MARCH 4, Genesis 4:1 - 5, Galatians 2:16

Do you have brothers? Here is a true Bible account of two brothers
- Cain and Abel. They were taught by their parents to obey God. What
were their parents’ names? Answer: _________________________. If they
disobeyed God, they were told that there would be punished.

Offering to God is giving back to God a portion of what He has
blessed us. The two brothers brought their offerings to God. Cain knew that
a lamb was an accepted offering, as taught by his parents. But he doubted
and disregarded their teaching. Sin was committed in his head and that was
followed by his deed. Cain was a good gardener and so he offered to God
some fruits or vegetables because to Cain, it seemed more sensible to give
God an offering of fruits and vegetables from his garden than a slain animal.
Perhaps he was lazy and did not want to offer the right thing. His brother
Abel however brought a lamb which was the right thing to do.

What was God’s reaction? God was angry with Cain and rejected his
offering. Why? When God killed animals and clothed their parents Adam
and Eve, He taught the significance of blood sacrifice. Hebrews 9:22 – ‘And
almost all things are by the law purged with _______________; and without
shedding of _______________ is no remission.’ Cain brought the wrong
sacrifice in his hand and had the wrong attitude in his heart.

Some of the Galatian believers were like Cain – they did not obey
what God taught in the Word and did what they thought was best. Today,
there are also many people like Cain or those Galatian believers. Like the
Galatians, many people think that they can get to Heaven by doing good
works or simply being a good person. Some also think all ways lead to
Heaven. Many people have their own thinking of getting into Heaven. These
people reject God’s way and instructions just like Cain.

But, child, there is really only one way - we must believe in the Lord
Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. He was God’s Lamb offered to God
for our sins. His blood washed away our sins. This is the only acceptable
way of being saved.

Thought: Are you like Cain?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that Jesus died on the cross for my sins.
Only by His blood can we be saved for there is power in His blood. Help me
to continue to trust Jesus, and it is in His wonderful name that I pray, Amen.