Adam Clarke’s Commentary

CONFESSION

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COMMANDED TO BE BLAMELESS NOT FAULTLESS

“God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect” (Ps 18:32 NLT).

FATHER, I am only perfect because You have chosen to fill me with Your own love and image (ref#15, [Ps 37:37]).   I will never be faultless, but You do not demand that I be faultless.

What You command is that I live a blameless life (Ps 37:18). You ask me only to live up to my highest understanding of Your will revealed in Your Word. Then You will look with favor on me, calling me blameless, if I walk in Your way (Ps 101:6).

A blameless man describes “an upright man; a man of integrity. It does not necessarily imply that he is absolutely holy, or free from all sin, but that he is upright, consistent, honest:…” (ref#16, [Ps 101:6]).

FATHER, I lose my blamelessness by sinning presumptuously. These are sins that issue from my pride and self-confidence that leads me to rely on my own strength (ref#16, [Ps 19:13]). FATHER, I do not want to fall into a habit of sinning presumptuously for by such sins I will soon be hardened through their deceitfulness (ref#15, [Ps 19:13]).

GUIDING FATHER, keep me back from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me, and then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgressions (Ps 19:13).

CONFESSION

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REJECTING PLAUSIBLE ARGUMENTS

…FATHER, I become deluded with plausible arguments (Col 2:4) if I don’t believe that in CHRIST are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3).

Plausible arguments come mainly from my own logical head. They convince me to look for an easy walk through the day. My heady thoughts are loud and anxious to engage me in self-satisfying work. These thoughts are not at all insightful into Your ways and purposes or rich in enlightenment. They make sense to me but disregard CHRIST’s experience altogether so they are evil even when the outcome results in good deeds. They may please me and my peers but not You, FATHER.

The Apostle Paul’s witness convinces me that what he’s doing is Your will, FATHER, and not his own:

“I want you to know how glad I am that it’s me sitting here in this jail and not you. There’s a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world — the kind of suffering Christ takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church’s part of that suffering” (Col 1:24 MSG).  “…I am making up whatever…remains to be completed…of Christ’s afflictions…” (Col 1:24 AMP).

“I have still some afflictions to pass through before my race of glory be finished; afflictions which fall on me on account of the Gospel; such as Christ bore from…persecuting people” (ref#15, [Col 1:24]). As CHRIST and the Apostle Paul, my witness must be so opposed to worldliness that I elicit anger from non-Christians.

FATHER, if my activity is not met with anger from non-Christians drive me to reconsider my decision-making. Am I engaged in my choices or Your choices?

ADORATION

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Chord Progression: (Am G E7 Am) (Dm G E7 Am)

I AM THE LORD, THERE IS NO OTHER

Before You there was no GOD formed;

there was no such thing as a GOD—(Isa 43:10)

nothing pre-exists but Yourself (ref#15, [Isa 43:10]).

Your dominion is entirely original (ref#16, [Isa 43:10]).

 

There shall not be any GOD after You,

there never will be (Isa 43:10).

You are the only true and eternal GOD— (ref#16, [Isa 43:10]).

the Alpha and Omega (Rev 1:8).

Surely, as You have thought,

so it shall come to pass,

and as You have purposed, LORD,

so it shall stand (Isa 14:24).

 

You fill the heavens and You fill the earth (ref#15, [Jer 23:23]).

You are a GOD that notices things—

things that are close at hand and things far away (Jer 23:23).

Your power is not limited but universal (ref#16, [Jer 23:23]).

Yahweh!—strong and mighty;

“Merciful Being”—full of tenderness,

“The gracious One”—naturally good,

You, the loving GOD (ref#15, [Ex 34:6]).

 

Let me hear of Your steadfast love;

Make me know the way I should go (Ps 143:8).

Deliver me from my enemies (Ps 143:9);

Let Your good Spirit lead me (Ps 143:10).

ADORATION

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Chord Progression: (C A7 Dm Bdim) (C F C G)

YOU SET YOUR GLORY ABOVE THE HEAVENS (PSALM 8)

“O Lord our God,

Thy name is writ in glory

O’er countless worlds

that tell Creation’s story” Arthur S. Way (ref#38, p265, [Ps 8]).

 

To You, “Adonai…Director, Ruler

Judge, Supporter of men” (ref#15, [Ps 8:1]).

“…the majesty and glory of your name

fills all the earth and” (Ps 8:1 TLB) heav’n.

 

O LORD, brilliant LORD,

how excellent is Your name,

Your majestic name fills the earth!

Your greatness is Your fame (Ps 8:1)!

 

“O LORD, our heav’nly King,

Thy name is all divine;

Thy glories round the earth are spread,

And o’er the heav’ns they shine” Isaac Watts (ref#102, p13, [Ps 8]).

 

FATHER, You have displayed Your splendor;

In the heavens You establish Your faithfulness (Ps 8:1).

Your unfailing love will last forever;

In it I will always be blest.

THANKSGIVING

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FOREVER FAITHFUL GOD

Screen Shot 2016-07-19 at 6.38.29 AM…Forever, O LORD, Your Word stands firm in the heavens (Ps 119:89). Your purposes are all settled above, and they shall all be fulfilled below (ref#15, [Ps 119:89]). FATHER, what You have ordained as law will always remain law—what You have affirmed will always remain true—and, what You have promised will be sure forever (ref#16, [Ps 119:89]).

Your faithfulness, O GOD, extends from one generation to another (Ps 119:90). As with Your everlasting faithfulness to Your promises, You will reign forever, to all generations (Ps 146:10). Your faithfulness is as established as the earth.

Your gracious promises are addressed to people of every age (ref#16, [Ps 119:90]). FATHER, You never change. Your faithfulness is always around You, it attends You at all times for it is a part of Your very nature (ref#16, [Ps 89:8]). You keep faith forever (Ps 146:6). You unchangeably adhere to the fulfilling of Your promises (ref#68, [Ps 146:6]). I thank You, that You are a forever faithful GOD. AMEN.

CONFESSION

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I SIN KNOWINGLY BUT NOT WILLFULLY

Screen Shot 2016-07-19 at 5.19.25 AM…FATHER, I grieve especially over the sins I commit knowing full well I’m disobeying You. Can You forgive me for such in-Your-face, blatant, rebellion?

The book of Leviticus describes sacrifices for sins. But the sacrifices are only for unintentional sins (Lev 4:2). The writer of Hebrews says: “…if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,” (Heb 10:26 NKJV).

Yet, I, as well as other Christians, knowingly sin—even King David prayed that You keep him back from “…presumptuous sins…” (Ps 19:13 NASB). FATHER, help me understand that I may sin knowingly, as King David did but that does not mean I sin willfully. Sinning willfully means sinning willingly. Sinning willingly means I sin out of my own glad choice with no intention of repenting. Adam Clarke’s Commentary brings meaning to Hebrews 10:26:

“A man may be overtaken in a fault, or he may deliberately go into sin, and yet neither renounce the Gospel, nor deny the Lord that bought him.” Adam Clarke’s Commentary (ref#15, [Heb 10:26]). But, “if we sin willfully] If we deliberately…renounce the profession of the Gospel and the Author of that Gospel,…the…case must be utterly without remedy.” (ref#15, [Heb 10:26]).

When I do sin deliberately, my “case is dreary and dangerous but it is not hopeless; no case is hopeless but that of the deliberate apostate who rejects the whole Gospel system,…” (ref#15, [Heb 10:26]). And, all thanks to You, FATHER, that You have cemented in my heart never to reject the Gospel.

How I thank You, FATHER, that You give me the grace of confession. Yes, You have put in my heart the desire to repent. You have closed the gate behind me. Because You have made me Yours, I will never again sin willfully.

Though FATHER, drive me to fear sinning against You deliberately. Such actions remove me from Your presence. My iniquities always make a separation between You and me. My sins hide Your face so that You do not hear me (Isa 59:2).

LORD, I take hold of Your grace of repentance and use it to bring myself back into Your presence. And, FATHER, during this activity of repentance, sober me into remembering that even though I will never sin willfully, sinning knowingly is dreary and dangerous.

ADORATION

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A Sure Foundation

Screen Shot 2016-07-18 at 4.46.07 PM“…thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am laying in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tested Stone, a precious Cornerstone of sure foundation; he who believes (trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone) will not be ashamed or give way or hasten away [in sudden panic]” (Isa 28:16 AMP).

FATHER, I hold You in reverence for the provisions You have gifted me. You give and take away and I stand or fall, but when I fall it is into the arms of CHRIST.

When I hold CHRIST’s hand catastrophes cannot separate us (ref#15, [Isa 28:16]). I honor You, FATHER, for the contentment You bring through CHRIST. CHRIST is so right for me, I never think of looking elsewhere for comfort (ref#67, [Isa 28:16]). Rest comes by just this reminder that I have CHRIST not only supporting me but also willing and able to move me through situations I see impossible.

CHRIST is the cornerstone of preciousness—“a stone of tested solidity to bear the vast superstructure of man’s redemption” (ref#17, [Isa 28:16])—including all my weaknesses. When You make my life unsteady with various trials my stability can be regained when I rest on CHRIST. FATHER, I treasure Your provided Cornerstone.

THANKSGIVING

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THE BEGINNING INTERACTION BETWEEN GOD AND HIS CREATURES

Screen Shot 2016-05-16 at 1.18.59 PM…FATHER, in Genesis, chapter three, is the account of the first human lapse from You and godliness into sin and lostness (ref#56, p13, “The Fall”). Adam and Eve were deceived and sought to decide what was good and evil for themselves disregarding Your direction and in the process determining the destiny of their descendants (ref#56, p13, “The Fall”). But, immediately You, in mercy, altered Eve’s affections away from satan to Yourself (ref#56, p14 [Gen 3:15]). You addressed the snake: “I will put enmity between you and the woman…” (Gen 3:15 ESV).

FATHER, in Your endless mercy You made Eve hate satan and so, I, too, hate satan. Though I sometimes love his ideas, I detest him. It is true that when I find out what I naturally love is provided by satan, I bristle, quickly desiring to be back in fellowship with You (ref#15, [Gen 3:15]). Disliking my enemy and all that he does helps me turn to You. I don’t want him to win. It’s a competition and I hate to lose. Thank You for putting love in me for You, and hate in me for satan.

CONFESSION

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SIN DOES NO PERMANENT DAMAGE

Screen Shot 2016-05-14 at 2.07.49 PM…FATHER, I know sin has consequences, but it does no permanent damage. Sin has put me in shambles; I am like the rubble of a building but through my acceptance of CHRIST’s work on the cross the HOLY SPIRIT will purify and refine me back into a building gloriously enough for You to dwell in. No matter how horrific my sin or how horrific someone has sinned again me, You provide the way for my whole soul to be restored (ref#15, [Acts 9:31]).

Sin is a past issue with You. And, it may be too, with me, once I roll the situation over to You. To nullify sin’s damage, LORD, You require, by faith, I prove CHRIST conquered sin by putting the incident behind me, as You have put it behind You. Yes, I may deal with a consequence of sin everyday but it does not need to trigger a flash back to the original sin. I need to purposefully break the circle of returning to negative thoughts.

Direct me, FATHER, to fixing my eyes on JESUS (Heb 12:2), recalling His love for me that is stronger than death (Song 8:6), praying He bestow such love on me so that I’m able to bestow it on myself and the ones I have sinned against or the ones that have sinned against me. This becomes the entrance into restoration.

LORD, hand out enough faith to me that I know Your forgiveness heals the damage of sin; You will restore (Isa 57:14-19); this is Your promise! Be with me as I prove Your healing by letting You tear away habits of old hurtful thoughts and permitting You to replace them with new habits of thinking.

I must willingly let You work even though I, quite possibly, will not have any recognizable changed feelings. (Proper feelings may never come, but freedom will and the joy of following truth will easily override any lack of feelings I long for.)

To help me anchor the renewed mind You give me, FATHER, I ask for faith to perform the below commands:

  1. Never bring up the subject of the sin and its situation to the one who has wronged me or to the one I have wronged.
  2. Never again bring it up in conversations with other people.
  3. Never dwell on it again in my own mind.

CONFESSION

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CONSECRATION

Screen Shot 2015-11-09 at 12.53.19 PM“And the chief priests and the men learned in the sacred scriptures heard. And they went to seeking how they might destroy Him, for they were fearing Him; for the entire multitude was struck with astonishment at His teaching” Kenneth S. Wuest (ref#37, p108-109, [Mark 11:18]).

FATHER, You have put a very great desire in my heart to speak words similar to JESUS that strike fear in people or birth astonishment—one or the other. I am sick of being lukewarm (Rev 3:16).

So, LORD, why am I colorless? Guide me to back peddle from what comes out of my mouth (Matt 15:18) to why it comes out of my mouth.

Speech is only the result of what is controlling me. Help me make consecration strides—cleansing, so You can use me for Your divine service (ref#166, p126).

FATHER, I desire to be set apart to entirely devote and dedicate myself to You—to be “purified from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit” Adam Clarke’s Commentary (ref#15, [Lev 11:44]).

  1. “We can be contaminated every time we immediately turn to medicine for solutions to our physical problems without first taking our needs to the Lord in prayer” Doug Newton (ref#166, p128). How many times have I popped a pill before consulting You, FATHER?
  2. Tithing—“Oh, no, I can’t afford to give that much!” can easily be my thinking without consulting You.
  3. I come in “direct contact with defiled and unclean objects” Doug Newton (ref#166, p129). What do I watch that is worldly on TV? Do I laugh at off color jokes from my friends? Do I tolerate sinful behaviors in my heroes?

I need to pay attention to my personal purity before I ever open my mouth to witness. How can a thorn tree produce fruit (Luke 6:44)? FATHER, You were constantly commanding the leaders of Your Israelite nation to consecrate themselves (Lev 11:44). What makes me think You do not demand that of Your people today?