"Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6). This simple inquiry is the first recorded
utterance of Paul to our Lord. The same inquiry ought to be the expression of every one who has
been brought to realize the full claim Christ has on him. The more we own and realize the
relationship between us and Christ which now exists through grace, the ‘more simply and
continuously will this be our whole-hearted cry to Him. If our hearts are true and devoted to Him,
we will wait on Him for guidance and counsel. We will find no real satisfaction in being anywhere
or doing anything which is not according to His mind. Our place and our occupation here will be
only determined by the pleasure of Him whose we are and whom we serve.

If we were truly devoted to the Lord, there would be no mistakes made with regard to our work
for the Lord. But we do make mistakes of two kinds:On the one hand, we may plan out work for
ourselves; on the other hand, it may be that we do no work at all.

Now the first of these mistakes is the most difficult to deal with since by the very nature of the
work we are doing we may be deceived into thinking that it is of the Lord. A good example of this
is seen in Martha. She felt that what she was doing was very right and necessary service for her
Lord, so much so that she thought Mary ought to be helping her rather than to be sitting at Jesus’
feet. Nothing so deceives and leads astray as the conscience working at a distance from Christ.
For instance, I may feel in my conscience that I ought to be Christ’s servant. But if I am not near
Him, and I begin to do something to satisfy my conscience, I am doing it in self-will, and not
because He wants me to do it. When this is the case, it is not His pleasure which guides as to what
is suitable and proper; it is my own mind. The service may indeed be quite necessary, as was
Martha’s service. But Martha was evidently thinking of the services which were incumbent on her
to render, and not governed by the pleasure of Christ.

It is most blessed to work for Christ; it is fruit-bearing. But if my work engrosses me more than
Christ, there is damage to me, and I am not working for Him. "Without Me ye can do nothing"
(John 15:5). If I am really working for Christ, and growing up into Him, then sitting at His feet,
Mary-like, is the natural posture of my soul. Whenever you find anyone serving without sitting
at His feet, you may be assured they are Martha-like. When any are sitting at His feet, hearing
His word, they will not be behind in true and pleasing service.

If you begin with serving (as many do nowadays), you will never sit at His feet; whereas if you
begin with sitting there, you will soon serve wisely, well, and acceptably. The serving quiets the
conscience, and the sitting is overlooked and neglected. Thus the enemy gains an advantage. But
it is at the sitting the conscience is more enlightened, and the pleasure and mind of the Master are
better known.

I never met with anyone making service prominent who knew what it was to sit at His feet. But,
thank God, I know indefatigable workers who enjoy sitting at His feet above any service. And it
is clear that they who sit most at His feet must be competent to serve and most in His confidence,
which, after all, is the clue to all efficient service.

George Muller was born in Prussia in 1805. In his young manhood he lived a godless life, but at
the age of twenty-one he was suddenly converted to God at a prayer meeting held in the house of
a godly tradesman. Shortly afterward he came to England, bringing very little with him other than
a desire to devote his life to the service of the living God. At the age of thirty he was led of the
Lord to begin an orphanage in the city of Bristol. Those were the days when homeless and
unwanted children were sent to spend the days of their youth in almshouses_places which were
not much more than prisons.

This was completely a work of faith. Muller never asked help from anyone and never hinted that
help was needed. He began small_with a house of thirty children_trusting the Lord for the
pennies and shillings needed to carry them through each day. As the years passed, his faith
increased and so did the Lord’s provision. Thus he was enabled to move to larger? and larger
quarters until he had under his care over 2000 orphans who were being brought up in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord.

Solely in answer to believing prayer, more than seven million dollars were sent to him over the
course of sixty years for the building and maintenance of "God’s Orphanage," for missionary
work, and for the circulation of the Scriptures. In his homes 9500 destitute orphans were received,
trained, educated in the Scriptures, and sent out into the world.

In the following paragraphs are given a few of the many remarkable answers to prayers which
George Muller received during his lifetime. The first two incidents are taken from his own
narratives.

June 13, 1853. We were now very poor. Not indeed in debt, not even with all the money gone;
there was still about sixty dollars in hand; but there was needed to be bought flour, of which we
buy generally ten sacks at a time, 4200 pounds of oatmeal, and 450 pounds of soap. There were
many little repairs going on in the house, with a number of workmen employed, besides the
regular current expenses of about $280 per week. Over and above all this, on Saturday, the day
before yesterday, I found that the heating apparatus needed to be repaired, which would, in all
probability, cost $100. It was therefore desirable, humanly speaking, to have $500 for these heavy
extra expenses.

But I had no human prospect whatever of getting even five hundred cents_much less $500. In
addition to this, today was Monday when generally the income is little. But in walking to the
orphan house this morning, and praying as I went, I particularly told the Lord in prayer that on
this day, even though it was Monday, He could send me much. And so He did. I received this
morning a gift of $1500 for the Lord’s service. The joy which I had cannot be described. I walked
up and down in my room for a long time, tears of joy and gratitude to the Lord raining plentifully
over my cheeks, praising and magnifying the Lord for His goodness. I scarcely ever felt more the
kindness of the Lord helping me.

September 4, 1869. Only one cent was in my hands this morning. Pause a moment, dear reader!

Only one cent in hand when the day began! Think of this, and think of nearly fourteen hundred
persons to be provided for. You, poor brethren, who have six or eight children and small wages,
think of this; and you, my brethren who are unemployed or retired and have very limited means,
think of this! May you not do what we do when going through trials? Does the Lord love you less
than He loves us? Does He not love all His children with no less love than that with which He
loves His only begotten Son, according to John 17:20-23? Or are we better than you? Well, let
us hear then how God helped when there was only one cent left in my hands on this particular
morning.

Shortly after nine o’clock I received $5.00 from a sister in the Lord. However, between ten and
eleven o’clock this was offset by a note sent from the orphan houses stating that nearly $6.00 was
required for the day’s supplies. Scarcely had I read this when a carriage stopped before my house
and a gentleman from Manchester asked to see me. I found that he was a believer who had come
on business to Bristol. He had heard about the orphan houses and had come to find out a little
more about them. This brother, whom I had never seen before, and whose name I did not even
know before he came, and who, himself, had no idea of our great need at that moment, gave me
$10.00 as he departed. Thus did our gracious Lord help us through another day.

One night, when all the household had retired, Muller asked a house, guest by the name of Pierson
to join him in prayer. He told his guest that there was absolutely nothing in the house for the next
morning’s breakfast. Pierson scolded him for not telling him earlier for he could have helped
Muller out had the stores still been open. Muller knew all that. He had prayed about the matter
as he always prayed, and he was determined never to tell anyone of his needs but God. So they
prayed together_at least Muller did and Pierson tried to. Then they went to bed and slept. The
next morning, breakfast for two thousand children was there in abundance at the usual breakfast
hour! Neither Muller nor Pierson knew how the answer came. It was learned many years later that
the Lord had called a local shopkeeper out of bed in the middle of the night to send breakfast to
Muller’s orphanage. Knowing nothing of the need, or of the two men at prayer, he sent provisions
that would feed them a month.

On another occasion, again with more than 2000 mouths to feed, not a drop of milk remained for
breakfast the next day and not a penny was in hand to buy even a cupful. That evening, George
Muller gathered his staff of workers together, as he had done hundreds of times before, and on
their knees they told their Father that His children needed milk.

The next morning the children sat down at the table_ with empty mugs in front of them. They
bowed their heads while Mr. Muller simply, gratefully thanked the Father for daily bread_and
for milk! As soon as the prayer ended, a loud knock was heard at the door. It was a dairyman. His
wagon had broken down just outside and he could not get to town with his milk. Muller was
welcome to it if he would help carry it in. Before the hungry children knew just what it was all
about, the last waiting mug had been filled with milk.

Many demands were made on Muller’s faith aside from financial ones. Once a serious leak in the
boiler of the furnace necessitated putting out the fires for repairs near the end of a bleak
November. How were 300 children in this orphan house to be kept warm?

Muller prayed.

A day or so before the fires were to be extinguished, a cutting north wind set in. But the man of
God was unabashed. He asked the Lord to change the north wind into a south wind and to help
the workmen to do the job speedily.

The evening before the repairs actually began, the frigid blast was still blowing. But on the next
day, a south wind blew and the weather was so mild that no fire was needed. Furthermore, the
men volunteered to work all night so that before the weather chilled again, the repairs were
completed.

Some of the Lord’s servants are called and specially qualified for edification. They therefore
occupy themselves with souls and with the assembly, laboring to build up themselves and others
on their most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, seeking to maintain the truth of the Church
among the saints, and caring for the holiness of the house of God. There are others who are called
to conflict, who are quick to discern the assaults of the enemy upon the truth of God, and wise in
the power of the Holy Spirit to meet them with the weapons of their warfare which "are not
carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations,
and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:4,5).

The builders, the burden-bearers, and those that laded are also distinguished. Every one had his
appointed work, and all contributed to the same end. But whether builders, burden-bearers, or
those that laded, one feature characterized them all alike:"Every one with one of his hands
wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon" (Neh. 4:17). This in itself reveals
the character of the times in which they labored. They were in fact perilous times_times when
the power of Satan was increasingly manifested in opposition to the people of God. These times
were typical of that in which Jude labored, especially when he wrote his epistle, for we find the
same two things in him_the sword and the trowel. He found it necessary to contend earnestly for
the faith once delivered to the saints, and he also exhorted those to whom he wrote to build up
themselves on their most holy faith. And this is also the character of the present day_the perilous
times in which our lot is cast.

Therefore, we may well learn from Nehemiah’s builders that the divine way of being prepared for
the assaults of the enemy is, while we have our weapons of defense in one hand, or our swords
girded on our thigh, to be diligently occupied in building. When controversies arise through
Satan’s attacks upon the truth, there is a great danger of forgetting the need of souls_of ceasing
to build. We may be so occupied with the enemy that we overlook the necessity of diligent and
persistent ministrations of Christ to sustain and nourish souls, thus enabling them to repel the
enemy’s assaults. God’s people cannot be fed, built up, with controversies. This is a warning word
which cannot be too loudly sounded forth at the present moment. Our positive work, even when
expecting and on the outlook for the enemy, is building; and the more earnestly we build, the
more secure we shall be when the enemy delivers his assault. The weapons must be ready, but our
work is to go on with the wall.

(From An Exposition of Nehemiah.)

FRAGMENT
In the combination of the sword and the trowel, we see the symbols of our own calling. There is
that which we have to withstand, and there is that which we have to cultivate. We are to cherish
and advance, like builders, what is of the Spirit in us; we are to resist and mortify what is of the
flesh. We are builders and fighters.

It is important to know that Christ is the source of all the gifts that the Church possesses. In
Ephesians 4:7 and 8 we read:"But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure
of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When He ascended up oh high, He led captivity captive,
and gave gifts unto men." Christ is seen here in His resurrection glory. He has conquered death,
and consequently has delivered His people from the power of death. And as the risen Man, He
qualifies them for His service in giving them gifts through His grace.

In 1 Corinthians 12 we see. how these gifts are controlled and used. In verses 4-7 we read:"Now
there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but
the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all
in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." The Holy Spirit
is the prominent One here as the power of the gifts. We see many different gifts put into service
by "the same Spirit." This results in various services or ministries under the authority of "the same
Lord" accomplishing God’s work in the souls of men, for "it is the same God which worketh all
in all." Control, then, is by the Spirit, whose power brings benefit to every man as the gifts are
used. We see further in verse 11 how all the gifts work in the unity of the Spirit according to His
sovereign will. "But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man
severally as he will." This should impress upon us the necessity of seeking the Lord’s will in our
service for Him. It is in this way that the greatest blessing for souls will be realized.

Let us look at some examples from Scripture which show us the Holy Spirit directing the servants
of Christ. This will instruct us further in God’s order so that we may intelligently follow His will
in serving Him.

In Acts 13:2-4 we read:"The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul [also called Paul]
for the work where-unto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their
hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost," etc. The Spirit
is prominent here; He called and sent them into the work for which they had been fitted by Christ.
They were especially qualified for this work by the gifts given them of Christ. The part those at
Antioch had in this work was to give them the right hand of fellowship. The fellowship of their
brethren was a very important thing to Barnabas and Saul. It gave them support and
encouragement. This is the simple meaning of the laying on of hands. Then in Acts 16:6 we read:
"They . . . were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia." And in verse 7:"They
assayed to go into Bithynia:but the Spirit suffered them not." Here they are directed into a special
place by the Spirit, who again is prominent. Even though they thought of laboring in other places,
they willingly submitted to go just where the Lord wanted them, as directed by His Spirit. His will
was sovereign to them. This resulted in a great work of God in Macedonia. So, in the early
Church, the Lord controlled by His Spirit the use of gifts.

If we follow the life and ministry of the apostle Paul a little further, we find that he was called of
Christ as apostle to the Gentiles (Gal. 2:7-9) and minister to the Church (Col. 1:25), a "chosen
vessel" of the Lord. In this capacity, he established churches or assemblies. This included all the
teaching and order pertaining to them. But he NEVER controlled or attempted to control any of

Christ’s gifts. Paul knew this authority was Christ’s alone; he never presumed to trespass here,
though he was an apostle.

Let us consider briefly the commonly accepted practices in the use of gifts among Christians
today. Authority vested in men is what is generally found. We see the establishment of a special
class of men, with a higher status than that of the many, called "the clergy." The many are "the
laity." In some cases, control lies with "the clergy." Conferences are convened for the purpose
of assigning "pastorates." In other cases, a fair degree of control lies with "the laity." They may
"elect" or "choose" a pastor or a minister. But gift among the laity lies largely dormant by reason
of these controls. These abuses, and others not mentioned, are a result of men presumptuously
taking to themselves the authority of Christ. For all practical purposes, Christ, as the Head of His
Church, has been displaced; men have established themselves in His place instead. Let us be true
to the Lord by upholding His authority and refusing that of men.

There remains one point which requires our attention. It is that the gifts of Christ can never be
disciplined. To whatever degree discipline may be necessary, even to the extreme of having to
"put away from among yourselves that wicked person" (1 Cor. 5:13), it is sin that is judged and
not gift. In such a case, one’s service for the Lord is suspended by the Lord until that person is
restored to Him. The Lord will not use His gift in that person until the sin is judged. When this
has been done, the Lord will restore him to communion and service. Then follows his restoration
to fellowship by the assembly. But it is not gift that is restored; it is the person. Since gift was not
disciplined, it need not be restored. Since the person has been restored, the Lord will resume His
use of that gift, if He so pleases. How gracious He is:"The gifts and calling of God are without
repentance" (Rom. 11:29). God never recalls that which He has given in grace through Christ,
whether it is gift or any other possession.

In summary, Christ has given gifts unto men and it is God’s order that these gifts be controlled
by the Holy Spirit and not by men. May we each allow the Spirit to work in us more freely, that
the gifts which Christ has given us might be developed and used to His honor and glory. May we
be quick to judge every uprising of the flesh within us and every entanglement with the world, that
we might be in a fit condition for our gift to be used of the Lord. Oh, let us live in the fear of the
Lord so that we may be His faithful and fruitful servants!

FRAGMENT It is a healthy sign when saints are zealous of good works, but I believe there is
nothing so likely to sap the soul as the satisfaction one derives from feeling that one is useful.
When you have been much in active service you need to go to the desert to rest awhile with the
Lord (Mark 6:31). The soul who does not seek this, and long for it, is the soul that needs it most.

"Vatican City (AP)_Pope Paul VI will interrupt his flight to Manila Friday for a one-hour visit
to East Pakistan to express his sympathy for the victims of the storm disaster 2 days ago, the
Vatican announced today. The announcement said the pontiff would spend an hour in Dacca, the
capital of East Pakistan. It is 100 miles north of the Ganges delta area where hundreds of
thousands died in the winds and floods and some two million survivors are homeless and
desperately in need of food and clothing" (Baltimore Evening Sun, November 24, 1970).

Of all his stops on his recent tour of the Far East, the pope’s brief visit to Pakistan commanded
the least amount of attention in the press. But this one brief news item made a deep impression
upon me. My first thought when reading it was one of incredulity. I could scarcely believe that
one with such means at his disposal could bring himself to come before those millions of bereaved
and suffering souls merely to offer his sympathy. But then I got to thinking that perhaps many of
us_myself in particular_behave a little bit like that. It may well be true that we have no lack of
sympathy towards those who are needy and passing through trials and difficulties. But do we not
sometimes come short in demonstrating our sympathy in practical ways?

There are many areas in which we might apply the example given by the pope in Pakistan to
ourselves. Four such areas are considered below.

1. Suffering Saints

We may be very liberal in sending get well cards and sympathy cards to the ill and bereaved; It
is hoped that we are equally liberal in our prayers for them also. But how often do we attempt to
find out whether we can be of any practical help to the suffering soul? We make the assumption
that every one has insurance, and thus we hinder the Lord from putting it in our hearts to offer
financial assistance to His tried saint. We likewise assume that somehow, by someone, the
children will be cared for, the house and business attended to, etc., during this period of trouble,
and so we do not bother to ask if we can help.

"If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart
in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are
needful to the body; what doth it profit?" (James 2:15,16).

2. Strangers in Need

Who of us has not had the experience while driving along in our cars of seeing a motorist whose
car is stalled or stuck in a snow drift or with a flat tire? We have seen it many times, have we not?
And how many times have we driven right on by, with the honest hope in our heart that one of
the drivers behind us won’t be quite so busy and hurried as we are and will be kind enough to
help? It is true that we are often warned these days against helping strangers, as it can sometimes
be dangerous. But let us be more before the Lord, asking Him to help us to be alert to the needs
of others, and to give us wisdom and discernment as to when to step in and offer assistance.
Helping others in this way provides a good opportunity to give the needy individual a gospel tract

and to tell him of the One who has given His life that He might help and save each one of us.

"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men" (Gal. 6:10).

3. Souls to be Saved

Many of us, doubtless, pray regularly on behalf of the unsaved, that they might hear the gospel,
repent of their sins, and put their trust in the One who died for sinners. How good it is to have
a concern for the lost souls around us. But are not many of us_the writer as much as any
one_content with merely praying about the matter, and not really concerned enough to go out and
do something about it? How often do we excuse ourselves by thinking we are too busy, or not
sufficiently gifted to do this service for the Lord.

Oh, Lord! Give us more and yet more compassion for lost, needy, hell-bound souls! Then help
us to turn this compassion into a practical witness of Thy love and grace to these souls!

"Do the work of an evangelist" (2 Tim. 4:5). "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil"
(Eph. 5:16).

4. Work in the Assembly

Perhaps we are going somewhat far afield in applying the lesson of the pope in Pakistan, but there
is one more area in which we all recognize a great need, but in which we all too often take the
attitude of "let ______ do it; he is more able or has more time." I refer to work among the people
of God, work in the Assembly. Has not God given each of His own a gift, a special ability? And
are we not exhorted to use our gift as enabled of God? Each member of the Body of Christ has
a specific function (1 Cor. 12). One may be a hand, another a foot, a third one an ear. All are
necessary and the whole cannot function well without the proper functioning of each of the various
members. May we each determine wherein our particular gift lies, and then ask the Lord for help
in using it to His honor and glory.

In addition to the work of winning souls which has been briefly treated in the previous section,
there is much work to be done among the Lord’s people in teaching, shepherding, counseling,
visiting, helping, exhorting, and governing (see Romans 12 and 1 Cor. 12). Next time, instead
of saying, "Let _______ do it," try, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?"(Acts 9:6).

5. Postscript

After writing this article, I learned something that I had not found in the local newspaper:It turns
out that when the pope visited Pakistan, he offered not only his sympathy but also a check for
$10,000 to the Pakistan government for relief of the victims of the disaster. So perhaps the pope
is exonerated in this matter; but it remains for us to examine ourselves before the Lord whether
we "love in deed and in truth" as well as in word and in tongue (1 John 3:18).

FRAGMENT

Christ’s heart was moved when He saw sorrow. He would not have us cold and indifferent to it,
but full of tenderness and compassion toward those who are suffering. He has set us an example
that we should follow His steps (1 Peter 2:21).

It is a comfort to get man’s sympathy, but he often cannot help us. How blessed it is to get God’s
sympathy, which has power in it.