Prompted by a desire for a heightened prayer life, Aaron Sturgill wrote a few prayers each week over the course of two years. Each morning, with his Bible and his copy of Matthew Henry's A Method for Prayer, he wrote prayers for the five following categories: adoration of God, confession of sin, petition and requests, thanksgivings for mercy, and intercession for others. If you've struggled with direction in your prayer life, consider this resource packed with over 150 prayers.
How do we get to prayer? As part of my project, I formed a fellowship team consisting of nearly a dozen of my church members. While much of our month-long discussion surrounded an understanding of biblical fellowship, our final task consisted of formulating a proposal to enhance biblical fellowship at Cornerstone Church. The team determined one of our church’s greatest weaknesses in biblical fellowship to be a lack of prayer in both our personal lives and our church life. For Cornerstone to enhance its biblical fellowship, we would need to pursue a better understanding and practice of prayer. The fellowship team proposed we focus on four themes over the next four years – prayer, discipleship, the Holy Spirit, and communion. So then, in the Fall of 2021, I began gathering resources for a study on prayer.
Throughout the next year, I would be introduced to authors ranging from the 17th century Reverend Thomas Ken and Martin Luther to the 19th century Samuel Miller to helpful authors in the 20th and 21st centuries such as Donald Whitney, Leonard Ravenhill, Scotty Smith, Megan Hill, Ole Hallesby, and Walter Brueggemann. While searching for helpful resources, I quickly noticed several authors referencing one particular resource – Matthew Henry’s A Method for Prayer.
Throughout the following months, I found myself consistently, if not daily, going back to Henry’s book to be refreshed by his approach to prayer. However, I found his archaic language challenging and started rewording his paragraphs. At first, I felt disrespectful in changing any of his thoughts and wording. But quickly, I came to embrace the value of personalizing each prayer. Early each morning, in the dim light of my den even further darkened by the comforting terracotta orange walls, as part of my communion with God, I would take a single paragraph, meditate on its verses, and rewrite the paragraph as a personal prayer. Often one paragraph would bleed into a couple days if not a week, causing the journey through Henry’s book to last several years.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction
1. Adoration of God
1.1. The great and glorious God.
1.2. God as transcendently bright.
1.2.1. God is eternally unchanging.
1.2.2. God is present everywhere.
1.2.3. God perfectly knows and sees all.
1.2.4. God’s wisdom is unsearchable.
1.2.5. God’s sovereignty is indisputable.
1.2.6. God’s power is irresistible.
1.2.7. God is perfectly pure and morally right.
1.2.8. God is just in the oversight of His creation.
1.2.9. God’s truths are absolute and the treasures of His goodness unlimited.
1.2.10. God’s glorious attributes extend far beyond man’s most exhaustive descriptions of God’s divine nature.
1.3. God’s heavenly glory.
1.4. God as Creator, Sustainer, and Sovereign.
1.5. God’s Triunity.
1.6. God as Preserver and Benefactor.
1.7. God’s ownership and dominion.
1.8. The privilege of prayer.
1.9. Our unworthiness in prayer.
1.10. A humble profession of our desires.
1.11. Our hope and confidence in God.
1.12. Pleading for God’s acceptance in prayer.
1.13. The needful Spirit in prayer.
1.14. God’s glory, our highest end in prayer.
1.15. Full reliance on Jesus in prayer.
2. Confession of Sin
2.1. The reason for our confession.
2.2. Our humble confession of sin.
2.3. Our inherent sinfulness.
2.4. Our natural inclination toward evil.
2.4.1. Our blindness and inability to understand divine truth.
2.4.2. Our stubborn will and refusal to obey God’s commands.
2.4.3. Our wicked hearts and temporal concerns further corrupting our minds.
2.4.4. Our inordinate affections being placed on wrong objects and extending beyond proper bounds.
2.4.5. The corruption of the whole man resulting in an excessive desire for pleasure, an irrational avoidance of displeasure, and rejection of the Holy Spirit’s dynamic work.
2.5. Sins of omission and abandonment of duty.
2.6. Active sins of commission in thought, word, and deed.
2.6.1. Pride.
2.6.2. Lack of self-control and rash anger.
2.6.3. Covetousness and love of the world.
2.6.4. Sensuality and fleshly desires.
2.6.5. Presumptuous security and thoughtlessness to our lack of control over changes in our world.
2.6.6. Fear, impatience, and sadness amid suffering, and our distrust of God and His providence.
2.6.7. Unkindness and injustice towards others.
2.6.8. Sinful speech.
2.6.9. Spiritual complacency and decay.
2.7. The malignant nature and great evil in our sin.
2.7.1. The sinfulness of sin.
2.7.2. The foolishness of sin.
2.7.3. The unprofitableness of sin.
2.7.4. The deceitfulness of sin.
2.7.5. The offensiveness of sin to a Holy God.
2.7.6. Sins damage to our souls.
2.8. Increasing the horror and danger of sin.
2.8.1. Increased knowledge of God and his expectations.
2.8.2. Increased hypocrisy.
2.8.3. More mercies from God.
2.8.4. Warning from God’s Word and our conscience.
2.8.5. Increased punishment endured due our sin.
2.8.6. Increasing promises of heightened obedience.
2.9. We condemn our sins and accept our worthy punishment.
2.10. God’s patience and willingness to be reconciled.
2.11. Professing shame over sin and humble reception of grace.
3. Petition and Requests
3.1. We pray for forgiveness of sins.
3.1.1. God’s infinite goodness.
3.1.2. Christ’s righteousness.
3.1.3. God’s promises.
3.1.4. Our own sin.
3.1.5. Our blessed condition.
3.2. We pray for reconciliation.
3.2.1. Peace with God.
3.2.2. Covenanted with God.
3.2.3. Favor with God.
3.2.4. Blessings of God.
3.2.5. Presence of God.
3.2.6. A sense of reconciliation.
3.3. We pray for God’s grace.
3.3.1. Grace to fight.
3.3.2. Grace to equip.
3.3.3. Grace to teach and instruct.
3.3.4. Grace to lead, keep, and correct in truth.
3.3.5. Grace to help our memories.
3.3.6. Grace to direct our consciences.
3.4. We pray for God’s work of sanctification.
3.4.1. Faith.
3.4.2. Fear of God.
3.4.3. Love of God rather than the world.
3.4.4. Tender conscience and life of repentance.
3.4.5. Love of others.
3.4.6. Self-denial.
3.4.7. Humility and meekness.
3.4.8. Contentment.
3.4.9. Hope in God, Christ, and eternal life.
3.4.10. Preservation from sin.
3.4.11. Control and good use of the tongue.
3.4.12. Strength to live a godly life.
3.4.13. Wisdom and maturity.
3.5. We pray for future grace.
3.5.1. Support and comfort in suffering.
3.5.2. Preservation until the end.
3.5.3. Preparation for death.
3.5.4. Fit for heaven.
3.5.5. Additional good in life.
3.5.6. Preservation from calamity.
3.5.7. Daily comfort and support.
3.5.8. God’s promises fulfilled.
4. Thanksgivings for Mercy
4.1. Abundant reasons for gratitude.
4.2. Specificity in our thanksgiving.
4.3. Thankful for this present physical world.
4.4. Thankful for mankind specifically.
4.4.1. God gloriously created us with a glorious purpose.
4.4.2. God preserves our lives.
4.4.3. God protects amid sickness.
4.4.4. God provides support and comfort.
4.4.5. God generally provides success.
4.5. Thankful for God’s redemptive plan.
4.5.1. God’s redemptive plan for lost sinners.
4.5.2. God’s eternal and divine election.
4.5.3. God’s appointment of a Redeemer.
4.5.4. God’s early revelation of his gracious design.
4.5.5. God’s favor to his people in the Old Testament.
4.6. Thankful for Christ’s life and work.
4.6.1. Jesus Christ’s incarnation.
4.6.2. God’s ongoing care of Christ during his incarnation.
4.6.3. Jesus Christ’s perfect and exemplary teaching and life.
4.6.4. His call to poor sinners.
4.6.5. Complete satisfaction for sin and resulting privileges.
4.6.6. His resurrection from the dead.
4.6.7. His ascension and position at God’s right hand.
4.6.8. His ongoing intercession for his redeemed.
4.6.9. His exalted position as Sovereign Redeemer.
4.6.10. Certainty of his second coming.
4.7. Thankful for God’s Word and Christ’s Church.
4.7.1. Sending of the Holy Spirit into the believer.
4.7.2. Covenant of grace and its precious privileges.
4.7.3. Inspiration and preservation of Scripture.
4.7.4. Institution of the ordinances.
4.7.5. Institution and expansion of the church.
4.7.6. Godly examples throughout church history.
4.7.7. Spiritual communion of saints throughout time.
4.7.8. Prospect and hope of eternal life.
4.8. Thankful for spiritual mercies to those effectually called.
4.8.1. The Holy Spirit’s work and our consciences.
4.8.2. Our Spirit led, transformed lives.
4.8.3. Our forgiveness and peace of mind.
4.8.4. Our sanctification, preservation, and strength.
4.8.5. Personal communion and favor with God.
4.8.6. Gracious answers to our prayers.
4.8.7. Support amid and spiritual value of affliction.
4.8.8. God’s promises fulfilled.
5. Intercession for Others
5.1. The lost.
5.1.1. The lost in general.
5.1.2. Spread of gospel and growth of church
5.1.3. The conversion of the Jews.
5.1.4. Conversion of those who have rejected the Gospel.
5.2. God’s People.
5.2.1. The church in general.
5.2.2. Spirit’s outpouring to mend and revive the Church.
5.2.3. Defeat of the church’s enemies.
5.2.4. Suffering churches and persecuted believers.
5.3. God’s sovereignty over nations.
5.3.1. Nations of the world.
5.3.2. National mercies.
5.3.3. Advancement of the Gospel in our nation.
5.3.4. Political leaders.
5.3.5. Judges and law enforcement.
5.4. Intercession for specific people groups.
5.4.1. Ministers of the Gospel.
5.4.2. A spouse.
5.4.3. The young.
5.4.4. Parents.
5.4.5. The old.
5.4.6. The rich and prosperous.
5.4.7. The poor and afflicted.
5.4.8. The sick and suffering.
5.4.9. Our enemies and those that hate us.
5.4.10. Our friends and those that love us.
6. Things to Pray for People
6.1. Praying for Those You Love.
6.2. Praying For a Spouse.
6.3. Praying for Your Children.
6.4. Praying for Your Church.
6.5. Praying for Pastors.
6.6. Praying for Retirees and Parents.
6.7. Praying for the Persecuted Church.
6.8. Praying for the Sick & Suffering.
6.9. Praying for the Lost.
6.10. Praying for Political Leaders.
7. Additional Prayers
7.1. Our Morning Prayer
7.2. A Morning Prayer: Thomas Ken
7.3. Morning Prayer: Valley of Vision
7.4. Another Morning Prayer: Piercing Heaven
7.5. Evening Prayer: Thomas Ken
7.6. Evening Prayer: Valley of Vision
7.7. Evening Prayer: Matthew Henry
7.8. A Cry of Prayer in the Middle of the Night
7.9. A Prayer for Our Children
7.10. A Prayer for a Husband
7.11. Prayer of Pardon
7.12. My Sins! My Sins!: Piercing Heaven
7.13. Give Me a New Heart: Piercing Heaven
7.14. A Petition for Grace: Thomas Ken
7.15. A Form of Confession: Thomas Ken
7.16. Acts of Contrition: Thomas Ken
7.17. Confession & Petition: Valley of Vision
7.18. I Wrestle with Sin: Piercing Heaven
7.19. Yet I Sin: Valley of Vision
7.20. Request for Pardon
7.21. Lord’s Day Prayer
7.22. Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: W. Brueggemann
7.23. Sleep: Valley of Vision
7.24. A Prayer of Humility
7.25. Voyage: Valley of Vision
7.26. Prayers for Political Leaders
7.27. A Preacher’s Prayer: Greg Heisler
7.28. A Minister’s Bible: Valley of Vision
7.29. A Minister’s Preaching: Valley of Vision
7.30. A Minister’s Prayer: Valley of Vision
7.31. A Minister’s Evils: Valley of Vision
Bibliography