Are you in Cain's line or Seth's line?

Psalm 90:12 "So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom."

We are living in the last days. Really, the return of Jesus is nearer than ever. How then shall we live? How then shall we make our lives count and worthy of the calling which He has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light? As you look at the people around you, some are getting ahead, and some are getting behind or so it seems. What should we pursue?

Ephesians 5:15-16 "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

I recently saw in a new book out in the market that in the history of mankind, the Bible recorded that man has, in summary, lived his life in one of the 2 ways. According to the line of Cain or according to the line of Seth. The Bible specifically recorded the line of Cain although his line was not the line which the Savior of the world will come. Moreover, Cain's line was wiped out in 7 generations. Therefore, if God put it in, there must be some truths which God wanted to reveal to us.

Cain was extremely wicked man who murdered his brother Abel and yet showed no remorse at all. His line is filled with men who created built the first cities, created the first cultures and invented technology. His descendants were violent and wicked like him. Seth's line showed no amazing feat in the genealogy of Genesis, but the Bible described many of his descendants are those who sought God and walked in His ways. Men like Enoch and Noah came from his body.



God showed us the distinction of the two civilization clearly. God saw no pleasure in Cain's accomplishments. God didn't even bothered to number Cain's descendants' year on earth and in 7 generations they are wiped out. But Seth's line, each year of their life on earth walking with God was so precious that God numbered the years they spent with Him. The world looks at the accomplishments and admires those who are rich and powerful. They want to enjoy the admiration of others. Yes, you see people getting ahead, people looking down on you. It's not a good feeling. But what's really a life that counts in God's sight are those who walked with God. In the light of eternity, which is more important to you? God is counting...

Psalms 84:10 "For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness."

"Father, thank you for your wisdom and showing us the right path towards true wealth, honor and riches. It lies not in the line of Cain --a self-centered pursuit, but in the line of Seth --- seeking Your Kingdom first and all these shall be added unto us. Even if we do not become rich and powerful, or lived our years looked down upon by others, we still rather serve You even in the lowliest position. Give us peace as we submit our ambition to You. Amen."

God protects Christians from Economic Crisis

Acts 11: 27-28 "And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar."

There is a ministry among us which has been receiving a bad press because of inaccurate and false prophesies in modern history of the church. That's the ministry of the prophets. If only these prophets have the fear of the LORD, such things will not happen. It's a heavy responsibility because in the O.T, false prophets are to be stoned by death. Always be careful to when someone say "Thus saith the LORD". Test every spirit of prophecy through prayer and agreement. In the OT, prophets work alone. But in the NT, prophets work in groups. "And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch."

1 John 4:1 "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

However, we do not discredit just because of bad press this special gift that God has given to the church. Because it is the apostles and prophets that lay the foundation of the church. It was so in the first days, it will also be so in the last days.

Ephesians 2:19-21 "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord."

In the last days of the church, just like in the first days, the Body of Christ need true prophets who will stand up and prophesy the things of God. In the first days, God's true prophets saw far and deep into the future and protected the infant church from the economic famine throughout the world. Likewise, in the last days, there will be true prophets who will stand up and protect the church by looking far and deep into the future. Prophets are like watchtowers. Soldiers on watchtowers set on the frontier can see further than soldiers on the ground. They can predict enemy movements and warn soldiers on the ground what threat is coming. They are the frontier protector of the land.

Isaiah 21:7-9 "And he saw a chariot with a pair of horsemen, A chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels, And he listened earnestly with great care. Then he cried, “A lion, my Lord! I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime; I have sat at my post every night. And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!”

Isaiah saw an army coming. But an army could be friendly or foe. Hence, a true prophet will see first and he doesn't speak immediately. He will listen earnestly and carefully. Who does he listened to confirm what he saw? The LORD. Then the true prophet will speak of what he saw and heard.

"Dear Lord, thank You for the wonderful gift you have given to the Body of Christ. Truly, prophets are given to build the kingdom and protect the flocks. And every believer in You has the ability to operate in the gift of prophecy because the testimony of Jesus in us is the spirit of prophecy. Help us to become sharper and help us to hear your voice clearer each time. We thank you and we love you. Anoint us Lord even more. Amen."

Jesus Lives!

Mark 16:6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him."

Early morning, on the 3rd day after Jesus their Lord was crucified on the cross, his disciples had a mighty surprise. The tomb of Jesus was empty and they met an angel who told them Jesus is no longer in the tomb, He had came back to life. Death could not hold him down because there is no sin, no legal foothold, in Him. This is the wonderful difference and specialness in Christianity. We serve a risen founder, a resurrected Savior.

Many religious leaders their bones are still in their grave. They can't save you nor help you now. Perhaps they can when they were alive. Once they are dead, they can't. But we served a risen savior who always lives to help us in our weaknesses. the Holy Bible says,

Heb 7: 23-25 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Only Jesus can save you because He is still alive in heaven, the closest place to God to help you. Turn away from worthless religion and turn to the One who still lives.

Heb 9:24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;

"Dear Jesus, thank You for being at the right hand of the Father, fighting for us. We know only You can help us. We turn to no other, except You alone. Amen. "

Our Inheritance In Jesus

Heb 9:15 "And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance."

Jesus came from Heaven. He is the Son of God. Heaven is filled with good things the Earth can never give. In Heaven, there is no sufferings and no poverty. Jesus is the owner of Heaven. Wherever He goes He brings heaven with Him. When He walked on earth, He brought healing to the sick, love, peace and joy to the poor in spirit.

Jesus says about Himself,
Matt 4:18 " The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."

Matt 9:36 "But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd."

When Jesus walked on earth, He saw the inner needs of the people. He was filled with tremendous compassion for them. He knew although He raised one from the dead now, that person will die again. He knew although He healed one now, that person will fall sick again. There is no permanent solution when He walked on earth. The only permanent solution is when He dies.

Heb 9:16-18 "For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood."

When my mother died, all that she had now belongs to me because I'm her son. Therefore, when Jesus died, all that He has now belongs to you and I because He called us His family. When my mother died, the insurance money I received is enough to pay for all my debts to the bank. I do not have to work to pay up my debts. The money I earned from my work can now be used for my own enjoyment and blessing others.

The same thing, when Jesus died, what you owed to the Devil is paid in full. You are free. No longer it is required for you to do good works to attain salvation or eternal life. You are free to use your good works to bless others and serve Jesus out of willingless and not out of guilt. Your ministry becomes an enjoyment rather than something you have to do to please God or accumulate brownie points. Let the truth set you free from worthless religion.

Psalms 8:3-9
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

"Dear Jesus, thank you for the revelation of the real meaning behind your sacrifice. Thank you for making all that you have available to us by your death on the cross. Thank you for awesome love for us. Who are we that you are so mindful of us? A million thank yous... We love you too. Amen."

He Call Us Family

Heb 2:9-10 " But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. "

Do you know that every human have to experience 2 forms of death? One is a physical death which you will naturally pass away due to sickness or old age. The other one is a second death, this is the real Death, where your soul will be eternally separated from God, condemned to eternal suffering because of sin. This is a terrible and worst death as spoken by Jesus. Sin is unholiness. God as a righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth has to mete out punishment for sin.

But for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ, they have good news! They do not have to experience the 2nd death! Hallelujah! Because God the Father has send His Son Jesus into the world. Jesus took on human skin and flesh and entered the realm in which we are living. He gave up His original form in heaven and became a human like us forever. He called us Family, His brothers and sisters, father and mother.

Mark 3:31
Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you." "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked.
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."

Heb 2:11-12
" For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You."

With this human body, He took our punishment and experienced the second death for us whom He called brothers and sisters. Hence, if you are part of Jesus's family, you do not need to go through the 2nd death. Unlike other religious leaders or founders who died along with their own religion because they have no power over death with their worthless religion as they remained condemned according to God's Law. However, God sided with Jesus and raised Him up from the dead. Jesus demonstrated His message is real with His resurrection that He has conquered the 2nd death. Death may have killed His mortal body on the Cross but Jesus has no SIN so It cannot hold Him down. There is no legal reason to swallow Him but to let Him go free. Praise the LORD!

"Dear Jesus, I thank you for going to that cross for us. Indeed, by ourselves we cannot hope to escape the 2nd death. But only by believing You have paid the penalty for us and coming into the Your family that we can be saved. Thank You for going through all these for us when You can choose not to. Amen."

Just Believe!

Matthew 21:21-22 "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

Jesus required us to believe in God's word. What God promised, just believe and you will receive. Let the image of the event above slowly sink into your heart. Transport yourself in the imagination to that point of time as if you were there listening to what He was saying.

During Jesus's time, the Roman army engineers developed the technology to remove whole mountain. How did they do it? What tools did they use? The tool is nothing more than water. Roman army engineers will transport water from miles away and use it to erode surface of the mountain under high pressure until it is no more.

If that was what Jesus and the disciples had in their understanding, we know that the water refers to the word of God. Believe, use the word of God in your situation that seems impossible. If it doesn't come to pass yet, continue to apply the pressure of faith to that "mountain" with the word of God. For God's word shall surely come to pass. It shall not return to Him void.

Isaiah 55:11 "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

" Dear heavenly Father, I pray that as we stand firm on your promise and believe and not waver. You will do the work. We surrender all to you in faith. You never fail us. In Jesus's Name. AMEN!"

Walking With God

Genesis 5:24 "And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."

Enoch was the first man whom the Holy Spirit singled out as one who had walked with God during his mortal life on earth. Enoch loved to walk with God and God loved to walk with him. So much that God decided to bring him up to heaven in the body. What does walking with God really means? The bible didn't illustrate much how Enoch walked with God but another man Noah, the bible elaborate with more details.

Genesis 6:9 "Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God."

A just man means that Noah was right with God in the vertical relationship. Noah was also perfect in his generations, that tells us of his reputation with others in his generation. Apparently, walking with God means a right relationship with God and mature in dealing with others.

"Father we pray that we have this desire to be like Noah and Enoch who walked right with You in their generations. Let us experience that intimacy with You like what they have experienced with You. Amen."