer. Müller's discovery was that after meditating on Scripture he was more able to experience a meaningful prayertime.
-Donald S. Whitney, "Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life" (partial quote and partial paraphrase).
Sermon Outline
- I. The Importance of Scripture in Prayer
- A. George Müller's practice of praying with an open Bible
- B. Searching the Scriptures for promises to cover specific needs
- C. Pleading those promises to receive what is asked
- II. The Connection Between Meditation and Prayer
- A. Christian meditation as the missing link between Bible intake and prayer
- B. Müller's discovery of meaningful prayertime through meditation
- III. The Role of Prayer in Receiving from God
- A. Prayer is not just about getting what we want
- B. Prayer is about seeking God's will and promises
- IV. The Power of Prayer in Action
- A. George Müller's example of obtaining $7,200,000 through prayer
- B. The impact of prayer in God's work
Key Quotes
“Reading without meditation is unfruitful; meditation without reading is hurtful; to meditate and to read without prayer upon both is without blessing.” — George Mueller
“Christian meditation (thinking deeply on Scripture) is 'the missing link between Bible intake and prayer.'” — George Mueller
“Müller's discovery was that after meditating on Scripture he was more able to experience a meaningful prayertime.” — George Mueller
Application Points
- Make prayer a priority in your life by seeking God's will and promises in Scripture.
- Develop a habit of meditation on Scripture to deepen your connection with God and experience meaningful prayertime.
- Remember that prayer is not just about getting what you want, but about seeking God's will and promises.