Is God Your Number One?

Get back to true worship.

TEACHINGS BROADCASTS STORE DONATE Is God Your Number One? by Skip Heitzig | Tuesday, June 22, 2021 Share Tweet Forward Did you know the first murderer in history was a religious person? Genesis 4 tells the story of Cain and Abel, two worshipers who happened to be brothers. Abel's sacrifice—or offering—was accepted by God. Cain, on the other hand, crashed and burned. Our text says that "Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground" (v. 2). He was a farmer. And his work was tied to his worship. In verses 3-5, we read 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." Why did God say yes to one offering and no to the other? The first reason was the quality of the offering. Notice that Abel brought his very best to God. But there's no mention at all about the quality of Cain's sacrifice—probably because he didn't care about it. The second reason was the character of the offerer. Down in verse 7, God asked Cain, "If you do well, will you not be accepted?" In other words, "If you lived right, your offering would be acceptable to Me." God does not see worship apart from the worshiper. If you're corrupt, so is your gift. Cain lacked the life-transforming, saving faith that would motivate him to righteous living (see Hebrews 11:4). As a result, a seed of murder began growing in his heart (see v. 5). God knew Cain was struggling inside, so He reasoned with him: "If you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it" (v. 7). In other words, "If you don't become a victor over your sin, you're going to become a victim of your sin." For Cain, the beast won. Sin mastered him. "It came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him" (v. 8). The revenge must have felt good at first. But it didn't last. When God met up with Cain, He cursed him and made him a lifelong exile (see vv. 10-12). What can you take away from this story so that you don't crash and burn like Cain? First, realize that our basic problem as humans is a worship problem. Cain didn't give his best in worship. Make sure you give God your best—your best self, your best energy, your best time. Second, don't let the root of sin produce its fruit. Cain let the root of anger produce the fruit of murder. Each of us needs to master the flesh that wars against the Spirit (see Galatians 5:17). And we have the power of the Holy Spirit to be able to do that. Third, know that sin always brings separation. It separated Cain from God, from his family, and from fellowship. Sin creates lonely, isolated people, and that's the worst way to live. The key to avoiding Cain's mistakes is getting back to worship, letting the Lord take first place in your life. Will you make room in your heart for the God of this universe to take over and be your supreme King? In His strong love, Skip Heitzig  | Connect with Skip Heitzig Holidays wake us up from the daily grind and provide a backdrop for creating memories. But beyond traditions, time off, and family time, holidays can illuminate spiritual truths. Discover the spiritual significance of some of life's celebrations with Happiness, Holiness, and Holidays—a DVD collection of four celebratory messages from Skip Heitzig. Get your copy SKIP HEITZIG Skip Heitzig is the founder and senior pastor at Calvary Church. His teachings are heard across the country and around the world on Connect with Skip Heitzig. Skip and his wife, Lenya, and son and daughter-in-law, Nathan and Janaé, live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Skip and Lenya are the proud grandparents of Seth Nathaniel and Kaydence Joy. Skip Heitzig Skip Heitzig, author of The Bible from 30,000 Feet , is pastor-teacher of Calvary Church, ministering to more than 15,000 people weekly. He holds a DD and PhD from Trinity Southwest University and has a popular multimedia teaching ministry that includes print, audio, and online resources. Skip and his wife, Lenya, reside in New Mexico and have one son and two grandchildren. Want to buy books by Skip Heitzig on Alibris? © Copyright 2021 Connection Communications | 800.922.1888 Statement of Faith  Contact Us          Want to change how you receive these emails? You can *update your preferences or *unsubscribe from this list. Subscription Information This email was sent to  Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog *the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally