How to Know the Will of God? By the Editor of www.georgemuller.org All of us have questions about our life. We want to know what education path to take; we want to know what career to pursue; we want to know where to live; we want to know who to marry, etc. How do we know God’s perfect will for our lives? There are three ways by which we can know God’s will: 1. Prayer By prayer and waiting on God, one can ascertain the will of God. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind" (James 1:5-6). 2. The Word of God God never contradicts His word. The handbook for our lives is the Bible. Everything revealed in the Bible is God’s will for our lives. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). "Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors" (Psalm 119:24). 3. Godly Counsel Sometimes we are blind to our situation and we need a mature brother or sister in the Lord to correct us and to guide us. God gave the elders of the church extra wisdom and discernment and it is beneficial for us to listen to their counsel for they watch out for our souls (Heb. 13:17). "Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety" (Prov. 11:14). "The ear that hears the rebukes of life will abide among the wise. He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding" (Prov. 15:31-32). "Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you" (Heb. 13:17).
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The Biblical View of Money What the Bible has to say about money Complied by the editor of www.georgemuller.org GOD OWNS EVERYTHING: "I will not take a bull from your house, Nor goats out of your folds. For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine. “If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness" (Psalm 50:9-12). "The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1). "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen" (Rom. 11:36). THE STRENGTH TO WORK TO ACQUIRE WEALTH IS FROM GOD: "“Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; Who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day" (Deut. 8:11-18). THE GIFT OF GOD: "As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God" (Eccl. 5:19). "The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it" (Prov. 10:22). "The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up" (1 Sam. 2:7). "Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all" (1 Chron. 29:12). THE UNCERTAINTY & WRONG VIEW OF MONEY: "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy" (1 Tim. 6:17). "Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven" (Prov. 23:4-5). "Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them" (Psalm 39:6). "Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased; For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him" (Psalm 49:16-17). "He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage" (Prov. 11:28). "Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil" (James 4:13-16). "And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God”" (Luke 12:15-21). "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out" (1 Tim. 6:7). "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Tim. 6:9-10). THE PROPER VIEW OF MONEY: "“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money]" (Matt. 6:24). "...If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them" (Psalm 62:10). "Now godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6). "And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content" (1 Tim. 6:8). "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need" (Phil. 4:11-12). "But you, O man of God, flee these things [the love of money] and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness" (1 Tim. 6:11). WE ARE STEWARD'S OF HOW WE USE GOD'S MONEY: "Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful" (1 Cor. 4:2). "On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come" (1 Cor. 16:2). "Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life" (1 Tim. 6:18-19). "Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:5-7). "As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever”" (2 Cor. 9:9). "Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need" (Eph. 4:28). "But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). "distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality" (Rom. 12:13). "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Tim. 5:8). THE PROMISE OF GOD'S PROVISION: "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work" (2 Cor. 9:8). "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19). Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold. Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee. "A Quiet Time" By Peter S. "Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed" (Mark 1:35). WHAT is the most important Christian duty? The most important Christian duty, I believe, is having a daily quiet time with our Heavenly Father. Like the old hymn says: “Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord; abide in Him always, and feed on His Word. Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak, forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek. Take time to be holy, the world rushes on; spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone. By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be; thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.” Jesus knew the importance of having a quiet time with His Heavenly Father. We read in the Gospel of Mark how “in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35). Jesus knew the importance of having a daily quiet time with His Heavenly Father. He felt the need to rise early before daylight, to avoid any possible distractions, and to depart to a solitary place to pray. Now if Christ, who was “God manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16), felt the need to have a quiet time with His Heavenly Father, how much more should His followers? David too had a quiet time with His Heavenly Father. David cries to the Lord in the 5th Psalm: “Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry, my king and my God, for to You I will pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up” (Psalm 5:1-3). Also in the 63rd Psalm: “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory” (Psalm 63:1-2). David made sure he sets time each day to spend with his Heavenly Father. He says: “As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice” (Psalm 55:16-17). The Psalmist in Psalm 119, who most likely was King David, says: “I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word. My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word” (Psalm 119:147-148). Daniel also had a quiet time with God. We read how “he knelt down on his knees three times” and “prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days” (Daniel 6:10). His enemies knew they would find him “praying and making supplication before his God” (Daniel 6:11). Job also had a prayer life. We read in the Book of Job how he would rise early in the morning and pray for his children and “offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, ‘It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts’” and “thus Job did regularly” (Job 1:5). In the spring of 1841, George Muller (1805-1898) had a life-transforming discovery that changed his life. He saw more clearly the importance of a daily quiet time with God in the Word of God and prayer. He says in his autobiography: “I saw more clearly than ever that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was to have my soul happy in the Lord. The first thing to be concerned about was not how much I might serve the Lord, or how I might glorify the Lord; but how I might get my soul into a happy state, and how my inner man might be nourished. For I might seek to benefit believers, I might seek to relieve the distressed, I might in other ways seek to behave myself as it becomes a child of God in this world; and yet, not being happy in the Lord, and not being nourished and strengthened in my inner man day by day, all this might not be attended to in a right spirit.” E.M. Bounds (1835-1913), the great man of prayer and the author of numerous books on prayer, spent the last nineteen years of his life in his home, rising 4 AM and praying until 7 AM. Even during his speaking engagements as an evangelist, he would not neglect his early morning time with God in prayer. Claude Chilton, Jr., in his Foreword to Necessity of Prayer by E.M. Bounds, speaks of E.M. Bounds saying: “As breathing is a physical reality to us so prayer was a reality for Bounds. He took the command, ‘Pray without ceasing’ almost literally as animate nature takes the law of the reflex nervous system, which controls our breathing.” E.M. Bounds writes in his book “Power through Prayer” that “the men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, he will be in the last place the remainder of the day. Behind this early rising and early praying is the ardent desire which presses us into this pursuit after God. Morning listlessness is the index to a listless heart. The heart which is behind in seeking God in the morning has lost its relish for God. David's heart was ardent after God. He hungered and thirsted after God, and so he sought God early, before daylight. The bed and sleep could not chain his soul in its eagerness after God. Christ longed for communion with God; and so, rising a great while before day, he would go out into the mountain to pray. The disciples, when fully awake and ashamed of their indulgence, would know where to find him. We might go through the list of men who have mightily impressed the world for God, and we would find them early after God.” One of the most gifted Scotch preachers, Robert Murray McCheyne (1813-1843), said: “I ought to spend the best hours in communion with God. It is my noblest and most fruitful employment, and is not to be thrust into a corner. The morning hours, from six to eight, are the most uninterrupted and should be thus employed. After tea is my best hour, and that should be solemnly dedicated to God. I ought not to give up the good old habit of prayer before going to bed; but guard must be kept against sleep. When I awake in the night, I ought to rise and pray. A little time after breakfast might be given to intercession. I ought to pray before seeing any one. Often when I sleep long, or meet with others early, it is eleven or twelve o'clock before I begin secret prayer. This is a wretched system. It is unscriptural. Christ arose before day and went into a solitary place. David says: ‘Early will I seek thee’; ‘Thou shalt early hear my voice.’ Family prayer loses much of its power and sweetness, and I can do no good to those who come to seek from me. The conscience feels guilty, the soul unfed, the lamp not trimmed. Then when in secret prayer the soul is often out of tune, I feel it is far better to begin with God -- to see his face first, to get my soul near him before it is near another.” Martin Luther (1483-1546), the great reformer, said: “If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.” John Bunyan (1628-1688), author of the famous “Pilgrim’s Progress” said “he who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day.” Andrew Murray (1828-1917), the great devotional author, says: “Shut the world out, withdraw from all worldly thoughts and occupations, and shut yourself in alone with God, to pray to Him in secret. Let this be your chief object in prayer, to realize the presence of your heavenly Father." What about you dear reader? Do you have a daily quiet time with God? If not, I encourage you to begin one. Start today; do not delay. George Muller writes in his autobiography: “I want to encourage all believers to get into the habit of rising early to meet with God. Someone may ask, ‘But why should I rise early?’ To remain too long in bed is a waste of time. Wasting time is unbecoming a saint who is bought by the precious blood of Jesus. His time and all he has is to be used for the Lord. If we sleep more than is necessary for the refreshment of the body, it is wasting the time the Lord has entrusted us to be used for His glory, for our own benefit, and for the benefit of the saints and unbelievers around us. It may be said, ‘But how shall I set about rising early?’ My advice is: Do not delay. Begin tomorrow. But do not depend on your own strength. You may have begun to rise early in the past but have given it up. If you depend on your own strength in this matter, it will come to nothing. In every good work, we must depend on the Lord. If anyone rises so that he may give the time which he takes from sleep to prayer and meditation, let him be sure that Satan will try to put obstacles in the way. Trust in the Lord for help. You will honor Him if you expect help from Him in this matter. Pray for help, expect help, and you will have it. In addition to this, go to bed early. If you stay up late, you cannot rise early. Let no pressure of engagements keep you from going habitually early to bed. If you fail in this, you neither can nor should get up early because your body requires rest. Rise at once when you are awake. Remain not a minute longer in bed or else you are likely to fall asleep again. Do not be discouraged by feeling drowsy and tired from rising early. This will soon wear off. After a few days you will feel stronger and fresher than when you used to lie an hour or two longer than you needed. Always allow yourself the same hours for sleep. Make no change except on account of sickness.” So, dear reader, take the example of our Lord Jesus Christ and all His saints and begin and cherish your daily quiet time with God and you will be greatly refreshed and strengthened. Is a Faith Ministry Biblical?
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Many times as Christians we feel cast down. We are “grieved by various trials” (1 Peter 1:6) and “we despair even of life” (2 Cor. 1:8). Yet when we are down, we should always look up! We should look up to Him “who comforts the downcast” (2 Cor. 7:6) and “who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor. 1:4). The Apostle Paul said “we are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8-9). There are some noteworthy examples of men in the bible who turned to God in their distress. They are:
The Psalmist
The Psalmist was cast down yet he remembered the Lord and his hope was renewed.
"O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God" (Psalm 42:6-11).
Jonah
Jonah’s soul fainted within him and he felt cast out of God’s sight yet he remembered the Lord again and looked again to Him and his hope was renewed.
"Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. And he said: “I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, And He answered me. “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice. For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God. “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple" (Jonah 2:1-7).
The Apostle Paul
The Apostle Paul looked to God for strength and comfort in his time of distress.
"For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us" (2 Cor. 1:8-10).
In conclusion, look to God in your time of distress. He is there to lift you up and to renew your hope to continue. He is the light at the end of the tunnel. He will “never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5) and He will be “with you always even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). Jesus said “come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30).
The Hymn - Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Written by the editor of www.georgemuller.org
The Psalmist
The Psalmist was cast down yet he remembered the Lord and his hope was renewed.
"O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God" (Psalm 42:6-11).
Jonah
Jonah’s soul fainted within him and he felt cast out of God’s sight yet he remembered the Lord again and looked again to Him and his hope was renewed.
"Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. And he said: “I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, And He answered me. “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice. For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God. “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple" (Jonah 2:1-7).
The Apostle Paul
The Apostle Paul looked to God for strength and comfort in his time of distress.
"For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us" (2 Cor. 1:8-10).
In conclusion, look to God in your time of distress. He is there to lift you up and to renew your hope to continue. He is the light at the end of the tunnel. He will “never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5) and He will be “with you always even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). Jesus said “come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30).
The Hymn - Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Written by the editor of www.georgemuller.org
I like this quote I found more than 10 years ago. I do not know who wrote it.
Here is the quote:
"With God behind you and His arms beneath you, you can face whatever is before you!"
Written by the editor of www.georgemuller.org
Here is the quote:
"With God behind you and His arms beneath you, you can face whatever is before you!"
Written by the editor of www.georgemuller.org
Below are three of God’s attributes that are of great comfort to us when we are distressed and grieved by various trials (1 Peter 1:6). Remember to bring them to mind whenever you are going through severe difficulties.
1. God is Omnipotent
God is omnipotent. He is all-powerful. He is the Lord God Almighty (Rev. 4:8). Nothing is too hard for Him! Three times in the scriptures, God brings the question before us: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” God made the heaven and the earth and is there anything too hard for Him? He spoke and brought the world into existence! God is bigger than our trials and He is the Sovereign God of the universe. He has everything under His control. God can just speak and change our circumstances. Remember what Oswald Chambers said: "We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties."
"And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son”" (Gen. 18:13-14).
"‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You" (Jer. 32:17).
"“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?" (Jer. 32:27).
2. God is Omniscient
God is omniscient. He is the all-knowing God. He has absolute perfect knowledge. You might think that no one understands what you are going through but there is someone who understands and knows – and that person is the Lord Jesus who is “God manifested in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16). Like the old hymn says: “No one understands like Jesus, He’s a friend beyond compare; Meet him at the throne of mercy, He is waiting for you there.” The bible says that “we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15-16).
"O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether" (Psalm 139:1-4).
"I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities" (Psalm 31:7).
3. God is Omnipresent
God is omnipresent. He is present everywhere. You might think God is up in Heaven and He doesn’t see or care about what is going on in your life. Well you are wrong! God sees and cares. The bible says: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit [give attention to or care for] him?” (Psalm 8:3-4). The bible says that His eye is on the sparrow and surely He watches you and me (Matt. 10:29-31; Luke 12:6-7). He was “The-God-Who-Sees” to Hagar when she in distress in the wilderness (Gen. 16:13) and He was “The-God-Who-Remembers” to Hannah when He saw and remembered her affliction and opened her womb (1 Sam. 1).
"Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You" (Psalm 139:7-18).
Written by the editor of www.georgemuller.org
1. God is Omnipotent
God is omnipotent. He is all-powerful. He is the Lord God Almighty (Rev. 4:8). Nothing is too hard for Him! Three times in the scriptures, God brings the question before us: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” God made the heaven and the earth and is there anything too hard for Him? He spoke and brought the world into existence! God is bigger than our trials and He is the Sovereign God of the universe. He has everything under His control. God can just speak and change our circumstances. Remember what Oswald Chambers said: "We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties."
"And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son”" (Gen. 18:13-14).
"‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You" (Jer. 32:17).
"“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?" (Jer. 32:27).
2. God is Omniscient
God is omniscient. He is the all-knowing God. He has absolute perfect knowledge. You might think that no one understands what you are going through but there is someone who understands and knows – and that person is the Lord Jesus who is “God manifested in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16). Like the old hymn says: “No one understands like Jesus, He’s a friend beyond compare; Meet him at the throne of mercy, He is waiting for you there.” The bible says that “we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15-16).
"O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether" (Psalm 139:1-4).
"I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities" (Psalm 31:7).
3. God is Omnipresent
God is omnipresent. He is present everywhere. You might think God is up in Heaven and He doesn’t see or care about what is going on in your life. Well you are wrong! God sees and cares. The bible says: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit [give attention to or care for] him?” (Psalm 8:3-4). The bible says that His eye is on the sparrow and surely He watches you and me (Matt. 10:29-31; Luke 12:6-7). He was “The-God-Who-Sees” to Hagar when she in distress in the wilderness (Gen. 16:13) and He was “The-God-Who-Remembers” to Hannah when He saw and remembered her affliction and opened her womb (1 Sam. 1).
"Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You" (Psalm 139:7-18).
Written by the editor of www.georgemuller.org
What is prayer? It is simply talking to God. C.A.R.M. (Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry) defines prayer on their web site as “a privilege and an obligation of the Christian where we communicate with God. It is how we convey our confession (1 John 1:9), requests (1 Tim. 2:1-3), intercessions (James 5:15), thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6), etc., to our holy God.”
The Bible has a lot to say about prayer both in the Old Testament and in the New
Testament. One of the earliest references to prayer in the Old Testament is found in the Book of Genesis. In Genesis 4:26 we read, “And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.” My favorite book in the Old Testament that talks about prayer is the Book of Psalms. The Psalms is the “hymnbook” and the “prayer book” of God’s people. The Psalms was mostly written by David, “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14). The Psalms contain many prayers of David when he is in all kinds of circumstances like depression, discouragement, joy, and hope. In Psalm 55:16-17 David says, “As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.” Daniel was a man of prayer. It says in Daniel 6:10, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.”
Our Lord Jesus, taught us to how to pray in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. The first principle we learn is to address God as “Our Father.” This is a privilege of which only Christian’s can enjoy. When a person becomes a Christian, he becomes a child of God. Galatians 4:6 says, “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’” The Lord’s Prayer contains the basic elements of what our prayers ought to be. It ought to consist of adoration (“Hallowed be Your name” – Matt. 6:9); confession
(“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” – Matt. 6:12); and supplication (“Give us this day our daily bread” – Matt. 6:11). The Epistles have a lot to say about prayer. Paul says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7). Peter says in 1 Peter 4:7,
“But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.” James says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).
Written by the editor of www.georgemuller.org
The Bible has a lot to say about prayer both in the Old Testament and in the New
Testament. One of the earliest references to prayer in the Old Testament is found in the Book of Genesis. In Genesis 4:26 we read, “And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.” My favorite book in the Old Testament that talks about prayer is the Book of Psalms. The Psalms is the “hymnbook” and the “prayer book” of God’s people. The Psalms was mostly written by David, “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14). The Psalms contain many prayers of David when he is in all kinds of circumstances like depression, discouragement, joy, and hope. In Psalm 55:16-17 David says, “As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.” Daniel was a man of prayer. It says in Daniel 6:10, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.”
Our Lord Jesus, taught us to how to pray in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. The first principle we learn is to address God as “Our Father.” This is a privilege of which only Christian’s can enjoy. When a person becomes a Christian, he becomes a child of God. Galatians 4:6 says, “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’” The Lord’s Prayer contains the basic elements of what our prayers ought to be. It ought to consist of adoration (“Hallowed be Your name” – Matt. 6:9); confession
(“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” – Matt. 6:12); and supplication (“Give us this day our daily bread” – Matt. 6:11). The Epistles have a lot to say about prayer. Paul says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7). Peter says in 1 Peter 4:7,
“But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.” James says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).
Written by the editor of www.georgemuller.org
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Written by the Editor of GeorgeMuller.org
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