The Cain Pain

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enesis 4:1 Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man." [2] Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. [3] In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. [4] But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, [5] but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? [7] If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

It’s not about how much a person gives.  Jesus said of the widow that she gave more than anyone else because she gave out of want.  It may be about how much you could have or should have given.  We have no way of recognizing our greatest givers in this church when we look at the numbers.

Firstfruits – If many of us here today waited until we paid everything else then we would never give to God.  Most of us would never have anything left.

Giving is a spiritual issue not a financial one.

What are the issues?

q      Trust

q      Obedience

q      Love

If I am not in a place in my life where I can trust God by giving as He would have me to give then I cannot expect Him to fully bless my life as He would otherwise.

For some it would require great faith to give to Him as you would like to.

For others it would attack the hold that greed has on your own life.  You might even have to adjust your lifestyle somewhat in order to accomplish it.  One of the predominant sins of the church today is greed and materialism.