REJECTED

Genesis 4:4-5

Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift,

but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.

When you read scriptures it gives you questions on some things which may not seem clear when you just read without, studying and meditating. Before all these prayer is needed. There is yet a difference between the physical and the spiritual though one affects the other.

So, people may yet ask, "Why did God reject Cain's gift/sacrifice?

Firstly let us look at the issue of giving, we see that giving to the Lord has been a good practice from the beginning. The Lord expects that we honour Him from what He blesses us with:

Proverbs 3:9-10

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.

Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.

All who walked with God from the beginning were good givers, they always gave to the Lord.

We must understand that God does not need anything from us literally:

1 Corinthians 4:7b

What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

Listen, in the recent decades or do I say centuries, men have tried to take God's seat. They take what ought to be of God and make it their personal possession. Thus, many give thinking they are giving to the Lord but they are just funding a man's personal project. Some go as bad as enjoying the best of living in wealth while their supposed disciples go hungry yet thriving to earn to yet keep giving to satisfy the lust of their supposed leader. They are not of Christ, never!

When you give make sure you are giving to the Lord.

I love how Ron Kenoly sang it in his song - "Give to the Lord":

"Give and it will come back to you

Good measure pressed down, shaken together and

Running over

Give and it will come back to you

When you give, give to the Lord"

MAKE SURE YOU ARE GIVING TO THE LORD!

Proverbs 19:17

If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord— and he will repay you!

Matthew 10:42

And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”

However, we are looking at the reason for the rejection of Cain's gift. Thank God it was made clear in the same scriptures.

Genesis 4:6-7

“Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected?

You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

As we saw yesterday, while we look at the pump and show here, the Lord is not looking at faces He is looking at the heart.

Listen, the condition of your heart when you bring the gift is what matters to God.

Listen to Jesus:

Matthew 5:23-24

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you,

leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

Do you get it?

You carry evil such as hatred, malice, evil concupiscence etc in your heart then you bring a sacrifice to the Lord. No, He doesn't want it. The heart is what you prepare first before the gift.

Evil was in the heart of Cain, his works were evil, thus, his gift could not be accepted.

Men may seem to accept you for they may not know all the evils you have done to get that supposed wealth. However the Lord knows and all those things you are bringing to the church are not for the Lord. I pity those supposed ministers who receive them.

No wonder, so many are just carrying titles the heaven does not recognize then for they have already defiled the altar receiving evil and cursed gifts.

* * You are an employer you refused to pay your employees their wages, even when you do it is not the right wages, it is lesser.

* * You are a leader, you steal the common wealth of people.

* * You have defrauded another.

As so on . . .

You have no business bringing anything to the Lord. Wait, which Lord, for you are not His. Go and cleanse yourself first. Restitute!

You cannot bribe God. You can only deceive or buy humans who have no idea of those evil deeds you are hiding or who may know but like Gehazi greed and lust of the flesh would not allow then say and stay by the truth.

Listen, God cannot be deceived, ask king Ahab, Ananias and Sapphira, other examples abound in and out of scriptures of those who thought they are smart when dealing with the Heavenly Father, they always regretted it.

So, as we said yesterday - check your motives!

Are you really giving to the Lord.

May we and our gifts be acceptable to the Lord.

Help us Good Lord, we cannot afford to err.

He calls us blessed.

Love

@the watcher.