"CAIN AND ABEL" AUDIO BLOG

"The [intrinsically] good man produces what is good and honorable and moral out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart; and the [intrinsically] evil man produces what is wicked and depraved out of the evil [in his heart]; for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart." Luke 6:45

All glory and honor and praise and thanksgiving to God, Most High, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

Heavenly Father, let your words continue to flow through me, and not my own. In Jesus' sweet name. Amen!

This is something God has been putting on my heart since at least the beginning of December, but just this morning, lying in bed, half asleep, He pulled it together for me.

God is Great - All The Time!

CAIN AND ABEL

We can see God's system of obedience at work in the story of Cain and Abel. 

"Woe to them! For they have gone the [defiant] way of Cain. . ." Jude 1:11

What was the "[defiant] way of Cain"? Throughout scripture, both the Old and the New Testament, we are told repeatedly that we should love our neighbor.​ Jesus specifically tells us to love God and love our neighbor, above all else:

Matthew 22

37 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

We are also told to "Honor the Lord with your substance, and with the firstfruits of all your increase:" Proverbs 3:9

Having read the book of Genesis at least a few times in the last few years, I still never understood why God did not respect Cain's offering, even though the words were right there the whole time.

Genesis 4

2 ". . . And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lies at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him."

​Let's look at Genesis 4:3, "And in the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground."

Cain offered the fruit of the ground. We can see Cain was not honoring God with the "firstfruits" of his increase, but he offered only the fruit of the ground, which could have been anything, most certainly not his firstfruits, or it would have been so written.

The firstfruits are to be from excess, surplus, not from the leftovers. Cain was honoring God only for what he thought he could get from it, not from his heart, in full obedience to God, loving Him with his heart, mind and soul. God knows our hearts. 

On the other hand, we see that Abel offered his firstborn (firstfruits), his excess, not his leftovers, AND He gave an offering of fat, which would later, in Leviticus, be reserved as an "offering to God, especially for sin": 

"But Abel brought [an offering of] the [finest] firstborn of his flock and the [b]fat portions. And the Lord had respect (regard) for Abel and for his offering;" Genesis 4:4

Footnotes: biblegateway:com

[b] ​Genesis 4:4 That is, the fat that covered the entrails of the animals. Later, in the Mosaic Law, the Israelites were forbidden to eat this fat (Lev 7:23), which was reserved as an offering to God, especially for sin (Lev 4:8, 26, 35; 9:10; 16:25).

Let's look further at the transgressions of Cain: Cain was the tiller of the ground. Abel was a shepherd, a keeper of the animals. When it came time for them to make offerings to God, Cain gave of his crops, and Abel gave of the firstfruits of his flock. God respected Abel's offering. He did not respect Cain's offering. Why?

God wants us to understand that Cain's heart was not right with God. Cain tried to convince Abel to give him an animal, or trade or barter crops for an animal, and Abel would not agree. Why would Abel not make the trade with Cain? Because Abel knew that Cain's heart was not right with God. He knew that Cain was just going through the motions, so to speak, in order to receive God's grace or favor. Abel knew that Cain did not want the animal to sacrifice for forgiveness of his sins, but only for what rewards he thought he may receive from God for the sacrifice.

Abel was righteous. He had God's Word stored in his heart, and followed His Word, so that he would not sin against God. Psalm 119:11 above.

Cain was not righteous, although he too had God's Word stored in his heart, or at least knew right from wrong, as shown in Genesis 4:7, when God says, "If you do well, shall you not be accepted? and if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. . ." So, he knew to do well, and what the consequences were. He was, however, of that "wicked one": "Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." 1 John 3:12 

Adam and Eve chose sin over the light and love God offered, the [intrinsically evil man over the intrinsically good man]. They chose our path for us initially, but we are suppose to be the Light of the World, to rise above the lusts of the flesh, and the evil of this world. God is good, and everything He created is perfect, and designed to move man toward Him, back to His glory. 

​So, Cain was of that 'wicked one,'​ and was trying to deceive God, and climb into heaven some other way than through the door: “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up from some other place [on the stone wall], that one is a thief and a robber." John 10:1

Basically, Cain was trying to reap the benefits of righteousness without actually sowing the proper seeds: walking with, knowing, following and being obedient to God.

We know that Cain knew the right thing to do, and chose not to do it: "If you do well, will you not be accepted? and if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. . ."

God was reminding Cain that he knew right from wrong, that he should do what he knew to be right, and thereby overcome man's tendencies towards stubbornness and evil thoughts, and, rather, be obedient to God, to accomplish God's Will, like Abel. Otherwise, sin was at the door, and he would rule over it. ". . . And unto you shall be his [sin's] desire, and you shall rule over him [sin]." Genesis 4:7

Now, in Genesis 4:8, we see that Cain talked with Abel and then slew him. "And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him."

Clearly, it seems as if that sentence is missing the crux. What prompted Cain to kill Abel? The scripture says, Cain talked with Abel his brother, and, later in the field, Cain slew him. What was their conversation? Well, Abel knew that Cain's heart was not right with God, so the "talk" they had went something like this:

Cain said, Hey, Abel, I need a flawless, unblemished, sheep for a sacrifice to the Father.

Abel (Knowing Cain's heart) replied, Okay, sure, brother. Let us go to the field and pick a sheep.

(Later in the field)

Abel (Knowing Cain's heart), Picked out the worst possible sheep he could find, and gave it to Cain, saying, Here is the perfect sheep for you!

Cain cried out, This sheep is sick and weak and blemished!

​

Abel (Knowing Cain's heart) replied, Yes! That is the perfect sheep for you!

Cain became enraged and killed Abel, and became the first man to shed innocent human blood.

Now, we know from scripture that Abel was "righteous," but was he completely innocent? The bible also says that King David was righteous, but he murdered Uriah so he could have his wife.

Why did King David murder Uriah? We can see in 2 Samuel 11:4-9 here that after Bathsheba told King David that she was pregnant, King David tried to get Uriah to go home, presumably so he would be with his wife, and then would believe that the child was his own. Uriah had been away from home, at war for King David, for some time, so the child his wife was carrying could not have been his own. This is a great example of how sin leads to other sin. Perhaps, King David did not want his child to be a known bastard. Clearly, what he did, he did for the child.

This shows us that God is a very forgiving God, that He knows our hearts, and He will have compassion and mercy on whom He chooses.

“I, the Lord, search and examine the mind, I test the heart . . . " Jeremiah 17:10

Back to Cain and Abel: Had Abel followed God's Word in his heart fully, he would have trusted God, and given Cain 100 flawless, unblemished, sheep when he asked for 1, and he would have still been alive to tell the story to his grandchildren. God judges on the heart. If the person receiving our gift is unworthy, God will repay each person accordingly. Luke 6:38  

He knows our hearts, and he knew that Abel had honorable motives, when he denied Cain the flawless, unblemished, animal. He was doing it to prevent Cain from deceiving God. Abel failed to realize, however, that God already knew this. God knows our hearts. He judges. He repays. Vengeance is mine says the Lord. Romans 12:19

​THE BLOOD SACRIFICE

If God were not so forgiving of our sins, none of us would have salvation, because we are all born flesh and blood sinners, and must be ‘born again’ in Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus.

Hebrews 12:24 below tells us that the blood sacrifice of Jesus was merciful, better and nobler, a more gracious message, which cried out for God to forgive men because "they know not what they do," Luke 23:34, as opposed to Abel, whose blood [sacrifice] cried out to God for vengeance.

"and to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant [uniting God and man], and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks [of mercy], a better and nobler and more gracious message than the blood of Abel [which cried out for vengeance]." Hebrews 12:24

Cain killed Abel, because God required a blood sacrifice. Cain's heart was not right with God, so Abel would not give him a 'flawless, unblemished' animal to sacrifice. Cain, in a fit of rage, killed him as THE blood sacrifice to God. This is why God says, ". . . What have you done? The voice of your brother’s [innocent] blood is crying out to Me from the ground [for justice]." Genesis 4:10

And, also, why Jesus’ ultimate blood sacrifice is compared to Cain’s sacrifice of Abel’s blood in Hebrews 12:24 above.

God is Great - All the Time!

I pray that we all turn back to God, in full surrender, so that our hearts are right with Him. "Change your hearts, and show by the way you live that you have changed." Matthew 3:8

All glory and honor and praise and thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father, the source of all things, and the cohesive force holding all things together, and to whom we return, in Jesus Christ!

Hallelujah! Praise God! Thank you, Jesus!

Amen.

​As believers in the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ, WE ARE the light of the world.

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven." Hallelujah!

As believers in Christ, we know from scripture that temptation is common to human (mankind) experience, but that God will not let us be tempted beyond our ability to resist. Hallelujah! Praise God.

We also know that if we remain steadfast until the end (resist the temptation of sin), we will be saved. Thank you, Jesus!

1 Corinthians 10

13 No temptation [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience [nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance]; but God is faithful [to His word—He is compassionate and trustworthy], and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability [to resist], but along with the temptation He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy].

14 Therefore, my beloved, run [keep far, far away] from [any sort of] idolatry [and that includes loving anything more than God, or participating in anything that leads to sin and enslaves the soul]."

Pray that we all remain steadfast under the trials and tribulations and temptations  of human life, life in the flesh, for we know that if we persevere in righteousness (repentance, obedience to God) until the end, we will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised:

"Blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] is the man who is steadfast under trial and perseveres when tempted; for when he has passed the test and been approved, he will receive the [victor’s] crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." ​ James 1:12

Matthew 24

11 "Many false prophets will appear and mislead many.

12 Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold.

13 But the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved.

14 This good news of the kingdom [the gospel] will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end [of the age] will come."

Pray that God's children have a renewing and a refreshing of Spirit, so that we do not become salt that has lost its taste, but that our light always shines brightly, so that men may see our good deeds and glorify our Father who is in heaven! Praise God! Amen!

​

Matthew 5

13 “You are the [d]salt of the earth; but if the salt has [e]lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people [when the walkways are wet and slippery].

14 “You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven."

1. Matthew 5:13 In ancient times salt was often used as a preservative. Similarly, followers of Christ are to preserve both the gospel message and Christian values in the secular world.
2. Matthew 5:13 The salt from the Dead Sea contains impurities that affect its qualities as a seasoning and as a preservative.

Finally, no matter what life throws at us, we know that no mountain is too high because the Lord is our strength, and he has made our feet steady.

A Prayer of Habakkuk

A Prayer for the Times

Habakkuk 3 (AMP)

17 "Though the fig tree does not blossom

And there is no fruit on the vines,

Though the yield of the olive fails

And the fields produce no food,

Though the flock is cut off from the fold

And there are no cattle in the stalls,

18 Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord;

I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation!

19 The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army];

He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet

And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my [e]high places [of challenge and responsibility]."

Footnote: www.biblegateway.com

(e) Habakkuk 3:19 The troubled times of life may actually be the “high places” of spiritual growth for the believer who remains stable when tested by God.

​He is my rock and my fortress

And I will choose to

​REJOICE IN THE LORD!

Praise God! Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus. Amen

Esau was the firstborn, but God loved Jacob (Israel)!

Ever wonder why Jacob (Israel) was born grasping Esau's heel? "Afterward his brother came out, and his hand grasped Esau’s heel, so he was named Jacob (one who grabs by the heel, supplanter). Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them." Genesis 25:26

Or, ever wonder why Esau gave away his birthright for a bowl of red lentil stew?

Genesis 25

29 "Jacob had cooked [reddish-brown lentil] stew [one day], when Esau came from the field and was famished; 

30 and Esau said to Jacob, 'Please, let me have a quick swallow of that red stuff there, because I am exhausted and famished.' For that reason Esau was [also] called Edom (Red). 

31 Jacob answered, 'First sell me your birthright (the rights of a firstborn).' 

32 Esau said, 'Look, I am about to die [if I do not eat soon]; so of what use is this birthright to me?' 

33 Jacob said, 'Swear [an oath] to me today [that you are selling it to me for this food]'; so he swore [an oath] to him, and sold him his birthright. 

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and got up and went on his way. In this way Esau scorned his birthright.'"

Or, even why Esau lost his inheritance, when Jacob and Rebecca tricked Isaac into giving Jacob the blessing of the firstborn?

Genesis 27

5 "But Rebekah overheard what Isaac said to Esau his son; and when Esau had gone to the open country to hunt for game that he might bring back,

6 Rebekah said to Jacob her [younger and favorite] son, “Listen carefully: I heard your father saying to Esau your brother,

7 ‘Bring me some game and make me a savory and delicious dish [of meat], so that I may eat it, and declare my blessing on you in the presence of the Lord before my death.’

8 So now, my son, listen [carefully] to me [and do exactly] as I command you.

9 Go now to the flock and bring me two good and suitable young goats, and I will make them into a savory dish [of meat] for your father, the kind he loves [to eat].

10 Then you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before his death. 

11 Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, 'Listen, Esau my brother is a hairy man and I am a smooth [skinned] man.

12 Suppose my father touches me and feels my skin; then I will be seen by him as a cheat (imposter), and I will bring his curse on me and not a blessing.'”

Why would God let these things happen?

Well, because God loved Jacob! And, He knows our hearts!

Jeremiah 17:10

“I, the Lord, search and examine the mind,

I test the heart,

To give to each man according to his ways,

According to the results of his deeds."

Hebrews 12:16 "Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright."

And, just as Cain was evil in the sight of God:

Genesis 4

3 And in the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground. 

4 But Abel brought [an offering of] the [finest] firstborn of his flock and the fat portions. And the Lord had respect (regard) for Abel and for his offering; 

5 but for Cain and his offering He had no respect. So Cain became extremely angry (indignant), and he looked annoyed and hostile. 

6 And the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you so angry? And why do you look annoyed? 

7 If you do well [believing Me and doing what is acceptable and pleasing to Me], will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well [but ignore My instruction], sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you [to overpower you], but you must master it.”

So, too, was Esau evil in the sight of God, and Jacob loved:

Malachi 1

God’s Love for Jacob

1 "The oracle (burdensome message) of the word of the Lord to Israel through [My messenger] Malachi.

2 'I have loved you,' says the Lord. But you say, 'How and in what way have You loved us?' 'Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?' declares the Lord. 'Yet I loved Jacob (Israel);

3 but [in comparison with My love for Jacob] I have hated Esau (Edom), and I have made his mountains a wasteland, and have given his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness.'

4 Though [impoverished] Edom says, 'We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins.' Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'They may build, but I will tear down; and men will call them the Wicked Territory, the people against whom the Lord is indignant forever.'

5 Your own eyes will see this and you will say, 'The Lord is great and shall be magnified beyond the border of Israel!'"

​

What can we learn from all of this? I think God's reprimand to Cain, when Cain was sullen and angry because God did not accept his offering, says it all:

Genesis 4:7 "If you do well [believing Me [God] and doing what is acceptable and pleasing to Me], will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well [but ignore My instruction], sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you [to overpower you], but you must master it.”  

Choose God! Repent, confess your sins, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

​Hallelujah to the Lamb of God! Praise God! Amen.

Throughout God's Holy Word (the Bible), He routinely blesses man for his obedience, and curses him for disobedience. "Our God is a consuming fire" Hebrews 12:29, and He will not tolerate disobedience. "It is a fearful and terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God [incurring His judgment and wrath]." Hebrews 10:31

After 40 years being led through the wilderness by the Lord, the Israelites were finally ready to take possession of the land promised by God to their fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel), a land flowing with milk and honey. God promises great blessings if they keep all His commandments, but, also, great punishment for disobedience.

I mean, if we really think about it, no one should wonder why the world is in its current state of affairs. In Genesis 6:5-6, "The Lord saw that the wickedness (depravity) of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination or intent of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually. The Lord regretted that He had made mankind on the earth, and He was [deeply] grieved in His heart."

God loves us, though. We are His peculiar people, created by Him and for Him, in His likeness and image, and paid for with a hefty ransom, the blood of His only begotten son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

His Peculiar People: 1 Peter 2:9 "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;"

Created By Him and For Him: Colossians 1:16 "For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, [things] visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him and for Him."

In His Likeness and Image: Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them."

Paid for With a Hefty Ransom: 1 Corinthians 6:20 "You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body."

He is our heavenly Father, and His blessings for obedience are great, but He will not tolerate disobedience, for which His curses are also abundant.

God's Treasured Possession

Deuteronomy 26

18 "Today the Lord has declared that you are His people, His treasured possession, just as He promised you, and that you are to keep all His commandments;

19 and that He will set you high above all the nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honor: and that you shall be a holy people [set apart and consecrated] to the Lord your God, just as He has spoken.”

God Provides . . .

Blessings for Obedience and

Curses for Disobedience

Deuteronomy 27

11 "Moses also commanded the people that day, saying,

12 These [tribes] shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people when you have crossed the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.

13 These [tribes] shall stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce the curse [for disobedience]: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

14 The Levites shall answer with a loud voice to all the men of Israel:

15 ‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved or cast image (idol), a repulsive thing to the Lord, the work of the hands of the artisan, and sets it up in secret.’ All the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’

16 ‘Cursed is he who dishonors (treats with contempt) his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

17 ‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbor’s boundary mark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

18 ‘Cursed is he who misleads a blind person on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

19 ‘Cursed is he who distorts (perverts) the justice due to a stranger, an orphan, and a widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

20 ‘Cursed is he who is intimate with his father’s [former] wife, because he has violated what belongs to his father.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

21 ‘Cursed is he who is intimate with any animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

22 ‘Cursed is he who is intimate with his [half] sister, whether his father’s or his mother’s daughter.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

23 ‘Cursed is he who is intimate with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

24 ‘Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

25 ‘Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

26 ‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them [keeping them, taking them to heart as the rule of his life].’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’"

God Provides . . .

Blessings and Curses

Deuteronomy 28

1 “Now it shall be, if you diligently listen to and obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all of His commandments which I am commanding you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.

2 All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you pay attention to the voice of the Lord your God.

3 You will be blessed in the city, and you will be blessed in the field.

4 The offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your animals, the offspring of your herd and the young of your flock will be blessed.

5 Your basket and your kneading bowl will be blessed.

6 You will be blessed when you come in and you will be blessed when you go out.

7 The Lord will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way, but flee before you seven ways.

8 The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your storehouses and in all that you undertake, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

9 The Lord will establish you as a people holy [and set apart] to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk [that is, live your life each and every day] in His ways.

10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you.

11 The Lord will give you great prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you.

12 The Lord will open for you His good treasure house, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow.

13 The Lord will make you the head (leader) and not the tail (follower); and you will be above only, and you will not be beneath, if you listen and pay attention to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today, to observe them carefully.

14 Do not turn aside from any of the words which I am commanding you today, to the right or to the left, to follow and serve other gods.

Consequences of Disobedience

15 But it shall come about, if you do not listen to and obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today, then all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

16 You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the field.

17 Your basket and your kneading bowl will be cursed.

18 The offspring of your body and the produce of your land, the offspring of your herd and the young of your flock will be cursed.

19 You will be cursed when you come in and you will be cursed when you go out.

20 The Lord will send upon you curses, confusion, and rebuke in everything that you undertake to do, until you are destroyed, perishing quickly because of the evil of your deeds, because you have turned away from Me.

21 The Lord will make the pestilence and plague cling to you until He has consumed and eliminated you from the land which you are entering to possess.

22 The Lord will strike you with consumption [causing you to waste away] and with fever and with inflammation and with fiery heat and with the sword and with blight and with mildew [on your crops]; and they will pursue you until you perish.

23 The heaven which is over your head shall be bronze [giving no rain and blocking all prayers], and the earth which is under you, iron [hard to plow and yielding no produce].

24 The Lord will make the rain of your land powder and dust; from heaven it will come down on you until you are destroyed.

25 The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you will go out against them one way, but flee before them seven ways, and you will be an example of terror to all the kingdoms of the earth [when they see your destruction].

26 Your carcasses will be food for all the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to frighten them away.

27 The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors and with the scab and the itch that you cannot heal.

28 The Lord will strike you with madness and with blindness and with bewilderment of heart and mind;

29 and you will be groping at noon [in broad daylight], just as the blind grope in the darkness, and nothing you do will prosper; but you will only be oppressed and exploited and robbed continually, with no one to save you.

30 You will be pledged to marry a wife, but another man will be intimate with her [before you]; you will build a house, but you will not live in it; you will plant a vineyard, but you will not use its fruit.

31 Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat any of it; your donkey will be torn away from you, and it will not be returned to you; your sheep will be given to your enemies, and you will have no one to save you.

32 Your sons and daughters will be given to another people, while your eyes look on and long for them continually; but there will be nothing you can do.

33 A people whom you do not know will eat the produce of your land and all the products of your labors, and you will never be anything but oppressed and exploited and crushed continually.

34 You shall be driven mad by the sight of the things you see.

35 The Lord will strike you on the knees and on the legs with sore boils that you cannot heal, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head.

36 The Lord will bring you and your king, whom you appoint over you, to a nation which you and your fathers have never known; there you will [be forced to] serve other gods, [lifeless gods of] wood and stone.

37 And you will become a horror, a proverb [a mere object lesson], and a taunt [a derisive joke] among all the people to which the Lord drives you.

38 You will bring out a great quantity of seed to the field, but you will gather in little, because the locusts will consume it.

39 You will plant vineyards and cultivate them, but you will not drink the wine or gather the grapes, because the worm will eat them.

40 You will have olive trees throughout your territory but you will not anoint yourselves with the oil, because your olives will drop off.

41 You will have sons and daughters, but they will not be yours [for long], because they will go into captivity.

42 The cricket will take possession of all your trees and the produce of your ground.

43 The stranger who lives among you will rise above you higher and higher, and you will go down lower and lower.

44 He will lend to you [out of his affluence], but you will not lend to him [because of your poverty]; he will be the head, and you the tail.

45 So all these curses will come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He has commanded you.

46 They will be a sign and a wonder to you and your descendants forever." Amen.

And, what is important to know is that our God, our heavenly Father, is just and forgiving, if we repent [turn away from sin].

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

"I tell you, no; but unless you repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways and live changed lives], you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:5

"Change your hearts! And show by the way you live that you have changed." [Repent] Matthew 3:8

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

​There is only one way to God, through His son, the Christ Jesus. 

1 Timothy 2

5 "For there is [only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and mankind, the Man Christ Jesus, 

6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the right and proper time."

John 8:24 "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."

Ephesians 6

10 "In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might.

11 Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts (commandments) are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil.

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.

13 Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious].

14 So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart),

15 and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news].

16 Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God."

​

Amen.

​

"WHITE AS SNOW" AUDIO BLOG

First, it cannot be said enough that prayer is amazing. Both of the following Scriptures are just and true:

"And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive." Matthew 21:22

“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” 1 John 3:22

All Glory to God in the Highest. Hallelujah!

So, on to "White as Snow." Last weekend, I got out of bed to pray during the evening, as I sometimes do, although not as often as I know that I should. I prayed for God to give me insight into what was going on at that moment in the world, in His Plan. I also prayed to see His face and have His loving arms wrapped around me. I prayed for many things, but those two are related to this story. Then, I went back to bed, and to sleep.

At some point after that, God gave me a vision, where I looked out a window and saw snow. I did not even have to pull out my Bible and research Scripture to know that He had answered both of my questions or requests.

In the Bible, snow represents the cleansing of sin: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isaiah 1:18

So, first, God is cleansing sin in the world and in America.

Snow also represents the image of God: "His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire." Revelation 1:14

Honestly, God could not have picked a better image with which to show me Himself. The first snows of the year always make me smile, and make me feel warm and fuzzy. Thank you, Lord. 

And, so second, we know that He answers prayers with amazing consideration and love.

He truly is great all of the time! Hallelujah! Praise God.

This video banned from youtube. 
​Click here for audio blog, "ALGORITHM IS NOT MAN'S RHYTHM," on Brighteon.com."

"MASSIVE ASH AND DUST STORM
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​Click image for article from Newsweek