Main Verse: 2 Peter 2

Good morning

            I have said before, “The gifts the Lord gives us are always ‘raw materials.’ What we do with the raw materials is our gift back to God” (Mike Krier). In the same way, sin is also a commodity because sin always starts with temptation such as our thoughts, attitudes, and byproducts are hatred, envy, and murder (James 1:13-15). When Cain and Able were young, the two young men shared everything with the family unit and the family lived in harmony until the fateful day when Cain and Able brought their offerings to the Lord. Because the Lord did not smile on Cain’s offering as he had done for Able, Cain became angry and jealous. When the Lord found out why Cain was so angry, the Lord could have accepted the responsibility and apologized instead, the Lord placed the ball back in Cain’s court for disposition (Genesis 4:1-7).

            You must understand, the Lord will never tell us what to do with the gifts the Lord endowed us with, nor will He tell us how we are to react to adverse situations but we will be held accountable for our actions as the example of the Parable of the Talents alludes to (Matthew 25:14-30). The Lord wants us to have the absolute best in life, but it is our choices that will dictate the results. I encourage you today to carefully consider the commodities you hold in your heart. In uncertain times such as these, it is quite easy to receive seeds of bitterness, anger, jealousy, and hatred which, left unattended, will grow deep into our hearts and tarnish all that the Lord has done in our lives (Matthew 12:43-45). The Cross of Calvary empowers us to flip the script from bitterness, anger, jealousy, and hatred to love, joy, and above all forgiveness (Matthew 23:37-39).

I.H.S.

MK