No Hope of Relief….

When I read the story of Cain and Abel, I can’t help but think what Hell must be like. Imagine a place devoid of God. Where will the light come from? Where will security be? Endless torment. And worst of all, there will be no hope of relief. Imagine being a reptile, not being able to regulate your own body heat, totally dependent on the environment to do it for you, then being transported to Antarctica. You won’t die, just continually freeze, thaw, freeze, thaw, as your body suffers through it eternally. Can you imagine suffering forever without any hope of relief? As Cain says in Genesis chapter 4, “my punishment is too great to bear. You have banished me from the land and from Your presence”. Too great to bear, and without hope. Is people’s pride worth the exchange of Heaven for Hell? Every soul must evaluate this exchange and ask himself, is it worth it?

1 Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the Lord’s help, I have produced a man!” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel.When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. 3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought a gift–the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 5 but He did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.6 “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”8 One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.9 Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”10 But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground! 11 Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12 No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”13 Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment is too great for me to bear! 14 You have banished me from the land and from Your presence; You have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!”15 The Lord replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him. 16 So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Genesis 4:1-16

Human Nature Is Predictable…..

Human nature, it’s a predictable, consistent pattern. First we are tempted, either with a half truth, or a full-blown lie. We evaluate the outcome, then decide if the benefits outweigh the consequences. Our pride tends to choose the benefits, usually ignoring the consequences. The moment we give into the temptation, we feel shame and regret. Then the most important step occurs, how we deal with the guilt. We can either continue on with the transgression, further increasing those ill feelings the conscience dictates by blaming others or making excuses, or we can admit the poor lapse in judgement and run in the right direction. The former usually leads to some form of coping mechanism, alcohol or drugs, to numb the pain. The latter leads to repentance, admitting your wrong and making it right with God. The funny thing about the pain in this experience is it’s effects are proportionately related to the way you handle the situation. Repentance is painful at first, but it brings ultimate relief. Coping with the shame and guilt, refusing to repent, only leads to the compounding of it, and in the process affects all those around you. Satan lied to Eve. Eve caved. Adam caved along with his bride. And ultimately, they both payed the price for disobeying God. But God redeemed them, so to speak. But the consequences didn’t go away. Their are three responses to sin. Repent as soon as your conscience feels the shame and guilt. Ignore the conscience and live with the consequences. Or be in tune with God, and don’t fall prey to the temptation when it comes. In life you will experience all three, but hopefully, you will only keep two of these responses in your behavior toolbox.

1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’ ”4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”10 He replied, “I heard You walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”12 The man replied, “It was the woman You gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”13 Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?”“The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”14 Then the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursedmore than all animals, domestic and wild.You will crawl on your belly,groveling in the dust as long as you live.15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,and between your offspring and her Offspring.He will strike your head,and you will strike His heel.” 16 Then He said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy,and in pain you will give birth.And you will desire to control your husband,but he will rule over you.” 17 And to the man He said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the treewhose fruit I commanded you not to eat,the ground is cursed because of you.All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.18 It will grow thorns and thistles for you,though you will eat of its grains.19 By the sweat of your browwill you have food to eatuntil you return to the groundfrom which you were made.For you were made from dust,and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3:1-19

The Importance of a Mom and Dad…

If anyone thinks it’s not important to raise a child with a man and woman in the home, read this passage. Joseph was about to leave Mary. He assumed she was unfaithful to him. It wasn’t until he was visited by an angel and told the truth about it, that he decided to stay. Even Jesus needed a mother and father at home, raising Him in fear and admonition of the Lord. The best situation, the necessary situation, for a child to be raised is by a father and mother in marriage at home. Are there alternative methods? Certainly, but the best is mentioned above. Doesn’t your child deserve the best? God thinks so.

18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through His prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!She will give birth to a son,and they will call Him Immanuel,which means ‘God is with us.’ ” 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named Him Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25

Straight From God….

Never forget these words, God has given us a complete book, the Bible. It has everything we need to know for life. It doesn’t change. It’s always relevant. And it speaks directly to the soul of every human being. When people try to alter it, change it’s meaning, add to it, or take away from it, we need to be alarmed. It doesn’t change. It’s not supposed to. The only change that should occur is the change God brings inside of us from ingesting it’s truth in a daily basis. Anything else is a false, sugar-coated, selfish, Satan inspired lie. Use it to decipher a good teacher from a false one. Take every word of this book as truth given to you straight from God.

18 And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book. Revelation 22:18-19

God Is In Control….

I know God has it all worked out. His plan is set in place with no one who can alter it. His attitude is set, and it won’t change. Everything He says will come true. He allows the evil to live along side the good (parable of the wheat and tares). He is coming back. When He arrives, He will reward everyone according to their deeds. The rewards won’t all be desired. I wish I could permanently set my mind on this promise. That way when I see evil or injustice being done, it wouldn’t bother me so bad, because I would know justice will prevail. It’s just hard for me to witness all the bad done in this world and not be bothered by it. I guess that’s one reason Heaven is so desirable. It won’t have any of this happening. All evil and wrong doing will be put to rest. I must never forget that. God allows the wheat and the tares to grow side by side for a reason. If He allowed the tares to be pulled up, it would damage the wheat. This hard concept must be kept in the forefront of our minds. It’s the only way to stay sane. God is in control.

10 Then he instructed me, “Do not seal up the prophetic words in this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy.” 12 “Look, I am coming soon, bringing My reward with Me to repay all people according to their deeds.13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:10-13

God Does Not Change….

God does not change. That’s why He is the only One worthy of our faith. In order to be worthy of faith, there are two requirements. First, it has to be outside yourself. Second, it cannot move, it must be fixed. God is the only legitimate Object that fits those two criteria. God wants our devotion, our attention, our focus; to be our Life. Our hearts and our minds have to be in sync with God. God always honors those that honor Him.

“I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. 7 Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned My decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Malachi 3:6-7a

16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In His presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared Him and always thought about the honor of His name. Malachi 3:16

God Hates Divorce….

God hates divorce. There are so many reasons, but here is one that never gets any attention. When a man divorces his wife, God says, (the husband) “overwhelms her with cruelty”. When you forget the vows you made when you were young, you dishonor God. I can’t even begin to describe the fallout that comes from divorce. Let’s just say it’s “ugly”, and it never loses its negative influence on all those involved. How do you combat this? God answers it in the same passage. Guard your heart, and remain loyal to your wife. Simple, isn’t it? Guard your heart, with what? The armor of God. You can read about that in Ephesians chapter 6. The family is the core unit in which God operates, so divorce destroys the unity God uses to reach the world. Above all else, guard your heart.

14 You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows.15 Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are His. And what does He want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. 16 “For I hate divorce!” says the Lord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.” Malachi 2:14-16