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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : Morning Devotions - Henry

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PaulWest
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Joined: 2006/6/28
Posts: 3405
Dallas, Texas

 Morning Devotions - Henry

This is something I was reading the other day. I was impressed to post an excerpt here, believing others will profit. May the Lord bless you all - Brother Paul

"It is our wisdom and duty to begin everyday with God. I know what an influence it would have upon the prosperity of your souls to be constant and sincere in your secret worship, and therefore give me leave to press it upon you with all earnestness: let God hear from you every morning, every morning let your prayer be directed to Him, and look up. Make conscience of your secret worship; keep it up, not only because it has been a custom you have received by tradition from your fathers, but because it is a duty concerning which you have received commandments from the Lord. Keep up stated times for it, and be true to them. Let those that have hitherto lived in the total neglect - or in the frequent omission of secret prayer - be persuaded from henceforward to look upon it as themost needful part of their daily business, and the most delightful part of their daily comfort, and to do it accordingly with a constant care, and yet with a constant pleasure.

Let none plead they can not pray. If you were ready to perish with hunger, you could beg and pray for food. If you see yourselves undone by reason of sin, can you not beg and pray for mercy and grace? Art thou a Christian? Never, for shame, say that thou canst not pray, for that is as absurd as for a soldier to say he knows not how to handle a sword, or a carpenter an axe. You cannot pray so well as others; pray, then, as well as you can, and God will accept you.

Let none plead you have not time in a morning for prayer. I dare say, you can find time for other things that are less needful; you had better take time from sleep than want time for prayer. And how can you spend time better, and more to your satisfaction and advantage? All the business of the day will propser the better, if your beginning has been thus with God.

Make a business of your secret worship, and be not slothful in this business, but fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord. Take heed lest it degenerate into a formality, and you grow customary in your accustomed services. Go about the duty solemnly. Be inward with God in it. It is not enough to say your prayers, but you must pray your prayers. God looks not at the length of your prayers, nor shall you be heard for your much speaking, but God requires truth in the inward part, and it is the prayer of the upright that is His delight. When you have prayed, look upon yourselves as thereby engaged and encouraged, both to serve God, and to trust in Him, in that the comfort and benefit of your morning devotions may not be as the morning cloud with passeth away, but as the morning light which shines brighter and brighter."

- Matthew Henry, 1712


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Paul Frederick West

 2007/1/19 19:04Profile
Yeshuasboy
Member



Joined: 2006/6/10
Posts: 668
Northern Rockies, BC, Canada

 Re: Morning Devotions - Henry

Thanks for the post... Love the writings of this man; however, I can't make sense of this...

Quote:
Let none plead they can not pray.


Is this a misquote, or what do you think this entails?... could it mean, "Let none plead that cannot pray"?
I love the post, and the effort put into it; although, this has me a bit stumped as to the meaning.
The Lord Christ Jesus bless you,
richie


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Richie

 2007/1/20 7:15Profile
PaulWest
Member



Joined: 2006/6/28
Posts: 3405
Dallas, Texas

 Re: discovering the meaning

Quote:
Is this a misquote, or what do you think this entails?... could it mean, "Let none plead that cannot pray"?



Hi Richie,

I typed the post out manually, picking bits and pieces from the discourse. I went back to the place where I extracted this sentence, and saw that this is just how Henry penned it:

"Let none plead they can not pray."

I think this can be rightly put in other words:

"Nobody has a legitimate right to say that they are not able to pray."

Hope this helps!

Brother Paul


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Paul Frederick West

 2007/1/20 18:28Profile
Yeshuasboy
Member



Joined: 2006/6/10
Posts: 668
Northern Rockies, BC, Canada

 Re:

Thanks for your response brother,
God bless you,
richie

Now, I read it as: Let none plead (to God), "I cannot pray!"
Yes, this would be a very foolish excuse... Praise God when it's the only thing we can do because He has brought us to the end of ourselves, our abilities and other resources:-D


_________________
Richie

 2007/1/20 22:23Profile





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