Matthew Henry's Method for Prayer (NIV 1st Person Version)
5/5
()
About this ebook
The classic book on prayer by Matthew Henry is now available for the first time for e-readers! This volume will help you, perhaps as never before, pray the Bible.
Matthew Henry
Building upon a stream of exact exegesis beginning with the Reformation, MATTHEW HENRY (1662–1714) achieved a standard of applied analysis that has long marked his work as superior. He is best known for his seven-volume commentary on the Bible, which C. H. Spurgeon declared was "rich in analogies . . . superabundant in reflections . . . suitable to everybody, instructive to all."
Read more from Matthew Henry
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible: One-volume abridgement of the massive six-volume Commentary Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Commentaries on Isaiah Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCommentaries on Psalms Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Ultimate Commentary On Proverbs Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The New Matthew Henry Commentary: The Classic Work with Updated Language Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Method for Prayer Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Ultimate Commentary On 1 John: The Ultimate Commentary Collection Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Ultimate Commentary On 1 Corinthians: The Ultimate Commentary Collection Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Ultimate Commentary On 1 Samuel: The Ultimate Commentary Collection Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Ultimate Commentary On 1 Peter: The Ultimate Commentary Collection Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Commentaries on Proverbs Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCommentaries on Genesis Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Complete Works of Matthew Henry: Treatises, Sermons, and Tracts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ultimate Commentary On 2 Corinthians: The Ultimate Commentary Collection Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Book of Daniel - Bible Commentary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Ultimate Commentary On Job: The Ultimate Commentary Collection Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Matthew Henry's Method for Prayer (ESV 1st Person Version) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Ultimate Commentary On 1 Kings: The Ultimate Commentary Collection Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Commentaries on Jeremiah Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings1 Corinthians - Bible Commentary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Ultimate Commentary On 1 Thessalonians: The Ultimate Commentary Collection Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Commentaries on Exodus Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Commentaries on Judges Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCommentaries on Joshua Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Commentaries on Deuteronomy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Method for Prayer: With Scripture Expressions Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSong of Solomon - Bible Commentary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRomans - Bible Commentary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCommentaries on Matthew Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Ultimate Commentary On 1 Chronicles: The Ultimate Commentary Collection Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related to Matthew Henry's Method for Prayer (NIV 1st Person Version)
Related ebooks
Matthew Henry's Method for Prayer (ESV 1st Person Version) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Matthew Henry's Method for Prayer (ESV Corporate Version) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMatthew Henry's Method for Prayer (KJV 1st Person Version) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMatthew Henry's Method for Prayer (NIV Corporate Version) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Method for Prayer Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/51 Thessalonians: 30 Day Devotional Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFeathers for Arrows: Illustrations for Preachers and Teachers from My Notebook Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFirst and Second Peter - Complete Bible Commentary Verse by Verse Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOpening Up the Bible Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Gospel of Mark - Complete Bible Commentary Verse by Verse Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Gospel of Matthew - Expository Throughts on the Gospels Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Expositor's Bible: The Epistles of St. Paul to the Colossians and Philemon Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSermons on Men of the Old Testament Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRuth: Under the Wings of God Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Exodus - Complete Bible Commentary Verse by Verse Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInterpretation of the Scripture Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCome Ye Apart: Daily Readings and Thoughts in the Life of Jesus Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Fruits of Grace Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings2 Corinthians - Bible Commentary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGrowing in Holiness through the Psalms: Insights from Charles Spurgeon’s Treasury of David Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Guide to Fervent Prayer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCommentaries on Daniel Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsActs Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Basic Introduction to the New Testament Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTethered: The Life of Henrietta Hall Shuck, The First American Woman Missionary to China Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Romans - Bible Commentary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFirst and Second Timothy - Complete Bible Commentary Verse by Verse Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLectures to My Students: Volume Four: Commenting and Commentaries Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsExperiencing the Body and Blood of Christ: Communicating Biblical Truth to Late Millennials and Generation Z Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFrom the Library of Charles Spurgeon: Selections From Writers Who Influenced His Spiritual Journey Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Christianity For You
Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mere Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Screwtape Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Law of Connection: Lesson 10 from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'll Start Again Monday: Break the Cycle of Unhealthy Eating Habits with Lasting Spiritual Satisfaction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Changes That Heal: Four Practical Steps to a Happier, Healthier You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Stories We Tell: Every Piece of Your Story Matters Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Four Loves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wild at Heart Expanded Edition: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Enoch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Grief Observed Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Less Fret, More Faith: An 11-Week Action Plan to Overcome Anxiety Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex: Creating a Marriage That's Both Holy and Hot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Workbook: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5NIV, Holy Bible Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for Matthew Henry's Method for Prayer (NIV 1st Person Version)
1 rating0 reviews
Book preview
Matthew Henry's Method for Prayer (NIV 1st Person Version) - Matthew Henry
Matthew Henry's Method for Prayer:
Abridged for E-books
Edited and revised by Ligon Duncan
with William McMillan
Executive Production by Daniel Arnold
Copyright 2009, Daniel Arnold and Ligon Duncan.
Publisher, Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals Inc, 1716 Spruce St Philadelphia PA 19103 USA. Smashwords Edition.
A Method for Prayer was written by Matthew Henry, March 25, 1710. For ease of reading, the editors have sought to update some of the author's language.
All Scripture from New International Version of the Bible, unless otherwise noted. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
This article may be duplicated in its entirety and without edit, including this full disclaimer for personal, small group, non-commercial use. No more than 200 copies may be made. No electronic use beyond email is permitted. Any use other then those listed herein are forbidden without prior written permission. All rights reserved. ARMHNIV1.
Material from this book, as well as other resources related to Biblical prayer, may also be accessed online at http://www.matthewhenry.org
****
Preface to the E-Reader Version
Matthew Henry’s Method for Prayer was re-introduced to the public almost fifteen years ago. Things have changed significantly in the publishing world since then, to say the least! The original reprint of Matthew Henry’s classic included a number of appendices, which are absent from the present version.
These omissions are not because the material was inferior – far from it! The simple reason was that the appendices have not been modernized to accord with the various newer translations that are available for e-reading platforms. However, the entire book is always available online at www.matthewhenry.org
With that one caveat, we offer Matthew Henry to a world that he could have scarcely dreamed of. However, even though technology has advanced beyond the world of the 18th century, man’s spiritual needs have remained the same. Particularly today, Christians yearn for closer fellowship with God. Henry’s words concerning prayer, then, are as relevant now as they have ever been.
I wish also to express my deepest gratitude to the man who has made this e-version of Henry’s book available, Mr. Daniel Arnold. Without Dan’s support, neither this book nor the website would have made Henry’s words accessible to so many people.
Also, there are other Bible versions available of this book, as well as daily emails taken directly from Henry's material to help you pray the Bible. All of these can be found at the website listed above.
I think Matthew Henry would be embarrassed that his book has received so much attention. At the same time, I think he would be grateful to see the latest technology used to honor the Lord Jesus Christ by getting Scriptural prayers into the hands of a new generation of readers – and book formats.
May the Lord bless you as you pray the Bible,
J. Ligon Duncan, III
Jackson, Mississippi
****
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
CHAPTER 1
OF THE FIRST PART OF PRAYER, WHICH IS ADDRESS TO GOD,
ADORATION OF HIM, WITH SUITABLE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS,
PROFESSIONS, AND PREPARATORY REQUESTS
Introduction to Adoration
My spirit being composed into a very reverent and serious frame, my thoughts gathered in, and all that is within me charged in the name of the great God carefully to attend the solemn and awful service that lies before me and to keep close to it, I must, with a fixed attention and an application of mind and an active lively faith, set the Lord before me, see his eye upon me, and set myself in his special presence, offering my body to him as a living sacrifice, which I desire may be holy and pleasing to God and a reasonable act of worship; (1) and then bind this festal sacrifice with ropes and take it up to the horns of the altar, (2) in such thoughts as these:
Let me now lift up my heart, with my eyes and hands, to God in heaven. (3)
Let me strive to lay hold of God, (4) to seek his face, (5) and to ascribe to him the glory due his name. (6)
To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. (7)
Let me now enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for me through the curtain, that is, his body. (8)
Let me now in undivided devotion attend to the Lord, (9) and let not my heart be far from him when I draw near with my mouth and honor him with my lips. (10)
Let me now worship God, who is a Spirit, in spirit and in truth, for such are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. (11)
Address God with Reverence and Awe
Having thus engaged my heart to approach God. (12)
1. I must solemnly address myself to that infinitely great and glorious Being with whom I have to do, as one who is possessed with a full belief of his presence and a holy awe and reverence of his Majesty, which may be done in such expressions as these:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come! (13)
O you whose name is the LORD, who alone are the Most High over all the earth! (14)
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; (15) my God, and I will praise you, my father’s God, and I will exalt you. (16)
O you who are the true God, the living God, the one only living and true God, and the eternal King! (17) With your redeemed people I confess your great name: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
(18)
And may I thus distinguish myself from the worshipers of false gods.
The idols of the nations are silver and gold, they are vanity and a lie, made by the hands of men; those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. (19) But he who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the Maker of all things, including Israel, the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD Almighty is his name, (20) God over all, forever praised. (21)
Their rock is not like my Rock, as even your people’s enemies concede; (22) for he is the Rock of ages, the LORD, the LORD is the Rock eternal: (23) His name endures forever, and his renown through all generations, (24) when the gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish from the earth and from under the heavens. (25)
Reverently Adore God
2. I must reverently adore God, as a Being transcendently bright and blessed, self-existent, and self-sufficient, an infinite and eternal Spirit who has all perfections in himself, and give him the glory of his titles and attributes.
O LORD my God, you are very great, you are clothed with splendor and majesty, you wrap yourself in light as with a garment; (26) and yet to me, you make darkness your canopy, (27) for I cannot draw up my case because of my darkness. (28)
This is the message which I have heard from you, and I set my seal to it that it is true: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all; (29) and, God is love; whoever lives in love, lives in God and God in him. (30)
You are the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows, and from whom comes every good and perfect gift. (31)
You are the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. (32)
I must acknowledge his Being to be unquestionable and past dispute.
The heavens declare your glory, O God, and the skies proclaim the work of your hands, (33) and your eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen and understood from what has been made. (34) So they are fools without excuse, who say, There is no God;
(35) for surely the righteous are rewarded, surely there is a God who judges the earth (36) and heaven too.
I therefore come to you believing that you exist and that you powerfully and bountifully reward those who earnestly seek you. (37)
Yet I must understand and own his nature to be incomprehensible.
I cannot fathom the mysteries of God; I cannot probe the limits of the Almighty. (38)
Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. (39)
Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise? (40)
And his perfections to be matchless and without compare.
Who is a God like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? (41)
Who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you. (42)
Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. (43)
No creature has an arm like God’s, or can thunder with a voice like his. (44)
And that he is infinitely above me and all other beings.
You are God and not man; you do not have eyes of flesh, nor do you see as a mortal sees. Your days are not like those of a mortal, or your years like those of a man. (45)
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are your thoughts higher than my thoughts and your ways than my ways. (46)
All nations before you are like a drop in a bucket or as dust on the scales; you weigh the islands as though they were fine dust; they are as nothing; they are regarded by you as worthless and less than nothing. (47)
Acknowledge God's Eternality and Omnipresence
Particularly in my adorations I must acknowledge:
(A.) That he is an eternal God, immutable, without beginning of days or end of life or change of time.
You are the King eternal, immortal, invisible. (48)
Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God; (49) the same yesterday and today and forever. (50)
In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end. (51)
You are God and do not change; therefore is it that I am not destroyed. (52)
Are you not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? (53) The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. (54)
(B.) That he is present in all places, and there is no place in which he is included or out of which he is excluded.
You are a God nearby and not a God far away; no one can hide himself in secret places so that you cannot see him, for you fill heaven and earth. (55)
You are not far from each one of us. (56)
I cannot go anywhere from your presence or flee from your Spirit: If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, in the depths of the earth, you are there; if I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your right hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast, (57) for I can never outrun you.
Recognize God's Perfect Knowledge and Unsearchable Wisdom
(C.) That he has a perfect knowledge of all persons and things, and sees them all, even that which is most secret, at one clear, certain, and unerring view.
Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom I must give account, even the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (58)
Your eyes are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good: (59) They range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to you. (60)
You search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve. (61)
O God, you have searched me and you know me, you know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways: Before a word is on my tongue, you know it completely, O LORD. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. (62)
Darkness is as light to you. (63)
(D.) That his wisdom is unsearchable, and the counsels and designs of it cannot be fathomed.
Your understanding, O Lord, has no limit, for you determine the number of the stars and call them each by name. (64)
You are wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom; (65) your wisdom is profound and your power is vast. (66)
How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; (67) all according to the purpose of your will. (68)
Oh, the depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! (69)
Acknowledge God's Incontestable Sovereignty and Irresistible Power
(E.) That his sovereignty is incontestable, and he is the owner and absolute Lord of all.
The highest heavens belong to the LORD, (70) and all the hosts of them.