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Out of the Presence of the Lord

Genesis 4 talks about how Cain kills his brother Abel.  Verse 16 describes Cain's condition after his sin by saying:

"Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod opposite Eden." (Genesis 4:16)

Cain could have and should have repented to God, like King David when he sinned, and say "Do not cast me away from Your presence..." (Psalm 50:13)  However, not only did Cain not repent, he also chose to live away from the presence of God.  Notice that it was Cain's choice to live in this state.  The bible says that "Cain went out from the presence of the Lord..." not that the Lord cast him out of his presence.  Never!  "'Do I ever will the death of a lawless man,' says the Lord, 'since My will is for him to turn from the evil way and live?'" (Ezekiel 18:23)  The Holy Scripture also says "Who desires all men to be saved..." (I Timothy 2:4)

But what does it mean to live "out from the presence of the Lord"?  Living out from the presence of the Lord means living without the following:

  1. Love: for "God is love" (I John 4:16) and "love is of God" (I John 4:7)
  2. Protection: "But You, O Lord, are a shield for me" (Psalm 3:3) 
    Also, "The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." (Exodus 14:14)
    And "I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." (Psalm  4:8)
    The Lord of Hosts also says "he who touches you touches the apple of His eye." (Zechariah 2:8)
    The Lord also said "'Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. 16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;'" (Isaiah 49:15,16)
  3. Grace: for "grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17)
  4. Forgiveness: for "To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness" (Daniel 9:9)
    The Lord also says "I will forgive their sins and I will no longer remember their wrongs" (Jeremiah 31:34)
    Also "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9)
  5. Guidance:  for the Holy Spirit "He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13)
  6. Teaching: for false teachers could arise and spread false doctrines, but the Holy Spirit "will teach you all things" (John 12:26)
  7. Comfort: "For the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places" (Isaiah 51:3),
    for He is the "God of all comfort" (II Corinthians 1:3)
  8. Joy: for "In Your presence is fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11)
  9. Peace: for "The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." (Numbers 6:26)
    And "The Lord will bless His people with peace." (Psalm 29:11)
    Also when God was incarnate the Angels proclaimed "on earth peace" (Luke 2:14)
  10. Goodness: for "The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord" (Psalm 33:5)
    And "You crown the year with Your goodness" (Psalm 65:11)
  11. Order: for he made the sun to rule the day and the moon by night (Genesis 1:16).  He also made the seasons, the days and the years.  Also "He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name." (Psalm 147:4)
  12. Goal:  for the aim of our lives is to be well pleasing to him (II Corinthians 5:9) but without Him there would be no purpose for our lives
  13. Hope:  "For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth." (Psalm 71:5)
    And "If in this life only we have hope in Christ..." (I Corinthians 15:19)
  14. Knowledge of Oneself: for the Lord is the one who searches our hearts and knows ourselves more that we do as King David says in Psalm 139:23.
    Also "You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off" (Psalm 139:2)
  15. Beauty: for "Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary" (Psalm 96:6)
  16. Eternal Life: for our Lord Jesus Christ said "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:40)
  17. Light: for our Lord said "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12)
  18. Help: for "He is our help and our shield." (Psalm 33:20)
    And "...For the help of man is useless." (Psalm 60:11)
    Also King David says "Those who trust in the Lord Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever." (Psalm 125:1)
  19. Glory and Honor: for the Lord is mindful of man and "...have crowned him with glory and honor" (Psalm 8:5)
  20. Spiritual Growth:  for the Holy Spirit grants us His fruit as mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23
    Also "every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." (John 15:2)
  21. Healing: for "The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings" (Malachi 4:2)
  22. Freedom:  for our Lord said "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:36)
  23. Sustenance: for our Lord commanded us not to worry about food or drink for the "Father knows that you need all these things" (Matthew 6:32)
    Also "He gives to the beast its food, And to the young ravens that cry." (Psalm 147:9)
  24. Strength: for "The Lord is my strength and song" (Exodus 15:2)
    Also "It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect." (Psalm 18:32)
    And "The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace." (Psalm 29:11)
    Moreover, "...those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)
  25. Success: for "The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man" (Genesis 39:2)
  26. Salvation:  for "Salvation belongs to the Lord" (Psalm 3:8)
  27. Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge: For the Lord is the one who gave Bezalel the son of Uri and "...filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge" (Exodus 31:3)
    Also it was God who gave Solomon "...wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore." (I Kings 4:29)
    Also "All wisdom comes from the Lord And is with Him forever." (Wisdom of Sirach 1:1)
  28. Blessings:  for it was God that blessed Abraham saying "blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore..." (Genesis 22:17)
    Also the man with a pure heart "...shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation" (Psalm 24:5)
    And "The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it." (Proverbs 10:22)
  29. Holiness: for Moses along with all the children sang to the Lord saying "Who is like You, glorious in holiness" (Exodus 15:11)
    Also King David says "Holiness adorns Your house, O Lord, forever" (Psalm 93:5)
  30. Mercy: for God is "...showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." (Exodus 20:6)
    Also "Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him." (Psalm 32:10)
    And "For His mercy endures forever." (Psalm 118)
  31. Truth: for God is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6)
  32. Reward: for God told Abraham "I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward" (Genesis 15:1)
    And just as Isaiah prophesied saying "Indeed the Lord has proclaimed To the end of the world: "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.'" (Isaiah 62:11)
  33. Victory:  Just as King David through the Holy Spirit proclaimed saying "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty..." (I Chronicles 29:11)
    Also St. Paul the Apostle says "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Corinthians 15:57)

A life outside the Presence of the Lord is no life at all for "for in Him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28)  It is no wonder that our Lord Jesus Christ said "...for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

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