A Way to Pray (Part Five)
By Tom Castor | March 6, 2017 | Off the Donkey, Into the Ditch (On Mission)
This excerpt from Matthew Henry’s (1662-1714) A Method of Prayer is quoted here to assist you in your own prayer for “missions”. Look [here] for a more complete introduction.
Pray for the Relief of Suffering Churches and Persecuted Christians
For the relief of suffering churches and the support, comfort, and deliverance of all who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.
We desire in our prayers to remember those who are in prison for the testimony of Jesus, as in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since we also are in the body. O send from on high and rescue them from those who hate them, and bring them out into a broad place.
O let not the scepter of wickedness rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous should stretch out their hands to do wrong.
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days of old, as in the generations of long ago, and make the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed of the Lord to pass over.
Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, arise now, O LORD, and place them in the safety for which they long.
O strengthen the endurance and faith of your suffering saints, that they may wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
O let the year of your redemption come, and the year of recompense for the cause of Zion.
O that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion; and when the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
O let not the downtrodden turn back in shame, but let the poor and needy praise your name.
Lord, arise and have pity on Zion, and let the time to favor her, the appointed time, come; indeed, let the LORD build up Zion and appear in his glory. Lord, regard the prayer of the destitute and do not despise their prayer.
O Lord GOD, please cease: How can Jacob stand, for he is so small? O make your face to shine upon that part of your sanctuary, which is desolate, for your own sake, O Lord.
Let the groans of the prisoners come before you, and according to your great power, preserve those who for your name’s sake are doomed to die.
Let those whose teachers have been removed, again see their teachers, though they have the bread of adversity and the water of affliction.
Hebrews 13:3; Psalm 18:16-17; Psalm 18:19; Psalm 125:3; Isaiah 51:9-10; Psalm 12:5; Revelation 13:10; Lamentations 3:26; Isaiah 63:4; Isaiah 34:8; Psalm 14:7; Psalm 74:21; Psalm 102:13; Psalm 102:16-17; Amos 7:5; Daniel 9:17; Psalm 79:11; Isaiah 30:20
Pray for the Nations of the World and for your Own Nation
For the nations around us and all the countries of the world.
You, LORD, rule over the nations: Who will not fear you, O King of the nations? You sit on the throne, giving righteous judgment; judge the world therefore with righteousness, and judge the peoples with uprightness.
Lord, hasten the time when you will make wars cease to the end of the earth; when nation shall no more lift up sword against nation, nor kingdom against kingdom, but swords shall be beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks, and they shall not learn war anymore.
Make kings foster fathers, and their queens nursing mothers, to the Israel of God.
And in the days of these kings, let the God of heaven set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, even the kingdom of the Redeemer. And whatever purposes there are in men’s minds, Lord, let your purposes stand, and fulfill the plans of your heart to all generations.
Psalm 22:28; Jeremiah 10:7; Psalm 9:4; Psalm 9:8; Psalm 46:9; Isaiah 2:4; Isaiah 49:23; Daniel 2:44; Proverbs 19:21; Psalm 33:11
There are several options, should you want to secure a copy of Henry’s book for yourself. The original can be found in some rare bookshops. A .pdf copy of the original is available [here]. Two modern revisions are available [here] and [here]. Eight Versions are available as free eBooks. [here]. Differences are based on Bible versions used (NIV, ESV, NASB) and the perspective taken (First Person, Corporate). For 13 Convincing Arguments on Why to Pray the Scripture, take a look [here].