Anger can turn to murder... in your heart!

 

 

Genesis 4:2-15 (The Message)

 ² Then she had another baby, Abel. Abel was a herdsman and Cain a farmer. ^3-5 Time passed. Cain brought an offering to God from the produce of his farm. Abel also brought an offering, but from the firstborn animals of his herd, choice cuts of meat. God liked Abel and his offering, but Cain and his offering didn't get his approval. Cain lost his temper and went into a sulk.
 ^6-7 God spoke to Cain: "Why this tantrum? Why the sulking? If you do well, won't you be accepted? And if you don't do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it's out to get you, you've got to master it."
 ⁸ Cain had words with his brother. They were out in the field; Cain came at Abel his brother and killed him.
 ⁹ God said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?"
   He said, "How should I know? Am I his babysitter?"
 ^10-12 God said, "What have you done! The voice of your brother's blood is calling to me from the ground. From now on you'll get nothing but curses from this ground; you'll be driven from this ground that has opened its arms to receive the blood of your murdered brother. You'll farm this ground, but it will no longer give you its best. You'll be a homeless wanderer on Earth."
 ^13-14 Cain said to God, "My punishment is too much. I can't take it! You've thrown me off the land and I can never again face you. I'm a homeless wanderer on Earth and whoever finds me will kill me."
 ¹⁵ God told him, "No. Anyone who kills Cain will pay for it seven times over." God put a mark on Cain to protect him so that no one who met him would kill him.

When we do things for God or people; we do them with a “sincere heart” but God has already told us what He expects from us. Just like our parents lay down the rules for us....what to do and what not to do. Chores, homework, ect. A lot of people say “well God understands me and he knows whats in my heart” but they have not done what God has expected them to do. They make all the excuses for not doing what God has told them to do. Just like they do with their parents.
The attitude of Cain was very bad... he become very angry. This is where the danger is! God asked Cain, why he was angry in verse 6. Then, God warns Cain in verse 7. He says that sin is waiting for him and we need to master it! We need to rule over it, control it and resist it. When we get mad, we need to be very careful not to sin.

 Ps4:4  Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.  Selah  

Eph 4:26-27“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

Matthew 5:21-22 (The Message)"You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother 'idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.

We get so angry sometimes and we direct our anger at people instead of just recognizing we are the problem and we need to repent and be humble and ask God for forgiveness. Cain got mad at Abel and it had nothing to do with Abel, the problem was within Cain and he dirrected his anger at Abel. We tend to get hurt when others do well and we dont. We start to examine the other person doing well; and find fault in them. Forgetting that yes, they are human and are not perfect and that we are saved by grace. A lot of times we start to compare what we have done and what others have done, forgetting that we are also human and not perfect. Well, I did this and this... and that and no one has even noticed!…..what have they done? Bad, bad, attitude! God doesn’t like this. He wants us to simply say God I know I DIDN’T DO WELL THIS TIME AND I WILL DO BETTER NEXT TIME, forgive me (then press forward). It is our human nature to constantly compare ourselves to other people instead of comparing ourselves to Jesus. If we would compare ourselves to Jesus we would not be focused on what others are doing and whether or not they did well in our eyes. We wouldn’t be competing with our brothers and sister instead we would be cheering them on, getting excited for them and congradulating them on a job well done!

If we would remember in those times we feel someone is being accepted or doing better then us and we have been rejected. Instead of feeling angry about the rejection we need to lean on the truth…..we will be accepted if we do well. We are the head not the tale, we are more than conquers and no weapon formed against us will prosper. It is a decision to rule over this SIN and if we don’t it will end up over taking us; in hatred, bitterness and self pitty.

Murder….may not be in the physical sense but in our hearts and words! This is very dangerous!

In verse 11 of the original text you will see that it cursed Cain. We can curse ourselves if we arent with this very thing, it starts with a difference in personality which is God given! Sometimes personalities clash! It then moves to competition! Very bad to compete with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We are supposed to be on the same team! If you see this happening then you need to rule over it and humble yourself. Don’t let pride rise and start comparing yourself with the other person. Be happy for their victory. Don’t try to out do them, encourage them, stay humble and do not exalt yourself, instead exalt them!

V.15 God still protected Cain from people’s vengeance! All I have to say is wow! God expects us to rely on Him to do the judgments and punishments. How many times have you seen something you don’t like and you start to talk about it and you yourself start to be angry and you start finding anger and hatred creeping in your heart? Well, God doesn’t want you to do that. Our words are either blessing or cursing. Our words are very powerful be careful what you say.


If we keep the right attitude and keep our perspective right, we can do this. Our heart needs to stay soft and plyable, sensitive so we can see when this is starting to happen and correct it quikly....quikly is very important!