Shalom Dear Brothers and Sisters

Cain

We are all familiar with the account of Cain and Abel in Genesis chapter 4. As I was reading it again I noticed the interaction between Adonai and Cain. Verse 6 "and Adonai said to Cain, why are thou angry and why is your countenance fallen? 7, if you do well, will it not be lifted up? And if you do not well, sin is crouching at your door, unto thee is its desire, and you may rule over it". As we were studying this last Shabbat I stopped and pondered this as I realized the grace that was given to Cain.

Adonai Himself lovingly warned Cain of two things, first of all He caused him to look at why he was angry. He didn't tell him He simply asked the question, Adonai knew Cain's heart what He was trying to do was to get Cain to also look at his own heart and change it for He said if you do well will it not be lifted up, referring to his countenance? He was giving Cain and opportunity to bring an honest grateful offering not just out of duty or because his brother had done it. I wondered how many times I have brought my tithes and offerings to different places for wrong motives!

Father wants us to bring our offerings and our tithes to where we are being fed and to where He will lead us, yet, we need to be doing it would grateful and thankful heart! Not because we are commanded to do so but because we want to, because we love Him so much and we want to bless His Heart, with no strings attached. As I continued meditating on this Scripture the other thing I found very interesting was that Adonai warned Cain that sin was crouching at his door, and unto thee was its desire, and he could rule over it. This was not a stern rebuke rather it was a warning and an encouragement not to give in to the temptation. The more I thought about this I realized if Cain was given the chance and a warning to change his attitude and overcome his fleshly feelings how much more important and easy do we have it!

Yeshua has given us the power of the Ruach Hakodesh to give us strength to overcome sin when it is crouching at our door! How do we know when it is crouching on our door? By listening for that still small voice the voice of the Good Shepherd! All throughout the Scripture it speaks about the importance of forgiveness. Proverbs 20:22 warns us, "do not say, I'll pay you back for this wrong! Wait for the LORD and He will deliver you". Yeshua told us in Matthew 5:44, "I tell you love your enemies pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven". Also in Matthew 18:21-35 tells us the famous story of the discussion when Peter asked Yeshua how many times he was to forgive his brother.

Yeshua went on to tell the story of the man who owed a great debt and pleaded for mercy but then went and found someone who owed him some debt and he was unmerciful and had him thrown in prison so when the Master who had forgiven the man with the great debt found out he was angry and threw him into prison in the very last verse Yeshua says "this is how your heavenly Father will treat you unless you forgive your brother's from your heart". This is a heart matter Saints! Cain allowed his anger and jealousy towards his brother burn deep in his heart instead of overcoming his temptation he murdered his brother! Yeshua took it even further, "you have heard that the ancients were told, anyone who commits murder shall be liable to the court. But I say to you anyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court, and whoever says to his brother, you fool, shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell" Matthew 5:21-22.

He was simply explaining exactly what happened to Cain but also warning us just how very important forgiveness is! So much so that it is included in the famous "our father prayer". Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us Luke 6:37 also Matthew 6:11 Messiah had so much to say about forgiveness it is not something we should take lightly! He said in Mark 11:25, "and when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you"! This is a very serious matter! We need to walk constantly in the spirit of forgiveness! Each one of us have been forgiven much we must remember that when we do then our Heavenly Father will be glorified in our lives and we will be walking and living testimony's that His Kingdom is alive and here now on earth as it is in heaven.

B'Shem Yeshua Hamashiach

In His Love, Theresa