You Must Master It

Gen 4:1-7
4:1 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." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 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." NIV

We know how this story ends. Cain is so consumed with hid anger that he plots and carries out his plan to murder his brother. He commits the first premeditated murder, lies about it and pays for the consequences of his actions.

What happened here? Why was Abels offering acceptable and not Cain's? Did they not both give from the fruit of their labor? Yes, but you can read what was in their heart as they gave. "In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. " (vs3) Basically, when he got around to it, he gathered up SOME of what he grew and said "here you go God, hope you like it." My grandfather had a pocket watch that was very special to him... and when it was eventually passed down to my brother, it was and is treasured because of it's sentimental value. The gift was given from the heart, love was being passed along with the gift. Abel gave form his heart, God was his first consideration, not an afterthought.

2 Cor 9:6-8
7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. NIV

So here we have a cheerful giver (Abel) who gave with God in mind and we have a giver who loved God, but was selfish and loved himself more and gave because he felt obligated to (Cain). God looks upon the heart...

1 Sam 16:latter part of vs7
Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." NIV

God knew what the offerings were about. Cain's offering may have looked good- it could even have been tremendously generous by man's standards - but God saw it for what it was, and after thought. Priorities were totally off.

When God was pleased with Abel's offering, and not Cain's, more of Cain's selfish nature came bubbling to the surface. He was upset that he didn't get the recognition.. I could almost hear his indignant thoughts "My offering was generous was it not! I deserve to be patted and congratulated, after all I DID squeeze some time in for God even with my hectic schedule did I not?" So essentially, Cain pouted... kind of cause you to envision a spoiled child who attempted to get their way and failed doesn't it? At least, that's what I would envision.

What really stood out to me while reading this passage of scripture was how God approached Cain, and what he said to him.

6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 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 wasn't giving Cain a hard time, He was being real with Cain, in fact God was being loving and concerned. God saw what Cain could not, perhaps rather what Cain WOULD NOT see. God told Cain"look son, I know that you did this halfheartedly. I know your thoughts and what you are considering in your heart. I know you wanted to get by with 'good enough' but with the enemy out there... that won't cut it. There IS in fact an enemy of your soul out there who hates Me and essentially hates you. He is just waiting for you to trip up so that he can drag you down. If you step up to the plate and do what is right - if you let love fill your heart and your being.. keeping your priorities straight you will master (be in control of and keep in line) sin." Keep in mind that God referred to sin here is a 'someone' rather than a 'something"

James 4:7
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. NIV

1 Peter 5:8-9
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. NIV

God was telling Cain "Son, I don't wish to see you fail (7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?) but the enemy is just waiting for the right moment, for the opportunity to seize your authority (But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;it desires to have you,). God tells him to not lay down the authority given to him but to master it ( but you must master it.)... and obviously Cain fails because he gives in to the temptation, satan seizes the opportunity and Cain pays the price.

How does this apply to my life? Sin is, and will always be (as long as we are here on earth) crouching at our doors. Satan desires to have us, but we must be in control of ourselves, resist the temptation and not yield. We must master it. We must hold steadfast to God's words, heed His warnings so that we can be free form the bondage of sin. It CAN be done because God says so many times in His word that it can be done.

Rom 6:14
14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. NIV

Rom 6:6-7
6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. NIV

Gal 5:1
5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. NIV

(I could keep listing!)

It is not good enough to just know the truth. We have to live the truth.

James 1:22
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. NIV


Nancy DeMoss writes "However, what we believe is revealed, not only by what we know or what we say we believe, but by how we actually live." ... And we know this standard to be true because God tells us in His word that we will be known by our fruits. Nancy also writes (in discussing Eve and the fall of man) "The problem was that Eve didn't stop to evaluate what was really happening. She didn't take the time to discern truth from error. She didn't stop to consider the cost and consequences of what she was about to do. If she could have imagined the ugly, painful, deadly consequences of her choice--in her own life, in her relationship with God, in her marriage, in her children, in her children's children, and (through the sin of her husband, who followed her) in every human being that would ever live on the planet---do you think she would have listened to Satan's lie and disobeyed God? I doubt it. But we have precisely the same problem. I have discovered that very few Christians seriously consider the consequences of their choices" I believe she hits the nail right on the head. I love a good movie as much as the next person... I enjoy a good joke (heard a good one by the way I'll tell you all later). I love to read fictional books... and the list can go on... but even in these small things I need to be careful of my choices. Consider the cost of all my choices, great and small. Use Philippians as a standard for my choices:

Phil 4:8-9
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. NIV

If God would not make the same choice... maybe I should reconsider my options perhaps... after all sin is crouching at my door, and I must master it for it desires to have me... but I don't desire to be had! God doesn't want to be a party pooper... He loves me so much. He just wants me to be aware of things that are in my path... and I am learning that if I am feeling the need to justify my choices, maybe I need to look again and set them at God's feet.

Thank you again for allowing me to "think out loud".

"God help me to make the right choices, and to do so with you in mind. Help me to hold to your standard. Take what is not of you out of my heart and help me to become the woman of God you desire me to be. In Jesus' name, Amen"