For those of us who consider ourselves to be “sold out” to the Most High God, ready to obey and continually seeking righteousness, it is hard for us to imagine that anything associated with Cain could impact or influence us. This is not true. The way of Cain is still very prevalent in the earth – and not just with those who are up front with their evil ways – but also with those who claim to belong to the Most High God of all things. This wicked way of Cain is literally always crouching at the door…
In the past, I often wondered why Yahuah rejected Cain’s offering of the fruit of the ground – the fruit that had come from his work of tilling the ground. He offered the first produce of the work of his own hands. … but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time, it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Most High. Genesis 4:2-3 This seems noble and in line with giving the firstfruits of our increase to our Father, right? The Bible really doesn’t really explain much else about the cause for the rejection of Cain’s offering, at least in Genesis. However, we know from even New Testament scripture that the way of Cain was… simply put, wrong. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. Jude 11 When looking at some extra-biblical books that have given me great insight, I see that at the time of Adam and Eve, the offering of the innocent blood of an animal had already been established in the earth pointing to the atonement for all mankind that would come through our Savior, Yahusha. This was made known to Adam, and of course, he passed this down to his sons. I believe it is safe to say that both Cain and Abel both knew this was Yahuah’s established form of acceptable offerings. Keep in mind that the Bible does not tell us all that happened between Adam and Eve’s fall, the birth of their sons, and the maturity of their sons into men; obviously, much took place during this time. The Bible does say, however, that the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world, which means that the plan of salvation offered through our Savior Yahusha was already in place before the creation of Adam and Eve! And we know the first people who would have known of this plan would have been them; they had to carry on the “gospel of salvation” from the beginning. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Revelation 13:8 So why did Cain not make an offering of blood to Yahuah, knowing this was pleasing to Him and represented the very atonement that would save him and all humanity? Did Cain feel that his way was more acceptable? Did he in “good faith” want to outdo what had already been established by what he felt was a better way in order to please the Creator? We don’t know his motives, but the word does say that he was “very wroth and his countenance fell” upon Yahuah’s rejection of his offering. He was obviously disappointed and also angry, because he was unable to please the Creator but yet his brother did. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. Genesis 4:5 Then in His vast mercy and grace, Yahuah spoke to Cain to teach him and show him that he could be accepted if he followed the established way. Otherwise, his rebellion would result in sin … sin crouching at the very door. And Yahuah said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. Genesis 4:6-7 As I studied this, my mind began to race. I thought to myself… This reminds me of the Israelites in the wilderness waiting on Moses to come back down from the mountain. In their impatience and self-focus, they made an idol unto the Most High, and went about worship in the way they knew – most likely the way they had learned in Egypt. They disregarded the instructions the Father had just given them and implemented their own way. They did the very same thing that Cain did!! And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. Exodus 32:1 This “way of Cain” is actually slick and is cloaked in “good intentions”. We know that this way did not come from the righteousness of the Father, which means it had to come from the adversary. And what does he do, this adversary? He lies and turns everything upside down, and he cloaks all of his ways in light on the surface when they are wretchedly dark underneath. His ways always look good, but they are wicked and founded in self – and focus on self is nothing but pride! And pride is the very thing that caused satan’s fall. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Ezekiel 28:17 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of the Most High: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Isaiah 12:14-15 As taken from a bible reading book I am currently using to read the Bible in a year, the way of Cain “does not deny the existence of the Most High in words, but merely in deeds”. It further states, “… it is religion of the flesh, a self-willed worship, a self-satisfied justification by works, an insubordinate self-redemption. This religion relies on itself and denies and rejects substitution, while idealizing one’s own power and culture. This was the theology of the first murderer.” What?! Those are serious statements of truth that we should all ponder. If the Israelites disobeyed and turned to erroneous worship after seeing one of the most powerful miracles of all time demonstrated by the absolute and overwhelming love their Father had for them, how easy might it be for us today?? In their erroneous worship, they fully demonstrated the way of Cain, operating in their own self-worship after having been given specific instruction directly from the mouth of the Most High God. I’ve often thought, how in the world could they do this? Do we even realize that this “way of Cain” is founded by a heart of self and is still very present and in our faces today?? Do we ever operate in this “way of Cain”? Do we ever hear the still, small voice of our loving Father tell us to do something but yet we turn and do it a different way, thinking that our way is more convenient and more pleasurable and will still accomplish the same outcome? Do we ever put off what the Father has told us to do, because we are not ready or it doesn’t fit with our schedule? What about giving up something that goes against His word, but we are just not quite ready to make that sacrifice? Are these not examples of us implementing our own ways in place of the ways to which He is calling us? How are these actions any different from the way of Cain? In my mind, there is no difference; it’s the same thing. Yes, a different day and age, but it is the same form of self-governed, self-directed obedience; and it makes me cringe to know I have done these things! The way of Cain is truly crouching all around us waiting to pounce, and it will not lead us to the Father! Be aware and think about what we see every day – on the TV, on the billboards, in the grocery store, at our jobs, and just about everywhere… self, self, self! This is the very way of Cain that satan wishes to inundate into our minds, so that we will think we are obeying and worshipping the Creator, when in all reality, we are no different from Cain or the rebellious Israelites. We are NO DIFFERENT! This reality scares me – it puts the literal fear of the Most High all through my being! But… I know that this “fear” is the very thing that will bring me more wisdom as well as the victory I need in Yahusha, my King and Priest! The fear of Yahuah is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:10 Many of us would probably say that we don’t do these “Cainly” things intentionally; I feel this way too. But whether intentional or unintentional, Yahuah will not accept our substituted sacrifices and offerings! He has demonstrated over and over in His word that He accepts no deviation. What does this mean for us? It means we must know Him, we must know His voice, and we must love Him enough to obey Him in the timing and manner in which He makes known to us. While I believe His grace will allow us the time and space to get this right, we do not get a free pass with this just because Yahusha has already finished the work of redemption. We are to walk as He walked, and He obeyed in every sense of the word, without any compromise. It is only in HIS POWER that this can be done in these fallen vessels of ours. And I know with me, it will take much time and mercy to get me to this place; but one thing I can say for sure is that I WANT IT! And to this I plead, “Oh Father of mercy and grace, please forgive us and teach us your ways! Please extend the love and long-suffering that you bestowed upon your beloved Israel. We love you Father, and we want to please you by obeying you in all things in your way and not our own! Please help us Father and give to us the power of your Son and our Savior to win and finish this race!” May this writing inspire you to examine your ways, to be aware of satan’s schemes through the “way of Cain”, and to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling! I am still reeling from this realization! Our Father is loving, very long-suffering, kind, and merciful, and He will reward our obedient hearts with victory! Believe this, hope in Him, and wait upon Him, for it is through this that He will reward us! Alleluyah!!! … but he that trusteth in Yahuah, mercy shall compass him about. Be glad in the Most High and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. Psalm 32:10-11 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
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This is a time of year when there is so much excitement and happiness all around, with people wholeheartedly investing their time and resources into the season. But something else is lurking that most do not realize... deceit. As much as I know many will not like this post, when we love someone, we tell the truth; and that is my sole motive. I am not the Judge, and I do not pass judgment. How can I judge the very things that I used to do? I cannot and I will not. But, I also deeply love my Creator and Maker, and my ultimate goal is to stand for Him and glorify Him, regardless of the outcome. That is likely the way we all feel. With this in mind, please read this with an open heart, always being willing to learn more about your Father in Heaven, as well as the wiles of the enemy. That is how I learned, and I will admit, it was not easy. But we must remember... even though it may hurt to receive the truth, the truth will always set us free!
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32 People love Christmastime, because of all the family gatherings, giving, and just fun and festivities. It's baffles the mind to think that anything could be wrong... but there is something very wrong. Before I move on, I want to remind us all that we have an enemy lurking who only exists to kill, steal, and destroy; and his primary means of accomplishing this agenda is through DECEIT. He is a liar, and the father of it, and he has been doing this for thousands of years! He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:44 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy... John 10:10 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world... Revelation 12:9 Remember, Yahusha (Jesus) Himself told His people in the word that many would come in His name claiming to be Him, which includes presenting or offering things that are supposedly of Him. He said to watch carefully to ensure we were not deceived (and the disciples reiterated this as well many times). He was not talking about a small little surface-level deceit; He was talking about full-blown, hidden deceit that if possible could deceive the very elect. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Matthew 24:4-5 If we think about this -- really think about it -- then we can only come to the conclusion that if the enemy been lying for thousands of years, then his lies have become knitted within the fabric of our society, which includes our traditions, our religions, and our general way of life. He has his own "truths" and they are mainstream -- they are readily available to us, all tied up with a beautiful bow -- very convenient with little work required, convincingly inviting us to partake. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:13-14 The real truth of the Most High God -- the absolute truth -- must be sought through reading, studying, researching, and meditation, on a daily basis! It must be sought as if it were fine treasure -- as if we really want it! So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures: then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:2-5 Having said all that, in our love and obedience to Yahuah, as well as our resistance of the enemy, we must question everything! We are told to test the spirits to confirm that they are of our Father, Yahuah, and this includes every thing! If we don't "test them", how can we know for sure? We won't and we will be vulnerable to going with the flow and operating in unbiblical ways, including ways that are contrary to the Most High; and we won't even know it. Remember as the scripture says above, satan disguises himself as an angel of light -- good and holy and acceptable -- and this includes all of the things he offers the world! Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... Hosea 4:6 We must be willing to look at all of the "norms" of society today -- our dress code, our celebrations, our holidays, our traditions... everything! When did these things start, and where did they come from?? If we are not testing these things against the Word of God, then we are a very easy target for the enemy. We believe that because our parents taught us something or because the "whole world is doing it" that this makes it good. That could not be further from the truth. This does not make our parents bad or anyone bad; it just means that if we are serious about serving our Father, then we have to be diligent in making sure that every single thing we do is of Him as well as pleasing to Him. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8 If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15 This post has basically been a preface to two writings that I have included below that will take a much deeper look into Christmas. If you are a sold out, born-again, bible-believing, obedient child of the Most High God, then you must strongly consider reading this -- at least read it, please. If you want to bypass it afterwards, then that will be your choice, but at least you will be equipped with knowledge and will hopefully consider it further as each year passes. When I first found all of this out, it confirmed to me why I was always so "put out" with Christmas. I could not ever fully get into it, and I absolutely hated the commercialism and "marveled" at the "Christmas" gatherings where Christ was not even mentioned once. And as icing on the cake, there is not one word about celebrating the birth of Christ in the Bible - not in the winter nor at any time! Having said that, it was still a bit hard to turn away, simply because it was a warm, family time that I held dear; and it made my mother so happy. Regardless, I had to do it; I love my Savior and my Father, and I simply could not celebrate this day with the knowledge I had been given. It was a true divine test, and I had to pass it (as of the date of this writing, I have not celebrated this holiday in six years). My prayer is that you will too. Once again, this post is not intended to pass judgment. We all have our journey and path, and we are all at different points. However, in these last days, our gracious Father is showing us many things that have been hidden for some time, and our response to what He shows us will surely help in separating the wheat from the tares. It just is what it is. Please open your heart and consider this -- we have been told lies about many, many things. It is time to resist the enemy and serve our Father 100% with all our heart, soul, and mind, regardless of what we lose or how it makes us feel. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ... Philippians 3:8 The two links below are writings by a dear brother of mine whom I have been following for several years. His writings are profound, loaded with factual research and Spirit-lead revelations, and I have learned much from him. He has taken much time to research this very deep subject of Christmas (along with Easter as well), and He has been obedient in sharing it with the saints. I pray you will read it all and consider it all. What's the Big Deal about Christmas A Rockefeller Christmas And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve... Joshua 24:15 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Matthew 6:24 And one final scripture that for years I had never known was in the Bible. Could this be about the Christmas tree (I certainly believe so)? And if so, we know satan has been using this "custom" for a very long time! Thus saith Yahuah, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. Jeremiah 10:2-4 |
Special NoteThese writings are written in love and a spirit of servitude. They are not designed to judge but make us think. We are all sinners in need of saving, and we all need encouragement and absolute truth to endure on the narrow road to sanctification and ultimately eternal life. Categories
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