Sunday Morning 8:30 am Service

“I must master it.”

Genesis 4

1 Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the Lord’s help, I have produced a man!”

2 Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. 

3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 

4 Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 

5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.

6 “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 

7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

8 One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.

14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.

Genesis 4:14 — Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

Villain 

Victim 

Repair After Rupture

What do I give to God? 

Rejection

Loss Aversion — The pain of losing is often at least 2x more difficult as the joy of winning. 

7 Grudges

3% - 5% (Negativity) 

Proverbs 18:19 — Winning over an offended brother is harder than breaching a strong city’s defenses; such fights are as tough as the iron gates of a castle.

James 3:14 — But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.

Refusal

Genesis 4:7 — You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.

Rāḇaṣ — To crouch, lie, brood, or lurk. 

HURT wants to HAVE you. 

Responsibility

You MUST subdue it! 

Will I rule over my hurt? 

Or will my hurt rule me? 

Proverbs 4:23 — Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Reactions 

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.  

— Author Charles R. Swindoll

Am I letting __________________ get into my ground? 

Restless

How am I handling my hurt? 

Am I allowing it to harbor in my heart?

What is currently crouching at my door? 

Am I taking responsibility to guard my heart?

Am I guarding the ground in my life? 

Forgiveness is not a feeling. 

My hurt will not have the last word.