Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely , whatever is of good report, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, ponder on these things. - Philippians 4:8

Saturday, October 25, 2014

LOTS OF SPOTS BUT NO DATE


     BAM, BAM, BAM, came the sound at the front door of the Peterson's house along with a loud angry growl. BAM, BAM, BAM, came the sound again along with someone YELLING out “OPEN UP THIS DOOR NOW OR I'LL KILL HIM!” BAM, BAM, BAM, went the sound again. And this time the voice yelled out “I'LL KILL HIM EVEN IF YOU DO OPEN THE DOOR!”

     It was Mindy Miller and boy was she mad. “OPEN UP THIS DOOR NOW!” She screamed out as she continued beating on the door. “I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE HAROLD AND IF YOU DON'T OPEN UP THIS DOOR I'M GOING TO BREAK IT DOWN.” Then, as she gave one last push on the door it flew open and there stood Sergeant Halfway.

     “Sergeant!” Mindy called out in surprise, “What are you doing here? Did you come to arrest that pipsqueak Harold?” “Actually,” Sergeant Halfway said, I'm here to protect Harold and arrest girls like you who keep threatening to kill him.” “Well, he deserves it!” Mindy yelled out with a loud growl “And you're not going to stop me.”

     “You better calm down Mindy,” Sergeant Halfway said calmly, “You sound like your going to explode.” “ I am going to explode.” Mindy responded. “And when I do.... (Growl) watch out.” “What are you so angry about?” Halfway asked. “Harold ruined my date.” Mindy said. “How did Harold ruin your date?” Sergeant Halfway asked, “I thought he’s been being good and helping people.”

     “Helping people?” Mindy said with a snort, “Making those silly potions is not helping people. If I could catch him I’d pour the entire bottle down his throat.” “What potion?” Halfway asked, “Do you mean the one that gave everybody freckles? Form the looks of things you must have drank the potion too.”

     “Precisely.” Mindy growled, “If it wasn’t for that potion I wouldn’t have had to cancel my date.” “And just how did that potion mess up your date?” Sergeant Halfway asked glaring into her eyes. “Have you ever been covered with big itchy freckles from head to foot?” Mindy asked starting to feel a little uncomfortable.
Even though it was quite obvious to him, Sergeant Halfway asked, “Do you mean to say that you drank that potion too?” “Well, Uhm, Ahh, Yes.” Mindy stammered. “And did Harold make you drink it?” Halfway sternly asked.” ““Well, Uhm, Ahh No.” Mindy stammered again, “But everybody else was drinking it.”

     “Sounds to me as if you’re just blaming Harold for your own greed.” Sergeant Halfway said. “Well, somebody has to take the blame.” Mindy snorted with a growl.” “Then why don't you?” Sergeant Halfway asked. Not wanting to hear that, Mindy let out a loud growl and took off.” “Well,” Halfway said, “I sure hope she doesn’t do something stupid in her anger.” and went back to guarding the Peterson's house.

     So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth
Genesis 1:27-28a (ESV)

     We've seen that God created Adam and Eve and we see that God commanded them to be fruitful and multiply but that doesn't mean have fruit and do math. They were to have kids – lots of them. But as you may know, siblings don't always get along.

      Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD." And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?" And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth." Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." Then the LORD said to him, "Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Genesis 4:1-16 (ESV)

     Adam and Eve start having kids, First is Cain, Second is Abel. For some years they seemed to have gotten along together. Cain became a farmer of plants while Abel became a shepherd and in time they brought sacrifices to God from their work. While we are not told out right why, Cain's was rejected and Abel's' was accepted. Cain got angry and in his anger killed his brother.

     A key verse in this story is verse 7 which states “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Sin waits for us to get angry but it doesn't need to get us. Here are a few verse to consider when thinking of anger.
  • Ecclesiastes 7:9 Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools. (HCSB)
  • Proverbs 19:11 Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. (ESV)
  • Ephesians 4:26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, (ESV)
  • Proverbs 16:32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. (ESV)
      What would thing have been like if Cain had controlled his anger?

      Here's Something To Ponder
  • What is it like when you control your anger?
  • What is it like when you fail to control your anger?

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