When I am looking for clear teaching on how to draw near to God, I often seek the writings of Andrew Murray. Two books top the list: “Abide in Christ”, and “With Christ in the School of Prayer”. Murray writes with the heart of a gentle, patient teacher. He knows our frustrations with the spiritual life, because he has also struggled.
But gently, slowly he points the way down the path. His teaching is scriptural, working directly from the words of Christ and the apostles. Because of his own experience in walking with God, he can stretch and expand our understanding of the words we have perhaps read many times. Andrew Murray encourages in our desire for a lifestyle of Abiding In Christ.
During the late 19th century a man was called by God to minister to the people of South Africa. He was the son of Andrew Murray Sr, a Dutch Reformed minister from Scotland who had moved to South Africa to pastor a church. As a teenager, Andrew Murray Jr. and his older brother, John, returned to Scotland to live with their uncle and attend school at the University of Aberdeen. After obtaining Master’s degrees in 1845, they both went to the University of Utrecht to study theology. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Murray_(minister)
Once they were ordained in 1848, Andrew and his brother returned to the Cape to teach. Andrew Murray pastored several churches in South Africa. He preached in the South African Revival of 1860.
For a more compete biography, try this interesting text by Leona Choy.
Through his years of teaching and leadership in the churches of South Africa, Andrew Murray wrote over 240 books and tracts, including about 50 books. The most well-known of these are “Abide in Christ” and “With Christ in the School of Prayer”.
Andrew Murray’s clear and gentle teaching leads us to a simple, trusting, obedient relationship with God the Father. The fruit of that walk is love, peace, answered prayer, faith. All of the promises of God are wrapped up in abiding with Christ.
God has blessed us with the clear teaching and passionate love for Christ in the man named Andrew Murray.
Explore these books by Andrew Murray
I am the vine, you are the branches.
John 15:5
As Pastor Murray says, “the daily inflowing of the life-sap of the Holy Spirit is his only power to bring forth fruit.” This little book is a step by step guide to tapping into our true life.
It is not a mechanical “how to”. But it is a pragmatic guide for those who are really ready to seek life with Christ above all.
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those that ask Him?
Luke 11:13
In this 30-day devotional, we go to school, taught by Jesus Himself. Pastor Murray reminds us that “Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only how to pray.” It is prayer, not any other work, that affects change in our own hearts and in the world that we touch.
And yet, prayer is difficult and dark if we are not in agreement with the Father. We struggle to talk him into things that are not on the perfect path. Meanwhile, we ignore the important thing that He has specifically told us He wants to do, but will not do, unless we pray.
It is time for us all to be more attentive to our lessons in the School of Prayer.
