Jude 1:10-16
Genesis 4; 1-8
3 tests that reveal roots, fruits, and who not to become in your pursuit of Jesus.
1- The Cain test; ‘They have taken the way of Cain’... Oftentimes it is our withholding from God that hinders our becoming in God. Man has had covetous and competitive desire since Genesis. If not submitted, and not fully released, it can become an angry bitterness at what others have that you do not, that becomes a lifestyle of cutting corners and controlling everything in order to gain what you think will elevate and bring approval from others in your life. Being surrendered, submitted and giving God my ABSOLUTE best, is what elevated Abel above Cain. Being not fully surrendered, not submitted, and not giving God my best, was the place the concept of murder in mankind originated and bore sin from.
2- The Balaam Test; ‘They have rushed for profit into Balaam's error’..
Is the only reason I am pursuing God for a fulfillment of my needs and desires? Or is my devotion to God a deeper surrender and submission that he is the only who knows my needs and desires and in his hands and spirit, is the place my life flourishes most. So often we come to God when we are out of options, seeking a God that would restore my fortunes. We must be sensitive and discerning of a life in God in which he is not there to build my brand and bank account, but to build a heart and life so rooted in him it bears a fruit that remains long after we are gone. He’s not a genie in a bottle, he's a king on the cross, and your dreams placed in the hands of the one who created them, are better than any life you could ever build on your own.
3- The Korah Test; ‘They have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion’..
Your devotion to God is not just found in a sanctified and righteously rhythmic walk. It is also revealed in the levels of self awareness and personal perception of what we need to eliminate in our individual circumstance that steals from the growth God has for my life. The flesh is in constant rebellion to the spirit, and this is most evident in the place of pride, authority, and submission that can be masked even spiritually; to place him on the throne of our hearts means we have to first remove ourselves from that place. Korah had every right as a levite to be a leader, but his character was rooted in jealousy, ambition, and rebellion that ultimately led to his death. We must keep our own jealousy and ambition submitted to God, or it will swallow up the work of the spirit in our lives.
