The Story of Life!

My father used to tell anecdotes and stories when he preached to make a point.  And he titled this story, 'The Fast Ball'.  A little boy went to the street corner shop to buy something. An old woman also came there at that moment, and when she took her purse out, it opened, and coins scattered around the little boy's feet.  A five rupee coin rolled and came to rest just next to his feet.  All the little boy had to do was move his foot one inch, and the coin would be his!  It was the battle of his life!  Temptations are all around us.  Sometimes society accepts certain sins as a way of life!  The warning for us is in Gen 4:5-6, the LORD said to Cain, "…. 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."  In other words, God says if we do the right thing, He will accept us just as He accepted the sacrifice of Abel.  It is a challenge because "sin lies at the door" and "our adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet 5:8).  Just as Man was to have dominion over the beasts, he must now gain dominance over the beast crouching within, the indwelling sin!

Cain could have resisted sin and found a blessing.  God did not accept Abel's offering out of arbitrary unfairness.  Nor did He accept it because it was Abel's best effort.  Abel was, by nature, just as much a sinner as Cain was.  God accepted it because Abel offered it in faith in response to God's Word.  It had nothing to do with Cain's efforts or Abel's efforts.  Cain was angry and depressed because of his sin.  Heb. 11:4 says, "By faith, Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous..."Then God blessed them, and said to them, “… have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.(Gen 1:28)”  Just as God intended, we have to control the roaring lion that lies at the door.  It is a matter of choice.  We have to choose to do the right thing!

My friend, God wants us to live by faith and obey His Word.  God has given us the Holy Spirit as a helper and advisor so that we can choose right and inherit God's blessings.  

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