This is so fascinating to me. Jesus and Cain (as in Adam and Eve's firstborn), had a friendship. Duh, right? Well, I guess I just never thought about it.
We know that the Lord walked with Adam and Eve, and then where did He go? Did He just stop walking with people? I guess I've just always assumed that when shame entered the picture, which was like, right away, that Jesus didn't walk with people anymore. Really, not much thought had gone into that. This might be common knowledge to every Bible-reader out there, but sometimes things take a little slower to digest for me. I can't explain it.
But in Genesis, it says that Cain, and Abel both, brought their offerings TO the Lord. And Abel's was looked upon with favor, and Cain's was not, which made him angry. And the Lord spoke to Cain very clearly regarding the issue. I love this. It is so like Jesus to say this. I am surprised these exact words were not spoken in one of His teachings. Who knows, maybe they were? But in 4:7 He says to Cain, oh this is sooo good... "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."
Wow... isn't that so simple? And it's Truth. Sin desires to have us. And we are commanded to master it. You must master it. That's personal responsibility. Obey the Lord, you walk forward in favor. Don't obey Lord, sins desire for you ensnares you. It puts you in a headlock, and you don't think you can breathe. Then all of a sudden you don't want to do right, because you think you are in control of your next breath... but we were told to master that. The first son was advised that obedience would keep him free. Not for control, but for the sake of communion with Jesus. Because He desires people. Proverbs 8 says that He, as the craftsman who was there at creation, continually rejoices in His presence, and rejoices in mankind. That's a God of love. He rejoices.
But sin is crouching. It's still there. It doesn't go away. It's waiting. Master it. We've got to master it. For the sake of Jesus. He is worthy.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Justice Rally
I don't have a lot of words to say, I'm just stirred after Exodus Cry's Justice Rally at FSM this evening. It was a prayer/awareness meeting on the sex industry/human trafficking, and abortion. Then they played 22weeks, a true story movie about a woman who went to have an abortion. The next day she went back to the doctor, and gave birth to a severely premature baby, that ended up dying. It was startling, but real.
http://www.exoduscry.com/
Friday, May 1, 2009
On Eagles Wings
I read in a book, about five or so years ago, an analogy about knowing God. Knowing God is like walking into the horizon, the more you walk, the more you see, and yet the horizon is still so far off in the distance. It's like you can't ever get there. Our promise is that we will, we get to spend Eternity getting to know God with unveiled faces. I will keep walking, because I get to know Him more. I'm close to a sunrise, though, I can feel it. Some things have been dark for entirely too long, and Jesus is the Bright and Morning Star, and I love Him, and I'm walking to Him, and Him alone.
Sometimes, though, I abandon Him. I hear a voice that launches me into confusion, and I walk away, to try and figure things out. Voices of accusation burden me with guilt, shame, and condemnation. So I stay away from Jesus. I can be so blinded sometimes, because I will never figure things out without my Jesus. The world tells me that it's okay to take pity days, but doesn't that feed self-pity rather than the blood of Jesus? We all have those days, I know that. It's just a matter of what we do with them. If the enemy beats us up a little bit, we just crawl up with Daddy and let Him love... because God IS Love. He won't not love me on a down day. I had read a couple of things about a year ago from a Brennan Manning book, and I often let go of these Truths, but wow, when they touch my heart for another round, I become new once again. And truly new, not back to how they originally set me free, but even newer.
"Jesus says, 'He wants you home more than you want to be home. His love knows no bounds. Never compare your pallid, capricious, conditional human love with my Fathers love. He is God, not man.' "
"We cannot assume that he feels about us the way we feel about ourselves, unless we love ourselves intensely and freely."
Amen.
When I was a girl, I hated church. I didn't know God, so of course I hated church. I recently heard a teacher say about those who go to church, but aren't really in love with God, that they have it rough, because not only do they go to hell, they have to go to (religious) church, too.
Well, there were a couple of songs that were sung, that I absolutely loved. It's so funny, now, looking back. It's amazing the power of the spoken word. I had no idea I was singing scripture over myself, in fact, Psalm 91. I remember finding such strength in this song, though I had no idea what it meant. It is called "On Eagles Wings," a Catholic hymn. I would love to hear a more up-to-date version of it, because it still makes me cry. Maybe that's because it reminds me of being a child. Through this song, God is showing me that He was always there.
I remember one day at church, we were saying the Our Father, and the whole congregation would cross pews to hold hands (I wish we would do that in church now), and I was on an end. I remember feeling a presence in my hand, and I believed that God was holding my hand, really holding my hand. But the awe of that moment didn't last very long. I wasn't awed by God, but I'm learning now, that He has always been after me. As He reminds me of these things, I am shocked to see my childhood transformed. I guess that's part of being 're-born.' He really was there. And now I can go there with Him, and see who He created me to be. I was created to know, and to feel, and behold, Father God, Bridegroom King, and Comforting Counselor.
My name means pure... and the Word says that the pure in heart WILL see God.
I sang over myself throughout my childhood, that "He will raise you up, on eagles wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of his hands." I know now, why I found hope in those words. "Under His wings your refuge..." Wow.
Here is the song, if it doesn't move you, it's okay, but it sure means a heck of a lot to me.
Sometimes, though, I abandon Him. I hear a voice that launches me into confusion, and I walk away, to try and figure things out. Voices of accusation burden me with guilt, shame, and condemnation. So I stay away from Jesus. I can be so blinded sometimes, because I will never figure things out without my Jesus. The world tells me that it's okay to take pity days, but doesn't that feed self-pity rather than the blood of Jesus? We all have those days, I know that. It's just a matter of what we do with them. If the enemy beats us up a little bit, we just crawl up with Daddy and let Him love... because God IS Love. He won't not love me on a down day. I had read a couple of things about a year ago from a Brennan Manning book, and I often let go of these Truths, but wow, when they touch my heart for another round, I become new once again. And truly new, not back to how they originally set me free, but even newer.
"Jesus says, 'He wants you home more than you want to be home. His love knows no bounds. Never compare your pallid, capricious, conditional human love with my Fathers love. He is God, not man.' "
"We cannot assume that he feels about us the way we feel about ourselves, unless we love ourselves intensely and freely."
Amen.
When I was a girl, I hated church. I didn't know God, so of course I hated church. I recently heard a teacher say about those who go to church, but aren't really in love with God, that they have it rough, because not only do they go to hell, they have to go to (religious) church, too.
Well, there were a couple of songs that were sung, that I absolutely loved. It's so funny, now, looking back. It's amazing the power of the spoken word. I had no idea I was singing scripture over myself, in fact, Psalm 91. I remember finding such strength in this song, though I had no idea what it meant. It is called "On Eagles Wings," a Catholic hymn. I would love to hear a more up-to-date version of it, because it still makes me cry. Maybe that's because it reminds me of being a child. Through this song, God is showing me that He was always there.
I remember one day at church, we were saying the Our Father, and the whole congregation would cross pews to hold hands (I wish we would do that in church now), and I was on an end. I remember feeling a presence in my hand, and I believed that God was holding my hand, really holding my hand. But the awe of that moment didn't last very long. I wasn't awed by God, but I'm learning now, that He has always been after me. As He reminds me of these things, I am shocked to see my childhood transformed. I guess that's part of being 're-born.' He really was there. And now I can go there with Him, and see who He created me to be. I was created to know, and to feel, and behold, Father God, Bridegroom King, and Comforting Counselor.
My name means pure... and the Word says that the pure in heart WILL see God.
I sang over myself throughout my childhood, that "He will raise you up, on eagles wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of his hands." I know now, why I found hope in those words. "Under His wings your refuge..." Wow.
Here is the song, if it doesn't move you, it's okay, but it sure means a heck of a lot to me.
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