The Event of
Deception and Its Uncovering
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. But Abel brought fat
portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on
Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. 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. Hear
it again.
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.
Cain
said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear. 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 through holy people who have mastered the sin crouching
at the door of their hearts.
The
character and attitudes of our hearts must be examined, dealt with, and
Mastered. (Capital M intended!)
Servant Leaders - Not Leaders
with Servants
The
Lord wants us to know that in order to rule as people of authority, we must
also be fair and honest with the Lord so we can truly serve His people. He wants 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 the wicked and release the city of the Lord from their grip. Psalm 101
Mary Lindow