"The Pastor's Message"

Continuing the theme of Genesis.

In Genesis Chs 1 & 2 we saw the account of creation, as God formed the world and everything in it and saw that it was very good.

As we progressed through Ch 3 we saw man's rebellion against God, the introduction of Sin & death and the cessation of the unique and innocent relationship that Adam and Eve enjoyed with God. They moved out of God's perfect ideal into the very harsh and imperfect world that we live in today

Genesis Ch 4 introduces the concept of worshiping God. While the scripture do not tell us how God communicated his expectations we are told that 
(V2&3) Cain was a farmer and brought an offering of his produce.
The fruit of his own labour and efforts.
(v4) Abel was a herdsman and brought to God a firstborn lamb. An innocent life provided by God.

God accepted the offering brought by Abel, but rejected the offering brought by Cain. Rather than accept God's rebuke, Cain became angry and resentful.

He allowed hatred, bitterness and anger to fester in his life to the point that we are introduced to the world's first dysfunctional family and the first murder. 

Many centuries have now passed and the nature of the human heart is unchanged. Broken lives, broken families, broken relationships, slavery and inhumanity, greed, selfishness & immorality, racial & religious intolerance have all become our way of life.

Things, money, power and possessions have become the focus of life and the goal for so many. 

Human life has become an expendable commodity and over the last century wars have been fought. There have been numerous attempts at genocide.

On the surface all may look hopeless, yet the Bible tells us that right from day one, God's love (AGAPE self sacrificing, all giving, love regardless of response) has been extended to mankind. God has reached out to draw us back into a relationship with Himself. To bring healing and restoration, to bring hope, purpose and meaning to our lives.

John 3:16-18 (New Living Translation)
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
17 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.
18 "There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. 

God reaches out to us, there are three simple steps to take;

Firstly ACKNOWLEDGE
We must recognise that we have a problem with our lives, we are rebellious towards God, we are self centred in our actions and attitudes. No matter how hard we try we cannot rectify the problem and even if we could, it still does not justify our past.

Secondly BELIEVE
We need to take God at His word. All Gods anger was satisfied in Christ Jesus. When He cried out "IT IS FINISHED" (John 19.30) as He hung on the cross, He announced that everything was done that needed to be done to reconcile man and God.

Thirdly CONFESS
That it was for ME that He died. If you were the only person in the world God would still have worked in the same way. "Thank you Lord Jesus for dying for ME." 

Tell God your heart, be honest and enter into a new life in Christ.

John 1:6-13 (New Living Translation)

6 God sent John the Baptist 7 to tell everyone about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was only a witness to the light. 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world.

10 But although the world was made through him, the world didn't recognise him when he came. 11 Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan--this rebirth comes from God.

Let God in Christ begin a spiritual healing in your life that no human can evoke.

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