The real update
This is REALLY long, but
1. it's good
2. it fits in with what we talked about last Sunday
3. I don't write often so im entitled to an incredibly long entry when i feel like it. :)
4. I put a lot of time into it so please read it even if it means printing and reading it over several days. i love you!
The Sacrifice-chapter 3 of There were two trees in the Garden by Rick Joyner
"I urge you therefore, brethern, by the mercies of god, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1-2
The spiritual roots of Cain and Abel are clearly discerned by the offerings they brought to the Lord. Cain brought an offering of grain, which in the Scriptures typifies our won works. This is because after the fall the ground was cursed so that it would only produce through man's toil and sweat. (Gen. 3:17-19) The grain was the fruit of Cain's sweat. Cain thought that his works would be acceptable to the Lord as a sacrifice. Descendants of the seed of Cain still feel this way. All who have not had a revelation of the cross are continually trying to balance the good and evil within themselves, believing that the good they have done will outweigh the evil, thus making them acceptable to God. Their defense is "I'm a decent fellow" or "I never hurt anyone" "I go to church" "I give to the missions" ad infinitum. Benevolence offered as a compensation for evil is an affront to the cross of Jesus and will never be acceptable to the Father. "All our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment" (Isaiah 64:6) Thus Cain's offering of works had to be rejected by the Lord.
Abel, however, offered a savrifice of blood which was a type and prophecy of redemption through Jesus- "Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22) This offering was received by the Lord; hence the conflict between the two seeds which rages to this day. The sacrifice is the point of conflict.
The Lord's acceptance of Abel's offering so angered Cain that he slew his brother. The murderous nature of the seed of Cain is actually a defense mechanism rooted in insecurity. The self-righteousness of those seeking to be justified by their own works is very shaky, and deep inside they all know it. Because of this they are easily threatened by anyone who would challenge their delusion.
We have a good illustration of this principle in saul of Tarsus, prior to his conversion. By his testimony, according to the righteousness that was based on law he was found blameless (ph. 3:6) When confronted by the truth that righteousness can only be found in Jesus, his very life's foundation was challenged. Enraged, he sought to destroy that which he accurately perceived to be the greatest threat to his righteousness. The cross of Jesus utterly destroys every self-righteous presumption. There is no greater intimidation to the knowledge of good and evil than the corss. The wrath generated in the seed of Cain by the cross and those who live by it is merely a desperate attempt at self-preservation. Understanding the matter from both sides, Paul confidently says "All who desire to live godly (righteouse) in Christ JEsus will be persecuted" (II Tim. 3:12) Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord made an astonishing statement:
Who is blind but My servant, or so deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is so blind as he that is at peace with Me, or so blind as the servant of the Lord? (Isaiah 42:19)
In a discourse with the Jews, the Lord Jesus expounded upon this revelation:
Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say 'we see'; your sin remains" (John 9:41)
Saul learned this on the road to Damascus. He had to be struck blind before he could see. Sooner or later, so does everyone that comes to Jesus. Just as Saul had to become blind to the natural before he could see in the Spirit, so must the Cain in us all. If we think that we see, then our sinful nature still remains. Only by His blinding Light can our sin be removed. Until we have been blinded, we will never truly see.
Abel
The Scripture does not disclose whether Abel resisted Cain in their conflict, but if he was true to the nature of Jesus he did not. Neither are we to resis personal injustices if we are faithful to Him, as He gave us instruction: (Read Matthew 5:38-48 now)
The Lord did not give us this commandment just for our own spiritual discipline. He gave it to us because there is a power in nonresistance to evil that crushes the serpent's head. It tears eveil out by the roots, out of our hearts and the heart of our aggressor. This commmandment was given to forbid us from doing that by which evil is multiplied and perpetuated. If we attack another, verbally or physically, evil is released. But if that evil is not able to affect its victim's patience, peace, or love that "is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered..bears all things, endures all things" (I Cor. 13:4-7), then the evil that was released is bound and defeated. Every blow that we are able to absorb without retaliation or resentment begins to consume the evil in the one who delivers it, as well as any that may be resident within us. " If your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals [of conviction] upon his head" (Rom. 12:20).
For the natural man it is very hard to understand this principle. To him it seems that this only gives license to the evil; but there is a much higher spiritual principle incolved. Satan cannot cast out Satan; anger cannot cast out anger; neither can resentment cast out wrath. If we react to evil, we are only multiplying the very demon we are seeking to cast out. But "love covers a multitude of sins" (I Peter 4:8). As Jesus explained, "If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you" (Matthew 12:28). Jesus cast out Satan by allowing Satan to nail Him to the cross. To all the world, including His own disciples, it looked as if He were the one being cast out, not Satan. As paradoxical as it seems, the greatest injustice the world has ever known accomplished the greatest victory over evil. God's victories almost always seem like defeats to the natural man.
The Lord allowed Paul to persecute His church, creating much destruction in it for a time. To many of the persecuted this was probably very hard to understand. But the Lord knew that this would ultimately work for the vessel He had chosen to carry His name to "The Gentiles, kings and the sons of Israel." After Paul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, all the rage turned into humility and comprehension of the grace of God. The one who had been forgiven much would love much. After nearly two thousand years the voice of this apostle remains one of the most powerful voices in the world. The church lamented greatly over the death of Stephen, but had they been able to foresee the ultimate effect his death would have on this young "Pharisee of Pharisees," who watched Stephen's martyrdom, they would have rejoiced. The Lord explained: (read John 12:24 and Psalm 116:15)
We may not see or understand the fruit ourselves, but whenever we lay down our lives or suffer persecution for the Lord's sake, there will be a triumph over evil and a glorious harvest from the seed that dies.
Forgiveness
Abel's blood cried out from the ground (Genesis 4:10) as a prophecy that the blood of JEsus would cry out from the earth with the greatest message creation would ever ehar. Jesus looked down from the cross at His tormentors without wrath or retaliation..but with mercy. He prayed "Father forgive them; they don't know what they're doing" (Luke 23:34). These were not idle words- He meant it! He is not waiting until He comes again to get even. He forgave them. He knew they did not understand what they were doing. THey lived in a darkness that could not be penetrated without the power of the sacrifice He had come to make for them, and was by their hands accomplishing. He did not come to condemn the world; it was already condemned. He came to save it. He has commisioned us with that same purpose. If it is to be accomplished through us, we too must lay down our lives.
To turn the other cheek to personal affront is never easy; it was not even easy for the Lord. Even the hope that we may be able to die to our self-will a little more will not give us the strength to endure. As the author of Hebrews declares, there is only one way for us to suffer injustice in the right spirit: by "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of Faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart" (Heb 12:2-3) When Stephen fixed his eyes on Jesus, even the stones that were to kill him could not hold his attention. When he saw Jesus, he was filled with the love of God as he, too, begged forgiveness for his persecutors (Acts 7:5-60)
If we are to walk with Jesus, forgiveness is not an option: it is a requirement. "For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions" (Matthew 6:14-15)
The ability to suffer personal injustice without retaliation or resentment is an infallible sign that a believer has come to abide in Christ. "For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection" (Romans 6:5) If we have truly been crucified with Christ, the greatest injustices will have no effect on us. If we have died with Christ, we are dead to the world. What could possibly affect a dead man? It is impossible for a dead man to retaliate. If we have died to the world, what can the world do to us. (Read Phillipians 2:5-9 now)
If the Lord Jesus, the Creator and King of the universe, would allow Himself to be humiliated for the sake of those who humiliated Him, how much more should we lay aside our rights for the sake of those whom He purchased with His own blood? The most exalted King of Glory became the most humble man, from His birth to His death, for us. How much more should we be willing to lay aside any claim to honor or position for His sake?
Under the Old Covenant, we were commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves. In Christ the calling is much higher. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.." (John 13:34) Jesus did not just love us as He loved Himself; He loved us more than he loved His own life. He has commanded us to love one another in this same manner.
God's wrath will be poured out on this earth, as it already has been in many ways; but we must understand His wrath. Jealousy is both a work of the flesh and a work of Satan (see Galatians 5:20) and James 3:14-15), yet it is testified many times in Scripture that God is a jealous God. Is the Lord subject to flesh or to Satan? Of course not! The Lord's jealousy is not like man's jealousy. :For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Man's jealousy is carnal, self-centered, and often demonic. God's ways are higher than our ways. His jealousy is a pure jealousy, stimulated by His love for us, not be self-preservation. Neither is His wrath like man's wrath. "God is love" (I John 4:8). and even His wrath is motivated by that which is His nature: LOVE. We often interpret His ways from the perspective of our ways, but His ways are infinitely higher. Viewing Him from our own perspective instead of through the Spirit has often caused man to distort the Scriptures and the purposes of God.
The apostle Paul exhorted us to "Behold then the kindness and severity of God." (Romans 11:22) To our limited human minds, God's kindness and His severity seem to contradict one another. This has caused many to gravitate to one emphasis or the other. If see in the Spirit, there is complete harmony in His kindness and severity. His ways are higher than our ways and if we are to understand His ways we must be elevated so that we can see from His perspective. He cannot be understood correctly from the human perspective. To the world the cross is foolishness, but when the Lord opens our eyes, we see a glory that transcends human comprehension.
I just love that chapter! It really spoke to me about our rights. How often I/we say "But they hurt me! They aren't there for me! They didn't call me! They don't love me! They're being fleshy! They didn't stand! etc.. God is just continuously reminding me that we gave up our rights at the cross. Our role is not retaliation or resentment. Our role is love and forgiveness. Does that mean it doesn't hurt when people let us down? No of course it hurts! Does that mean there won't be a time God changes the connection between to members of the body because of sinfulness? of course not! Does it mean that that we are supposed to encourage and rebuke one another in love? No! But it DOES mean that the hurt doesn't dictate our actions to walk in relationship with one another. the hurt doesn't keep us from reaching out and allowing them to reach in. It Does mean that even though God may change the connection we NEVER lose relationship with members of the Body of Christ. IT is true some may break relationship by breaking ties with Christ. But once a member of the body one part can NEVER say to the other we are not connected. The connection may not be as close, vital, or intimate, but the relationship still exists. It does mean that we are to walk with one another in Love speaking and doing ONLY that which we see the Father doing. Which means only rebuking when the Lord tells us it is our place to rebuke. and encouraging when the Lord tells us to encourage regardless of our feelings about the situation.
I just get so excited about that! This could revolutionize our relationships. If we really walked that humbly and that selflissly that regardless of the other persons actions or reactions we would walk in love and relationship with them!?? But that of course would mean breaking our pride and our rights to personal justice and laying them down at the foot of the cross allowing vengence and justice to be the Lord's. Sounds great. I know we can do it. The question is will we?