by Mary Lindow
In this time of re-positioning and adjustment in the Body of Christ on earth, the Lord is shaking everything He can and chooses to expose anything that we might be hiding or trying to avoid correction over.
It doesn't matter if you are educated, polished, intelligent or stunning in delivery or in appearance.
The Lord is saying to His People;
“In order to trust you with a Kingdom Harvest,
I must bring into my Holy light all that is hidden in any dark place of your life!”
For many of us, friends near and dear to us as well as colleagues have chosen to become idle, apathetic, sexually deviant, filled with self-pity, and some, nauseatingly self-promoting.
As these behaviors come to the surface, God allows many hearts to be broken, and stripped of immature ranting, and above all,
a tremendous amount of sobriety is now awakened in our lives.
The following story is very familiar to us but there are a few key points the Lord brought to my attention.
CITIZEN - CAIN AND ABLE - ABEL
Genesis chapter 4
Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.
She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man."
Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Now, Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD.
So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Then the LORD said to Cain,
"Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?
But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;
it desires to have you, but you must master it."
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field."
And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?"
"I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
The LORD said, "What have you done?
Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground,
which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you.
You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."
Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear.
Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth,
and whoever finds me will kill me."
But the LORD said to him, "Not so if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over."
Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.
So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod,
east of Eden.
THE FIRST OBSERVATION
CAIN didn't bring the very best of His goods, his talents, or his labor as a sacrifice. Just some of the fruits.
He grabbed just anything, certainly not his best. Not the very first fruits, not thinking God was watching.
Hmmmmm.... Sounds like his parents Adam and Eve. The same iniquity being passed down and re-enacted.
Abel however, brought the very best cuts with fat, to the Lord.
The very best cuts from the 1st born sheep of His flocks.
Both of these brothers knew what pleased God!
This wasn't the first time they had offered sacrifice to the Lord!
This offering was done every year!
They knew what was expected of them!
When God doesn't look with favor on Cain's' offering and instead blesses Abel …Cain is really ticked off! WHY?!
He wanted God to bless his PRESENT mediocrity! AFTER ALL…in the past years he had brought great tokens of devotion.
Cain begins to POUT! "God Just isn't fair!"
(Sounds like the same voice that influenced Adam and EVE!)
Now poor Cain looks sad and misunderstood!
THE SECOND OBSERVATION
Here is a key ingredient to the situation.
Verse 6 & 7
Then the LORD said to Cain,
"Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?
But if you do not do what is right,
sin is crouching at your door;
it desires to have you, but you must master it."
God came to check the Character of Cain-to judge Him fairly, to see what was accumulating in His heart's storehouse.
You see, Cain had become very lazy in His approach to thanking God and honoring Him. Cain was much more impressed with himself. He loved himself!
In the heat of anger and rage...
(just a side note here- this often manifests when God exposes the hidden agendas in our lives…)
… In the heat of anger and rage, Cain disregards God's voice and takes things into his own hands.
Verse 8 to 15
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field."
And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?"
"I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
The LORD said, "What have you done?
Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."
Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
But the LORD said to him, "Not so if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over."
Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.
So Cain went out from the LORD'S presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
When a just punishment is handed down from God,
Cain still tries to manipulate and whine his way
out of the consequences.
YOU are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence;
I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
He is sent to a land called Nod, which means "Wandering.”
Away…from the presence of the Lord.
WE CANNOT STORM THE GATES OF HEAVEN...
...And expect great and powerful results when the sin crouching at the door of our own hearts is yet to be mastered.
The Lord wants to perfect His people through the power of His Holy Spirit flowing through them out into the Harvest field.
But it must come thru holy people who have mastered the sin crouching at the door.
The character and attitudes of our hearts must be examined, dealt with, and Mastered. (Capital M intended!)
SERVANT LEADERS - NOT LEADERS WITH SERVANTS!
What is it like Cain that you have half heartedly offered to God this last year? Do you Rage at correction from Him or act wounded and downcast to avoid changing? Do you think that your past good deeds and good behavior are enough to obtain a present day blessing? Does Lucifer have a place to invade your heart or home or church?
Is it judging others? Exaggeration of circumstances? Racial distrust? Pride in your title or position? Is it Love of things more than God? Mismanaging Funds? Envy of others talents or Gifts? Self Pity?
The list could go on forever. We all know where the Lord has turned up the heat to smoke out any thing that is hidden
Hearts humbled through worshiping and bowing down before the Lord will bring the very Presence of the Lord into our lives, our families our circumstances. Psalm 101 is what he desires for His people to observe with great sobriety as He again will come and shake the church for another season before the ingathering of souls begins.
When we have mastered the doors of our own hearts, truly then we can approach the Gates of Heaven and Storm them with nothing being held back from the Father.
THE WAR CRY OF THE FAITHFUL SERVANT
I will sing of your love and justice, Lord.
I will praise you with songs.
I will be careful to live a blameless life
When will you come to give support to me?
I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.
I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar.
I hate all who deal crookedly;
I will have nothing to do with them.
I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.
I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors.
I will not endure conceit and pride.
I will search for faithful people to be my companions.
Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve with me.
I will not allow deceivers to serve in the house,
And liars will not stay in my presence.
My daily task will be to force out out the wicked
and release the city of the Lord from their grip.
Psalm 101
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Thank You
! Copyright " 2010" THE MESSENGER ” ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com www.globalprayerrooms.com
