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Monday, April 18, 2011

Faith Corrects Wrong Attitudes

Genesis 4: 3 - 7, And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 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." NKJV

It was simply because Cain chose to reject God's way and decided to give his own type of offering to the Lord that a horrible situation was set into motion. You will notice that Abel, the brother of Cain, had given God an acceptable offering. Abel's sacrifice was accepted, so we know he offered it in faith and according to God's guidelines.

Today, we need to look at the outcome of someone who might choose as Cain did... to reject walking by faith and, instead, choose to live according to their own carnal (fleshly) desires. In Genesis 3, God killed an animal and used its skin to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve. The Lord's choice to use an animal sacrifice revealed to Adam and his sons that this was the acceptable offering for the atonement (covering for their sin debt). Cain was a gardener, so he disregarded this ordinance and chose, instead, to offer God something that he had grown.

Shortly after Cain's offering is rejected by the Lord, he begins to develop a wrong attitude toward God and life. God attempted to correct Cain, but he wouldn't hear of it. God concluded His talk with Cain with a warning about sin crouching at his door. He told Cain that he should rule over sin, but if he continued to disobey God's rules, sin would rule over his heart.

 Cain used the rejection that he felt from God as a justification for his inappropriate attitude... because he refused to repent of unbelief. Therefore, his anger quickly escalated to wrong actions. In anger, he rose up against his brother and killed him in the field. All of this stemmed from an evil heart of unbelief in the heart of Cain who chose to live life according to his own rules. 

Likewise, what you and I believe will develop our attitude. Unbelief will cause a wrong attitude, and faith will create a right attitude. It will be from our attitudes that our actions are created and directed. Wrong belief or unbelief cause wrong attitudes and wrong attitudes will lead us to carry out wrong actions. Wrong actions lead us to hard consequences. If the hard consequences don't produce in us a repentant heart, then the next step will lead to death, which is separation from life or things that are the result of the blessings of God's life.

In one day, Cain lost his freedom, Abel lost his life, and Adam and Eve lost their sons...all over an offering service that went wrong. How could something good like receiving an offering go so wrong? SIN

None of us know what is really hidden in our hearts until our attitudes begin to reveal it. Watch your attitude. It will tell you whether or not sin is hiding out in your heart. ATTITUDE is "literally" a word to live by today! Thank you Lord, for Godly wisdom that saves us from destructive ways!

Saved by Grace,
Pastor Asa

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