Bible Verse of The Day – 3-3-23

Genesis 4:7 (NKJV) 7 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.”

As Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve, became adults and began to find their way in the world, each of them had different skills.

Cain was a gardener, growing fruits and vegetables.

Abel was a shepherd, tending his flocks of sheep.

When the time came for them to give an offering to God, they each gave from their livelihood. Cain gave fruit as an offering. Abel gave the firstborn of his flock.

God was pleased with Abel and his offering, but He did not accept the offering of Cain.

The word of God isn’t specific as to why Cain’s offering was rejected, but Cain probably knew why.

It is likely that it was not Cain’s offering itself that God rejected, but the attitude or the heart with which he gave it.

Whatever the reason was, God was not pleased with him, and Cain knew it.

This caused Cain to become angry, so God addressed him.

The simplicity of how He addressed Cain is profound; “If you do well, will you not be accepted?”.

He made it clear to Cain that if he simply “did well” (did what was right in God’s eyes), he would be accepted.

But then, because He knew Cain’s heart, He issued him a warning; “if you do not do well, sin lies at the door”.

And He went on to tell Cain that sin would try to overtake him, so he must rule over it so it would not win.

Sadly, Cain ignored God’s counsel and he went on to take his anger out on his brother, killing Abel with a rock.

Sin will try to do the same kinds of things to you and me.

It will try to overtake us, leading us further and further away from God, with the ultimate goal of destroying us and tearing us away from Him for eternity.

It’s up to us to rule over (master) sin, so it does not master (rule over) us.

God has equipped us and given us everything we need to be able to do this. And He has given us much instruction about this, including this direct, simple verse.

James 4:7 (NKJV) 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Let us not be like Cain, falling prey to temptation and the sin that ensnares us, but willing to heed God’s counsel, that we might be pleasing to God, ruling over our sin before it rules over us.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443

401-439-3780

If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!