Murder is Bad

 

Murder is Bad

Genesis 4: ¹⁰ And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. ¹¹ So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹² When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”

 

¹³ And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! ¹⁴ Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.”

 

¹⁵ And the Lord said to him,  “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.

 

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After GOD said “It is very good”, humans chose opposite of what was good. GOD made a peaceful existence with only a few things to do for humans, namely be fruitful, multiply, name animals and tend to the garden. That was it. Satan disrupted this easy, harmonious lifestyle, causing humans to be thrown from paradise.

 

Cain, seeing paradise off in the distance, may have wanted to build his own. But after being corrected for his offering, Cain became jealous and unstable. He killed Abel, his brother and tried to hide it. But the ground told JESUS.

 

My Observations:

• JESUS knew Cain killed his brother Abel.
• JESUS explained to Cain, that murder is bad and he would have to be punished.
• JESUS was still graceful and granted Cain a request of protection.

 

Cain shows me just how far humans can fall and how fast. From correction to stewing to rage to murder, Cain went down a path caused by his own selfishness and possibly insecurities. “What about me?” was his question, never once saying he was sorry for what he did.

 

What a mess, was my first thought, but then I had to ask “What am I to learn from this?” I can see that sin can lead me on a path that can cause me to hurt myself and other people. I have to set my mind on the truths of GOD rather than following the rumors of my heart.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD tells Moses about this conversation in detail?
• Have you ever disliked someone so much that you stewed over him or her and talked about him or her with no peace in sight?
• Can you release the person or people you dislike so it will not turn into hatred, causing you to sin?

Needing Help

Needing Help

John 15: ²⁶ “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. ²⁷ And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

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Sitting alone in my apartment was driving me crazy. I did not know many people in the town where I worked and was forced to commune with co-workers. I applied for a few positions away from that place, but found nothing. I felt doomed to stay there “forever.” I started my life over. I was no longer going to be the chief of parties. I wanted to learn about GOD.

• At one point, something changed inside me.
• At one point, I desired to follow GOD.
• At one point, my worries, fears, doubts and complaints were put aside for a new outlook on life.

JESUS gives HIS followers something to look for. HE sent the HOLY SPIRIT, who is the HELPER. JESUS also gave HIS followers purpose, namely to bear witness of HIM being our Savior.

• The HELPER will gives me words to comfort others.
• The HELPER fills me up with joy.
• The HELPER changes my mind from worry to victory.

Feeling all alone is sometimes overwhelming. I mean at every turn, there seemed to be a problem that I could not fix. BUT GOD wanted me to look to HIM for all of my answers. Instead of thinking “I” had to solve everything by “myself”, GOD sent me the HELPER.

When I couple myself to GOD, through the HOLY SPIRIT, I am filled with joy that makes no sense. I can then serve others and speak about JESUS in word and action. I always need help and I am grateful for the HOLY SPIRIT who lives inside me.

• Are you alone?
• Do you feel worthless?
• Will you accept your calling and allow GOD to speak to many people through you?
• Will you also stop thinking you are broken and let the perfect HOLY SPIRIT reside in you today?

Why Continue?

Ecclesiastes 6: ¹² For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?

“Why continue?” I thought to myself. I don’t mean why continue with life, I meant school was tough and I was not doing very well. I did not have help and did not know how to seek it. I sat in my apartment and wondered if I should even finish.

• There were times when I felt like giving up.
• There were times where I felt like I had no help at all.
• There were times that I felt lost and had no one to guide me.

“Logic” sometimes lies. I mean logically, at the time, said to me, “quit” and I was leaning towards it more and more each day. Life was tough and sketchy and I had calculated the best route was probably to roll over and sit in the corner and just face failure like the rest of the crowd. BUT GOD said something different.

• GOD said to me “All power and glory are mine” and HE will gladly share it with me.
• GOD said to me “I will never leave you nor forsake you” and HE has never left me nor forsaken me.
• GOD said to me “If you would just follow my path I will make it straight” and HE has guided me to this day.

I decided not to give up and GOD blessed me thoroughly. HE guided me little by little and before I knew it, I graduated. HE showed me that I have to seek HIS face for peace and nothing I do would be too large. HIS power is infinite and wisdom the same. HE grants me guidance when I am lost.

• Are you feeling lost?
• Do you want to give up?
• Can you ask GOD to give you guidance?
• Will you follow GOD to gain HIS strength and stop relying on yours?

I’m still here so I should get to work

Philippians 1: ²¹ For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²² If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

²³ I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴ but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

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One day I just sat on the edge of my bed wondering “what’s the purpose?” I mean it seemed like working was futile because I didn’t have enough money to cover my debts, people in the world were mad at me and I wasn’t getting any of my desires met, or so it seemed. Preachers kept speaking about heaven being a wonderful place to be and I thought “LORD can’t you just take me home?”

Meanwhile, more tragedy kept coming my way. Ailments hit various people, death seemed to loom over some of my friends’ families and the news channels never stopped being dismal. When will there ever be peace?

• Life has many difficulties and sometimes I get tired.
• Life has some tough news and sometimes I get weary.
• Life has a lot of bad news and sometimes I get distressed.

It seemed like GOD was taking HIS sweet little time when it came to “my” problems and I found myself pouting in the corner wanting “my” situations to change. GOD didn’t change the situation but HE did do something greater.

• GOD opened my eyes to see other people are hurting and need to hear a word of peace.
• GOD opened my ears to be able to hear the needs of others instead of wallowing in my pity.
• GOD opened my heart to feel what other people are feeling and finally understand I need to show compassion no matter the circumstance.

I’m still here on the Earth so I should get to work telling people about GOD’s compassion.  “What compassion” you ask. Well, in the middle of my sin CHRIST took my punishment. HE paid the ultimate price for me and showed compassion for me that I can never repay. Now HE sends people to me one at a time to hear about HIS grace, mercy and love.

There is plenty of work and so few to take on the challenge of compassion. GOD says “remain and I will be with you.”

• Do you feel like giving up?
• Are you frustrated with your current results?
• Can you realize that your current situation is right where GOD wants you so HE can grow you?
• Will you take the time to tell someone about GOD’s grace in spite of your circumstance?

I want hope

Romans 15: ⁴ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

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Towards the end of a track meet I wanted to give up. I was tired of running. Towards the end of school I wanted to give up.  It seemed like I had been in school forever and I was tired of learning. Towards the end of a major project I wanted to give up and just crawl into some hole and watch the world pass by for a while.

• Life will have difficult moments that I must endure.
• Life will have tough situations that I must go “through” not around.
• Life will have extreme circumstances that sometimes make me want to “give up.”

Every once in a while I survey the horizon of my life and see holes, land mines and snipers in my way. Where did all these obstacles come from?  I mean at one point in my life it was smooth sailing. GOD knows I will face challenges and HE has made provisions for my safety.

• GOD knows I will face difficult circumstances so HE sent the COMFORTER to help me.
• GOD knows I will face trials and I will want to give up so HE gave me HIS promise that HE would be with me always.

There is not a single problem that GOD is not aware of.  HE knows every circumstance and has listed similar circumstances in the Bible. When I go back and see how other people felt like giving up and how GOD rescued them at the right time, it gives me hope.

I see the extreme situations people endured and it makes my circumstance seem smaller. GOD brought them through and HE will do the same for me. HIS promises give me hope.

• Are you going through a trial?
• Are you facing a difficult circumstance?
• Do you realize there is nothing more powerful than GOD and HE knows your circumstance?
• Will you place your trust in HIM?