BibleForums Christian Message Board

Genesis 4:6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”


Concerning this scripture about how God is warning Cain about his anger and how sin (temptation) is lying at his door and that Cain should rule over the sin. Cain  doesn't and kills his brother Abel.


Is this murder an example of God's will or is an example of His permissive will?


Is resisting the sin God's will but Cain transgressed God's will?


The main question then, is God's will "always" followed?


Would value input because just this past weekend I was reading some posts (elsewhere), where the focus of the discussion is that, "ALL IS" God's ordained will.

I have not listened to the rock band AC/DC for several years now. An element of the "world" that the Holy Spirit convicted me about while singing out, "I'm on the highway to hell..." Over the loud music in the truck, I perceived that God had asked me, "ARE YOU?" I stopped the CD that was playing and I actually said, “NO,” in response.


Here is how I understood God’s ministering to me that day, “Then why do you praise yourself of being on a highway to hell and allow yourself to proclaim yourself on a highway to hell, with all others who sing along with the message and meaning of that song?"


The conviction was intense and I entered into a new chapter, in sanctification. In short, sanctification is to be set apart to a sacred purpose, to consecrate, to be freed from sin, to purify. All who have faith in God, are being sanctified during the remainder of their physical lifetime.


During this period of my walk with Christ, this conviction was a struggle for me and until I relented and surrendered the struggle over to God, I was always in a tug-of-war with God. I enjoy rock and heavy metal music! Once I surrendered, I was led through the process of purging all music that I had collected for many years.


I did tell God I enjoyed the music but understood the spiritual side of "proclaiming" the message of the lyrics when I voiced (quite loudly) the very words and thus gave authority for the meaning and message of the lyrics over my life.


James 3: 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.


I began to understand how I was double-minded, proclaiming one moment, "Praise God, for He is Holy" and in a breath later in the day proclaiming, "I'm on the highway to hell..."


Once I understood this ministering and applied what I learned as I studied Scripture, God answered a prayer that I voiced during this time. I was led to a Christian “Rock” station on the internet and found many artists and bands that praised and worshiped the Lord through the rock and heavy metal genre of music.


A point that needs to be made, until I surrendered to what God convicted me about, I didn't understand how I was proclaiming curses and living double-mindedly. Once I surrendered, then the Holy Spirit began to walk me through the Bible and He illuminated both what and why I felt the conviction for.


We are all convicted in the ways we are convicted in accordance of Scripture. It has been years since I was convicted about the specific bands I listened to. Today I have a greater understanding of why God had to convict me long ago as He began to place me where I am today in the Body of Christ.


Back then, I didn't have a clue concerning the "spiritual" side of being a member in the Body of Christ. I never understood, let alone believed, how the tongue can both bless and curse. Nor how such lyrics are a “wile” or a scheme of the devil.


Ephesians 6: 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.


I didn’t know and truth be told, did not believe that music is influenced by the devil, who strives to devour me.


1 Peter 5: 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.


Music was just one of his means of destruction and I was deceived into believing there was “nothing” wrong with cursing myself as I sang along with the lyrics of so many songs.


I was blind to this at that time in my walk with Christ. Many are blind about all this while they proclaim cursing words of lyrics as they sing along. In church I called out LORD, LORD, and after church, proclaimed, "I'm on the highway to hell!”


Such was the devouring deception of the devil.


When you are convicted, be obedient to that conviction. If you don’t understand or are struggling with the conviction, seek God for wisdom and understanding.


James 1: 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Been reading in Judges about Samson.

[/size]I think of how God's Word recognizes Samson as a man of faith, Hebrews 11:32. Yet, he also lived life selfishly. Imagine a legacy of being known as faithful to God but at the same time, seems any parent would teach their children, "don't be like Samson..."

[/size]I look at myself in the mirror, maybe we all should look in a mirror and ask ourselves,  "what do I do that should lead me to say to my child... don't be like me?"