Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach

We continue our series of excerpts from “Matthew Henry on a Practical Method of Daily Prayer.”¹ These will be without the usual comments and study references. My hope is that people will be like the Bereans, as described in Acts 17:11, and will put Henry’s writing to the test.

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Directive One: Begin Every Day with God

David wrote in Psalm 5:3, “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up.” Henry wrote, “It is our wisdom and duty to begin every day with God.” Much of his discourse is devoted to motivating us to pray. Henry reminded us that we can pray with assurance that “wherever God finds a praying heart, he will be found a prayer-hearing God.” If we pray to God as our Father through Christ the Mediator according to God’s will as revealed in the Bible, then we can know that He has heard us and will answer according to His kindness. God requires us to pray to remind us of His authority over us and His love and compassion toward us. We always have something to talk to God about. He is a dear friend, so it is a pleasure to know Him personally and to walk with Him intimately. He is also the Lord of us and everything that touches our lives. Shall a servant not talk to his Master? Shall a dependent not talk to his Provider?^[1] Shall one in danger not converse with his Defender?^[2]

Let no obstacle hinder you from coming to God. Though God is in heaven, He will hear your cries, even from the depths (Ps. 130:1). Though God be fearsome, He grants believers the Spirit of adoption to have freedom to speak with Him (Rom. 8:15). Yes, God already knows what you need, but He requires your prayers for His glory and to fit you to receive mercy (Ezek. 36:37–38). Though you are busy with many things, only one thing is necessary: to walk with God in peace and love.^[3]

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^[1] Joel R. Beeke, “Matthew Henry on a Practical Method of Daily Prayer,” in Taking Hold of God: Reformed and Puritan Perspectives on Prayer, ed. Brian G. Najapfour (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2011), 144.

^[2] Joel R. Beeke, “Matthew Henry on a Practical Method of Daily Prayer,” in Taking Hold of God: Reformed and Puritan Perspectives on Prayer, ed. Brian G. Najapfour (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2011), 144.

^[3] Joel R. Beeke, “Matthew Henry on a Practical Method of Daily Prayer,” in Taking Hold of God: Reformed and Puritan Perspectives on Prayer, ed. Brian G. Najapfour (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2011), 145.