I vlogged recently commending O Palmer Robertson's version of Matthew Henry's Method of Prayer. I noticed recently that there is a website here with many resources in connection with Henry's book, organised by Ligon Dincan III.
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Showing posts with label O Palmer Robertson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label O Palmer Robertson. Show all posts
Banner 2010 3b
In his second session with us Palmer Robertson introduced us to the work of William Hoppe Murray, a 19th century missionary to Malawi (then Nyasaland) born in 1866 in South Africa and the nephew of Andrew Murray. He trained as a doctor in Scotland, was a man of prayer and came to Malawi in 1894. He served there for 43 years. His cousin A C Murray was the first head of the mission but he succeeded him in 1901. Throughout the challenge was to what we might do in the light of this tremendous example. Some ten specific challenges were drawn from the varied work of this man as
1. Pioneer
2. Preacher
3. Educator
4. Administrator
5. Author
6. Farmer
7. Diplomat (knew the art of the possible but did lack theological discernment at times)
8. Doctor
9. Evangelist
10. Translator of the Bible 1903-1919
Finally we were challenged by his character - his perseverance, bravery (including rescuing a girl from salve traders), humour (gently teasing new missionaries), prayer and humility.
1. Pioneer
2. Preacher
3. Educator
4. Administrator
5. Author
6. Farmer
7. Diplomat (knew the art of the possible but did lack theological discernment at times)
8. Doctor
9. Evangelist
10. Translator of the Bible 1903-1919
Finally we were challenged by his character - his perseverance, bravery (including rescuing a girl from salve traders), humour (gently teasing new missionaries), prayer and humility.
Banner 2010 2b
The first main session of the morning was O Palmer Robertson speaking on Matthew Henry's little work A Method of prayer, printed 300 years ago this year. Henry broke off from writing his commentary to write this work and so never finished. In it he sets out a way to use Scripture to pray. It is what Puritans called pleading the promises. If we gave ourselves to it Professor Robertson suggested – what an impact it might have. Saturation with Scripture could be such a blessing.
Henry is distinctive in who he was as well as what he wrote we were told. He was a great expositor, a Christ-centred biblical and systematic theologian. He was first and foremost a pastor with a love for God''s people. Robertson was given the book by his mother and she had inherited it from her ancestors. He showed us the battered version. He has now updated the language and reprinted it in modern English. We can so easily get into a rut in praying. This book greatly helps us out.
He does not just take the prayers of Scripture but he blends them together. His suggestion of how to pray for “our Lord the King” was omitted in the American edition, as were similar expressions! Henry also used the KJV, of course and his punctuation and other ways of expression are now outdated. The new edition planned seeks to rewrite it in a way that suits today. Robertson has also rearranged it in a more user friendly way. The endless sub points transmuted and there are some additions – eg a prayer for the baptism of adults as well as babies. Also a prayer for the Jewish people and ancient churches of Asia is supplemented by ones for other parts of the world. At some points Henry's use of Scripture is not true to the meaning (even he acknowledges it). The revised edition seeks to avoid this. So it is not a simple revision but a reworking. The idea is that the more closely a prayer is framed to the will of the Lord himself the more likely it is to be honoured. The Scriptures are taken in a dynamic rather than a literal way.
We then prayed through the copy before us a 15 page sample selection We looked at praise and confession and Professor Robertson prayed some (rather long) sections. I had been thinking in the morning how dry the prayers were at the prayer meeting. Something like this could be a real help to us.
Henry is distinctive in who he was as well as what he wrote we were told. He was a great expositor, a Christ-centred biblical and systematic theologian. He was first and foremost a pastor with a love for God''s people. Robertson was given the book by his mother and she had inherited it from her ancestors. He showed us the battered version. He has now updated the language and reprinted it in modern English. We can so easily get into a rut in praying. This book greatly helps us out.
He does not just take the prayers of Scripture but he blends them together. His suggestion of how to pray for “our Lord the King” was omitted in the American edition, as were similar expressions! Henry also used the KJV, of course and his punctuation and other ways of expression are now outdated. The new edition planned seeks to rewrite it in a way that suits today. Robertson has also rearranged it in a more user friendly way. The endless sub points transmuted and there are some additions – eg a prayer for the baptism of adults as well as babies. Also a prayer for the Jewish people and ancient churches of Asia is supplemented by ones for other parts of the world. At some points Henry's use of Scripture is not true to the meaning (even he acknowledges it). The revised edition seeks to avoid this. So it is not a simple revision but a reworking. The idea is that the more closely a prayer is framed to the will of the Lord himself the more likely it is to be honoured. The Scriptures are taken in a dynamic rather than a literal way.
We then prayed through the copy before us a 15 page sample selection We looked at praise and confession and Professor Robertson prayed some (rather long) sections. I had been thinking in the morning how dry the prayers were at the prayer meeting. Something like this could be a real help to us.
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